(03-19-2012 10:53 AM)stever20 Wrote:  The thing that I find with programs though- when a coach like a Calhoun retires- it's really hit and miss for the replacements. Some would say it took UCLA ages to replace Wooden. Alabama football- 25 years to replace Bear Bryant.

Louisville is going to be amazing. When Pitino retires- they'll have had 2 coaches in about 45 years. That's just amazing in this day and age.

Most coaches (i.e. especially experienced top coaches) never want to "Be the guy that replaces the legend".

Most top coaches prefer to "be the guy that replace the guy that replaced the legend"...as its very hard to follow in the footsteps of a legend.

Even those that WIN after replacing the legend...can usually never match the fanfaire of the legend before him.

Look at Florida...Steve Spurrier leaves to go to the NFL...UF replaces him with Ron Zook...who, while wins some games is fired...then Urban Meyer comes in...and UF wins 2 National Titles.

UNC Basketball...Dean Smith retires (late in a year so that his pal, Bill Guthridge is named Head Coach) was followed by Guthridge and Doherty...some dark years for UNC...till Roy Williams came in.

Smaller scale: UGA Legend Vince Dooley retires...and is replace by Ray Goof and Jim Donnan...both fired...replaced by Marc Richt.

While UCONN could be as good or even better with a new coach after Calhoun...said new coach will ALWAYS be compared to Calhoun...and those expectations are hard to match.

Yeah. I think Nebraska football and now Louisville basketball- are the rare cases where a guy comes in replacing a legand- and doesn't fall apart at all.

Joe Hall replaced Adolf Rupp, won a national championship with His own players. Great recruiter. Winner. Retired a legend. Eddie Sutton came in also a BB legend but brought clouds of trouble with Him. Replaced by an up and coming legend Pitino. Could have been Governor of Kentucky. Won Championship and another final four, left for Boston Celtics with hopes of landing 3 lottery picks only to lose out in the NBA lottery. His replacement Tubby Smith wins a national Championship but now He's the next guy. Great coach that unfortunately followed Pitino, The Legend and never caught fire with the fans. He gets the last laugh and leaves unexpectedly for Minnesota. BILLY G beats Louisville in the NCAA and zooms right to the head of the class based on His Texas A&M NCAA showing. Losing the next year to Gardner Webb does great things in Lexington for His very short career. Finally here we are with a coach the UK fans hated when He was at UMASS and Memphis but now kneel down before Him at UK. Go figure.

(03-19-2012 03:01 PM)CardFan1 Wrote:  Joe Hall replaced Adolf Rupp, won a national championship with His own players. Great recruiter. Winner. Retired a legend. Eddie Sutton came in also a BB legend but brought clouds of trouble with Him. Replaced by an up and coming legend Pitino. Could have been Governor of Kentucky. Won Championship and another final four, left for Boston Celtics with hopes of landing 3 lottery picks only to lose out in the NBA lottery. His replacement Tubby Smith wins a national Championship but now He's the next guy. Great coach that unfortunately followed Pitino, The Legend and never caught fire with the fans. He gets the last laugh and leaves unexpectedly for Minnesota. BILLY G beats Louisville in the NCAA and zooms right to the head of the class based on His Texas A&M NCAA showing. Losing the next year to Gardner Webb does great things in Lexington for His very short career. Finally here we are with a coach the UK fans hated when He was at UMASS and Memphis but now kneel down before Him at UK. Go figure.

With Pitino's players

Some programs bounce back quickly after a notable coach leaves (Louisville), some need a coach or two (UNC) and some never get back (Georgia Tech after Cremins, Arkansas after Nolan Richardson, LSU after Dale Brown.)

It will be interesting to see how the expatriate programs fare in a few years. Dixon will be offered opportunities to leave Pitt sooner or later, Calhoun's health is an ongoing issue in Storrs, and there is a school of thought that Boeheim has had enough and walks away after 2012-13 rather than coach in the ACC. It will not be easy replacing any of them, but it will be especially tough at UConn, where Calhoun literally built the program from the ground up.

Then again, if Syracuse finishes 18-14 in the ACC with Hopkins at the helm and the attendance wanes, that's a bigger problem than they'll know.

(03-19-2012 12:25 PM)stever20 Wrote:  Yeah. I think Nebraska football and now Louisville basketball- are the rare cases where a guy comes in replacing a legand- and doesn't fall apart at all.

Frank Solich and Bill Callahan both tried to replace Tom Osborne...but to most Husker fans, failed.

(03-19-2012 05:09 PM)KnightLight Wrote:  

(03-19-2012 12:25 PM)stever20 Wrote:  Yeah. I think Nebraska football and now Louisville basketball- are the rare cases where a guy comes in replacing a legand- and doesn't fall apart at all.

Frank Solich and Bill Callahan both tried to replace Tom Osborne...but to most Husker fans, failed.

I was talking about Devaney and then Osborne- definitely not Solich/Callahan....

I'd say a Crum-> Pitino comparison to Osbourne -> Solich is apt... Pitino has won some games and gotten us to a FF, but has not had us play for a championship(unlike Solich)...

It ain't over yet! Lol

(03-18-2012 10:27 PM)TexanMark Wrote:  Louisville, Marquette and maybe Cincy repping in the Sweet 16. Cuse is leaving and won't be helping after next year.

Overall it has been a down year for the original membership. THis trend has been going on for several years though. For the last several years, the footballs have put more schools in the NCAA with overall higher seeding as well. This year things took a turn for the worst, with pitt collapsing and UConn having - for them - a bad year.
The odd thing about the BE is this. Schools join for football, but usually their basketball teams improve more than their football teams. Right now the BE2.0 schools are carrying the water for us. I expect that in three to five years we will see the 3.0 schools do the same.

(03-19-2012 08:11 PM)Mister Emu Wrote:  I'd say a Crum-> Pitino comparison to Osbourne -> Solich is apt... Pitino has won some games and gotten us to a FF, but has not had us play for a championship(unlike Solich)...

I disagree. Solich had a clear slippage compared to Osborne. Pitino has actually a better winning percentage than Crum believe it or not. Folks forget that Crum didn't win 20 games in 7 of his 11 final seasons. with 3 losing years in there.