The Indiana Search:

[Muskie]

Today's latest whim of IU fans is Bruce Pearl.

Why he fits: He's coached at Southern Indiana and he's done well at a Football first school.

Why he'd come to Indiana: He can be at a Basketball first school. Reportedly called IU his dream job once.

[OX09]

Another reason: He's cocky enough to truly believe he can win now despite the oncoming sanctions...

And he's a good enough coach to actually do it.

[vee4xu]

Better watch out, if he goes there and X has a game scheduled with IU next year, he'll cancel it.

[boozehound]

It will be interesting to see what kind of coach IU can get, since no one knows how severe (if at all) the sanctions will be. IU is pretty much going to have to wait until after the tournament anyways, as the caliber of coach that they want will be busy getting his team ready for the tourney.

I wouldn't rule Bruce Pearl out though...

[GuyFawkes38]

The IU board loves Miller, as this thread shows:

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=170#s...2353&t=2079533


What a difference a year makes. Most Michigan fans regarded Miller last year as not a serious candidate for their job.

[wkrq59]

They can talk all they want about Sean, but I read today where the IU people are bitching about the amounts of money they had to pay to get rid of coaches. Doubt they'd want to lay out the kind of buyout Sean had written into his latest extension.

[Muskie]

The IU board loves Miller, as this thread shows:

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=170#s...2353&t=2079533


What a difference a year makes. Most Michigan fans regarded Miller last year as not a serious candidate for their job.

Yes but you'll notice that some of the IU faithful don't think he can handle the "pressure of B-Town". Another one doesn't think he's a big enough name. Hence the problem of trying to hire a coach that IU Nation will support.

Also... Xavier is referred to as a mid-major. I thought that would rile some of you up.

[dc_x]

I heard an IU beat writer on the radio this morning.

He said he thinks IU can pay about $1.5m per year for a coach. That is what they were due to pay Sampson this year and he doesn't see where they can come up with more money for the new coach. Since IU doesn't generate big revenue from football, he doesn't think they can pay Thad Matta money ($2.5m per year).

So would Sean leave for approximately a $500k pay raise?

[Muskie]

Would you leave your job for a 25% raise?

[dc_x]

When you are making seven figures, what is another $500k? For a guy making $20k, a raise to $30k is a big deal. For a guy making a $1m, a raise to $1.5m is not as big of a deal.

The other factor is Miller's buyout. Nobody knows the dollar amount, but I have heard it is significant. Where is IU going to come up with the cash to buy him out? They needed a booster to kick in $500k to settle with Sampson.