Hired!

Funny how things work out in the world of college basketball. Less than a month ago Tom Penders and the University of Houston beat Tony Barbee and the UTEP Miners in the Conference USA Tournament Championship. Since then, Penders was allowed to resign at UH as opposed to being run out the door by AD Mac Rhoades, Barbee left El Paso for a BIG RAISE and a high profile new gig at Auburn, and both schools have new coaches. One alumni base is giddy, the other is downright fuming.

UTEP probably could not have done better than hiring favorite son Tim Floyd. Floyd was the obvious choice when it became apparent that UTEP was not interested in bringing back Billie Gillespie. The 56 year old Floyd was an assistant under UTEP's basketball icon, Don Haskins. He has coached in the NCAA and the NBA, most recently as an assistant with New Orleans. Floyd has the support of the Administration, the Alumni, and even the Bear's widow...Tony Barbee left the proram in great shape and with any luck Floyd will be able to maintain and even improve on what Barbee started. More importantly for UTEP fans, Floyd has a history in El Paso going back to his earliest years, and could be for the Miners a coach that will stick around and leave a legacy rather than use the job for a stepping stone to something bigger.

Houston on the other hand is stunned at the hiring of James Dickey. Cougar fans have been salivating for weeks over the idea of nabbing former UTEP, Texas A&M, and Kentucky coach Billie Gillespie. So for AD Mac Rhoades to haul out James Dickey? A major disappointment. Dickey was a decent coach at Texas Tech, even making the Sweet Sixteen with Darvin Ham, Wil Flemmons, and "Leaping" Lance Hughes...but that was ages ago and Dickey is not thought to have very good connections with the kind of people that can help him bring top-notch talent to Hoffeinz Pavillion.
Dickey could turn out to be a great hire, but on the surface it looks like Houston really messed this up. First they don't seem to be on the same page regarding Gillespie, with Mac Rhoades wanting him but the University President not being so sure. They gave Sam Houston coach Bob Marlin no reason to think he was a serious candidate, prompting him to take the Louisiana-Lafayette job. They never seemed interested in UNT coach Johnny Jones, who not only has done a great job with the Mean Green, but has deep ties to Louisiana and could really do a good job recruiting the Bayou region.

Speaking of Bob Marlin, the Rajun Cajuns make a terrific hire. Marlin has proven his ability to get the most out of his players, and judging from what I saw from the Cajuns this season that is exactly what they need. U-La-La has athletes, they need someone to bring them together and teach them to win games. Marlin knows how to do that.

Coming soon...some thoughts on spring football, the second greatest sport in Texas next to fall football...in the meantime, Go Butler!