Topic: Greg White

[dshoe]

Mike D'antoni would have been another Billy Donovan. He would have been here 2 years max. And moved on to a bigger program maybe OSU last year or Tennessee this year. And then been there 2-3 years max until an NBA team came calling. I truly believe he is where he wants to be. Coaching in the NBA. He has said in many interviews.

someone can post this as though it is fact..........let me give you an exact quote from Mike while the basketball search was going on:
"I've moved my family four times in the last five years to Denver, Portland, Milan and now Phoenix......I'd like nothing better than to see Michael (Mike's young son) grow up in Huntington and graduate from Huntington High School...."  

that is an ACTUAL quote........your quote that he would have been here 2 years max is based on nothing.........only your opinion and with no basis in fact or logic..............Billy Donovan had no ties to Marshall  ............ Mike's "sportcourt" basketball court at his home in Phoenix has a Marshall logo made into it not a Suns logo..........does that sound like someone who would have stayed 2 years at max???????????

Speculate on it if you want, but for gosh sakes don't make yourselves look foolish with comments based on nothing more than a rationalization of Mike not being offered at the very least an interview or a phone call reaching out to him to guage his interest and/or his advice............as for his being happy in the NBA, he certainly is...........he called me in February, but he keeps close tabs on the Herd and is distressed by their lack of success..................would he have been happy at MU........without a doubt, it would have been a life-long dream of his.

[HERDFAN1999]

Dan, thanks for the reply.  Do you think Mike would consider coming back if the position is open again any time in the next couple of years?

[HerdZone]

Dan not everyone tied to this University is going to stay here. Just like Snyder thats the one thing that worries me about him. That if he puts a String of wins together for 3-4 years he will be gone if someone comes calling. D'antoni would not have stayed here. As he has said many times his one thing he wanted to do was coach in the NBA again. And to do that he could not have done that from Marshall. Which means he would have had to move up to a Big 10 or SEC school and had sucess there. At the time he said that about Huntington he was also lobbying for the Marshall job. My point being his heart was set on looking at the NBA again, which means upward mobility in the college ranks.

[carolinaherdfan]

There are a couple of Universities looking into D'Antoni as we speak. We will lose him, just like Marshall at Winthrop, and Snyder at OSU.
I, really don't know how we every got Pruett.

GO THUNDERINGHERD!

 :smile:

Remember, the pen is mightier than the sword. i.e. this message forum!
Keep letting your voices be heard. The more, the better!

[HerdRocks]

At least Greg could and did coach Marshall to more than 6 wins in a season , did it with less talent as well as the same basic schedule..but WE needed a new coach...so we get Ron " the program wrecker" Jirsa..wow that was a great move..


HERD ROCKS

[HerdnBucks]

I can't understand the need to set our sights lower just to avoid being a "stepping stone" for a successful coach.  Note:  Illinois was a stepping stone job for Bill Self, Kansas was a stepping stone for Roy Williams and Gonzaga is a bi-annual stepping stone for somebody.  Would you trade places with them right now?

[Chris884mu]

Mike would have considered MU his lifelong "dream" job.  Wanted to be here and planned on staying for awhile.  Marcum blew it...plain and simple.

Now if Mike had won 2 NCAA championships at Marshall, or whatever you define as success, would he have eventually entertained offers from the NBA or other schools?  YES.  And so will any quality coach.  If you think you're going to get someone to stay here for 15 years or even 10 you'll never hire a coach.  A lot of guys leave for money and security and Dantoni didn't necessarily have those issues.

So what if he expressed in coaching in the NBA...doesn't mean it was his ONLY career ambition.  There is a big differnce between a guy like Donovan...who already had his eyes on bigger things and had ties to MU and guys like Dantoni and Pruett who are/were really focused on getting MU to the next level.

You think Jirsa or Kueck or anyone not affiliated with MU would have the allegiance of someone who went to school here?

[HerdRocks]

Again. THE NBA retirement fund, being completely vested in this played a role in the fact that MD was not considered for the job. Granted he really didnt and doesnt need the money BUT it played a role none the less. Dont be so quick to put the blame on KAYO.

[Chris884mu]

I DO blame it on Kayo because he was not looking out for what was best for Marshall...at that's his job.

As far as the FB opening is concerned he has already eaten his own words several times:  "This will be quick...I don't believe in dragging things out...";  "I have already given Kueck the ok to hire an offensive coord" etc etc

[dshoe]

Dan not everyone tied to this University is going to stay here. Just like Snyder thats the one thing that worries me about him. That if he puts a String of wins together for 3-4 years he will be gone if someone comes calling. D'antoni would not have stayed here. As he has said many times his one thing he wanted to do was coach in the NBA again. And to do that he could not have done that from Marshall. Which means he would have had to move up to a Big 10 or SEC school and had sucess there. At the time he said that about Huntington he was also lobbying for the Marshall job. My point being his heart was set on looking at the NBA again, which means upward mobility in the college ranks.

