Bear Down Wildcats

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/c ... 365640002/" target="_blank

Of particular interest:

1. Expectations are out of control

It would be inaccurate to suggest UCLA fans believe another Wooden-like run of 10 national titles is right around the corner. But they also haven’t fully come to grips with the reality that Arizona passed them 20 years ago as the preeminent program on the West Coast and that even Gonzaga is now as strong of a national brand in some ways.

Deal is done

Congratulations, Bug. You have a solid and likable coach.

I’ve always wished Dixon the best. He cares about the players, including the opposing players. I think he’s a good fit for UCLA.

His sister dying suddenly and tragically some years back was one of the saddest thing I’ve ever read about in college basketball.

Indo believe coming back to LA was the only reason he would have wanted to leave TCU at this point because of family issues. We shall see what the future holds

https://www.dukebasketballreport.com/20 ... ohn-wooden" target="_blank

Beachcat97 wrote:https://www.dukebasketballreport.com/20 ... ohn-wooden

Good article. But I disagree with the job hopping. Jamie Dixon has wanted to coach at UCLA for a long time.

Beachcat97 wrote:https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/c ... 365640002/

Of particular interest:

1. Expectations are out of control

It would be inaccurate to suggest UCLA fans believe another Wooden-like run of 10 national titles is right around the corner. But they also haven’t fully come to grips with the reality that Arizona passed them 20 years ago as the preeminent program on the West Coast and that even Gonzaga is now as strong of a national brand in some ways.

Interesting article

Walton comment was also interesting

Dixon is a terrible hire

Beachcat97 wrote:https://www.dukebasketballreport.com/20 ... ohn-wooden

I completely agree on this article

While Dixon is not a true retread as Pitt didn't fire him, he basically is. And you never hire a retread at a Major job. You should never hire a retread period, it so rarely works out

Go bold and bring in an up and coming coach

Honestly, I would have hired Russell Turner from UCI over Dixon. He has done a helluva job there. Has NBA experience and knows SoCal recruiting very well.

Totally risky but he is a way cheaper and a better hire then dramatically overpaying for Dixon who is basically a retread.

Would he work out, who knows but I think would be an easier sell to the fan base in some ways because future is unknown. I think future under Dixon is very well known

You never ever ever hire retreads in College athletics. Chances of working are so slim

I suppose the counterargument is "Dixon isn't a retread." Like, has he ever been fired? Don't think so.

So while the hire isn't exactly Bugtastic in the way Bruin fans were fantasizing about, they could've done worse.

But I guess that's just the point: good programs shouldn't have to settle for "hey, could've done worse."

Newportcat wrote:

Beachcat97 wrote:https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/c ... 365640002/

Of particular interest:

1. Expectations are out of control

It would be inaccurate to suggest UCLA fans believe another Wooden-like run of 10 national titles is right around the corner. But they also haven’t fully come to grips with the reality that Arizona passed them 20 years ago as the preeminent program on the West Coast and that even Gonzaga is now as strong of a national brand in some ways.

Interesting article

Walton comment was also interesting

Dixon is a terrible hire

Terrible? I'm listening

Beachcat97 wrote:I suppose the counterargument is "Dixon isn't a retread." Like, has he ever been fired? Don't think so.

So while the hire isn't exactly Bugtastic in the way Bruin fans were fantasizing about, they could've done worse.

But I guess that's just the point: good programs shouldn't have to settle for "hey, could've done worse."

That’s why I said he isn’t a true retread but he has many retread characteristics and it was well known Pitt was probably going to fire him

Sure they could have done worse but you are right programs like UCLA should not say we could have done worse

MrBug708 wrote:

Newportcat wrote:

Beachcat97 wrote:https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/c ... 365640002/

Of particular interest:

1. Expectations are out of control

It would be inaccurate to suggest UCLA fans believe another Wooden-like run of 10 national titles is right around the corner. But they also haven’t fully come to grips with the reality that Arizona passed them 20 years ago as the preeminent program on the West Coast and that even Gonzaga is now as strong of a national brand in some ways.

