CMac to Butler

[Will C]

I should add that the Fever really run a good show. It is hard to imagine how any other WNBA team could top them.

 

[HuckFinn]

Margaret has wanted out for a long time and she has given a bunch of subtle clues. If ND had offered the job to Fran, the McCaffery family couldn’t have got packed up fast enough to leave.

Will you please stop with this totally unproven claim regarding Margaret. “subtle clues” = Bull Shit.

 

[Zstatman]

Elite AAU programs generate a truckload of money. I don't have proof of this, but my educated guess is he isn't doing this as a step down. He's likely been brought in as part ownership and is lined up to make some serious bank. If you saw the amount of cash these parents lay out to put their kids in these leagues you'd poop yourself. They don't just pay for a roster spot, they pay thousands for getting hooked up with showcase leagues, private coaching from the staff, the list goes on and on. Add to that sponsorships, and it doesn't take long to be rolling in it. There's a reason most of these kids come from private schools or Waukee, Ankeny, Johnston, etc. These are some seriously rich kids from the 'burbs in most cases.

In today's world AAU isn't just an opportunity to play higher level basketball, the elite teams are an intermediate making money from parents, scouts, showcase leagues, agents, and big time sponsors by starting all those connections. If Ted and Jeanette have a bunch of disposable income and Coach says little Johnny has a shot at D1, they'll write blank checks essentially. Where AAU programs have the racket is that it's a necessary evil to get noticed by D1 programs. If you don't get on the circuit in high school and get your film out there in major events, it ain't happening. Baseball is the same way with Perfect Game and PBR, volleyball for girls is same thing as AAU basketball. Oliver is gettin PAID.

It's hard to find out much about Iowa United online. All I could find for a toster is Shabazz and a 7 footer, don't remember his name.

What I did find is that Adidas is a sponsor so there is some of your money.

 

[guffus]

A thought just occurred to me.

I just saw a story about how Caitlin Clark was acting like the coach during an Indiana Fever time out. This got me wondering if Caitlin Clark could be named the player-coach for the Fever in a couple of years, or....

Or as an alternative option, maybe Conner McCaffery could be named the Indiana Fever head coach in a couple of years.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

The road to becoming a coach is going to be a whole lot faster and more fruitful going up through the college ranks vs spending time at a middling NBA team as a glorified intern.

Nobody learned that more then Hoiberg.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

This discussion makes me think of Dean Oliver, who I mentioned in the Shabazz thread, is the new coach at Iowa United Prep in Des Moines. He has been an assistant at Illinois ST, North Dakota, and now Wisconsin for 9 years. I'd bet he's applied for head coaching jobs while at Wisconsin and not getting the traction he wanted. I don't blame him for taking a seeming step down going to the HS ranks but if he does really well, recruits the top athletes, maybe something will open up for him. He has paid his dues. And his name has been thrown out there as a Fran replacement although most would say no chance. Now, he also has a son being recruited by Iowa football, his wife is probably from Iowa, so basically, he's coming home.

How much time does Fran really have left at Iowa? By my count he's 65 so, if he wants, he could have another good 5 years, maybe less if family ties pull him to Indiana. Payton Sandfort has said he thought Fran was gone to leave after last year but here he is. Will he want to coach Shabazz, who just committed heading into his junior year of high school?

My guess is Matt Gatens will be a leading candidate whenever Fran leaves. He's paid his dues, coached at Drake and Iowa, seems to be in on recruiting some top players. He bleeds black and gold. And, he's guaranteed nothing.

And, while CMac does seem to have good coaching DNA, I don't know that he'll be seasoned enough candidate when Fran steps down. By my count, Thhad Matta is 57. As some have suggested, CMac might be a fit to replace him at Butler.

Yeah Goetz is going to be such a wild card. She was all about making the obvious hire in Jan when Bluder retired. Will that line of thinking apply here? Granted Gatens is pretty green behind the gills still comparatively speaking. Oliver has been around longer just never gotten an HC gig yet. Or will she look totally outside the program to put her own stamp on it? Hard to say at this point but I think we'll be crossing that bridge soon enough.

Once Frans an empty nester I'll be surprised if he's still here. His boys will all be in Indiana this yr/the next. Not sure where his daughter goes to college or if she's done with it yet. Just feels like they aren't long in the tooth to be sticking around much longer.