Bear Down Wildcats

I’ll always hate Heeke and Robbins for making me dread Damon freaking Stoudamire.

Alieberman wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 11:31 am Robbins likes names like Jed- point Jud Buechler

Look, we need someone who knows Arizona inside and out, is an aggressive recruiter, knows how to invest in players and has the right connections.

What I'm saying is Book Richardson is available and we need to make the call.

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Damon isn't a top 4 coach in the WCC at this point. Few, Romar, Pope and Bennett at least ahead of him. Heck, Herb Sendek has been better at Santa Clara than Damon has been at Pacific.
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Bring back Romar

phxcat23 wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 11:44 am

Damon isn't a top 4 coach in the WCC at this point. Few, Romar, Pope and Bennett at least ahead of him. Heck, Herb Sendek has been better at Santa Clara than Damon has been at Pacific.
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Bring back Romar
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YES!!

Still think Shay Binion could use the work.

Somebody just text me when they announce the hire. And if it’s Damon, don’t bother.

RondaeShimmy wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 9:09 am

azcat49 wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 8:17 am So the Oregon press says it’s Damon. So WTF is it people?

I see nothing on this anywhere, other than re-reporting Damon interviewed.

I only found this, guy from the Oregonian saying it should be Damon

Sounds like wishful thinking, not reporting its Damon. I hope it's not Damon.

As someone who grew up in Oregon, I can tell you Canzano is absolute trash. He's not Hansen levels but he's just bad. He's looked better of late by bashing the Pac12 but that's too easy.

ekat wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 11:46 am

phxcat23 wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 11:44 am

Damon isn't a top 4 coach in the WCC at this point. Few, Romar, Pope and Bennett at least ahead of him. Heck, Herb Sendek has been better at Santa Clara than Damon has been at Pacific.

Bring back Romar
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YES!!
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CBI champs this past season!

UDub was pretty enjoyable to watch during the Romar years, esp when they had Nate Robinson. Romar was also able to gather some elite recruits too, many times over Arizona. However, he had the same ceiling as Miller, S16.

If Lloyd stays, that's because he's comfortable. Can't blame a guy for wanting to remain the right hand man at a Gonzaga for a few more years. It's as stress-free a job as possible in college basketball. And it's not like Lloyd is starving either. You get paid well to enjoy the success, coach the players, recruit when and where you want at this point, and none of the stress of having to meet boosters, talk to the media, or answer if things ever go south, which they rarely do for Gonzaga Basketball. And frankly, if Lloyd doesn't want all that stress now that comes with being the head guy at Arizona, then he's not the right guy for the job. I personally still think he's coming, the handshakes have already happen, but to appease everyone, we're giving Simon and Stoudamire compulsory interviews.

Speaking of Damon, he's a middle of the road coach with only a .480 winning percentage, but you have to look at some of the other factors. He didn't inherit a winning team, and there was no Floyd fall-out that steered players to Stockton that helped Arizona rebound quickly. Pacific only played 18 games this year, and many of the canceled games were winnable. In short, Damon has taken Pacific and made them respectable again and a tough out in five years, and may be ready for a tougher challenge.

Personally, I'd rather see Damon get a job like Texas Tech Cincinnati first over Arizona. He cut his teeth at Pacific, and now it's time to show he can win big at a school that is P-5, but not a traditional power, or a high-mid major. Then, if he succeeds, Arizona can hire him. But if it comes down to it, and Damon is the best choice, so be it. It may not be that bad. Though it's hard not to see it as a downgrade. But then, on paper, so is Miller to Lloyd.

Merkin wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 12:12 pm

ekat wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 11:46 am

phxcat23 wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 11:44 am

Damon isn't a top 4 coach in the WCC at this point. Few, Romar, Pope and Bennett at least ahead of him. Heck, Herb Sendek has been better at Santa Clara than Damon has been at Pacific.

Bring back Romar

YES!!
[/quote]

CBI champs this past season!

UDub was pretty enjoyable to watch during the Romar years, esp when they had Nate Robinson. Romar was also able to gather some elite recruits too, many times over Arizona. However, he had the same ceiling as Miller, S16.
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I love Romar. And I’d take him over Damon, Miles, Pastner, etc...and be happy with S16 with hopes of an occasional dream run.

Romar seems like a dream come true at this point.

Thanks Robbins!

zonagrad wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 10:45 am

RondaeShimmy wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 10:38 am

TheCat wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 10:20 am

gronk4heisman wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 9:03 am

TheCat wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 6:47 pm

Jesus....just what I want. A coach so loyal that he raids the program he just spent 20 years at. If he was contacted earlier and did not tell Arizona to stand down till the Natty was over I want no part of a person like that. Personally I don't believe any coach with any honor would do that to the program he was working for and I don't know llyod but will give him the benefit of the doubt on that one.

Did you have a problem when Sean Miller did it?

I don't recall the players that Sean brought from Xavier? Who were they?

He raided Kyryl as a recruit, was committed to Xavier.

I list that as a negative for Miller. Kyryl was awful -- a guy you'd see on the end of the bench at Wazzu or in the Big Sky.

I'll refute that he played much better defense during the Elite 8 Run than he did during the regular season, and 10x better than Ayton did vs. Buffalo/

Also, the Hook'm to Texas fans is one of the best UA images ever.

How about an all Stoudamire staff?

HC- Damon
AHC- Salim
AC Amare

Alieberman wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 12:24 pm How about an all Stoudamire staff?

HC- Damon
AHC- Salim
AC Amare

How about we all start putting bile in our coffee?

Alieberman wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 12:24 pm How about an all Stoudamire staff?

HC- Damon
AHC- Salim
AC Amare

Wasn't there a Stoudamire that also played basketball at Oregon State in between Damon and Salim?

The name Damon Stoudamire also lends itself well if you want to parody Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire."

Damon Stoudamire
First he was toking
Now he is coaching...

OK, maybe scrap this idea.

Alieberman wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 12:24 pm How about an all Stoudamire staff?

HC- Damon
AHC- Salim
AC Amare

Prefer an all-Dame staff.

HC-Damon
AHC-Damon Wayans (you get like 5 of his brother to help by default)
Recruiting Coordinator-Damian from the Omen. Very persuasive, see: https://youtu.be/mDHisWRsE98

Okay, feeling a little more confident we're getting Lloyd. Get premium or whatever.

Spaceman Spiff wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 10:52 amDamon has won 48% of his games. The guy before him, Ron Verlin, won .405%. Before Verlin, Bob Thomason won .575%.

I think it's fair to regard Damon as middle of the road for Pacific's standards.

So, much better than Brett Brennan's winning % at SJST, but the argument for him was his trajectory, which Damon's is very similar to. Of course what we look for in a coach for our basketball program vs. football program should be totally different as they're light years apart in success, stature, expectations, etc. I don't want Damon as the new HC, but his trajectory hasn't been bad (at least until this year).

Basketcats wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 10:00 am What about Gregg Marshall? I mean...we are about to venture into a dark period for the program. He has some baggage I know, but what better place (and time) to prove yourself worthy of another HC position by fixing yourself while rebuilding a program?

I’d rather not have a coach who sucker punched a player the day after the players mother died...

mofo wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 12:57 pm

Spaceman Spiff wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 10:52 amDamon has won 48% of his games. The guy before him, Ron Verlin, won .405%. Before Verlin, Bob Thomason won .575%.

I think it's fair to regard Damon as middle of the road for Pacific's standards.

So, much better than Brett Brennan's winning % at SJST, but the argument for him was his trajectory, which Damon's is very similar to. Of course what we look for in a coach for our basketball program vs. football program should be totally different as they're light years apart in success, stature, expectations, etc. I don't want Damon as the new HC, but his trajectory hasn't been bad (at least until this year).

One, the bolded is a big deal.

Two, one of the negatives is Damon had his best, only winning season last year. He followed that being .500 overall and sub .500 in conference.

Third, I'm not hyped that Damon's best year, he wasn't sniffing the tourney. Maybe middle of the NIT, then he backslid this year.

I see Brennan very differently in that his trajectory moved faster and higher than Damon's in a better conference. I preferred Brennan to Fisch significantly, but I wouldn't call Brennan a sure thing either.

The big thing is expectations, though. Arizona is a top ten basketball job. Arizona is a bottom ten P5 football job. You should be fishing in two separate ponds.

When I lived in Washington I listened to the Romar radio show and I leaned to love him, then he came here to back his guy and I respected him even more.

That said, I never would have traded Miller for Romar and at this point I'd be surprised if Romar would come here. We went from me thinking we are too good for Romar to me thinking Romar is too good for us in a hurry.

Spaceman Spiff wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 1:06 pm

mofo wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 12:57 pm

Spaceman Spiff wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 10:52 amDamon has won 48% of his games. The guy before him, Ron Verlin, won .405%. Before Verlin, Bob Thomason won .575%.

I think it's fair to regard Damon as middle of the road for Pacific's standards.

So, much better than Brett Brennan's winning % at SJST, but the argument for him was his trajectory, which Damon's is very similar to. Of course what we look for in a coach for our basketball program vs. football program should be totally different as they're light years apart in success, stature, expectations, etc. I don't want Damon as the new HC, but his trajectory hasn't been bad (at least until this year).

One, the bolded is a big deal.

Two, one of the negatives is Damon had his best, only winning season last year. He followed that being .500 overall and sub .500 in conference.

Third, I'm not hyped that Damon's best year, he wasn't sniffing the tourney. Maybe middle of the NIT, then he backslid this year.

I see Brennan very differently in that his trajectory moved faster and higher than Damon's in a better conference. I preferred Brennan to Fisch significantly, but I wouldn't call Brennan a sure thing either.

The big thing is expectations, though. Arizona is a top ten basketball job. Arizona is a bottom ten P5 football job. You should be fishing in two separate ponds.

Pacific is a challenge to coach at because of the disparity in facilities, resources, schools and even locations. You can't win a recruiting battle at Pacific no matter who you are. You just can't. Gonzaga, BYU, St. Mary's, Pepperdine, Santa Clara, etc... are all going to get better players than you every single time. It really is apples vs. oranges in that conference. There's a reason there is never any historical movement in the standings in that conference. The hierarchy is set in the WCC. You would have to be a super creative coach with some type of unique recruitment strategy to haul talent to Pacific.

For football, Arizona proved it can be a very good P5 program. Dick Tomey proved that as Arizona was the winningest program in the Pac 10 during the decade of the 90s. That's a pretty impressive feat considering the competition. Arizona can be very good at football. Perhaps not elite but very good.

Pacific is a difficult place to win. For sure.

But does Arizona want a coach that didn't do the improbable, but rather did the same thing the coaches before him did, at Pacific? Would we hire any of the other guys that did all they could do at difficult Pacific, winning 50% of their games?

I mean, wouldn't one of the things we require if hiring a head coach from a smaller program be that he made the program markedly better?

So some at point after Monday, you’ll have to decide if you are gonna support Lloyd and the basketball program.

I’m a Miller guy, so I get it... it’s tough.

But Miller was on his third AD and his 3rd president (I think so, maybe 2nd). I don’t want to Google Olson’s run in the same regard, but I bet he saw several in both those positions in his tenure.

In essence, I hope Lloyd is the greatest coach in Arizona basketball history. I hope he gets to the final 4 with Miller’s players who all came back to win. Cause I don’t give a shit how we get there, I just wanna get there. I don’t care who gets credit...I just wanna get there. I hope for the best, always. And I plan on cheering as hard for Lloyd as I did for Miller, unless he proves I shouldn’t.

What I know for a fact is nothing lasts forever...and life can be changed in a day. So, enjoy the ride with me...cheer on the team and program you love.

Fuck Robbins and Heeke...and let’s go back to not caring about what they think or feel cause they’ll be gone from Arizona in due time.

