OT: Arkansas hires Eric Musselman

[tcf15]

 

[nelsonmuntz]

If Mike Anderson couldn't win in Arkansas, the job is a dead end. Musselman should have held out for something better.

 

[Robertelamin]

And UCLA couldn’t get him? Enjoy Arkansas I guess.

 

[Mano]

Weird. First Oats now Musselman, SEC getting a lot of good coaches.

 

[WrenchFan69]

Weird. First Oates now Musselman, SEC getting a lot of good coaches.

Gotta spend the TV/donor money somewhere, and it sure as hell won't be on academics

 

[Walker11]

Weird. First Oates now Musselman, SEC getting a lot of good coaches.

The SEC basketball is going to become the SEC football.

 

[pj]

Now that they have their own network, they want to generate good year-round content.

Makes good business sense.

 

[HooperScooper]

If Mike Anderson couldn't win in Arkansas, the job is a dead end. Musselman should have held out for something better.

Yeah surprised Musselman would settle for Arkansas. He is a hot commodity and there are a lot of better jobs than Arkansas. They must have used that SEC money to open the vault for him.

 

[noeynox]

The SEC basketball is going to become the SEC football.

Auburn was a screwjob away from playing for it all, Tennessee under Barnes looks legit, Kentucky is Kentucky. LSU was solid but will be looking for a coach. SEC knows how to use bagmen better than anyone and know the NCAA looks the other way on the P5.

 

[don356]

This one will be interesting to watch. He's not a traditionalist from a recruiting standpoint etc.. See how his program does on a bigger stage. The proverbial 50/50 ball hire. Could go either way, or end up on probation. I think Arkansas is kind of like West Virgina, you can get away with more in those off the grid encampments.

 

[Robertelamin]

The SEC basketball is going to become the SEC football.

It’s definitely starting to feel that way.

 

[Dove]

How did Oats go from signing a 5 year extension to going to Bama?

 

[don356]

How did Oats go from signing a 5 year extension to going to Bama?

The proverbial buyout clause.

 

[Travelman6]

That is too bad. He was building something special at Nevada, maybe was going to be hard with a lot of kids leaving after this year but I thought they were growing to the point where they could challenge Gonzaga as one of the best teams out west.

I liked how FEW stayed at Gonzaga, wish more coaches would do that but I guess money speaks, obviously.

But not so sure he will end up appeasing Razorback fans, who knows. Just makes you realize though, if you are a great coach outside the p5 only a matter of time before a basement p5 makes a run at you and very unlikely you stay.

 

[Walker11]

This one will be interesting to watch. He's not a traditionalist from a recruiting standpoint etc.. See how his program does on a bigger stage. The proverbial 50/50 ball hire. Could go either way, or end up on probation. I think Arkansas is kind of like West Virgina, you can get away with more in those off the grid encampments.

He can recruit. Look at his wife. ( He also landed a 5* to a MWC school)

 

[nelsonmuntz]

That is too bad. He was building something special at Nevada, maybe was going to be hard with a lot of kids leaving after this year but I thought they were growing to the point where they could challenge Gonzaga as one of the best teams out west.

I liked how FEW stayed at Gonzaga, wish more coaches would do that but I guess money speaks, obviously.

But not so sure he will end up appeasing Razorback fans, who knows. Just makes you realize though, if you are a great coach outside the p5 only a matter of time before a basement p5 makes a run at you and very unlikely you stay.

I think Musselman will fall flat on his face at Arkansas. He will be unemployed within 3-4 years, and never get a major coaching job again.

Arkansas is not a national recruiting presence, and doesn't have a good local recruiting territory. To the extent there is talent in state, LSU, Oklahoma, Okie State, Missouri, Tennessee and the Texas schools are all threats to poach it. Musselman can go into Memphis or Houston, and slug it out with the rest of the Big 12 and SEC for every decent player, or try to recruit Chicago or St. Louis along with the rest of the world. No natural recruiting base means it is very tough to compete. There is a reason that Arkansas hasn't made it out of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament since 1996. Heath, Pelphrey and Anderson were all considered good coaches before they went to Arkansas, and they couldn't win there. Even Richardson was struggling at the end of his time there. This is just not a good job.

