Big Props for Hop

[Shenexon]

Hop left because he was being step up to fail.

I think overall it's been a very good thing that Hopkins went to Washington. I think he can stabilize a program that has great resources and talent base. In the process, he can show himself to be a good coach without the expectations and criticism he had faced at Syracuse. It was his time, JB wants to coach his son, and neither Hopkins or JB wanted to pressure the other. So far it seems a win/win and it's still possible that Hopkins will return at some point, bearing a resume that should quiet some of his detractors. Best Wishes to Mike Hopkins and the Washington Huskies...they're writing a good story...

 

[FrancoPizza]

I'd prefer to have the successor to JB be somebody from his coaching tree. If we're going to hire outside of that, it better be for a big time coach at a big time program. No bringing in an upstart doing well at some garbage mid major.

The risk when you hire outside the coaching tree is a shakeup in the brand and style of play that we've been accustomed to for the last few decades. Then again JB has been doing a 180 on that in the last 4 years so I don't know what to think anymore.

 

[SoBeCuse]

I targeted you because you’re the biggest Howard detractor on the board and it’s not close. If you want to ignore me that is fine, but I’m going to call out misguided opinions when I see it. Franks playing better than anyone imagined before the season and will be the pg next year. He cuts down his turnovers in about half and you’re going to have to admit he’s pretty good.

This is the last I’ll post about it. If you actually read some of my posts I have praised him. Especially his shooting and how he doesn’t fold after the dumb mistakes. He is pretty unflappable in that sense which is a really good thing. I have said he has played well generally in comparison to last year. The bar has been set SO low IMO with our lead guards lately.

My “misguided opinions” as you claim will stand however. I do believe if JB had better options he wouldn’t play as much at the 1. I also believe (unless a transformation happens with his handle and speed) that we will only actually run next season with the ball in Carey’s hands.

 

[SoBeCuse]

I'd prefer to have the successor to JB be somebody from his coaching tree. If we're going to hire outside of that, it better be for a big time coach at a big time program. No bringing in an upstart doing well at some garbage mid major.

That’s right. Only the ACC and Big 10 matters, lol.

Seriously, there is no way they would even consider bringing in some “garbage mid major” coach unless they were of the caliber of like a Chris Mack, Marshall, etc. Syracuse any year would have a lot of trouble playing Xavier, WSU, Creighton, etc.

 

[Brooky03]

That’s right. Only the ACC and Big 10 matters, lol.

Seriously, there is no way they would even consider bringing in some “garbage mid major” coach unless they were of the caliber of like a Chris Mack, Marshall, etc. Syracuse any year would have a lot of trouble playing Xavier, WSU, Creighton, etc.

Shaka Smart was on that list at one time. Remember when people thought he could coach? Let's not do that.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

It wasn’t personal at all. You took it that way. I think your opinion of Howard is clouded for whatever reason and I never brought up the Pitt game. I’m not the first person who’s challenged you regarding Howard and you don’t have to be a homer to have that opinion.

Hi there!

 

[OrangeDW]

Romar hadn't made the NCAA since 2010-11 with 3 or 4 seasons just a game or two over 500 I guess it's depending on your definition of a bad season.

I’m interested to know why Washington hired him? Just looking at his records, he hadn’t done much. St. Louis was coming off a 15-16 season when Washington hired him. Assuming he had a rep as a recruiter from his UCLA assistant days?

 

[Alsacs]

I’m interested to know why Washington hired him? Just looking at his records, he hadn’t done much. St. Louis was coming off a 15-16 season when Washington hired him. Assuming he had a rep as a recruiter from his UCLA assistant days?

CAA got him the job.
The Washington AD hired a search firm.
The firm suggested Hop. Hop’s agents at CAA asked Hop if he was interested.
Hop said yes.
The Washington AD interviewed him and he got the job.

Timeline of Mike Hopkins' hiring: Washington needed 2 days to pluck SU's coach-in-waiting

 

[cuseinseattle]

CAA got him the job.
The Washington AD hired a search firm.
The firm suggested Hop. Hop’s agents at CAA asked Hop if he was interested.
Hop said yes.
The Washington AD interviewed him and he got the job.

Timeline of Mike Hopkins' hiring: Washington needed 2 days to pluck SU's coach-in-waiting

He is asking why Washington hired Romar after Bender was fired. I think they had lost 20 games like 3 years in a row and the expectations weren't very high. They probably were thinking he could help recruiting local kids. Most of Benders teams had white kids on them from other areas.

