Travis Ford to Providence

[dc_x]

http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/8004426/Providence-offers-job-to-UMass-coach-Ford

[xsteve1]

He'd be foolish to take that job. Low level Big East job is not on par with a top A10 position.

[DC Muskie]

Seriously, this is going to suck if he takes this job. UMass better step up.

[PM Thor]

It does make some sense. UMass loses some serious power from its senior class. UMass just made the NIT finals.

In all honesty, I bet he is just working it for a bigger contract from Umass.

[boozehound]

I wouldn't really think of Providence as a very desirable Big East job. You generally can't get great recruits, and the level of competition is pretty high. If he wants to leave UMass he might be better staying until they can put together a better season and win an NCAA tournament game or two so that he can get a better job than Providence.

[IVANHOE]

In all honesty how is this any different for when Purnell left for Clemson, everyone gave him no chance there saying it was a low end job. Look what he did to that program.
If Ford leaves and takes that job he can turn that program around. he is a great coach i hope he goes and takes it.

[dc_x]

In all honesty how is this any different for when Purnell left for Clemson, everyone gave him no chance there saying it was a low end job. Look what he did to that program.
If Ford leaves and takes that job he can turn that program around. he is a great coach i hope he goes and takes it.

Not quite. Clemson was a sleeping giant in the ACC. Clemson has 1st class athletic facilities and all the resources needed to compete in the ACC. Throw in the lack of recruiting competition in South Carolina (USC and CofC are down) and that is a job where OP can be succesful.

Providence is at a competitive disadvantage with the rest of the BE. They don't have the facilities or resources to compete on a consistent basis.

Maybe Ford thinks that he can repeat Pitino's success at Providence, but I think he's mistaken. Times have changed....

[X-band '01]

The only coach in recent memory that won at Clemson without the specter of NCAA violations was Rick Barnes - the best he could pull out of that program was a Sweet 16 in the 1996-97 season. The last time they won an ACC title was in 1990, but eventually got hit with NCAA sanctions.

There's a reason Clemson has never won at UNC and has maybe 2 or 3 wins all-time at Duke. They're a doormat for the ACC that once in a while might put together a decent season or two.

[AdamtheFlyer]

The Clemson job was perfect for Purnell. He's a rebuilder and Clemson was ripe for rebuilding. Around the time he got there they poured a ton of money into upping the basketball facilities and OP used that to get the program back to respectibility and the NCAAs.

To be honest, it's about time for him to move on. He's not a destination coach. He's rebuilt the last three programs he's worked for back to the dance, yet hasn't won a game. That's not his style. He needs a downtrodden program to turn around. I think he'll move on within two years.

I get the same vibe from Ford. He's not a destination coach, he's a builder.

[DC Muskie]

They're a doormat for the ACC that once in a while might put together a decent season or two.

You could probably say that about most ACC teams. Duke and UNC dominate that conference.