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Milt Wagner Promoted To Assistant Coach

I don't like this. Why not go out and grab a good and experienced Assistant Coach to help out because they could really use it.

Or go get a young, hungry assistant. I’m sorry but when Milt couldn’t get his own grandson to visit UofL then I saw all I needed to see. So now our bench includes Danny Manning - a guy who has been paid millions not to coach and looks asleep on the bench, Jamison - a guy whose ties and recruiting success all are Nike related and now Milt. Not to mention Nolan Smith who interviewed for another job at a time that certainly didn’t help Payne’s already shaky status.
 
Or go get a young, hungry assistant. I’m sorry but when Milt couldn’t get his own grandson to visit UofL then I saw all I needed to see. So now our bench includes Danny Manning - a guy who has been paid millions not to coach and looks asleep on the bench, Jamison - a guy whose ties and recruiting success all are Nike related and now Milt. Not to mention Nolan Smith who interviewed for another job at a time that certainly didn’t help Payne’s already shaky status.
They promoted Milt and Gabe Snider to assistant coaches. I wonder what they both bring to this staff. Can either of them help recruit, game plan, etc? Because this staff needs all the help it can get.
 
Because Milt knows more about the game than any of you haters.
Magic, MJ and Drexler made great coaches and they were way better players. :rolleyes: Point is, good players don't always make good coaches. I remember Buzz Williams, Bobby Lutz, Tom Izzo, Rick Pitino and host of others being great players. Not really. No connection. If you want more proof, see KP.
 
Because Milt knows more about the game than any of you haters.
I don't think anyone here "hates" Milt or doubts his basketball knowledge. Coaching that knowledge can be questioned though. What exactly is on his resume that would help lead to the success of this team other than being a former player and teammate of Payne and how does that resume benefit UofL basketball? I was on Louisville campus the same time he was and the game he played doesn't exist anymore. What exactly can he contribute? Inside connections with recruites out of Camden? Looks like charity to me and I really hate to say that. If this was 30 years ago I would feel differently about it.
 
Kenny talks about wanting to see which of our guys “know the plays”, etc. what exactly are they? It looks to me like this is truly “roll out the ball and play”. I don’t see any plays called or executed. Why do you need highly paid people for that? Hell, just make it Kenny and the players, and spend our resources on recruiting.
 
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Thinking about Milt as a player, here are a few things that maybe he could help the guys with.

Free throw Shooting - If I remember correctly, Milt never missed a free throw in the last 4 minutes of a game. In the NC game against Duke, when we were up 1 with 5 or 6 seconds to go in the game and "Ice" going to the line for a one-and-one, I knew the game was over(that was last year before the 3-point line).

Jump Shooting - Milt was an excellent perimeter shooter.

He also good at posting up and scoring. He and Lancaster Gordon wore teams out doing that. Big guards like James, White and Davis could use some work in this area.

Confidence and Poise - No moment was too big for "Ice". I remember him draining a 20-foot
buzzer beater with UL downs one to win an NCAA tournament game. And hitting 2 free throws to beat Memphis with UL down 1 with a couple of seconds to go in the league tournament Championship Game.

Not sure how good of a communicator he is, but there are things he can help these guys with.
 
Thinking about Milt as a player, here are a few things that maybe he could help the guys with.

Free throw Shooting - If I remember correctly, Milt never missed a free throw in the last 4 minutes of a game. In the NC game against Duke, when we were up 1 with 5 or 6 seconds to go in the game and "Ice" going to the line for a one-and-one, I knew the game was over(that was last year before the 3-point line).

Jump Shooting - Milt was an excellent perimeter shooter.

He also good at posting up and scoring. He and Lancaster Gordon wore teams out doing that. Big guards like James, White and Davis could use some work in this area.

Confidence and Poise - No moment was too big for "Ice". I remember him draining a 20-foot
buzzer beater with UL downs one to win an NCAA tournament game. And hitting 2 free throws to beat Memphis with UL down 1 with a couple of seconds to go in the league tournament Championship Game.

