Hopkins Signs With IMG

[PeteCalvin]

In my gut, I don't think Hop is leaving. He just bulit a brand new home and moved his family within the last year or so. JB has to coach thru the 2015-16 season because of the Olympic contract. That is probably the last season he stalks the sidelines in the Dome. Hop has two more years to wait. He's gone this long, why leave at the end?

Unless he gets a boatload of money thrown at him by a school in Southern California, why would he leave? If he did t take USC last season, he ain't taking anything less than a top 30 program.

I think he just hired an agent to get ready for the transition. Just my two cents.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Not to mention your agent lines up / negotiates more than your primary job -- e.g., endorsements, speaking appearances, his TW show. I'm more surprised he didn't have representation before this, particularly as he went through the USC hiring process.

I saw on twitter that Hop was publicizing his own radio show last night. I never knew he had one. Where was SWC with the recap

Coach Mike Hopkins ‏@Coach_Hopkins 16h
At the show at Hafner's. Love the people and the food. Hope to see you at the next show pic.twitter.com/sYqPm5YoYx

 

[Madbiker]

Clear signal that Hop wants a head coaching job NOW. I'd be surprised now if he didn't leave after this season. That certainly mucks things up for post JB succession...and will be a big and immediate hit to recruiting.

 

[OttoMets]

Not sure that another school would be OK with "renting" Hop for a few years until he wants to return to SU. That's why the USC offer fell through.

If Hop takes another job, he may be gone for good.

Which is why I think he waits it out.

Agree with this.

He was leaving for SC. It's very unlikely that he's leaving for anything else. Hopkins couldn't be happier where he is.

I don't think the representation means much, but the Boeheim clock is ticking.

 

[Lawrinson14]

I saw on twitter that Hop was publicizing his own radio show last night. I never knew he had one. Where was SWC with the recap

Coach Mike Hopkins ‏@Coach_Hopkins 16h
At the show at Hafner's. Love the people and the food. Hope to see you at the next show pic.twitter.com/sYqPm5YoYx

I have a good friend who works in PR. Her agency just got Mike Hopkins as a client a couple weeks ago. Apparently her boss is an SU alum and good friends with Mike. They now advise him on what to post to twitter, say in interviews, etc.

I hope this is in no way related to him hiring an agent and looking to "brand" himself as a candidate for a new job.

 

[Timonen]

Not sure that another school would be OK with "renting" Hop for a few years until he wants to return to SU. That's why the USC offer fell through.

If Hop takes another job, he may be gone for good.

Which is why I think he waits it out.

what job isn't a "rental" anymore? calipari has pro options whenever he wants them. bill self will not be at kansas for more than another couple years. every job is a rental. i wouldn't want to work for any program that's so delusional that they think they're above the market.

not to mention, if you have options to move up after a couple years, it's because you've added value! everybody should be thankful in that scenario.

 

[AZOrange]

Mike Hopkins will be the next guy patrolling the sidelines for SU. Case closed.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

yup...by, by mike.

His wife just bought a commercial property interest here. (He could not own it, for NCAA purposes, as they are putting fitness and basketball in the building.) Not sure who the other partners might be. Could manage it from afar, but why buy now if leaving?

Just some info.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

I'm just concerned about Mike retiring before Boeheim does.

 

[bballbeadle]

I'm sure edowd only said what he did in a moment of terrible disorientation.

I only hope that this behind the scenes "drama" doesn't affect the team. I do understand why Hop signed, but I feel distress about it.

 

[cuseinchina]

I say this not to instigate, prod, agitate, etc.. But how do we even know Hopkins is any good? What makes it a sure bet that he's the guy to takeover other than that he knows how Boeheim does his thing and is a good recruiter? How many no. 2's have taken over major corporations and had things go down hill because they were great lieutenants but bad generals? Also, he's been coaching the big-men right - so how is that working out? Remember when Bernie Fine had to take over coaching the team for a few game stretch - he just flat out didn't have it.

Anyway not saying any of these things apply in this situation. But given the uncertainty, would you want the guy to go out and prove himself as a head coach and then take the opportunity to hire him back in 5 years if he pans out?

The question is will anyone give him a contract that does not have a prohibitively expensive buy-out clause...if I were an AD I would make it very tough for him to leave early.

 

[44PRIDE]

Random thoughts from the Peanut Gallery...

1) I love it when random guy says "Hopkins is OBVIOUSLY so happy in Syracuse. How can he leave?". As if any of us know what makes Hop tick...

2) This is a clear "stuff or get off the pot" message from Hop to Boeheim & the school. Jim's earned the right to retire when he wants. But conversely, Hop has earned the right to be a HC.

