In Capel's head

[Sean Miller Fan]

This is what I think Capel thinks of the decision to take the Pitt job.

- He wants to be a HC again.

- He'd love to be the Duke HC but so would a lot of people. He wasn't going to get that job from being an AHC at Duke because he has the black mark from OU. Plus the competition is fierce and he may be unlikely to get it no matter the circumstance. Right now, you have guys like Wojo, Collins, Bobby Hurley, Amaker, Dawkins. Then throw in ANY big-time college coach: Jay Wright, Greg Marshall, heck maybe even John Calipari. You'd also think the job would attract attention from NBA coaches like Brad Stevens and Billy Donovan. So, point is Capel knows he is unlikely to be the next Duke coach.

- So where should Capel be a HC? I think he'd prefer to be in the ACC. When you look at the league, UNC/Wake/NCSU are probably out due to rival reasons. Clemson isnt far from home but its a diehard football school and I dont know if he'd be comfortable with that. Syracuse would probably go in a different direction after Boeheim. Process of elimination leaves Pitt, BC, Miami, FSU, GT, and Lou. He didn't get the GT job and besides Louisville, none of those other jobs are better than the Pitt job depending on how you want to define it.

- I think Capel wanted an ACC program where he felt he could recruit, where he could sell a vision and be able to maintain success. He has seen at different times, Pitt, WVU, Nova, Gtown, Maryland, and UVa all sustain very high levels of success all within a 4 hour radius.

- Capel KNOWS there are PLENTY and I mean PLENTY of players within a 4-5 hour drive from Pittsburgh. People make excuses about not having players 20 minutes away but in 5 hours you could be selling playing close to home for players from Philly, DC, Baltimore, NYC, NJ, Toronto, Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati. And he can sell playing in the ACC, a league he knows and believes in.

- In Jeff Capel's head, I really believe he sees Pitt as a place where he can accomplish all of his dreams if they cant happen at Duke. Now, while big money from Michigan State, or Ohio State, or Florida (just throwing out random teams) would be difficult to turn down if the time came, if Capel is attracting that interest, then that means we are winning big, making lots of money and in position to match or beat offers. And if Capel is winning here, I dont think he jump the first time a bigger program in the B12, B10, SEC, or P12 came calling. He has spoken many times about OU being somewhat of a bad fit because he was unfamiliar with the area.

- If Jeff Capel was truly being honest I would bet he saw what Dixon did here without great recruits. And he sees what Jay Wright is doing with very good (but not 1 and dones) recruits and thinks "why CANT we do that here?" Not saying Final Fours or NC's are inevitable but I believe that Capel believes he can recruit enough talent here that that could be on the table at some point. Remember all you need to do is get say, a Top 6 seed, a few lucky breaks, and you're in the 4.

 

[pittzap]

This is what I think Capel thinks of the decision to take the Pitt job.

- He wants to be a HC again.

- He'd love to be the Duke HC but so would a lot of people. He wasn't going to get that job from being an AHC at Duke because he has the black mark from OU. Plus the competition is fierce and he may be unlikely to get it no matter the circumstance. Right now, you have guys like Wojo, Collins, Bobby Hurley, Amaker, Dawkins. Then throw in ANY big-time college coach: Jay Wright, Greg Marshall, heck maybe even John Calipari. You'd also think the job would attract attention from NBA coaches like Brad Stevens and Billy Donovan. So, point is Capel knows he is unlikely to be the next Duke coach.

- So where should Capel be a HC? I think he'd prefer to be in the ACC. When you look at the league, UNC/Wake/NCSU are probably out due to rival reasons. Clemson isnt far from home but its a diehard football school and I dont know if he'd be comfortable with that. Syracuse would probably go in a different direction after Boeheim. Process of elimination leaves Pitt, BC, Miami, FSU, GT, and Lou. He didn't get the GT job and besides Louisville, none of those other jobs are better than the Pitt job depending on how you want to define it.

- I think Capel wanted an ACC program where he felt he could recruit, where he could sell a vision and be able to maintain success. He has seen at different times, Pitt, WVU, Nova, Gtown, Maryland, and UVa all sustain very high levels of success all within a 4 hour radius.

- Capel KNOWS there are PLENTY and I mean PLENTY of players within a 4-5 hour drive from Pittsburgh. People make excuses about not having players 20 minutes away but in 5 hours you could be selling playing close to home for players from Philly, DC, Baltimore, NYC, NJ, Toronto, Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati. And he can sell playing in the ACC, a league he knows and believes in.

- In Jeff Capel's head, I really believe he sees Pitt as a place where he can accomplish all of his dreams if they cant happen at Duke. Now, while big money from Michigan State, or Ohio State, or Florida (just throwing out random teams) would be difficult to turn down if the time came, if Capel is attracting that interest, then that means we are winning big, making lots of money and in position to match or beat offers. And if Capel is winning here, I dont think he jump the first time a bigger program in the B12, B10, SEC, or P12 came calling. He has spoken many times about OU being somewhat of a bad fit because he was unfamiliar with the area.

