Illinois v. Ohio St.

[jbduke]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

So where is Lavin coaching this year?

What?

Oh, never mind. I'm sure he prefers having Disney sign his paychecks.

You honestly think he's working for ESPN because he can't get a good coaching job?

That's absurd on so many levels.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by jbduke

You honestly think he's working for ESPN because he can't get a good coaching job?

That's absurd on so many levels.

Really? Is ESPN paying him what he'd get coaching? I'm sure he's paid well, but I doubt it's 7 figures.

So money ain't it.

Do you think he just wanted to quit coaching? That's the only plausible explanation I can think of aside from the theory that no one wants him.

Looks like he was UCLA's version of Tom Davis. Did great with the recruits he inherited, but plateaued after that. That makes him good, not great.

Now, this is just a surface examination of a coach who's had one head coaching job.

[jbduke]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Really? Is ESPN paying him what he'd get coaching? I'm sure he's paid well, but I doubt it's 7 figures.

So money ain't it..

So the only thing you've ever thought about when considering a job offer is the salary? No considerations at all to quality of life? Lavin probably gets a not-too-shabby six figures to talk about basketball. No recruiting necessary, no boosters to deal with, no sleepless nights wondering what might have been if you'd defended the final out-of-bounds play differently. Presuming he has a family, which job do you think they would prefer he work?

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Do you think he just wanted to quit coaching? That's the only plausible explanation I can think of aside from the theory that no one wants him..

A. Please point to where I argued that he wanted to quit coaching. He knows he was fired. You know he was fired. I know he was fired. Who are you arguing with here?

B. I can name five coaches in the most prestigious basketball conference in the country who couldn't carry Lavin's water. So, um, no, "because no one wants him" doesn't come close to explaining things. You think no one would want Steve Mariucci to be their coach? You think Hubie Brown's been calling NBA games forever because he couldn't get hired? Geez.

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Looks like he was UCLA's version of Tom Davis. Did great with the recruits he inherited, but plateaued after that. That makes him good, not great.

Now, this is just a surface examination of a coach who's had one head coaching job.

Again, who are you arguing with? No one in this thread has written that Lavin was "great" as a coach. I weighed in when people made the leap from Steve Lavin, misinformed officiating analyst, to Steve Lavin, weak basketball coach. And he did things well for long enough that you can't just dismiss him as someone who was only able to succeed with someone else's recruits.

Your examination is indeed surface-level.

[Raymond]

Has this become the Steve Lavin Fan Club forum?

Isn't Mr. Duke a regular in the forum come March Madness time?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by jbduke

So the only thing you've ever thought about when considering a job offer is the salary? No considerations at all to quality of life? Lavin probably gets a not-too-shabby six figures to talk about basketball. No recruiting necessary, no boosters to deal with, no sleepless nights wondering what might have been if you'd defended the final out-of-bounds play differently. Presuming he has a family, which job do you think they would prefer he work?

This leads well into my response below:

Originally Posted by jbduke

A. Please point to where I argued that he wanted to quit coaching. He knows he was fired. You know he was fired. I know he was fired. Who are you arguing with here?

I didn't mean to imply he left UCLA willingly. I simply meant that there are really three choices.
1. He can't find a job.
2. He chose to remain with ESPN and not coach. "Leave coaching" was meant more generally, as in not actively looking for a job.
3. Somewhere in the middle.

Most likely, it's somewhere in the middle. He could get a job, but has no desire to coach a mid-major or below.

Originally Posted by jbduke

B. I can name five coaches in the most prestigious basketball conference in the country who couldn't carry Lavin's water. So, um, no, "because no one wants him" doesn't come close to explaining things. You think no one would want Steve Mariucci to be their coach? You think Hubie Brown's been calling NBA games forever because he couldn't get hired? Geez.

Again, who are you arguing with? No one in this thread has written that Lavin was "great" as a coach. I weighed in when people made the leap from Steve Lavin, misinformed officiating analyst, to Steve Lavin, weak basketball coach. And he did things well for long enough that you can't just dismiss him as someone who was only able to succeed with someone else's recruits.

Your examination is indeed surface-level.[/QUOTE]


Yes, it was. You may be right, perhaps his experience with UCLA soured him to the whole coaching thing. Maybe he decided the stability of ESPN is worth living comfortably rather than being financially independent.

It's an internet discussion regarding the quality of a coach who held a top job for a short time and then moved on to a different (but related) profession. Everything is surface-level, including the defense.

[BBall_Junkie]

ummmmm.... why do you care? You have your opinion they have theirs. Let it go, but my opinion is that you care what their opinion is way too much.

[jbduke]

Originally Posted by BBall_Junkie

ummmmm.... why do you care? You have your opinion they have theirs. Let it go, but my opinion is that you care what their opinion is way too much.

I care much less about perceptions of Steve Lavin than I do about sloppy discourse.

As to your opinion, it's well-argued.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by jbduke

I care much less about perceptions of Steve Lavin than I do about sloppy discourse.

You cut me so deep....

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Isn't Mr. Duke a regular in the forum come March Madness time?

He's also a regular when anyone at any time makes fun of his sainted Coach K or his beloved Dookies.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

You cut me so deep....

That's part of the medical procedure used to fix a sloppy discourse.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

That's part of the medical procedure used to fix a sloppy discourse.

And I was hoping I could use that to get a medical marijuana card.