Mizzou Links, 4-1-11

by Bill C. on Apr 1, 2011 5:19 AM CDT in News

Mizzou Basketball Links

The Trib (Joe Walljasper): Not every story has a villain

If I had one suggestion for Alden moving forward, it would be about managing misinformation. A misconception that has persisted since last year’s conference-realignment saga is that Alden leaks too much information to the media, creating false expectations. If anything, the opposite is true. He says nothing, even when erroneous reports could use some refuting.

After Missouri was snubbed by the Big Ten last summer, I asked Alden what he would have done differently if he had it to do over again. He said he would have shot down an incorrect report on a Kansas City radio station that Missouri had received a bid to the Big Ten. By saying nothing, MU appeared to be agreeing with the report.

It was a similar situation yesterday. A few phone calls could have given Alden some control over the message and tamped down what became a runaway train of optimism. That fueled the perception that Painter’s decision to stay at Purdue was yet another example of Missouri snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

It wasn’t that at all. It was a coach deciding between two good options and picking the one closest to his heart. Every story doesn’t have a villain.

This column is simply awesome (definitely worth one of your free clicks), though I do have one qualification to make about the above blurb: the Mizzou athletic department DID come out and attempt to deny the rumors that were flying around.

The problems are that a) if you deny TOO much (especially when you don't know if he's going to say yes or no ... and apparently Mizzou officials had no idea until about 2:45), then people start assuming that you've been turned down (really nothing wrong with that, I guess, but it's still misinformation of sorts), and more importantly, b) once the rumor is out there, we all view anything else through that prism. When the Mizzou athletic department began to deny the rumors and call them presumptuous, we all assumed they were doing that because Painter wanted to keep his acceptance under wraps until the inevitable team meeting and official announcement. Because if he HAD accepted, that's what would have happened. So once Bernie shared his "I think he's already called and accepted!" piece, it was over for the athletic department. There was no tamping down optimism or information at that point.
KC Star: No time to wallow, Mizzou: Back to work
The Missourian (Blog): Search continues for next Missouri coach
The Missourian (Blog): ESPN's Michael Kim discusses coaching search
PowerMizzou: Coaching Candidates, Take Two
Post-Dispatch: Weber 'joke' worth considering for Mizzou?
Post-Dispatch (Burwell): Alden needs to show patience now in coach search

Chances are, Stevens still remains the improbable, but not impossible, dream. Consider everything I'm telling you informed opinion based on a number of well-placed conversations I've had here in Houston. Stevens is smart enough to know at this point in his coaching life his star is glowing so bright that he can afford to patiently wait for one of those crown-jewel jobs to open up — think Indiana (dream job), North Carolina or Duke (is there anyone in the extended Tar Heel or Dookie family better than Stevens? Nope.).

On Thursday, he reiterated what we already know. He loves it at Butler. He has already proven that he can do all of that at Butler with its modest budgets, mid-major conference affiliation and Cinderella slippers. He is working with an administration he loves, and an athletics director in Barry Collier who is a former basketball coach who gets it. "Barry Collier has constant vision for growth," Stevens said Thursday. "We go to the national championship game last year and he is still trying to grow (the program), trying to take one more charter flight than before. He puts us in a position to be successful and invest in those things like travel. To do all the things to give us a chance to have success when the clock starts. ... It has been a great place to work."

But things change rapidly in the college sports world. Presidents come and go. ADs do, too. Today's fascinating working relationships can be tomorrow's problems. So what if that happens at Butler before Stevens' dream job opens up? Before Missouri goes and immediately assumes Stevens would never be interested in a million years in the Missouri job, I want to hear him say no.

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Comments

not that it matters, but for those who were curious

here is an article at the hometown newspaper for Purdue talks about painter’s decision, also reveals some details about what all went into matts thought process the last few days

http://www.jconline.com/article/20110401/SPORTS02010201/110401001/Painter-s-loyalty-kept-him-Purdue

starts off with a video of the press conference.

one bit i thought was funny was:

“Painter forgot to take his cell phone charger to Florida and ended up using Jerri’s phone to network when his went dead.

At one point, Painter’s mother called Jerri’s phone, wondering if a report was true that Matt had left Florida and may be in Missouri."

by collinh on Apr 1, 2011 7:02 AM CDT reply actions

Crow looked great

in his Royals debut yesterday. It was only 1 and a third innings, but I was impressed. Here’s to hoping he still makes it into the rotation at some point.

by JSchoey on Apr 1, 2011 8:03 AM CDT reply actions

Don't want to get long-winded with this...

But I don’t like Burwell’s statement there that Presidents and AD’s change, so Stevens will get uncomfortable with Butler. It’s this types of random editorial statements that get reinterpreted down the line. When any “landmark” position opens up, someone’s going to look at this and stare putting words into Stevens mouth, suggesting he’s just biding his time in Indy.

The only good thing here is that most of the landmark jobs have coaches that are in in good health and enjoying their positions. Stevens can be terrorizing the tourney for a good while.

What do you mean I can't retire at 32?

by Ausgiano on Apr 1, 2011 9:33 AM CDT reply actions

One bright note

Oklahoma seems to be having even more trouble getting a coach than we are.

"Smell the perfume but don't drink it because it might kill you." Erin Andrews recounting advise from Gary Pinkel

by Gaknar on Apr 1, 2011 9:35 AM CDT reply actions

don't jinx it.

by ris-d on Apr 1, 2011 9:46 AM CDT up reply actions

Another link

WSJ.com has a great straw man argument against a college football playoff. Love to hear people’s thoughts on this.

"I have CDO. It's like OCD, but the letters are in alphabetical order. Like they should be."

by BigMOman on Apr 1, 2011 9:37 AM CDT reply actions

They forgot the play in games.

Also, the regular season wold have to be over by November just to get all these games in before BB March Madness.

"Every absurdity has a champion to defend it" Olivar Goldsmith

by 1Believer on Apr 1, 2011 9:44 AM CDT up reply actions

Vahe's article about Bruce Weber is ridiculous

Not that I would hate having Bruce Weber coaching the Tigers – I think he’s a very good coach – but to suggest that he’d be interested in the job because of that comment is laughable. It reads to me that he’s actually making fun of Missouri for getting turned down by Painter, which suggests he has zero interest in the job (other than whatever interest a $500K raise would generate.

Rational Mizzou Talk, whether you like us or not.

by Andy--01 on Apr 1, 2011 1:44 PM CDT reply actions