What difference does it make. Of the dozen top 150 players remaining, none are showing any real interest in Arkansas. I don’t believe we can sign anyone that other SEC teams would want, except as role players.
What difference does it make. Of the dozen top 150 players remaining, none are showing any real interest in Arkansas. I don’t believe we can sign anyone that other SEC team would want, except as role players. I suppose it is possible that SEC quality big man might transfer to Arkansas, but I’m not expecting it.
Actually, yes. I don’t think HY is enamored with MA’s bottom line success here. By not extending him, it gives the appearance that HY is not “accepting of mediocrity”.
At the same time, HY doesn’t have to stick his neck out and make a risky (although some could well argue a necessary) decision to change coaches.
Mike can finish out his contract, thus not having to buy him out, and not angering many who want to see MA coach here until retirement no matter what.
I don’t think Tucker will be a Hog, I think he’s heading to AUB. To much of a connection with Flanigan, I haven’t seen anything about that relationship that would make me think he wouldn’t have them at the top of his list.
Jolly and Stith, absolutely, hope we get both.
Grad transfer, a good grad transfer big, would not hurt my feelings. I’ve already said what I think about Hawkins, he’s not a Day 1 guy (and that’s not me dissing him as some think). He has upside, but he would need to bring it early. I think he’s like Desi, starts coming on late freshmen year, then we expect him to be quite a bit better as a SO.
Hamlet, I’m just not under the impression we really are interested. Dudley said something about him believing Hamlet was just touching bases (now this was when his name first popped up, so I’d like to see Dudley’s opinion on the interest level now). RazorAg pointed out Hamlet actually had a connection. Kind of like Diawara (the other big guy), I think if AR offers he’d be a Hog. So, I’m not sure we will.
-Sean McNeil already put out his top schools, Arkansas did not make the list.
-Calhoun is missing a class, hoping to to make 2019 class, however most likely a 2020 guy.
-Gabe is not going anywhere. He loves Fayetteville and he’s a starter, not sure why people keep wanting him to transfer.
-Raymond Hawkins hasn’t even visited Arkansas yet, and make his decision a week from today. Unless he makes a midweek visit, unlikely he comes here.
So, HY is content to watch the death of Arkansas basketball? By not extending his contract, he’s killing recruiting and any chance to be better. I’m not advocating extending MA, but if you don’t extend a contract, no recruit worth a damn will want to play for a coach with a three year contract. You can extend and make the buyout more palatable to the university, there’s ways to make this “look good”.
I’ve said this on another thread, but money maybe the driving factor to any decision right now. There are a lot of projects, and a few more upgrades that are being planned and started. 2 of those projects fall off next year. Also, letting CMA coach next year, his buyout falls off, if you extend him his buyout also would extend. So, by not doing anything, it appears we will have more money next year if that ends up being Mike’s last year. I know that’s not good news for those wanting to keep Mike or those wanting to fire Mike, because it’s basically a one year or else deal that may scare off recruits, but financially it makes sense.
Also, you have to look at who the replacements would be and potentially how much they’ll cost for how long (this part is Sampson, he may not want to coach much longer, hence not interested in a rebuilding job). How much do coaches expect? It’s very possible, that the next coach may get less than Mike, and some of the bigger names out there back off and we end up with a Chad Morris type hire. Some one excited to test himself in the SEC, but nothing in his track record suggesting he will win the test.
Actually the Series 2010 Bonds go off in 2021, and the Series 2015 Bonds go off in 2023, so not next year. If $3M is keeping us from firing MA, then we wouldn’t be taking on $30M more debt in the baseball, and two track facility improvements. If so, then we have a lot bigger problem than paying off a coach for $3M.
I’m just telling you what’s being said by people who have actual credentials (i.e. some reporters). I do agree that $3 million buyout isn’t much compared to the rest, but when you add in the rest, it changes that number significantly. Plus, it’s not just Mike’s buyout, it’s the new coaches buyout at his old school, and it’s his salary. Some of these coaches are expecting to be offered Top 10-15 money. With all the projects (and apparently Bud Walton being renovated is on the to do list) would we have the money?
Now, I’m not a BOT member or Big Money Booster, but with all that other stuff, it would make more sense to me financially to wait. However, if you believe a change needs to be made this year (BOT or Booster) then how much are we spending?