Re: Where do we go from here?

by Oldfan Mon Mar 28, 2016 9:36 pm

He is not LDS.

by DoubleDipper Tue Mar 29, 2016 12:31 am

Oldfan wrote:He is not LDS.

And in case you're wondering, neither is Randy Rahe....he's Catholic!

Spoke this evening to a former BYU baller who played for Dave Rice for two years....."he's was the hardest working coach I've ever seen and an offensive minded genius." A UNLV fan who emailed me said that he was "not a very dynamic guy or very demonstrative, so he would be different than your Coach Reveno in that respect, but he was considered an excellent offensive coach and recruiter while in Las Vegas."

The only person I've talked to about Randy Rahe is a shirttail relative who teaches at Weber St. and doesn't particularly follow basketball, but she did talk to a few of her colleagues on my behalf who all agree he's an "excellent coach, identifier of talent and recruiter." He's got something like 200 wins in 10 seasons in Ogden, and he was an assistant a Utah St. and Utah....so he, like Rice, seems to have the right credentials to go after SMC, BYU, and GU. Rahe has turned down other coaching opportunities in the past because of "his perfect fit" at WSU I was told....but I don't know what schools he's turned down except, perhaps, Utah St. after Stu Morrill retired a year ago.

Comparing Terry Porter to Rahe and Rice is not that difficult....the college coaches are used to putting in 80+ hour work weeks year round. They are used to traveling to some pretty remote or far flung spots to find recruits, and they and their families are used to being separated for long periods, even when they are not on the road.

The first question I would ask Terry Porter is, "why, as a multi-millionaire, do you want to give up your very comfortable life and possibly your wonderful reputation as a Portland basketball icon to take on a small college program that has struggled to finish in the upper half of its conference?" His answer could determine who would be chosen....Rice, Rahe, or Porter.

I'll be surprised if UP fans don't know who the next coach is by Thursday or Friday at the latest.....by then it should be time to start looking for quality assistant coaches who will be counted on to help the Pilots reach the top of the WCC.

by wrv Tue Mar 29, 2016 9:23 am

DoubleDipper wrote:
Oldfan wrote:He is not LDS.

Comparing Terry Porter to Rahe and Rice is not that difficult....the college coaches are used to putting in 80+ hour work weeks year round. They are used to traveling to some pretty remote or far flung spots to find recruits, and they and their families are used to being separated for long periods, even when they are not on the road.

The first question I would ask Terry Porter is, "why, as a multi-millionaire, do you want to give up your very comfortable life and possibly your wonderful reputation as a Portland basketball icon to take on a small college program that has struggled to finish in the upper half of its conference?" His answer could determine who would be chosen....Rice, Rahe, or Porter.

Good question. OSU essentially had the same concern when it considered Porter. This from a Sporting News story on OSU's search:

"Porter has no previous Division I experience — including as a player. He was an NAIA star at Wisconsin-Stevens Point and then became an NBA All-Star with the Portland Trail Blazers. He has coached only at the professional level, including as the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns.

That lack of college experience could be an obstacle for Porter, but it could help that he has been a head coach and has the experience of running his own squad."

by blacksheep Tue Mar 29, 2016 9:24 am

DoubleDipper wrote:
I'll be surprised if UP fans don't know who the next coach is by Thursday or Friday at the latest.....by then it should be time to start looking for quality assistant coaches who will be counted on to help the Pilots reach the top of the WCC.

The natives are getting restless, so I sure hope an announcement comes sooner rather than later.

I know he doesn't have college coaching experience, but I'm still leading the Terry Porter bandwagon. We still have room for a few more to join us.

by PDX Tue Mar 29, 2016 10:01 am

Someone like Logie might be exactly what UP needs. Porter is a great name, but after the initial hype wears off, is he really what is going to serve Pilot basketball best in the future and for the long term? We need someone eager, hungry and with a PROVEN college coaching record. Logie has the highest winning percentage in his first 5 years in the HISTORY OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL regardless of level. Heading into his fifth year at the helm of Whitworth, Logie has posted a record of 100-18 over his first four seasons, becoming the first head coach in Division III history to reach the 100-win plateau in only his fourth year as a head coach. He also has a 58-6 mark in the Northwest Conference, and he has led the Pirates to the NCAA Division III tournament in each of his first five seasons. He has been named NWC Coach of the Year three times (2012, 2014 and 2015). In 2013 he was a finalist for the Glenn Robinson National Coach of the Year award.

Add in the fact that he has extensive experience in Divison I both as a player and an associate head coach role, recruited CJ McCollum and coached him at Lehigh, and has extremely strong NW roots... It would be silly not to take a serious look at this guy.

by DoubleDipper Tue Mar 29, 2016 10:36 am

PDX wrote:Someone like Logie might be exactly what UP needs. Porter is a great name, but after the initial hype wears off, is he really what is going to serve Pilot basketball best in the future and for the long term?

