I Thought We Were After a Splash Hire?

[GHammond]

If rumors persist…Enfield not a splash hire, even though SMU has a bit of “USC Envy” - does have a hot wife. Wade, Lutz - no. Shaka is a splash hire..Jay Wright is a splash hire…Pearl is a splash hire…Mussleman they say is VERY hard to deal with, play for, and work for - no thanks. Hoping we do something special. Long Live Gene Phillips.

[Hop Sing]

Enfield would be a step up, but I agree, not splash. Probably the best we can hope for this stage.

[Otto]

A lot of SC fans would be thrilled if we hired Enfield. The masses are growing restless with him in L.A.

[highlander]

I posted this on another thread:

Just look at our recent coaching hires:

John Shumate: ZERO NCAA tourney appearances before we hired him.
Mike Dement: ONE NCAA tourney appearance before we hired him.
Matt Doherty: ONE NCAA tourney appearance before we hired him. That was a fantastic UNC team that he inherited.
Larry Brown: One of the greatest coaches ever
Tim Jankovich: ZERO NCAA tourney appearances before we hired him.
Rob Lanier: TWO NCAA tourney appearances before we hired him.
Andy Enfield (?): SIX NCAA tourney appearances before we hired him.

So this guy has two MORE tourney appearances than 5 of our last 6 coaches COMBINED.

We can do a lot worse.

[Water Pony]

In Miller We Trust

[shadowman]

I think this is a great hire,

Although, the term P2 is mostly relegated to football, we just got a coach that was heading off to the BIG10.

You have to believe that when we fired Lanier, this hire was already set in stone and the very capable money men of SMU behind the scenes knew this is who we wanted.

Of course, Rice with Lanier will probably win the AAC tourney next year and be dancing while we struggle to finish high enough in the ACC to just barely make the cut for the conference tournament.

But long term, this makes sense. Hopefully we give him a chance and not can him after two years...

[Topper]

From what I see in the blogosphere/twitterverse the outside world sees this as more of a "splash" than many of our fans. We sometimes forget that SMU sports have been an afterthought to most sports fans nationally. I am seeing a lot of people nationally with the perception that SMU is not only headed to the ACC but that we have enticed away a Big 10 coach from a glamor school to go with us. Dallas beats out LA for a guy whose job was not on the line.

[highlander]

I think this is a great hire,

Although, the term P2 is mostly relegated to football, we just got a coach that was heading off to the BIG10.

You have to believe that when we fired Lanier, this hire was already set in stone and the very capable money men of SMU behind the scenes knew this is who we wanted.

Of course, Rice with Lanier will probably win the AAC tourney next year and be dancing while we struggle to finish high enough in the ACC to just barely make the cut for the conference tournament.

But long term, this makes sense. Hopefully we give him a chance and not can him after two years...

Enfield will not get the quick hook the way Lanier did. Lanier was just a victim of circumstance. He would have outlasted Jank in terms of tenure if we had not moved to the ACC, and almost certainly would have been more successful. We just can't begin the ACC era with a NIT-level coach.

[highlander]

From what I see in the blogosphere/twitterverse the outside world sees this as more of a "splash" than many of our fans. We sometimes forget that SMU sports have been an afterthought to most sports fans nationally. I am seeing a lot of people nationally with the perception that SMU is not only headed to the ACC but that we have enticed away a Big 10 coach from a glamor school to go with us. Dallas beats out LA for a guy whose job was not on the line.

That's what I am seeing, too. But when LB is your standard when it comes to splash hires, a lot of eligible candidates are going to fall short.

[highlander]

I think this is a great hire,

Although, the term P2 is mostly relegated to football, we just got a coach that was heading off to the BIG10.

You have to believe that when we fired Lanier, this hire was already set in stone and the very capable money men of SMU behind the scenes knew this is who we wanted.

Of course, Rice with Lanier will probably win the AAC tourney next year and be dancing while we struggle to finish high enough in the ACC to just barely make the cut for the conference tournament.

But long term, this makes sense. Hopefully we give him a chance and not can him after two years...

I agree -- this HAD TO be in the works prior to the firing, and I think Lanier knew he was done.

[Topper]

I think this is a great hire,

Although, the term P2 is mostly relegated to football, we just got a coach that was heading off to the BIG10.

You have to believe that when we fired Lanier, this hire was already set in stone and the very capable money men of SMU behind the scenes knew this is who we wanted.

Of course, Rice with Lanier will probably win the AAC tourney next year and be dancing while we struggle to finish high enough in the ACC to just barely make the cut for the conference tournament.

But long term, this makes sense. Hopefully we give him a chance and not can him after two years...

I would be very surprised if this wasn't a done deal in principle before Lanier's dismissal was announced. I also think that Lanier was probably aware that the NIT was his last rodeo at SMU and that he had already talked to Rice. Contract negotiations involving this kind of money, not to mention family discussions re moving from LA to Dallas don't happen overnight. Only USC may have been caught flat-footed.

[max the wonder dog]

USC beat reporter says Enfield to SMU expected, with announcement "in a couple of days."

https://trojanswire.usatoday.com/lists/report-smu-expected-to-hire-uscs-andy-enfield-as-new-basketball-coach-but-deal-not-yet-finalized/

[max the wonder dog]

BTW, the top marginal state income tax rate in California is 12.3% and it kicks in around $1 million, depending on filing status.

[Terry Webster]

I think poaching a good coach from a p4 school qualifies as a splash hire.

[highlander]

BTW, the top marginal state income tax rate in California is 12.3% and it kicks in around $1 million, depending on filing status.

Yeah but in LA everyone gets free human excrement in their front yard.