The list of potential candidates for the open head coaching position for men's basketball at the University of Kentucky got noticeably shorter today. Billy Donovan announced that he is staying at Florida and Rick Barnes announced he is staying at Texas. The only recognizable names that are still being mentioned are Tom Izzo, Tom Crean, Mark Few, Billy Gillespie, Mike Brey, and John Thompson III. I'm sure there are some other coaches being considered, but nobody else's name seems to be getting any public mention. Mitch's job just got harder.
I still think that Mitch is going to offer the job to Mark Few or Tom Crean. I'm also sure that he will take considerable heat from the fans and alumni if he hires either one of them. John Thompson III will also never be a fan favorite and his selection would also cause Mitch some trouble. If Mitch were to choose Brey or Gillespie he would have to hope they could produce wins in a hurry because neither one of them would be as popular with the fans as Few or Crean. This would leave Izzo as the only choice among the previously mentioned candidates (in my opinion) that the fans and alumni would accept as a worthy replacement for Tubby. I'm just not sure Izzo would want the job. So, where does that leave Mitch?
Well, in my opinion the safest hire for Mitch would be Travis Ford or John Pelphrey. I'm not sure either one is ready for this big of a job, but I think the fans and alumni would happily accept either one. I just wonder how long the fans would be willing to wait for either one to return Kentucky to glory, so to speak. The bigger question is whether either one would accept the job if it was offered.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment