Ketch's 10 Thoughts From the Weekend (Trying to explain the thing that you're going to hate...)

[mwolf1005]

Anyone that thinks we aren't going to eventually replace Shaka isn't using their brains. In other words, a new HC is going to be hired. Whether it's now, next spring, the spring after or the spring after after. The money is going to have to be spent. And waiting only invites possible higher costs for the new HC.

The difference in firing him now vs next year is the difference in paying double salary for one year for the head coach and assistants. That's really it. The remainder of Shaka's contract and new coaches' buyout will be there this year or next. Now some of that savings could be offset by an increase in the buyout of the next coach due a contract restructuring that Beard likely deserves. Leaves me in one of two camps.

If Beard is your guy and you think Tech gives him an extension with a higher buyout you HAVE to move now. You're probably saving very little money by waiting one year as the increase in buyout will offset much of the year's worth of salary savings.

If Beard makes it clear that he isn't taking the job, then sure wait till you have the right candidate in mind and save 3.3 million. I don't like it, but I understand the math and can live with it.

I have all the confidence in the world that CDC is doing his due diligence on this behind the scenes and gauging Beard's interest. Until he gets an answer, there is ZERO reason for him to do anything other than fully support Shaka. It would only hurt recruiting and the program.

 

[BattleshipTexas]

Not sure. I'll see if I can get an answer.

If nothing else, he would be depth and keep OU from a starter.

 

[GeoffDolezal]

It's Austin.

Now we've covered the three big ones from the last 19 years.

the two I referenced were just in the last 5 years. To go back 19 years would be like flipping through an unabridged dictionary.

 

[BattleshipTexas]

Ketch, why do you think the Longhorns wouldn't reach out to Kelvin Sampson, he might have a checkered past, but he has moved on from that and has done one heck of a job at Houston? Just imagine what he could do being at UT!

Hard pass. Texas can get almost anyone it wants. Sure not coaching legends like Coach K or Calipari or Izzo, but only a handful or so of coaches are unobtainable. They don't need anyone that ever has "checkered past" in their description.

 

[Ketchum]

If nothing else, he would be depth and keep OU from a starter.

They just didn't view him as an impact arrival.

 

[Ketchum]

the two I referenced were just in the last 5 years. To go back 19 years would be like flipping through an unabridged dictionary.

only the 85-percent is in the last 5 years... and the shelf life of that one is running out.

 

[Ketchum]

only the 85-percent is in the last 5 years... and the shelf life of that one is running out.

Oh, and feel free to make a list. I'd love to see the short version of the novel. With so many to choose from, it shouldn't take long...

 

[sy1804]

Good man!!!

 

[UncleFelix]

I believe Shaka has some of the finest personal qualities coaches nowadays can have---hard-working, excellent communicator, close personal relationship with players and families and this shows in the consistently strong recruiting. I believe he has shown he can coach his players too. I'm hoping---and expecting---a much better record next year. I'm strong for Shaka.

I really wish that I could believe this. But, I'm afraid he is what the results say he is.

 

[Ketchum]

I really wish that I could believe this. But, I'm afraid he is what the results say he is.

I don't know that all of those things are mutually exclusive. He can have positives, some really good ones, and still be an on-court disaster.

 

[gtgunter]

No.

But, decision-makers do not want to solve every problem with monster dead money payments. I suppose the monster payment has to become less of

If Shaka is back will he be forced to fire his staff? To be clear I think that doesn’t fix a broken situation.

Erwin will be more dead than normal next year.

Whats going to be done inevitably needs to be done immediately!

 

[Ketchum]

Whats going to be done inevitably needs to be done immediately!

I think the hope from those making the decision is that Smart will find a way to turn it around. They love his recruiting. They love him as a man. I'm not sure hope has died.

 

[drunk randoke]

I think the hope from those making the decision is that Smart will find a way to turn it around. They love his recruiting. They love him as a man. I'm not sure hope has died.

Not at you ketch but lulz lol etc

 

[Ketchum]

Not at you ketch but lulz lol etc

I feel ya.