3) It appears that if Jim wants Hop to "keep the ball rolling", Jim will need to step aside and give Hop the keys....or the school will need to pay him the salary of a head coach. (that new ACC money needs to go somewhere, right?)

4) Over the years, Hop's been a good soldier for Boeheim. He's kept his mouth quiet, done what the program required and never put pressure regarding his retirement. He's earned the right to call his own terms.

 

[Scooch]

His agent is an SU guy who is active with the school and it's alumni and Scott Shafer. Doesn't seem so terrible.

It's astonishing that Hopkins hasn't had an agent up to this point.

That's how the game is played these days, I imagine most high-level assistants have some form of representation.

 

[44PRIDE]

I say this not to instigate, prod, agitate, etc.. But how do we even know Hopkins is any good? What makes it a sure bet that he's the guy to takeover other than that he knows how Boeheim does his thing and is a good recruiter? How many no. 2's have taken over major corporations and had things go down hill because they were great lieutenants but bad generals? Also, he's been coaching the big-men right - so how is that working out? Remember when Bernie Fine had to take over coaching the team for a few game stretch - he just flat out didn't have it.

Anyway not saying any of these things apply in this situation. But given the uncertainty, would you want the guy to go out and prove himself as a head coach and then take the opportunity to hire him back in 5 years if he pans out?

The question is will anyone give him a contract that does not have a prohibitively expensive buy-out clause...if I were an AD I would make it very tough for him to leave early.

Hopkins is the recruiter
Hopkins runs the practices
For all intent and purposes, Hopkins is currently the head coach.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

Random thoughts from the Peanut Gallery...

1) I love it when random guy says "Hopkins is OBVIOUSLY so happy in Syracuse. How can he leave?". As if any of us know what makes Hop tick...

2) This is a clear "stuff or get off the pot" message from Hop to Boeheim & the school. Jim's earned the right to retire when he wants. But conversely, Hop has earned the right to be a HC.

3) It appears that if Jim wants Hop to "keep the ball rolling", Jim will need to step aside and give Hop the keys....or the school will need to pay him the salary of a head coach. (that new ACC money needs to go somewhere, right?)

4) Over the years, Hop's been a good soldier for Boeheim. He's kept his mouth quiet, done what the program required and never put pressure regarding his retirement. He's earned the right to call his own terms.

I find it ironic that you first blast people for thinking Hopkins is happy without knowing what makes him tick and then proceed to tell us this is a clear "stuff or get off the pot" message based on what appears to be purely conjecture on your part.

 

[cuseinchina]

Hopkins is the recruiter
Hopkins runs the practices
For all intent and purposes, Hopkins is currently the head coach.

Sure. But lets think about a counter-example. Lets say you invest all your money $1M with George Soros or some other big name fund manager who is late in years but still doing exceptionally well. Most of these late career guys are on autopilot except when they need to come in and make big decisions in times of urgency. So Soros probably has a right hand man (or woman) who has been working side by side with him for 15-20 years who very likely comes up with many of the investment ideas that are in the fund, manages the day to day, and is ready to take the reigns. Do you leave your $1m in the fund or do you pull some/most of it and go with someone who has a track record? I don't stick because it's the decisions in the heat of battle that matter, not the day to day - and Soros still makes those big bets when everyone else is afraid. I think coaching has something in common with this.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Maybe IMG wants to represent Hop because they know in a few years he will be the head coach of one of the greatest basketball programs in the country. Perhaps Coach Hop is thinking toward the future at Syracuse and not elsewhere. He sure looked happy in all the Maui pics I saw here.

They only get commissions when you sign a new contract. Mike is looking for a new job. JB is not retiring after this year. He already told our incoming forward he's going to be here next year. He's probably going to coach until the 2016 Olympics, by which time he will have passed 1000 wins and had a legit shot at another championship. Mike is tired of waiting. He's gone.

 

[IthacaMatt]

It jumped right out on the Center Stage interview but maybe the conspiracy theorists are wrong this time. We have nothing to base it on (except how the big guys progress) and right now it is arguable that we are currently in the best stretch of Syracuse basketball ever. I think if Mike goes it doesn't have anything to do with anything between him and JAB.

Mike's pursuit of the USC job during the season last year probably did not sit well with JB. Mike has played that card. You may recall that JB was awfully testy about it during the close of last season and said "If Coach Hopkins wants to take another job, that's a decision Coach Hopkins will have to make." Seemed to me that JB was not thrilled at being pressured to leave after all he's done for Mike.

