Good luck to OM with a coach who has zero control over the program before he blows the whistle for the first time. Keeping both assistants so the players will stay? He will never have control over the program, which is sad for him as a person (I'm glad for OM).

He should know when to recruit a player and when to tell them they need to leave. I'm not saying run Smooth out of town, but to retain the other guy's coaching staff so your players will stay? What does that say about you, Coach? They had better have success early, or Kennedy will be in trouble.

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.d.../603300369

Considering the two coaches recruited a top 5 recruiting class 2 years ago I'd say that is a major reason why he kept them... you also must remember many of his connections are through Huggins, and with Huggins building his current staff that makes AK's job that much tougher.

Also, with the way Huggins went out, you would think that AK would have had zero control over UC's program last year, but instead he won 21 games, and should have been in the NCAA tourney...

Of course, I expect a USM fan to try to tear down AK, because he will definitely have Ole Miss as the class of Mississippi basketball... not that it really counts for much, however, because all the programs have been pathetic in that state.

Either way UC is the winner getting Mick Cronin! We are thrilled and all the coaching changes worked out for the best.

mlb Wrote:Of course, I expect a USM fan to try to tear down AK, because he will definitely have Ole Miss as the class of Mississippi basketball... not that it really counts for much, however, because all the programs have been pathetic in that state.

Didn't know there were closet rebs on the board. A little chip on your shoulder? I'm not against Kennedy, he is a native son. But you are totally missing the point of the post. I figured some UC fans would be interested in his start. Go ahead and make comments about our state's basketball. Yes, it's down. But you guys aren't in the top 65, so I would look in the mirror before calling someone ugly.

I don't see how retaining 2 assistants equates to giving up control over a program. Andy has no assistants to bring with him and if retaining these 2 coaches makes the transition easier for the players then what is the problem? Andy showed what he was made of this past season with UC and the vast majority of us were very impressed with him. I believe I'll give him more than a week before saying whether or not he has control or knows what he is doing.

Eagle in the gym Wrote:But you guys aren't in the top 65,

That is such an idiotic statement and I get really tired of it.

Cincinnati was easily one of the top 40 teams in the country this season. The only reason they were not in the NCAA tournament was the quest by the committee to open the field to more mid-majors (and many of them did well - I'll give them credit for that).

AK who?

Seriously, we loved the job AK did under the circumstances, but he's gone now so say whatever....we have our new coach and his name is Mick Cronin and the guy is going to bring UC back to where we belong....national prominence.....

Eagle in the gym Wrote:Good luck to OM with a coach who has zero control over the program before he blows the whistle for the first time. Keeping both assistants so the players will stay? He will never have control over the program, which is sad for him as a person (I'm glad for OM).

He should know when to recruit a player and when to tell them they need to leave. I'm not saying run Smooth out of town, but to retain the other guy's coaching staff so your players will stay? What does that say about you, Coach? They had better have success early, or Kennedy will be in trouble.

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.d.../603300369

What are you babblilng about? Dildy is a DePaul guy who has known Kennedy for years. He is known as a great recruiter, especially in the Chicago area. In fact, I believe Dildy was offered a job on DePaul's staff when Kennedy was canned, but he wanted the head job. Isn't the other guy is an Ole Miss alum? Is so, it isn't that uncommon. Bo Ellis survived a number of coaching changes at Marquette. The fact that a coach made politically correct decision isn't a bad thing. Doherty cleaned house when he got the NC job. He ticked off some very important people and was canned fairly quickly because of it.

This is Andy Kennedy, former UAB and NC State basketball player, former UAB and UC assistant coach, former UC interim head coach.

This is not Pat Kennedy (I believe it was Pat), a great recruiter who couldn't coach his way out of a box.

This topic is ridiculous. A lot of new head coaches keep at least one assistant from the outgoing staff. It helps with continuity. Too many changes can doom a new head coach before he ever even holds his first team meeting or runs his first practice.

Tracy Dildy, by the way, is a very experienced coach and a very solid recruiter. He has learned under some excellent mentors and will be a wonderful head coach in a few years. It was probably an equally wise move to keep Michael White onboard.

I hope Andy Kennedy and his new staff have success at Ole Miss. Those fans have followed mediocrity too long. He has his work cut out for him if he's to be competitive at a high level in the SEC.

mlb Wrote:This is Andy Kennedy, former UAB and NC State basketball player, former UAB and UC assistant coach, former UC interim head coach.

This is not Pat Kennedy (I believe it was Pat), a great recruiter who couldn't coach his way out of a box.

Yes, I know. But since both were assistants coaches at the same time in CUSA (DePaul, UC and UAB), and both were the chief recruiters for their schools, it is pretty likely that they knew each and may have even been friends.

Sorry MU88... when you said the thing about Kennedy being canned I thought you were referring to Andy Kennedy, not Pat Kennedy.

Eagle in the gym Wrote:

mlb Wrote:Of course, I expect a USM fan to try to tear down AK, because he will definitely have Ole Miss as the class of Mississippi basketball... not that it really counts for much, however, because all the programs have been pathetic in that state.

Didn't know there were closet rebs on the board. A little chip on your shoulder? I'm not against Kennedy, he is a native son. But you are totally missing the point of the post. I figured some UC fans would be interested in his start. Go ahead and make comments about our state's basketball. Yes, it's down. But you guys aren't in the top 65, so I would look in the mirror before calling someone ugly.

The considering the state of your joke of a program I wouldn't be coming over here talking trash. You're not even a Top 565 program let alone Top 65 program. Now slither your sorry little @ss back over to C-USA and pray for the day someone even cares about Southern Miss basketball. It's not state basketball no one cares about, it's just Southern Miss' alleged basketball program.

Once agian, speaking for some but not all Bearcat fans....say what you will about AK.....in fact, you should prob. say it on the Ole Miss board because he's not our concern now so who the frick cares what YOU think about him.

He did a fine job, he's gone and so he's not my problem.