Jim Larranaga to Miami???
-
wildcats20
ESPN reporting that George Mason coach Jim Larranaga could be named Miami's new coach as early as today.
Interesting. -
swamisez
read this this AM. Couldn't believe it. I guess his success in the tournament and ability to recruit the tidewater VA area appealed to UofM. -
wildcats20
-
Azubuike24
What's more shocking is that he took the job...
A step down? I'd say so. $$$$$ talks. -
karen lotz
Eh ACC > Colonial or whatever George Mason is in. Granted Miami is not a top tier ACC basketball school, but it is still a step up IMO. -
Azubuike24
Disagree. The Colonial, last year, had more teams in the Final Four only one less team in the NCAA Tournament and in the top 6-8, was as good as the ACC.
He's built momentum as Mason and is starting over at Miami. He's in his 60's. Miami's basketball tradition, support and clout is horrible. It's a step up in name only, not reality. I don't blame the guy for taking some extra cash, trying his hand at the "big time" and bailing in 5 years or less. Maybe he can get an early start on finding some nice retirement property in the Keys to set up for the good times ahead...
Basketball-wise, a step down. Life-wise, a great decision. -
Azubuike24
I'd add the comparison that Miami basketball is about comparable to Duke or Kentucky in football, but even in football, the lesser BCS programs (especially in the SEC) rake it in because of the revenue generated by TV deals, bowl games and other sponsorships. Basketball is much more independently generated, and Miami is probably on the low 5% in-terms of BCS schools when it comes to that. Lets not mention it's a city that has every major sport, has an awful citywide fan base, has many other attractions in town AND a professional NBA team that has 2 of the 3 most popular players in the world signed there for the next 6 seasons.
With that said, money and weather can sell even the most unlikely candidates to the job, and although Jim may say otherwise, I can't possibly see how the ACC or Miami's basketball program has any real selling points that sold him into taking this job. -
karen lotz
And this was the worst the ACC had been in how long? I wouldn't expect the Colonial to outperform the ACC regularly, if ever again.
-
Azubuike24
I don't know. After Duke and UNC...what is the ACC? Who do you see getting stronger?
I love when the ACC is strong, it offers some of the best basketball out there. However, some of the "other programs" that really made it the elite conference for the last decade or more have really fallen on hard times, and quite frankly, I'm wondering where the recovery is going to be...
Wake Forest has disappeared. From a #1 ranking three years ago to the second worst BCS league school last year.
Maryland is a shell of what it once was under a way past his prime Gary Williams.
North Carolina State is a mess and they just hired a coach who was a joke and got fired at Alabama.
Georgia Tech is a mess and made maybe the worst hire of the offseason getting Gregory from Dayton who was probably another NIT year from being fired there.
Virginia has Tony Bennett, who I like as a solid coach, but he's at best, a 20-win, bubble type coach. Not much upside for a once very proud program.
Virginia Tech, well, lets actually make an NCAA Tournament and then we will talk.
Florida State had a great year, but were still a 10-seed, and are being led by a perennial underachiever at head coach.
Outside of Clemson and Brad Brownell (just a gut feeling that he will do well), I'm skeptical of every program in the conference sans UNC and Duke. -
karen lotz
Right but who in the Colonial stands out? Mason will most likely slide a bit, can VCU turn into a national power? Old Dominion? The teams after Carolina and Duke in the ACC are much much better than the Colonial teams after VCU/Mason, and Carolina and Duke are and will always be heads and shoulders above the top of the Colonial.
-
Azubuike24
While I agree, the Colonial is a mid-major league. It's at best, in the top 10 leagues each year. We are comparing a heavyweight boxer to a lightweight boxer. The fact that we are even comparing them is proof enough IMO.
I have a lot of respect for the Colonial, and quite honestly, they have more depth than people give them credit for. VCU under Shaka is going to be fine. Same with Old Dominion under Blaine Taylor. Drexel under Bruiser Flint and in the Philly market is always solid. Hofstra as well. George Mason, even without Jim, will be alright given the market they are in and the newly found name recognition. You also have other decent programs who have had good years recently like Northeastern, James Madison and William & Mary.
The CAA isn't full of world beaters, but they are good because they have more depth than your typical mid-major league that might go 2-3 deep and then has a bunch of crappy teams. In the last 5 years or even more, the CAA has had 4 or 5 or more teams capable of beating middle tier BCS schools. Given their markets and recent member school success, I don't see them going anywhere but up. -
karen lotz
The heavyweight/lightweight comparison shows why Larranaga would leave for Miami.
-
Azubuike24
And it also makes you wonder would you rather be the lightweight who has a chance at the title or the heavyweight who gets the pulp beat out of them by 7 or 8 better fighters...
I wouldn't mind being the heavyweight who gets pounded on if I got a lot of money to step in the ring. -
Laley23
He left for the money, and who can blame him?
No way does he actually think, at 61 he can build a program at Miami. But he may be able to be competitive for a few years before he retires, literally, into the sun. -
cbus4lifeGood move, re: money and retirement. He can at least make them respectable for a few years, and then retire into the sun in Key West.
-
ts1227
Keep in mind Miami is by and large a football school (even if they are a far cry from "THE U"). If he tanks, no one down there will really give a rat's ass, so in terms of image it's basically nothing to lose and he can return to a place like GMU.