ORUalum Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 UMKC’s Hall has had ‘strong dialogue’ with returning Brown A day after his school announced a three-year extension for him as Director of Athletics, UMKC’s Tim Hall confirmed with CurtisKitchen.com on Wednesday that Matt Brown will return and coach the men’s team for the 2012-13 season. John Klein: Change would help both TU and Doug Wojcik (TW) Nine painful years have made TU fans appreciate what they once had and dream of a brighter future. For both the coach and school, it would appear it is time for a new start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted March 9, 2012 Author Share Posted March 9, 2012 The Associated Press is reporting that Bruce Weber has been fired at Illinois. Also, the athletic director at SMU has announced that he and Matt Doherty will meet on Tuesday to "review the past season and talk about the future of the program". I really thought SMU might at one point have taken Doug Wojcik, but his typical late-season flameout has probably ruined any chance he has of finding another job before TU fires him. SMU has to find somebody good as they enter Big East play next year, and they may instead take a look at Scott Sutton, or Scott Cross at Texas-Arlington. Speaking of Wojcik, several of TU's more involved fans are matter-of-factly stating that Dougie WILL be axed either Monday afternoon, or Tuesday morning - or even sooner, if he himself chooses to press the issue this weekend after the team returns from Memphis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cornelius Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 If Wojcik is gone I truly pity whoever replaces him. TU fans are like Al Bundy from Married With Chidlren... They want to tell you about how they were super awesome 15+ years ago, the problem is nobody cares. They are jumping all over Bobby Lewis from KOTV for pointing it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmh8286 Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 The Associated Press is reporting that Bruce Weber has been fired at Illinois. Also, the athletic director at SMU has announced that he and Matt Doherty will meet on Tuesday to "review the past season and talk about the future of the program". I really thought SMU might at one point have taken Doug Wojcik, but his typical late-season flameout has probably ruined any chance he has of finding another job before TU fires him. SMU has to find somebody good as they enter Big East play next year, and they may instead take a look at Scott Sutton, or Scott Cross at Texas-Arlington. Speaking of Wojcik, several of TU's more involved fans are matter-of-factly stating that Dougie WILL be axed either Monday afternoon, or Tuesday morning - or even sooner, if he himself chooses to press the issue this weekend after the team returns from Memphis. I make it a habit never to listen to TU basketball any more. Totally irrelevant program, as far as I'm concerned. Turned off the game when it came on the radio yesterday - but after work was over, I turned it on just to see who won. Turned out the teams were tied at the end of reg, and were just starting OT. For some strange reason, I left it on - and listened to not one but three OT periods, at the end of which TU lost. The real reason that I'm admitting that I actually listened to a TU game is this - afterward, Rick Couri interviewed Wocjik in the locker room and it was the most bazaar incoherent coach's interview I've ever heard. Rick would ask a question, and it was like Wojcik hadn't even heard it - he just rambled. Almost like he was semi-conscious. I don't know if reality is taking it's toll on Doug or what, but it wasn't good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenj Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 I think Woj knows he is gone next week and is just waiting for the ax to fall. Of course he is getting a really nice check to go away. He will end up as an assistant at a big school i think. I doubt the SMU fans would be very thrilled with hiring him as their next coach. I would think either UTA or NTX coach would make sense for SMU. They have to get some players from DFW to stay there somehow. Illinois is a very good job and will get a lot of interest from a lot of guys. Wonder how long before Danny Manning gets a job? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUTerry Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Doc Sadler is out as coach at Nebraska..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted March 9, 2012 Author Share Posted March 9, 2012 Would imagine Scott Sutton's name will get thrown around for the Nebraska job, but one rumor has ex-Creighton coach Dana Altman leaving Oregon and returning to the state to coach the Huskers - apparently Nebraska AD Tom Osborne is a big Dana fan. Other rumors, FWIW: • 65-year-old Roger Reid at Southern Utah may be announcing his retirement soon - makes sense that the Thunderbirds might want a fresh start with their move to the Big West. • Saul Phillips at NDSU has apparently thrown his hat in the ring at Southern Illinois, but it still looks like Illinois-ex Bruce Weber could be heading back to his old stomping grounds in Carbondale. • Early list of names from one website for the SMU gig: Scott Sutton (ORU), Scott Cross (UTA), Doug Wojcik (Tulsa), Johnny Jones (North Texas), Jeff Capel (formerly OU), and Russ Springmann (Texas assistant). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenj Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Be a good spot for Springman at SMU. Very good recruiter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BasPlayr Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Heard Woj has had contact with SMU in last two weeks. But, like someone said that ship might have sailed after the 2nd OT yesterday. Monday at earliest, Tuesday more likely. This is concensus feeling. Contacts for possible replacements have begun, so that should support it is over. Two names previously mentioned have "been in contact" either with, or from, 3rd parties. This is all over the TU board, but nothing will be official unti the announcement next week. There are 4-6 coaches on the list at this time. Top two varies from source to source. TU will need to move quick as there are other things going on in the program that will need to be settled by steadying the ship(program) that is definately rocking right now. As to the entitled statement by Lewis. A couple of comments from our board that really strike home. If you had a 25 year run of being a "player" in the post season tournaments. Including 16 NCAA appearances, 3 Sweet sixteens, and an Elite Eight finish in that run, would you not feel entitled? TU's problem is they haven't found the right hire to get them back. It took them 4 years to figure it out with Phillips, and now 7 to figure it out with DW. 10 years puts you right on that irrelevancy line. None of the kids being recruited today were even out of grade school the last time TU was in the Tournament. Another post was. Take Gonzaga, if they suddenly stopped winning, and going to the post season, would you say that their fans shouldn't feel entitled? Or, put it on a personal level here. If ORU had a similar record to TU's in a similar period over the last 30+ years, wouldn't your fanbase feel entitled? Look at your fans reaction to losing in the conference tournament last week. When you were basically eliminated from NCAA consideration, you all were disappointed, and complaining, too. So doesn't that mean that you feel somewhat entitled because of your recent appearances? If you feel you should be going, then isn't that a form of the entitled definition? When you get used to competing for, and going to the tournaments that many times, any normal person would begin to feel entitled. It is just in our human nature. Nothing wrong with that. Mr. Lewis's problem is not that he is calling it as he sees it. He would have to have some first hand knowledge of the history surrounding it first. And he doesn't have that because: a ) He's too young to really know anything about it. And b ) He is recently transfered here from Florida, so how could he be connected to TU's history. He is supposed to be a journalist. And good journalists know that you research your information before reporting on it. Granted he wasn't really reporting when he tweeted his remarks. But because he was doing so while covering the tournament, and he IS KOTV's TU beat reporter, he is catching flack for not doing his research, and commenting on things he really doesn't have a basis to comment on. That is what the furor is over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbone77 Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Bas, Always interested in your posts as you seem to be reasonable and level-headed. I also appreciate a TU fan who can appreciate what is going on down on South Lewis. We have a loyal TU season ticket holder sitting in front of us at the MC, and unless TU is playing at home at the same time, he is at ORU. He is a knowledgeable fan and we have some great discussions. That said I would like to reply to your statement: "Look at your fans reaction to losing in the conference tournament and basically being eliminated from NCAA consideration. You all were disappointed, and complaining, too. So doesn't that mean that you feel entitled somewhat?" I have been attending ORU games since about 1970. I was fortunate enough to see some great players in the old fieldhouse in the old "Run and Gun" days. Basketball probably had some influence on my choice to attend ORU. I was in the Mabee Center when we lost to Kansas in the elite eight - a win away from the Final Four. I was on hiatus following the unfortunate and ill-advised firing of Coach Hayes a few days before Christmas after a very close loss to TU in about 1982 or so - and only came back when ORU publicly acknowledged that firing Coach Hayes was a mistake. The success ORU enjoyed in those early days were really intoxicating for a basketball fan (excuse the choice of words Coach T). We didn't know how good we had it when we were playing in the old Midwestern Cities Conference with some really good schools. But