Archie Miller to IU

[ubtrapper_rivals103836]

This might be a good hire for IU. I would also like to see the series return now that Clappy is gone. It will be interesting to see if Miller can recruit some pretty good talent. He should be able to.

 

[madison1329]

What does that say about where your program is when the only "statement" hire you can make is a former player that won a championship for you and is from the state, turns you down?

NO LONGER A BLUEBLOOD!

[laughing] Alford didn't turn anything down. He only announced he was staying at UCLA because he knew he wasn't getting the Indiana job. Had he been offered the IU job he would have been gone in the blink of an eye.

 

[Untouchables22]

I'll just give you exhibit 1:

They had to hire a coach from Dayton.

You might think IU is the better job, but it doesn't appear that coaches agree. Else they would have made a more impressive hire.

Who else was out there? Donovan and Stevens weren't leaving the pro's for anybody. Izzo, Cal, K, Williams, Self, Pitino weren't leaving there school. Alford can't get passed the Sweet 16, Sean Miller can't get passed the Elite 8. This is a bad time for a top program to need a new coach. You could argue Chris Mack would be a better option over Archie but it's close. They had to pick from some not great options.

 

[Lempface]

Anyone else surprised the initial reports say the contract is 7 years? That seems.... risky?

Wonder if IU structured the buyout similar to Crean's so if it doesn't work out they have to pay him a fortune.

 

[spotter34]

[laughing] Alford didn't turn anything down. He only announced he was staying at UCLA because he knew he wasn't getting the Indiana job. Had he been offered the IU job he would have been gone in the blink of an eye.

You really believe IU didn't reach out to Alford before anyone? I like Miller but I think Alford was the big "splash" hire that Indiana needed.

 

[Aike]

Who else was out there? Donovan and Stevens weren't leaving the pro's for anybody. Izzo, Cal, K, Williams, Self, Pitino weren't leaving there school. Alford can't get passed the Sweet 16, Sean Miller can't get passed the Elite 8. This is a bad time for a top program to need a new coach. You could argue Chris Mack would be a better option over Archie but it's close. They had to pick from some not great options.

The hire is fine.

The premise that IU is a better job than Arizona today is not.

Who else is out there? All kinds of people if IU is as good a job as you think it is.

It's a decent job, with obvious potential to be great, based on history/fan base, etc.

But right now, today, there are a whole bunch of better places to coach.

 

[drbubba]

Hey Dickie V, Doug Gottlieb, do you like apples?
(In my best Southie accent)
Well, how do you like them apples?

 

[madison1329]

I'll just give you exhibit 1:

They had to hire a coach from Dayton.

You might think IU is the better job, but it doesn't appear that coaches agree. Else they would have made a more impressive hire.

Name a more impressive hire they could have made? Archie Miller would have been near the top of the list of any blue blood school if they had an opening right now. The best coaches aren't going anywhere(Cal, Roy, K, Pitino, Self), Marshall comes with baggage many don't want to deal with. Considering what is out there right now, Archie is as good as it gets.

 

[gossie21_rivals69805]

I'm surprised it took this long for Archie to get a top job tbh. I've always felt Archie will be better than Sean too

When did he get a top job? I thought it was IU that hired him.

 

[madison1329]

You really believe IU didn't reach out to Alford before anyone? I like Miller but I think Alford was the big "splash" hire that Indiana needed.

I am sure they reached out to quite a few candidates, Alford was not getting the job.

 

[Cats192]

Archie is very high on many lists. Great hire. Probably means we'll never see him on our sideline.

 

[ScrewDuke1]

Thats a pretty good hire for IU.

 

[Bluesnky]

Best hire they could have made.....Not sure who would have been better.

Gregg Marshall, for one.

 

[Aike]

Name a more impressive hire they could have made? Archie Miller would have been near the top of the list of any blue blood school if they had an opening right now. The best coaches aren't going anywhere(Cal, Roy, K, Pitino, Self), Marshall comes with baggage many don't want to deal with. Considering what is out there right now, Archie is as good as it gets.

This thread is getting thoroughly rafter'd.

A poster made the tongue in cheek comment that Sean would be wondering why they called his little brother instead of him.

We were commenting that Sean wouldn't have taken that call at this time,because IU would be a step down.

Never thought, said, hinted, or implied that Archie was a bad hire.

 

[WitnessGreatness]

When did he get a top job? I thought it was IU that hired him.

[eyeroll]

 

[YourPublicEnemy]

Archie Miller and Greg Marshall were basically the two best options and they got Miller. It's a good hire.

Blue blood coaches have to start somewhere. Maybe he's the next big thing?

Cal- UMass, Memphis
Pitino- Providence
Self- Tulsa
S. Miller- Xavier

 

[YourPublicEnemy]

Gregg Marshall, for one.

I'd say Marshall being a total prick with anger issues and a drunk wife probably hurt his chances.

 

[mjj_2K]

The hire is fine.

The premise that IU is a better job than Arizona today is not.

Who else is out there? All kinds of people if IU is as good a job as you think it is.

It's a decent job, with obvious potential to be great, based on history/fan base, etc.

But right now, today, there are a whole bunch of better places to coach.