 

[OrangeDW]

CAA got him the job.
The Washington AD hired a search firm.
The firm suggested Hop. Hop’s agents at CAA asked Hop if he was interested.
Hop said yes.
The Washington AD interviewed him and he got the job.

Timeline of Mike Hopkins' hiring: Washington needed 2 days to pluck SU's coach-in-waiting

I’m talking about Romar.

 

[supp]

I think there have been more head coaches than the ones you mentioned who never had prior head coaching experience before leading good programs. Not all are power 5 programs but they are programs with strong basketball traditions, some were excellent coaches who have moved on because of the chance they were given.(those small private schools just can't pay like the large state schools) It's a nice addition to justify hiring a prospect who has been a successful head coach previously but not absolutely necessary if the fit is good. Admittedly it sure makes an easier sell when hiring and also a way to avoid a bigger stink if they don't work out though. Below are a few more who had no prior head coaching experience:

Tom Izzo at Michigan St, Fred Hoiberg at Iowa St, Frank Martin when he was at Kansas St, Chris Mullin at St John's, Patrick Ewing at Georgetown, David Padgett at Louisville (tough circumstances I know), Chris Mack at Xavier, Sean Miller at Xavier, Archie Miller at Dayton, Roy Williams at Kansas, Mark Few at Gonzaga, Brad Stevens at Butler, Jamie Dixon at Pitt etc

Even in the NBA Steve Kerr, Doc Rivers, Mark Jackson, Gregg Popovich etc never had any head coaching experience.

It's a crap shoot. Just think of the ACC alone - BC, Wake, Ga Tech, NC St, etc all have hired multiple coaches with head coaching experience just as most of the more successful programs in the ACC have - but with mixed results. It's hard to find the right fit regardless of conference and even when you do, hopefully you can keep them or worse don't switch from a decent program to a bad one like BC did- not being satisfied with Al Skinner .

You mentioned David Padgett. I have to say that he's doing a surprisingly good job. I had zero hopes for that guy/team after Pitino got canned.

 

[tbonezone]

cupboard wasn't exactly bare.

 

[two3zone]

Awesome!!!

 

[two3zone]

cupboard wasn't exactly bare.

Really? Maybe one of his guys but likely 0 would have started for us and we didn't exactly have a full cupboard.

 

[tbonezone]

they had a top 2 class who booked when they heard he was coming.

 

[cuseinseattle]

Hop took out s full page at in the Seattle Times thanking the fans. This guy is a genius.

 

[two3zone]

Hop took out s full page at in the Seattle Times thanking the fans. This guy is a genius.

One thing he obviously took from JB is the importance of community involvement. He's definitely taking many things from his mentor and making his own personal adjustments. I'm very proud of him and while 50/50 about him taking over I'm having a lot of regret allowing him to take another job.

 

[rrlbees]

they had a top 2 class who booked when they heard he was coming.

They booked because romar got fired.

 

[Arangeman]

One thing he obviously took from JB is the importance of community involvement. He's definitely taking many things from his mentor and making his own personal adjustments. I'm very proud of him and while 50/50 about him taking over I'm having a lot of regret allowing him to take another job.

Feel the exact same way. Hop's offense looks a lot different than ours. He's even doing ok on D with a 6'0 guard at the top of the zone. I was informed that is impossible.

 

[Sherman20]

One thing he obviously took from JB is the importance of community involvement. He's definitely taking many things from his mentor and making his own personal adjustments. I'm very proud of him and while 50/50 about him taking over I'm having a lot of regret allowing him to take another job.

I’ve always felt that Hop could be a Tom Izzo type—take all the wealth of knowledge and the schemes and ideas taught by your mentor over two decades and use it as the foundation for your program, but then build on it with some of your own ideas and personality. Hop is able to connect with his players in the same way that Izzo is able to and is better at positive motivation and less yelling than JB. It’s a different world now for these kids. That said, JB is a really smart game tactician and game planner and sees things other coaches don’t. Fortunately, Hop was able to observe all that up close for 20 years, so he learned a lot and is now putting it on practice as a head coach. I am still hopeful he’ll return after JB retires.

 

[kirbivore]

I don't think he would come back. He's located in Seattle, which is a big enough city to spawn quality recruits. Pac-10 is easier than the ACC, and he's on the West Coast near his folks. He got jerked around by SU in the end. I don't see him returning.