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

[WhoISthis]

Coaches always think they have the next wrinkle they can pull out and it's going to make them successful again. It might be the recruiting class coming in, anticipating roster gains from a year of growth, a change to scheme or whatever it happens to be but I guarantee he thinks he could be successful next year at Iowa State. He's going to want the shot to prove it. He knows he can't get a better job than the one he has.

I guarantee there are plenty of people posting on this message board right now who hate the job they currently have. I also guarantee those same people wouldn't do the same work they're doing for a 50%+ pay cut and change of scenery.

It’s rarely a good idea to compare college coaching jobs to the average job. Or someone that’s only made 100k for 10 years to those that have more built up wealth. But to your question, as long as there wasn’t a non-compete, that confidence you first referenced would result in many taking that 50% and getting another job and improving one’s career, if not pay in the long run. Plus improved happiness and home life in the short run. Once you reach a certain level of wealth, you tend to have much less of an issue spending money on those latter things.

That optimism of a turnaround next year isn’t present in this case. Both sides know it’s over. In some ways, Jamie is lucky to have budget constraints in his pocket.

 

[mynameisjonas]

PSA: The whole “I’ll take ____x____ coach because he wont be as bad as Prohm”, is not a real reason to hire that person if you want to have a serious basketball program.

 

[CoKane]

You have to wonder why people like Stormin are so strongly advocating for a mediocre coach.

He was one of the leaders of the keep Rhoads debate as well too. Just who he is at this point

 

[Cyched]

I've gotta spend too much of my time keeping Williams tame to worry about you yahoos.

At some point that has to be a lost cause

Gotta pivot your time and energy to other pursuits

 

[WhoISthis]

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.

How much do you want to bet it’s negotiated? Again, why do you think they’re just now working on this. Do you think Prohm is walking into a meeting and saying “hey, remember when we talked about common ground? You thought 0-8 was bad? Well, see how low I can go? what I can do next year? 2-21 next year or full buyout.”

That’s the great thing about allowing the return to be viewed as a possibility to a coach not exactly thrilled to come back. The full buyout and terms are viewed as not yet an option.

I get that you think Prohm should call Jamie’s bluff. Even though Prohm doesn’t want to go through another season like this, he should make JP fire him. Fortunately they’re not just now having conversations after finishing 2-21.

 

[JP4CY]

Can we at least be respectful of Prohm. He's a good man who has tried his best at ISU. The man knows he on the hot seat and knows he won't get a raise

This site is going to be a zoo until we have an announcement

I think most people are respectful of him as a person. I know I wish he would have succeeded because he's a quality guy.
He didn't work out here coaching wise. It happens.

 

[BACyclone]

I agree that ISU owes him the money and it would be foolish for him not to demand it.

But I've also been thinking about the current standard for buy outs. Why aren't these buy out clauses more variable? I would guess most coaches would sign up for that given that most coaches expect to succeed. If you're fired for being a mediocre coach the buyout is larger than if you're fired after winning 25% of your conference games over a 3 year period, or something like that. Just food for thought while we wait for the grim reaper.

I think you are getting your understanding of "buyout" mixed up.

Prohm signed a contract for a period of time. If we fire him before that contract is up, we essentially owe him the balance of the money owed to him on that contract. He doesn't need to demand it, it's owed to him. It's not really a buyout, in layman's terms, we are paying him money owed from the contract agreement.

A "buyout" is usually what is meant when another institution comes to hire away your coach, the other institution pays a set some of money (which is in the contract) to the institution that currently employs the coach for the privilege of hiring away your coach. You might call it a deterrent for someone stealing your coach, or an insurance policy that helps you hire your next coach.

 

[madguy30]

Can we at least be respectful of Prohm. He's a good man who has tried his best at ISU. The man knows he on the hot seat and knows he won't get a raise

This site is going to be a zoo until we have an announcement

It will be a zoo after the announcement too.

And it will be a zoo when the replacement is announced.

 

[Halincandenza]

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.

To me Medved is more attractive than Craig Smith.

 

[CyLyte2]

Isn’t TJ the closest to “another Prohm” we’ve been linked to? Lol

Not even close. TJ worked for four P5 head coaches. Three of them were good at their job! He’s been a head coach at two schools, neither of which he ascended to by being on the bench of they guy who left. Prohm was a hanger on who leveraged Billy Kennedy’s success and Fred’s late departure into a P5 job. Until now, Prohm was one of the luckiest humans alive. His luck has run out.

 

[Clonefan32]

How much do you want to bet it’s negotiated?

Help me here-- what again is Steve's incentive to negotiate it? Why in the world would he do that?

Listen, if JP is willing to have him back, even if it's for the sole reason he wont pay his full buyout, Prohm will want to be back. The idea that he's itching to put his tail between his legs and sulk back home is comical to me. If Pollard's line is "if you wont reduce the buyout we will bring you back", Steve's line is "I am thankful for that opportunity and ready to get back to work."