Bear the fuck down.

Considering the looming sanctions and the whole mess that’s been dogging us for years now, my expectations and hopes were even more depressed compared to 2009 post-Lute/Russ Pennell/Kevin O’Neill.

That says a lot because we were very VERY close to absolutely bombing that hire and were getting absolutely zero looks from any coach worth a damn.

So this time around to have a chance to land a coach who even has the *PERCEPTION* of quality, consistency, and recruiting prowess would be a blessing. The reality is the coaching market is pure crap this off-season and we aren’t exactly super appealing at the moment.

Lloyd is a total mystery to me, but it’s not Tim Floyd/Seth Greenberg/Mark Fox/Trent Johnson-level bad and we were precariously close to that in a more envious position from a scholarship and post-season eligibility perspective.

Also...to whomever suggested Gregg Marshall previously of Wichita St...May god have mercy on your poor lost soul. Same for anyone throwing Sampson’s name out there. Yeah, what he did is relatively laughable compared to the infractions today, but the man got major sanctions thrown down, we must pretend to be squeaky clean. Emmert cannot handle any more PR hits to the NCAA and if we’re able to facilitate that damage-control, it could mean something.

Lastly, would love if Lloyd kept on the JET, he would help keep the Washington kids in the fold and maintain that positive aura of UA Alums being in the fold like Fisch was smart enough to do.

Sean will be missed, he lost his way for a few recruiting cycles and he knows he made costly mistakes (based on his huge correction in recruiting strategy recently). If he didn’t get so hung up on winning the recruiting trophies year after year and focused on his style of player, I’m convinced the F4 appearance would’ve long been taken care of

If it is Lloyd and I'm convinced it is him since he previously has never interviewed and now had his second.

Someone better figure out how to have a press conference without Heeke and Robbins.

UAEebs86 wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 10:26 pm

Second? When was the first?

Ah yes, right after Heeke and Robbins announced support for CSM.

If Lloyd was to say no he wouldn’t be having a second interview. That means he’s the next Arizona coach.

I’m convinced Lloyd can be a good hire. We need to see what his assistant staff looks like, and I really, really hope he follows Fisch’s lead and gets some Cats on that bench. Try to keep JET for sure. Imagine Lloyd and JET on the recruiting trail. That alone should get people excited.

Beachcat97 wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 7:20 am I’m convinced Lloyd can be a good hire. We need to see what his assistant staff looks like, and I really, really hope he follows Fisch’s lead and gets some Cats on that bench. Try to keep JET for sure. Imagine Lloyd and JET on the recruiting trail. That alone should get people excited.

Is he a good game coach? Love that he can recruit internationally, but does he have what it takes come game time?

EastCoastCat wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 4:47 am

UAEebs86 wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 10:26 pm

Second? When was the first?

Ah yes, right after Heeke and Robbins announced support for CSM.

If Lloyd was to say no he wouldn’t be having a second interview. That means he’s the next Arizona coach.

Yep, they're having the "second" so they can make the announcement on Monday...

Interview probably went like this:

Robbins: "So Tommy, whadda ya think of my new Heeke sock puppet?"

Lloyd: "???? WTF???"

Robbins: "Listen Tommy, I know you think we're offering you a coaching job, but honestly look at how well Dave Heeke fondles my balls in his mouth...are you getting the message yet?"

Lloyd: "I think I just made a major mistake"

Robbins: "Cool we'll announce it on Monday, be sure to wipe that confused look off your face and wear this shirt"

Beachcat97 wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 7:20 am I’m convinced Lloyd can be a good hire. We need to see what his assistant staff looks like, and I really, really hope he follows Fisch’s lead and gets some Cats on that bench. Try to keep JET for sure. Imagine Lloyd and JET on the recruiting trail. That alone should get people excited.

I don’t think anyone doubts Lloyd can recruit but the bigger question is whether he can coach a team as the #1 guy.

