Kate: Long Beach State coach turns down SMU

[Mexmustang]

I don't believe he was offered. Where was Orsini's formal request to the AD to speak to him? Why would anyone but an idiot come out and unilaterally state he turned down a $2,000,000 job? Professionals don't act this way. Maybe, just maybe the search firm contacted him and said we have a position open would like to discuss and he said, "No" "I am happy in CA". Again, even if Orsini personally came to him with $2,000,000 in cash in a briefcase, what would he gain by coming out and saying he turned him down embarrasing not only SMU, but Orsini? AD's move around too, and that next great coaching job might just have a guy named Orsini heading it up one day.

[SMU 86]

From my understanding he told us not to offer. That is a rejection whether it has an offer attached to it or not.

[Mexmustang]

Fine, that is how the dance is done, but you don't go out an embarrass an AD, a school and a search firm by making it public. What do you gain? I don't know, but I doubt we got as far as actually preparing to offer. Again, how far did it even get? Did Orsini even talk to him? or only the search firm? There is considerable screening going on, and a considerable number of people will have been considered before this is over. This unnamed source Kate refers to is certainly a credible source. I only believe Bob Sharpe!

[redpony]

Rumor is that Benford is not interested as well. Who ever we decide on I sure hope it is not a coach from denton comm coll.

[alyssa]

Wasting time with someone not interested.........
Maybe hire foreign coach if no great American coach is interested.

[CA Mustang]

So he was asked to basically build it from scratch. That's not easy in the Big 10.

That's a tough job description for any coach. How many coaches have shown the ability to build from scratch in a major conference? 10? 5?

But once he got through the NCAA sanction period, he was in over his head. He did not have control over that program and let the likes of Kris Humphries dictate where things were going.

Minnesota has to share some of the blame. If the situation was so tough, why not hire someone with proven ability? If you hire someone and they fail, you can't wash your hands and claim you had nothing to do with it.

He's a good guy but IMO he's better suited for jobs like Long Beach State. He would have struggled here.

Since he declined the opportunity, it doesn't matter what he would or would have done. The point is moot and time to move on to the next candidate.

[Mitch McConnell]

Well, you can be assured that whenever we hire somebody, it will be sport for some to kick the school in the nuts over the hire for whatever reason because it didn't WOW them like it should have.

I'm sure the comparisons will come fast and furious. Of course, these complaints will be coming from the people who are complaining the search is drifting off course.

Whatever.

[gostangs]

its like none of you have ever seen this process play out before. Right before the one is chosen - the ones interviewing figure out they aren't getting it. Then they come out and say no thanks to shore up their home base. expect an announcement pretty soon.

[StangEsq]

its like none of you have ever seen this process play out before. Right before the one is chosen - the ones interviewing figure out they aren't getting it. Then they come out and say no thanks to shore up their home base. expect an announcement pretty soon.

Wish that were the case here...

[CoxBizGrad]

Gostangs--Not the situation here. We are reaching further down the bottom of the barrel as the search drags on.