MU announces Frank Haith. $1.5 million, 5 years

[thebigabd]

Quick Notes:

-The University of Missouri System Board of Curators has approved an employment package of $1.5 million guaranteed for five years, plus $100,000 in deferred annual compensation, with a one-year automatic extension that would kick in on May 1, 2012.

-Haith guided Miami's transition into the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and has helped a program void of basketball tradition (program was restarted in 1985-86) to five postseason appearances and Top 25 rankings three of the last four years.

-In 2007-08, one year removed from a 12-20 season, Haith's crew won 23 games and qualified for NCAA Tournament play. The Hurricanes topped Saint Mary's, 78-64, in the first round and narrowly missed an upset of #2-seeded Texas in the second round in Little Rock, Ark. The 23 wins by the club was just one shy of the school record.

-Over his last four years Miami has averaged 21 victories per season, with three 20-win efforts. That proved to be quite an impressive accomplishment for UM. Haith took over a program that had suffered through back-to-back losing seasons and failed to even make the BIG EAST Tournament in 2003-04, the season prior to his arrival.

-Haith spent seven seasons at the University of Miami overall, where he leaves the program as the winningest postseason coach in school history.

He's graduated 21-of-22 of his players while at Miami. He is recognized as one of the top recruiters in the nation and his Midwest ties fit very well with what we're needing right now.
-Mike Alden

"I have always had a tremendous amount of respect for this university and this program. We coached against Norm Stewart. Mizzou Arena and the facilities here are first class. The support of the students and administration is second-to-none and the tradition is outstanding. I'll tell you this Mizzou Nation, we are going to win and win big!
-Frank Haith

"I have known Frank Haith for a long time, and I truly believe he is one of the best coaches in the business. Missouri just made a great hire. Frank is one of the primary people responsible for the rise of our program here at Texas. He has all the skills necessary to build a successful program at the highest level ... not just one or two good teams, but a program. If there's one thing that I've always appreciated and admired about Frank, it is his confidence."
- Rick Barnes, University of Texas

"Frank Haith is a really good young coach that knows the Big 12 and really understands the game. He is of high character, and does things the right way. Missouri hired a good man, and a good coach in Frank. I've been an admirer of his for a long time."
-Jay Bilas, ESPN Basketball Analyst

"Frank Haith exudes class. He is a great hire for Missouri Basketball because he is the perfect combination of outstanding role model for young student-athletes and excellent basketball coach. I am sure that he is going to pick up where Mike Anderson left off in building Missouri back into one of the top basketball programs in college basketball."
- Fran Fraschilla, ESPN Basketball Analyst

 

[Big Old Booger]

Listening to KC sports radio this morning, they said a few interesting items about this hire.

1.) An MU fan, who co-hosts a show with a KU grad, said he has heard from a lot of Mizzou "insiders" that Haith will have to win soon or he will be in trouble as will the AD (Alden). They basically said Mizzou fans are at the edge of the ship ready to jump if next season isn't good. Kind of like OU fans were after BG left. If Mizzou has a bad season next year, and attendance suffers things will get bad and in a hurry.

2.) Somebody in Houston spotted Haith and his wife sitting at a table (at a restaurant) with Anderson and his wife and Melvin Watkins and his wife. They figured it was probably so Haith could ask Anderson about the job.

3.) The MU fan said he got a weird phone call over the weekend from a coach (didn't say if it was a HS or college coach) who was a friend of Haith's and knew about this MU fan's show. The coach asked the host to tell him all about Mizzou because Haith, his friend, had been speaking with Alden. The MU fan the responded "what were they talking about?" :ez-laugh: He had never thought Haith would be a candidate so he was truly perplexed why they would be talking. I got a chuckle out of that story.
So, the MU fan knew about Haith to Mizzou sometime late last week or over the weekend before it was rumored on twitter.

 

[Sam]

Suddenly Kruger for 2.2 doesn't sound as crazy...