Arkansas hires Dana Altman...

[Dossenator]

Arkansas hired Creighton coach Dana Altman today. Razorback nation seems to be happy after he spoke. He mentioned that he presses for the full 40 minutes of the game. Hog fans miss the days of Nolan Richardson and his "40 minutes of H#$@" style of basketball. I think Altman is a good fit. You know Broyles stole Creighton's coach years ago....Eddie Sutton was coaching at Creighton before he became the Ark coach.

I think this is a good hire. What do you guys think?

Here is a link to Altman's statements:

http://www.hogwired.com/ViewArticle.dbm ... LID=839330

[Eric]

That's a pretty good hire. Altman is a pretty good basketball coach, he made Creighton into a yearly tournament contender. Not too shabby.

I'm not sure if he'll be the next guy to take Arkansas to the Final Four, but he will do better with them than what Stan Heath did with them.

Heath is now coaching at USF. That might be a nice fit.

Beilein is headed to Michigan. I don't think it's official yet, but it sounds like he will. Whoever will inherit the program at WVU will have some talent and experience to work with.

[Dossenator]

Altman will have some talent and experience to work with. Arkansas had no seniors this year. They return everyone. Patrick Beverly was named SEC freshman of the year, and Steven Hill was named SEC defensive player of the year. And saying that....Darien Townes is probably the best player on the team. Heath had a verbal commitment from an outstanding recruit for this next season....if that kid decides to come to Ark then they could be pretty special this next season. I am definetely excited about this next basketball season.

Sounds like Michigan made a good hire too. Well, when it becomes official.

I did not see WVU play much basketball this year. In fact I only say them play one time. They played Arkansas in the Old Spice Classic tournament at the beginning of the season. Arkansas won that tournament beating both Southern Illinois and West Virginia. At that point in the season I thought the Hogs had it going on. I think Stan Heath definetely underacheived with this years squad.

[Howdy]

I hope he makes it.
Nebraska had a chance to get him 17 years ago,
but some booster did not like his style of BB and
put preasure on Bob Deavney not to hire him.
He wanted the job as he a Nebraska born product
from Wilber Nebraska

[Spence]

Looks like he balked and is going back to Creighton.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2824653&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines

[Howdy]

Guess he did not like to do the hog call.

[Dossenator]

Not a very classy thing to do. He accepted the job. Meet with the team. They held a huge ceremony in Bud Walton Arena where the chancelor of the University and Frank Broyles introduced him as coach. And with the players in the front row along with many fans gave this speech about how he was so excited about being the Razorback coach....blah, blah, blah.

And then less then 24 hours later decides it is not for him. Sorry...not buying it. Something fishy here. You can't tell me that he did not know deep down 24 hours earlier that he did not want the job. It made the University of Arkansas look like a bunch of dumb hillbillies. Several players before he was hired were saying that they may ask for transfers. Then they announce Altman as the coach. All the players said they were happy and were going to stay at Arkansas after they meet with the coach. All he did was put the University of Arkansas in a very awkward situation. Don't know what to think about Altman right now. At least he changed is mind now....instead of taking the job and not giving 100% because he was not happy. Still makes me upset though. You don't let something go that far though.....not very professional.

Well, not sure what happens now. At the same time they were talking with Altman they were in talks with Calipari at Memphis.

[Spence]

I agree. Sounds like he jumped before talking about it with his family. You always have to talk to the BOSS before moving the family. He better really like his job because he will have a hard time getting hired anywhere else after this.

[Howdy]

Not a very classy thing to do. He accepted the job. Meet with the team. They held a huge ceremony in Bud Walton Arena where the chancelor of the University and Frank Broyles introduced him as coach. And with the players in the front row along with many fans gave this speech about how he was so excited about being the Razorback coach....blah, blah, blah.

And then less then 24 hours later decides it is not for him. Sorry...not buying it. Something fishy here. You can't tell me that he did not know deep down 24 hours earlier that he did not want the job. It made the University of Arkansas look like a bunch of dumb hillbillies. Several players before he was hired were saying that they may ask for transfers. Then they announce Altman as the coach. All the players said they were happy and were going to stay at Arkansas after they meet with the coach. All he did was put the University of Arkansas in a very awkward situation. Don't know what to think about Altman right now. At least he changed is mind now....instead of taking the job and not giving 100% because he was not happy. Still makes me upset though. You don't let something go that far though.....not very professional.

Well, not sure what happens now. At the same time they were talking with Altman they were in talks with Calipari at Memphis.

--------------------------------------------

I remember about 4 years ago a football coach from hog country
did the same thing to Nebraska as a plane waited for him.

[mountainman]

I don't see where it's a poor reflection on the University of Arkansas .... they made the guy a job offer to coach at a good school, in one of the premier conferences in the nation, gave him a big welcome ..... he accepted the job offer and their hospitality and then changed his mind.

