Having been born and raised in Kentucky and a proud UK grad, I can understand why so many people think getting a person with Kentucky ties would be good for the program. And while there may be some merits to that idea, it doesn't mean that a Kentucky person would be the right choice right now.
The program needs a person who would make a splash nationally to put the program back in the minds of every top recruit in the country.
I have known Travis since I was 10 years old, and I covered Darrin's high school games in Lexington. But with all due respect to both of them, neither would make blue chippers take notice if they were hired at UK--at least not right now.
Kentucky needs someone to come in like Rick Pitino did back in 1989-- a coach who had success in the college ranks and also had NBA experience. That's why I think Lon Kruger from UNLV or Tim Floyd from USC would be great choices.
However, if you can't find someone with NBA experience, then someone like Jamie Dixon would be a good choice. I have also previously mentioned Lorenzo Romar at Washington and Jeff Capel at Oklahoma because both coaches come from winning programs in their past (Romar was an assistant on UCLA's national title team in 1995 and Capel of course played at Duke) and both have recruited some of the top players in the nation, who have moved or are going to move on to be all-stars in the pros (Brandon Roy at Washington and Blake Griffin at Oklahoma).
Travis and Darrin do not have the overall appeal of any of those coaches.
At times like these, UK fans have to get out of their Kentucky/SEC bubble. UK should be a national program not a regional one.
I think Mitch Barnhart, who came from a very regional program in Oregon State, either lost sight of that fact or never understood it in the first place.
4 comments:
Michael,
I agree with you but at the top of my list would be Dixon. He has done the most with the least number of ballyhooed recruits. Imagine what he could do at UK
with top notch recruits combined with his player development and game coaching skills.
I think Travis Ford especially could be a great one and certainly Horn is on the right path as well but, as we all know as UK fans, the time is always now.
Steve Perry
I've always thought it was a matter of time before John Pelphrey came home, so to speak. I don't think the timing it right. Where do you think he is at on his career ladder? Is this just nostalgia coming from a UK fan? I'm leaning towards yes.
All of your credibility flew out the window as soon as you listed a dookie (Capel), as a possible replacement.
Jamie Dixon, or Jay Wright would be my choices. Pelphrey, Horn and Ford are still a bit green to handle this situations, particularly in the shape things are in now.
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