Hardly anyone seems to agree on the type of coach we need other than, he needs to win the fans back and get us back into the tourney. I guess we can ask all the candidates if they get along with the fans and will they get us back to the tourney......I have a feeling we would hear a lot of Yes and Yes. As I have said for years, we aren't going to get back to pre Woj days playing toe to toe with the big guys. We have to out run them, out hustle them, pressure defense, zone defense when needed just to mess with the other teams minds a little, wide open offense, meaning, they know, secondary break points count the same as the ones running an offense for 30 seconds. If their teams have played a majority of their games in the 50's and 60's, I'm not interested. We won more than a few games in our hayday because our team was in better shape than the other team at the end of the game. I'm a little afraid of coaches or Asst. from the bigger programs, because they are use to the best of everything at their finger tips....but I don't won't a small time coach that just wants more money and more prestige. So who does that leave????

What I'd like to see is a coach who (1) is committed to a faster paced game and not just scoring in the 60's, (2) has a connection to TU in some capacity and (3) has a great recruiting background and can sign excellent local kids as well as in Texas.

1. We have to not just win, but entertain the fans to get them back. It is excruciating to watch these slowdown-control coaches. Most fans don't know enough about MBB to appreciate the finer points of good defense/strategy, but they know when the ball goes throught the basket. We need those fans' butts in the Don again.

2. One of the problems that DW had, was a condescending attitude toward our fans, our school and our MBB tradition. During times of stress, some of his actions and words were inappropriate IMO. We need a coach that appreciates our excellent tradition and top flight school. If our coach has a TU connection in some way, that would certainly assure his loyalty to the school and community IMO.

3. Lets face the fact that the name of the game in MBB is recruiting. We have good, even a couple of outstanding players on this roster who can play just about anywhere, but who were somewhat held back IMO. We also have an excellent class signed and the opportunity to sign a couple of the best local players in the last decade. We need to solidify what we have and advance the program by signing those players I mentioned. Those local kids don't come along very often or up wearing TU blue.

The more that comes out about DW, the more I am thrilled he is gone. Just a negative person who knew it all. A change was long overdue, IMO.

Other than Tubby, I haven't been excited about any new coach prospects yet. I agree we need a coach who can really coach & is good with the fans. We definitely need a top notch recruiter or at least a good recruiter who surrounds himself with very good recruiters.

I like Scott Sutton, but am not sure if he has the personality to pull it off. He would need Shea on staff for local recruiting & at least one very good Texas recruiter. Seems like he has recruited KC & north more than Dallas & south. His brother in law Hankins is rumored to be his main recruiter.

Waiting to hear a name I can really get excited about. Was good to see TU at least start to make a run at Tubby. That shows me there are still people at TU that want to get our basketball program back up where it used to be.

There are more coaches at the Final Four at the same time than any place all year........so hopefully by next Tues or Wed we know something. I must admit I wouldn't hesitate to ask Bill Self or Tubby for their recommendation for a coach since they have some idea what it takes to win at Tulsa. Maybe that's how Manning got his interview. I say ask for Tubby's recommendation if we can't talk him into coming back. How about if we offer him a lifetime contract, he decides when to retire and when he does his son becomes the head coach.......now if that's not continuity in coaching I don't know what is........plus Tubby gets a guarantee and his son too......that might appeal to him!!!

We are facing a mini disaster IMO. Some of the TU fans are starting to soften to Terry Evans, but look at his negatives. He coaches at the D-II level with only a slightly better record than DW. He coaches at a commuter school with a large enrollment compared to a residential TU campus and small enrollment with a family atmosphere. He coaches at a school that is nowhere close to the academic standards of TU, a top 100 school. He coached under Billy Tubbs, a person always on the cusp of rule and ethics problems. He is not experienced as a head coach at recruiting the type of player that is standard at most DI schools. Many of his players were transfers that couldn't get into a school like TU. Winning with transfer talent at the DII level is easier than getting the type of player who can play and somewhat overachieve at TU. Is the TU HC position a place where we need on the job training? Would Bill Self or Tubby Smith recommnend TE over any other candidate on the immediate list. Is Parmley just listening to Upham who is gone in a couple of months? And who was the one who was most influential in hiring DW? Upham, right?

