I agree. The longer this goes on, the less respect I have for Fred. JP is to blame as well IMO if there is any kind of rift there, because JP should basically be doing whatever Fred wants within reason, but paying him about 4 million would be within reason IMO.
I think this is a couple of big egos going at it. But if Fred loves ISU like claims he does, then why not put a big buyout in his contract to go to the NBA? The T-Wolves or the Bulls would have no issues paying ISU a million bucks or more to get Fred Hoiberg. Those NBA teams have money like there's no tomorrow. So if Fred leaves, then wouldn't he want ISU to get compensated for that?
And if I were a big donor, there's no way I contribute any $$ for Fred unless I'm guaranteed at least 3 years out of him. If they are going to arrange a deal where Fred stays for one more year, then I'd say just let him go now instead. Our program will be "dead" for a year if Fred only stayed for one more year. No recruits will want to come here at all.
And the more and more I think about this, the more comfortable I am with TJ becoming the next head coach. Mainly because I'm not confident in JP's abilities to get anyone else, but also because I think the continuity might be more important than finding a "top tier" head coach that is going to come in and change everything and then this year's team takes a big step back because they are learning all new concepts.
This year will be CRITICAL for ISU basketball. We have the potential to make a run at the Final Four. But the only way that happens IMO, is if we continue with the same style of play that our players are used to. We can't afford to have someone new come in here and change everything up right now IMO.
I just can't believe Fred is going to leave the school he loves before accomplishing really any of his goals. One Sweet Sixteen is not all that much of an accomplishment really. Granted, it's better than where we've been for a while, and I'm grateful for that, however, I thought Fred was more of a competitor than that? Going out with a horribly coached loss in the first round to a UAB team that had no business being in the game with ISU is an embarrassing way to go out. I just thought Fred was better than that, and cared more about ISU than that? Guess not. His legacy at ISU will now be tarnished somewhat IMO. He'll still be a legacy of course, but just not like he could have been.