I didn't know you knew him that well.

All I know is that from the many conversations he and I have had over the years, he would have been at MU for a long time, assuming he was happy here............Mike wants to coach basketball, and had he been at MU and been successful it would have been home..........that said, there is never a guarantee that someone won't leave.........but I can't imagine why that would worry anyone...........the chances of someone like Mike leaving because of success is greatly reduces over someone like Billy D. that has no tie.............

one other thing, NEVER be afraid of success.

[dshoe]

There are a couple of Universities looking into D'Antoni as we speak!

NO there are not!

[dshoe]

Again. THE NBA retirement fund, being completely vested in this played a role in the fact that MD was not considered for the job. Granted he really didnt and doesnt need the money BUT it played a role none the less. Dont be so quick to put the blame on KAYO.

It did not play any part at all...........I asked Mike about this the day it appeared in Ernie's column.............that was simply and assumption on Kayo's part and NEVER was discussed with Mike............Put the blame where it lies............Mike was NEVER spoken with, period..........how can you make statements like the "vesting" one above, if you don't ask the question...............

Mike's said, " it was never about the money"

[Garbanjo]

Let's see, shall we take the opinion of internet posters, or that of a personal friend of Mike D'Antoni, who just so happens to be an executive with ESPN. Tough decision...........

Dan Shoemaker's word is gold.

[HERDFAN1999]

Let's see, shall we take the opinion of internet posters, or that of a personal friend of Mike D'Antoni, who just so happens to be an executive with ESPN. Tough decision...........

Dan Shoemaker's word is gold.

Agreed.  

DShoe, since your word is gold, how about telling us who the next HC is going to be?  :lol:

ESPN is saying Holliday is the leading candidate right now......obviously, that doesn't make a lot of us happy.  I think they would be snubbing Snyder almost as bad as M D'Antoni if that happens.

[pokey]

I only read the first two lines of your post. That, was enough to tell me
I needed to come to the defense. IMHO, we would be tickled to death if
Gregg White was still the coach of the MU Thunderingherd!

GO THUNDERINGHERD!







 :smile:

please pass the crack pipe to me :)  i went to MANY games with Greg White as coach........even before he was beat up by the message boards, i could see that he wasn't a very good x's and o's coach.  im glad he's gone.....Billy Donavan wanna be.

[HerdHead]

I agree with you, pokey.  The fact we are even having this discussion is ridiculous.  Anyone who says GW was a good coach obviously watched little of the Herd.

[biggreenthunder]

Dan not everyone tied to this University is going to stay here. Just like Snyder thats the one thing that worries me about him. That if he puts a String of wins together for 3-4 years he will be gone if someone comes calling. D'antoni would not have stayed here. As he has said many times his one thing he wanted to do was coach in the NBA again. And to do that he could not have done that from Marshall. Which means he would have had to move up to a Big 10 or SEC school and had sucess there. At the time he said that about Huntington he was also lobbying for the Marshall job. My point being his heart was set on looking at the NBA again, which means upward mobility in the college ranks.

I didn't know you knew him that well.

All I know is that from the many conversations he and I have had over the years, he would have been at MU for a long time, assuming he was happy here............Mike wants to coach basketball, and had he been at MU and been successful it would have been home..........that said, there is never a guarantee that someone won't leave.........but I can't imagine why that would worry anyone...........the chances of someone like Mike leaving because of success is greatly reduces over someone like Billy D. that has no tie.............

one other thing, NEVER be afraid of success.

Just curious Dan.  Does Mike feel totally burned by MU or does he still with the University the best?  If we were ever in a position to call him about an opening, would he entertain the prospect or would he not even answer the phone.

My choice for Head Coach was Jeff Battle.  But would've been happy with Mr. D'antoni.  I do think Marcum should've at least contacted him; even if he wasn't Marcum's first choice.

[HerdRocks]

I agree with you, pokey.  The fact we are even having this discussion is ridiculous.  Anyone who says GW was a good coach obviously watched little of the Herd.

Better than what Ron "the program wrecker" Jirsa has done so far in the same conference ...and that cant be disputed. Jirsa has some of his own horses on the team so dont go with the he's playing with GW's players two years down the road, Billy D didnt exactly leave a full stable for GW either.

[HerdHead]

The jury is still out on Ron Jirsa, but at least his players do the following:

a)  Play hard... how many other 6-22 teams were still giving 100%?  I saw GW's teams with winning records quit in mid-game.  

b)  Improve... Mark Patton for example.  On the other hand, Slay and VanHoose got worse during their years under GW.

This doesn't even touch the x's and o's.  When a coach is out-coached by Gale Catlett on a regular basis, that's not good.

[Garbanjo]

This should not be a comparison between White and Jirsa. White had his chance and was given ample time to get us over the hump. He did pretty weel, but he could never get it done. It was time for him to move on.

As for Jirsa, he is god-awful at this stage. I hope he gets his sh!t together......fast.