 

[samthehorn]

I believe Shaka has some of the finest personal qualities coaches nowadays can have---hard-working, excellent communicator, close personal relationship with players and families and this shows in the consistently strong recruiting. I believe he has shown he can coach his players too. I'm hoping---and expecting---a much better record next year. I'm strong for Shaka.

Shaka’s mom should not be allowed to post on this site.

 

[revbill.johnson_a_yahoo.com]

Wonderful, touching tribute to Bill Powers. Well-earned, in my opinion.

 

[GeoffDolezal]

only the 85-percent is in the last 5 years... and the shelf life of that one is running out.

Really? The "not even close" I'm referencing was Stoops vs Buechele in Buechele's freshman year (2016). Not sure what you're talking about.

 

[Indyhorn]

Hard pass. Texas can get almost anyone it wants. Sure not coaching legends like Coach K or Calipari or Izzo, but only a handful or so of coaches are unobtainable. They don't need anyone that ever has "checkered past" in their description.

Sampson was given a show cause for three way and disallowed, excessive calls to recruits. In the current climate of shoe companies funneling money and recruits to blue blood programs, Sampson’s transgressions pale in comparison. Sampson can coach them up- he’d kill it in Austin. Pearl maybe is a tad dirtier given illegal contact at a barbecue and Chuck Person tie in to shoe deals. Sampson would be my second call after Beard. Texas isn’t a basketball school, we might heed to take on some risk to get a definite winner

 

[Craben]

Right or wrong, The University of Texas resides in a strange gray area, one that's obsessed with winning, but probably not obsessed enough to want to give the appearance that it is dangerously out of control to the academic watch-dog eyes that never taker its eyes off the Texas athletic department to watch something else.

Ketch has landed on the core reason why, with all its resources, UT football has been out-performed by lesser schools for the past 30 years. The faculty either doesn't understand (or doesn't want to) that the UT athletic department is a financially independent affiliate that doesn't take money from the main university. UT athletics actually serves as a huge promotional tool for generating funding for the main university, as data compiled by the business school confirms. The faculty's inherent disdain for athletics shouldn't be allowed to influence athletics affairs just as the athletics department shouldn't for academic matters.

That brings us to the weak link in the chain, the UT President. Both the Strong and Smart hires serve as evidence once again that the UT President shouldn't be the person who makes the decision on who coaches at Texas. Not only is the UT President subject to a wide array of pressures that perhaps shouldn't be factors in coaching hires, he/she is an academician with little or no expertise in athletics matters. Texas needs to vest responsibility for selecting coaches in its athletics director, like a lot of other schools do.

 

[UncleFelix]

I don't know that all of those things are mutually exclusive. He can have positives, some really good ones, and still be an on-court disaster.

He does have many positives that he brings to the program. He seems like a good guy, represents the University well, runs a clean program and appears to have built good relationships with his players. Unfortunately, he hasn't delivered on the most important positive factor of winning games. That is what I wish I could believe would happen if Shaka gets another year.

 

[marka1]

I think the hope from those making the decision is that Smart will find a way to turn it around. They love his recruiting. They love him as a man. I'm not sure hope has died.

Employees do not suddenly produce at an elite level after a few years of mediocrity. If Texas hadn’t given Shaka an extension this would be it.

 

[cooleyo]

Really? The "not even close" I'm referencing was Stoops vs Buechele in Buechele's freshman year (2016). Not sure what you're talking about.

Pretty sure that was Anwar.

 

[BattleshipTexas]

Ketch has landed on the core reason why, with all its resources, UT football has been out-performed by lesser schools for the past 30 years. The faculty either doesn't understand (or doesn't want to) that the UT athletic department is a financially independent affiliate that doesn't take money from the main university. UT athletics actually serves as a huge promotional tool for generating funding for the main university, as data compiled by the business school confirms. The faculty's inherent disdain for athletics shouldn't be allowed to influence athletics affairs just as the athletics department shouldn't for academic matters.