Can he do the X’s and O’s? Can he motivate players? What style of play will we see, Gonzaga’s? Can he get players to be all in on D? How will he approach a tough conference schedule which he has never faced in 17 years? Will he embrace the Proud Tradition & A Players Program like CSM or is that not his thing?

Those are the questions we can’t really answer now because they are unknowns as he’s been an assistant his whole career.

We're gonna find out soon!

TOMMY!!!!

EastCoastCat wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 7:32 am

Beachcat97 wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 7:20 am I’m convinced Lloyd can be a good hire. We need to see what his assistant staff looks like, and I really, really hope he follows Fisch’s lead and gets some Cats on that bench. Try to keep JET for sure. Imagine Lloyd and JET on the recruiting trail. That alone should get people excited.

I don’t think anyone doubts Lloyd can recruit but the bigger question is whether he can coach a team as the #1 guy.

Can he do the X’s and O’s? Can he motivate players? What style of play will we see, Gonzaga’s? Can he get players to be all in on D? How will he approach a tough conference schedule which he has never faced in 17 years? Will he embrace the Proud Tradition & A Players Program like CSM or is that not his thing?

Those are the questions we can’t really answer now because they are unknowns as he’s been an assistant his whole career.

We also don’t know how he’ll be with boosters, at alumni functions, or with the press. We don’t know how he’ll handle being the boss instead of a coworker of the assistants and support staff. We have no idea how he’ll function as the face of the program.

You can observe all these things when you’re looking at people who already run their own program, and you can weigh their pros and cons. We knew with CSM that he could be prickly with the press but that his assistants and players loved him and that he was good with boosters, alumni, & students. It was that stuff AND the results on the court that made him a good candidate for a job like Arizona.

HiCat wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 7:27 am

Beachcat97 wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 7:20 am I’m convinced Lloyd can be a good hire. We need to see what his assistant staff looks like, and I really, really hope he follows Fisch’s lead and gets some Cats on that bench. Try to keep JET for sure. Imagine Lloyd and JET on the recruiting trail. That alone should get people excited.

Is he a good game coach? Love that he can recruit internationally, but does he have what it takes come game time?

I went back and watched Gonzaga final four games once I heard Lloyd was the lead candidate because I thought I saw a Gonzaga assistant drawing up a play during a timeout and I instantly thought to myself...Few sure trusts his assistants. I couldn’t find the exact memory I have engraved in my brain. However, Lloyd was over Fews shoulder in multiple times helping diagram plays when Gonzaga’s sideline was shown.

Also, during the 2nd half and overtime of the UCLA game, it looked like Gonzaga had 2 head coaches on the sideline. Lloyd was pacing the sidelines more than few was. I am a little surprised Lloyd didn’t get a little warning from the refs. He was half way down the scorers table a few times lol.

Chicat wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 7:51 am

EastCoastCat wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 7:32 am

Beachcat97 wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 7:20 am I’m convinced Lloyd can be a good hire. We need to see what his assistant staff looks like, and I really, really hope he follows Fisch’s lead and gets some Cats on that bench. Try to keep JET for sure. Imagine Lloyd and JET on the recruiting trail. That alone should get people excited.

I don’t think anyone doubts Lloyd can recruit but the bigger question is whether he can coach a team as the #1 guy.

Can he do the X’s and O’s? Can he motivate players? What style of play will we see, Gonzaga’s? Can he get players to be all in on D? How will he approach a tough conference schedule which he has never faced in 17 years? Will he embrace the Proud Tradition & A Players Program like CSM or is that not his thing?

Those are the questions we can’t really answer now because they are unknowns as he’s been an assistant his whole career.

We also don’t know how he’ll be with boosters, at alumni functions, or with the press. We don’t know how he’ll handle being the boss instead of a coworker of the assistants and support staff. We have no idea how he’ll function as the face of the program.

You can observe all these things when you’re looking at people who already run their own program, and you can weigh their pros and cons. We knew with CSM that he could be prickly with the press but that his assistants and players loved him and that he was good with boosters, alumni, & students. It was that stuff AND the results on the court that made him a good candidate for a job like Arizona.

