Wooden
The Twitter-verse exploded with news of John Wooden's health slipping quickly. In fact, for a few hours last night, a few sources reported him to be dead. My pal and co-BSer wrote me an e-mail last night telling me that news was breaking that Wooden was in poor health. I responded that wouldn't it be news if, at 99, Wooden's health suddenly turned positive?
Wooden's ties to Purdue of course, make this one close to home, and the fact that he's so widely respected makes it very worthy sports news...but, a 99 year old being in poor health isn't buzz-worthy, in my opinion. A man coming back to life after being dead for a few hours, at any age though, is pretty large news.
Pac 10 Getting Aggressive
Good for the Pac10 and SEC. Both have pretty much said, "Suck it, Jim Delany." In so many words. They've both decided to be proactive in their handling of the BT's expansion and have figuratively urinated over large areas and universities as if to mark their territory.
But, what Rivals and others are reporting this morning is truly large. The Western 16, or "Pac 16" or whatever you'd like to give it for a working name, might include Texas, Oklahoma and a slew of other Big 12 schools. This would tidily-fit Mizzou and others into the BT idea...I don't think that's a coincidence...Keep your ears and eyes sharp...lots of news will be percolating in the coming weeks/months, regardless of what Jim Delany tells us.
On the other side of the coin, the Big East, Big 12 and ACC seem to be wilting on the imaginary vine as they've done nothing more than hire spokesmen and make limp-wristed statements about how no one should mess with their schools. What develops will surely be very interesting as the college sports world shifts and changes.
Painter Speaks
Our pal, Dan, a regular BS reader sent us a report of what he heard as Coach Painter sounded off at a recent speaking engagement. We thought there was some pretty interesting stuff divulged...so here are some highlights:
-Painter's job, and his hobby is basketball. He doesn't fish or golf...he's just a basketball junkie.
In my opinion, there are positives and negatives about it. Just like when a coach becomes too focused on, I don't know, fishing (for example), it can be a negative too. But I digress.
-Like many of you, he wishes Hale was playing for him this coming season...he thinks he'd be an immediate contributor.
-He talked about trends and personality and habits being important while recruiting, specifically regarding academics and rebounding. I think they're both similar in that getting good grades and rebounding aren't particularly fun things to do, but they're important in Painter's opinion. Hummel was both a good student and a good rebounder in HS, and it's carried over into college. He thinks Carroll will be similar in that he's always been a rebounding-minded player in his earlier basketball career...and is a pretty good student to boot.
-He talked about his respect for Keady and what he did for 25 years and how he hopes he can do the same thing.
-(Of course) He can't wait to have the Mackey renovation completed.
-He believes NCAA violation punishment/consequences should follow the coach when he leaves a school. He didn't name names, and I can't think of anybody that fits this description at this time.
The great thing I'm hearing over and over from Painter is that he understands that success and greatness breeds success and pushes the goals to higher and higher plateaus. He also understands that talent alone doesn't get the job done...and the hard work, sweat and blood is an important part of the equation. What's not to like?
Thanks a lot, Dan for the heads up and report.
17 comments:
Coaches who fish in, say, Wyoming for example? Just to throw one out there?
I have no idea what you speak of.
"They've both decided to be proactive in their handling of the BT's expansion"
They acted AFTER the Big Ten. How does that make them proactive?
The Big Ten hasn't acted.
All talk, no action. Like Tim in bed.
mgoblog mentioned a story in the Columbus Dispatch that basically says yeah, go ahead and mark that yard, because we've already been there. (FOIA work by the paper showing communication between OSU president Gordon Gee and Texas president William Powers. I'm sure they were talking about golf outings or something like that.)
Yes they have.
i like jim d a lot, but he should have tried to keep his mouth shut a little here. now others have seemingly jumped ahead of us, and we stand to look really silly (denied by schools and taking the crap ones. im talking to you rutgers and iowa state. you too, mizzou...learn how to spell). jilted by notre dame again. bastards
John,
Iowa State was never a candidate. They bring nothing to the table athletically or academically. Mizzou is not a "crap one" either. They fit the bill academically. No one stands to look silly. The power of the Big Ten is on display as its only because of Delany's actions that other conferences are scrambling. Our top choices all along have been Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Mizzou. Take a deep breath.
Well, the last conferences that jumped at the expansion bit were the ACC and the Big East ... I'm not so sure publicly acting last is a bad thing.
Sure, taking a good chunk of the Big 12 would make some kind of geographic sense for the Pac-10, but the group they're taking doesn't fit with what the Big 10 has in mind (and what the Pac-10 supposedly wants as well), specifically Texas Tech and Oklahoma State.
Besides, the Pac-10 has a remarkably small footprint, and even if they add Texas, they're still around the current TV size of the Big Ten ... and if that makes it clear the Big 12 is no more, then it'll be easier to get Nebraska and Missouri (with Rutgers to round out the 14 because we know ND isn't moving). If the only known change is NU and Missouri, then the Big 12 will make them pay out the ass. No point in paying anything if everyone's leaving.
Of course, this could be just as valid as the last big expansion rumor: obviously that didn't happen, so this might not either.
Big East technically doesn't need to expand as much as convince their teams to play Div I football... such as DePaul, Seton Hall, Villanova, St. John's, Marquette, Georgetown, and Providence.
Matt, if you think Mizzou is a crown jewel, you're dreaming. Nebraska and UND are the apple of JD's eye. Mizzou threw itself at the league like J does at college boys...they'll end up in the deal, but not because they're coveted...but because they dressed provocatively and begged the BT for their company.
Look at the mentioned expansion targets from the Big 12 that are members of the AAU.
Missouri
Nebraska
Kansas
Iowa State
Texas
Texas A&M
Pittsburgh is also a member of the AAU, as are all 11 members of the Big Ten.
Considering that Texas won't come unless Texas Tech comes, and because Tech is not in the AAU let's assume Texas and Texas A&M are both out.
Take all the rest. The fit neatly into the existing footprint and it creates a 16 team league that works academically and athletically. Add Kansas, Iowa State, Missouri, Nebraska, and Pittsburgh.
Matt Painter has been a basketball junkie ever since his playing days at Purdue, and surely before. I recall reading in GBI in the early 90's comments by Gene Keady about how Matt was a basketball junkie and was always immersed in stats and watching games, and a student of the game. I'm sure he also predicted at that time that Matt would become a coach one day.
I like it when the guy leading the program is probably more nutty about basketball than any fan might be. That's what I'd want, instead of "part-time" coaches who see it as merely a job and a paycheck.
Never said Mizzou was the crown jewel. Its one of the better choices when you consider academics and the Kansas City TV market potential.
i don't mean to knock missou, but i'd rather not add anyone than them. there's only enough room for one black and gold in this conference. either an elite program comes, or no one. missou is surely not elite (though i hear their journalism school is amazing)
I look at it this way: more teams means more markets, more games, and maybe even more sports, which means more money, which means more things that Purdue can do that teams in other conferences can't do as easily. Obviously a 16-team Big Ten won't put Purdue on a part with, say, Florida, but it'll give them an advantage that a middle-of-the-road SEC or Pac-10 team won't have.
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