Search for Men's Basketball Coach

[Guest DickVitale]

LamarState, how is the search coming along? Any idea about WHO has even applied? What is the latest?

[Guest DickVitale]

Well in the words of the character "Tiffany" on the movie "White Chicks":  Uhhhhhh.....Yeeaahhhh! ...Thanks for the info..

They had better get on it....fast!

[Trad]

No Lamar State we were not at war. I do appreciate the information and updates on the basketball program. I just do not like your basketball logic, nothing personnel. Where you and I differ is the fact that you believe it is "normal" for a head coach to keep stats full time at the same time trying to coach. He did not have to, he wanted to. Not even in Junior High does this happen. And I would never have made the statement that the success of a team depended on the shooting of one person on the team. Could not should not have ever happened. If a player is having a good game you leave them in, if he is having an off game, you take him out, you do not let him continue to play and bring the whole team down. And on top of that you failed to mention any games that may have been won when a player who may score a lot of points failed to do so. I do not plan on changing your mind, and do not plan on continuing to argue with you about it. It is of no use and a waste of my time. But, thanks for the information on the status of the coaching situation.

[Guest DickVitale]

I guess that Trad feels that John Calipari sucks too, as well!! ...Look men, Its always the really good coaches that will shoulder the responsibilty for the losses and give kids their due in victory...The great ones...I dont KNOW Bryson personally and only know what I have heard and from watching the few games that I was able to make..He had a tall task of coming out of retirement (administration mind you) and trying to build a junior college program from scratch.  The games that I saw, I saw a man who was just tired for lack of a better term..It was a monumental task and to have to go at it alone had to be tough...and having limited resources can make it even harder. With that being said, If LU-PA is serious about building a quality program, they need to get a coach...NO..not just a coach, but a QUALIFIED coach to get it done with whatever that is going to be provided...THEY DO NOT NEED TO HIRE ANY OF THE AREA HIGH SCHOOL COACHES, with the exception of a guy like Boutte or Sutherland, that can draw kids, and I am CERTAIN neither one of those guys are remotely interested.  They need a guy w/ college experience...a go-getter, that knows the business, can coach, AND can get players...IF they want to be successful. Just my 2 cents!

[Trad]

You see Lamar State I did say that Coach Bryson was a good coach. I just happen to believe that it is not good that any coach should keep their own stats while trying to coach a game. The bigger issue here is that you do not think I should have an opinion different than your own. It really does not bother me that any coach keeps their stats any way they want, but it does bother you that I do not agree with it.  Coach Bryson could have coached, filmed the game and kept stats if that is what he wanted to do. There are a lot of things coaches do that I do not agree with. I guess the only thing we can agree on is what you said about the "talent level" being the reason for a much improved season. Lamar State, do I have to agree with you on everthing or it's considered bashing?

[Guest DickVitale]

As I have said many times before, if Roc were smart, he would DEFINITELY have a hand in who is the LU-PA head coach...PIPELINE....Ever hear of that...Arkansas USED to have one back in Nolan Richardson's hey day...He actually had a pipeline HERE in TEXAS! (South Plains JC) Kids that could not qualify right out of HS were sent to one of his "farm system" JUCO's....Then they would go to Arkansas, no questions asked...Trust me...It works..

[Trad]

Well that is certainly good news. I am glad to hear that I doesn't have to agree will you because I doesn't. 

  Okay let's talk about a new coach. What I would like to see.

  1. I would like to see our new coach making more money.

  2. One that is interested in moving up, not retiring.

  3. One that believes he can succeed from day one.

  4. One that is happy to be here and excited about the opportunity.

  5. One that will try to win no matter how far we are behind.

  6. One that will not quit in the middle of the game.

  7. One that can recognize a good recruit from a not so good one.

  8. One that knows more than one offense.

  9. One that has a love for the game, not just looking for a paycheck.

10. One that will care about every player on the team.

11. Last but not least, knows how to run a good practice.

  As the athletic director, I am sure you have more input into the hiring of a new coach than most think. These are just a few things off the top of my head that I would like to see in a new coach.

[LamarStatesports]

Those are admirable qualities, and I'm sure the selection committee will be looking for someone who has many of those traits.

I'm sure that the new coach would like to make more money, however, $42K-$48K is the current pay scale. I tried to research what other juco coaches make, but didn't have much luck finding information.

By the way, the athletic director DOES have a large influence over that choice.

The list of applicants that appeared in today's Port Arthur News was a very abbreviated list that now has grown to more than 30 potential coaches.

The current list of 36 applicants includes assistants at 4-year universities and colleges, head coaches and assistants from other junior colleges, a coach that has led teams in five sem-pro leagues including the ABA, several high school coaches, a couple of college recruiters with coaching experience and a variety of other applicants.

The committee will be meeting this week to go through the applications. They will select a group of candidates who will be invited to come in for a campus tour and interview. I'll keep you posted.

The large number of applicants proves that Don Bryson has achieved the initial goal set for the program in 2004 -- to establish a stable program with the potential to compete in Division I Region XIV. If this wasn't a good program, few established coaches would be interested in leading it.

[Guest DickVitale]

You two attack and argue at each other more than Hillary and Obama!!

[Guest DickVitale]

Well, I saw the list and I should......I do have something working in Houston collegiately at present, but LU-PA is an attractive "springboard" type college job...I may before weeks end just to "see"...Roc had better pick my app if I do!!

[Guest DickVitale]

My apologies...I mean LSC-PA!! 8)...I honestly would not mind getting into that program as an assistant either...If some things can be worked out as far as housing and scholarships, it might be a mini gold mine...Thanks for the heads up, once again...I am going to look into it seriously...If not the head coach, definitely the assistant spot.

[Trad]

Mr. Vitale does not a head coach bring in the people he would want to work with for approval? Unless you knew the head coach personally, what are the chances that you would become an assistant? Are you serious? Does posting on the sports pages day and night not pay much? If you are serious? I would vote for you, but my vote will count as much as Lamar State's. On my list of 11 qualities I would want in a new head coach, how many of them do you not like, and what else would you add?

[Guest DickVitale]

Actually I personally KNOW some of the guys on that list, therefore, since NONE of them are already head coaches, they have no one to bring. This is where I could put in a phone call and attempt to get in, if I choose to do so.  As I stated earlier, I do have a college thing working currently in Houston, and would like to see how that works out as well.  The "qualities" that you listed are pretty much a no brainer as far as coaches go.  I appreciate your potential vote too, by the way...I get on here for entertainment purposes, and trust me I have MANY more important things to do on a daily basis...This is stress relief!!

[Trad]

Mr. Vitale, I did not mean to get personnel but as I stated earlier, I think this job needs more money. Several high school coaches in this area make what they are offering or more. The interest in the job is there for the money that is offered so each applicant knows going in about what to expect.

  Those that go into coaching or refereeing usually understand that they are not going to make everyone happy all the time. Coaches have an obligation to win no matter who's feelings get hurt. Can you handle people not agreeing with you about some of your coaching decisions? Do you think this comes with the job?

   

[Guest DickVitale]

ABSOLUTELY..There is not a coach in the WORLD, that every person agrees with!  It comes with the territory..Case and point was in this years NCAA Men's championship game...Every person in America questioned John Calipari's decision not to call timeout in the end of regulation, and HE IS A FUTURE HALL OF FAMER!! if you can't handle that, you need not apply for ANy head coaching job...Middle school and YMCA ball included!

[Trad]

Exactly Mr. Vitale. How many threads have we seen over the years talking about Coach Boutte? Many good thing said about him while others question his coaching. I agree 100%, if you cannot handle the criticism you are more than likely not the man for the job. Most real coaches know this as well as real athletic directors.

  Lamar State, your search for a new coach seems to be going well. I cannot imagine the response if the pay had been better.

 

 

[CHSOwls24]

How is the search coming?

[LamarStatesports]

The number of applications now is up to 50 with a few applications still coming in.

The selection committee will whittle that number down to about 8-12, I'm told. They then will decide which of those applicants will be invited to come in for a campus tour and an in-person interview.

Although the selection process may seem slow to some people, the hiring of a new head coach is a very important decision for a program that is planning for the future.

Obviously every day that goes by makes recruiting for next season more difficult. But this coaching decision is not about the 2008-2009 season. It's about the 5-10 year outlook for the program.

Hiring the right coach is a must!

We knew the first 15-game season against mostly Division I teams from Region XIV was going to be a learning experience. We also know the 2008-2009 season will be a very tough challenge.

However, next season most likely will not be anything like the 0-15 experience the first-year Seahawks endured at the hands of much bigger and faster teams.

If the majority of this year's freshmen return, the Seahawks just need a "big man," something we've never had, and a good shooting guard and we're ready to go against any Region XIV team.

The team also could use some depth, something else that's never been there. When the Region XIV teams visited Port Arthur, they usually had 15-20 players suited up.

There were 23 names on the basketball class roster at the beginning of September 2007. By the beginning of the season on November 1, that number was down to about 15.

Some players weren't eligible for the spring semester, a couple quit and one player who was going to ineligible anyway got himself thrown off the team for a flagrant violation of team travel rules.

I'm at home so I don't have a roster if front of me, but I think the team finished the season with nine players.

Anyway, that's where the coaching search stands at this point. MTC.......

[DP#1FAN]

DV for that job!

[Guest DickVitale]

8)

[CHSOwls24]

I guess they are taking their time to narrow it down?