This is all my opinion, so take it for what is worth to you. I am still shocked. I will start with the positives.
Kevin Stallings is a good basketball coach. He is. Not a great one, but a good one. He has been fairly consistent., and recruits a little more offensive. He has produced a few NBA players, which isn't easy to do at Vanderbilt. It is not easy to recruit to Vanderbilt either. For this to work, you have to assume that a change of scenery will help, and that he can recruit even better players to Pitt without the strict academic requirements.
With that being said, this is probably the one guy that will not generate any optimism. He is coming from a bad league and has not done much of anything in the tournament. The one year he had 3 NBA prospects and didn't make the tournament. This season was also a huge disappointment. Vanderbilt was trying everything they could to get rid of him. He was probably getting fired after next season.
Vanderbilt reached out to candidates through third parties to gauge interest several weeks ago. They had the same situation as Pitt did with Dixon, but worse. What makes it even more troubling, is that I heard Pitt paid Vanderbilt some money. Can't make this stuff up.
On the surface, it is a terrible hire. Letting Dixon walk is fine, but you can't come back with a hire like this. They needed to energize the fans and excite the boosters. Stallings was the one guy that had no angle to excite. From everyone that I have spoken to, he rubs people the wrong way. He threatened a player that he was going to kill him in a layup line. Admitted publicly that he lost a team. Just so many red flags.
He is not young. Barnes has stated that he plays an exciting, uptempo offense. Not true. For Pitt in a league like the ACC, I thought they had to specialize. For example, a really tough team. Or great shooters. Pressing team. Whatever it is, just be great at it and specialize. Stallings isn't elite in any one category.
The worst part about this hire is the PR. This is a search firm that was run by Todd Turner, who has ties to Stallings and Barnes. It was no secret that Stallings was getting the axe next year. Now, he gets a six year deal. I don't even understand the hire and giving him three years. SIX YEARS. You are basically saying alright, you have to be excited because this is getting forced down your throat for the next six years.
I know that the boosters are not the type that you see at Kentucky, or Arizona, or Texas. But I don't care where you are, you have to engage them. Because the first time you don't win, it is going to get ugly much faster. Not one booster that I have found is in support of this. I am not saying that Barnes should let them run the process. But he had to have an idea of how worried people were.
I was told that Barnes and the firm knew what happened with Jeter. Obviously it didn't impact the decision. I am not saying it should have either. You can't hire a guy based on one player or recruit. Even a recruiting class. I just don't see how this is the guy.
From an attendance and donation standpoint, wow. They were worried before. Unless he can somehow win the spring in and bring in a couple of studs, it may be bad. A lot will depend on what happens with the current roster.
Highly doubt there is a Pro-Am league this year. There won't be the money for it. May take at least a year.
I don't have any doubt that Stallings can win here. I just don't think he can win big. To me, the hire had to be either big, or a young and exciting guy that could rally the fan base with a high ceiling.
A lot of people have asked me if I would ask some tough questions at the press conference. Unfortunately, I have a normal 8-5 work schedule and cannot make it.
As far as who turned this job down, I have heard a lot of rumors. We know both Millers did. I'm also pretty sure Enfield did as well. I also heard that they liked Bryce Drew but he wanted too much money. Kevin Keatts was never in the mix.
I just feel for the fans. This is a very difficult sell for Barnes and the athletic department. His initial press conference and strong words did not match the outcome. I know the fans will go through the normal process. Believe me, I am a Cleveland Browns fan. Shock, frustration, denial, numbness, and then start talking yourself into it. Basically, the same cycle.
Kevin Stallings is a good basketball coach. He is. Not a great one, but a good one. He has been fairly consistent., and recruits a little more offensive. He has produced a few NBA players, which isn't easy to do at Vanderbilt. It is not easy to recruit to Vanderbilt either. For this to work, you have to assume that a change of scenery will help, and that he can recruit even better players to Pitt without the strict academic requirements.
With that being said, this is probably the one guy that will not generate any optimism. He is coming from a bad league and has not done much of anything in the tournament. The one year he had 3 NBA prospects and didn't make the tournament. This season was also a huge disappointment. Vanderbilt was trying everything they could to get rid of him. He was probably getting fired after next season.
Vanderbilt reached out to candidates through third parties to gauge interest several weeks ago. They had the same situation as Pitt did with Dixon, but worse. What makes it even more troubling, is that I heard Pitt paid Vanderbilt some money. Can't make this stuff up.
On the surface, it is a terrible hire. Letting Dixon walk is fine, but you can't come back with a hire like this. They needed to energize the fans and excite the boosters. Stallings was the one guy that had no angle to excite. From everyone that I have spoken to, he rubs people the wrong way. He threatened a player that he was going to kill him in a layup line. Admitted publicly that he lost a team. Just so many red flags.
He is not young. Barnes has stated that he plays an exciting, uptempo offense. Not true. For Pitt in a league like the ACC, I thought they had to specialize. For example, a really tough team. Or great shooters. Pressing team. Whatever it is, just be great at it and specialize. Stallings isn't elite in any one category.
The worst part about this hire is the PR. This is a search firm that was run by Todd Turner, who has ties to Stallings and Barnes. It was no secret that Stallings was getting the axe next year. Now, he gets a six year deal. I don't even understand the hire and giving him three years. SIX YEARS. You are basically saying alright, you have to be excited because this is getting forced down your throat for the next six years.
I know that the boosters are not the type that you see at Kentucky, or Arizona, or Texas. But I don't care where you are, you have to engage them. Because the first time you don't win, it is going to get ugly much faster. Not one booster that I have found is in support of this. I am not saying that Barnes should let them run the process. But he had to have an idea of how worried people were.
I was told that Barnes and the firm knew what happened with Jeter. Obviously it didn't impact the decision. I am not saying it should have either. You can't hire a guy based on one player or recruit. Even a recruiting class. I just don't see how this is the guy.
From an attendance and donation standpoint, wow. They were worried before. Unless he can somehow win the spring in and bring in a couple of studs, it may be bad. A lot will depend on what happens with the current roster.
Highly doubt there is a Pro-Am league this year. There won't be the money for it. May take at least a year.
I don't have any doubt that Stallings can win here. I just don't think he can win big. To me, the hire had to be either big, or a young and exciting guy that could rally the fan base with a high ceiling.
A lot of people have asked me if I would ask some tough questions at the press conference. Unfortunately, I have a normal 8-5 work schedule and cannot make it.
As far as who turned this job down, I have heard a lot of rumors. We know both Millers did. I'm also pretty sure Enfield did as well. I also heard that they liked Bryce Drew but he wanted too much money. Kevin Keatts was never in the mix.
I just feel for the fans. This is a very difficult sell for Barnes and the athletic department. His initial press conference and strong words did not match the outcome. I know the fans will go through the normal process. Believe me, I am a Cleveland Browns fan. Shock, frustration, denial, numbness, and then start talking yourself into it. Basically, the same cycle.