Chi, these are all good points. As someone who has been a lot of hiring committees, I can say that sometimes a person's body of work merits the opportunity. It doesn't always work out, but sometimes it does. I can't see the future with Lloyd, but I do feel comfortable giving him this shot. I may be in the minority.

Maybe the guy will thrive in the role; maybe it'll turn out he was too green.

The fact that he wears a mask is a plus...I would have never guessed at this point in life that people who follow basic science and common sense would be considered "exceptions to the rule" but here we are.

He could be a success or an abject failure only time will tell...college basketball is not an exact science...Baylor punished Gonzaga...poked them in the eye and kicked them in the nuts...I blame the majority of that on Gonzaga's conference...there are only so many OOC games you can schedule during a pandemic and those are all early in the season...its easy to fall into the trap of believing your own advertising...

It would be quite something if Tommy won a natty before Few...but those cards are on the table, especially as more schools mimic Fews approach...he is the golden child of the West but there are some Blue Bloods who can beat him recruiting and if Tommy was the international pipeline that will need to be rebuilt a little.

Chicat wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 7:51 am

We also don’t know how he’ll be with boosters, at alumni functions, or with the press. We don’t know how he’ll handle being the boss instead of a coworker of the assistants and support staff. We have no idea how he’ll function as the face of the program.

You can observe all these things when you’re looking at people who already run their own program, and you can weigh their pros and cons. We knew with CSM that he could be prickly with the press but that his assistants and players loved him and that he was good with boosters, alumni, & students. It was that stuff AND the results on the court that made him a good candidate for a job like Arizona.

I can vouch for this part. I have connections to Gonzaga and have been at events with him. He's charismatic in those settings and get's alums and boosters FIRED UP.

CatFanOneMil wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 9:26 am The fact that he wears a mask is a plus...I would have never guessed at this point in life that people who follow basic science and common sense would be considered "exceptions to the rule" but here we are.

I’m not sure what this has to do with the conversation as I haven’t seen too many coaches not wearing masks but OK.

I don’t care if the guy wears a TuTu. If he can coach, recruit, connect with boosters/alumni, and get us back to national prominence I’m in.

Any chance this gets officially announced today or tomorrow, or are they really gonna make us keep refreshing till Monday?

I have been doing a lot of thinking and researching over the past couple of days and have concluded that I would be 100% behind the hiring of Tommy Lloyd.

Here is a must watch interview that will really get you excited about him as a person and coach. You have to watch the part he talks about offensive sets. It starts at the 26 minute mark.
https://youtu.be/Zhs3zVJOQPM

Frybry02 wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 8:11 am

HiCat wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 7:27 am

Beachcat97 wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 7:20 am I’m convinced Lloyd can be a good hire. We need to see what his assistant staff looks like, and I really, really hope he follows Fisch’s lead and gets some Cats on that bench. Try to keep JET for sure. Imagine Lloyd and JET on the recruiting trail. That alone should get people excited.

Is he a good game coach? Love that he can recruit internationally, but does he have what it takes come game time?

I went back and watched Gonzaga final four games once I heard Lloyd was the lead candidate because I thought I saw a Gonzaga assistant drawing up a play during a timeout and I instantly thought to myself...Few sure trusts his assistants. I couldn’t find the exact memory I have engraved in my brain. However, Lloyd was over Fews shoulder in multiple times helping diagram plays when Gonzaga’s sideline was shown.

Also, during the 2nd half and overtime of the UCLA game, it looked like Gonzaga had 2 head coaches on the sideline. Lloyd was pacing the sidelines more than few was. I am a little surprised Lloyd didn’t get a little warning from the refs. He was half way down the scorers table a few times lol.

I recall seeing that guy on sidelines, at first I thought Few had tripled in size.

Dave wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 9:54 am I have been doing a lot of thinking and researching over the past couple of days and have concluded that I would be 100% behind the hiring of Tommy Lloyd.

