Will Wade or Scotty Davenport

[BPGhost]

UofL needs to recognize where the program is currently and go one way or another. The dumpster fire left behind by Payne is adding to the already existing negative perceptions of the program and, it is scaring off coaches who would otherwise be viable candidates. The search has gotten desperate as evidenced by the names that are now being put out there. Either hire the best basketball coach available or, hire someone who the fans know and trust for a short period.

IMO, you hire Will Wade. The reality is that based on where UofL is currently - based upon his ability - he shouldn't even be a candidate but, he had those issues at LSU, which now makes him available. UofL should write an incentive based, no-nonsense, no-wiggle room contract whereby he gets nothing if he steps outside of the lines. Some fans might grumble but, when (if) he wins at the level that most believe that he would - given his talent - that will go away in a hurry. If not, there are other programs to follow and or church league teams to get behind.

If you don't want to go that route - then at this point - hire Scotty Davenport. Everyone respects and admires him - he is an excellent person and coach and someone who everyone would be shocked were he to do anything to embarrass the university. He makes $245K - give him a 1-1.5M three-year contract that bridges the current gap from where UofL is - to where they want to be image-wise. Of course, if he kills it - great, he would have the opportunity to stay. In the meantime, you begin what would be essentially a three-year evaluation period with the program being in a much better place by the end of it, and certainly more attractive to the caliber of coaches that UofL should be in the mix for.

 

[CommodoreCard]

Davenport would be a great band aid/bridge to unite the fanbase and lift up the program. Then, in 3 years pay Davenport a salary to be a goodwill ambassador like Crum, let a big name experienced guy step in. Win/win

 

[Louisvillian]

Wade > Davenport.

By a huge margin too, although if your thinking about hiring Schertz, it’s not that big of a stretch to hire Davenport.

Give me Wade all day but as it’s been mentioned before, Josh apparently isn’t budging on him.

 

[shadow force]

I would go with Wade as well. Hire a team to watch and monitor him.

 

[vegasville1]

Wade > Davenport.

By a huge margin too, although if your thinking about hiring Schertz, it’s not that big of a stretch to hire Davenport.

Give me Wade all day but as it’s been mentioned before, Josh apparently isn’t budging on him.

Josh needs to grow a pair, as it seems his job is on the line if he strikes out. Go big or go home and when everyone is moving to one side of the boat, head for the other side and be a contrarian. Personally speaking a “bridge” coach for 3 yrs will only continue to vanish The Louisville brand versus tarnish (used loosely it ain’t pretty now) for a few months until a guy like Wade gets the program back on its feet.

 

[Cardfan1937]

UofL needs to recognize where the program is currently and go one way or another. The dumpster fire left behind by Payne is adding to the already existing negative perceptions of the program and, it is scaring off coaches who would otherwise be viable candidates. The search has gotten desperate as evidenced by the names that are now being put out there. Either hire the best basketball coach available or, hire someone who the fans know and trust for a short period.

IMO, you hire Will Wade. The reality is that based on where UofL is currently - based upon his ability - he shouldn't even be a candidate but, he had those issues at LSU, which now makes him available. UofL should write an incentive based, no-nonsense, no-wiggle room contract whereby he gets nothing if he steps outside of the lines. Some fans might grumble but, when (if) he wins at the level that most believe that he would - given his talent - that will go away in a hurry. If not, there are other programs to follow and or church league teams to get behind.

If you don't want to go that route - then at this point - hire Scotty Davenport. Everyone respects and admires him - he is an excellent person and coach and someone who everyone would be shocked were he to do anything to embarrass the university. He makes $245K - give him a 1-1.5M three-year contract that bridges the current gap from where UofL is - to where they want to be image-wise. Of course, if he kills it - great, he would have the opportunity to stay. In the meantime, you begin what would be essentially a three-year evaluation period with the program being in a much better place by the end of it, and certainly more attractive to the caliber of coaches that UofL should be in the mix for.

Not a bad evaluation. No one would out work Scotty and he is a fine coach. Runs a very limited offense at Bellarmine but better talent would allow him to expand his x and o's. He is also from the Rick Petrino coaching tree and the Denny Crum tree. Many coaches will not schedule Bellarmine because of the problems that their offense causes their teams. He consistently schedules teams with more talent.

 

[the artist FKA zipp]

IMO no chance in hell that sanctimonious clowns are hiring WW...

 

[WoadBlue]

I think the most interesting facts about Wade are that he was the first hire Tommy Amaker made as Harvard HC and also the first hire Shaka Smart made as VCU HC. Two very different coaches who each saw something very great about having him on staff.

 

[David Gilmour]

I was a big proponent of Scotty when CKP was being looked at. Come in and get the program straightened out and then plan on the future with the next big time coach. That theory was back then. Not now. We've wasted 2 years already.

 

[Ipartiedwithhopgood]

SD loves Louisville but I think he is where he should be. He's probably at Shenanigans right m'fn now!

 

[LeFors4Ever]

IMO no chance in hell that sanctimonious clowns are hiring WW...

I know your guy Tom would’ve loved Will Wade’s fire. That Louisville edge, that fire, it would’ve been a great fit.

 

[the artist FKA zipp]

I know your guy Tom would’ve loved Will Wade’s fire. That Louisville edge, that fire, it would’ve been a great fit.

Tracking the coaching threads on premium...

