Absolutely not true at all. You can recruit Louisiana and compete in the SEC pretty easily. Clemson was at best on par with Duke's football prestige at the time with hopes of signing the best wheel chair athletes. Imagine Wallace Wade stadium being packed with an enormous atmosphere -- it is hard, isn't it? That is not the point. The overall ACC finish is a success, but even more so building a program to get to that point. He did not recruit JUCO's to be a one year success story. Recruiting guys to Clemson is impossible as is improving EVERY year like he has. Once again you go by the NCAA stat book. It would be sustained success if you were talking Kentucky basketball but not others. Put Dean Smith or Rupp there any they wouldn't have any better. I am not putting Oliver anywhere near that level but to hope for ANYTHING better at Clemson is absurd. I am just going to assume you don't follow ACC hoops very often and didn't realize how bad Clemson's program was.
Well, if today turns out to be as we expect... press conference, Trent inks his new contract, this thread can end soon... :hihi: I for one, think that this hire is a B+/A- hire--better than I would have expected. Interesting notes from ESPN... http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3338164 They clearly make it sound like TJ is leaving b/c the Lopez twins are leaving early, and the situation with the contract extension and pay leads to looking elsewhere. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3338517 Also, they kind of make it look like this happens after Ford pulls his name out. Look where Travis seems to be looking already. :grin:
Not that it matters a whole hell of a lot, but the coaching carousel continues to turn. Interesting that Frank Haith out of Miami, would make it "news" that he interviewed for the LSU job. He's staying at Miami for what would have been less than what he would have gotten at LSU. One good year at Miami does not a career make. http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/47455 Also, for Travis Ford fans, you see what the guy was waiting for and what he's worth. Ok state shell out approximately $1.3M per for this young kid... http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/ncaa/04/18/ford.ap/index.html I'm still confident in our choice...
Just an interesting and what a small world moment here... Duke's long-time assistant coach, Johnny Dawkins, takes over at Stanford. So, he leaves Coach K, to join the program that lost its head coach to the Duke guy (Alleva) who left Duke. http://duke.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=801756 Couple this with Duke's weakening recruiting brand, and it's recent NCAA tourney failures, and is there trouble on the hoops horizon for the Dookies? :rofl:
