Iāll make a thread, but if the mods want to reduce clutter and put this in another thread, go right ahead.
I know everyone is acting as if the world revolves around Bobby Lutz, but I really donāt think thatās the case here. I donāt think heās a traitor, or heās greedy, or hates his alma mater or the fans, or heās trying to damage the program. I donāt even think heās sending out āfeelersā hoping for another job. Iāve been looking at this story facing the other direction -
Whatās going through the minds of the people running South Alabama?
Well, to paraphrase one of the posters on their board, āThis aināt your daddyās Sun Belt Conferenceā. The conference invited some bum-ass teams aboard. They would kill to get the hell out and move to Conference USA. Someone with connections to that conference is desirable
I think USA is a pretty fine basketball program with terrific facilities. They recruit at a moderately high level, and they went from a very bad team to a postseason team. They made it to the NCAAs by winning their conference 2 years ago and they received an NIT invite this year. They donāt want to suck again.
The want to give the job to a respected head coach. They really arenāt looking for a hungry assistant to āturn the program aroundā. They want to maintain what they have.
Cliff Ellis is one highly respected dude in South Alabama. He gave Bobby Lutz his coaching start and recommended him to the position.
They want someone who can recruit the region. Bobby and his assistants do the majority of their recruiting around Texas (mostly junior colleges), Mississippi, and Alabama [much to my chagrin since weāre currently in the A-10]
I can fully understand why they would make the phone call to request an interview.
Would Bobby be interested?
Well, ya gotta take the phone call and the interview regardless of whether you want the job or not. You have to create a ābuzzā for yourself in the coaching biz (and to get raises or extensions at your current school).
Itās a risky move. The South Florida job is win-win. You suck at USF and no one cares because expectations are so low. You could still find work. You win a few games as coach of USF and youāre a conquering hero. Youāve proven you can succeed at the BCS level and the coaching world is yours.
The South Alabama job is lose-lose. Youāll never meet the expectations of the previous coach since he brought a team from the murky depths of suckiness to a postseason team. The team is at its ceiling and even if you keep the team where it is, youāll never compare favorably to your predecessor. If you fall into 2nd place (or worse) in the conference, youāre viewed as a coaching failure.
Relationships on campus. It sounds like Ellis and Lutz respect each other. Lutz owes his old boss a favor and Ellis thinks a lot of his old protege. Does Lutz have that respect at Charlotte? No. According to Jim Utter, Dubois lied to him about his extension and caused a very messy situation. Enough of a mess that seemingly the entire athletic department is looking to leave to another school.
Fugitives. Never a good situation when half of your NIT South Alabama team has graduated and your star player is a fugitive of the law.
I donāt know how all of this is going to pan out. All I know is that thereās never a dull moment in the off-season around here.
I can tell you that his heart definitely is with Charlotte. I know that because he told me. If anybody out there thinks that his allegiance isnāt with Charlotte is dead wrong. His problems stem from within and that is where the changes need to occur. Bobby is an asset to the school and the athletic program. He wants to win more than anyone but he needs the backing and confidence from within to do it. His contract should be extended to show that the university has its full support behind him and his success. Book it.
I can tell you that his heart definitely is with Charlotte. I know that because he told me. If anybody out there thinks that his allegiance isn't with Charlotte is dead wrong. His problems stem from within and that is where the changes need to occur. Bobby is an asset to the school and the athletic program. He wants to win more than anyone but he needs the backing and confidence from within to do it. His contract should be extended to show that the university has its full support behind him and his success. Book it.
Excellent post. You should preach at my church i donāt think i would fall asleep as much.
Bobby must be really pissed with somebody (Judy, players, A10, fans, NNN posters?, all) to be considering this move to USA. Iām not surprised. Anyone with the temper he has would make such a dumbass decision to choose what is obviously a step down just to get out and leave his alma mater like this. Iāve been through every coaching change here since 1975 when Foster left, so I know weāll survive this one too. NOW, GET IT OVER WITH PLEASE, SO WE CAN MOVE ON!!!
[QUOTE=Reverend;232259]I can tell you that his heart definitely is with Charlotte. I know that because he told me. If anybody out there thinks that his allegiance isnāt with Charlotte is dead wrong. His problems stem from within and that is where the changes need to occur. Bobby is an asset to the school and the athletic program. He wants to win more than anyone but he needs the backing and confidence from within to do it. His contract should be extended to show that the university has its full support behind him and his success. Book it.[/QUOTE]
people generally donāt get contract extensions when they perform poorly. I know we didnāt have the best set of basketball players, but we donāt play defense, we donāt run plays, and Bobby just seems resigned to the fact that his players wonāt respect him. Heāll yell, but they donāt listen because they know they can get away with it.
people generally don't get contract extensions when they perform poorly.
If it revolved around Lutzās unhappiness over a contract extension, so many people would not be following Lutz out the door. I think there might be more to the story than you or I know about.
FWIW, a program like USA is cyclical. Ditto for most programs in the Sun Belt. Sure, you have Western Kentucky, which would have to be considered the long-time flagship of the SBC, with UL Lafayette (aka Southwestern Louisiana) not far behind. Over the past 16 seasons, WKU and ULL have taken 10 Sun Belt championships in menās hoops (5 each). USA does have 3 of the remaining 6 over that period - 1997, 1998, and 2006.
The Sun Belt is WAY past its heydey in menās hoops when it sent multiple teams to the Big Dance. Unless you win the SBC regular season and/or tourney, thatās it.
As far as USA joining Conference USA, thatās not going to happen without football (and a current C-USA member leaving). Also, as far as money and college athletics, I wouldnāt say that itās being āthownā around in the Alabama public university system. It hasnāt been that long since the UA System was debating the elimination of athletics at UAB due to the ābleedingā caused by adding football at that institution. USA did a football feasibility study back in 1999 and it showed only 2 of the football schools in the Sun Belt made money on football and, of those 2, only Idaho (no longer an SBC member) made a substantial amount.
BTW, South Alabama spends just a little more on menās hoops as does St. Bonaventure (numbers 155-156 on the 2006 list). That says something right there.
Also, I donāt think Lutz brings any clout with Conference USA. Afterall, we had to ābegā to join C-USA, then we were āshown the doorā with Saint Louis during the ACC/Big East/C-USA/WAC realignment that resulted in our current conference affiliation.
From what I have been able to gather by reading this board, Judy was actually fighting to help Bobby get his extension and Dr. Phil shot it down. I wonder if that means Judy and Phil are on bad terms as well?
Hiring all new mens and womens basketball staffs will require a lot of collaboration between the AD and chancellor. Not sure Phil can afford to fire Judy right now though since that would just drag this process out even more. We need to get the new coaches in fairly quickly to talk to the current players and players we have signed.
From what I have been able to gather by reading this board, Judy was actually fighting to help Bobby get his extension and Dr. Phil shot it down. I wonder if that means Judy and Phil are on bad terms as well?
Hiring all new mens and womens basketball staffs will require a lot of collaboration between the AD and chancellor. Not sure Phil can afford to fire Judy right now though since that would just drag this process out even more. We need to get the new coaches in fairly quickly to talk to the current players and players we have signed.
[QUOTE=stonecoldken;232332]Lutz + Ellis + Football=D1A success for USA.
If they have football or get football, theyāll get our spot in the national consciousness.[/QUOTE]
Ken, name all the Division I-A football schools in Alabama. And no cheating!
