CC: Becky Hammon
Because all options are on the table, allow me to throw a name into the fold: Becky Hammon.
https://www.nba.com/spurs/becky-hammon
Hear me out - this isn't as far-fetched an idea as you think.
1. She's a hall-of-fame player at both the collegiate and professional levels.
2. She's been under the tutelage of one of the best coaches in NBA history.
3. She's coached some of the best players in NBA history.
4. She's been in the discussion for a head coaching position ever since she wrapped up her first year under Pop.
5. Her hiring would be in line with Michigan being a university that historically prides itself on equality and progress.
Fight me.
Uuhhhh.......no.
...and what about Juwan Howard?
Uuuhhh....No.
Trying to play the "Sex Card", huh?
I'm saying that her credentials as a coach and player are on par with Juwan's.
She was on the short list of coaches that interviewed for the Bucks last year.
Sounds like you're playing that card, frankly, more than I am.
I'm playing the card because I said "No" to potential head coaching candidate? I have said no to practically every other candidate that has been mentioned over the last two days, save a few that have excelled in the college game.
What you intentionally did was take one assistant (woman) and ask me about another assistant (man) and try to make me explain myself if I said yes to Juwan but no to Beck, as if I'm biased against her.
If Becky is an elite coach and can recruit the elite players, why would anyone have a problem with that? I know I wouldn't. I just want the program to win.
So why don't you want her? She has a very good NBA coaching pedigree as an assistant
I'm guessing it's because she has a very good NBA resume as an assistant. No experience as a head coach (aside from a stint in summer league). No experience coaching college ball. No experience recruiting.
All of those would also apply to Juwan Howard.
Because I want Michigan to get a proven college basketball coach to lead this program. I want a coach that has won at the college level. I want a coach who knows how to recruit high-end talent. I think that's about it. I'm not here for feel-good stories.
Her credentials as a coach are better than Juwan's
Let's assume they are equal when it comes to coaching. Who do you think has more credibility when they walk into a 4* or 5* recruit's home? And who do think would have a better shot at landing that recruit? Being a great coach will only take you so far. It is all about and will always be all about the Jimmy's and Joe's.
You are making a straw man argument. Howard was an iconic college b-ball player on the arguably the most famous college b-ball team of all time. That happens to be his alma mater. Their coaching experience may be similar, but Howard's playing experience is in the Mens game at the D-1 and NBA levels; that is not comparable to being a star in D-1 Womens' hoops and the WNBA. The playing experience is remarkably different, and the recruiting cache is remarkably different.
Beilein played basketball at Wheeling College. I think the coaching experience is all that really matters. But as for cache, I'd argue that becoming the first women's coach of a D1 men's bball team would instantly give her at least the same cache as Howard.
Perhaps she would have comparable cache, but would she have comparable recruiting cache? I think not.
Damn it, man, I was sure that was a clever way to correct the spelling. You blew it for me. ;)
(The word you want is cachet, not cache. :)
actually the word some around here want is cash
Beilein played basketball at Wheeling College.
And it took him 20+ years to go from playing at Wheeling College to coaching a major conference team.
Given equally lacking experience as a HC, Howard playing at Michigan >>> Hammon playing Colorado State.
Both Hammon and Howard were great college players, then Hammon carried that over to the WNBA and international competitions and was a HOFer there; Howard's best known for getting the first $100MM contract and being a decent backup big man.
As noted below, Beilein played for a D II school. Most big-time college coaches weren't particularly good college players and that never really mattered. And I'd argue that since basically every kid they'd be recruiting at this point wasn't alive when the Fab 5 existed, his "cache" is probably a bit muted. We think it's a big deal because we were alive during their run; to your average 17-year-old the Fab 5 is a team that got a documentary on ESPN and never won anything of significance, if they care at all.
The average 17 year old sees Webber doing games for TNT and Rose all over ESPN. The Fab 5 is still relevant.
Knowing Webber and Rose as former NBA players who rep for Michigan is fine, but that doesn't mean recruits will actually care. Bobby Hurley won two titles and had his own shoe; nobody rushed to play for him.
I'm not denying that if you asked the average teenager if they knew about the Fab 5 they wouldn't be able to tell you it was a group of guys at UM. I just don't think that moves the needle, especially when it's not Rose or Webber who would be the coach saying it.
