How do y'all feel about the search process? While it received a lot of criticism, I feel like it really was a national search. I have no doubt we spoke with other current head coaches and refrained from releasing the information because of confidentiality reasons. I also relish the fact that we hired the dark horse "Steve Kragthorpe" candidate on the list.
It appeared all the candidates we were looking at had a Southwest connection, which made a number of fans think our vision was limited. I think the hiring of Coach Woj should have put that to rest. I think the basketball community thinks we made a good hire and unless he proves me wrong so do I. I have a little concern over the style of basketball we might be playing and how successful it can be at Tulsa. He said he likes to run but with controls. OK, what does he mean by that- a 65 point game instead of a 55 point game?? I think we might be able to win a certain amount of games in CUSA like that but not against the big time programs in the NCAA's. That's the only question mark to me, outside of that I'm pretty happy presuming he can recruit?? I do think our recruiting might be a little more national in scope, not too much but a little!!
We just have to accept the scope of the search on blind faith. We'll never know what current head coaches were interviewed (if any) because of the confidentially issues that Gold brought up. Based on what I know, I'd say the search was a bit weak, but I acknowledge that I don't have nearly enough information to make an informed opinion.
And fish... I wouldn't worry about the style of play. At least wait until you see us play in the fall. Just because he spent 2 years at MSU doesn't mean we're going to play grind-it-out Big Ten ball. Especially not with teams that get up and down the court like UAB, UTEP, Memphis, etc.
I would like to have seen a few, successful low, mid major coaches on the list. Tulsa is a major step up for coaches at Winthrop, Eastern Kentucky, Ark Little Rock, etc but it seemed like we only looked at asst coaches or out of work coaches. Tulsa was as close as any Mid Major program can get to a big time major program and we should act like it during a coaching search. Our search was like E. Carolina's evidently or other somewhat downtrodden programs. I do like who we got better than E Carolina by the way!!!
fish, I agree with you, but the fact is that we don't know if those low- to mid-major head coaches were interviewed or not. We can't go by the published list because the administration would keep a TIGHT lid on any interviews or conversations with head coaches still in their season. That would look mighty bad on us. So we'll really never know the full extent of the list of interviews.
I am perfectly happy with the process. Time will tell if Coach Woj is all that some say he is. I like that he downplayed his time with Doherty, and focused on his time at Navy as an assistant and MSU with Tom Izzo.
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See, I really believe that we contacted other coaches who couldn't talk because of confidentiality reasons... we'll never know, but you'd have to think other head coaches sent in resumes. This was a big time opening...
Fan, that's quite a beer bong there... at least I think that was a beer bong. I had one just like that stolen from my pudding party a couple of years ago.