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I've seen some UC folks on Twitter and BCJ saying confidently that as of today, UL has chosen Mack to be their next head coach. He will allegedly have a $5 million per year, 10 year contract.

Anyone else have any info from reputable people?

Sucks for Xavier if true. They'll lose their HC AND best senior class. That's rough.

Worst kept secret in the world right up there with the BK to ND. Been hearing this was a back channel done-deal months ago.

Heard Moe and his sidekick James on 1530 while driving home yesterday afternoon chatting about a private jet from Louisville to Cincinnati and figured it was just more idle speculation. If this rumor is true, one has to wonder how Mick feels having coached there and not even being on a candidate list. Humbling to say the least.

Interestingly, tangential to that conversation, James, a UC graduate, came right out and said he's an X fan, except one day a year. No big surprise there. Whenever he was filling in on 1530 or 700 it was all X, all the time.

Both Mo and James are fans of both programs

(03-21-2018 10:48 AM)Cataclysmo Wrote:  Both Mo and James are fans of both programs

Eh... Mo seems to like when X does well but never struck me as a fan. James went to UC but seems to want to talk X every chance he gets. He honestly doesn't seem like much of a UC guy when I listen.

(03-21-2018 10:34 AM)OKIcat Wrote:  Heard Moe and his sidekick James on 1530 while driving home yesterday afternoon chatting about a private jet from Louisville to Cincinnati and figured it was just more idle speculation. If this rumor is true, one has to wonder how Mick feels having coached there and not even being on a candidate list. Humbling to say the least.

Interestingly, tangential to that conversation, James, a UC graduate, came right out and said he's an X fan, except one day a year. No big surprise there. Whenever he was filling in on 1530 or 700 it was all X, all the time.

Maybe school six simply feels that Mack is more experienced in doing things "their way".

Clean candidates need not apply.

(03-21-2018 11:15 AM)Def Berkkat Wrote:  

(03-21-2018 10:34 AM)OKIcat Wrote:  Heard Moe and his sidekick James on 1530 while driving home yesterday afternoon chatting about a private jet from Louisville to Cincinnati and figured it was just more idle speculation. If this rumor is true, one has to wonder how Mick feels having coached there and not even being on a candidate list. Humbling to say the least.

Interestingly, tangential to that conversation, James, a UC graduate, came right out and said he's an X fan, except one day a year. No big surprise there. Whenever he was filling in on 1530 or 700 it was all X, all the time.

Maybe school six simply feels that Mack is more experienced in doing things "their way".

Clean candidates need not apply.

Mack also has a better resume and is removed from the Pitino coaching tree.

50mm crazy money, i'll believe that when i see it. Strike while the iron is hot.

(03-21-2018 09:53 AM)TubaCat Wrote:  I've seen some UC folks on Twitter and BCJ saying confidently that as of today, UL has chosen Mack to be their next head coach. He will allegedly have a $5 million per year, 10 year contract.

Anyone else have any info from reputable people?

I've posted several times here that I've heard Mack is their top target and that he'll probably take it (although it's not a done deal) given the money they are offering. BTW, I heard it might be closer to $6M/year.

Heard X is trying to put together a package paying him $3.2M which is double his current salary

Can't imagine he'd stay at X if Louisville offers him the job. Pay will go way up both for himself and his assistants, plus the overall facilities and support staff at U of L blows X out of the water.

Has Mick ever been considered for any other jobs, that were seen as a stepup? I'm not counting UNLV, because that was a step down IMO, and I think that was more a power move than anything.

(03-21-2018 01:15 PM)jarr Wrote:  Has Mick ever been considered for any other jobs, that were seen as a stepup? I'm not counting UNLV, because that was a step down IMO, and I think that was more a power move than anything.

I don't think there have been any other clear step up jobs. There have been some jobs in major conferences to my recollection, but nothing that was an obvious step up from UC.

(03-21-2018 01:15 PM)jarr Wrote:  Has Mick ever been considered for any other jobs, that were seen as a stepup? I'm not counting UNLV, because that was a step down IMO, and I think that was more a power move than anything.

The rumor is that Pitt is currently offering Hurley over $3 million/year. If Hurley decides to go to UConn, I think that Mick would become a very appealing choice to put out the dumpster fire at Pitt.

Would they offer Mick over $3 million/year?
And if they do, would we make a counter offer?

I don't know if we can afford to, considering that Mick's performance here hasn't yet justified that sort of salary.

(03-21-2018 12:50 PM)Crewdogz Wrote:  Heard X is trying to put together a package paying him $3.2M which is double his current salary

If true, they must be banking on a couple of major donors to underwrite the deal. Coaching at this level is a different gig--truly "up or out" so many times.

So say Mack takes that deal to stay at his home school, X drops back next season and misses the Tournament and then loses in the first round the following year. Would he then be getting a $5-6 million offer somewhere else, with his seat getting hotter in Norwood? Probably not.

We fans can lament lack of loyalty all we want but if it's my career, with the stroke of a pen today I can create generational wealth for my family for decades to come. And if ego drives the bus, winning that NCAA title at Louisville looks a lot easier than it does at a small, private university up the road that's never reached a Final Four.

(03-21-2018 01:35 PM)TubaCat Wrote:  

(03-21-2018 01:15 PM)jarr Wrote:  Has Mick ever been considered for any other jobs, that were seen as a stepup? I'm not counting UNLV, because that was a step down IMO, and I think that was more a power move than anything.

The rumor is that Pitt is currently offering Hurley over $3 million/year. If Hurley decides to go to UConn, I think that Mick would become a very appealing choice to put out the dumpster fire at Pitt.

Would they offer Mick over $3 million/year?
And if they do, would we make a counter offer?

I don't know if we can afford to, considering that Mick's performance here hasn't yet justified that sort of salary.

Bolded, pure speculation here on my part. If it's up to Bohn, absolutely not. He'll go shop for an up and comer.

I hear Nevada's got a pretty good coach who could double his earnings at UC. :)

(03-21-2018 10:34 AM)OKIcat Wrote:  Heard Moe and his sidekick James on 1530 while driving home yesterday afternoon chatting about a private jet from Louisville to Cincinnati and figured it was just more idle speculation. If this rumor is true, one has to wonder how Mick feels having coached there and not even being on a candidate list. Humbling to say the least.

Interestingly, tangential to that conversation, James, a UC graduate, came right out and said he's an X fan, except one day a year. No big surprise there. Whenever he was filling in on 1530 or 700 it was all X, all the time.

Easy to see why. U of L does not want a "system coach" who has figured out a way to get overlooked recruits to play D and compete with the big boys. Instead, they want a coach who will stock a roster with top-tier NBA talent and be one of the big boys. Mack recruits better to X than Cronin does to UC. Cronin has never given any indication that he can recruit the kind of talent U of L expects.

I don't see anyway Mick leaves for Pitt of all places. Didn't they just have their entire team transfer? I just don't see it. Plus factoring in what happened, I don't see many AD's pounding down UC's door.

I've heard Pitt's AD has an absolutely horrible reputation among coaches and is extremely difficult to work for. I guess a lot of $$ can make those issues go away quickly for a potential candidate, but I'm not sure that is a place coaches are going to be clamoring to go work at.