its tough trying to recruit a top-tier coach when you aren't going to break the bank, and that coach will come into a situation with no talent on the roster and no incoming talent.

Yep, this is going to be a difficult, but critical hire.

I'm in favor of hiring Capel, even if he goes to Duke in 5 years, as long as he brings in Josh Pastner as his Assoc Head Coach in the process.

Is Arizona really an upgrade over OU?

Seems like a lateral move to me - OU has a solid bball history, good fan support, and a large athletic budget.

Apparently, we never actually offered Floyd. Or Pearl. Or insert other rumors here. Ablrlrllbbbbbbbbbbbppppppptttttt.

Wait, did someone say Theus? YOU WANNA FIGHT ABOUT IT?!

http://j.photos.cx/theus-271.jpg

http://j.photos.cx/averyjohnsonisee-06e.gif

The big issue with AJ is that he's never had to deal with recruiting before, so the assistants had better be pretty amazing in that department. Theus would be more in the Calipari "Successful in college, ehh in the NBA, returns to college" mode, but **** me, I love that little guy.

Getting out of hillbilly land would be an upgrade all by itself.

If I were Capel, I wouldn't make the move. He risks his shot at Duke for what is now another rebuilding process.

I think Theus is intriguing, but no one agrees with me. He didn't say long enough at NMSU to prove his value.

http://www.crimsonandcreammachine.co...l-nets-a-seven

Breaking: Jeff Capel Nets a Seven Year Extension
by dishingoutdimes on Apr 3, 2009 9:23 AM CDT in Basketball 2 comments

by Jeff Roberson - AP

This is according to Sports Illustrated's Seth Davis. No details on the contract, but obviously Castiglione locked up Capel long term with a nice contract. I'm imagining we'll hear more later. Here's the short article.

Here's a longer article from the Tulsa World. Interesting that no school requested permission to talk to Capel about a coaching vacancy.

Anyways, good news today, only 2 days after he was rumored to be in the lead for the Arizona job. Good job by Joe Castiglione, and we'll report more later as we learn it.

http://i41.tinypic.com/xawcq8.jpg "It's not only the base salary, but it's also the longevity bonus which wipes out the others. There are no other places. This is the place." - John Calipari, April 2008 http://i41.tinypic.com/xawcq8.jpg

Back in the present, we just blew any chance we had at Scott ****ing Drew because our wonderful athletic director couldn't get on the same page as the search committee and never outright told Drew that he was "the guy."

Between this and his utter failure when it came to the Big East effort in 2003, he may actually be the worst AD ever.

When Tim Floyd basically says he thinks USC is a better job and it's basketball your program has fallen pretty far.

The Memphis boards don't seem to like Scott Drew.

Wasn't Reggie Theus the guy in Hang Time?

That changes if we can land Sean Miller of Xavier.

http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/9...-far-from-done

Miller, Arizona to meet, but deal far from done
by Jeff Goodman

Updated: April 5, 2009, 10:13 AM EST 1 comment Xavier coach Sean Miller will meet with Arizona today, as the Wildcats continue to search for a new head coach.

According to sources close to the situation, Miller was picked up on a private plane on Sunday morning and will meet Arizona athletic director Jim Livengood in Albuquerque, New Mexico at approximately 12 p.m. ET

A meeting certainly doesn't guarantee that Miller will take the job. USC's Tim Floyd recently went to Tucson and wound up turning down the gig.

"By no means does this mean it's done," said a source close to the situation.

Miller, 40, has spent the last five seasons as the head coach of the Musketeers and has made four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances — including an Elite Eight last season and a Sweet 16 this past year.

Miller makes approximately $800,000 at Xavier and, according to sources, would earn in excess of $2 million a year in Tucson.

Miller is not a West coast guy, but he's a terrific recruiter and a proven coach. His hire would be a home run for Livengood, especially given the difficulties Arizona has faced in finding a permanent replacement for coaching legend Lute Olson.

However, he'd take over a program lacking in talent. The Wildcats went to the Sweet 16 this year with interim coach Russ Pennell at the helm, but will likely lose both Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill early to the NBA draft.

The best news about this, and what Goodman isn't reporting, is that Miller's people felt that Miller would only get on the plane if he was going to take the job.

Anything can happen, particularly given the Tim Floyd disaster, but that he's on his way to ABQ is HUGE news for us.

Who is Miller? It must suck to be AZ right now.