Take these names off the list

[hoopsguy72]

I could be wrong, but I think there's four names we can safely take off Pitt's list:

Matta, Crean, Shrewsberry, and Jent.

My simple rationale: If any of the three were/are the hire, there's no reason the negotiations couldn't have/shouldn't have been done prior to Stallings' dismissal. And time's of the essence. The sooner Pitt can have its new coach in the fold, the sooner: a) He can begin recruiting the current players he wants to keep, preventing them from getting too far down the transfer rabbit hole, b) He can hit the recruiting trail for '18-'19 and either recruit over guys at bottom of roster, fill positional holes, and potentially recruit upgrades.

For those four prospective coaches, given that they have no current recruits or players, hiring quickly would be even more important, since their recruiting ramp-up time will take longer and they have no existing recruits or grad transfers to attempt to bring with them.

If, in fact, Lyke isn't blowing smoke that this was in the works since January, the only reason we wouldn't have a coach at this point is because the intent is to hire a coach who is still coaching in the tourney. If it's someone who's either taking a gap year (Matta, Crean) or in the NBA (Jent, Shrewsberry), it would actually hurt Pitt at this point to not have the deal done.

My $.02.

 

[DiehardPanther]

I could be wrong, but I think there's four names we can safely take off Pitt's list:

Matta, Crean, Shrewsberry, and Jent.

My simple rationale: If any of the three were/are the hire, there's no reason the negotiations couldn't have/shouldn't have been done prior to Stallings' dismissal. And time's of the essence. The sooner Pitt can have its new coach in the fold, the sooner: a) He can begin recruiting the current players he wants to keep, preventing them from getting too far down the transfer rabbit hole, b) He can hit the recruiting trail for '18-'19 and either recruit over guys at bottom of roster, fill positional holes, and potentially recruit upgrades.

For those four prospective coaches, given that they have no current recruits or players, hiring quickly would be even more important, since their recruiting ramp-up time will take longer and they have no existing recruits or grad transfers to attempt to bring with them.

If, in fact, Lyke isn't blowing smoke that this was in the works since January, the only reason we wouldn't have a coach at this point is because the intent is to hire a coach who is still coaching in the tourney. If it's someone who's either taking a gap year (Matta, Crean) or in the NBA (Jent, Shrewsberry), it would actually hurt Pitt at this point to not have the deal done.

My $.02.

Possibly - it is still fairly early.

 

[hoopsguy72]

Possibly - it is still fairly early.

Early IF they really decided to fire Stallings last week (I seriously, seriously doubt that). Not at all early if they decided after, "Hey, at least we don't pay our players $100,000." Hell, if that's when they decided, it's been 10 weeks.

To me, there's no reasonable explanation, if one of those four guys is their target, not to already have him in the fold. Unless none of them are actually targeted. Now, if Lyke doesn't land one of her other guys, could it come back 'round? Sure. But it just strikes me as illogical to not get it done quickly if the new coach isn't currently constrained by existing NCAA coaching responsibilities.

 

[Harve74]

I could be wrong, but I think there's four names we can safely take off Pitt's list:

Matta, Crean, Shrewsberry, and Jent.

My simple rationale: If any of the three were/are the hire, there's no reason the negotiations couldn't have/shouldn't have been done prior to Stallings' dismissal. And time's of the essence. The sooner Pitt can have its new coach in the fold, the sooner: a) He can begin recruiting the current players he wants to keep, preventing them from getting too far down the transfer rabbit hole, b) He can hit the recruiting trail for '18-'19 and either recruit over guys at bottom of roster, fill positional holes, and potentially recruit upgrades.

For those four prospective coaches, given that they have no current recruits or players, hiring quickly would be even more important, since their recruiting ramp-up time will take longer and they have no existing recruits or grad transfers to attempt to bring with them.

If, in fact, Lyke isn't blowing smoke that this was in the works since January, the only reason we wouldn't have a coach at this point is because the intent is to hire a coach who is still coaching in the tourney. If it's someone who's either taking a gap year (Matta, Crean) or in the NBA (Jent, Shrewsberry), it would actually hurt Pitt at this point to not have the deal done.

My $.02.

Pitt legally can't hire anyone until the job has been posted 7 days.

Lyke is playing this very close to the vest. NOTHING is being leaked out by Pitt. Still, from other sources, it seems Crean and Matta have been out of consideration for several days. Or longer.

It seems likely Hurley is the first choice fir both Pitt and UConn. If he choses UConn when URI is eliminated, Pitt could quickly switch and sign a secondary choice, if that choice is not still in of the tournament.

 

[gary2]

Pitt legally can't hire anyone until the job has been posted 7 days.

Lyke is playing this very close to the vest. NOTHING is being leaked out by Pitt. Still, from other sources, it seems Crean and Matta have been out of consideration for several days. Or longer.

It seems likely Hurley is the first choice fir both Pitt and UConn. If he choses UConn when URI is eliminated, Pitt could quickly switch and sign a secondary choice, if that choice is not still in of the tournament.

