Steve Prohm says he'll meet with Jamie Pollard to discuss his future next week...

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Brandon

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Agree on the separation meeting, but there are zero reasons why this could not have happened prior to Prohm leaving for KC. Both guys understand JP's prior commitments and that this decision has already been made.
JP should release a press statement no later than 10am. As he's said many times, this is business.

Prohm didn't look like he's mentally checked out last night coaching..
 

IcSyU

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It’s not optics.
Getting fired for the full buyout isn’t on the table. He can’t make JP fire him without cause. His choice is to return or leave with a partial buyout. His call. One could say he could try to call Jamie on a bluff, and try to return, but he knows it’s over. Another year like this isn’t worth it.
I'm not a lawyer but I'm pretty sure he can tell Jamie to go **** himself if Jamie wants to negotiate the buyout. I'm guessing he'll also want the pay cut he took from COVID too. He knows fully well Jamie can't go back to donors and say "the buyout was too much for us to deal with right now" without Jamie putting himself on the hot seat.

In short, the AD has no leverage here.
 

Stormin

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I'm not sure the how/when/where/why of letting Steve go is why people are pinching their butt cheeks. It's the who/what and why of the hire. Because someone like Altman is a home run hire....while TJ is a homeboy hire.

Coach K would be an even bigger hire. Like a Grand Slam Hire. Ain’t gonna happen. Neither is Altman.
 

Clonefan32

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It’s not optics.
Getting fired for the full buyout isn’t on the table. He can’t make JP fire him without cause. His choice is to return or leave with a partial buyout. His call. One could say he could try to call Jamie on a bluff, and try to return, but he knows it’s over. Another year like this isn’t worth it.

This may be one of the more comical takes I've seen on here in a while.

I guarantee you that Steve Prohm would want another year, if given the chance. He doesn't want to go out like this. I will bet you anything he'd love to get Hunter here, hold on to Bolton, Jackson, Foster, Harris and Dubar, try to talk JCL into another year, and figure out what the future holds for the others. While he has earned his criticism, you don't get to this point without being a competitor, and you know he doesn't want to go out like this, and he probably truly believes if given another year he can start a turnaround.

So you are suggesting he wants out of here so bad he'd leave millions in 2021-2022 salary and millions in buyout on the table so he can leave at the lowest point in his career? He's going to voluntarily sign up to go make $500,000 a year as an assistant at Arkansas or something, and leave millions in buyout on the table, just so he can be out of Ames?

I'll give you a quick insight into how that conversation would go:
 
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isucyfan

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The only way I see Prohm staying is if Pollard plays the COVID season/budget shortfall card. He comes out with a statement that outlines Prohm's track record of 20 win seasons, tournament championships, leadership, running a clean program, etc. Then, says that the stark reality is that times are tough budget-wise, and it just isn't in the budget to fire and hire in this climate. He says he talked with Steve and is satisfied that next year, changes will be made to right the ship.

I am playing devil's advocate here, and think that there is no way a 2-22 coach should return under any circumstances, but how would we feel if Jamie tells us that a move just isn't in the best interest of the athletic department right now?
 

WhoISthis

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Some of you apparently have no experience in the world of managing employees. Unless absolutely necessary you don't fire your second highest paid employee via a Zoom call or phone call.

Jamie is going to sit down with Prohm in his office and they're going to essentially do a small talk autopsy on the basketball season. Jamie is likely going to give Prohm an opportunity to give his vision for the future.

Once that awkwardness is over Jamie is likely going to say the tribe has spoken and Steve will no longer be employed by Iowa State University. Per the terms of your contract we will be paying your buyout provisions and you will be free to seek other employment (can't remember if he has an offset in his contract).

Then they'll awkwardly shake hands and Steve will thank Jamie for the opportunity to lead the basketball program and apologies it didn't work out.

While fans have spite because of the program results that's still Jamie firing what I would bet is a fairly close friend. He's going to have nothing but respect for the process and allow Prohm to keep his dignity. Anyone suggesting he should do anything different than that is just an ass hole.
This is 2021.
 

cyfanatic

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Oct 18, 2006
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It’s not optics.
Getting fired for the full buyout isn’t on the table. He can’t make JP fire him without cause. His choice is to return or leave with a partial buyout. His call. One could say he could try to call Jamie on a bluff, and try to return, but he knows it’s over. Another year like this isn’t worth it.

