Brad the's Man

[AdaSooner]

Maybe in 5 yrs when we are looking for our next coach he will be available...

Maybe so. I'm just hoping the coach we hire this year will not make these discussions necessary in five, or even ten years. OU's program needs stability and a longterm face in a position of leadership. We can't afford another coaching turnover that casts a negative shadow on the program nationally.

 

[thebigabd]

The guy nearly won a championship last year, and has his team looking good in the elite 8 this year.

I rarely subscribe to the theory that highly successful coaches leave their current big time jobs to rebuild somewhere else. They only move up, and serious arguments can be made as to whether or not OU is up from Butler or Marquette.

Now, Buzz is a little different because he is from this part of the country, has Oklahoma connections, and would fit in really well here.

 

[campbest]

The guy nearly won a championship last year, and has his team looking good in the elite 8 this year.

I rarely subscribe to the theory that highly successful coaches leave their current big time jobs to rebuild somewhere else. They only move up, and serious arguments can be made as to whether or not OU is up from Butler or Marquette.

Now, Buzz is a little different because he is from this part of the country, has Oklahoma connections, and would fit in really well here.

Stevens has zero reason to consider Oklahoma. This will ruffle some feathers, but in 2011 it is a lateral move at best and would be a huge challenge.

 

[stanley11]

Stevens has zero reason to consider Oklahoma. This will ruffle some feathers, but in 2011 it is a lateral move at best and would be a huge challenge.

This is true at the present time. OU obviously has more money and a higher ceiling longterm. Still, Stevens will only leave Butler for an OU football type of job. May hurt some feelings but that's just the way it is. Duke, UNC, Kentucky, Indiana, Kansas types. That is not a slap in the face of OU. It is just a fact. He is able to recruit high-qualitly, low baggage student-athletes and still make runs at NCAA Titles. He's young and the money is going to be there whenever he feels like taking on a greater challenge.

I would say his situation is similar to Chris Peterson's at Boise State. Every year there will be suitors from Top 10-15 programs. Still, he has a great situation and his family loves it there. He will only leave for a OU, USC, Alabama, Florida, Ohio St, Texas, ND type of program. As good as it has been with Tubbs, Sampson, Tisdale, and Griffin, OU basketball just does not fit into that category right now.

 

[seniorsooner]

Good god people we're not getting Brad Stevens, nor is anyone else. Come back to reality.

 

[Big Old Booger]

Brad Stevens would be the ultimate get, but the only way I see him leaving is for a job like Dook, UNC, etc.

Everybody said that about Barry Collier and Todd Lickliter, who are the 2 coaches before Stevens at Butler. Both took HC jobs at major programs and both were either fired or resigned before they were fired in 5 years or less.

 

[seniorsooner]

And to be fair neither of those coaches got anywhere near as far in the NCAA tournament as Stevens has.

 

[Big Old Booger]

And to be fair neither of those coaches got anywhere near as far in the NCAA tournament as Stevens has.

Neither took Butler to the elite 8 or final 4, that's true. I think Collier was the coach when we beat them in 2003 in the sweet 16.

Thad Motta was the coach at Butler before Collier. He's obviously turned out as a really good coach.

My point was it's not a given Stevens would be successful at the next level based on what he's done at Butler. Too many mid-major coaches couldn't make the jump to major college coaching because they continued to recruit like they did when they were at a mid-major. I think he's a very solid coach, but I'm not ready to say that he's "the ultimate get".

 

[seniorsooner]

I understand where you're coming from, and your point has been proven in the past, but I just think that Stevens is enjoying an unprecedented level of success for a mid major program. Typically when mid majors make a run you see them get to the sweet 16 and then reality sets in, resulting in a double digit loss. Stevens has taken a team to the championship game and the elite 8 in consecutive seasons. That is unchartered territory for a mid major.

 

[Big Old Booger]

I understand where you're coming from, and your point has been proven in the past, but I just think that Stevens is enjoying an unprecedented level of success for a mid major program. Typically when mid majors make a run you see them get to the sweet 16 and then reality sets in, resulting in a double digit loss. Stevens has taken a team to the championship game and the elite 8 in consecutive seasons. That is unchartered territory for a mid major.

Well...George Mason did make a final 4, but they had a sr. laden team and the next year they didn't even make the tourney, which is what usually happens with a mid-major that does make a run deep in the tourney.

Just think how good Butler would be if Hayward had come back?

 

[ben]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD2LRROpph0[/ame]

 

[seniorsooner]

lol nice job Clone

 

[DenverSooner]

Indiana?

I agree. Indiana is a job I could see him take. I think there are a lot of jobs other than Butler that would interest the guy. What nobody really knows is what he personally thinks about money, loyalty, and his personal goals. He may in fact be quite content to stay at Butler forever. He also might be very intelligent and simply saying all the right things, doing all the right things and buying time for the "perfect" job (whatever that is). I see no harm in talking to the guy.

I do know that he went to Depauw and was a three time Academic All-American. Depauw gets a good ranking from US News & World Report (51 for liberal arts schools according to wikipedia).

Steven is about 35 years old. He quit a good job (Eli Lilly & Company) to be an upaid basketball coach at Butler. I bet a lot of people thought he was crazy when he did that. Obviously he made the right decision.

 

[campbest]

I
Steven is about 35 years old. He quit a good job (Eli Lilly & Company) to be an upaid basketball coach at Butler. I bet a lot of people thought he was crazy when he did that. Obviously he made the right decision.

While a great story, there is more to it when it came to his finances. Wife had just graduated from law school and was working, father is an othropedic surgeon and mother is/was a professor at University of Indiana. He wasn't going to struggle.

 

[campbest]

Thad Motta was the coach at Butler before Collier. He's obviously turned out as a really good coach.

Not ture...Matta was Collier's long time assistant, took the reigns when he left for Nebraska. Coached one year (more successful than Collier was in 10) and bolted for Ohio State the next.

 

[Big Old Booger]

Not ture...Matta was Collier's long time assistant, took the reigns when he left for Nebraska. Coached one year (more successful than Collier was in 10) and bolted for Ohio State the next.

You are correct. I knew Motta was in there somewhere though.