Let me answer one of his open ended questions...
"After all, why would Hopkins wait 10 years as the designated successor, sit through all of the NCAA problems"
He got paid a lot of money to be an assistant coach and never received a job offer to be a head coach?
I mean...is it THAT implausible?
I have no inside information, have had no discussions with any of the individuals involved in this situation, but I do feel like I am usually down the middle when it comes to Coach Boeheim. I recognize his faults, both as a coach and in his public persona, but at the same time respect the good he does both on and off the court. Basically, I don't feel like my opinion is based on a hatred or love for those involved.
Here are my questions:
-Has Coach Hopkins ever gone on record saying the Syracuse job was his "dream job?"
I'll start by saying, even if he had I wouldn't believe him after Coach Marrone's words. But, it seems that many people are assuming Coach Hopkins stays up at night imagining what it would be like to be Syracuse's head coach. You can be extremely happy in a position, or at a place, without seeing yourself retiring there.
-Is it not a distinct possibility that someone would be willing accept a future position without it being their dream job?
There are plenty of positions in my current organization that I would agree to fill in the future, but wouldn't be my ideal job. I think it's a distinct possibility that he was more than willing to become our head coach if a better fit didn't became available, but it wasn't necessarily his dream job. You can really love a place and still realize that it may not be the best fit for you. If Coach Hopkins became our head coach he would go through his entire career being compared to his mentor and trying to live up to him. Now he has the chance to "make a name for himself."
-Is it not also a distinct possibility that he was hoping all along to find a P5 job somewhere else?
It seemed pretty obvious to me that he was ready to leave for the USC job a few years back. He has gone on record several times expressing disappointment that he didn't get that job. Again if he wasn't able to find another P5 job or one closer to his "original home" on the west coast he would have gladly taken the job here. Again just because you would gladly and willingly accept a position, it doesn't mean that you wouldn't be happier or more willingly accept a similar job elsewhere. I think Coach Hopkins always envisioned himself becoming a head coach on the West Coast, but was not in a position to say no to the Syracuse job when it was offered to him in the future.
I find this whole replacing/running out a legend discussion interesting, having been part of it on a smaller scale. My belief is that Coach Boeheim has earned the right to decide when he wants to hang up the whistle. Hopefully, he'll know when the time is right. To me you can't judge the state of the program right now and determine whether or not Boeheim is responsible for the lull, if you can call it lull when we were in the Final Four last year, since the NCAA sanctions have had an impact. Some coaches know when to hang up the whistle, others stick around too long. Regardless, as I stated I think Coach Boeheim should be able to determine when he leaves.
The two most winning HS coaches in Section IV coached within 17 miles of one another. One of those coaches, who I know personally, was essentially run out of the position three years ago. He had coached 48 years and won 278 games, since he was forced into his retirement, that school has had three different head coaches. On the other hand, my father (who obviously I also know personally) was allowed to retire "on his own terms" after this past season. He coached for 41 years and won 318 games, it remains to be seen how his replacement will do, but no one will be able to have regrets if his replacement is not successful.
The point being, if Jim Boeheim was essentially run out in favor of Mike Hopkins and Mike was not successful there would be regrets, even if some on this board don't want to admit it.
