Not Lavin? Beilein? (10:30am Update)
Contrary to The Sporting News‘ report last night, The Winston-Salem Journal reports this morning that NC State may be focusing on West Virginia’s John Beilein:
The Sporting News reported that State has offered the job to Steve Lavin, who is an analyst for ESPN and a former coach at UCLA.
But sources close to the situation continued to point to West Virginia’s John Beilein.
Neither Lavin nor Beilein could be reached last night. Agent Dennis Coleman, who lists Beilein as one of his clients, declined to comment.
There is a lot going on here. As crazy as it sounds, we ask everyone to take a little breath and relax. This may drag out until the middle of next week. Honestly, since we are missing the AAU Weekend in Houston this weekend…does it really matter how long it takes now?
IF Lavin really has been offered the job as TSN is reporting, then why in the world has Lavin’s employer, ESPN, still has not reported the news? Why does every local media outlet (including Pack Pride and The Wolfpacker) not confirmed the offer? Interesting, isn’t it? I’m not saying that Lavin may not end up being the hire. I just think that this is interesting.
Additionally, it is very frustrating (and sad) that Fowler seems to have chosen to actively pursue the likes of Steve Lavin over Billy Gillispie and Frank Haith. Fowler has chosen not to pursue Frank Haith because Haith is not considered a strong “x&o coach”…yet we have chosen to pursue Steve Lavin, one of the worst “x&o” coaches in recent memory?
Wait…can I really call Lavin a coach if he hasn’t actually coached in three years? These are three years that Lavin couldn’t even procure an interview from Purdue, where he had been an assistant on some of Gene Keady’s best teams.
Ahhh…it must be Lavin’s strong cultural fit in the area that makes him more attractive than North Carolina native and former Wake Forest assistant, Frank Haith.
The WSJ article goes on to say:
Sources yesterday were convinced that Beilein was led to believe that it was his job for the taking, which is what makes The Sporting News report about Lavin even more intriguing.
One issue with Beilein could be a buyout of his contract at West Virginia. In 2004, Beilein signed a contract extension through the 2011-12 season, and various reports say that it includes a buyout clause of $500,000 for every year remaining on the contract.
Beilein was in the running for jobs at Missouri and Indiana earlier this spring, and the buyout clause may have cost him those opportunities.
Additionally, The News & Observer says that the search goes on. The N&O’s piece tried to present the search as moving forward at a normal pace while using the most extreme example of a coaching search (Virginia’s 2005 search) in recent years.
Classic journalism – no understanding of how the real world analyzes data. There have been six coaching searches in the ACC since the year 2000, and only one has gone longer than NC State’s. Yet, that is the one that the N&O holds up UVa as the only example? By the way, Dave Leitao was named as Virginia’s Head Coach on April 16th. Today is April 22nd.
On his talk show this morning, Dave Glenn said that Beilein is widely considered to be one of the top ten x’s and o’s coaches in the country. He also said that if you asked other coaches to list 5 coaches who are most like Sendek in terms of personality, that Beilein would also be on that list.
“Sources yesterday were convinced that Beilein was led to believe that it was his job for the taking”
If this was the case on Friday, he must have said no at the end of the day. Lavin ( 2nd choice ) then received the offer Friday night ?
Little breath? Relax? How about a little Zoloft, because this is becoming depressing. I sincerely hope hat our program has no been set back a number of years by the eventual abandonment by a good coach that will all (including myself) wanted fired years ago…
Wish we’d shoot for the B-list mid-major coach, as opposed to the C-list coaches history-wise, with big names…
Go Pack??
It is frustrating the search seems to have chosen to actively pursue the likes of Steve Lavin over the likes of Billy Gillispie and Frank Haith.
Could we really pay a $3 million buyout for Beilein? He’s a great coach but that is a ton of money. As for the offence, if he wins, I have no problems with it.
Oh my GOD.
After ten years of this shit, that damned Fowler is going to hire Herb Sendek, Part TWO!
We are going to be watching that Princeton SHIT, and losing to Duke and UNC, until we are all dead and buried.