after going through the gulch of exiting Div 1, and then the incredibly difficult job of trying to rebuild the program (assisted greatly by the hiring of Bill Self), I don't think I could ever feel that we were ENTITLED to be in the dance. It has proven to be incredibly difficult over the years. Impossible as an independent, and rare even in a conference with an automatic bid. We have been there what 3 times since we got back to D-1 in the mid-1990's? Hopeful? yes, always. Optimistic? Yes, this year. Entitled? Not at all. Hopefully Never. All you have to do is look at somebody like Butler to realize how special and how difficult it is to attain and maintain play at a high level consistently. You can fall off the mountain pretty fast in basketball. We came close to getting to the top this year, but the two games up in South Dakota proved how difficult it is to win the tournament (again). I am heart-broken and disappointed for sure. But it wasn't because I felt entitled. I hope we never get to that point, because we will surely fail to muster the character needed to make it if we do. Just one fan reflecting.... and thanks for your thoughts.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmh8286 Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Wow, tbone. That was beautiful! Perfectly stated my feelings, with the exception of being part of the early years. But I DO have a TICKET to that ORU/Kansas game (picked it up on Ebay) ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUJason Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Thanks for the update BasPlayr. You don't hear 1 person calling for Scott Sutton to be fired because he hasn't gone to the NCAA tournament in 4 years. I understand the frustration at TU but Wojcik made the finals of the CUSA tournament at least 3 years in a row (maybe 4?) and just couldn't get past a Top 15 team in Memphis. No one else could either, but it seemed that most TU fans don't give Wojcik credit for that. If Memphis hadn't been in the conference, TU might have gone to the NCAA 3 or 4 times in a row during that time a few years ago. I think Wojcik will be fired because even those who have supported him in the past are wavering and thinking it's time for a change. But this isn't the best time to hire a new coach. About a month ago no one even knew for sure the name of the conference TU would be playing basketball in next year and who exactly the other teams in that conference would be. That is tough for recruiting. Also, signing day is coming up soon. You have signed some good players. With a coaching change, you could lose those players. As far as I know, there is about to be a change in Presidency at TU. Will that new president be unhappy if he can't have input into who the new coach will be. I sense that it is over for Wojcik. He will leave TU with a pretty good W-L record. That could scare off some potential candidates who realize they will also be ran off even though they won a lot more than they lost. Not an easy decision for Ross Parmalee (spelling?) but I think the tide has turned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUTerry Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Frank Haith of Missouri (and formerly with Miami) is on very thin ice and may be going. A Miami player (Durand Scott) has been ruled ineligible for receiving improper benefits from a former Miami coach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BasPlayr Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Jason, Yeah, we've heard that "if Memphis wasn't in the conference" stuff before. But, other teams in our conference have beaten Memphis and gotten to the NCAA tournament in the past 7 years. Just not TU. So, I don't buy into that stuff. I don't imagine many of you guys have watched many of the TU games. But the biggest talking point for the get a new coach crowd is the way we have lost games. Specifically the actions of the coach in those game. Yeah, I know, players have a lot to do with winning the games, but players are acting out the game plan of their coach. In tight games the players look to their coach for guidence, direction, and strategy. If you were sitting in the stands, and watching the lead slipping away, and you see players bringing the ball up the court and looking to the bench for the coach to give direction. And you look over and see the coach sitting there staring blankly. You see the anguish on the players face as they feel lost, and they look to the coach who shrugs his shoulders and shakes his head while turning to take a seat on the bench. You see the opposition drive the lane time after time, and you see the players fouls build and build, and you know your coach will never use a "junk" defense like a zone that might prevent the drives, or protect the players in foul trouble. You know that it isn't just the players. You watch as you go to triple overtime, and you see those players playing their guts out. And time after toime they keep rising to the occasion. Then you see the opposition goes up four, and as a player you know that you need to foul with 50 seconds on the