Reports starting to pop up in IC that New Mexico asked to talk to Stevie Wonder, now it sounds like he's told some players that he's leaving. If true, there's gonna be a huge party here. Who do you guys think would make a good replacement? Lowery(sorry SIU guys), Altman, Kruger? I'll take anything at this point!

Reports starting to pop up in IC that New Mexico asked to talk to Stevie Wonder, now it sounds like he's told some players that he's leaving. If true, there's gonna be a huge party here. Who do you guys think would make a good replacement? Lowery(sorry SIU guys), Altman, Kruger? I'll take anything at this point!

 

If true...Altman is probably your best bet. How about the guy at UNI? Maybe Dr. Tom will come back?

Reports starting to pop up in IC that New Mexico asked to talk to Stevie Wonder, now it sounds like he's told some players that he's leaving. If true, there's gonna be a huge party here. Who do you guys think would make a good replacement? Lowery(sorry SIU guys), Altman, Kruger? I'll take anything at this point!

 

Pearl would be my first choice. The three guys you mentioned are good choices as well.

Bruce Pearl isn't leaving Tenn for Iowa. That said if Alford goes I'd think we'd even consider making Neal the HC. I think we would have liked to have had the ISU coach and Iowa is the school he'd have preferred to go to (compared to ISU) but that is done now.

 

I don't understand why Alford would rather go to New Mexico. He has a good contract at Iowa although I'm sure he knows he's in pretty deep right now.

Bruce Pearl isn't leaving Tenn for Iowa. That said if Alford goes I'd think we'd even consider making Neal the HC. I think we would have liked to have had the ISU coach and Iowa is the school he'd have preferred to go to (compared to ISU) but that is done now.

 

I don't understand why Alford would rather go to New Mexico. He has a good contract at Iowa although I'm sure he knows he's in pretty deep right now.

 

 

Not sure on Neal only because he and Alford are quite close and I'm not sure Neal would be so willing to take the job after his buddy left. I'm pretty sure Alford knew he'd be toast after next year, as Iowa's probably gonna blow. This way he gets out without having a firing on his record and can get a fresh start while he still can. I agree on McDermott, I think both he and Iowa would've been thrilled if it worked out for him. And someone mentioned Jacobson from UNI above, I'd be happy with someone like that, he has a good system. The only question would be recruiting, which we're obviously desperate for because for once Alford had decent recruits coming in. We'll see, sounding closer to becoming official, still here, lol.

 

ETA: I also agree on Pearl/Iowa, it's just never gonna happen and it's for the best. Doubtful he even lands in the Big Ten anytime soon.

Edited March 21, 200719 yr by shaneomacfan

Going to the Mountain West is a huge step backwards.

 

Stay at Iowa until you get fired; they're going to have to pay your entire contract either way. It's not like he won't be able to get a job at a school like New Mexico at a different time.

Looks like he took it.

Going to the Mountain West is a huge step backwards.

 

Stay at Iowa until you get fired; they're going to have to pay your entire contract either way. It's not like he won't be able to get a job at a school like New Mexico at a different time.

In other words, there's a lot more going on behind the scenes than we know about. Aka, Alford wants out of there.

 

At least he's not going to Indiana.

If McDermott really wanted the Iowa job, he must be retarded. He could've waited another year or two, KNOWING Alford sucks.

 

That being said, they might be best off staying in house and hiring Neal.

Bruce Pearl isn't leaving Tenn for Iowa. That said if Alford goes I'd think we'd even consider making Neal the HC. I think we would have liked to have had the ISU coach and Iowa is the school he'd have preferred to go to (compared to ISU) but that is done now.

 

I don't understand why Alford would rather go to New Mexico. He has a good contract at Iowa although I'm sure he knows he's in pretty deep right now.

