Now this is just plain funny.
DePaul is targeting Pittsburgh’s Jamie Dixon as its first choice for men’s basketball head coach, sources tell NBC 5.
Kansas State’s Frank Martin is the University’s second choice, according to the same source.
H/T to @PeteGaines.
There isn’t even anything worth adding to this bit of silliness.
Some early links:
I can’t believe this is being reported as a serious story. So Jamie Dixon has no interest in Arizona, but is all about DePaul because his sister was an assistant there? Give me a break.
None of this of course is going to happen of course, however their may be a line of logic and strategy behind their thinking. The fact that they are targeting him says something. As a sidebar, his sister coached there for a couple of years and he may have had some casual contact with the suits there.
Just send some ‘before’ photos before…you know…
Can’t build a national program these days without at least $5 million dedicated to basketball (and not all on the head coach’s salary. It takes, among many things, a sparkling modern facility, which Pitt provides. As well as a large, passionate and deep-pocketed fan base, which the small Catholic school like DePaul doesn’t provide.
DePaul’s glory days died when Ray Meyer retired in 1984. Mark Agguire, Terry Cummings, Rod Strickland and Dallas Comegys ain’t walkin’ into that decrepit arena.
Everything I’ve read says he loves Pitt and Pittsburgh as does his family. He has a team he likes that he’s raised from pups to a legitimate contender, and it’s only going to get better over the next few years.
So, what would his motivation be for leaving? Fear of a move to the Big 1x? C’mon. If that even happens, it’s 1-2 years away. He could potentially win a National Championship at Pitt in that time and then go pretty much anywhere he wants if he’s really that set against the Big 1x. He’s smart enough to know that, and also smart enough to wait and see how that whole thing shakes out.
Here’s a link to Jamie’s interview on Mike & Mike for those who missed it:
link to lohud.com
Talk about being out of touch, but it’s Chicagoland!
Also, I can confirm that DePaul may seek an interview with Barack Obama about the opening for men’s basketball coach. Obama worked for a Chicago-area law firm early in his career, and was spotted as recently as last fall lobbying on behalf of the Chicago-area sports scene in an Olympic bid selection process. Should Obama take the job, it is widely expected that the United States would look for a career Washington-politician to replace him, with administrators admitting: “We want the next guy to be a Washington man.”
Finally, I can neither confirm nor deny that Jamie Dixon may be interested in the Pleasanton High School (CA) Junior Varsity coaching position. While the job is not known to be open, Dixon is well-known to have been a former child actor, and speculation has abounded that if only he could get a job closer to Pixar studios, he could pursue his one true passion. Expect Pitt Blather’s maz to be at the top of the list of potential replacements, since it is believed that he spent three days in Pittsburgh this winter visiting family.
Also is the game on TV at all ? Since cbs covers like 8 games at once.. and cuts away to various games.
Any place to catch it in its entirety ? Can it be viewed in its entirety on cbssports.com ?
You know Jamie going to Chicagoland, don’t discount it because it seems it’s a done deal if Jamie takes a ride on Air Force One!!!
LOL!
Dixon will retire at Pitt!
How come nobody brings up the fact that coaches in pro sports can’t go anywhere until their contract expires, but college coaches can. Why is that/
Since when are coaches in pro sports not able to leave?
Nick Saban left the Miami Dolphins with time on his contract.
Bobby Petrino left the Atlanta Falcons with time on his contract, in the middle of the season!
You don’t see it much in terms of lateral moves, because there are precious few NFL head coaching jobs, and if you have one, you really don’t have the time to go look for a different one in the same league. Also, teams that have coaches good enough to be wanted by other teams are usually teams where the coach is happy where he is.
Now there is the case of teams declining to grant permission for their coaches to be interviewed, but this is not always obeyed anyway. (But since the coach can be terminated for doing it, usually the coach obeys if his employer declines permission.)
I can’t fathom why anyone would consider Oregon or Depaul (or Arizona or USC for that matter) better situations than Pitt. Dixon doesn’t lobby for other jobs nor actively dispel rumors because it enhances his negotiating power with Pitt to get the most money he can out of an already good situation. There’s nothing wrong with reinforcing with your employer that you’re good at your job and in demand and you should be compensated accordingly. Dixon’s just letting the market speak and it would be counterintuitive to sign in blood for life with Pitt. To Pitt’s credit they’ve always taken care of Dixon and he seems to get that too.
“Performance and success are not measured solely by wins and losses, but also in the conduct of those associated with the program,” said Patrick Hobbs, the university law school dean who has been overseeing the athletic department since July.
“We have expectations as to how our coaches and players will conduct themselves, and they are expected to treat everyone they interact with, whether officials, the press or our students, with the utmost respect, maturity and professionalism. Those core expectations must be met.”
It is reassuring that character matters to some university administrators.
Bobby Gonzalez’s winning record improves every year. Right before the season starts this year, Seton Hall extends his contract to 2015. Gonzalez improves on the record that got him the contract extension and makes it to the NIT. HbgFrank , Dan 72, and Seton Hall all say that Gonzalez is an asshole. Seton Hall says that they are firing Gonzalez because he is an asshole, but steve and HbgFrank say that that is not the real reason. They didn’t fire him because he is an asshole and that he recruited players with little or no character, They fired him because he didn’t win. Makes sense to me.
Sonny Vacarro owes Pitt at least three blue-chippers for even suggesting they hire Gonzalez and six more for getting his panties in a wad when they didn’t.
As we all know, it usually comes down to money. Wins bring booster and corporate sponsor dollars. Wins plus a good image bring even more financial support (i.e. Pitt and the Petersons). Improvement plus a good image helps maintain corporate sponsors, and therefore the coach’s job. Minimal improvement plus a poor image – as in Gonzo’s case – chases the money away faster than losing, so it’s bye-bye time.
