eh, he's recruiting well, they just had their best season in a decade. they've had worse coaches

(09-12-2019 12:41 PM)scoscox Wrote:  eh, he's recruiting well, they just had their best season in a decade. they've had worse coaches

I personally agree. I just know there are some that totally disagree.

seems like excitement is growing a little bit with depaul fans actually. i think they're starting to come around

(09-12-2019 01:17 PM)scoscox Wrote:  seems like excitement is growing a little bit with depaul fans actually. i think they're starting to come around

you would think so given where they've been. This is a big year IMO for them to keep the momentum going.

Have been following Blue Demons hoops for more than 30 years. NIT is the hope this season. It's doable. Let's do it for Tom Kleinschmidt.

wow

If you were a coach of an even mid tier prorgram, would you really take a chance on him next year? I don't see how you could- unless you were desperate.

Clearly he's committed to the Austin Grandstaff School of Transferring.

A headscratcher — one that rivals the baffling move I once made to wear blue hair gel, thinking I would lure the ladies with such an appearance.

The headscratcher for me is how Leitao is getting a contract extension. While we don't know details, it just seems odd to extend a guy who's been around for half a decade and only just last year got his first over .500 season. Even that was only because they went to championship of the CBI.

(09-18-2019 08:46 AM)MU in MKE Wrote:  The headscratcher for me is how Leitao is getting a contract extension. While we don't know details, it just seems odd to extend a guy who's been around for half a decade and only just last year got his first over .500 season. Even that was only because they went to championship of the CBI.

He just brought in an actual talent haul, even not counting Gordon, and seems to be making some inroads in Chicago recruiting. That, coupled with the fact that DePaul isn't a premier job and you risk setting off a wave of transfers, and you may as well let him see it through.

(09-18-2019 09:05 AM)Bogg Wrote:  

(09-18-2019 08:46 AM)MU in MKE Wrote:  The headscratcher for me is how Leitao is getting a contract extension. While we don't know details, it just seems odd to extend a guy who's been around for half a decade and only just last year got his first over .500 season. Even that was only because they went to championship of the CBI.

He just brought in an actual talent haul, even not counting Gordon, and seems to be making some inroads in Chicago recruiting. That, coupled with the fact that DePaul isn't a premier job and you risk setting off a wave of transfers, and you may as well let him see it through.

I understand that in concept, but what makes more sense to me is if he had a "show me" year to demonstrate they continue on an upward trajectory. I know that is not realistic in this day because of recruiting effects, among other things. But still... what is his record, 50-87 or something like that?

I have no insider knowledge, but my immediate thought upon reading the news about Leitao's extension was that it also could be possible the school is preparing for JLP to step aside after this year. She and Leitao are close, so it would only make sense for her to take care of her friends before departing and/or be reassigned. That would prevent a new AD to immediately come in and make a coaching change for men's basketball.

But, who knows? Leitao's hire a second time was incredibly baffling. Very rare do you see a school hire a coach again after said coach left the school in the first place for a better job.

(09-18-2019 09:17 AM)MU in MKE Wrote:  

(09-18-2019 09:05 AM)Bogg Wrote:  

(09-18-2019 08:46 AM)MU in MKE Wrote:  The headscratcher for me is how Leitao is getting a contract extension. While we don't know details, it just seems odd to extend a guy who's been around for half a decade and only just last year got his first over .500 season. Even that was only because they went to championship of the CBI.

He just brought in an actual talent haul, even not counting Gordon, and seems to be making some inroads in Chicago recruiting. That, coupled with the fact that DePaul isn't a premier job and you risk setting off a wave of transfers, and you may as well let him see it through.

I understand that in concept, but what makes more sense to me is if he had a "show me" year to demonstrate they continue on an upward trajectory. I know that is not realistic in this day because of recruiting effects, among other things. But still... what is his record, 50-87 or something like that?

I wonder what the buy out numbers are for it.... Could be pretty easy to get rid of him.... Guessing he had a 5 year deal to come back and didn't want to have him on a lame duck year.

