Oliver Purnell soon to be out at DePaul?

[BMoreX]

HLOH retweeted this: @timring3TV: Hearing that DePaul's Oliver Purnell's days winding down and will target former UCLA coach Ben Howland.

[vee4xu]

Archie Miller is calling his agent and travel agent.

[GoMuskies]

Ben Howland?!? DePaul is so, so stupid.

[XUFan09]

Ben Howland?!? DePaul is so, so stupid.

Honestly, he might be the best they can do. A young coach up-and-coming coach from a mid-major might be a better option, but then you have to rely on the DePaul administration properly evaluating talent. I don't have too much confidence in that.

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[OH.X.MI]

Ben Howland?!? DePaul is so, so stupid.

For a school that has had problems recruiting good talent, in a city that is brimming with great players, you have to wonder why they would look to a guy who is infamous for poor recruiting.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

For a school that has had problems recruiting good talent, in a city that is brimming with great players, you have to wonder why they would look to a guy who is infamous for poor recruiting.

Poor recruiting? Seriously? Do I have to name the UCLA guys in the NBA he recruited for you?

[DC Muskie]

For a school that has had problems recruiting good talent, in a city that is brimming with great players, you have to wonder why they would look to a guy who is infamous for poor recruiting.

Who would that be? Surely not Ben Howland.

[xubrew]

Ben Howland is a jerk (at least that's what a lot of people who know him say), but he wins. He's won everywhere he's been, including Northern Arizona.

He went to three Final Fours at UCLA, and his last year they won the Pac Twelve and earned a #6 seed. UCLA was pretty bad when he took over. Pitt wasn't any good either. I think that would be a great hire for DePaul.

His biggest problem, from what I understand, is not getting along with boosters. Bill Walton doesn't like him, so if you just look at how stupid Bill Walton is, he's got to be good.

[LA Muskie]

Ben Howland is a jerk (at least that's what a lot of people who know him say), but he wins. He's won everywhere he's been, including Northern Arizona.

He went to three Final Fours at UCLA, and his last year they won the Pac Twelve and earned a #6 seed. UCLA was pretty bad when he took over. Pitt wasn't any good either. I think that would be a great hire for DePaul.
Ben wins, but fans dislike him and players hate him nevertheless. You have to be a pretty huge a-hole for that to happen.

[GoMuskies]

Howland would be a disaster at DePaul much as the end of his tenure at UCLA was a disaster. DePaul's only decent coach in forever was Dave Leitao. He's also the only up and comer they've hired in this pathetic stretch. Coincidence? I think not.

[DC Muskie]

Howland would be a disaster at DePaul much as the end of his tenure at UCLA was a disaster. DePaul's only decent coach in forever was Dave Leitao. He's also the only up and comer they've hired in this pathetic stretch. Coincidence? I think not.

It was such a disaster he pulled in a top recruiting class and a regular season championship.

Howland never finished worse than 5th in the PAC 12. DePaul would kill to finish fifth in a five team league.

[LA Muskie]

Gotta agree with DC on this. Howland's W/L records were far from a disaster. He had some big problems out here in Westwood, but very few of them had to do with performance on the court on gameday.

[casualfan]

Ben Howland?!? DePaul is so, so stupid.

Would be a boom or bust hire. Call me crazy, but I think that would be a HR for Depaul.

[xubrew]

Ben wins, but fans dislike him and players hate him nevertheless. You have to be a pretty huge a-hole for that to happen.

I've never met him, obviously, but I've heard from several people that he's not the easiest guy in the world to like.

There are fantastic people that are terrible coaches. There are terrible people that are fantastic coaches. When you look at his accomplishments, I don't see how anyone could say he was a bad coach. He won at Northern Arizona, he put a Pitt program on the map who I believe had just one winning season in eight or nine years prior to him getting there, and he took over a UCLA team that was in rough shape and went to three Final Fours. People say his last year was a disaster, but they finished first in the Pac Twelve and ended the season in the top 25. How is that a disaster??

[Muskie]

I don't see Howland wanting DePaul?

[LA Muskie]

I've never met him, obviously, but I've heard from several people that he's not the easiest guy in the world to like.

There are fantastic people that are terrible coaches. There are terrible people that are fantastic coaches. When you look at his accomplishments, I don't see how anyone could say he was a bad coach. He won at Northern Arizona, he put a Pitt program on the map who I believe had just one winning season in eight or nine years prior to him getting there, and he took over a UCLA team that was in rough shape and went to three Final Fours. People say his last year was a disaster, but they won the Pac Twelve and finished in the top 25. How is that a disaster??
I don't disagree with any of that. Everything comes at a cost. Ben's wins come at great expense (and I don't just mean in salary). Is he worth the trouble? I don't know. He wasn't worth the trouble at UCLA -- well, he wasn't worth the trouble any more at UCLA after he resurrected the program. I don't think DePaul can be as picky. So I think you're right, he's probably a good hire for them if they can get him.

[LA Muskie]

I don't see Howland wanting DePaul?
I don't see Howland doing much with his time right now. And he doesn't seem like the type to sit around and knit sweaters.