Here is a must watch interview that will really get you excited about him as a person and coach. You have to watch the part he talks about offensive sets. It starts at the 26 minute mark.
https://youtu.be/Zhs3zVJOQPM

Well, I'm sold. I really hope this gets announced soon.

Beachcat97 wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 10:22 am

Dave wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 9:54 am I have been doing a lot of thinking and researching over the past couple of days and have concluded that I would be 100% behind the hiring of Tommy Lloyd.

Here is a must watch interview that will really get you excited about him as a person and coach. You have to watch the part he talks about offensive sets. It starts at the 26 minute mark.
https://youtu.be/Zhs3zVJOQPM

Well, I'm sold. I really hope this gets announced soon.

So crazy as I was listening to this yesterday and that's the exact part of the interview that I was coming in to share.

Tommy Lloyd on Dan Dickau's Bulldog Broadcast, Feb. 23, 2021

On his experience with basketball in Europe:

You know I think once I started to get exposed to things in Europe I started to see the game a different way and I chose to really pursue that. Spend time watching it...and learning it and trying to implement some of those things at Gonzaga. And I can really see the last 8 to 5 years the US game has definitely trended and been more influenced by what's happened in Europe with the ball screen spacing and movement stuff and reads.

On Gonzaga's playing style:

One of the things we really try to emphasize with our guys is how we move on offense. How we move and how we react to each other and having a basic understanding of what we want to do in certain spacing scenarios. The beauty of our system and you know a lot of it is Coach Few is I think we get more enjoyment out of our players creating a good play on their own from the concepts we play rather than us calling a perfect set.

To me that's one of the biggest things that when I watch teams play that there's this control factor that a lot of American coaches want on the game that sometimes I think in the end it almost ends up inhibiting their team and their players aren't able to make adjustments ... make reads to free flow and to play with this conceptual understanding.

And I know I mean that's what we really try to hammer on is just how to play not run plays. We spend a bunch of time with it ... it takes alot .. and yeah you are prone to make mistakes but I think what it also does it it opens up an element of creativity that makes it fun to play in ... and hard to play against.

After reading the UA was interviewing JeT, Miles and Damon, Lloyd doesn't seem so bad after all.

But then again, outside of the courtesy interview, announcing such poor candidates was probably intentionally so we all come to that conclusion.

Merkin wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 10:56 am After reading the UA was interviewing JeT, Miles and Damon, Lloyd doesn't seem so bad after all.

But then again, outside of the courtesy interview, announcing such poor candidates was probably intentionally so we all come to that conclusion.

It's also a type of signaling. You aren't seeing "We're interviewing Lloyd and Musselman."

It's Lloyd and Damon, signaling to Lloyd 'You're our guy.'

And hopefully soon he will be.

LLOYD!!!!

Merkin wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 10:56 am After reading the UA was interviewing JeT, Miles and Damon, Lloyd doesn't seem so bad after all.

But then again, outside of the courtesy interview, announcing such poor candidates was probably intentionally so we all come to that conclusion.

Oooh, that's pretty cynical, Merk, and I'm as cynical as they come. I think Damon's interview is fine. He's already a head coach, and he's trending upward. JET and Miles are legacy interviews, imo. Pastner would be the same, though even he has had two head coaching jobs at decent programs.

I'd have liked to see at least one other non-UofA candidate in the mix, but again, the more I read about and hear from Lloyd, the more excited I'm getting.

He'll have a shit ton of work to do, but if he's taking this job, he's keenly aware of the situation he's inheriting. If he's going to turn this thing around, he'll need as much as support as he can get. I really hope he's got at least one former Cat on that bench.

Agreed Merk. Dumb and Dumber hiding behind search firm, using Alums and conducting yet another fraudulent interview process. Good times.

Lloyd is the only potential "win" of the discussed candidates, and was, apparently, the reason for the move and, while I agree Robbins and Heeke are pretty bad at this, they do function as humans at some level and had a reason they fell in love with this guy.

So here we go. Nowhere near a home run hire as of the hire date, but, honestly, the best upside of the choices. So we need to get this done