He's been 48-82 since coming back. 16-56 in Big East play
bad, but consider Purnell went 54-105 in his 5 years with 15-75 in Big East play.

(09-18-2019 09:05 AM)Bogg Wrote:  

(09-18-2019 08:46 AM)MU in MKE Wrote:  The headscratcher for me is how Leitao is getting a contract extension. While we don't know details, it just seems odd to extend a guy who's been around for half a decade and only just last year got his first over .500 season. Even that was only because they went to championship of the CBI.

He just brought in an actual talent haul, even not counting Gordon, and seems to be making some inroads in Chicago recruiting. That, coupled with the fact that DePaul isn't a premier job and you risk setting off a wave of transfers, and you may as well let him see it through.

Perfectly said. I'm 100 percent fine with Dave L. He is doing a solid job.

(09-18-2019 09:05 AM)Bogg Wrote:  

(09-18-2019 08:46 AM)MU in MKE Wrote:  The headscratcher for me is how Leitao is getting a contract extension. While we don't know details, it just seems odd to extend a guy who's been around for half a decade and only just last year got his first over .500 season. Even that was only because they went to championship of the CBI.

He just brought in an actual talent haul, even not counting Gordon, and seems to be making some inroads in Chicago recruiting. That, coupled with the fact that DePaul isn't a premier job and you risk setting off a wave of transfers, and you may as well let him see it through.

Had more time to contemplate this. My questions would be... after 5 years, I would want more than inroads, I'd want actual recruiting success (seems to have 1 year of this for this recruiting class, which is good start).

More importantly, ask yourself why DePaul isn't a premier job. It's a school with a strong MBB history, is in the Big East, has a new arena, plenty of resources at their disposal, major TV market, and much more. This should be, maybe not a top of the top, but still a very attractive job. You should be able to recruit some very high quality coaches to it.

As long as there is group think that, probably brought on by the culture the current admin and AD seem ok with, DePaul is a lower tier BB program... then that is exactly what it will be. I think that is a big mistake.

(09-18-2019 08:17 PM)MU in MKE Wrote:  

(09-18-2019 09:05 AM)Bogg Wrote:  

(09-18-2019 08:46 AM)MU in MKE Wrote:  The headscratcher for me is how Leitao is getting a contract extension. While we don't know details, it just seems odd to extend a guy who's been around for half a decade and only just last year got his first over .500 season. Even that was only because they went to championship of the CBI.

He just brought in an actual talent haul, even not counting Gordon, and seems to be making some inroads in Chicago recruiting. That, coupled with the fact that DePaul isn't a premier job and you risk setting off a wave of transfers, and you may as well let him see it through.

Had more time to contemplate this. My questions would be... after 5 years, I would want more than inroads, I'd want actual recruiting success (seems to have 1 year of this for this recruiting class, which is good start).

More importantly, ask yourself why DePaul isn't a premier job. It's a school with a strong MBB history, is in the Big East, has a new arena, plenty of resources at their disposal, major TV market, and much more. This should be, maybe not a top of the top, but still a very attractive job. You should be able to recruit some very high quality coaches to it.

As long as there is group think that, probably brought on by the culture the current admin and AD seem ok with, DePaul is a lower tier BB program... then that is exactly what it will be. I think that is a big mistake.

On paper, your questions are very valid. In theory, DePaul should be VERY attractive to coaches and players.

But there is something about DePaul basketball (almost a negative karma, if you will) that is hard to explain.

I lived in Chicago on two occasions spanning 1987 to 1993 and got to know a good number of Blue Demon fans. Watched a lot of DePaul games in north side bars drinking Old Style beer. And though that was not long after the huge run Ray Meyer and the program enjoyed, I could sense something wasn't quite right. Then things got worse ... and worse ... and, well, here's DePaul hoops in 2019.

In an odd way, UCLA and DePaul basketball are similar in that they are located in massive cities in which many folks simply don't care about college hoops — or even sports in general. And that is why the Big East was wise to invite Xavier, Butler and Creighton. Those three are located in cities that lend themselves to fan passion.

