ORUTerry Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 I think Kyan could do a good job. He is a former player who understands and agrees with the culture. He would get along with players and promote the program. Not sure how to judge his recruiting with ORU and how much that is on him. As OT says, he can hire assistants to help with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 OK...you talked TheEagleman into it....Kyan Brown.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oruvoice Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 OT...Please don't mis-take my comment about Kyan. It wasn't about him. I like Kyan just fine and think he'd be a good coach. My issue was with the "looks the part" comment, if it is true. I hope it's not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORU82 Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 There are two schools of thought about who to bring in. On the one hand is the idea of bringing in someone who has familiarity with our program. On the other is the idea of bringing in someone who is an up and comer but has not been around ORU athletics. I know that many do not like change or the unknown and so they go back to someone who has or has had a possible connection to ORU. Sometimes this works, but if we are ever going to go in a different direction perhaps it is time to completely overhaul the program and bring in an entirely new face. We have an opportunity here to take this program to the next level. That does not mean that we have to bring in someone who has been here and done that or some retread D-I coach who was fired from his last job but "has a name". I am intrigued by Coach Perry but do not know enough about him other than reading his bio and watching the games this past season from afar. I do like what he did with the team last week in the midst of all the chaos. Mike Carter in last week's press conference made reference to there already being 3 or 4 HCs from D-I programs who had contacted him about the job. Mike Carter also stressed that he was making clear to everyone just who we are as a University. I have no clue who the interested coaches are who are applying for the job. However, do not sell our program short. We have the second highest MBB budget in the Summit, play in a 10,500+ seat arena, have a full practice gym, great resources and are a basketball only school meaning MBB is not in competition with a football program on campus. It took Gonzaga 19 or more years to get where they are today. We can start down that road with the right hire. As the program succeeds, you increase the resources ($$$) available for the team. That is what Gonzaga did. I think the Summit is an up and coming League who should get better with time. I also think our program has a lot of upside with the right staff. However, in order to achieve that we have to be willing to take chances and think outside the "box" that has been ORU basketball for many years. It is no secret that our attendance has tanked dramatically in the last several years. Part of that I believe is due to what the team was doing or in our case not doing on the floor. We use to average over 6,500 paid attendance per game, last year that was down to about 2,500. Basketball is our cash cow. As it improves on the floor, the stands will start to fill back up leading to more $$$. It will take time. That is why whoever is on this new staff needs to be a well thought out hire. I can tell you this on the bright side, the GEC's (Golden Eagle Club) "drive for five" has taken us from about 271 members a couple of years ago to now having 720+ members. I believe the support is there if this program starts back in the right direction. Just my $0.02 cents. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUTerry Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 Just win baby..... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORU82 Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 Exactly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORU GRAD Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 "I know this is a random name, but does anyone think we could get Joe Dooley from FGCU? He's a former Bill Self Assistant and from what I could find isn't making very much money." This is a coach. I watched him in the tournament. This would be a great get for our program . We need a strong coach and recruiter. Our assistants can help but in the end, Leadership matters. Thanks ORU82 for your post. I agree 100% 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenj Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 4 hours ago, WingMaaaan said: Given your knowledge of the candidates, care to make a prediction on whether we stay with Rodney or go elsewhere? Perhaps a % of likelihood? I think they go in a different direction but heck I didn't think a couple of the guys interviewing would be in play. The thing with Kyan is I don't think he is one of those 1 good year and we are off to a better situation. A few of the other guys are. More of a revolving door type of situation. Not that its the worse thing but it would be different for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted April 17, 2017 Author Share Posted April 17, 2017 47 minutes ago, ORU82 said: Mike Carter in last week's press conference made reference to there already being 3 or 4 HCs from D-I programs who had contacted him about the job. To me, this was a mistake. Now, if you hire someone who is NOT from that pool of "two current head coaches and three current Big 12 assistants" that MC mentioned in the press conference, it looks like you either couldn't afford them or couldn't convince them, even if the new coach is demonstrably better for the job than those high-profile guys might be. Why name-drop (or, in this case, "conference-drop") the candidates? You're just setting yourself up for another round of second-guessing when you eventually announce the name. Just say that interest has been very high and extremely gratifying, and that you feel 100% confident you will be able to land the right guy to take ORU to that proverbial "next level". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted April 17, 2017 Author Share Posted April 17, 2017 Buried halfway through Guerin Emig's column in Monday's Tulsa World... --- This made me think An exchange from ORU’s press conference last Wednesday... Al Jerkens, KJRH sports director: “In a nutshell, what would have saved Scott Sutton’s job?” Billy Wilson, ORU president: “Good question. It’s been a long process. I don’t think this happened this season or last season. I came here four years ago. We may have already been sort of headed this way at that time...” That is one of the most startling admissions I have ever heard a university administrator give concerning a coach’s firing. And while I appreciate Wilson for his candor, it doesn’t change the fact that he can’t do business this way. A university’s basketball coach works for the athletic director, who works for the president. That makes it Wilson’s right to rubber stamp final policy when it comes to ORU basketball, from coach’s salary and staff to player conduct and appearance all the way down to adhesiveness of ankle tape. At the same time, if a coach is resistant to/struggling with said policy, it is the president’s responsibility to do something about it. He can’t wait four years for the situation to fester. All that does is drag down the program along with everyone with a hand in it. If Wilson sensed tension four years ago, he should have either worked harder to find middle ground with Sutton, or given his coach a narrower deadline to make things work under his preferred policy. Say, one year. Instead, he waited four. Meanwhile, ORU won fewer games, drew fewer fans and faded into the deep background of its conference and its city. That is inexcusable when basketball is your university’s most visible sport and most valuable source of revenue. I don’t know why Sutton didn’t resign along the way. If Wilson sensed “we may have already been sort of headed this way” four years ago, surely Sutton did. This is the definition of an unsalvageable situation. That being said, the mess made so apparent at last week’s press conference lies with Wilson. He’s the president. He’s the boss. He has to know better, and do better. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORU82 Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 Good point OT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 Maybe the above explains why Coach Sutton always seemed to look "pained" sitting on the sidelines and often downright disinterested...granted TheEagleman only watched on TV but I rarely saw any animation out of our Head Coach in the past few seasons...most of the excitement came from assistants....and not Sean.....change was needed...and I am also wondering if Wilson felt this way why it took so long...we've been headed downhill since DoMo left and we headed to the Southland....got worse when we came back to the Summit....we should go in a new direction....maybe Perry is the guy....I don't know.....but he's only been here one year and may see where some major changes are needed..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUalum Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 2 hours ago, Old Titan said: Editor's note: the "looks the part" comment re: Kyan Brown represents paraphrased comments from the person I talked to - no idea what BW's actual words were; just conveying his apparent sentiments. The person I talked to seemed to think Kyan very closely fit the bill for what BW is looking for in the next coach. As for Kyan being part of the problem re: previous recruiting, it should be noted that his role (as djenkins mentioned earlier) would be diminished in that capacity as head coach, as he would need to hire a "rainmaker" to do the heavy-lifting in assessing and following suitable talent that he would ultimately "close the deal" with. I'm frankly a little surprised at the backlash here re: Kyan, who is an ORU graduate. They could sure do a lot worse if they just go after some Power 5 assistant who's looking to jump as soon as possible. Sorry, but going with the guy that had a front row seat for the decline in recruiting, player development / retention, and bench coaching that took place post Hankins is not my idea of a good hire. As long as ORU is successful, I don't care if they are hiring a new coach every three years. Lastly, that ORU would make the hire based on "looks the part" (read he's white) is just disgusting. I would hope Wilson and Carter are better than that. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 TheEagleman changed his mind again....Kyan Brown.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cornelius Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 4 hours ago, Old Titan said: To me, this was a mistake. Now, if you hire someone who is NOT from that pool of "two current head coaches and three current Big 12 assistants" that MC mentioned in the press conference, it looks like you either couldn't afford them or couldn't convince them, even if the new coach is demonstrably better for the job than those high-profile guys might be. Why name-drop (or, in this case, "conference-drop") the candidates? You're just setting yourself up for another round of second-guessing when you eventually announce the name. Just say that interest has been very high and extremely gratifying, and that you feel 100% confident you will be able to land the right guy to take ORU to that proverbial "next level". I wouldn't be upset if the new head coach isn't a P5 assistant or current head coach. Names and conference/program affiliations don't mean anything... results do. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMarsh Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 Reminder from way back in 1999, we had a handful of Big12 and "P5" assistants in the mix then too...Ray Lopes (OU assistant - hired as HC at Fresno State...fired), Kim Anderson (Missouri assistant - recently fired as HC at Mizzou), Russ Pennell (former assistant at Oklahoma State, Ole Miss and Arizona State...current HC at Central Arkansas) and a Notre Dame assistant that was so underwhelming I can't recall his name. One name from then that is an interesting name to consider today... Bob Hoffman, current HC at Mercer (was a NAIA HC at Oklahoma Baptist University back in 1999). Breaking down the 'WHAT' and 'WHY' in play here from my perspective and you can hold what I know about all this in a thimble but nonetheless this is my take: (1) WHAT...first and foremost, what ORU cannot do is hire a guy who doesn't REALLY 'get' ORU...teamwork makes the dream work! Gotta be ALL IN with the university's vision and mission...he can't fake it, gotta be 100% real deal and I think they'll have those type of guys in the mix. (2) Specifically WHAT else...young (inexperienced is okay, but must be smart), hungry, confident, passionate, tireless and aggressive...and affordable (see 'young'). (3) WHY...any other recipe won't work and we'll be right back here in 4-5 years. PS... it's been YEARS since I checked out the message board - I believe my last posts were probably more than a decade ago during my time at the Tulsa Sports Commission when we partnered with the city of Tulsa and ORU to host the conference tournament at the UMAC. Nice to see a spark of interest in the program here represented by a lot of quality, passionate takes from you all...on all sides of the news cycle from the last week! This I'm confident of...we ALL are aligned on this...our desire to see ORU MBB consistently winning conference championships and regularly making the NCAA tournament!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmh8286 Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 Welcome back to the board, RMarsh!! Great, quality first post upon your return!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vcboy2000 Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/oru/mensbasketball/oru-basketball-ad-impressed-with-response-to-open-coaching-position/article_ba8fc99c-5804-5d65-a421-fac6b23a6815.html#.WPU0YRbCi0w.twitter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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