Next basketball coach?

[OldPony]

PX- Thanks for your insight. Tubbs may be an answer if Dement goes. I truly don't know. Being one of a handful of minority coaches in the SW surely wouldn't hurt recruiting. I was simply making a point about him being a long time Dement assistant and they seemed to get along. Dement certainly gave him more credit in the press than most coaches give their assistants. Maybe Shumate didn't want Dallas kids but I think it had more to do with him living out west and didn't recruit Dallas kids because he was lazy and uncommitted to SMU basketball especially his last few years. Becuase of his ties to Dallas, maybe Tubbs would come to SMU. Most high profile assistants want to go to a program that has some notoriety and can get those offers.

[mulletmike]

Stangesque, you don't have a reference for what I'm saying. Dook had unprecedented success in the years of Gaudet and Brey. Both were/are exceptional teachers. If you gauge by national titles and Final Fours, which Dook does, they aren't the same dominant program.

As for you assessment that they are the best in the ACC this year, Maryland or Wake Forest may have a thing to say about that. You see, Dook is in 3rd, back of Maryland(national champs) by 2 full games. and behind Wake by 1. I wouldn't pencil them in next year, either.

Now, the point is that SMU needs a teacher that can recruit. Not a recruiter who can't teach. As PX eloquently pseudo stated, and I'll take it a step further, Dement doesn't give his assistants the time of day.

All that said, in AAU circles, Tubbs is regarded very highly. He'll get some players just thrown his way if he were the Pony coach. Not saying he's the guy, but everyone is offbase if you don't think SMU can attract a good young coach and quality recruiter. It just takes some money and a few guarantees w/regards to upgrades.

[Nacho]

Mullett what is so painfully obvious to us can be so painfully obscure to the masses.

[NCPony]

I agree with Charleston Pony, get an assistant from a strong program. There are guys out there like Herrion that would love an opportunity to build a program like SMU.
I don't think J. Dawkins will be leaving Duke anytime soon (think Bill Guthridge with Dean Smith).
I would love to see someone like Buzz Peterson from Tennessee (although he wouldn't take this job). Maybe one of Billy Donovan's assistants from Florida or Dave Odom's assistants from So. Car. (Charleston Pony, you might know about some of those)- a young guy that comes from a strong program and would be willing to leave for a head coaching position that can also infuse that needed spark from the bench.

[mulletmike]

Nacho, I'm not even sure what you mean or the frame of reference. Could you clue me in?

[Nacho]

I was obtusely agreeing with your above post.

[Duke Blue Blood]

Dawkins is not coming here.

We could all dream and think that he might even consider us, but he would not. Why would he come?

I am not sure he is the best fit anyways.

What I want to know is how Duke has "slipped"? Only a stupid tarhole would say that we slipped. Granted we haven't won a national championship in a two years and we only have 5 McDonald All Americans.

Stupid uneducated basketball fans make these statements!

[Nacho]

What do you Terps and Devils think of Kelvin Sampson going to UNC. Is that a realistic possibility? How would it affect Tubbs?

[NCPony]

<B>Duke Blue Blood:</B>

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Only a stupid tarhole would say that we slipped.</font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Stupid uneducated basketball fans make these statements!</font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Before we let you call yourself stupid, how do you know he's a Tarheel? Maybe he's a Terp or Deac- both ahead of Duke in league standings.

I think MulletM was just saying that Duke is not the same kind of team is was for most of the '90's and have not dominated like they had done. Duke is still a great team and will continue to be for many, many years.

Stallion- Where is Tubbs today (serious question, not a crack)?

[mulletmike]

I'm a Terp and always have been. Grew up in Maryland very close to the Lefty regime, was friendly w/Lenny, and now I'm in FOG(Friends Of Gary). Went to both Maryland and SMU.

As for Dook, NCPony is correct. Certainly not denegrating one of the nations best programs, just stating what is known around the ACC. Dook isn't the same dominant program it was w/Brey and Gaudet in the early/mid 90s. They don't have the teachers in the pipeline, just recruiters, or did. Dawkins is somewhat like Phil Ford minus the Jeff McGinnis fiasco and the resulting alcohol. A loyal player/grad/coach that isn't particularly coaching savvy. Chris Collins and Wojo may turn out to be slightly better but its too early to tell.

As for Carolina hiring Sampson, I don't see it. First off, Doh got lucky this year by having May get hurt. It saved his job for yet another lackluster campaign. He'll get another year, unless their is mass turnover, which is highly rumored. Mccants is miserable and May might just be a Red Raider before its all done. Rumors about Felton to the league or south Carolina as well. Where there is smoke, there is fire.

If this happens, look for Carolina to stay in family as always. I KNOW for a fact they'll hit up Larry Brown again. Very strong rumblings that he wants the job, just no real out in the Sixer contract. However, the Sixers may just let him bolt this time. His turmoils w/AI are legendary and its run its course. If that happens, its likely that the job would go to Tubby Smith.