I'm in agreement with you there, PDX.

If Matt Logie does not get a look from some D1 school soon, IMO it is an indication the ADs at D1 schools feel a little too under the gun or lack the confidence to make bold choices or take chances.

Oregon State's women's coach Scott Rueck, who now has the OSU Beaver's women's team in the Final Four, is an excellent an example of a successful D3 coach who can coach at a higher level.

Matt Logie's tweet from this morning:

Scott Rueck just took Oregon State to the Final Four, further proof that if you can coach and build relationships, level doesn't matter

by NoPoNeighbor Tue Mar 29, 2016 11:22 am

I'm on the Terry Porter bandwagon, too. This speculation that he somehow won't be "hungry" or will be all hype and no substance is completely baseless. By all accounts he is extremely hard-working, has a great basketball mind, loves Portland, knows the NW youth hoops scene, and is a kind, personable, genuinely nice guy. In addition, he has the name, cache, and well deserved reputation to bring some excitement and energy to UP hoops -- energy in terms of recruiting, fan support, donor support, scheduling, media attention...

Another factor: Porter is not likely to be viewing UP as a stepping stone to something else. He clearly wants to head-up a D-I program in Oregon; he's a Portland guy. Dave Rice, on the other hand, was head coach at a high-level program at UNLV. To him, I would fear that UP would be just a pit stop to re-establish his credentials and then move on to the next opening at a major conference school.

Logie is intriguing to me, but I still think the arguments for Porter are stronger. Hire Logie as an assistant.

My second choice, among the names discussed here, is Rahe. Although if I were in his shoes there's no way I would leave Weber State to take the UP job.

by pilotram Tue Mar 29, 2016 11:43 am

Rice was an incredible talent waster at UNLV. This says something about his coaching ability, but also his ability to bring in top recruits. With the decades long recruiting drought at UP, it may be worth the risk.

by DoubleDipper Tue Mar 29, 2016 12:54 pm

NoPoNeighbor wrote:As DD reported above, Stanford hired UAB's coach, Jarod Haase. I wonder if Reveno will be in the running for an assistant spot.

I asked that question directly to Rev on Sunday. I know he's interested, but I only received a non-committal answer in reply.

In response to the same question posed to Coach Jarod Haase:

"I have talked to him (Eric) along with a variety of other former players, former people with connections to Stanford and then my contacts all over. With him, to be honest with you, he's just a good guy that I've known that will also give me some groundwork about Stanford."

I think all of us would love to see Rev land on his feet in a good position....certainly Palo Alto would be one of those spots.

by DoubleDipper Tue Mar 29, 2016 8:32 pm

Terry Cahill wrote: I see a lot of respected basketball people talking about how good of a job Kyle Smith has done with the Columbia basketball program and what a good hire he'd be at various programs.

Finally, the Columbia Lions (25-10) win the CIT Championship, 73-67 over UC Irvine, and at least two WCC schools can get on with deciding who their next basketball coach is.

I've gotta admit that having seen Coach Smith guide his team through their three CIT games, I'm impressed. He doesn't necessarily have the best Ivy League athletes, but he's done an excellent job with the guys he has.

Will he stay at Columbia, end up in San Francisco, or head to Portland, a program he once described as one of the two toughest jobs in the WCC (the other being Pacific)? Regardless, once his decision is made, everyone can move on and sign a head coach prior to the Final Four that begins on Saturday.

EDIT: The CBSports announcers from the CIT telecast said there would be a news conference Thursday morning.....presumably announcing Smith is leaving Columbia for USF...that's what was tweeted by the CBS affiliate (KPIX) in San Francisco.

by Stonehouse Tue Mar 29, 2016 10:01 pm

UP student social media was abuzz with reports that Damian Lillard was on campus today. As far as I know that is not a regular thing for him to be working out here, and I can't help but wonder if his visit was Rahe related. Probably not, but it's fun to speculate about.

by DoubleDipper Tue Mar 29, 2016 10:36 pm

Stonehouse wrote:UP student social media was abuzz with reports that Damian Lillard was on campus today. As far as I know that is not a regular thing for him to be working out here, and I can't help but wonder if his visit was Rahe related. Probably not, but it's fun to speculate about.

Haha, I love how you think Stoney, and I love how PN has been alive with speculation/guessing/advocating/choosing, etc. It's a captivating time for the basketball program as UP gets within a couple of days of announcing who will lead the Pilots into the future.

Oh, about the Damian Lillard sighting....yes, it's true, he was part of a commercial being taped for a headphone company, apparently....I don't know what brand. Rolling Eyes

Okay, but the BIG question here is, Stoney, why are you monitoring UP student social media.....? Suspect

by Guest Tue Mar 29, 2016 11:11 pm

DoubleDipper wrote:Okay, but the BIG question here is, Stoney, why are you monitoring UP student social media.....?

