And you had the power to see what the future would be, what is the maximum amount you would offer Danny Hurley if you were the Pitt AD?
If you could magically go back to March 2018
- Thread starter Sean Miller Fan
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I was going to say $6 million too. I dont think he'd have the same results here but at the time I was saying we needed to "way overpay" and offer $5 million. Not sure he would have taken that. Knowing the future, I would now say $6 million. Maybe he doesnt take that either.
Last nights overall TEAM defensive performance might be the best I’ve ever seen. It kills me to say this because of UConn’s nauseating fan base during BE tournament days at the Garden, but Hurley is the real deal and has UConn in prime position to be a long term national power. Wait until he gets the top recruits in his system, starting w/ ‘23-‘24 incoming class.
Long narrative to answer the question, but WISH WE WOULD HAVE PAID HIM WHATEVER IT TOOK!
As an aside, I would ditch Capel yesterday to sign Pitino! And Im a Capel fan and will root for him and the team, but proven winners win!
Yeah I was obviously being facetious with the endowment comment. The point is you pay him 6-7-8-9-10 million. Whatever it is. He will pay you back in wins, donations, enrollment, etc.
And yes he’s a huge weirdo that looks insane at time, but Pittsburgh fans would 100 percent embrace him. The typical you hate him if you’re against him but love him if he’s on your team guy.
He wanted UConn and UConn wanted him, so outside of some kind of insane offer he was going to go where he went.
Last time they bought someone whose heart wasn't in it was Todd Graham, who didn't last a full year.
Last time they bought someone whose heart wasn't in it was Todd Graham, who didn't last a full year.
Don’t know much about recent UConn. Don’t think I even saw one game prior to tourney. I’m assuming they’re getting enough nil money somewhere?
He had great success at Rhode Island. The people who say these stupid things think realizing a top 5 coach would be extremely successful at Pitt is somehow an affront to the current staff
I don’t think I’d have changed anything going back five years. Yes, I’m sure other coaches may have gotten us back to the NCAAT quicker. But I also think few would have been willing to take on cleaning up the mess left by prior regimes. UConn was the much more attractive job: A history of winning championships, weaker conference (at the time), and they are the prominent sports team (along with their women’s bball program) in their state/region with great fan support. I’m happy with where we are at today and I’m glad they went with Capel.
I don't think it's a given Hurley would have had the same success here. There are plenty of examples of coaches being widely successful in one place and not another. It's two completely different jobs. And I'm not saying this to defend Pitt's current staff.
Btw, he's only about a year ahead of where Capel is now anyway. They were 23-10 and 13-6 in conference last year and lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament. His first three years were a little bit better but not much. Went 15-8 and lost in the first round the NCAAs the year before last. His first two years (while in the American conference) were very ordinary and with no NCAA or NIT berths.
Not saying Capel is going to the Final Four next year. Just saying its not like Hurley has had 3-4 straight years of winning 25-30 games either. He's been ok up to this year and he took over a much higher profile team in a part of the country he is already well known as a coach and player. So the (extremely) minor success he has had up until the tournament hasn't really justified all the money people here now say we should have showered him with. They are having a nice run (in an insane tournament with tons of upsets btw) but let's not get carried away.
Btw, he's only about a year ahead of where Capel is now anyway. They were 23-10 and 13-6 in conference last year and lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament. His first three years were a little bit better but not much. Went 15-8 and lost in the first round the NCAAs the year before last. His first two years (while in the American conference) were very ordinary and with no NCAA or NIT berths.
Not saying Capel is going to the Final Four next year. Just saying its not like Hurley has had 3-4 straight years of winning 25-30 games either. He's been ok up to this year and he took over a much higher profile team in a part of the country he is already well known as a coach and player. So the (extremely) minor success he has had up until the tournament hasn't really justified all the money people here now say we should have showered him with. They are having a nice run (in an insane tournament with tons of upsets btw) but let's not get carried away.
So he's the made the NCAAT 3 consecutive seasons and is now in the NCAAT Championship game. In his first season he was 16-17 and his second 19-12 (would've been at least NIT if not for Covid). I don't think it's comparable. I do think it's easier to have success at UConn though.
Hurley is only a year ahead of Capel? Pitt was a bubble team while UConn had their 3rd Tourney appearance.
He’s about to win the title with a top 5 class coming in.
There’s no signs capel can repeat this bubble year. In fact, the evidence supports them going back to being bad next year.
I’m being serious. Whatever drugs you guys are on who continually say things like this diminishing Hurley and UConn winning the freaking national title when they were supposed to be a year or 2 away, and no signs of slowing down, please share with the board.
I am NOT saying Capel has had similar success to Hurley. Or that he is on same path. Not at all!
But people are talking about Hurley being a sure thing here at Pitt saying it would take paying him $6 million to come here. And if he did we would be in the national championship game this year. And my point is that is not entirely true. He took over a blue blood program and actually struggled the first few years before getting his footing and having a great year. But UCONN has considerably more resources and prestige than Pitt. They have won 4 nationals championships since 1999 so all these kids grew up watching UCONN dominate. They literally won a national championship 4 years before he took over.
So let's stop acting like all of his success is him. This is literally the first year he's even ever made it out of the first weekend of the tournament. And let's be real honest here, he's also had a fairly easy path to the national title game. Doesn't take anything away from his accomplishment but its not like he is the next John Wooden or some program miracle worker either.
