UCLA /new rumors (+ back story on strange search for coach)

[RonBurgundy]

Luke Walton after he gets canned by the Lakers?

 

[clone2003]

At what point do you say screw it and invite Alford back? Or isn't there some successful alum you might give a try ala Penny Hardaway?

A lot of the former UCLA players were campaigning for former-Bruin Earl Watson, who has some NBA head coaching experience.

 

[Clonehomer]

Luke Walton after he gets canned by the Lakers?

Might not be a bad idea. Can you imagine Bill calling his games?

 

[cyclones500]

This Washington Post column echoes a lot of our conversation in this thread.

UCLA can't hire any coach it wants

 

[cytor]

Latest on the rumor mill: UCLA looking to talk to Bennett after tonight's game.
Read it in the St Paul Pioneer Press yesterday.

 

[Knownothing]

Latest on the rumor mill: UCLA looking to talk to Bennett after tonight's game.
Read it in the St Paul Pioneer Press yesterday.

Why even waste time. Bennett isn't leaving VA for UCLA. He is in a better conference, coming off a possible national championship. What is wrong with the UCLA athletic director. It's ridiculous.

 

[CTTB78]

Why even waste time. Bennett isn't leaving VA for UCLA. He is in a better conference, coming off a possible national championship. What is wrong with the UCLA athletic director. It's ridiculous.

I know what you're saying, but the same was true for Johnny Orr.
All depends on the money for some coaches. Bennett and Few may not be in that category, however.

 

[Peter]

UCLA basketball is the Nebraska football of college sports. Living in the glory days of decades past.

 

[Gunnerclone]

West coast basketball is so terrible. There is no good coaching talent out there to match that culture/geography except Few and he isn’t going anywhere. Just a stagnant conference, stagnant teams, stagnant coaching all over. They probably should have gotten TJ.

 

[Knownothing]

I know what you're saying, but the same was true for Johnny Orr.
All depends on the money for some coaches. Bennett and Few may not be in that category, however.

At this point. I doubt UCLA will have a better contract financially than what Virginia will probably put together after the season or he might have already signed a new one. Plus, UCLA does remind me of Nebraska. The years of kids even knowing UCLA was good is the same as the kids that knew UNLV was at one point good. At least Nebraska finally got a former player. UCLA would be wise trying to reach out to any former players that coach. Like Earl Watson?? Just give it a shot. Might be able to get him cheap and might hit lighting in a bottle.

 

[Remo Gaggi]

Why doesn't someone just ask Uncle Randy? He seems to know everything about coaching changes.

 

[CapnCy]

I'm not sports admin guy, but I wonder if they'd be better off having an interim coach next year (from within) and "refresh" this search and see who is "hot" next year? Just seems now they are grasping and could get locked into "something" vs maybe spending two million to have an assistant keep it afloat, etc.

 

[alarson]

Why even waste time. Bennett isn't leaving VA for UCLA. He is in a better conference, coming off a possible national championship. What is wrong with the UCLA athletic director. It's ridiculous.

Indeed. Theyre not getting him unless they dump a shitload of money at him, but there's no indication UCLA is willing to spend that freely or they'd already have their coach.

 

[deadeyededric]

I have no desire to live in Cali, but I mean, I'll take the UCLA gig. I'll even do it for a mill a year.

Yeah I'd be all about living in LA making that kind of money.

 

[deadeyededric]

Just as well bring Ben Howland back. He took them to 3 straight final fours.

 

[Dandy]

 

[Dandy]

UCLA targeting Rick Barnes. $5M buyout at Tennessee. UCLA will pay Barnes $5M per year, not including bonuses/incentives. He turns 65 in July.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/26472062/barnes-deciding-ucla-vols

 

[RonBurgundy]

UCLA targeting Rick Barnes. $5M buyout at Tennessee. UCLA will pay Barnes $5M per year, not including bonuses/incentives. He turns 65 in July.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/26472062/barnes-deciding-ucla-vols

Wow. $5 million for Barnes, they like. $8 million to get younger Dixon, they no like. Weird.

 

[dafarmer]

I heard Will Ferrell is available as a player-coach after his sterling performance in SEMI PRO. Can't you see them having a real live bear at the games.

 

[AuH2O]

I'm not familiar with the immediate UCLA area, but UCLA hiring a coach for $5 million per year isn't exactly a slam dunk when lots of guys are making in the $4 million ballpark in dirt cheap flyover country. Obviously there are some great aspects to the job and area, but you've also got what are probably unrealistic expectations, an absolutely tanking conference bleeding money, and the west coast TV problem.