I would get used to hearing this...

[Capt. Tuttle]

doubtful that would make much sense. for it to make sense for hop (bigger parachute, higher pay), it prob wouldnt make sense for USC.

But IMO, it doesnt matter. this is career suicide for hop if he takes the job. You dont take the 5 year old BMW when you turn 16 if you have the keys to the Bentley at 18.

When dad keeps changing the age at which you would get the Bentley, at some point you get sick and tired of waiting take what you can get now.

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[PhatOrange]

We need a big man coach.

 

[pfister1]

There a ton of options and JB as earned the right to name his successor.

Couldn't disagree with this more. JB has earned the right to go out on his own terms and even have his opinion strongly considered as to successor, not name his successor.

 

[JoeSU]

Need to go for the best recruiting assistant coach we can get. That's where I think we take the biggest hit here.

Totally agree.
And it would be nice to get someone to coach our big men.

 

[CusefanATL]

What is dead keep changing the age would you get the Bentley at some point you get sick and tired of waiting take what you can

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ha. good point.

 

[ForeverOrange]

This isn't 2000. If Hop would rather be at Syracuse, I think he waits a year or 2 for JB. If he wants to be in LA, he'll take the USC job. I don't think this has to do with JB retiring at all. I think Hop didn't bolt before because St. Bonaventure and Charlotte aren't exactly USC.

To be honest, it's been a long time since Hop was announced here as the coach in waiting, at some point when a "year or 2" becomes damn near a decade, you need to make some moves. I understand his decision, and hope he is successful.

 

[Orangeyes]

Need a great recruiter and someone to run practices. Important hire for JB and the program. Also keep in mind that JB's replacement may want to bring in his own assistants in a year or two. Any new hire may only be here short term.

Back in the day O' Toole used to run the practices much as Hop does now.

 

[Cusejuicy]

I certainly don't know but I've got to think that JB has seen this coming, or at least the possibility, for sometime now and has his short list of 3 or 4 guys ready to go. He is not a HOF coach for nothing and Cuse BBall will be just fine when this all shakes out.

 

[Orangeyes]

USC Head Coach Mike Hopkins.

All the stars seem to be pointing that way. Hope I'm wrong.

...and somewhere Tristan is smiling

 

[sandman525]

No offense to anyone, but I don't understand the obsession of some to have a head coach in waiting for when JB retires. It's one thing to have Hop (a Syracuse lifer who has basically run practice and recruiting for a while) be the HCIW, but why would Syracuse want to limit themselves to someone else right now? Especially someone like Red or Gerry, who have fairly little experience as assistants. Maybe one of them shows themselves to be that guy in the next few years, but I certainly would not rush into anything. Whenever Boeheim retires there will more than likely be a multitude of good coaches who would jump at the chance to come here.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Jake does Autry have the chops to be a head coach candidates

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[Alsacs]

Congrats to Mike Hopkins if he gets the USC job, but he is giving up his golden ticket. Mike Hopkins will probably be a contender when JB retires, but his current contract GUARANTEED him the job. Now he isn't guaranteed the job and has to rebuild USC basketball. With the recruiting hotbeds in So. Cal and his obvious recruiting talents shouldn't be that difficult, but we will have to see what type of coach he is. I think he will probably bring the 2-3 with him to USC, but he may play more m2m and sprinkle in the 2-3 or will he go Rob Murphy and completely embrace it. Mike Hopkins leaving brings a couple of positives 1. the NCAA must not have something major on SU or USC wouldn't risk touching Mike Hopkins and potentially getting some stuff stuck on him and 2. JB must be coaching a couple of more years which is good for us since JB is a legend.

 

[Gabjon]

Couldn't disagree with this more. JB has earned the right to go out on his own terms and even have his opinion strongly considered as to successor, not name his successor.

Who at the university knows more about coaches and coaching than JB. He literally knows every good young coach in the country personally! Do you think any coach worth their salt would even take the job if they did have JB's full support? It's not like JB is moving out of town.

 

[orange79]

Who at the university knows more about coaches and coaching than JB. He literally knows every good young coach in the country personally! Do you think any coach worth their salt would even take the job if they did have JB's full support? It's not like JB is moving out of town.

So, you think that someone would turn down the SU job because JB said he didn't think he was ready/good enough? Did you really just say that?

 

[Gabjon]

So, you think that someone would turn down the SU job because JB said he didn't think he was ready/good enough? Did you really just say that?

Yes! JB is a big fish in a small pond any coach worth his salt won't have to deal with that if they don't want to. JB is beloved in to community, his name is on the court for goodness sake. It's tough enough to follow a legend doing without the support of the legend is nearly impossible...see Uconn.