I don't like the direction this is headed. Our list of candidates is very, very disappointing IMO.

Danny Manning is a huge risk. Tulsa is going to go into battle with a guy, who as far as I can tell, has never even coached an AAU or MAYB team. And his coaching experience is as a 3rd assistant for a handful of years. He has a name and was a tremendous player and can definitely help develop big men. But can he recruit? Can he coach? Can he manage a team? How about the sideline?

Big risk.

A lot of those questions might be answered by who he hires as assistants.

(03-28-2012 09:50 PM)jfisher Wrote:  A lot of those questions might be answered by who he hires as assistants.

Bingo! But IMO we basically over-limited (is that a word?) the search initially to head coaches with spotty records of success. But in the end, our leading candidate is an assisitant evidently with limited in-game experience as a top assistant.

This just smacks of Upham-meddling to me. We had DW in the first place because SU took over the interviews back when DW was hired. Then came the entire process of Bubba jumping ship, SU's announced retiring at the end of the year, TU hiring an AD from within without a viable search process (thus assuring SU's control of the AD), the politically correct and necessary firing of DW and now what I consider a botched hiring process with a poor list of candidates considering our MBB history, just looks to me like a process run by amateurs and yes men. Now we may have a new coach with a new AD as his boss being watched over by a new university president. What's wrong with this picture?

Now that Manning is evidently "the guy", I think it is an acceptable hire with a lot of upside. He can take over and mold the team and hopefully build it in Bell Selfs image. The chess pieces are all there including some decent "bigs" and a quality group of youngsters who should stay on board. Now if he'll hire a couple of good recruiters, we may see the NCAA tourney again in the near future.

congrats, Tulsa.

Hopefully, Manning will return tu basketball to its former self, with many NCAAT appearances.
Maybe we can both get there together.

I'm cautiously optimistic.....he sure has got Tulsa a lot of pub already and that's good. I think our chances of getting some good Big Man recruits just went up dramatically, which may bring along some better than average outside players. I don't know why we shouldn't go after any, and I do mean any Big Men recruits starting next year. I'm also optimistic because I think we already have the talent to make it to the tourney next year....not a long run but make it. Just playing more aggressive defense and running when we have the opportunity. We have tall guards, some big men, just turn them loose and let them play a fun brand of basketball. I have always been a big proponent of shooting before the other team has a chance to set up their defense....if you have a good shot. I always got the feeling Woj thought that was illegal or cheating......now let's be nice boys and let the other team set up their defense, OK now let's play. I do think Manning will make our big men tougher around the basket.....and not be nice guys. As long as our players come out of the locker room and give everyone the impression we're good and we're here to prove it......I'll be happy!!!

(03-20-2012 06:44 PM)rabidTU Wrote:  What I'd like to see is a coach who (1) is committed to a faster paced game and not just scoring in the 60's, (2) has a connection to TU in some capacity and (3) has a great recruiting background and can sign excellent local kids as well as in Texas.

1. We have to not just win, but entertain the fans to get them back. It is excruciating to watch these slowdown-control coaches. Most fans don't know enough about MBB to appreciate the finer points of good defense/strategy, but they know when the ball goes throught the basket. We need those fans' butts in the Don again.

2. One of the problems that DW had, was a condescending attitude toward our fans, our school and our MBB tradition. During times of stress, some of his actions and words were inappropriate IMO. We need a coach that appreciates our excellent tradition and top flight school. If our coach has a TU connection in some way, that would certainly assure his loyalty to the school and community IMO.

3. Lets face the fact that the name of the game in MBB is recruiting. We have good, even a couple of outstanding players on this roster who can play just about anywhere, but who were somewhat held back IMO. We also have an excellent class signed and the opportunity to sign a couple of the best local players in the last decade. We need to solidify what we have and advance the program by signing those players I mentioned. Those local kids don't come along very often or up wearing TU blue.

With the hiring of Shea Seals today, this all seems to be coming together. We now have someone who can be influential in acquiring those local kids. If Juwan Parker isn't in a TU uniform after next year, he'll regret it - if he can find a way to get into school that is. IMO.

Go TU!