Don't understand the love affair with Forbes

[burky247]

Let me ask this if Steve Forbes is such a heavy hitter to those in the Basketball Business. Why then is he not a HEAD COACH.

Seriously?? For the same reason guys like Buzz Williams and Josh Pastner had to wait to get a big time gig(not that they waited as long). Sometimes you have to put in your time before an opportunity comes up. And the fact that he has been an assistant for a considerable amount of time makes him an even more appealing candidate. He knows what it takes at the big time level. He's not going to come in from a mid major mistakingly thinking he can do the same things here that he did there and be successful.

 

[HawkPrdatr40]

Seriously?? For the same reason guys like Buzz Williams and Josh Pastner had to wait to get a big time gig(not that they waited as long). Sometimes you have to put in your time before an opportunity comes up. And the fact that he has been an assistant for a considerable amount of time makes him an even more appealing candidate. He knows what it takes at the big time level. He's not going to come in from a mid major mistakingly thinking he can do the same things here that he did there and be successful.

That is why I asked the question. Some of you may want to look into a decompression chamber.. I'm mean seriously???

 

[MarcMaggard]

Marc,
No disrespect was intended by my question.

You indicate he is a heavy hitter in the Basketball business. There have been many job openings in the NCAA that are much better than a Sunbelt job. He isn't getting any younger. He has been an assistant coach at the D-1 level for 12 years. You would think a heavy hitter would get looks, considering he has 21 years in coaching with 2 gigs as a Juco Coach.

The bottomline is whoever Iowa hires I will support. I just have my doubts about Forbes is all.

Steve Forbes is 40 years old.... that's fairly young in basketball coaching.

What jobs have come open in the past year or two that you think Steve Forbes should have left UT for??? I can't think of any that made a lot of sense that weren't already lined up for someone with connections to that university.

No offense, but I suspect you don't have a great handle on how the business of basketball works and how important it is to choose the right career path. By no means do you just take any job offer that comes along. ESPECIALLY when you are a top assistant at a top program like Tennessee.....

mm

 

[ibahawkeye]

Seriously?? For the same reason guys like Buzz Williams and Josh Pastner had to wait to get a big time gig(not that they waited as long). Sometimes you have to put in your time before an opportunity comes up. And the fact that he has been an assistant for a considerable amount of time makes him an even more appealing candidate. He knows what it takes at the big time level. He's not going to come in from a mid major mistakingly thinking he can do the same things here that he did there and be successful.

The Buzz and Pastner comparisons are not good ones. They took over programs that were in a great state because the former coaches left the job to go to a better job. They both were assistants at the programs before they took the head job.

Can somebody give an example of an assistant who left a good job to come to a program in bad shape and built it into a successfull program? That would be a fair comparison.

 

[HawkPrdatr40]

Steve Forbes is 40 years old.... that's fairly young in basketball coaching.

What jobs have come open in the past year or two that you think Steve Forbes should have left UT for??? I can't think of any that made a lot of sense that weren't already lined up for someone with connections to that university.

No offense, but I suspect you don't have a great handle on how the business of basketball works and how important it is to choose the right career path. By no means do you just take any job offer that comes along. ESPECIALLY when you are a top assistant at a top program like Tennessee.....

mm

Fair enough.

It's obvious that you like Forbes and I appreciate your comments.

 

[doughuddl]

No, Forbes would also need somebody to come in and do the 90% that is recruiting as well considering how little head coaches are involved in the process.

No that's not how it is. I've read a few stories about he and Pearl on a plane together trying to land a big time recruit.

 

[MarcMaggard]

The Buzz and Pastner comparisons are not good ones. They took over programs that were in a great state because the former coaches left the job to go to a better job. They both were assistants at the programs before they took the head job.

Can somebody give an example of an assistant who left a good job to come to a program in bad shape and built it into a successfull program? That would be a fair comparison.