I don't think I'm saying anything delusional here at all. In fact I think what I'm saying is more rational than folks saying we should have signed this guy for $6 million then or he's worth $12 million a year now. It's a nice run but there are many coaches who would have the success he is having if they took over UCONN when he did.
But people are talking about Hurley being a sure thing here at Pitt saying it would take paying him $6 million to come here. And if he did we would be in the national championship game this year. And my point is that is not entirely true. He took over a blue blood program and actually struggled the first few years before getting his footing and having a great year. But UCONN has considerably more resources and prestige than Pitt. They have won 4 nationals championships since 1999 so all these kids grew up watching UCONN dominate. They literally won a national championship 4 years before he took over.
So let's stop acting like all of his success is him. This is literally the first year he's even ever made it out of the first weekend of the tournament. And let's be real honest here, he's also had a fairly easy path to the national title game. Doesn't take anything away from his accomplishment but its not like he is the next John Wooden or some program miracle worker either.
I don't think I'm saying anything delusional here at all. In fact I think what I'm saying is more rational than folks saying we should have signed this guy for $6 million then or he's worth $12 million a year now. It's a nice run but there are many coaches who would have the success he is having if they took over UCONN when he did.
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He’s not here, and he’s not coming, so get over it
I feel the same way about your take. I guess we can agree to disagree then. All good.
Some just can't get over it and keep spewing their constant BS. While we're at it maybe we should've hired the SD St HC too.
Some just don't understand what kind of a mess this program was and hurley was never sincere about coming here. H2P!!!
I don't disagree, but why is it that it's easier to be good at basketball at UConn? I kind of remember that UConn was a Big East doormat before like 1998 or somewhere around there?
Uconn was very good in the 90's....
1995–96 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team - Wikipedia
UConn made their first Calhoun elite eight in 1989-90, they've been really good for a long time now. Even in years they lose 12 games, they're a final four threat just from how much talent they bring in.
Brian Dutcher is 63 years old so maybe he'll never be a hot commodity but he's 151-46 at San Diego State. I like their wheel/block offense, kinda fun to watch. And the last four years they've gone 59-11 in conference and were a projected #2 seed before the NCAA tournament was canceled from COVID. They really force you to switch on screens with all those pin downs, I will be interested to see how Uconn's very good defense schemes for it.
Brian Dutcher is 63 years old so maybe he'll never be a hot commodity but he's 151-46 at San Diego State. I like their wheel/block offense, kinda fun to watch. And the last four years they've gone 59-11 in conference and were a projected #2 seed before the NCAA tournament was canceled from COVID. They really force you to switch on screens with all those pin downs, I will be interested to see how Uconn's very good defense schemes for it.
Right. Taking on the mess here that previous regimes left was a risk to derail a career for any incoming coach. This wasn’t a job that an up and coming coach was likely to take if they had other options (unless we were going to get someone from the low major like we did with Howland). This was a perfect fit for Capel looking to stay over as a HC after his earlier failures.
I mean do you guys not know that UConn put themselves on probation just to get rid of Kevin Ollie and firing a black national title winning coach was a terrible PR move or are you guys just willfully ignorant?
Dude, you’re the guy who wanted to fire Dixon for freaking Andy enfield after two good games in the tournament. Enfield has been solid, but if he was doing at Pitt what he has done at USC you’d want him fired.
All anyone is saying is that it isn’t a guarantee. You tend to act like hiring a coach means automatic success.
Do you not realize that UConn is a very prestigious program in the most fertile recruiting ground in the country, plays in a conference a ton of the top north east kids want to play in, and has had as good a last thirty years as just about any team?
And Pitt was good from 2001-2015, used to have an established brand and plays in what was supposed to be the best conference in the country? What does any of that have to do with taking over a mess of a program on probation?
If you hire an elite coach, you’re gonna have elite results. How has Rhode Island done since Hurley left? How were they before he took over?
Yes UConn has a ton of advantages and is near blue blood. And they could’ve absolutely messed up their hire and been mediocre or worse. Instead they hit a home run and will likely win 2-3 titles under Hurley.
Yes UConn has a ton of advantages and is near blue blood. And they could’ve absolutely messed up their hire and been mediocre or worse. Instead they hit a home run and will likely win 2-3 titles under Hurley.
If you go back to March 2016 though and hire Capel right after Dixon instead of Stallings, things may have been much different too…
Also Hurley wanted free reign here and Pitt just doesn't let that happen. Both UCONN womens and mens teams have been successful for years with the help of major $$$$.
I’m not saying we’d be in the title game if Hurley was here but it’s silly to act like a top 10 coach wouldn’t get us to our ceiling as a program. Jamie Dixon elevated us to our ceiling with limited resources and he’s a top 25-30ish coach.
Lyke, her support and the resources would’ve been an elite combo with Hurley. Hopefully it will be with as Capel moving forward as well.
He'd probably be gone by now. UCONN is not a blue blood, but they are in the next class of programs. It's a destination job. They might lose a coach to the NBA or Duke/UNC, but that's it.
Pitt is a decent job, but Hurley would have bolted from here for a major program as soon as he could have.
Pitt is a decent job, but Hurley would have bolted from here for a major program as soon as he could have.
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