Can't disagree with a lot of the comments which is ironic. Esp. Ty's OP in his latest Richard Pitino thread (front page).

The one consistent factor that IMO is being overlooked is that RPJ may be the best U of L can get. Everyone complaining assumes that Heird is intentionally not looking seriously at other coaches. I don't know that that's true.

If U of L would acknowledge that it had little money to work with and that the stature of this job opening had diminished considerably, who could refute that? Fans wanna believe this is still a great, high paying coaching opportunity. Not sure what better evidence exists than what we've gone thru the last couple weeks to disprove that.

As much as I wanna hold U of L people like Josh Heird accountable, I'm not sure he wasn't handed an impossible assignment...

 

[BPGhost]

I was a big proponent of Scotty when CKP was being looked at. Come in and get the program straightened out and then plan on the future with the next big time coach. That theory was back then. Not now. We've wasted 2 years already.

As was I - in fact I posted that Davenport would be a better choice than Payne during that process. Unfortunately, the same rationale for him is still in play today.

Maybe even more so.

 

[Cardiac Red]

UofL needs to recognize where the program is currently and go one way or another. The dumpster fire left behind by Payne is adding to the already existing negative perceptions of the program and, it is scaring off coaches who would otherwise be viable candidates. The search has gotten desperate as evidenced by the names that are now being put out there. Either hire the best basketball coach available or, hire someone who the fans know and trust for a short period.

IMO, you hire Will Wade. The reality is that based on where UofL is currently - based upon his ability - he shouldn't even be a candidate but, he had those issues at LSU, which now makes him available. UofL should write an incentive based, no-nonsense, no-wiggle room contract whereby he gets nothing if he steps outside of the lines. Some fans might grumble but, when (if) he wins at the level that most believe that he would - given his talent - that will go away in a hurry. If not, there are other programs to follow and or church league teams to get behind.

If you don't want to go that route - then at this point - hire Scotty Davenport. Everyone respects and admires him - he is an excellent person and coach and someone who everyone would be shocked were he to do anything to embarrass the university. He makes $245K - give him a 1-1.5M three-year contract that bridges the current gap from where UofL is - to where they want to be image-wise. Of course, if he kills it - great, he would have the opportunity to stay. In the meantime, you begin what would be essentially a three-year evaluation period with the program being in a much better place by the end of it, and certainly more attractive to the caliber of coaches that UofL should be in the mix for.

I think comparing Scotty D to Wade is a little unfair. If you compare Scotty to say, Schertz, Holloway, Kelsey, or Little Richard you would get different replies.

 

[BPGhost]

I think comparing Scotty D to Wade is a little unfair. If you compare Scotty to say, Schertz, Holloway, Kelsey, or Little Richard you would get different replies.

I wasn’t comparing them at all. I was suggesting that currently UofL is at a major crossroad and, needs to determine which direction they should head in.

Wade and Davenport are simply two choices at the end of opposite roads.

 

[Cardiac Red]

I wasn’t comparing them at all. I was suggesting that currently UofL is at a major crossroad and, needs to determine which direction they should head in.

Wade and Davenport are simply two choices at the end of opposite roads.

Just saying if your example would've been one of the lesser guys I listed most people would be in favor of Scotty. Not saying that was the point you were making.

Apparently Wade got shot down over the weekend. I actually think Scotty D would have been widely more accepted than anybody else in the field.. We're going to hire Richard. Scotty is light years better than Little Richard..

 

[Ipartiedwithhopgood]

I would rather not have SD dip his toes into this. While he is beloved in this state he's an unknown everywhere else and he'd more than likely struggle to recruit. This is of course just an opinion, and we'll never know more than likely, but my guess is he'd fail to win nearly enough and then we'd have one more guy we used to love or at least like to be mad at.

 

[LeFors4Ever]

Tracking the coaching threads on premium...

Can't disagree with a lot of the comments which is ironic. Esp. Ty's OP in his latest Richard Pitino thread (front page).

The one consistent factor that IMO is being overlooked is that RPJ may be the best U of L can get. Everyone complaining assumes that Heird is intentionally not looking seriously at other coaches. I don't know that that's true.

If U of L would acknowledge that it had little money to work with and that the stature of this job opening had diminished considerably, who could refute that? Fans wanna believe this is still a great, high paying coaching opportunity. Not sure what better evidence exists than what we've gone thru the last couple weeks to disprove that.

As much as I wanna hold U of L people like Josh Heird accountable, I'm not sure he wasn't handed an impossible assignment...

I can agree in a sense.

But there was money for Scott Drew. It seemed after that he was told that there wouldn’t be money for a big name.

When Richard Pitino is your top remaining candidate, some failure has happened. Now is it a failure that began in 2015 and only get worse by the year, or was is incompetence by this current AD?

I’m leaning towards that it’s like Tyra, he has no real power.

If I’m little Rick, I may not want to step into this environment. There may be donations come in to help him, but I don’t know if there’s the infrastructure in place for anyone to succeed.

 

[Ipartiedwithhopgood]

It's alot of things. Ww all get at least partial credit for our opinions.

 

[the artist FKA zipp]

...If I’m little Rick, I may not want to step into this environment. There may be donations come in to help him, but I don’t know if there’s the infrastructure in place for anyone to succeed.

Apparently, you nailed it. Congrats (I guess...)