Not sure how good of a communicator he is, but there are things he can help these guys with.
IMO all he would have to do is show the film of those moments and relate what he was thinking or feeling at the time.

That would/could be an eye opener for these young fellows especially if they have an open mind about how to improve their game. Said many an old timer/coach of the game.

The ball is still round and the hoop is still 10 feet high. It is the nuances and skills of the mind over the body that separate the great from just the good. Confucias of basketball.
 
Thinking about Milt as a player, here are a few things that maybe he could help the guys with.

Free throw Shooting - If I remember correctly, Milt never missed a free throw in the last 4 minutes of a game. In the NC game against Duke, when we were up 1 with 5 or 6 seconds to go in the game and "Ice" going to the line for a one-and-one, I knew the game was over(that was last year before the 3-point line).

Jump Shooting - Milt was an excellent perimeter shooter.

He also good at posting up and scoring. He and Lancaster Gordon wore teams out doing that. Big guards like James, White and Davis could use some work in this area.

Confidence and Poise - No moment was too big for "Ice". I remember him draining a 20-foot
buzzer beater with UL downs one to win an NCAA tournament game. And hitting 2 free throws to beat Memphis with UL down 1 with a couple of seconds to go in the league tournament Championship Game.

Not sure how good of a communicator he is, but there are things he can help these guys with.
Being a good player and being a good coach doesn’t always translate. Which I know it’s nothing new to yall, but I’d just throw that out there
 
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Being a good player and being a good coach doesn’t always translate. Which I know it’s nothing new to yall, but I’d just throw that out there
Agreed. I can remember Denny getting on him during the NC game for some Bad Russ play. He responded. I think his value comes as a communicator, not a strategist.
 
Wary of what ? all I do stand up for my coach against the ludicrous things that are said on this forum for my HC true fan here .
Obvious you know nothing about Milt resume . As you said you along with the others on here are more than qualified .Couldn't coach a preschool to put a ball in trash can .
 
Wary of what ? all I do stand up for my coach against the ludicrous things that are said on this forum for my HC true fan here .
Wary of personal attacks asking legit questions which you still haven't answered. List the coaching resume and accomplishments
 
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Obvious you know nothing about Milt resume . As you said you along with the others on here are more than qualified .Couldn't coach a preschool to put a ball in trash can .

What on his resume makes you excited about him being added to the regular coaching staff?
 
This move it what it is. It perfectly illustrates where we are as a program and Kenny Payne's ability to manage a top flight program and his ability to recruit a high end assistant. It probably also illustrates the limited budget and lack of confidence Josh Heird has given Payne.

Everyone should have had massive alarm bells ringing that something wasn't right when Kenny hired Josh Jamison to an on court coaching position. A first time head coach, who's top assistant was 33, doesn't hire a man who has spent the last 15 years of his career organizing team travel and equipment to be one of his main, on court coaches. Smart coaches don't do that.

NCAA gave schools extra coaches and what did John Calipari do? He hired John Welch. A 60 year old, well respected, career assistant coach in both college and the NBA who was coaching the Los Angeles Clippers and has over 40 years of coaching experience.

Kenny Payne hired Milt Wagner. A guy who was working a regular job when Kenny took over who only has a coaching career at all because of his son and hasn't been on a coaching staff since 2014.

I think comparing those two hires perfectly sums up why most fans have major concerns about Kenny Payne .
 
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When Wade and his group pushed for KP, I understood their intent, but questioned the wisdom. Like virtually every UL fan past and present, I immediately questioned the judgement in hiring KP after season one.

Interestingly, I have seen some of the comments that 2 of the 4 Star kids volunteered recently about why they came to a program with only 4 wins last year. Nothing “earth shattering”, but it does provide some insight into one undeniable characteristic that KP brought with him; specifically his fondness for his kids, and the loyalty that seems to follow him from those who belief in him.

It may not work here, as this sport is renown for “good guys finishing last”, but I am going to see if he can turn this ship around before giving up on him.
 
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Having characteristics of having “fondness of kids“, and ”good guys finishing last” has absolutely nothing to do with being a winning coach
 
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