Absolutely correct.

Jent ,Shrewsbury (or Sanchez) may already have an agreement in principle in place. They may have already begun to assemble their staffs, but legally no announcement can be made.

I believe it is likely the above is the case OR we have a handshake agreement with a coach currently in a tournament.

 

[hoopsguy72]

Absolutely correct.

Jent ,Shrewsbury (or Sanchez) may already have an agreement in principle in place. They may have already begun to assemble their staffs, but legally no announcement can be made.

I believe it is likely the above is the case OR we have a handshake agreement with a coach currently in a tournament.

Didn't know about the 7-day gig. Is that a PA state law or ... ?

 

[Jpripper88]

Pitt legally can't hire anyone until the job has been posted 7 days.

Lyke is playing this very close to the vest. NOTHING is being leaked out by Pitt. Still, from other sources, it seems Crean and Matta have been out of consideration for several days. Or longer.

It seems likely Hurley is the first choice fir both Pitt and UConn. If he choses UConn when URI is eliminated, Pitt could quickly switch and sign a secondary choice, if that choice is not still in of the tournament.

This x100. The OP x-100.

 

[hoopsguy72]

Pitt legally can't hire anyone until the job has been posted 7 days.

Lyke is playing this very close to the vest. NOTHING is being leaked out by Pitt. Still, from other sources, it seems Crean and Matta have been out of consideration for several days. Or longer.

It seems likely Hurley is the first choice fir both Pitt and UConn. If he choses UConn when URI is eliminated, Pitt could quickly switch and sign a secondary choice, if that choice is not still in of the tournament.

The 7-day waiting period being the case, if Pitt had its guy, they could still easily leak who that guy was if things were in place. So, I think I stick by my OP. But as dominoes fall, a la Matta gets hired by Georgia and, potentially, Hurley by UCONN, it makes you wonder if a name like Jent might come back around.

 

[Jpripper88]

The 7-day waiting period being the case, if Pitt had its guy, they could still easily leak who that guy was if things were in place. So, I think I stick by my OP. But as dominoes fall, a la Matta gets hired by Georgia and, potentially, Hurley by UCONN, it makes you wonder if a name like Jent might come back around.

But they pretty clearly have Hurley on their list or on the top of it. They aren't going to hire anyone until he is out of the tournament and probably not until he turns them down.

There is no way we should expect they would have announced or leaked anything, unless they were doing it to gauge fan response to a middling hire. Hurley or Matta would be a homerun with fans, so there is no need there and until both are out of the picture, it is very doubtful even that process would start.

 

[hoopsguy72]

But they pretty clearly have Hurley on their list or on the top of it. They aren't going to hire anyone until he is out of the tournament and probably not until he turns them down.

There is no way we should expect they would have announced or leaked anything, unless they were doing it to gauge fan response to a middling hire. Hurley or Matta would be a homerun with fans, so there is no need there and until both are out of the picture, it is very doubtful even that process would start.

Oh, totally agreed. Thus, my OP. I think that their No. 1 target is clearly unavailable at the moment, or they'd have already leaked the name. And I think Hurley has to be target 1, 1A, and 1B. If it were Jent or Shrewsbury, who could literally be in their new Oakland office this weekend, the name would already be floating, I think.

 

[Jpripper88]

Oh, totally agreed. Thus, my OP. I think that their No. 1 target is clearly unavailable at the moment, or they'd have already leaked the name. And I think Hurley has to be target 1, 1A, and 1B. If it were Jent or Shrewsbury, who could literally be in their new Oakland office this weekend, the name would already be floating, I think.

But that doesn't eliminate those guys. They could still be options if Hurley isn't hired and they wouldn't be leaked until Hurley is out of the running.

 

[hoopsguy72]

A

But that doesn't eliminate those guys. They could still be options if Hurley isn't hired and they wouldn't be leaked until Hurley is out of the running.

Yep. Agree there too. I think I wrote in my OP that it could come back around if they don't get their guy(s). Obviously it doesn't look like Matta will still be there, and it doesn't appear that Crean was ever an option. We'll see. Gonna be a long few days/weeks. Just really hoping they don't screw this up.

 

[TD_6082]

Early IF they really decided to fire Stallings last week (I seriously, seriously doubt that). Not at all early if they decided after, "Hey, at least we don't pay our players $100,000." Hell, if that's when they decided, it's been 10 weeks.

To me, there's no reasonable explanation, if one of those four guys is their target, not to already have him in the fold. Unless none of them are actually targeted. Now, if Lyke doesn't land one of her other guys, could it come back 'round? Sure. But it just strikes me as illogical to not get it done quickly if the new coach isn't currently constrained by existing NCAA coaching responsibilities.

It's hard to get them "in the fold" so to speak just because you open the job up early. It takes two to tango, and I don't think any coach would want to accept until they know what other jobs are on the market. It just doesn't make any sense to take the first job open if there is demand for your services.