Yep. People vastly overrate IU's potential because of history (old history at this point) and because they have so much in-state talent. That in-state talent has ALWAYS been less enamored of IU than a lot of people think (huge cultural difference between the north and south parts of the state), and recently, IU has held almost no sway at all among Indy players. That can change, but it's never going to hit the point where IU puts a blanket over all the top Indiana talent.

Arizona, OTOH, is Nike's flagship western school for basketball. People need to take a look at all the talent that comes off west coast Nike EYBL teams, then look at how many of those guys end up at Arizona. Not to mention that they have great proximity to Findlay Prep. There's a base for them to recruit, every single year. IU needs to rebuild their base, which was never really developed nationally even in their heyday.

 

[madison1329]

This thread is getting thoroughly rafter'd.

A poster made the tongue in cheek comment that Sean would be wondering why they called his little brother instead of him.

We were commenting that Sean wouldn't have taken that call at this time,because IU would be a step down.

Never thought, said, hinted, or implied that Archie was a bad hire.

Just wondering who you had in mind that would have been a more (realistic)impressive hire?

 

[Blue63Madison]

That's kinda sad, I like Archie Miller.

Yep, same here. I was really hoping they'd hire someone I hate.

 

[madison1329]

I'd say Marshall being a total prick with anger issues and a drunk wife probably hurt his chances.

Yup. Good chance that keeps him from getting one of the top jobs that he deserves.

 

[ScrewDuke1]

Archie Miller and Greg Marshall were basically the two best options and they got Miller. It's a good hire.

Blue blood coaches have to start somewhere. Maybe he's the next big thing?

Cal- UMass, Memphis
Pitino- Providence
Self- Tulsa
S. Miller- Xavier

He very well could be. Hes only 38 too. He could be at IU 15+ years if he ends up doing great there.

 

[Aike]

Yep. People vastly overrate IU's potential because of history (old history at this point) and because they have so much in-state talent. That in-state talent has ALWAYS been less enamored of IU than a lot of people think (huge cultural difference between the north and south parts of the state), and recently, IU has held almost no sway at all among Indy players. That can change, but it's never going to hit the point where IU puts a blanket over all the top Indiana talent.

Arizona, OTOH, is Nike's flagship western school for basketball. People need to take a look at all the talent that comes off west coast Nike EYBL teams, then look at how many of those guys end up at Arizona. Not to mention that they have great proximity to Findlay Prep. There's a base for them to recruit, every single year. IU needs to rebuild their base, which was never really developed nationally even in their heyday.

And it also isn't as if Zona has no fan base. They routinely pack their 14K+ arena. They aren't UCLA where nobody cares.

 

[catfanlou]

Great hire. Hard guy to hate. Unfortunately they WILL be back.

 

[Macys Socks]

Solid hire for them, not world beating but solid. After watching Alford's postgame interview last night I just knew by the way he conducted himself that he was gone. It even seemed like his team knew it as well. Boy howdy was I wrong.

Good luck to Archie, IU still sucks.

 

[paul.ksr]

[laughing] Alford didn't turn anything down. He only announced he was staying at UCLA because he knew he wasn't getting the Indiana job. Had he been offered the IU job he would have been gone in the blink of an eye.

I think you're right

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

When we hired BCG he was one of the hot up and coming coaches. His a&m team beat UL and Pitino in the tourney. We made a mistake and didn't wait long to get rid of him (2 years).

You also have to take into account the resentment most coaches and commentators had toward Kentucky at that time for practically running Tubby off. Remember Vital's unforgivable rant. Most of the coaches who would have been interested in the UK job took at pass at that time.

That's exactly right. I've always thought Cal owes billy clyde a debt of gratitude because he took the hit from the tubby mafia and acted as a buffer between them and Cal.

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

Who else was out there? Donovan and Stevens weren't leaving the pro's for anybody. Izzo, Cal, K, Williams, Self, Pitino weren't leaving there school. Alford can't get passed the Sweet 16, Sean Miller can't get passed the Elite 8. This is a bad time for a top program to need a new coach. You could argue Chris Mack would be a better option over Archie but it's close. They had to pick from some not great options.

Not willingly, anyway.

 

[Aike]

Just wondering who you had in mind that would have been a more (realistic)impressive hire?

Why are you arguing something I'm not?

My point was that more impressive hires would not pick up the phone.

Sean Miller being one of those.

IU did the best they could do. They went out and got one of the best mid-major coaches available. Because they weren't in position to bring in a successful high major coach.

 

[YourPublicEnemy]

People had way unrealistic expectations like a lot of fan bases. One, it's about timing and availability. You're not getting NBA Playoff coaches to leave in March and you're not plucking away blue blood coaches.

In all likeliness, Indiana probably had these options and guys on their radar

A. Miller
Mack
Marshall
Alford

They got the best one, in my opinion and I'm sure they didn't want to wait on Mack and take a chance at losing Miller and ending up with no one.