- If Jeff Capel was truly being honest I would bet he saw what Dixon did here without great recruits. And he sees what Jay Wright is doing with very good (but not 1 and dones) recruits and thinks "why CANT we do that here?" Not saying Final Fours or NC's are inevitable but I believe that Capel believes he can recruit enough talent here that that could be on the table at some point. Remember all you need to do is get say, a Top 6 seed, a few lucky breaks, and you're in the 4.

1. It’s a head coaching job.
2. It’s in the ACC.
3. It’s in a good sports city.
4. Screw Duquesne and RMU, it’s THE basketball show in town when they are winning.
5. We are not too far removed from being a really good team and program; meaning it can be done at Pitt.
6. The Pete can get rocking and can be a very tough place to play.
7. He’s not replacing the best coach in the history of the school. He’s replacing one of the worst coming off of a historically bad season where he can put his stamp on an ACC program.

It’s a good job for a head coach. It’s potentially a really good job for a coach who can recruit. He knows he can recruit.

 

[levance2]

One of the famous lines from The West Wing was "Let Bartlet be Bartlet," ie let the guy be his best and get out of his way.

Capel knows Pitt is a school and a fanbase that can and has supported a winner. He says repeatedly that Lyke sold him on a vision. I think he feels enabled to get and to do whatever he needs to be successful here. Lyke is going to let Capel be Capel.

So many people said that nobody would take this job if you fired Stallings because he was so "respected." I always maintained that anyone with self-confidence would be thrilled to take over a program following such a spectacular failure of a coach. He can say and do pretty much anything he wants right now and people are still going to cheer him for it, just because he's not Sleepy.

 

[Jeffburgh]

One of the famous lines from The West Wing was "Let Bartlet be Bartlet," ie let the guy be his best and get out of his way.

Capel knows Pitt is a school and a fanbase that can and has supported a winner. He says repeatedly that Lyke sold him on a vision. I think he feels enabled to get and to do whatever he needs to be successful here. Lyke is going to let Capel be Capel.

So many people said that nobody would take this job if you fired Stallings because he was so "respected." I always maintained that anyone with self-confidence would be thrilled to take over a program following such a spectacular failure of a coach. He can say and do pretty much anything he wants right now and people are still going to cheer him for it, just because he's not Sleepy.

The primary thing holding the program back was the Keystone Cops in the admin. New Chancellor who values athletics, finally got an AD who is in tune with the age in which we live.

 

[Las Panteras]

head coach in ACC > assistant HC in ACC

The end.

 

[Jeffburgh]

It isn't complicated or any kind of mystery. He pretty much has said what he was thinking.

1) He was not desperate for a HC job, he had done it already and had one of the handful of best assistant gigs. He had some interesting offers prior to Pitt, and would have other interesting offers come his way eventually.

2) He definitely preferred to be in the ACC.

3) He had seen the program at its best - he knew it, and even Coach K had said it when they talked, they had seen what it was like when the program was successful and playing against them in Pete, and the Zoo. They know it is potentially a sleeping giant.

4) He was lucky enough to be a HC at an extremely early age, and is in the unique position where he has had past experience a HC, can look back at his mistakes, took seven years off go back to earn his doctoral degree in coaching from Coach K and still be at a reasonably good age to take anther shot at it.

5) Given all of that, he wanted the best possible situation, and believe it or not, he sees Pitt as that. He truly believes he can win ACC titles, get to FFS and even win NCs at Pitt.

6) And, I know people get stuck on him and Duke, but he has pretty much said he wants to build HIS legacy here. His own thing.

7) I also get the sense that he views this an opportunity for his family to live in a place where there is more going on, a city experience, but not in an overwhelming way.

8) The cherry on top, dude is a Steelers fan ...

 

[Fsgolfdr]

The issues with this fathers health made staying near him a priority which now no longer exists . Doubt he takes the job if his father was still alive .

 

[dukedevilz]

5) Given all of that, he wanted the best possible situation, and believe it or not, he sees Pitt as that. He truly believes he can win ACC titles, get to FFS and even win NCs at Pitt.

This. Capel was not desperate for a HC position. He wanted the right fit - and certainly finding a P5 School in the ACC was an added bonus. He was previously targeted by both Georgia Tech and Arizona State. But, he removed his name from consideration for both positions.

 

[Haydman]

One of the famous lines from The West Wing was "Let Bartlet be Bartlet," ie let the guy be his best and get out of his way.

Capel knows Pitt is a school and a fanbase that can and has supported a winner. He says repeatedly that Lyke sold him on a vision. I think he feels enabled to get and to do whatever he needs to be successful here. Lyke is going to let Capel be Capel.

So many people said that nobody would take this job if you fired Stallings because he was so "respected." I always maintained that anyone with self-confidence would be thrilled to take over a program following such a spectacular failure of a coach. He can say and do pretty much anything he wants right now and people are still going to cheer him for it, just because he's not Sleepy.