I get what you are saying from that point of view...I guess I am approaching this from the point of view that no way is Prohm quitting and no way is JP offering him an opportunity to return. I agree it would be a painful experience for Prohm to return but again, we are talking about a youngish man that likely won't get this type of payday in his future ever again...maybe. He would be foolish to give that much money away at this point in his life.
 
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Die4Cy

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It’s not optics.
Getting fired for the full buyout isn’t on the table. He can’t make JP fire him without cause. His choice is to return or leave with a partial buyout. His call. One could say he could try to call Jamie on a bluff, and try to return, but he knows it’s over. Another year like this isn’t worth it.

The idea that JP would go into a meeting with the coach that just went 2-21 and say, " You're coming back next year unless you reduce your buyout for ISU," shows no understanding that JP has more pressure on his end to pay the full buyout than Prohm has to do literally anything. Because it's all spelled out in a binding contract.
 

Brandon

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Feb 6, 2014
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It’s not optics.
Getting fired for the full buyout isn’t on the table. He can’t make JP fire him without cause. His choice is to return or leave with a partial buyout. His call. One could say he could try to call Jamie on a bluff, and try to return, but he knows it’s over. Another year like this isn’t worth it.

You're naive to think prohm is taking any less than the buyout. He might be a below average coach but he's not stupid.
 

Stormin

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TJ has never built a program either, and I’m talking about how his team plays when he isn’t playing with a team handed to him.

Actually TJ has helped build a Program. TJ was the lone holdover from McDermott that was retained by Hoiberg. Recruited many of the players who built Hoiberg’s Program. Prohm has actually never built anything. Prohm had HC experience. And that was the concern about TJ taking over as HC. But TJ was considered to be absolutely essential to be retained by Prohm for continuity with our returning Players.
 

CycloneErik

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The only way I see Prohm staying is if Pollard plays the COVID season/budget shortfall card. He comes out with a statement that outlines Prohm's track record of 20 win seasons, tournament championships, leadership, running a clean program, etc. Then, says that the stark reality is that times are tough budget-wise, and it just isn't in the budget to fire and hire in this climate. He says he talked with Steve and is satisfied that next year, changes will be made to right the ship.

I am playing devil's advocate here, and think that there is no way a 2-22 coach should return under any circumstances, but how would we feel if Jamie tells us that a move just isn't in the best interest of the athletic department right now?

That would make Pollard a moron.
 

WhoISthis

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The idea that JP would go into a meeting with the coach that just went 2-21 and say, " You're coming back next year unless you reduce your buyout for ISU," shows no understanding that JP has pressure on his end.

You think they’re just now having this conversation?

But if you’re proposing Steve tanked to improve his position in getting the full buyout, I like where your head is at. Steve calling our bluff would be interesting. But in reality he wants out and rather avoid another year like this.
 

RustShack

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I'm not a lawyer but I'm pretty sure he can tell Jamie to go **** himself if Jamie wants to negotiate the buyout. I'm guessing he'll also want the pay cut he took from COVID too. He knows fully well Jamie can't go back to donors and say "the buyout was too much for us to deal with right now" without Jamie putting himself on the hot seat.

In short, the AD has no leverage here.

Sure Prohm could do that, or Iowa State can just claim there was a violation which caused his termination and the investigation can put off the buyout for years, or they actually find something and don’t pay it at all lol.

Not that I think JP will do that to his friend, it’s more likely Prohm also wants to leave and will negotiate his buyout.
 

AuH2O

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No...that's Smith easily, no p6 experience, never built a program, walked into good situations.
TJ took over SDSU that had been very good for several years, extremely stable program, and he inherited probably the best player in the history of the summit league. Post Daum and TJ they are still good.

He took over a team with several returning rotation guys that won 11 conference games. TJ won 12 his first year in that situation. Yes, he had to turn over the roster and is under .500 this year. But there are few teams that no matter who the coach is that will always be #1 or #2 in recruiting in their conference, year in-year out.

TJ has a lot of experience. But in terms of success his resume is just OK.

As a comparison, Medved has significantly less "volume" on his resume, but he is 3-3 for taking over straight dog **** programs and building them into something good. Granted, he only had one season at Drake, but they won 7 games the year before he got there, got them to 17 wins.
 
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