John Calipari at Umass (from Pittsburgh)
Billy Gillispie at Utep (From Illinois)
Tubby Smith at Tulsa (from Kentucky)
Rick Pitino at Boston (from Syracuse)


Yeah, I was just having fun with former UK coaches....lol.... but to the point, all 4 of those left great assistant jobs to take the right college job and made them successful.

mm

 

[2xer]

The Buzz and Pastner comparisons are not good ones. They took over programs that were in a great state because the former coaches left the job to go to a better job. They both were assistants at the programs before they took the head job.

Can somebody give an example of an assistant who left a good job to come to a program in bad shape and built it into a successfull program? That would be a fair comparison.

This is pretty close to what you were asking for.

"Drew came to Baylor after a decade of coaching at Valparaiso, the final year as head coach. He led the 2002-03 Crusaders to a 20-11 record and into the NIT. Valpo earned the Mid-Continent Conference regular season championship with a 12-2 league record.

The previous nine seasons, Drew served as an assistant at Valpo under his father, the legendary Homer Drew. He was promoted to associate head coach for the 2001-02 season. Drew coached his father's 200th win at Valpo (against Oakland on Jan. 27, 2001) when Homer was ill. "

Player Bio: Scott Drew - BAYLOR OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

 

[Chiefwiggy]

Steve Forbes is 40 years old.... that's fairly young in basketball coaching.

What jobs have come open in the past year or two that you think Steve Forbes should have left UT for??? I can't think of any that made a lot of sense that weren't already lined up for someone with connections to that university.

No offense, but I suspect you don't have a great handle on how the business of basketball works and how important it is to choose the right career path. By no means do you just take any job offer that comes along. ESPECIALLY when you are a top assistant at a top program like Tennessee.....

mm

You are right on Marc. I spent some time with Steve this summer and it was fascinating to listen to him describe the recruiting landscape at the big time level. He knows it like the back of his hand.

btw - he turned 45 on Monday.

 

[doughuddl]

I would wager dollars to doughnuts that some peoples love affair with Forbes is based solely on one post Miller had about Forbes being a great recruiter

http://www.hawkeyenation.com/forum/basketball/7557-search-name-keeps-coming-up.html

I like the guy but if Iowa hires him Barta will have failed to get several other coaches he wanted more

Who are these coaches?

 

[83Hawk]

Forbes obviously wants the job....bad. He appears to be passionate and focused. Guys like this tend to be a success.

 

[MarcMaggard]

btw - he turned 45 on Monday.

Damn....nevermind then.... he's way too old to be working.



mm

 

[TritonHawkeye]

Let me ask you this: Let's imagine Forbes had no ties to the state of Iowa. You found out he was not even the top assistant head coach at, let's say, Georgia. Would you still be clammering for him? I don't get it. Based on his coaching alone, what convinces you he can come into Iowa City and lead a Big 10 school to prominence in the conference?

Being an "associate" or an "assistant" is much, much, much different than running the show yourself. You can be an assistant and have a lot of responsibility, but when you are officially the person in the captain's seat, that takes on a whole new level of expectations, etc.

What has Forbes done, from a coaching standpoint, to deserve this job? Is it because he has ties with Bruce Pearl? Is it strictly because he is from the state of Iowa? What if he comes in here as a major college head coach for the first time and completely flops? Any coach can flop, but I for one would at least feel better with someone running the show who has already done it on a big-time (or somewhat big-time) stage.

Might as well go full circle and answer the OP's question. I think the love affair, if that is what you want to call it, is the perception of having someone that truly wants to be at Iowa.

I will tell you this guy is rising on my list especially when you hear of such names as Gregg Marshall.

If the alternative is hiring a Gregory or Marshall. I say roll the dice and see if you can get something special in Forbes!

I know that it is about DAMN time us Iowa fans get someone special. The last 10 years have been horrid!

 

[bobber]

like a player that wants to be a hawkeye---it is a good thing. Just like the football coach at iowa state...you know he is going to make that work even if it kills him.

 

[Thawki]

I'm sorry TySash9, but the thought that a guy would be more committed to turning the program around because he is from Iowa and it is his dream job is simply ludicrous. These guys are probably the most competitive people (at least in the sports world) on the face of the earth in many ways. Do you honestly think he will have a better chance to succeed because of those reasons? Like, somehow, he isn't trying his hardest because he didn't grow up in Iowa if he isn't a native Iowan?