I always thought that was the most ridiculous argument for keeping KS. Even worse than the same people who also talked about lack of $$ to buy him out.

Some just don't get it. There's only so many head coaching jobs in the top conferences. Guys want them. And to make it this far they all believe they can turn a program around.

 

[R-M-U-h-o-o-p-s-f-a-n]

Screw Duquesne and RMU

Very kind of u to say...

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

It isn't complicated or any kind of mystery. He pretty much has said what he was thinking.

1) He was not desperate for a HC job, he had done it already and had one of the handful of best assistant gigs. He had some interesting offers prior to Pitt, and would have other interesting offers come his way eventually.

2) He definitely preferred to be in the ACC.

3) He had seen the program at its best - he knew it, and even Coach K had said it when they talked, they had seen what it was like when the program was successful and playing against them in Pete, and the Zoo. They know it is potentially a sleeping giant.

4) He was lucky enough to be a HC at an extremely early age, and is in the unique position where he has had past experience a HC, can look back at his mistakes, took seven years off go back to earn his doctoral degree in coaching from Coach K and still be at a reasonably good age to take anther shot at it.

5) Given all of that, he wanted the best possible situation, and believe it or not, he sees Pitt as that. He truly believes he can win ACC titles, get to FFS and even win NCs at Pitt.

6) And, I know people get stuck on him and Duke, but he has pretty much said he wants to build HIS legacy here. His own thing.

7) I also get the sense that he views this an opportunity for his family to live in a place where there is more going on, a city experience, but not in an overwhelming way.

8) The cherry on top, dude is a Steelers fan ...

Yea. The cliff notes version of my OP is that I believe he sees Pitt truly as the perfect fit. Now, all coaches will say that in press conferences and interviews but in Capel's case I think its actually the truth. Pitt was one of a smallish group of schools he would have left for. Crazy if this works out and we somehow lucked into this.

 

[Fsgolfdr]

I always thought that was the most ridiculous argument for keeping KS. Even worse than the same people who also talked about lack of $$ to buy him out.

Some just don't get it. There's only so many head coaching jobs in the top conferences. Guys want them. And to make it this far they all believe they can turn a program around.

It’s not like any job paying several million dollars a yr of guaranteed money for multiple yrs is a bad job ! The issue wasn’t if they could find somebody it was if any of the top coaches available would choose Pitt over other schools.
I think the hiring of Jeff Chapel surprised everyone and the ease he had in being able to so quickly sign a top 100 guy is beyond impressive .
I’ve totally changed my position on what’s important on the factors that recruits use to decide where to play . It’s all about the HC (90%) and Pitt found itself a guy kids want to play for . Like I said Heather earned her extension !
Ps ..it’s kind of ironic that the guys on the roster last yr are the ones who are a little shaky on JC . Guess they’re concerned with roles moving forward !

 

[CJsE]

1. They weren't going to give him the Duke job.

2. If he succeeds here for 5-6 years, they might give him the Duke job.

3. It's a win-win for him and the program.

 

[Jpripper88]

It’s not like any job paying several million dollars a yr of guaranteed money for multiple yrs is a bad job ! The issue wasn’t if they could find somebody it was if any of the top coaches available would choose Pitt over other schools.
I think the hiring of Jeff Chapel surprised everyone and the ease he had in being able to so quickly sign a top 100 guy is beyond impressive .
I’ve totally changed my position on what’s important on the factors that recruits use to decide where to play . It’s all about the HC (90%) and Pitt found itself a guy kids want to play for . Like I said Heather earned her extension !
Ps ..it’s kind of ironic that the guys on the roster last yr are the ones who are a little shaky on JC . Guess they’re concerned with roles moving forward !

I'm glad you've seen the light.

 

[Fsgolfdr]

I'm glad you've seen the light.

Didn’t think Pitt could ever attract a coach with the recruiting abilities of JC . Glad I was wrong .

 

[4Mark_Marty]

It’s not like any job paying several million dollars a yr of guaranteed money for multiple yrs is a bad job ! The issue wasn’t if they could find somebody it was if any of the top coaches available would choose Pitt over other schools.
I think the hiring of Jeff Chapel surprised everyone and the ease he had in being able to so quickly sign a top 100 guy is beyond impressive .
I’ve totally changed my position on what’s important on the factors that recruits use to decide where to play . It’s all about the HC (90%) and Pitt found itself a guy kids want to play for . Like I said Heather earned her extension !
Ps ..it’s kind of ironic that the guys on the roster last yr are the ones who are a little shaky on JC . Guess they’re concerned with roles moving forward !

That’s why our last two guys couldn’t recruit PT P ers. It wasn’t lack of local talent, city school, Pitt is small time, or anything else. It was kids flat out did not want to play for Dixon and Stallings, for whatever reason. I’d have my reasons not to want to play for them too.