clock, but your coach says Dont Foul. You say how does that help us pull out the win? As a fan, when you see that happen time after time, it makes you think the coach doesn't think the players can do it, so he basically has given up on the players. You have to sit there and see that happen many times over this coaches tenure to understand it isn't just players not making the plays. As to the players leaving, yeah that could happen. But it is also a possibility that should the coach be retained, that those same players would leave because they have lost confidence in their coach to help get(coach) them thru those tight spots. As to the President, Again you gotta know the circumstances. TU is not as close to announcing a ne president as they should be. And this IS the best time to make a decision on a new coach. If you wait the 3 months that it could take to seat the new president, the players that may be thinking of leaving would already be gone. And the pool of quality coaching candidates would be diminished as othe schools looking to fill their coaching openings will have already taken the top candidates. Besides, this president is known for wanting to be responsible for everything that goes on at TU as long as he is the sitting president.Yeah, he has an ego. AS to the Future coach. The biggest thing that he has to concern himself with is playing a brand of basketball the the fans want to see. Not the "bring it across midcourt, then dribble, dribble, dribble to the <10 sec mark, then put your shot up" that has been DW's trademark offense. Play an attacking style of defense that creates more turnovers than your offense gives up. If the future coach is any kind of coach at all, he'll have that ego that he can win anywhere. Afterall, who wants a coach that doesn't think he can win or meet fan expectations? Who would hire that guy anywhere? This will all be moot, by Monday. Late word is that an announcement could come as early as Sunday. But, the decision has finally been made. DW is done at TU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUJason Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Great synopsis BasPlayr. These are not easy decisions but clearly patience has worn thin. I'm surprised to hear that Wojcik's in game coaching is so questionable after 7 years on the job. He will land on his feet somewhere as an assistant. I'm sure he has a lot of friends in the coaching fraternity. I think one reason why he seemed so shellshocked after the Triple OT loss is that basically 10 days before his team was staring at the chance to be CUSA champions and it all slipped away so quickly. A close loss to UAB. Then the team had nothing to play for against Memphis due to the UAB loss. Then there was at least the expectation that they could make some noise in the CUSA tournament. If they put together a few wins, it might have helped him position himself for the SMU job or another opening. I think it was the realization that not only is it over, but he isn't positioned the way he hoped he would be. If Ross Parmalee makes a good hire, he will gain a lot of credibility for the next several years with the TU faithful. Clearly the next coaching hire will be a BIG decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbone77 Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Tulsa World just reported Doug Wojick is out. Meeting held early Sunday afternoon with TU Administration. Buyout is estimated to be $900,000 according to the TW. The carousel turns a little faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BasPlayr Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 News hit my PM earlier today. It was made official on the TU message baords around 2:00pm. There may be 3-5 additional candidates to contact besides the three mentioned prominantly on the boards.Lots of questions presented about those known, as I'm sure there will be questions about most of the candidates when they are trying to make a quick decision. I'm hearing they want to make an announcement with in next two weeks. Yes, Sutton is still on the list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmh8286 Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Tulsa World just reported Doug Wojick is out. Meeting held early Sunday afternoon with TU Administration. Buyout is estimated to be $900,000 according to the TW. The carousel turns a little faster. Doesn't that buyout figure seem a little low for a three year buyout? I thought that job was paying a lot more than that. Maybe a lot of the income comes from other deals, like camps and stuff. Interesting article by the World - can see some of it, some of it may be excuses to build a case. Every program in the country (just about) is struggling with attendance right now - hard to hold that against Wojcik. Chemistry just isn't righ in that mix. When all is said and done, as painful as this is for the involved parties, it's probably the best move. Wojcik out as Tulsa's coach Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=297&articleid=20120311_297_0_DougWo751966 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.