Alford does NOT turn down UCLA

[coolm]

and USC says they are going to snatch up Enfield from FGCU.

 

[KCRuf/Nek]

Guess I must have been dreaming but I thought Alford just signed a ten year deal.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-steve-alford-ucla-coach-20130330,0,7810262.story

Article excerpts - LA Times

UCLA officials later confirmed Alford had agreed to a seven-year contract worth $18.2 million, including a $200,000 signing bonus.

UCLA officials had approached Butler’s Brad Stevens and Virginia Commonwealth’s Shaka Smart, who both passed on the job. Guerrero turned to Alford, who recently agreed to a 10-year contract extension worth more that $20 million.

The Lobos were seeded third in the West Regional for the NCAA tournament this season, but were upset by Harvard in their first game. New Mexico finished 29-6 this season and for the second season in a row won the Mountain West Conference regular-season and tournament titles.

Alford has a 463-235 record with nine NCAA tournament appearances in 22 seasons. His Southwest Missouri team reached the South Regional semifinals in 2006.

Alford inherits high expectations at UCLA. Aside from the court success, UCLA officials were looking for a coach who could boost sales of season tickets.

The Bruins drew only five crowds of 10,000 or more this season at recently renovated Pauley Pavilion.

Alford also inherits a team in flux. There were only eight players who came to UCLA on scholarship after Joshua Smith and Tyler Lamb transferred. Freshman forward Shabazz Muhammad is expected to declare for the NBA draft and freshman center Tony Parker is considering transferring.

Good luck with that.

 

[Swans]

Alford is NOT the answer.

 

[WaymanFan]

It's definitely not a home run hire. The guy has only won 5 NCAA Tournament games in 7 tournaments - and two of those were as a Cinderella when coaching at Missouri State. He's had three tries as a #3 seed and won one game...yikes.

Still, you never know how these things will pan out. I remember being bummed out that we had to "settle" for Billy Tubbs after John Thompson turned us down. We also had to "settle" for Kelvin Sampson when Tubby Smith turned us down. Alford seems to be a good regular season coach. If his teams can get their act together in March, he will be at least moderately successful there.

 

[campbest]

Alford has the "in" to the SoCal high schools and AAU teams right now...Howland had severed a lot of relationships.