 

[Untouchables22]

Yep. People vastly overrate IU's potential because of history (old history at this point) and because they have so much in-state talent. That in-state talent has ALWAYS been less enamored of IU than a lot of people think (huge cultural difference between the north and south parts of the state), and recently, IU has held almost no sway at all among Indy players. That can change, but it's never going to hit the point where IU puts a blanket over all the top Indiana talent.

Arizona, OTOH, is Nike's flagship western school for basketball. People need to take a look at all the talent that comes off west coast Nike EYBL teams, then look at how many of those guys end up at Arizona. Not to mention that they have great proximity to Findlay Prep. There's a base for them to recruit, every single year. IU needs to rebuild their base, which was never really developed nationally even in their heyday.

I enjoy a good basketball discussion and I don't think either of us is going to change the other's mind. Everything you wrote is true and there is no doubt that Arizona is THE dominant recruiting force of the west coast which is a big deal because west coast kids don't want to leave the west coast typically. But I think the singular most important factor of program success is fan support and although a lot of them are crappy people IU still has top 3 fan support in line with UK and Kansas. Arizona also enjoys tremendous fans support but it's just not at that crazy obsessive level of UK, IU, and Kansas. And the BIG 10 is a superior conference which helps in revenue generation to pump $$$ back into the program and public perception (west coast bias/national relevance conversations). Arizona has the weather and loads of beautiful co-eds so it's really close but I still think Indiana is the better job.

 

[madison1329]

Why are you arguing something I'm not?

My point was that more impressive hires would not pick up the phone.

Sean Miller being one of those.

IU did the best they could do. They went out and got one of the best mid-major coaches available. Because they weren't in position to bring in a successful high major coach.

So Cal, Rick, K, Self, Wright, Roy wouldn't pick up the phone? Wow, interesting stuff. Thanks for the info.

Outside of current blue blood coaches I am not sure there is a current high major coach any of the blue bloods would consider ahead of Archie Miller. Marshall is at a mid major and he is a better coach than any high major coach. Not sure how hiring Miller from a mid major says anything about the Indiana job.

 

[Wvvrn]

I know basically nothing about him but I've always gotten a pre-UK BCG vibe from him. I could be way off on that but there's something about him that reminds me of Gillispie.

And I am absolutely shocked Donovan is not headed to Bloomington! I can't believe he wasn't beating their ADs door down trying to get that job. I thought for sure he'd want to get away from that scrub Westbrook and coach all of that unbelievable talent at IU. I'm sure he will regret it for the rest of his life lol.

 

[madison1329]

If Kentucky was looking for a coach last week the candidates would have been the Miller brothers, Marshall, Chris Mack. Pretty much the same list that Indiana was working from. 2 mid major coaches. Sad.

 

[Saguaro Cat]

Not guaranteed #1 seeds. But they will be on top of the Big 10. Won't miss the tournament anymore. Consistent second weekend games. Maybe a magical Final Four year.

 

[Aike]

So Cal, Rick, K, Self, Wright, Roy wouldn't pick up the phone? Wow, interesting stuff. Thanks for the info.

Outside of current blue blood coaches I am not sure there is a current high major coach any of the blue bloods would consider ahead of Archie Miller. Marshall is at a mid major and he is a better coach than any high major coach. Not sure how hiring Miller from a mid major says anything about the Indiana job.

If you think Archie Miller is a better coach than Sean, fine.

If you think IU is still a blueblood, fine.

 

[RogerIndy]

Great hire. Hard guy to hate. Unfortunately they WILL be back.

You are right. He appears to have no funny quirks we can make fun of. Damn!

 

[TortElvisII]

This takes IU from 3 Sweet 16's and 0 Elite 8's a decade, to possibly 4-5 Sweet 16's, 2 Elite 8's and a Final Four per decade. Somewhere between Purdue and Michigan.

 

[mjj_2K]

I enjoy a good basketball discussion and I don't think either of us is going to change the other's mind. Everything you wrote is true and there is no doubt that Arizona is THE dominant recruiting force of the west coast which is a big deal because west coast kids don't want to leave the west coast typically. But I think the singular most important factor of program success is fan support and although a lot of them are crappy people IU still has top 3 fan support in line with UK and Kansas. Arizona also enjoys tremendous fans support but it's just not at that crazy obsessive level of UK, IU, and Kansas. And the BIG 10 is a superior conference which helps in revenue generation to pump $$$ back into the program and public perception (west coast bias/national relevance conversations). Arizona has the weather and loads of beautiful co-eds so it's really close but I still think Indiana is the better job.

Well, I'm not saying IU is a crappy job, I just think it's an exceptionally difficult one that a lot of coaches in good situations might pass on. The right coach makes his situation better wherever he is, and IU certainly has the support. But...

30 years since IU's last title, and in that span, they have 9 Sweet 16's, 3 Elite 8's, 2 FF's, and 9 seasons when they won at least 25 games.

Same time-frame, Arizona has 17 Sweet 16's, 10 Elite 8's, 4 FF's, 1 title, and 18 seasons when they won at least 25 games.

30 years seems like a long time to just be blaming (or crediting) a series of coaches.

 

[JimBR_rivals319758]

I think you're right

Agree. They hired miller Saturday morning, they had to be talking to him before today. Alford never said no all this past week. He could have shut the talk down much earlier.