I'll play that card. Whether we like it or not, the fact is that a certain percentage of top recruits will not play under a woman coach. Even the loss of one 4-5 star can make or break a program. Yes, it would look great for our left-leaning university to break this barrier but the Zion's of the world don't care about being politically correct. And, unless there is extreme pressure brought on by the commissioner's office, she won't be getting an NBA job anytime soon, either.
She didn’t play at Michigan, and didn’t play in the NBA (where every recruit is trying to get to).
Excluding gender, it’s still not the same.
Is she better than Donovan?
I like this idea.
Username checks out
Michigan is known for being leaders and best. This would just make us leaders.
CC: Sansa Stark
-Studied under great hoop minds (Petyr Baelish, Tyrion Lannister, Cersei Lannister)
-Would run an honorable program (almost to a fault)
-Could recruit the basketball-crazy north better than anyone
Really? If we are going GoT Dany is the only choice. She is a proven winner, a conqueror even, can you imagine a NC game like 805? Ethically questionable but with some solid assistants can be kept in the clean.
Before someone suggests Jon Snow I would like to point out he has basically lost every conflict he has ever been involved in. Snow is a joke of a commander who constantly requires miracle interventions to escape whatever problem he created.
Downside: they're all going to be dead after this weekend.
If the spoilers are correct (and they have been so far), we're all going to wish they were dead after this weekend. Or probably more accurately, wish the writers were dead.
Writing has been horrendous this season. It is so painful as a true fan of the series. Ahhh, it's stooping to Walking Dead levels of writing. I want my HBO show back!
Like I said man, if the spoilers are right, this might go down as the worst, most disappointing finale of all time.
I’m with you. I feel like I’m just putting in my time at this point hoping spoilers are wrong and finishing out the show. Really disappointed I waited 2 years for this. On the flip side really want to acknowledge a lot of the aspects of the show outside of the writing this season. Also, my GoT fantasy teams are looking good; should win one hands down and have a punchers chance if spoilers are correct in the other.
Excuse me??
You are a good man Jon just a horrible leader.
- Dany bailing you out north of wall and at Winterfell against the wights.
-Sansa coming through against Ramsey.
-Stannis helping you out with the wildlings.
-Spoiler, but you died once already.
-magical bricks at Winterfell blocking dragon fire? How you pull that off?
- I think it was Bran’s Direwolf that saved you when you were pretending to be freefolk and killing farmers.
Like I said, you’re a good man but you know nothing Jon Snow.
Even if we ignore some of Dany's recent anger issues, I think she'd be too reliant on Dothraki and Unsullied players who - while physically gifted and tenaciously competitive - may not be able to survive a rigorous academic workload.
Yeah, he may be a terrible tactician, but he recruits well -- Wildlings, northerners, Targaryens, even got a commitment from Stannis Baratheon and followers of the Lord of Light!
I thought of her too. I think she would make a good coach. But the biggest issue will be with recruiting. She would have a much harder time getting big players to Michigan just because of her being the first (?) female head coach in D1 men's basketball. You would essentially set Michigan back a couple of years in terms of talent until she proves that she can have just as much success as male coaches.
She's a Russian spy.
Im not too sure of that... it may be the opposite... many recruits come from single mother households and, who knows, maybe theyd want to play for a woman... I would.
Is everyone in Russia a single mother?
Edit: I meant to reply to Gentleman Squirrels but am tired and confused.
I imagine bringing along Tim Duncan to a high school kid's house to debunk that theory would help.
Edit: uh, something is broken.
Coach K, Izzo, and Becky all show up at your house to recruit your son.
You have to bang one, kill one and marry one....Go
Bang becky. Kill coach K. Marry Izzo.
Hear me out...
Through slow and deliberate manipulation I get Izzo to fall madly in love with me. Then I break his heart in such gut wrenching fashion, he kills himself.
Boom two deaths. And the lack of leadership at both Duke and MSU paves the way for a solid Elite 8 run for UM. YOU'RE WELCOME EVERYONE.
If Coach K shows up to my house, my son is going to Duke. You don't even have to tell me who else is on the list.
Was Coach K your best example of someone you don't want your son to play for?? lol
Say what now?
Not much fight from me, but she has no recruiting experience or track record, and I have no idea if that would be a good thing or a bad thing. But I am afraid that would be a bad thing.
I know this would be a great political move, but I am not sure what impact it might have on recruiting so I would be escared...
Its not about being a political move at all... she is supposedly a top coach.. the novelty of the first female could really be an ace for recruiting too... i like this idea...alot....