(03-17-2017 11:15 PM)82hawk Wrote:  Oh please. Give me a break searching for something to complain about here. This was a whirlwind action. The team just got home around midnight last night, Keatts was already at an interview the next day, and has an agreement signed, sealed and delivered by that late afternoon. Many of the administration were still in Orlando today.

Give it a rest. EVERYONE, including the players, knew the rumors and possibilities. But I doubt anyone knew it would happen this quickly.

My hunch is that some source at NCSU went 'off the record' and leaked to ESPN, and therefore the UNCW administration couldn't have been expected to give anyone a heads up about news that they themselves were probably behind the curve on.

FWIW, I think UNCW owes Keatts a debt of gratitude for what he did here. And I in no way begrudge Keatts leaving for a 6 year, $2.2 MILLION dollar a year contract.

BUT - just to remind ourselves about the true nature of things - recall all of the interviews that Keatts did last week and what he said when asked about the NCSU job. Things like, 'I haven't talked to them', "I'm totally locked in on the game in front of us', etc.

Obviously he was prevaricating to an extent. There is simply no way to go from what he said, to setting up a meeting in Raleigh, to having a first interview, to an agreed upon contract deal, to getting the ok from the AD, Chancellor, and board of trustees in the UNC system in a 24 hour period.

So Keatts (or someone speaking on behalf of Keatts) HAD to have been talking to them for a while, and HAD to have reached an agreement in principle BEFORE the UVA game. So it is all but certain that despite what he was saying to the media, Keatts knew that whenever UNCW played its last NCAA game, he was gone.

It's a tough business.....

Just don't see the benefit to UNCW. We'd lose Bryce, Cacock, our transfers and our HS recruits if we switched to that style of play right now. Brownell would have to start from zero, and it would take at least three years to get back on track.

When we chose Keatts, we choose a style to build a program, and that means continuity. At the time, I would have been fine with either style. But, we've made a choice and need to stick with it. Brownell wasn't loved by the donors and he wasn't good in a room. Following Keatts, that would be another huge change that would affect support.

I don't see it happening.

(03-18-2017 07:26 AM)82hawk Wrote:  Just don't see the benefit to UNCW. We'd lose Bryce, Cacock, our transfers and our HS recruits if we switched to that style of play right now. Brownell would have to start from zero, and it would take at least three years to get back on track.

When we chose Keatts, we choose a style to build a program, and that means continuity. At the time, I would have been fine with either style. But, we've made a choice and need to stick with it. Brownell wasn't loved by the donors and he wasn't good in a room. Following Keatts, that would be another huge change that would affect support.

I don't see it happening.

I don't see it happening either, and I'm not advocating for it. Bryce and Cacok could be great in Brownell's system as well.

It's probably not even worth the discussion; my main point is that we could do worse.

(03-18-2017 07:24 AM)70shawk Wrote:  My hunch is that some source at NCSU went 'off the record' and leaked to ESPN, and therefore the UNCW administration couldn't have been expected to give anyone a heads up about news that they themselves were probably behind the curve on.

Exactly! And, it's not like Debbie Yow runs a tight ship, lest we forgot how Gottfried was fired 2 days after Mark Armstrong broke the news. UNCW wasn't in the driver's seat on this.

(03-18-2017 07:24 AM)70shawk Wrote:  FWIW, I think UNCW owes Keatts a debt of gratitude for what he did here. And I in no way begrudge Keatts leaving for a 6 year, $2.2 MILLION dollar a year contract.

UNCW, without question, owes Keatts a HUG debt of gratitude.

That's a huge raise. I would have preferred to lose him to Georgetown, and I think his chances at success would've been greater. But given the options of LSU and NCSU, he made the right choice.

(03-18-2017 07:24 AM)70shawk Wrote:  BUT - just to remind ourselves about the true nature of things - recall all of the interviews that Keatts did last week and what he said when asked about the NCSU job. Things like, 'I haven't talked to them', "I'm totally locked in on the game in front of us', etc.

I think everyone knew that was coaches speak. He's not in a position to say anything different. I don't feel like we were ill-prepared to face UVA, so that part doesn't bother me in the least.

(03-18-2017 08:00 AM)bricksnivy Wrote:  I don't feel like we were ill-prepared to face UVA, so that part doesn't bother me in the least.

The irony wasn't that we weren't ill-prepared. But when Tony Bennett threw out the UVA game plan that we prepared for, at that point we were out game-coached.

There is no perfect exit from a program if you are a coach, especially a successful one moving up. You have your current school and players you want to do your best for, but you have to make moves to get to the next job. I have never seen a coach leave with everybody happy about it. Players generally go to a school based on the head coach, not the school, so of course they won't be happy. In fact, many players aren't happy even when an unsuccessful coach depart.

Please, let's not get caught up in trying to dwell on the imperfections or negatives associated with this move. It's about a good as it can get, even if it isn't perfect. To act otherwise is childish.

(03-18-2017 08:14 AM)70shawk Wrote:  

(03-18-2017 08:00 AM)bricksnivy Wrote:  I don't feel like we were ill-prepared to face UVA, so that part doesn't bother me in the least.