That brings us to the weak link in the chain, the UT President. Both the Strong and Smart hires serve as evidence once again that the UT President shouldn't be the person who makes the decision on who coaches at Texas. Not only is the UT President subject to a wide array of pressures that perhaps shouldn't be factors in coaching hires, he/she is an academician with little or no expertise in athletics matters. Texas needs to vest responsibility for selecting coaches in its athletics director, like a lot of other schools do.

Let's hope CDC has the respect that he will be left alone on these decisions. AD's like Mike Perrin, while nice guys, don't have the political heft to be the decision-maker. Historically, even powerful AD's like Deloss Dodds had been steamrolled in these hirings.

 

[Ketchum]

Really? The "not even close" I'm referencing was Stoops vs Buechele in Buechele's freshman year (2016). Not sure what you're talking about.

a. Swoopes, not Stoops.

b. I didn't report that, jackass.

 

[GeoffDolezal]

Pretty sure that was Anwar.

it was; my reference is to ridiculous things put forward on the site

 

[GeoffDolezal]

a. Swoopes, not Stoops.

b. I didn't report that, jackass.

jackass, really? Oh my, nice retort.

 

[Ketchum]

jackass, really? Oh my, nice retort.

Yes, jackass, I didn't stutter.

I'd suggest you move on from this thread. I'll enjoy removing you from this board more than spending your money.

 

[matamoroshorn]

The difference in firing him now vs next year is the difference in paying double salary for one year for the head coach and assistants. That's really it. The remainder of Shaka's contract and new coaches' buyout will be there this year or next. Now some of that savings could be offset by an increase in the buyout of the next coach due a contract restructuring that Beard likely deserves. Leaves me in one of two camps.

If Beard is your guy and you think Tech gives him an extension with a higher buyout you HAVE to move now. You're probably saving very little money by waiting one year as the increase in buyout will offset much of the year's worth of salary savings.

If Beard makes it clear that he isn't taking the job, then sure wait till you have the right candidate in mind and save 3.3 million. I don't like it, but I understand the math and can live with it.

I have all the confidence in the world that CDC is doing his due diligence on this behind the scenes and gauging Beard's interest. Until he gets an answer, there is ZERO reason for him to do anything other than fully support Shaka. It would only hurt recruiting and the program.

This is the correct response and course of action.

 

[matamoroshorn]

I think the hope from those making the decision is that Smart will find a way to turn it around. They love his recruiting. They love him as a man. I'm not sure hope has died.

If Andrew Jones comes back to previous levels and somehow Jaxson Hayes doesn't go to the NBA then this team could be really good next year despite Shaka's coaching.

 

[Dave C2]

Good grief Ketch, it’s been 4 years! We didn’t fire him after 2 years. It’s been FOUR.

If Texas made a change the guy who would take over would be our 4th basketball coach in 31 years. That's not quite as great a stability track record as the baseball program or the swimming program, but its also not an indication that we are dumping basketball coaches left and right.

 

[JThag]

Yes, jackass, I didn't stutter.

I'd suggest you move on from this thread. I'll enjoy removing you from this board more than spending your money.

 

[JThag]

You name-call and threaten a customer for no reason? What is wrong with you?

 

[Hornbook]

Sampson was given a show cause for three way and disallowed, excessive calls to recruits. In the current climate of shoe companies funneling money and recruits to blue blood programs, Sampson’s transgressions pale in comparison. Sampson can coach them up- he’d kill it in Austin. Pearl maybe is a tad dirtier given illegal contact at a barbecue and Chuck Person tie in to shoe deals. Sampson would be my second call after Beard. Texas isn’t a basketball school, we might heed to take on some risk to get a definite winner

OU is a better BB school than TX and Sampson didn't show much there. Why could he get it done at UT but not at OU.?
Not arguing....Serious question.

 

[Ketchum]

If Texas made a change the guy who would take over would be our 4th basketball coach in 31 years. That's not quite as great a stability track record as the baseball program or the swimming program, but its also not an indication that we are dumping basketball coaches left and right.

fair point

 

[Ketchum]

You name-call and threaten a customer for no reason? What is wrong with you?

For no reason? Other than the constant insults, right?