Interesting article

Walton comment was also interesting

Dixon is a terrible hire

Terrible? I'm listening

Alford 2.0

If you are going to hire a coach who has not made a previous final four hire one on the upswing of their career like a Russ turner or a Sean Miller

Don’t hire a coach who has not been above .500 in conference in five years

I love the hire personally as an Arizona fan. Love it. He will do fine but Miller can out recruit him easily and candidly many coaches could too. Jamie Dixon was the hot girl like 10 years ago, you always marry younger. I think Dixon will do fine at UCLA but again I love the hire as an Arizona fan which makes it a very bad hire

Russ turner would have been a better hire in so many ways. Way cheaper so you can surround him with legit assistant, has NBA experience, on the upswing, great SoCal connections etc. Any coach like him would have been good

I am a little biased on Russ as I have met him, heard him speak and been to a couple uci games this year and very impressed with what he has done there

Newportcat wrote:

Beachcat97 wrote:I suppose the counterargument is "Dixon isn't a retread." Like, has he ever been fired? Don't think so.

So while the hire isn't exactly Bugtastic in the way Bruin fans were fantasizing about, they could've done worse.

But I guess that's just the point: good programs shouldn't have to settle for "hey, could've done worse."

That’s why I said he isn’t a true retread but he has many retread characteristics and it was well known Pitt was probably going to fire him

Sure they could have done worse but you are right programs like UCLA should not say we could have done worse

When DG is your AD, could do worse is a step up than usual

MrBug708 wrote:

Newportcat wrote:

Beachcat97 wrote:I suppose the counterargument is "Dixon isn't a retread." Like, has he ever been fired? Don't think so.

So while the hire isn't exactly Bugtastic in the way Bruin fans were fantasizing about, they could've done worse.

But I guess that's just the point: good programs shouldn't have to settle for "hey, could've done worse."

That’s why I said he isn’t a true retread but he has many retread characteristics and it was well known Pitt was probably going to fire him

Sure they could have done worse but you are right programs like UCLA should not say we could have done worse

When DG is your AD, could do worse is a step up than usual

Not going to disagree with that

I think Dixon is a very safe hire. He will win more than he loses and he won't be a fucking idiot like Alford. I don't think he's a long term solution by any stretch of the imagination, but at this point UCLA fans are used to that. He could conceivably make a final four or two with the uptick in talent he will be able to land as well.

Newportcat wrote:

MrBug708 wrote:

Newportcat wrote:

Beachcat97 wrote:https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/c ... 365640002/

Of particular interest:

1. Expectations are out of control

It would be inaccurate to suggest UCLA fans believe another Wooden-like run of 10 national titles is right around the corner. But they also haven’t fully come to grips with the reality that Arizona passed them 20 years ago as the preeminent program on the West Coast and that even Gonzaga is now as strong of a national brand in some ways.

Interesting article

Walton comment was also interesting

Dixon is a terrible hire

Terrible? I'm listening

Alford 2.0

If you are going to hire a coach who has not made a previous final four hire one on the upswing of their career like a Russ turner or a Sean Miller

Don’t hire a coach who has not been above .500 in conference in five years

I love the hire personally as an Arizona fan. Love it. He will do fine but Miller can out recruit him easily and candidly many coaches could too. Jamie Dixon was the hot girl like 10 years ago, you always marry younger

Russ turner would have been a better hire in so many ways. Way cheaper so you can surround him with legit assistant, has NBA experience, on the upswing etc

I am a little biased on Russ as I have met him, heard him speak and been to a couple uci games this year and very impressed with what he has done there

This actually makes me like the hire slightly more than I already did. Hire a guy because he is cheaper? Hope his assistants are legit to maskshort comings? Miller out recruiting him won't bother me.

There are concerns with Dixon for sure, but three are positives. Looking at TCU as a failure is silly. He turned it around. His ending at Pitt was bad. But there are advanced metrics that are still positive though I know you aren't a believer in them either

I'm not sure why people think this is a bad hire.

Who else available would be a realistic hire?

There aren't a lot of great coaches out there.

Alieberman wrote:I'm not sure why people think this is a bad hire.

Who else available would be a realistic hire?

There aren't a lot of great coaches out there.

I'd like to be on record as in the camp of this being a "good-to-great" hire. Which is good for the Pac12, but not great for my desire to see UCLA be a dumpster fire for eternity.

If we're defining retread coaches, I think Rick Barnes belongs in that category. I think it's safe to say most thought his move to Tennessee was an uninspiring hire. And he's had a really solid two years in Knoxville at a program where things could've gone south. Other SEC programs like Alabama, Arkansas, Florida to name a few all looked to be above UT a few years ago.

As for Dixon at UCLA...you never know. It could turn out to be a home run hire.

I’m not schadenfrede snickering like I did when Alford was hired.

It’s a good hire.

I haven’t read anywhere online where Dixon is hired yet. Actually what I am seeing is that TCU is standing firm on the buyout clause.

Alieberman wrote:I'm not sure why people think this is a bad hire.