 

[orange79]

Yes! JB is a big fish in a small pond any coach worth his salt won't have to deal with that if they don't want to. JB is beloved in to community, his name is on the court for goodness sake. It's tough enough to follow a legend doing without the support of the legend is nearly impossible...see Uconn.

ooooooooooooooookay

 

[AZOrange]

jB has already had a say in his successor...

 

[OrangeMojo]

How do you figure that? "slight step below" he has one FF4... only 51? Billy Donovan is 47 with 2 NCs now that is a slight step!

How many final fours and NCs did JB have at the age of 51? And Wright is doing it at freakin Villanova - not exactly a national power when he got there - a solid program, but nothing great

 

[Gabjon]

How many final fours and NCs did JB have at the age of 51? And Wright is doing it at freakin Villanova - not exactly a national power when he got there - a solid program, but nothing great

If you consider SU a national power it is because JB made it one. In 1996 JB was 51 playing in his 2nd NC game.

 

[orange2win]

This USC slot has been open since January. They must be aching to get it put to bed. Obviously a deal has been been made to wait until the season is over for the selected candidate before making the announcement. There are only 16 teams left playing and I'm not aware of anybody from the other 15 schools in the running. Hop is the man.

As for JB not being able to name his successor. He already has done so and told the entire world it was Hop. Hop got tired waiting and has decided to move on. JB has not lost any of the vested authority by which he was able to name Hopkins.

As for Hopkins return, he will try very hard to keep that door open. Always good to have a safety valve. As for USC, they have no idea whether Hop will pan out or not, so they are not about to pay heavy freight up front to block a Hopkins return option. Not until they are sure. Once gone though, return is unlikely for a host of other reasons.

 

[DoctorBombay]

At 34 years old I walked into my boss's office, a man I respected and admired, and told him I was quitting.
Why? Because I needed to do it on my own, to tweak and change those things that I felt could be done better but weren't, because the old man was too set in his ways to change. I was frightened, apprehensive, hesitant, but excited.
Needless to say, it was the best decision I've ever made...in my life...bar none.
I never looked back & my only regret was in not doing it sooner.
Hop needs to do this and if he goes down in flames, he'll find plenty of places to land.
The biggest regret would be if he declined the chance to go back "home" and try it his way.
Good luck to him.

 

[rrlbees]

This USC slot has been open since January. They must be aching to get it put to bed. Obviously a deal has been been made to wait until the season is over for the selected candidate before making the announcement. There are only 16 teams left playing and I'm not aware of anybody from the other 15 schools in the running. Hop is the man.

As for JB not being able to name his successor. He already has done so and told the entire world it was Hop. Hop got tired waiting and has decided to move on. JB has not lost any of the vested authority by which he was able to name Hopkins.

As for Hopkins return, he will try very hard to keep that door open. Always good to have a safety valve. As for USC, they have no idea whether Hop will pan out or not, so they are not about to pay heavy freight up front to block a Hopkins return option. Not until they are sure. Once gone though, return is unlikely for a host of other reasons.

Yea but they have also reached out to others who have turned them down. So it's not like they had their man all along and that man is in the sweet 16 and they are awaiting the end of that mans season.

 

[Noexcuse]

No offense to anyone, but I don't understand the obsession of some to have a head coach in waiting for when JB retires. It's one thing to have Hop (a Syracuse lifer who has basically run practice and recruiting for a while) be the HCIW, but why would Syracuse want to limit themselves to someone else right now? Especially someone like Red or Gerry, who have fairly little experience as assistants. Maybe one of them shows themselves to be that guy in the next few years, but I certainly would not rush into anything. Whenever Boeheim retires there will more than likely be a multitude of good coaches who would jump at the chance to come here.

I think it relates to recruiting and continuity. Basketball recruiting is done several years in advance and with JB "nearing" retirement, having a coach ready to go who is also one of the main recruiters keeps other scumbag coaches from poaching guys we are interested in bysaying "don't go there, JB is on his way out and you don't know who they will hire or what style of play they will use when he leaves".

 

[orange2win]

Yea but they have also reached out to others who have turned them down. So it's not like they had their man all along and that man is in the sweet 16 and they are awaiting the end of that mans season.

Very true. Although I am not sure who turned who down.

Here's my read. I think Hop was their first choice, but said he wanted to wait to the end of the season. Realizing Hop could change his mind or might even use the offer to force JB to go play golf, I think they were obliged to protect themselves. Besides, despite all the advantages Hop brought, he is still an unproven head coach. So they seem to have taken a long hard look at Dixon and others in the interim, but for whatever reason none of that panned out. Now it looks to be all settled.

 

[cuseclappy]

Am I the only person who found it mildly amusing that USC of all places may be cooling on hop because of potential NCAA violations?