The Indiana Search:

[Muskie]

Today's latest whim of IU fans is Bruce Pearl.

Why he fits: He's coached at Southern Indiana and he's done well at a Football first school.

Why he'd come to Indiana: He can be at a Basketball first school. Reportedly called IU his dream job once.

[OX09]

Another reason: He's cocky enough to truly believe he can win now despite the oncoming sanctions...

And he's a good enough coach to actually do it.

[vee4xu]

Better watch out, if he goes there and X has a game scheduled with IU next year, he'll cancel it.

[boozehound]

It will be interesting to see what kind of coach IU can get, since no one knows how severe (if at all) the sanctions will be. IU is pretty much going to have to wait until after the tournament anyways, as the caliber of coach that they want will be busy getting his team ready for the tourney.

I wouldn't rule Bruce Pearl out though...

[GuyFawkes38]

The IU board loves Miller, as this thread shows:

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=170#s=170&f=2353&t=2079533


What a difference a year makes. Most Michigan fans regarded Miller last year as not a serious candidate for their job.

[wkrq59]

They can talk all they want about Sean, but I read today where the IU people are bitching about the amounts of money they had to pay to get rid of coaches. Doubt they'd want to lay out the kind of buyout Sean had written into his latest extension.

[Muskie]

The IU board loves Miller, as this thread shows:

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=170#s=170&f=2353&t=2079533


What a difference a year makes. Most Michigan fans regarded Miller last year as not a serious candidate for their job.

Yes but you'll notice that some of the IU faithful don't think he can handle the "pressure of B-Town". Another one doesn't think he's a big enough name. Hence the problem of trying to hire a coach that IU Nation will support.

Also... Xavier is referred to as a mid-major. I thought that would rile some of you up.

[dc_x]

I heard an IU beat writer on the radio this morning.

He said he thinks IU can pay about $1.5m per year for a coach. That is what they were due to pay Sampson this year and he doesn't see where they can come up with more money for the new coach. Since IU doesn't generate big revenue from football, he doesn't think they can pay Thad Matta money ($2.5m per year).

So would Sean leave for approximately a $500k pay raise?

[Muskie]

Would you leave your job for a 25% raise?

[dc_x]

When you are making seven figures, what is another $500k? For a guy making $20k, a raise to $30k is a big deal. For a guy making a $1m, a raise to $1.5m is not as big of a deal.

The other factor is Miller's buyout. Nobody knows the dollar amount, but I have heard it is significant. Where is IU going to come up with the cash to buy him out? They needed a booster to kick in $500k to settle with Sampson.

[vee4xu]

I don't know, another $500K is a couple of Porsche's even after taxes.

[Muskie]

When you are making seven figures, what is another $500k? For a guy making $20k, a raise to $30k is a big deal. For a guy making a $1m, a raise to $1.5m is not as big of a deal.

The other factor is Miller's buyout. Nobody knows the dollar amount, but I have heard it is significant. Where is IU going to come up with the cash to buy him out? They needed a booster to kick in $500k to settle with Sampson.


Good point.. though I think you're trivializing how much $500k is. IU's AD department is long on pay-outs to former coaches and short on cash. However, Mark Cuban would probably kick in the needed cash if they asked nicely.

[xuab]

I think IU should listen to tsnmike! I remember his article pimping Thad for OSU. Hope he works his same magic here. I think the folks at IU should really listen to him.


http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/news;_ylt=AgsHOkGxssb0v2uovF.QvY3evbYF?slug=bennet tshouldbethepickto&prov=tsn&type=lgns

[JTG]

When you are making seven figures, what is another $500k? For a guy making $20k, a raise to $30k is a big deal. For a guy making a $1m, a raise to $1.5m is not as big of a deal.

The other factor is Miller's buyout. Nobody knows the dollar amount, but I have heard it is significant. Where is IU going to come up with the cash to buy him out? They needed a booster to kick in $500k to settle with Sampson.

Mark Cuban, that's where. He's the one who paid for Sampson's buyout. He has money he hasn't even counted yet.

[Snipe]

I do like Miller but what I really want is to hire the Xavier athletic department or their decision makers to hire our next coach. Not sure if they paid money for a search team like we have in the past but I doubt it. Just look at the coaches they have had recently, Pete Gillen, Skip Prosser, Thad Matta, Sean Miller. Not bad for a mid-major.


Good call, bring them all!

I find it surprising that no major power has offered big money to Michael Bobinski. I don't like them realizing it. I never want to lose Bobinski.

[wkrq59]

DC X,
His buyout, inserted in his contract at his request, is more than it cost that booster to get rid of Sampson. Besides, there are other people they're eyeing with much bigger and more prominent names and programs.

[GuyFawkes38]

Besides, there are other people they're eyeing with much bigger and more prominent names and programs.


A lot of the bigger names are problematic. Take Bruce Pearl. He's a great coach. But he has a bad reputation in the Big Ten for taking down the Illinois program. That may not be fair. But IU is looking for someone completely clean.

Even with Mark Cuban's money, I don't think IU wants to get into a bidding war with Ohio State, Florida or even Louisville. All those schools have wealthy football teams to split the bill.

I believe it comes down to either Miller or Bennet of WSU, with the possibility of a cheaper big name wild card, like Mike Montgomery or Scott Skiles.

[AdamtheFlyer]

When you are making seven figures, what is another $500k? For a guy making $20k, a raise to $30k is a big deal. For a guy making a $1m, a raise to $1.5m is not as big of a deal.

$500,000 is the same for everyone. That doesn't change whether you're Bill Gates or making minimum wage. But that said, the most important factor is the percentage of the raise. You're talking a 50% pay raise. Again, no matter how much you make, 50% more will improve your quality of life. Or at least it will if you don't blow it on booze and the craps table.

At the end of the day, if Indiana comes calling and Miller turns it down (which I tend to think he would ultimately do), he's going to get more money from X. There's no question about that. The contract he signed last year will be torn up and a new one will be worked out. The man will get a raise if he's being seriously courted by another school, especially one that's viewed as a step up in the national college basketball scene. That's just big business. The more wanted you are, the bigger your bank statements and investment portfolios. The best coach in America might well be someone none of us would know if they wore a "Hello, I'm _______ coach of _______ University" nametag. If he's not wanted by others, he's not getting big raises.