 

New Mexico isn't as bad a choice as some may think. They have a great arena, a good following (or at least the potential for one if he does a good job) and a great area to live in. Alburquerque is a gorgeous place. Iowa, well I have never been there, but being from IN I have seen my share of corn. The Sandia Mountains are gorgeous.

I think Alford is avoiding being fired. I heard the hot name for the Iowa job if,and it appears to almost be a given at this point, Alford leaves is Lon Kruger. Illini fans have to almost be relieved though, as now they probably can say they have officially bottomed out. With all the off the court problems, the injuries during the season, Gunther wigging out at the tournament, Self, Kruger and Pearl all still alive in the tournament, and Alford leaving Iowa. An Illini fan's nightmare. I am an Iowa alum, and this is good news. I just hope they bring in someone who has had success and can recruit. Kruger is a good coach, but there are questions about his recruiting IIRC. There is no reason the Hawkeyes shouldn't be in the tournament yearly and win games in the tournament yearly.

This is TERRIBLE news, although it sounds inevitable . Hopefully Iowa hires another retard to coach them, that program could be really good with an adequate coach. And Pearl would never go back there, Iowa could get a lot of good candidates, but Pearl knows better than to ever go back to IC.

 

Kruger is a good coach, but there are questions about his recruiting IIRC.

 

You don't take 4 programs to the Sweet 16, two (and maybe 3) to the Elite 8, and one (who knows? maybe two) to the Final 4 if you can't recruit. You can sneak out maybe 2 if you can't recruit (a la Bruce), but not 4.

They are believed to be targeting Altman, Kruger, and, the best one I read, Gillespie. HA

They are believed to be targeting Altman, Kruger, and, the best one I read, Gillespie. HA

 

Yeah, Gillespie is going to leave the recruiting hotbed of Texas....for Iowa . Altman and Kruger would both be good hires though IMO.

I think Altman is the early betting favorite.

WOO HOO!

 

My first thought was Altman, but I like the name Kruger. Very impressed with his UNLV club from the opening tip. I even thought to myself during their first round game, "his time with a bad Hawks team probably weighs too heavily on his coaching ability. He's a damn good college coach."

Kruger at Iowa would kill me. I really like/liked him and STILL don't think he gets nearly enough credit for cleaning up the post Henson/not hiring Collins mess at U of I and putting Self into position to have the kind of success he had. That would be fitting with as embarassing as the Illini program is becoming if Kruger goes to Iowa and does well though, just another steak to the heart.

Edited March 22, 200719 yr by whitesoxfan101

You Illini-haters are digging pretty deep.

 

Who gives a f*** what happens with the Iowa basketball program? The Illini have to worry about the Illinois basketball program.

 

Remember, it is still Iowa athletics and Iowa basketball...ouch.

ESPN reports Neal will go with Alford to New Mexico. Hopefully, this means a handful decomitts from Hamga and others.

 

It matters to ISU fans because of the in-state recruiting, and it should matter to Illini fans with Chicago-area recruiting.

New Mexico USED to be a great basketball school and has the potential to be again.

 

UNM-NMSU was a great rivalry with Neil McCarthy and whoever was at UNM at the time.

 

The Pit was always one of the toughest places to play. AND it's a basketball school FIRST. Iowa is a football school first.

 

I find it real hard to believe that Kruger would leave LV to go to IC. I'm not saying he won't, but UNLV is a bigger bball school and has more recent success.

Wow. Steve must have been close to getting canned there, because his leaving the midwest is pretty contra to the family guy I knew when he was at Manchester. Good luck to the guy.

I assume the Iowa was going to fire him?

 

Because New Mexico is a step down from Iowa.

Iowa's AD said Alford would be the coach next year.

Iowa's AD said Alford would be the coach next year.

 

They all say that to the camera's. That and 50 cents gets you a newspaper.

Wow. Steve must have been close to getting canned there, because his leaving the midwest is pretty contra to the family guy I knew when he was at Manchester. Good luck to the guy.

Wow is right.