Always enjoy hearing Nolan talk. Glad they brought him on for an interview. He believes this year’s team is going to be the breakout team to get Arkansas basketball back to where it needs to be.
The last time I saw or heard Nolan he seemed like a tired old man (not trying to be disrespectful even though that’s what it sounds like). Today he sounded like Nolan, he sounded like our old coach. He sounded like he had that old fire back. Like you, I loved that interview.
Yea Nolan seems like he’s in a good place. I didn’t even think about it until me mentioned it, but the bench (coaches) is full of his players, and probably the only coach in the country that can claim almost an entire bench is his old players. Think Coach Watkins is the only one that isn’t.
It was great to hear his fire as some of you said. He did a great job of mesmerizing the broadcast crew. He reminded everyone that have a NC. I would like to see them bring Nolan on for interviews more often.
It was also great to Pat Bradley in the SEC studio as he gets his start. He did pretty good but you can tell he was nervous.
Response: I think it’s great Nolan has a chance to extend his legacy through Mike, and Mike through one of his assistants, I’m thinking with future teams successes Scotty will get the first call to be a head coach…
Now, this is just my opinion, I haven’t heard anyone say anything, but I would assume Watkins would be retiring here in the new few years and TJ would take his spot as the Associate Head Coach when he does. And from there, if CMA, is still here in say the next 5-6 years, I would assume he’d pass the torch along to TJ to take over the program when he gets ready to retire. Although, I could see TJ taking another head coaching job before that if the right opportunity presents itself.
It seems to me that we don’t hire assistant coaches to be our head coach in the major sports at Arkansas (Jack Crowe being an exception because of the circumstances). I think TJ or Scotty or whomever would have to go out and prove themselves as a head coach first, just like Mike Anderson did. I have a feeling that, when Mike’s time here is up, we might go a different direction anyway from the Nolan/Mike philosophy of basketball. But this is all just speculation, and hopefully Mike will start to find the sustained success that will keep him here several more years.
I don’t know if anyone else noticed, but during the game last night the announcer said he thought CMA was much better off by leaving and going somewhere else, instead of taking over here immediately as FTHC in the aftermath of Nolan. He said going to UAB and Missouri helped him more. So, you could be right by TJ and Scotty leaving for HC gigs then return down the line.
Now as to who is the first of those two to be a HC, if I’m not mistaken, I believe TJ was mentioned or interviewed for a position this year.
I hope your feeling is not shared by the administration at that time. Anyway, it will depend on the status of the program at that time and not feelings anyone has today.
I really miss Nolan the coach. We were so good. He was so fiery and we were so much fun to watch. Mike is getting us there, but it doesn’t feel the same. Then again, its hard to compare what we see today to nostalgia.
My opinion is Nolan’s teams wouldn’t be as good now, per Nolan himself after the NC, the NCAA invented the “Arkansas Rule.” It limits what our guys can and cannot do.
I could be wrong, but I thought I heard Nolan say that next year, with the class we have coming in, we could have a 'breakout" year and get back on the road to where we once were.
It was in response to one of the guys asking what Arkansas needed to do to ‘get back’ to the success we had in Nolan’s Day, and Nolan responded “it’s coming. I think they have some players coming into the program that will give them a chance” - something along those lines. I interpreted that to mean the group about to arrive.
I see I hit a nerve with some people on that haha. Every coach wants to pass the torch down to one of their guys, and you would think his nephew, would be the guy he’d want to pass it down to, before Scotty. That’s all I’m saying. Now a lot has to depend on what happens, does TJ go out and become a big time head coach in this time, does CMA win a national championship before he retires? Nobody knows. But I’m sure in CMA’s mind he’d like to eventually see his nephew head coach of hogs and i’m sure TJ has thought about it as well.
Yea Nolan all but said he wouldn’t be able to do the same things, seems like he really doesn’t like the new “freedom of movement” rules. Which I agree. Nobody wants to see 50 fouls called a game, and all this little touch fouls.
Comments:
Well, i did not intend to suggest that either assistant would get elevated to the head coaching position at UA although you never know what works in the future. Scotty has the bigger name plus a host of intangibles that I like. As it relates to TJ I think he really need to get away from his uncle Mike period, and make it on his own, the sooner the better, it’s refreshing to know he got a look and I feel he is ready for a head coaching position at a division II or small mid-major school. I would not be surprised if Watkins retired soon but most likely after a very successful season and the graduation of his son. Look for Todd Day to land in one of those vacant positions another favorite son of UA basketball who is currently coaching at a private Arkansas college