The one college athletic program for which I'm passionate has a tiny fan base (relatively speaking) — one that is disproportionately our of whack with the university's stellar academics. The university is located in a fairly large city with people from all over the country (and world, for that matter) and they just are not interested in "my team." I get it.

DePaul is a different animal. It's not a Marquette or a Villanova (which boast passionate fans bases and lots of recent national success). But it would be nice if DePaul could at least be a "poor man's version" of itself in the 1970s and early 1980s.

(09-19-2019 10:57 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(09-18-2019 08:17 PM)MU in MKE Wrote:  

(09-18-2019 09:05 AM)Bogg Wrote:  

(09-18-2019 08:46 AM)MU in MKE Wrote:  The headscratcher for me is how Leitao is getting a contract extension. While we don't know details, it just seems odd to extend a guy who's been around for half a decade and only just last year got his first over .500 season. Even that was only because they went to championship of the CBI.

He just brought in an actual talent haul, even not counting Gordon, and seems to be making some inroads in Chicago recruiting. That, coupled with the fact that DePaul isn't a premier job and you risk setting off a wave of transfers, and you may as well let him see it through.

Had more time to contemplate this. My questions would be... after 5 years, I would want more than inroads, I'd want actual recruiting success (seems to have 1 year of this for this recruiting class, which is good start).

More importantly, ask yourself why DePaul isn't a premier job. It's a school with a strong MBB history, is in the Big East, has a new arena, plenty of resources at their disposal, major TV market, and much more. This should be, maybe not a top of the top, but still a very attractive job. You should be able to recruit some very high quality coaches to it.

As long as there is group think that, probably brought on by the culture the current admin and AD seem ok with, DePaul is a lower tier BB program... then that is exactly what it will be. I think that is a big mistake.

On paper, your questions are very valid. In theory, DePaul should be VERY attractive to coaches and players.

But there is something about DePaul basketball (almost a negative karma, if you will) that is hard to explain.

I lived in Chicago on two occasions spanning 1987 to 1993 and got to know a good number of Blue Demon fans. Watched a lot of DePaul games in north side bars drinking Old Style beer. And though that was not long after the huge run Ray Meyer and the program enjoyed, I could sense something wasn't quite right. Then things got worse ... and worse ... and, well, here's DePaul hoops in 2019.

In an odd way, UCLA and DePaul basketball are similar in that they are located in massive cities in which many folks simply don't care about college hoops — or even sports in general. And that is why the Big East was wise to invite Xavier, Butler and Creighton. Those three are located in cities that lend themselves to fan passion.

The one college athletic program for which I'm passionate has a tiny fan base (relatively speaking) — one that is disproportionately our of whack with the university's stellar academics. The university is located in a fairly large city with people from all over the country (and world, for that matter) and they just are not interested in "my team." I get it.

DePaul is a different animal. It's not a Marquette or a Villanova (which boast passionate fans bases and lots of recent national success). But it would be nice if DePaul could at least be a "poor man's version" of itself in the 1970s and early 1980s.

The DePaul fan base that it had in the 70's and 80's is gone. The long duration of sub-par performances has created a level of apathy that will be difficult to regain in the future (if ever). Think about it - DePaul has never finished in the top half of the Big East; it has nine last place finishes in fourteen seasons; it has twelve losing seasons; it has zero NCAA Tournament appearances while in the Big East.

Today, in Chicago, Loyola has a greater fan interest and following than DePaul University - and, instead of DePaul using that as a driving force to attempt to improve its performance and regain all that it has lost, the school has shown nothing to disprove the perception that it has settled for mediocrity and content with sub-par finishes in the Big East. After Loyola went on its run, the levels of merchandise, apparel and news stories on Loyola went up ten-fold (and there are still many casual Chicagoans that wear around Loyola gear). Loyola averaged just 100 fans less per game last year than DePaul (and DePaul has a large new arena). I think Loyola has strong potential to become a consistent threat to win the Missouri Valley annually, and if they continue their upwards trend, and DePaul remains a Big East cellar dweller, the gap in fan interest will only widen.

It's just sad that no one at DePaul seems to care one way or the other.