 

[IthacaMatt]

In my gut, I don't think Hop is leaving. He just bulit a brand new home and moved his family within the last year or so. JB has to coach thru the 2015-16 season because of the Olympic contract. That is probably the last season he stalks the sidelines in the Dome. Hop has two more years to wait. He's gone this long, why leave at the end?

Unless he gets a boatload of money thrown at him by a school in Southern California, why would he leave? If he did t take USC last season, he ain't taking anything less than a top 30 program.

I think he just hired an agent to get ready for the transition. Just my two cents.

In my opinion, you don't hire an agent for the first time in your entire career 2 1/2 years before you expect to be offered your dream job. In my opinion, you do this because you want your name out there with respect to upcoming job openings. Maybe he feels like he could have gotten the USC job if he had an agent handling the negotiations for him.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Not sure that another school would be OK with "renting" Hop for a few years until he wants to return to SU. That's why the USC offer fell through.

If Hop takes another job, he may be gone for good.

Which is why I think he waits it out.

Then why hire an agent with a powerful agency like IMG? For more sponsors on his local radio show?

 

[IthacaMatt]

Random thoughts from the Peanut Gallery...

1) I love it when random guy says "Hopkins is OBVIOUSLY so happy in Syracuse. How can he leave?". As if any of us know what makes Hop tick...

2) This is a clear "stuff or get off the pot" message from Hop to Boeheim & the school. Jim's earned the right to retire when he wants. But conversely, Hop has earned the right to be a HC.

3) It appears that if Jim wants Hop to "keep the ball rolling", Jim will need to step aside and give Hop the keys....or the school will need to pay him the salary of a head coach. (that new ACC money needs to go somewhere, right?)

4) Over the years, Hop's been a good soldier for Boeheim. He's kept his mouth quiet, done what the program required and never put pressure regarding his retirement. He's earned the right to call his own terms.

Disagree about #4. He has clearly been putting pressure on JB, ever since he got himself named "head coach in waiting" - what was it, 10 years ago now? And then he put pressure on JB again last year, flirting with the USC opening very publicly during the season. And now he hires a big powerful agency. He's pushing it with JB, because JB likes to keep taking it a year at a time, and I would guess that's not sitting well with Mike.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Hopkins is the recruiter
Hopkins runs the practices
For all intent and purposes, Hopkins is currently the head coach.

Nope, not even remotely. Hop gets to be the "good guy" who can be pals with the players when JB lights their butts on fire with criticism. Mike is the guy who drives to Buffalo to try to talk a kid out of quitting the team. That's not what the head coach does. Mike has not had to make difficult personnel decisions. He has not had to deal with trouble that players either cause or get into.

 

[Jasoncuse]

2) This is a clear "stuff or get off the pot" message from Hop to Boeheim & the school. Jim's earned the right to retire when he wants. But conversely, Hop has earned the right to be a HC.

How is this a clear ANYTHING? He has an agent now, which could indicate numerous things, if anything at all. Maybe he's setting himself up for more facetime on TV and at events. Maybe highly paid, "name" assistants hire agents all the time now. Maybe he's planning to write a book. Maybe JB is ready to call it quits. WHO KNOWS?!?! But it's certainly not a clear indication of anything.

How could this be a message from Hop to JB? He's known all along that JB would retire when he was ready, and that could be "X" years from now.

 

[PeteCalvin]

In my opinion, you don't hire an agent for the first time in your entire career 2 1/2 years before you expect to be offered your dream job. In my opinion, you do this because you want your name out there with respect to upcoming job openings. Maybe he feels like he could have gotten the USC job if he had an agent handling the negotiations for him.

This thread is going down hill fast. So much speculation and so little info. People jumping to conclusions. People jumping off bridges. There are only two posts in this thread with credible evidence, and both suggest this is not a move to to leave SU. Unless someone like Jake, Bees or CTO come on here and tell me the sky is falling, I am going with what I KNOW about the situation and not giving the nervous nellies any mind.

 

[Brooky03]

I don't think Boeheim was upset with Mike shopping around. That's not how I remember it in regards to the USC job, anyway. After all, nobody is more in ture with a man doing whatever the hell he wants to than JAB is.

He hired Mike as an assistant because he thought he would perform well in that role and he's kept him employed because Hop has met and exceeded the expectations of the job. No favors were done, Jim has no reason to be upset if Hop goes somewhere else (I don't think he is or would be) and Hop doesn't owe any favors to Jim.

We have a strong program. I'd love it if Mike stays or goes somewhere and comes back. I would also be completely 100% fine if he took a job in Cali and stayed out there. We will be just fine no matter what. The only thing that would bother me would be if Hop isn't #1 on the list of candidates after Jim retires.