The Pac 12 is a much easier conference to recruit in, and Musselman should have waited for one of those jobs. There is a lot of talent on the west coast, and the Pac 12 schools plus Gonzaga are the only shows in town, and UCLA, Stanford and Gonzaga recruit nationally. Oregon State, Stanford and possibly Colorado could be a year or so away from a change. Musselman should have held tight.

 

[JMick]

I think Musselman will fall flat on his face at Arkansas. He will be unemployed within 3-4 years, and never get a major coaching job again.

Arkansas is not a national recruiting presence, and doesn't have a good local recruiting territory. To the extent there is talent in state, LSU, Oklahoma, Okie State, Missouri, Tennessee and the Texas schools are all threats to poach it. Musselman can go into Memphis or Houston, and slug it out with the rest of the Big 12 and SEC for every decent player, or try to recruit Chicago or St. Louis along with the rest of the world. No natural recruiting base means it is very tough to compete. There is a reason that Arkansas hasn't made it out of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament since 1996. Heath, Pelphrey and Anderson were all considered good coaches before they went to Arkansas, and they couldn't win there. Even Richardson was struggling at the end of his time there. This is just not a good job.

The Pac 12 is a much easier conference to recruit in, and Musselman should have waited for one of those jobs. There is a lot of talent on the west coast, and the Pac 12 schools plus Gonzaga are the only shows in town, and UCLA, Stanford and Gonzaga recruit nationally. Oregon State, Stanford and possibly Colorado could be a year or so away from a change. Musselman should have held tight.

UCLA made a lot more sense than Arkansas does. You're right, there are no built-in advantages at Arkansas besides payroll from the media money.

 

[Fishy]

UCLA is just a toxic job.

The fans love you right up until the second your introductory press conference ends and then they hate you.

I’m guessing Musselman can see the end of the run at Nevada and this was the best place open for him.

If he wins there, he can go someplace better. If he loses there, no one will hold it against him and he can go somewhere better.

Low-risk move for him.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Wonder if he figured there won’t be any other vacancies in the coming weeks

This, along with the Hoiberg-to-Nebraska move, seem desperate; although, as Fishy said, he also probably figures his stock is only going down from last season. Neither are exactly destination jobs. Not gonna wait and see how long Shaka lasts at UT?

 

[superjohn]

UCLA is just a toxic job.

The fans love you right up until the second your introductory press conference ends and then they hate you.

I’m guessing Musselman can see the end of the run at Nevada and this was the best place open for him.

If he wins there, he can go someplace better. If he loses there, no one will hold it against him and he can go somewhere better.

Low-risk move for him.

But shouldn't UCLA be an easy job for a good coach? THE Pac-12 absolutely stinks and UCLA is a really easy place to recruit to.

 

[Fishy]

But shouldn't UCLA be an easy job for a good coach? THE Pac-12 absolutely stinks and UCLA is a really easy place to recruit to.

There are places where the administration and the fans just make life miserable for the coach - UCLA is probably the poster child for that kind of place. You can win 70% of your games there, go to three straight Final Fours and still get fired a few years later in a year when you go 25-10 and sign a great recruiting class.

There's a reason why no one wants the job right now.

 

[Robertelamin]

Bob Diaco will take the job

 

[BUConn10]

Wow a nothing program scoops up an elite coaching prospect. This new P5 cartel sure is paying dividends.

 

[crazyUCfan23]

Wow a nothing program scoops up an elite coaching prospect. This new P5 cartel sure is paying dividends.

Not for nothing, but Arkansas has won a national title before. Not saying they're a good program, but I wouldn't say they're a "nothing program" either. However, it definitely is not an easy place to win currently, but wouldn't say impossible.

 

[BUConn10]

Not for nothing, but Arkansas has won a national title before. Not saying they're a good program, but I wouldn't say they're a "nothing program" either. However, it definitely is not an easy place to win currently, but wouldn't say impossible.

In 2019, with the context of the entire sport and media exposure with conference pecking order for basketball. Arkansas is a NOTHING.