The more things change at NU, the more they stay the same.
There's $30M(COVID 2021)-$50M (2020) coming in before donations, tickets, NCAA tourney money and football. But NU doesn't want to take even the slightest money hit. It blows my mind how short-sighted that obvious financial decision is. I wonder how much the pretty-clear throw-away season will reduce other revenues?
However, the decision disappoints me more for two more reasons:
1) Maybe it's just a recency bias in me. But it sure seemed like there were more quality, experienced coaching possibilities out there that NU might have had a decent shot with:
Mark Turgeon - Reportedly, he had enough of the pressure at Maryland. What better answer than NU? He's rumored for KSU, Missouri and Rhode Island. So it seems like he was in the ballpark.
Chris Mack - Things ended badly at Louisville, but it's been proven that fan base is nutty. If I'm Gragg, I'd love to hear the discussion of what happened. Need to rehab your career? Welcome to NU!!
Thad Matta - Another rehab whose name is all over the place. Pass a physical and stress test, and I'm in! And I'm always stunned he's only in his mid 50s.
Bruce Weber - I admit he's long in the tooth, but he knows how to get it done in a P6 conference with less-than talent. And now he'll be another year older next year.
John Beilein - I know, I know. It's a dream - especially now. But his Cleveland contract demonstrated one thing: He can be lured by money. He's the oldest of this list, but that's a guy I have no problem WAY overpaying for.
Before someone barks that these are the old guys, every one of them has multiple Sweet 16s and a host of tourney teams. And all of them except Mack have done it as head guys at multiple schools.
Yes, I can see Gates, McCausland and Anthony Grant as more than flavors of the year. But I think the old guys have the experience NU needed to get this going long term. I think a decent AD could have swayed one of these guys to rehab NU and their career.
2) The other realization ... if NU has no problem suffering through another mediocre year to save a few bucks, there's NO WAY they're paying real money for anybody with experience to come in here while they still have two years on CC's contract.
Start scouting the mid-majors boys. D*mn,
There's $30M(COVID 2021)-$50M (2020) coming in before donations, tickets, NCAA tourney money and football. But NU doesn't want to take even the slightest money hit. It blows my mind how short-sighted that obvious financial decision is. I wonder how much the pretty-clear throw-away season will reduce other revenues?
However, the decision disappoints me more for two more reasons:
1) Maybe it's just a recency bias in me. But it sure seemed like there were more quality, experienced coaching possibilities out there that NU might have had a decent shot with:
Mark Turgeon - Reportedly, he had enough of the pressure at Maryland. What better answer than NU? He's rumored for KSU, Missouri and Rhode Island. So it seems like he was in the ballpark.
Chris Mack - Things ended badly at Louisville, but it's been proven that fan base is nutty. If I'm Gragg, I'd love to hear the discussion of what happened. Need to rehab your career? Welcome to NU!!
Thad Matta - Another rehab whose name is all over the place. Pass a physical and stress test, and I'm in! And I'm always stunned he's only in his mid 50s.
Bruce Weber - I admit he's long in the tooth, but he knows how to get it done in a P6 conference with less-than talent. And now he'll be another year older next year.
John Beilein - I know, I know. It's a dream - especially now. But his Cleveland contract demonstrated one thing: He can be lured by money. He's the oldest of this list, but that's a guy I have no problem WAY overpaying for.
Before someone barks that these are the old guys, every one of them has multiple Sweet 16s and a host of tourney teams. And all of them except Mack have done it as head guys at multiple schools.
Yes, I can see Gates, McCausland and Anthony Grant as more than flavors of the year. But I think the old guys have the experience NU needed to get this going long term. I think a decent AD could have swayed one of these guys to rehab NU and their career.
2) The other realization ... if NU has no problem suffering through another mediocre year to save a few bucks, there's NO WAY they're paying real money for anybody with experience to come in here while they still have two years on CC's contract.
Start scouting the mid-majors boys. D*mn,
