UCLA Beat Writer: Gottfried a target

There’s just not a lot of info floating around on the UCLA coaching search. But, I’m also not scouring UCLA message boards (nor SFN’s peer boards, either).

What’s most interesting to me in this search is that UCLA has always been widely considered a career destination job, and is easily one of the five best coaching jobs in college basketball, yet the Bruins appear spurned by some of the same folks that State missed on two years ago. Many folks agree it’s simply easier — and far less stressful — to win big at VCU or, more specifically, Butler, which will shed the moronic mid-major moniker next season when it joins the new Big East. Besides, mid-majors are making comparable money nowadays.

Beyond the obvious Tier 1A choices of Pitino or Donovan and Tier 1B choices of Smart, Stevens and Few, Mark Gottfried seems to be getting attention (WRAL.com):

“Word is that Gottfried is one of the guys that UCLA boosters are looking at and are excited about,” UCLA beat writer Ryan Kartje told Mike Maniscalco and Mark Thomas Wednesday morning on 620 AM The Buzz.

Kartje, who covers the Bruins for the Orange County Register, granted that Gottfried is somewhat of a second choice. “The first tier that UCLA fans would like to see are guys like Billy Donovan and Rick Pitino – guys that are probably out of their reach,” he said.

Kartje said the Bruins are also targeting Butler’s Brad Stevens, and would likely wait for him to express whether he is interested in the job before more aggressively pursuing Gottfried.

“The indications are that he (Gottfried) would absolutely listen (if approached about the job),” Kartje said. “I think if Brad Stevens isn’t in the fold, I think Mark Gottfried is maybe the lead candidate for the job.”

Of course he’d “listen.” We knew that when we hired him. “Listening” is one of the ways coaches get raises they don’t necessarily deserve. This sort of reminds me of back in 2002 when we all worried Chuck Amato would replace Bowden at Florida State or Paterno at Penn State.

Obviously (well, arguably, depending on who you ask, while mired in the fear of off-season turmoil just a few days after the disgusting loss to Temple), Gottfried has done well in his first two years at State and has the program in better shape than its been since the 80’s, and we certainly want to maintain that continuity.

However, at least some folks seem to agree that losing Gottfried to UCLA isn’t a program killer. Beyond the buyout money that will be available, Gottfried has proven in a very short time, if nothing else, that it’s not impossible to win here, and even, as daunting as this seems, win against Carolina and Duke. Call me an optimist (at least 15 people just eliminated LRM as the writer here), but maybe the timing is better to make a big-name hire now than it was two years ago — for instance, Sean Miller (or similar).

If nothing else, we should be able to finally get Rick Barnes to Raleigh, right?

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61 Responses to UCLA Beat Writer: Gottfried a target

  1. vtpackfan 03/27/2013 at 10:21 PM #

    Wonder if Yow had to raise any of the incentive perks. it’s going to be a lot higher to finish in the top 4 in conference play with the Big East defections coming aboard.

  2. TheCOWDOG 03/27/2013 at 10:23 PM #

    ” If there’s any truth to this, a lot of those who posted comments on the “Gottfried to UCLA Is In The Rumor Mill” entry are looking a little foolish right now. “- ‘foose.

    Even if the planet shifts, and I am in error, I certainly do not feel foolish, now, or then. At least I brought you conversation from UCLA coaches. Would you feel foolish when all the hand wringing passes without a peep from the real world , after that comment? Doubt it…And it’s all good.

    Alpha’s take on the OC Register is all good, too. Except I did happen to live in OC for 20+ years, and have a different opinion on their sports writing legitimacy.

    This waxing Gibbons moon is ripe. I’m a Wolf, and I’m runnin’

    BTW. I’m running with an unexpected wolf of Case lineage. Just sayin’.

  3. WeAreCured 03/27/2013 at 10:25 PM #

    Apparently, Gott just tweeted “I am committed to being at NC State for a long time. Still as dedicated to rebuilding the program as I was 2 years ago.”

    I’m not on Titter, but that is according to PP on facebook.

  4. colapack 03/27/2013 at 10:29 PM #
  5. primacyone 03/27/2013 at 10:32 PM #

    Bulls Heat game is rocking.

    ESPN

  6. mak4dpak 03/27/2013 at 10:32 PM #

    Sent DY email about squashing these rumors on Gott tonite. And now Gott has in fact stated he is going no where. Go Pack!

  7. primacyone 03/27/2013 at 10:37 PM #

    Anyone heard how much the raise is?

  8. packalum44 03/27/2013 at 10:41 PM #

    Amazes me that people think a coach making 7 digits would turn down a job over tax rates. This isn’t an engineer making $100,000 at SAS comparing an offer of $130,000 at Google. The little ole’ engineer has a couple kids and wife and factors in cost of living. Silicon Valley real estate ain’t cheap ya’ know thanks to local restrictions on zoning and building plus higher hippy taxes.

    In my Sam Kennison voice:

    THIS IS BIG TIME COLLEGE BASKETBALL!! AMBITIOUS COACHES DON’T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT PAYING AN EXTRA 10% IN TAXES!!!!!! THEY CARE ABOUT RECRUITING ADVANTAGES, PRESTIGE AND WINNING!! CAN I WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP THERE???!!! WILL IT BE A BETTER PLACE TO ALLOW ME TO ACHIEVE MY GOALS OF WINNING NATIONAL TITLES?!!!

    AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111

  9. JeremyH 03/27/2013 at 10:43 PM #

    thanks mak5dpak for taking care of that. I know you’re busy and all.

  10. primacyone 03/27/2013 at 10:52 PM #

    Moxley to Campbell?????

  11. Adventuroo 03/27/2013 at 10:59 PM #

    Shaka got a raise….25% this time. I THINK he had trebled his salary since 2011. One of these days, the VCU alum’s are going to run out of money or else start selling their bodies on CL.

    Gott – NO; Shaka – NO…..

    Wonder who will end up out there….?

    I think that Gott did the math (probably read it here) and decided that UCLA was NOT going to pony up $5.5 MILLION for his skills.

    Will be interesting to see if Gott did get an adjustment in his “Bonus” categories. DY left that alone last Sept.

    Sure hope the the team (coaches and player that are EXPECTED to stay) follow suit. Gott and Lutz have a great bunch of folks on the staff.

    GO PACK…..off to WDW for a week…..don’t have to worry about changing my drive home to stop over at Atlanta for the Saturday and Monday game…..would have made a GREAT story…..NCSU team repeats run of 1983. Wonderful script…..but you can’t make a documentary on what COULD HAVE BEEN….

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