Official Utah basketball coach candidates thread.

[LA Ute]

Hi all, I'm a Virginia fan -- I just wanted to come in here and warn you all not to get too excited by the idea of Tony Bennett. I know as a Virginia fan during our recent coaching searches a lot of big names came up -- there were tons of rumours we were going to hire Tubby Smith. Then there can be a big let down.


It just seems extremely unlikely Tony Bennett will leave right now.

I'm not sure how familiar Utah is with our school, but it has a lot to offer for a basketball coach

- Nice new arena (one of the best)
- ACC basketball
- Great academics
- Lots of money for sports
- Talent rich area
- Host of NBA top 100 camp

We will also be quite good next year and have a strong shot at the tournament for the first time since he has been here.


Also, some people who are close to our program and the Bennett family have said this won't happen. There is a pretty well respected message board poster by the name of 'builtbadgers' who is close to the Bennett family. You can google for him and see that this is widely backed up by his history on Wisconsin/Washington St/Virginia message boards. He said that TB views Virginia as his destination job and that there is nothing to this rumour.


I know Utah is a strong job and I hope you can find a good coach to dominate the PAC-10/12. (try for shaka smart)

Good luck!

(ps: I'm surpised you guys aren't following private planes yet?! )

Thanks for the info. Bennett to Utah is head-scratcher to me too, but supposedly he's in Salt Lake today.

[DrumNFeather]

Its not like I'm coming here just with an attempt to burst your bubble -- I tried to be as polite as possible. Builtbadgers is a legitimate source. Unless you think someone built this persona over multiple years just to mess with Utah

"The sources I trust the most at this point in time on the message board would be UWOle and builtbadgers. If anyone thinks of others that are trustworthy enough for me to take info from them for my recruiting compliations, feel free to send me a PM on the BadgerNation board. "
- http://badgerbasketballblog.blogspot...1_archive.html

"The poster that mentioned the Bennett's has ties to Dick and Tony. "

"That's what I got out of Builtbadgers comments as well. He has ties to UVA and UCLA"

- http://buckyville.yuku.com/topic/214...he-other-board

" 'builtbadgers' is VERY credible and knows CTB and basketball (college and pro) very well." - http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=190&f=2922&t=6374900

"BTW, if you are not familiar with "builtbadgers" on our site, he is a very connected "old-timer" nationally, in LA, and close to CTB. When he posts, which is not real often, it's like EF Hutton. "
- http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=193&f=2568&t=2430849


There are plenty more like that -- i have no reason to lie and you really can find them yourself if you take more convincing.

Again, good luck in your search -- I'm sure you will do well!

I would be curious to know what makes UVA a destination job for him? Especially since many of his ties are to the west. Perhaps the desire to strike out on his own...I don't know, I'm genuinely curious.

All that said, I don't think this is a one-candidate search and even if Bennett is in SLC today, it doesn't necessarily mean he's got the job in the bag. I would like to see our AD interview several candidates, which would mean he'd have to wait until the end of the first few rounds of the tourney, probably.

[uvafan84]

I would be curious to know what makes UVA a destination job for him? Especially since many of his ties are to the west. Perhaps the desire to strike out on his own...I don't know, I'm genuinely curious.

All that said, I don't think this is a one-candidate search and even if Bennett is in SLC today, it doesn't necessarily mean he's got the job in the bag. I would like to see our AD interview several candidates, which would mean he'd have to wait until the end of the first few rounds of the tourney, probably.

I'm not sure there are many jobs that are better enough than Virginia for him to bolt. Remember he already turned down a job at Indiana. I do think he might leave for Wisconsin when that opens up. I don't know that TB really has major ties to the west like he does to the Wisconsin area.

Tony is always talking about building a program. So its a bit hard to say how he might react once he gets it built.

I don't know if TB is in SLC today but I'm pretty sure he was in Georgia either saturday or sunday to meet with recruit Evan Nolte.

[Surfah]

I would be curious to know what makes UVA a destination job for him? Especially since many of his ties are to the west. Perhaps the desire to strike out on his own...I don't know, I'm genuinely curious.

All that said, I don't think this is a one-candidate search and even if Bennett is in SLC today, it doesn't necessarily mean he's got the job in the bag. I would like to see our AD interview several candidates, which would mean he'd have to wait until the end of the first few rounds of the tourney, probably.

Aside from Wazzu where he coached for daddy (rode his coattails maybe?) what are his ties to the west? Isn't he a midwest guy?

[Surfah]

Gottlieb ranks the coaching vacancies:

Forgot GT--#1Ark, #2 OU, #3 NCState, #4 GT, #5 Utah, #6 TT, #7 PC TT great arena, talent in Tx, PC in BE is a hard job. Utah underrated

[TripletDaddy]

It is good to see that the U is more desirable than Lubbock, Texas.

[SeattleUte]

It is good to see that the U is more desirable than Lubbock, Texas.

I hope you believe me when I say I'm not ashamed of that list. We are in great company there.

[TripletDaddy]

I hope you believe me when I say I'm not ashamed of that list. We are in great company there.

that is a list of programs that are performing poorly and have recently fired their coaches. lol.

[SeattleUte]

that is a list of programs that are performing poorly and have recently fired their coaches. lol.

It is a list of elite programs that fit that description. Note, no Wyoming.

[LiveCoug]

It is a list of elite programs that fit that description. Note, no Wyoming.

LOL.. I heart SU!!!!

[TripletDaddy]

It is a list of elite programs that fit that description. Note, no Wyoming.

Another common trait...not in NCAA tournament.

[il Padrino Ute]

Another common trait...not in NCAA tournament.

I can understand why you're running your mouth about the NCAA tournament, especially in light of how well your team has performed the last two decades.

[TripletDaddy]

I can understand why you're running your mouth about the NCAA tournament, especially in light of how well your team has performed the last two decades.

You have always been very understanding.

[il Padrino Ute]

You have always been very understanding.

I take pride in my overabundance of empathy.

[UtahDan]

I can understand why you're running your mouth about the NCAA tournament, especially in light of how well your team has performed the last two decades.

Be patient. It will all be over very soon, never to return.