Coach K said no to Amaker

[hoopsupstate]

Duke offered the job to Amaker and Coach K talked him out of taking it. He felt Sheyer was a better fit and it would keep the staff together. Obviously, Amaker was pretty upset.

 

[FrancoPizza]

FFS I hope John is taking notes

 

[Col. Bleep]

Duke offered the job to Amaker and Coach K talked him out of taking it. He felt Sheyer was a better fit and it would keep the staff together. Obviously, Amaker was pretty upset.

Always thought Amaker was the frontrunner.
He was the point guard who helped K when he took over.
Took Duke from losers to the NCAA final.
Rarely turned the ball over.
And seemed to have become a really good coach at Harvard.

Exclusive | Mike Krzyzewski pushed ‘heartbroken’ Tommy Amaker out as Duke successor

Duke University wanted to hire Harvard basketball coach Tommy Amaker last spring to replace the retiring Mike Krzyzewski, even going so far as to offer him the job.

nypost.com

 

[MikeSU02]

Duke offered the job to Amaker and Coach K talked him out of taking it. He felt Sheyer was a better fit and it would keep the staff together. Obviously, Amaker was pretty upset.

The key paragraph and what cannot happen here:

In retirement, Coach K believed he would maintain more control over the program through the 34-year-old Scheyer than the 56-year-old Amaker, sources told O’Connor for the book. Scheyer has never coached anywhere else, while Amaker left Duke in 1997 for Seton Hall.

 

[cusefan88]

When a coach retires, that should be it. No influence on the next coach. Scheyer may be good but being the hand-picked choice of K comes with a lot of pressure.

 

[AZOrange]

Eh. There is a lot to that story that doesn’t ring true. Not to say some of it isn’t true. But I don’t believe that.

 

[upperdeck]

When a coach retires, that should be it. No influence on the next coach. Scheyer may be good but being the hand-picked choice of K comes with a lot of pressure.

isnt that how most places work.. the people leaving in control often have some say in helping decide how the process is gonna work for the replacement? the school can go its own direction if it wants.

 

[AZOrange]

isnt that how most places work.. the people leaving in control often have some say in helping decide how the process is gonna work for the replacement? the school can go its own direction if it wants.

Yes and to me that’s what makes no sense

 

[MikeSU02]

isnt that how most places work.. the people leaving in control often have some say in helping decide how the process is gonna work for the replacement? the school can go its own direction if it wants.

A lot of that is dependent on the state of the program when the coach is leaving.

 

[Cheriehoop]

Didn’t Amaker end up at Harvard from Seton Hall because of some fishy stuff? Wasn’t there some recruitment irregularities or player issues etc? Didn’t he go to Harvard to kind of redeem himself? To be honest when he first went there I had assumed he would be taking another Seton Hall type job if he did well at Harvard and was surprised he has stayed there that long. I assumed he was happy at the Harvard Ivy League type level. If he wasn’t happy why didn’t he get another chance well before Coach K was leaving somewhere. Something sounds a little fishy.

 

[MSOrange]

A lot of that is dependent on the state of the program is when the coach is leaving.

Exactly. It makes sense if you want to continue the status quo. If you don't...maybe doesn't make as much sense.

 

[AZOrange]

Didn’t Amaker end up at Harvard from Seton Hall because of some fishy stuff? Wasn’t there some recruitment irregularities or player issues etc? Didn’t he go to Harvard to kind of redeem himself? To be honest when he first went there I had assumed he would be taking another Seton Hall type job if he did well at Harvard and was surprised he has stayed there that long. I assumed he was happy at the Harvard Ivy League type level. If he wasn’t happy why didn’t he get another chance well before Coach K was leaving somewhere. Something sounds a little fishy.

No. He went to Michigan from Seton Hall for 6 years. He left the Hall a little in the lurch but he’s always been an above board coach.

 

[DilemaCuse]

The key paragraph and what cannot happen here:

In retirement, Coach K believed he would maintain more control over the program through the 34-year-old Scheyer than the 56-year-old Amaker, sources told O’Connor for the book. Scheyer has never coached anywhere else, while Amaker left Duke in 1997 for Seton Hall.

That dynamic can get messy. I dont understand how these bball coaches think they should maintain control after they are gone? Nick Saban is not going to pick the next coach at Bama or maintain control over the next coach.

 

[AZOrange]

Honestly Tommy would be a real nice fit here if we could get him.

 

[MikeSU02]

That dynamic can get messy. I dont understand how these bball coaches think they should maintain control after they are gone? Nick Saban is not going to pick the next coach at Bama or maintain control over the next coach.

Ego, hubris, power-hungry, not sure what else will make them whole in their lives? These programs are what defines them and gives them power and makes them "cool", for lack of a better term. They think the program IS them and not two separate entities.

At least for some, they can't let it go.

 

[DilemaCuse]

Eh. There is a lot to that story that doesn’t ring true. Not to say some of it isn’t true. But I don’t believe that.

I believe it, I wouldnt put it past K to do that. He will recruit a kid just to store him on his bench just to prevent a league foe from landing him. We've all seen it.

 

[Cheriehoop]

No. He went to Michigan from Seton Hall for 6 years. He left the Hall a little in the lurch but he’s always been an above board coach.

I forgot about his stint at Michigan. My faulty memory. I know that Amaker had some very good teams at Harvard a while ago (around the Jeremy Lin era) but I haven’t heard of them in quite a few years.

 

[GreekFreak]

Well Duke offered Amaker the job and he turned it down. Big deal if he wasn’t K’s first choice. To be all butt hurt now because you weren’t K’s pick is childish. Put your big boy pants on and then show people why you were Duke’s first choice.

 

[CousCuse]

Exactly. It makes sense if you want to continue the status quo. If you don't...maybe doesn't make as much sense.

A person who has had a long career leading an organization to huge levels of success is going to have deep connections and loyalty with people through out that organization.

 

[Cheriehoop]

Well Duke offered Amaker the job and he turned it down. Big deal if he wasn’t K’s first choice. To be all butt hurt now because you weren’t K’s pick is childish. Put your big boy pants on and then show people why you were Duke’s first choice.

True, sounds like Coach K had more ’control’ over Amaker than over Duke. To complain after admitting to turning the offer down, does seem strange.

 

[Bayside44]

True, sounds like Coach K had more ’control’ over Amaker than over Duke. To complain after admitting to turning the offer down, does seem strange.

If K has the power to make his life unpleasant and worse - and he sure does - then it's a bad job.

 

[Dinkyspond]

Duke offered the job to Amaker and Coach K talked him out of taking it. He felt Sheyer was a better fit and it would keep the staff together. Obviously, Amaker was pretty upset.

wow, that is a bombshell

 

[Newhouser]

The key paragraph and what cannot happen here:

In retirement, Coach K believed he would maintain more control over the program through the 34-year-old Scheyer than the 56-year-old Amaker, sources told O’Connor for the book. Scheyer has never coached anywhere else, while Amaker left Duke in 1997 for Seton Hall.

Ha I agree but good luck with that one.

 

[dollarbill44]

Maybe Amaker can succeed Boeheim and beat Duke on the regular.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I totally believe K would do this.