Because he's like a girl who was hot 10 years ago. Marry a younger chick if you can. That ex-hottie is too old me for me now. Nothing better to do than sit in bars all alone without a man, and just wish she could be with a successful businessman like me. Just wish.

It's a solid hire period.

I want UCLA to be good and competitive...just not better than us.

Catintheheat wrote:I haven’t read anywhere online where Dixon is hired yet. Actually what I am seeing is that TCU is standing firm on the buyout clause.

Deal not done.

UCLA - we aren't cheap anymore!

Also UCLA - A buyout?

UCLA - Paying top donor for infrastructure

Also UCLA - Going cheap on talent

A Dixon team has never won less than 19 games per season and did that once.

Miller's UA team has won 17 twice, his first season, and last season.

Is it a home run hire? No, but if UCLA wants a competitive team every year they found their guy.

Assuming of course if they can come up with the 8 mil buyout.

They still will be paying Alford his $4.5M for quite some time.

Looks like the AD found away to blow it

MrBug708 wrote:Deal is done

Oh yeah?

Beachcat97 wrote:

MrBug708 wrote:Deal is done

Oh yeah?

Should have bet..

MrBug708 wrote:

Beachcat97 wrote:

MrBug708 wrote:Deal is done

Oh yeah?

Should have bet..

Only a fool would bet UCLA could hire a halfway decent coach.

Anyway, nice basketball program you got there.

Beachcat97 wrote:

MrBug708 wrote:

Beachcat97 wrote:

MrBug708 wrote:Deal is done

Oh yeah?

Should have bet..

Only a fool would bet UCLA could hire a halfway decent coach.

That was kind of the point of the comment lol

8 million is a pretty big chunk of change. What are the biggest buyouts for college bb coaches these days?

If Dixon is out, it's hard for UA fans not to smile. But really, the Pac needs good teams.

84Cat wrote:8 million is a pretty big chunk of change. What are the biggest buyouts for college bb coaches these days?

Honestly, is there any good coach any big program could hire right now? Few, Bennett, Wright, Marshall etc aren't leaving. Guys like Keatts, Archie, Wojo, Holtmann etc aren't proven enough. It seems Chris Mack was the last of the young and successful coaches in line for a bigger job/program. I'm not sure who Kansas, Kentucky, UNC would hire if they needed someone, maybe they could take a swing for Donovan or Stevens, but other than that they couldn't hire a big time coach. Arizona in the same spot, before the FBI thing Miller was a candidate to be hired by the blue bloods but not anymore.

It looks like the best available candidate is Steve Alford.

Wyking Jones is available

zonagrad wrote:If Dixon is out, it's hard for UA fans not to smile. But really, the Pac needs good teams.

At this point the PAC 12 is so bad that we need the best coaches and players possible coming into the league.

Steve Lavin.

By the way, not that it matters, but it’s been known since last night that Dixon was staying at TCU, which is somehow now a more desirable job than UCLA. Get your head around that one.

UCLA should just run a traditional job posting, like on monster.com or something. Pretty sure that still exists.

Maybe Lorenzo Romar? At least he has had success and can recruit. He should be able to recruit very well in LA and players love playing for him. I believe he would have better success than at UW.

Catintheheat wrote:Maybe Lorenzo Romar? At least he has had success and can recruit. He should be able to recruit very well in LA and players love playing for him. I believe he would have better success than at UW.

That actually makes a lot of sense. He's a great recruiter.

At this point, UCLA has to wait until after the final 4 and go all in on Beard or Donovan.

Catintheheat wrote:Maybe Lorenzo Romar? At least he has had success and can recruit. He should be able to recruit very well in LA and players love playing for him. I believe he would have better success than at UW.

Can't see them pivotng to an assistant coach. Might as well hire Watson or Walton

is ucla going to feel out tony bennett after this week or nah? i mean, if the bruins can throw offers at calipari with that sweet under armour money pouring in, why not keep making calipari-sized offers and see if they can get any bites? donovan?

Where's the Ernie Kent love?

Jesus christ UCLA can not even hire Jamie Dixon

Just wow

Just hire Russ Turner from UCI and call it a day.

Or I heard Kevin Oniell is available

How incompetent is Dan G?

I did not even know TCU had a basketball program until yesterday

lavar ball. GO BBBRUINS

It’s Earl Watson’s time to shine.

Dixon's been known to enter his name in coaching searches before just to leverage a raise. He did it at Pitt before Oregon hired Altman.

I'm a Randy Bennett guy. Smart boosters should go after him or the Irvine coach.