 

[Halincandenza]

Help me here-- what again is Steve's incentive to negotiate it? Why in the world would he do that?

Listen, if JP is willing to have him back, even if it's for the sole reason he wont pay his full buyout, Prohm will want to be back. The idea that he's itching to put his tail between his legs and sulk back home is comical to me. If Pollard's line is "if you wont reduce the buyout we will bring you back", Steve's line is "I am thankful for that opportunity and ready to get back to work."

Yeah, Steve has no incentive to negotiate. Especially because all these contracts have clauses that lower the money owed once you find a new job. Why give up less before you need to. He is entitled to the money in the contract.

 

[Statefan10]

To me Medved is more attractive than Craig Smith.

I’m excited to watch the MWC tourney today and tomorrow. TJ vs Smith and then Smith / TJ against Mevded tomorrow.

 

[Minnyclonenut]

Not even close. TJ worked for four P5 head coaches. Three of them were good at their job! He’s been a head coach at two schools, neither of which he ascended to by being on the bench of they guy who left. Prohm was a hanger on who leveraged Billy Kennedy’s success and Fred’s late departure into a P5 job. Until now, Prohm was one of the luckiest humans alive. His luck has run out.

umm didn’t TJ ride Scott Nagys team at SDSU? I actually think he underachieved there.

 

[CYEATHAWK]

People keep thinking this but it’s really not true. TJ took over a good program in SDSU but he took over after their coach of 20 years left. That coach was their program. He took them from D2 to good D1 school. It wasn’t a rebuild but it wasn’t the easiest job in the world that had a history of multiple coaches succeeding like Murray State. Whether it's one coach.......or multiple coaches a successful program is a successful program. And SDSU was a successful program before he came......and is still doing well. He built nothing.

UNLV is not a good job. It may have resources and name recognition but it is very much like Texas with big money donors who think they are better than they are. TJ took over and got them to second place in the conference his first year. This year has been a struggle but he is looking to be bringing good talent in. It's not a good job.......then why did he take it? And who cares what talent he has coming in. Steve has some good talent coming in also. Why should ISU ditch that and be a test tube for someone who has built absolutely nothing based solely on "he can recruit and loves this university"?

I’ve said it before and I will say it again. People can prefer other coaches than TJ. That seems plenty reasonable. There is no reason or justification for the attacks that he can’t be successful or that he is just another Prohm. His resume is nothing like Prohm’s. These numbers aren't "attacks" they are facts. You don't like them.......then let him stay right where he is and actually build something. Then we can talk.

 

[heitclone]

You are probably right as far as "walking into" situations. However I think Utah State is a tougher job than Murray State and in a tougher league. If not.......then that's another mark against a coach who just went 8-10 in that league.

Tougher job but also better job, they sell out basically every night, most underrated home court advantage in the country due to having really good fan support and an especially good student section they put right on the floor. I'd compare them to a Creighton-ish type of program when Creighton was in the MVC.

 

[CyLyte2]

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.

That would be like having a conversation with an employee after said employee burnt the office down smoking a blunt in the janitor closet. The premise makes me laugh “so Steve you just finished the worst season in our programs history after nearly accomplishing that fete last year. What’s your vision for the future?” I don’t care who you are, that’s funny.

 

[BACyclone]

I have no issue with waiting to talk to Steve before making an announcement, so long as it doesn't put us behind the curve in a coaching search.

I also find it funny that we think just because it hasn't been widely broadcast to the fanbase that those who need to know don't have a sense of what's coming. What's to say conversations haven't already occurred, but they aren't putting it out publicly until JP can be back in Ames to help with damage control?

Personally, I don't see how it "puts us behind" in a search. Starting the search officially today vs. officially Monday, in my opinion matters roughly zero. Most of the coaches we would be targeting to hire are still playing games right now.

Some might be playing in the NCAA tournament. I don't think the hiring barrage is going to start for at least 2-3 weeks.

Conversely, we hired Prohm in June, because Fred didn't leave for the NBA until then. This hiring calendar will suit Iowa State MUCH BETTER than it did the last time.

 

[CycloneErik]

You are probably right as far as "walking into" situations. However I think Utah State is a tougher job than Murray State and in a tougher league. If not.......then that's another mark against a coach who just went 8-10 in that league.

Dude that preceded Smith at Utah State went 16-15, 14-17, and 17-17 for his 3 years. Their longtime successful guy did a couple of 18 win seasons just before that, which was a huge dropoff for him.

That doesn't look to me like Smith walked into something great.

 

[Rabbuk]

That would be like having a conversation with an employee after said employee burnt the office down smoking a blunt in the janitor closet. The premise makes me laugh “so Steve you just finished the worst season in our programs history after nearly accomplishing that fete last year. What’s your vision for the future?” I don’t care who you are, that’s funny.

Steve: maybe we will try to win one next year.