Any way you cut it, Jimmy tubbs would be interested in SMU whether sampson jets or not. Its his stomping grounds, he's majorly respected and has tons of Dallas roots. I also believe he thinks he can win on the Hilltop. I just don't think SMU is that bad a job.

[StangEsq]

It's funny how a team slips all the way down to *gasp* 8th in the rankings and everyone has written them off. Outside of Arizona, Duke has as good a shot as anybody in the nation. They're going to improve a lot more than a lot of the schools above them because their talent is young and still learning and gaining experience. FYI Maryland's top four players are all seniors (good luck next year).

[PX]

NCPony, if you are serious, Jimmy Tubbs is an assistant at Oklahoma right now. If you meant Billy Tubbs, he's the athletic director at Lamar.

I didnt say Jimmy Tubbs was "the answer" but he is going to be a very viable heading coaching candidate on the national level within the next few years. I would think he would want to stay close to Texas, and I have no doubt he would return to Dallas if he was asked.

[mulletmike]

Marylands got 4 frosh and a JC playing tons of minutes. They;ll be just fine. As for Dooks ranking, its a joke. They played nobody OOC an have lost the majority of their conference road games.

BTW, Maryland lost 3 draft picks last year and 4 startes total. They rebounded all right. They'll be just fine as their incoming class is faaar superior to Dooks in depth and quality. Enjoy the second tier.

[NCPony]

Thanks PX.

Mullet- where are you getting the info on McCants and Felton? It's obvious that McCants isn't happy and Doh is an idiot for not starting him and doing the multi-subs at the end of the game. McCants will win more games with his O than lose with his D. You might be right about Doh getting a break with May going down, but if he doesn't bring in a true center, and start making a move to the top of the league, he'll be gone next year. Of course they'll give Brown a call, but age is a factor with him. I believe UNC will take a look at George Karl (again), K. Sampson, Buzz Peterson (@ Tenn.), and maybe a surprise like Billy Donovan (not necessarily him). I don't think Ford is in the equation or even Eddie Fogler (fmr. So. Car. & UNC asst).
That would be great if Sampson went to UNC and possibly open the door for Jimmy Tubbs to SMU- I would finally be able to watch basketball again, even though both schools are slowly becoming football schools...

[mulletmike]

My stuff is mostly from pretty heavy hitting ACC booster types, mostly Maryland. We discuss at the FOG monthly breakfasts and tell who said what. Gossip, but from inside the programs really.

For example, Maryland will have a transfer this year, not so much b/c he wants to leave, but b/c we are becoming a recruiting power and just can't turn the caliber of some of these kids away. Only reason DJ Strawberry got a schollie from Maryland was b/c of Juan Dixon. Juan liked his defense in pick-up and convinced GW that DJ couldn't be intimidated in Cameron or wherever b/c of all the crap he's taken in his life due to his father. Tough in the same way Juan was, just not as offensively as gifted.

As for Mccants, its well known he abhors Doh. As I heard it, he felt his benching was contrived to keep McCants from leaving for the NBA. Basically stated to the world that Rashad plays no "D' to hurt his draft status. Whether thats true or not, JJ Redick and Drew Nicholas aren't defensive gems either. Just classless considering the kid carried that team on his shoulders pre and post May. The theory goes that by knocking any NBA chip off his shoulder, he'd come back and help Doh keep his job w/a healthy May. However, Rashad may have his own plan. See Joe Forte.

Ray Ray is a great player, but by most GMs speculation, he's Top 20 this year. Rumors were strong that he hates Doh as well and was very close to Odom at South Carolina. He also played AAU w/several guys on South Carolinas squad. Both McCants and Ray Ray went to UNC in spite of Doh, not b/c of him. They both liked coaches and other schools, but grew up HUGE Carolina fans. Now that the tradition is waning ever so slightly, they are to.

El-Deano has got Phil Ford in an unofficial assistant capacity b/c the players don't respect or relate to Doh. Any problem Ray Ray or Rashad has, they take to Ford. Ford takes it to El-Deano. Dean has warned Doh that he's got two strikes. The last official warning came after Doh pegged a player, who wasn't paying attention in practice ,w/a ball to the head. Kid sat out practice b/c of pseudo-whiplash. The team thought about a walk-out but the frosh don't need the media heat if they jet to the league or transfer.

Sean Mays Dad hates Doh and is pulling all the strings on Mays recovery. The kid won't play until Papa May clears it, guaranteed. Believe me, the kid is a baller but needs serious conditioning. His injuries are directly related to his size(ankle and shin splints). He could use next year to sit out, transfer to Tech, get in great shape, and dominate the year after. His draft status would be assured and its still the proper time-frame for him to bolt.

Basically, you are staring at a complete domino theory here. One goes, its over. Personally, as Terp faithful, we'd love to see Doh hold his job indefinately. Sorta like sendek