If Beilein is the pick, then Fowler must be the only Pack fan in existence who really enjoys watching a “Princeton-style” offense.
Whitt is the one.
My question is, and no I don’t believe in them, but, is the Valvano curse at work here or what?
In reality one of two things is happening and the site administrators keep eluding to this train of thought:
The Valvano curse is DEFINITELY still alive. When this is all over, and we can share some of the things that have have happened (and how “close” that we have gotten), then you are going to go into a deep depression
^ sorry about that….
1. Either Fowler is a genious and something BIG is in the works or
2. Fowler is an idiot and doesn’t really know basketball, or administration.
My fear is that its #2.
If “Jed” Fowler hires another Princeton offense coach he better be ready for the booing from day 1 ! BEILEIN – IF THIS IS THE OFFENSE YOU PLAN _ S>>T>>A>>Y>>>>>A>>W>>A>>Y !!!
Jeff: I feel your pain as well….will this be over and we will be overjoyed or will we be in agony part 2……the saga continues.
Interesting opinion as follows on naming a Pack coach.
Jesus Christ, Lord & Savior: He can walk on water, but can he calm the Wolpack Club? Personally, we think he has better things to do, but he might be the one man whom NC State’s fans will accept. Until he loses to Roy Williams.
DG also said that Beilein was making big life changing decisions yesterday. If both reports are true, than Belein said no last night and the offer was made to Lav. BTW, this motion offense of herbs and Beileins scored mucho points when its run right. Its the 5-8 minute droughts of the previous coach that killed it. Beilein looks like he is a much better x and o coach, thus minimizing those droughts.
a slow, drawn-out crucifixion would have been less torturous than this coaching search– but that should have been last weekend. . .
Of course, if the choice is between Herb and Beilein, then the choice is obviously Beilein. I’ve been impressed with what Beilein has done and where he has done it.
I do not believe that NC State needs to pay a $3 million buyout to then pay him $1 million+ to get him.
I cannot for the life of me believe that Lee Fowler could possibly be stupid enough to hire John Beilein – not I don’t believe that Lee is stupid, because I do, and not because John B isn’t a good coach, because he is. It is because it would be Herb Sendek, Part Deux, and the Wolfpack faithful will AT BEST remain as bitterly divided as we were with Herb. If the rumors have any legs, can he not see the looming firestorm?
End of the day, Lee needs to hire a coach that will receive concensus support, even if the choice is not everyone’s first choice. John B doesn’t fit that mold.
Damn you, Lee Fowler, for driving me to drink this early in the morning….
Gumby, pass the bottle, mines empty.
I may get bashed, but you know what, Beilein’s team have had pretty good runs. I’ll watch that offence if it wins. It was neck and neck with Carolina and Duke this year in a few games and a better bench coach might make the difference. You have to think he would get better players to Raleigh than to WV.
Please be Beilein. Please, please don’t be Lavin. If Lavin gets the job he’s a 2nd chance coach with no ties to the area. All UCLA did was decline under him, and that’s pretty pathetic.
I like the Princeton style offense, and as talent accumulates it flows so much better. It doesn’t preclude fast breaking and indivuality when the players are there (remember Bennerman). Going from WVU to State would be a proper step up.
He had a 6’11″ guy who was automatic from beyond the arc. That doesn’t happen every day. When you don’t hit ‘em, you get blown out — see NCSU vs. UNC (x2), NCSU vs. Duke, NCSU vs. Texas, NCSU vs. Wake (x2). We’re not going to have Pittsnogle next year either.
David Glen said Lavin left a message on his phone this morning @ 6am ( 3am west coast). Why would he be up at 3 am, unless he was getting ready to go to LAX for the 6:45 am flight to RDU ?
I may head over to RDU around 4pm. Who knows, I may see “Mr Hollywood”
Why has Gregg Marshall’s name disappeared from the radar?
SFN – Because it seems that Fowler has said no to Marhsall & Haith
I would hope that EVERY fan gives whoever the new coach is concensus support right from the getgo. If not, then the sports writers are correct about us. We can discuss and add plusses and minuses now, but once the presser happens, we all go to NC State.