Big East name change in the works?

[LHS81]

Larry Brown may or may not be around for long. But, TCwho will never be relevant in basketball. Especially, with Trent Johnson as your school's coach.

[SMU2007]

They'll probably have a really hard time coming up with some money to hire a legit coach. You know- since their football program is making 20x a year what ours is now. Sure would hate to be a TCU fan.

[lwjr]

With the 7 gone plus the other defections....how long will LB realistically want to hang around? From an outsider's perspective it appears as though LB came on board to be part of the Big East. With his history of moving around frequently and smu no longer in the Big East it seems likely that he won't be around for long.

ReedFrawg, that is a legitimate point and I am sure many SMU supports wonder the same thing, myself included. Tim Jankovich was hired as an assistant to take over the program when LB does decide to step down from what I understand. Why else would they pay him the money he is being paid.
LB is in his 70's and at his age I would assume the coaching opportunities are not there like they use to be. He enjoys the challenge of building a programs, like SMU, into a national brand. I think he will be around for three or four more years then move on.
He has energized the program with his enthusiasm, the incredible recruiting class coming in and the transfers that will be eligible next season. It will be interesting to see how the conference situation plays out and if that effects future recruiting. But having said that I would not call the MWC a basketball powerhouse but Steve Alford has built New Mexico into a top 25 program, San Diego State has been in and out of the top 25 as well, add Colorado State to that list as well. The number one team in the country plays in the West Coast Conference, it can be done. You add to the fact Moody is getting a well deserve facelift one can not help but get excited about the future of the SMU basketball program.
I'm not dumping on you so please do not interpret my ramblings that way.

[ReedFrawg]

With the 7 gone plus the other defections....how long will LB realistically want to hang around? From an outsider's perspective it appears as though LB came on board to be part of the Big East. With his history of moving around frequently and smu no longer in the Big East it seems likely that he won't be around for long.

ReedFrawg, that is a legitimate point and I am sure many SMU supports wonder the same thing, myself included. Tim Jankovich was hired as an assistant to take over the program when LB does decide to step down from what I understand. Why else would they pay him the money he is being paid.
LB is in his 70's and at his age I would assume the coaching opportunities are not there like they use to be. He enjoys the challenge of building a programs, like SMU, into a national brand. I think he will be around for three or four more years then move on.
He has energized the program with his enthusiasm, the incredible recruiting class coming in and the transfers that will be eligible next season. It will be interesting to see how the conference situation plays out and if that effects future recruiting. But having said that I would not call the MWC a basketball powerhouse but Steve Alford has built New Mexico into a top 25 program, San Diego State has been in and out of the top 25 as well, add Colorado State to that list as well. The number one team in the country plays in the West Coast Conference, it can be done. You add to the fact Moody is getting a well deserve facelift one can not help but get excited about the future of the SMU basketball program.
I'm not dumping on you so please do not interpret my ramblings that way.

Good info....I remember reading about Jankovich during the hiring of LB. As we all know LB doesn't typically stay in any one place for long so that's why I broached the subject. I have no doubt that LB can potentially get it done if his heart is in it - there is no reason SMU couldn't become a player in college hoops like the schools you mentioned above. I guess only he knows if the "loss" of the BE identity is enough to make him consider walking away.

[ReedFrawg]

Larry Brown may or may not be around for long. But, TCwho will never be relevant in basketball. Especially, with Trent Johnson as your school's coach.

Great point.

[couch 'em]

The fact LB and his super staff are still here gives me hope they know something we don't.

Desperate hope.

[Water Pony]

I accept LB's commitment and passion to teach as reason enough for him to stay. Unless he needs to stop for health reasons, he will complete his coaching legacy with SMU. He is a class act and attributing unknow motives to him is a waste of time.

Thanks, coach.

[BleedingRed+Blue]

You maynot realize this, but we have the weakest leadership in the athletic departement in many years. He was hired to be Turner's Brad Cheves--"repeat after me"...We need a dog in this fight, not "yes man".

What makes anyone think anything good or bad about the leadership? Do you really think the school is not answering calls when other schools and conferences call? To an extent, SMU really HAS to align itself with the best possible schools (and dress it up however you like, but UConn, Cincinnati and South Florida are a step up from UAB, Rice and UTEP), because it doesn't have the clout to cause a seismic shift in the college landscape on its own. The fact that there aren't public reports about conversations being had with other schools and conferences doesn't mean they're not being had. Frankly, I'd rather have an administration doing things quietly and effectively than having some blowhard jump in front of every camera he can find and shout "top 25 in everything we do." I don't know what Hart's working on, but the fact that he doesn't announce every move he makes doesn't bother me.

The tennis complex is now on hold, and our number one recruit has just left school, claiming it will not be built during his remaining years of eligibility. If tennis is taking a pause, where does that leave your sport? Right now without the projected millions promised by the Big East, it is more likely to be cut than build a new swimming complex--easy, no problems with the women, cut both the men's and women's programs simulataneously!

If the kid was picking his school solely based on the courts, he has bigger issues ahead. If he was a great player, I'm sorry SMU is losing him, but is he a world beater? For his sake, I hope so.

[East Coast Mustang]

Even with the dissolution of the BE, we're in a good basketball conference. UConn, Temple, Memphis, and Cincinnati are all established bball programs. I don't see LB wanting to leave SMU b/c of the conference shifts, surely he knew that was possible when he took the job. The Catholic 7 had been rumored to break away from the rest of the BE schools for years

[ponyboy]

The basketball facilities can't hurt either.