A lot of you think SA didn't want to really be in IC and so you equate that with him not trying his hardest. He was simply waiting for the IU job to open and he knew they would come calling, even if he was just so-so at Iowa, right?

Whatever.

 

[blhawkeye]

While Forbes is not my first choice, he would be an excellent consolation prize. Acccording to foxsports.com (according to Keeler), Forbes is the 8th best assistant coach in the nation. Take that information for what it is, a subjective ranking by a 3rd party, but it shows that Forbes is thought highly of by other people than Iowa fans. The fact that he is an Iowa native, and considers Iowa a dream job is just a bonus. I believe he would be a decent hire even without his Iowa ties.

Even if Forbes is not hired as head coach, I would like to see him as an assistant, especially if Iowa hires someone who will probably leave for greener pastures after a few years at Iowa, such as Drew or Dixon.


Pearl not interested in Iowa job, but his assistant Forbes most certainly is | Des Moines Register Staff Blogs

 

[TritonHawkeye]

I'm sorry TySash9, but the thought that a guy would be more committed to turning the program around because he is from Iowa and it is his dream job is simply ludicrous. These guys are probably the most competitive people (at least in the sports world) on the face of the earth in many ways. Do you honestly think he will have a better chance to succeed because of those reasons? Like, somehow, he isn't trying his hardest because he didn't grow up in Iowa if he isn't a native Iowan?

A lot of you think SA didn't want to really be in IC and so you equate that with him not trying his hardest. He was simply waiting for the IU job to open and he knew they would come calling, even if he was just so-so at Iowa, right?

Whatever.

Do you remember that Alford is the same guy that made up interest from the University of Missouri?

 

[MarcMaggard]

I'm sorry TySash9, but the thought that a guy would be more committed to turning the program around because he is from Iowa and it is his dream job is simply ludicrous. These guys are probably the most competitive people (at least in the sports world) on the face of the earth in many ways. Do you honestly think he will have a better chance to succeed because of those reasons? Like, somehow, he isn't trying his hardest because he didn't grow up in Iowa if he isn't a native Iowan?

A lot of you think SA didn't want to really be in IC and so you equate that with him not trying his hardest. He was simply waiting for the IU job to open and he knew they would come calling, even if he was just so-so at Iowa, right?

Whatever.

Forbes won't be successful because he's from Iowa and loves the Hawks...... he'll be successful cause he can flat out go get players. Period. Getting players is most of the battle and Forbes is as good as it gets.

mm

 

[doughuddl]

DesMoinesHawk is exactly right. If Barta hired Forbes and he had no ties to Iowa, we would be calling for his head.

This is a case of "feel good". He makes Hawk fans "feel good" because he actually has publicly stated he likes us. It's no different than when you wanted to date the hot chick in school, but she wasn't interested. Now, you're feeling good about the ugly girl because she is interested in you. Then, you spend the next number of weeks trying to justify the qualities the ugly chick has that makes her a better catch than the hot chick. When in reality, she just doesn't look as good. That's the case with this Forbes nonsense.

This has nothing to do with hot chicks and ugly chicks.

I don't care where the guy is from. He is connected and has friends that are connected that he would hire. He also connects with the players and their parents.

I would rather have a head coach that has only run a JUCO level program but recruited BCS level players where ever he has been than a Mid Major level head coach who has never recurited the big bodies and speed for a BCS program. Tom Izzo wondered if Lick could recruit to the B10 level. Well we found that out.

And yes some of the Mid Major teams beat B10 teams. But they do it maybe 2 times a year and don't have to do it 2 times a week.

 

[Chiefwiggy]

Forbes won't be successful because he's from Iowa and loves the Hawks...... he'll be successful cause he can flat out go get players. Period. Getting players is most of the battle and Forbes is as good as it gets.

mm

True.

Because he is from Iowa is why he will stay long term and, I believe, create a legacy of winning basketball that Hawkeye fans can take pride in.