IF Steele, ideas about assistants?

[GoMuskies]

I knew Matta had one of those games, too, but I forgot what it was. Yeah, that wasn't great. At least his was on the road.

[IM4X]

It's a good thing you're not the Villanova AD.

Well The X vs. Villanova comparison is not exactly apples to apples: The AD at Villanova saw Jay Wright make it to a Final Four in his 8th season, when Nova was a 3 seed... so there is that.

Mack had been at X more than 8 years (with a 1 and 2 seed team both easily talented and stacked enough to reach the FF) and didn't get there... and then bailed and made the lame excuse to his new school that he was not able to recruit enough talented players at X. That is a load of crap and deep down he knows it. So there is that too.

[GIMMFD]

Well The X vs. Villanova comparison is not exactly apples to apples: The AD at Villanova saw Jay Wright make it to a Final Four in his 8th season, when Nova was a 3 seed... so there is that.

Mack had been at X more than 8 years (with a 1 and 2 seed team both easily talented and stacked enough to reach the FF) and didn't get there... and then bailed and made the lame excuse to his new school that he was not able to recruit enough talented players at X. That is a load of crap and deep down he knows it. So there is that too.

I think the point was more so that Jay Wright was getting a lot of heat for not getting it done in the tournament, until he finally broke through to the Final Four, Nova had a lot of early exits before Wright fixed that ship, and even then the season sandwiched in between National Championships they were out relatively early, and the NC State game (where the crying piccolo girl will live in infamy), it's definitely hard to advance in the NCAA Tournament, and part of why March is so magical. I agree, Mack had the talent to reach a Final 4 at X, definitely last season, but things didn't shape up, the best part of the scenario is that Steele is putting himself in a position to reach that last "2%" as he's been preaching. He's come out like a hungry new head coach, ready to make a splash. At the end of the day, I'm okay with where we are as a program, everything is still on track for us to knock the door down, it's going to happen eventually, and that's going to be an amazing day in Xavier history. It's the calm before the storm, I'm excited about our future prospects.

[IM4X]

I think the point was more so that Jay Wright was getting a lot of heat for not getting it done in the tournament, until he finally broke through to the Final Four, Nova had a lot of early exits before Wright fixed that ship, and even then the season sandwiched in between National Championships they were out relatively early, and the NC State game (where the crying piccolo girl will live in infamy), it's definitely hard to advance in the NCAA Tournament, and part of why March is so magical. I agree, Mack had the talent to reach a Final 4 at X, definitely last season, but things didn't shape up, the best part of the scenario is that Steele is putting himself in a position to reach that last "2%" as he's been preaching. He's come out like a hungry new head coach, ready to make a splash. At the end of the day, I'm okay with where we are as a program, everything is still on track for us to knock the door down, it's going to happen eventually, and that's going to be an amazing day in Xavier history. It's the calm before the storm, I'm excited about our future prospects.

No question that it's tough to advance in the tournament. Still, those two X teams I mentioned didn't lose because they ran into a team that played out of their minds but rather those X teams got sloppy and looked confused and gave away games they should have won... where questionable coaching decisions were made.

Also, it just ticks me off when a coach leaves X claiming he can't get the players to win a Final Four there. Maybe it was true back when X was in the MCC but it's a bunch of crap for the last two coaches to say it. They have been able to recruit at a pretty high level. How many FFs has Miller gotten to since he left for his mighty Arizona program? I expect Mack to reach the same number of FFs at Louisville.

[Okay... allow me to rant just a little more so I can get the rest of this point off my chest and finally be free to move on to issue that actually matter now at X]

Why can't these money pigs just take their fat checks from their new schools and keep their mouths shut? Why do they feel the need to disrespect the school good enough to give them the incredible opportunity to be a head coach by stating, "You can't recruit good enough players at X" or "You can't win a FF at X." You never hear Mark Few use that excuse. You never heard Brad Stevens making excuses at Butler. Those guys have class. Jay Wright has class.

I think Travis will prove he has more class than Miller and Mack combined. I see him talking less and showing everyone through his actions that X just needed a coach who was a little better to get to that seemingly elusive FF. I agree that the future is already starting to look brighter at X with the much needed transfers Steele quickly landed and an impressive looking staff he has also quickly put together. Things are looking better for X indeed.

[gladdenguy]

Well The X vs. Villanova comparison is not exactly apples to apples: The AD at Villanova saw Jay Wright make it to a Final Four in his 8th season, when Nova was a 3 seed... so there is that.

Mack had been at X more than 8 years (with a 1 and 2 seed team both easily talented and stacked enough to reach the FF) and didn't get there... and then bailed and made the lame excuse to his new school that he was not able to recruit enough talented players at X. That is a load of crap and deep down he knows it. So there is that too.

Public reps. The man is holding me down.

[Masterofreality]

How our Xpectations have changed since (1 NCAA win) Skip Prosser.

[XUBison]

Was listening to Dan Barreiro’s show on KFAN out of the Twin Cities earlier this week. They talked about U of M alum Ben Johnson leaving for X. Producer/co-host Justin Gaard said it sucks for Minn, but X is simply a better program and a more attractive job. Was pretty cool to hear.

FWIW, Barreiro also commented that he thought it was weird that Louisville, with all of its trouble, would hire a coach with Mack’s baggage. Gaard responded that X/Mack only had a couple former players who had been represented by the agent implicated in the FBI scandal, but Barreiro insisted he had heard more serious dirt on Mack. I thought this was weird, and he didn’t elaborate. Then I remembered that Dan Dakich is a good friend and a frequent guest of Barreiro’s. No idea if that’s a reasonable conclusion, but X is obviously not a common topic on Minneapolis sports radio, and that’s the first place my brain went.

[IM4X]

Was listening to Dan Barreiro’s show on KFAN out of the Twin Cities earlier this week. They talked about U of M alum Ben Johnson leaving for X. Producer/co-host Justin Gaard said it sucks for Minn, but X is simply a better program and a more attractive job. Was pretty cool to hear.

FWIW, Barreiro also commented that he thought it was weird that Louisville, with all of its trouble, would hire a coach with Mack’s baggage. Gaard responded that X/Mack only had a couple former players who had been represented by the agent implicated in the FBI scandal, but Barreiro insisted he had heard more serious dirt on Mack. I thought this was weird, and he didn’t elaborate. Then I remembered that Dan Dakich is a good friend and a frequent guest of Barreiro’s. No idea if that’s a reasonable conclusion, but X is obviously not a common topic on Minneapolis sports radio, and that’s the first place my brain went.

Hmm... maybe the decision-makers at X had a tip that Mack may have been involved with some questionable stuff and confronted him and then both parties agreed to make it appear to look like X wanted to keep him badly... just so Louisville would bite and take him off their hands... and then Mack would get his pay big check and X would be free and clear of working with a coach who may have been involved in borderline questionable recruiting arrangements.

Or maybe I'm just really reaching because I would be intrigued about what could have been an interesting twist to this coaching move.

[xuwin]

It's a good thing you're not the Villanova AD.

Agreed. I can't believe what I'm reading in this thread about a coach that just got us to the first number 1 seed in school history with players none of which will ever play in the NBA and no 5 star recruits. I'm optimistic about Steele but why do Xavier fans always have to pump up to the new coach by trashing the previous one who without fail has done a great job.

[XUGRAD80]

why do Xavier fans always have to pump up to the new coach by trashing the previous one who without fail has done a great job.

Very good question......