[GoMuskies]

Howland never finished worse than 5th in the PAC 12. DePaul would kill to finish fifth in a five team league.

DePaul is not UCLA. And there's a reason Howland's no longer employed by UCLA.

Good luck to DePaul, but this would be a mistake.

[xsteve1]

Archie Miller is calling his agent and travel agent.

Agree this would be a good spot for Archie. New arena, better league, more money and easier to recruit at DePaul compared to Dayton.

[OH.X.MI]

Poor recruiting? Seriously? Do I have to name the UCLA guys in the NBA he recruited for you?

Guess I should have been more specific. A guy who seemed to have lost his touch for recruiting in the later years at UCLA and some questionable recruiting techniques. I remembered reading this article about him when he left UCLA in SI.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/-college-basketball-mens-tournament/news/20130325/ucla-ben-howland/

[OH.X.MI]

Guess I should have been more specific. A guy who seemed to have lost his touch for recruiting in the later years at UCLA and some questionable recruiting techniques. I remembered reading this article about him when he left UCLA in SI.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/-college-basketball-mens-tournament/news/20130325/ucla-ben-howland/

And then after rereading the article, I guess it really just more of him being a jerk then a bad recruiter. Apologies for speaking without researching. Don't follow UCLA and don't follow who is playing in the NBA outside of former XU players.

[DC Muskie]

DePaul is not UCLA. And there's a reason Howland's no longer employed by UCLA.

Good luck to DePaul, but this would be a mistake.

This makes no sense. Because Howland was extremely successful at UCLA and yet still got fired, DePaul should steer clear?

He won at Northern Arizona, rebuilt Pitt, and won at UCLA. Yeah HUGE mistake DePaul. Get an up and comer like Cuonzo Martin!

[The_Mack_Pack]

Howland would be a slam dunk for DePaul.

[Juice]

This makes no sense. Because Howland was extremely successful at UCLA and yet still got fired, DePaul should steer clear?

He won at Northern Arizona, rebuilt Pitt, and won at UCLA. Yeah HUGE mistake DePaul. Get an up and comer like Cuonzo Martin!

Howland would be a huge improvement.

[xsteve1]

Howland would be a slam dunk for DePaul.

agree. The guy can coach. He would do for DePaul what Lavin has brought to St. Johns.

[Muskie]

Purnell has lost 10 games in a row and is 40-80 going into tonight.

[XU 87]

If I were DePaul, I would take Howland in a second. As the esteemed DC Muskie has noted, the guy has won every place he has coached. He went to three straight final fours. UCLA fired him after winning the Pac-10. It looks like his main problem was he pissed off the LA AAU coaches. I wonder if they all had their hands out.

And how many fans are at the DePaul game tonight? I think we had more fans at my daughter's volleyball game tonight (They lost in a close one).

[Juice]

If I were DePaul, I would take Howland in a second. As the esteemed DC Muskie has noted, the guy has won every place he has coached. He went to three straight final fours. UCLA fired him after winning the Pac-10. It looks like his main problem was he pissed off the LA AAU coaches. I wonder if they all had their hands out.

And how many fans are at the DePaul game tonight? I think we had more fans at my daughter's volleyball game tonight (They lost in a close one).

I know that at the end of his run at UCLA that he was recruiting Georgia hard.

[XU 87]

I know that at the end of his run at UCLA that he was recruiting Georgia hard.

I think I read in that SI article that his last year he had the number one recruiting class in the country and none were from California.

I'd be real curious as to what happened to him and the AAU coaches. And I don't buy the story that they were all mad at him for pulling a kid's scholarship more than 3 months before the LOI date.

[xubrew]

That Northern Arizona team that he coached really should have beaten Cincinnati in the NCAA Tournament that year. That was my senior year of high school. I also think that was the last time I rooted for a team that Howland was coaching.

[XU 87]

That Northern Arizona team that he coached really should have beaten Cincinnati in the NCAA Tournament that year. That was my senior year of high school. I also think that was the last time I rooted for a team that Howland was coaching.

I think UC was a 2 seed and made a shot at the buzzer, correct? UC then lost to WVU, who banked in a three at the buzzer.

[Retire33]

I think UC was a 2 seed and made a shot at the buzzer, correct? UC then lost to WVU, who banked in a three at the buzzer.

I thought Iowa St banked in the winner that year?

[XU 87]

I thought Iowa St banked in the winner that year?

That was a different game and a different year. That game was played before the X UCLA game in 97 in Detroit.

[wkrq59]

I hope DePaul keeps Ollie. It just give Xavier a greater edge in the Chicago market and the recruiting there. Actually, I have no time to worry about DePaul on a night when Xavier (according to the Fox commentators tonight) moved within one victory of an NCAA tournament lock if there is such a thing before the tournament in New York. So it's Go Muskies, fuddle duddle the Blue Demons.

[GoMuskies]

Howland would be a huge improvement.

Talk about damning with faint praise.

[GoMuskies]

agree. The guy can coach. He would do for DePaul what Lavin has brought to St. Johns.