Disappointing and frustrating, but in no way a poor reflection on UA.

This happens often with coaches, maybe not high profile head coaches, but it happens with assistants coaches and staff quite often.

[Dossenator]

Howdy....it actually is not anything like what happened with H. Nutt and Nebraska. He did not accpect the job at Nebraska. If it was the same situation: Nutt would have got on the plane, he would have publically accepcted the Nebraska job, they would have thrown a huge ceromony for him at the Nebraska stadium where the team and 1000's of fans would have cheered for their new coach, every sports outlet in Amercia would have been talking about Nebraskas new hire, and then the next day Nutt would have said....I think I change my mind....etc. Nutt simply did not accect the job. So it is not the same situation at all. Planes show up all over the country all the time when coaches are being offered jobs. I am sure Kentucky has a plane parked in Florida hoping Billy Donavon gets on it. If he doesn't did he do anything remotely close to what Altman did. I think not.

Mountainman...I hope you are right that this reflects poorly on Altman and not on the University of Arkansas. Hopefully, they can get out there and find a coach. Also, sorry to hear you guys lost your coach to Michigan. Any word as to who West Virginia is looking at? I bet I can cross one guys name off the list....say...Altman maybe.

[mountainman]

Mountainman...I hope you are right that this reflects poorly on Altman and not on the University of Arkansas. Hopefully, they can get out there and find a coach. Also, sorry to hear you guys lost your coach to Michigan. Any word as to who West Virginia is looking at? I bet I can cross one guys name off the list....say...Altman maybe.

Yep, it creates much uncertainty when a coach leaves. It hurts the players that are there because they wonder about what a new coach will bring, as far as style of play and the like, and its bound to affect recruiting to some degree.

Beilein had a good run for the Mountaineers and made the program better than it was before he came and we recognize that. He has had a history of moving around .... 5 years at Canisius, 5 years at Richmond, 5 years with the Mountaineers. Don't know what he is after ..... more money?, the opportunity to coach at an 'elite' school?, I don't have any idea. Reports are that he made over $820,000.00 last season with WV and was under long term contract ..... and I read where Michigan offered 1 mil, so maybe it was the money ... who knows? Didn't come as a big surprise though, year before last the University of Virginia offered him and last season Indiana and North Carolina State offered him .... and he listened to all those offers. Maybe he and his family just wanted a change of scenery.

If it was money, and considering the coach's buyout for the guy Michigan just fired is $900,000 and Beilein's buyout with West Virginia is $2.5 million and his reported pay with the Wolverines will be $1 million, then looks like he's found a place with plenty of money to pull the deal off.

We wish him well, and hopefully the Mountaineers will find a good coach that wants to be there and will want to spend the remainder of his career with the Mountaineers ...... good luck with that this day and time.

[Spence]

If it is money that he wants, then you right, Michigan has no shortage of cash. The bad thing about coaching basketball at Michigan is that no matter how well the team does, football will always be the main subject at Michigan. Like at Ohio State, basketball will never hold the same status as say a school like Kentucky, North Carolina, or Duke. It is a good job because of cash and facilities, but if you want to be BMOC it will never happen at the UofM.

[mountainman]

I read some stories in the West Virginia newspapers today and all I can say is that, "the hounds are loose."

Some are disappointed and feel betrayed, some understand, some are sorry Beilein left, while others say good riddens. Typical.

One column did catch my interest and peaked my curiosity ..... the sportswriter said West Virginia counter-offered the Michigan deal with a salary increase to 1 mil per year and Beilein turned them down ..... the part that peaked my curiosity was that some official at Michigan was quoted in the article as saying that Michigan would be paying Beilein 1.3 mil per year, but the buyout of the contract was a contractual arrangement between Beilein and West Virginia and that Michigan was not a party to it and would be paying WVU no dollars. Beilein's comment was that his lawyers were dealing with it.

Now, if Michigan is indeed going to pay Beilein 1.3 mil per year and he owes WVU $2.5 mil in $500,000 installments for each year of his contract he doesn't remain at WV, the math would work out to where Beilein would net $800,000 per year at Michigan ........ and it's reported that Beilein made a little over $820,000(salary + incentives) at WVU last year.

Hmmmmm ...... maybe the guy did just want a change of scenery, or a better recruiting base or something.

Oh, well .... time to turn the page and get another coach.

[Eric]

Wow, that was....unexpected.

A very strange set of circumstances. I hope Arkansas finds the right head man.

I like the Beilein hire. He won the NIT, so he'll be a great fit at Michigan seeing as how they always wind up there

Just joking, Beilein has taken West Virginia to the tournament numerous times and I remember that they made it to the Elite 8 in the 04-05 season before they lost to Louisville. He'll turn Michigan into a contender.

I'm sure that West Virginia will move on and make a right hire. He really turned the West Virginia team into a nice program and they should be in the tournament next season.