I hear ya. My main bet on him leaving for Texas is just the fact that it's another year. Sooner or later, the bloom does wear off. He's passed on big west coast school. Now he has a shot at big southern school. I'd personally argue that Texas is a bigger/better job today than UCLA... though that's more on the school/business side than performance side... which would be in his court to rectify. Basically, hard to believe another opportunity like this comes up again next year, or the next. Possible, but hard to believe. A bigger opportunity than a school that will throw lots of money and resources at you and the program, with a huge, passionate alumni base that is a Div. I powerhouse? As to your comment about the quality of his coaching... great to hear. You just never know with recruiting how long it will take to turn around. Heard an interesting tidbit about coach K the other day... his first 3 or 4 years at Duke were not good at all. Losing records, horrible conference play. People don't get that kind of leash anymore - though granted this is a much different situation.
Maybe I'm crazy but I get the feeling that he will leave for the UT job. Especially after passing on UCLA, perhaps he might feel now is the time to move to a bigger team in a bigger conference. (Unless he has Brad Stevens-NBA plans).
I think it could go both ways. On one hand, you have the Mark Few types that really do stay at one place forever. On the other, you have the Chris Petersons that turn down offers for a while but eventually either the challenge or money or whatever makes you take the leap. I think what Texas has going for them is that the reports are that Smart was very interested (for whatever reason). In the past, I feel like it's always been reports that teams are interested in him, but never the other way around. Of course, these anonymous reports do need to be taken with a grain of salt along with the "Saban is interested in UT" crap.
Me! Texas basketball is hard to watch. My dad is a huge fan and always wants to talk about it, but it's hard for me to sit down and watch an entire game. Just... so... boring. I can watch other teams fine, but I have to force myself to watch UT. Isaiah Taylor would be much better in a high-paced offense.
It's a potential long-term big money job. They say within what, 5 years? the new arena will be done. State of Texas has all kinds of talent that if you are a recruiter, half of the recruiting job is already done.
No, he didn't let the assistants go, and they got a new job. So, he let the talent go to waste, while he wasn't recruiting. If he wasn't recruiting, what was going to waste? What UT players have been tearing it up in the NBA other than the obvious couple? If they were wasting away under Barnes, surely they'd be thriving after getting out from under his bad influence.
