11/05/24
March 13, 2003
Steve Lavin just won't die.: And now the (male) March Madness really starts.
posted by tieguy to basketball at 05:48 PM - 8 comments
For those of you lacking context, Lavin has been t 5 of the last 6 sweet 16s (something accomplished by Lavin, Coach K, and, um, no one, at least on the men's side) and is going to be fired at the end of this season. Ray Ratto has a pretty good column about it up.
posted by tieguy at 07:30 PM on March 13, 2003
Heh. If Lavin wins the Lack 10 tournament then there's no way they can fire him. But I'm pretty sure me Ducks are going to spank him around. Go Ridnour! Jason Gardner missed 3 Pt. Jumper 5 times in OT alone. Trying to be the next John Starks?
posted by vito90 at 09:20 AM on March 14, 2003
Here's the question I can't answer for the life of me — if you are an athletic director somewhere around the country, do you go after Lavin if you need a coach? The guy obviously has SOME skills ... what does he need to be successful?
posted by wfrazerjr at 10:22 AM on March 14, 2003
It looks like Jim Harrick will be looking for a job soon so maybe he can.... oops.
posted by trox at 10:24 AM on March 14, 2003
wfrazer: I think you do; if you're a mid-major it'd be hard to turn down a coach with five sweet 16s and with a pretty decent track record as a recruiter. Now, if UNC gets rid of Doherty, who has never had any measurable success anywhere, it's a different ball of wax.
posted by tieguy at 01:18 PM on March 14, 2003
I agree, Tie ... I think if you are Kent State or Tulsa, you take the leap and know this dude will at least bring you the players, if not the BEST quality coaching. Here's another stumper: Let's assume UCLA wins the Pac-10 and then advances to the Sweet 16. Do you still fire the guy? Vito said the conference tourney, but I think even if he wins that and gets dumped in the first or second round of the big dance, he's gone. At what point do you have to keep the guy?!?
posted by wfrazerjr at 02:36 PM on March 14, 2003
Heh, yesterday was just no good. First, Liverpool gets a goal on the road, and then this UCLA loss. On the plus side, it will actually be fun to root for UCLA for the rest of the tournament. UCLA boosters think that they can dump Lavin every season, and then, whoops, Sweet 16. Sure, he would at least have to make it to the Sweet 16 to keep the job, but now every UCLA win will be a stab at the heart of all those UCLA boosters. Heh heh heh.
posted by eckeric at 03:04 PM on March 14, 2003
Wish I could do daily/weekly college ball updates for the rest of the month, but unfortunately I leave the country next week.