OK, so right off the top, STOP with the race discussion and if you need to discuss it take it to the off topic section of this site.
Now, the problem with Stackhouse is looking like the problem with Matt, yet Matt (Hubert as well) actually is better qualified for our job than Stackhouse is. Matt was a long time Kansas assistant, was involved in recruiting, and did have a season of head coaching on his resume. The problem was in his only season of coaching a college program he alienated many at ND, NO ONE was upset when they learned he left for the UNC job, he was to much of a loose cannon. Well in his short stint at Vandy, Stackhouse has managed to piss off that fan base, he is considered by many there to be a loose cannon. Sorry, I went thru the Matt years, have no fond memories of that and do not want to see that repeated now because there is no Roy Williams that can come in and correct all those mistakes. How many years of recruiting high school players against other D-1 programs does Stackhouse have, not as much as Hubert has or Matt had.
Now I don't think Hubert would be a loose cannon, he has dealt with media far to long to not understand the value of taking great care with his own words. While he has not been a head coach he has been more and more involved in the recruiting side, in fact he was maybe Roy's lead recruiter over the last few years making the initial scouting as well as initial contacts to set things up for Roy to get a feel for who he needed to spend more of his time on. Recall over the last few years, when Roy went in home, most of the time it was with Hubert there with him, that is pretty darn good prep for him to learn.
Matt went to ND for his 1 season of coaching prior to taking our job, that ND team he went to was pretty darn loaded, not sure that 1 season of having a team loaded with talent and experience really proved him more than had he not had that 1 season. BOTH Dean and Roy suggested Matt was not ready for a gig like ours, Baddour didn't listen and he should have. I think we may at times place to much stock in a guy having been a head coach, while I do think it is important, I think more important is how well that coach understands the sport and the players that play it, how does he handle pressure, how would you run our program. I don't think you will find another candidate for our job that our current players like or respect any more than Hubert and I do think that is important.
Have said it before, will say it again, if Hubert is the pick (and I am not advocating nor do I know that he is, only that he could be after the dust settles, for the record if he is the pick I will not be nearly as upset as many seem to be), I would LOVE to see Phil step up one more time to help guide his transition and this program thru the un-certain times we now find ourselves in. I like Steve, Steve was Roy's right hand man, his sounding board, in some ways his Gut. But Phil beside Hubert would instantly unit the fan base and take away any concerns and I don't think Steve is the guy to do that. I would take that combination over Mark Few or Brad Stevens, or anyone else that will be talked to, without Phil involved beside Hubert, Hubert is maybe my 6th choice.
Watching that game last night, could not help but be very impressed with how that Gonzaga team executed, that was good stuff, it was like watching UNC when we have it all clicking, really impressive. WE struggle to get guys able to throw a simple pass without a TO and contrast that to that amazing footwork Timmie showed off last night, or the execution by that freshman PG, or the clutch play of Kispert, or all of those Zags that played. It was surgical, would love to see us play like that consistently.
I still see Wes as the smart pick, maybe not the flashy pick, wonder what his staff would look like?