So we don't have to obviously. Finger on the pulse, and all that.

by Dean Murdoch Tue Mar 29, 2016 11:55 pm

Is it bad that at this point, I kind of want the Pilots to come in at the 11th hour and scoop up Kyle Smith just to see the Dons posters lose their collective minds?

by **PilotNut** Wed Mar 30, 2016 12:52 am

Terry Cahill wrote:Is it bad that at this point, I kind of want the Pilots to come in at the 11th hour and scoop up Kyle Smith just to see the Dons posters lose their collective minds?

I'll pop the popcorn....

We need to have someone camped out at Chiles Center and PDX to report on any unusual activities or sightings....

by DoubleDipper Wed Mar 30, 2016 9:19 am

This article from the Beacon mentions Donny Daniels, a man most of us have agreed would be a wonderful head coach for many reasons, but it was also assumed that at this point in his career he would not leave Gonzaga.

Haha, I like the article's drawing of Porter, Rahe, and Daniels with his white beard....

http://www.upbeacon.com/2016/03/29/who-should-be-the-pilots-new-head-coach/

Where do we go from here? - Page 11 Basket10

Where do we go from here? - Page 11 Basket10

by DoubleDipper Wed Mar 30, 2016 11:34 am

They obviously had a deal wrapped up before Columbia's CIT win last night.....It's official....Kyle Smith is now a San Francisco Don.

Wonderful hire for USF....he will bring stability and excellent coaching to the Hilltop.

http://usfdons.com/news/2016/3/30/kyle-smith-named-head-mens-basketball-coach-Kyle-Smith-USF-Columbia.aspx

by Stonehouse Wed Mar 30, 2016 11:37 am

DoubleDipper wrote:Okay, but the BIG question here is, Stoney, why are you monitoring UP student social media.....?

Ha ha! Having worked there for a long time, I'm friends with a lot of students and young alums. Comes with the territory of working in social media at a college. Smile

But actually, it's really exciting that they were doing a commercial in the new rec center... I wonder if it will start popping up in lots of Nike and Adidas commercials and photoshoots!

by DoubleDipper Wed Mar 30, 2016 11:44 am

WCC men's basketball head coaching positions available, March 2016:

~~Pacific~~
~~Santa Clara~~
~~San Francisco~~
Portland

by wrv Wed Mar 30, 2016 11:55 am

I suspect that it is unlikely that Kyle Smith would have become the Pilot head coach, USF notwithstanding. But assuming the two schools were in actual contention for his services, consider that Lavin was reported on this board to be seeking $2mil annually, a figure that USF apparently did not consider seriously. The question is at what salary was Smith lured from Columbia to War Memorial? Probably a substantial figure and a more than hefty obligation for the Pilots were Smith to have considered leaving Columbia for Portland. Without a doubt, USF is an easier destination to recruit basketball talent and that too would have factored in his decision.

Porter the most likely hire now?

by dholcombe Wed Mar 30, 2016 1:33 pm

I'm in the Porter/Rahe camp so neither of my personal favorites is out yet. Hopefully this post doesn't jinx anything..

by Dean Murdoch Wed Mar 30, 2016 2:02 pm

DoubleDipper wrote:WCC men's basketball head coaching positions available, March 2016:

~~Pacific~~
~~Santa Clara~~
~~San Francisco~~
Portland

Where do we go from here? - Page 11 Simpsons-angry-mob-pitchfork-torches

by Guest Wed Mar 30, 2016 3:18 pm

by Geezaldinho Wed Mar 30, 2016 4:46 pm

The beacon wrote:Don’t let Donny Daniels’ age fool you. Gonzaga men’s basketball coach Mark Few has kept him on the sideline as an assistant coach for the past six years for a reason. The Zags have been in the NCAA 19 straight seasons and have proven to be the team to beat.

Daniels has a reputation of being a top-notch recruiter, a skill that would help revolutionize Portland basketball. Rivals.com rated him one of college basketball’s top 25 recruiters in 2004. He helped bring Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook and Jrue Holiday to UCLA when he served as an assistant for the Bruins. All three have gone on to become NBA All-Stars.

Daniels has served most of his 38 seasons of coaching as an assistant, but he does have head coaching experience at the mid-major level. He coached Cal State Fullerton for two seasons.

Daniels was 5-22 and 10-19 in his two years as head coach at Fullerton.

There's a reason he's an assistant, even if he is called a great recruiter.

But he recruited to the reputation and budgets of Gonzaga, UCLA, and Utah.

What he would have to recruit to here is different.

by wrv Wed Mar 30, 2016 4:53 pm

Geezaldinho wrote:Daniels was 5-22 and 10-19 in his two years as head coach at Fullerton.

There's a reason he's a great assistant, even if he is called a great recruiter.

But he recruited to the reputation and budgets of Gonzaga, UCLA, and Utah.

Portland is different.

Agree with that. I would rather have the coach of Whitworth men's basketball than Daniels. Is there someone who could tell us whether he is available?