What exactly has Lavin brought to SJU?!? The possibility of playing a home game in the NIT Final Four?

[Juice]

Talk about damning with faint praise.

How land would be a very, very huge improvement.

[xubrew]

I thought Wainwright and Purnell were both good coaches. Something isn't right about DePaul.

It's a private school with a large alumni base (many of which are in the area) in a big city that loves basketball and is rich with high school talent. It just doesn't add up that they suck so badly.

[American X]

Something isn't right about DePaul.

It's a private school with a large alumni base (many of which are in the area) in a big city that loves basketball and is rich with high school talent. It just doesn't add up that they suck so badly.

They play at the Rosemont Horizon which might as well be in Wisconsin.

They should stop toying with trying to build their own arena (in another place nowhere near campus) and accept the United Center offer to play there rent free.

[xubrew]

They play at the Rosemont Horizon which might as well be in Wisconsin.

They should stop toying with trying to build their own arena (in another place nowhere near campus) and accept the United Center offer to play there rent free.

If they've had an offer to play there rent free, they're nuts for not taking it.

I've never lived in Chicago, but I love the city and used to go there several times a year, so I'm SOMEWHAT familiar with it. I know DePaul is right next to the L Train, but it's a convoluted route to get to the Rosemont Horizon (or whatever the hell they're calling that place these days). How accessible is the United Center??

[nuts4xu]

It is easy to see why he has failed at Depaul, he has tried to turn the program into another Dayton.

http://uniformcritics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/dep-red-rickscuteri-2-675x3801.jpghttp://www.pickinsplinters.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/paul_williams_wide6.jpg

[Cheesehead]

He's no Brian Gregory, that's for sure.

[The_Mack_Pack]

Looks like he'll be around for another year. http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/24471717/report-depaul-ad-says-oliver-purnell-will-be-back-next-season

Those poor DePaul fans.

[GoMuskies]

Well, they put up such a great effort last night at home against a really good Butler team. How could they not keep him around after that?

[Musketeer_15]

Does DePaul think that college basketball is like the NBA where you can tank for the top pick?

[KabeX]

Great timing. 33 point drilling by the cellar dweller on your home court to complete a stellar 11-20/3-15 campaign. I mean why wouldn't you want more of that? Guess Archie will have too cool his heels in the dump for another year.

[X-band '01]

The loss of DePaul fans is every other fanbase's gain. We should send a gift basket to DePaul for keeping him for one more season.

[Cheesehead]

The loss of DePaul fans is every other fanbase's gain. We should send a gift basket to DePaul for keeping him for one more season.

agreed! The rest of the Big East is fine with this.

[XUFan09]

Teams like DePaul make it easier to get more than half the conference in the tournament in good years, as even the 6th place team has a shot at a .500 conference record for the tournament resume.

Keep it up, Blue Demons!

[vee4xu]

Archie Miller's pissed. That's one less exit door from his current stage.

[Mrs. Garrett]

Some rumors floating around Chicago that Purnell is going to "retire". We'll see. Most believe he was guaranteed the first five years and then basically nothing after that. There's been all kinds of speculation. One is that Mark Aguire is the coach in waiting once he gets his degree. Another is Ben Howland will be the coach. I guess Howland was in pretty serious discussions with DePaul the last time the job was open because his seat was hot at UCLA.

[Mel Cooley XU'81]

Where's Isaiah Thomas when you need him.

[Muskie]

Where's Isaiah Thomas when you need him.

Waiting for his next shot at the Knicks after Phil Jackson leaves.

[ChicagoX]

I've always said that if DePaul could get a coach who could go into the top-tier Chicago high school basketball programs and get just the third-best player on some of these teams that they could be competitive. There is so much talent in the area and it's a shame that they can't seem to get any of them to stay. It's a great campus in the middle of Lincoln Park, and I know the arena is in Rosemont, but they don't even have to get the top talent in the area to be a more compelling match-up than they are now.

[Mrs. Garrett]

I've always said that if DePaul could get a coach who could go into the top-tier Chicago high school basketball programs and get just the third-best player on some of these teams that they could be competitive. There is so much talent in the area and it's a shame that they can't seem to get any of them to stay. It's a great campus in the middle of Lincoln Park, and I know the arena is in Rosemont, but they don't even have to get the top talent in the area to be a more compelling match-up than they are now.

DePaul and the Chicago Public League have had a bad relationship for a long time. Going back to the 80s. There was a player named Teddy Grubbs who was supposed to be a stud, but he got in a lot of trouble and wound up leaving DePaul. Many Chicago Public League coaches turned their back on DePaul and the trend has for the most part continued to this day. Plus DePaul won't play they dirty politics it takes to get involved with many of the high school and AAU coaches. It's probably the same reason the Chicago area players you see on our roster are either from the suburbs or the Chicago Catholic league.

Also, if you came from the nighborhoods most of these kids come from in Chicago, you'd want out of the city too.

[Mrs. Garrett]

Where's Isaiah Thomas when you need him.

You'll see some of the DPU faithful bring his name up. A lot of dopes think all it takes is a guy who played in the NBA and kids will want to go there.