The irony wasn't that we weren't ill-prepared. But when Tony Bennett threw out the UVA game plan that we prepared for, at that point we were out game-coached.

When you have a roster full of blue chippers, your options are much greater. Bennett made a decision that his five guards were better than our five guards in a one on one battle. He turned it into a rec league of our 1-2 star players vs. his 3-4 star players. Turns out there's a difference on the court.

(03-18-2017 08:20 AM)82hawk Wrote:  When you have a roster full of blue chippers, your options are much greater. Bennett made a decision that his five guards were better than our five guards in a one on one battle. He turned it into a rec league of our 1-2 star players vs. his 3-4 star players. Turns out there's a difference on the court.

Coach Keatts in his post-game presser stated that he WANTED them to have to go small. They did. Bennett improvised a 5 guard lineup that drove the basket seemingly at will. Keatts, committed to a man-to-man defense, didn't adjust.

If he had adjusted and THEN their 3-4 star players had still beaten our 1-2star players, I think I would buy your argument. As it is, I think (at least on that one particular day) Bennett out game-coached Keatts.

(03-18-2017 08:33 AM)70shawk Wrote:  

(03-18-2017 08:20 AM)82hawk Wrote:  When you have a roster full of blue chippers, your options are much greater. Bennett made a decision that his five guards were better than our five guards in a one on one battle. He turned it into a rec league of our 1-2 star players vs. his 3-4 star players. Turns out there's a difference on the court.

Coach Keatts in his post-game presser stated that he WANTED them to have to go small. They did. Bennett improvised a 5 guard lineup that drove the basket seemingly at will. Keatts, committed to a man-to-man defense, didn't adjust.

If he had adjusted and THEN their 3-4 star players had still beaten our 1-2star players, I think I would buy your argument. As it is, I think (at least on that one particular day) Bennett out game-coached Keatts.

You are 100% correct. And let's be real it was TWO, players that killed us

There's something good about that too though, him wanting them to go small. That means he had faith in our less heralded players to out play the blue chips.

Yesterday was shocking and tough on all of us, but I'm confident our team will remain successful. I believe in our administration this time around, which is a 180 from 2006.

Go Seahawks.

Are you kidding? UNCW had great talent out on that court. I felt that UNCW had better players than UVa.

Wes Miller, Jamion Christian Chris Caputo and Levelle Moton are the names that Brian Mull mentioned. I know Caputo impressed during the last cycle of interviews, but he doesn't fit the style we're targeting.

Moton is about the only one of that group I see as a good fit.

Jamion Christian from Mt. St. Mary's would be a GREAT fit. VCU protégé who plays with undersized talent along with the press and run mentality. In fact, I read up on him in anticipation of the loss of Keatts. He recently signed an extension, but I couldn't find the terms or possible buyout. He would make a decent splash of publicity considering his fast turn around of the Mount, and his publicity taking a win in the NCAA tournament. After wathching Keatts quick rise, he'd have to realize the opportunity he'd have here. Need to see more, but right now I like the idea.

The $200k buyout for Keatts will come in handy in the next few weeks. I hope we can lock something down lightning fast.

I have a suspicion the Mullet is lurking.

What now??? I tell you my plan....I'm going to spend the rest of the weekend peeing and moaning, but come bright and early Monday morning I'm going to put on my big boy britches and do everything I can to help out Jimmy and the administration. If we want to remain relevant and continue having success this is not the time to cry over spilled milk. We had to know this day was coming. Stick together guys and get behind the administration and the new coach!

That's a great post GrayHawk. Now to the REALLY bad news..........JEFF "FREAKING" LEBO will remain at ECU so he's off the board for UNCW. That really stinks. To have been able to land a legend like that would have been a great bounce back.

(03-18-2017 11:09 AM)billthebighawksfan Wrote:  That's a great post GrayHawk. Now to the REALLY bad news..........JEFF "FREAKING" LEBO will remain at ECU so he's off the board for UNCW. That really stinks. To have been able to land a legend like that would have been a great bounce back.

Bill, I didn't think you were that big of a Saturday morning drinker.:)

Sent from my SM-G900V using CSNbbs mobile app

(03-18-2017 11:09 AM)billthebighawksfan Wrote:  That's a great post GrayHawk. Now to the REALLY bad news..........JEFF "FREAKING" LEBO will remain at ECU so he's off the board for UNCW. That really stinks. To have been able to land a legend like that would have been a great bounce back.

Lebo???

Hahaha. I hope to the good Lord above you're being sarcastic.

(03-18-2017 10:33 AM)CoastGuardHawk06 Wrote:  Moton is about the only one of that group I see as a good fit.

Miller would play up-and-down, fast-paced game. I don't know much about Moton's coaching philosophies, but I love his demeanor and personality. Christian seems like a great option.

BTW, Miller was noted as "also in the conversation". I assume that means he's lower on the list. Miller's father-in-law in Fred Eshelman, so I can see them wanting to get back to Wilmington. I wonder if he initiated the contact with UNCW, rather than Bass having him on the short-list.

I don't love the idea of Miller, but I don't hate it either. While I think we need to think bigger, I like the heart of a mid-major talent that worked hard and became a major contributor on a championship team.