Monday Roundup

E-mail on 3/28/11

What a wonderful Monday morning!  The cherry blossoms are nearly in full bloom in our nation's capital and Matt Painter is sitting down to meet with Mizzou.  Article found here:
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/mizzou/article_95e4a9d2-594b-11e0-9b25-0017a4a78c22.html
The article puts it at "better than 50% chance" he will come to Mizzou.  This guys puts it at 60% he WON'T, but we can dream can't we?  Two juicy tidbits to note both via the Twitter:

(1) Painter will coach junior Team USA basketball this August (or something of the sort, I'm not familiar enough with the Olympics to fully describe what it is) and his two assistant coaches are Butler's Brad Stevens and VCU's Shaka Smart.  All three mentioned as potential coaches for Mizzou.  To note is the fact that Painter will be the head coach.  What is clear is that he might not have the hype of Stevens and Smart but its clear he has the respect and experience on the national level.

(2) Fran Fraschilla (analysis) tweeted: "Stunned that PU would lose Painter. There are few who "take his & beat yours, take yours & beat his" to quote B. Bryant."  Quite a testament to how good of a coach he is.  It also shows he's not s "systems guy" but actually coaches as the talent, team, and situation warrant.  I'd say this was Anderson's biggest drawback: he had a system and if the system wasn't working and/or an opponent figured it out we were toast.  Not the case with Painter.

I also think the fact that we are this far along with Painter shows us where Mike Alden's head is at: he wants a proven coach not one with potential.  His track record is hiring people from mid-majors and hope they can make the leap.  With Anderson cleaning up our program from Quinn and getting us back on the national scene combined with the fact that the Big 12 is going to be so difficult to win in, he's going after established coaches and not taking chances on guys who "might make it" instead focusing on guys who have made it and have a record of success.  Speaking of Quinn, former KC Star columnist Jason Witlock laid into Shaka Smart over the weekend saying "buyer beware anyone can make a deep tournament run.  This looks a lot like Quinn Snyder."

If Painter comes to Mizzou its most likely because (1) he's in a fight with his AD, and (2) Purdue won't pay his assistants what they should.  His loyalty to his assistants and frustration with the AD and playing basketball in a crowded state (Butler, Indiana, etc.) will have to outweigh his loyalty to his Alma Mater.  This should all play out in 48ish hours, so we should have an answer yes or no by Wednesday.

If he doesn't come to Mizzou, I think Alden is in some hot water with the fan base.  I think they are stupid to put him there but I think people are frustrated by the fact he tried to get Anderson to stay in a pretty public manner and lost out and now he would try to get Painter here in a pretty public manner and lost out.  I think that's pretty dumb thinking.  I think the man is just trying to do his job.  If he doesn't seal the deal with Painter one would think he's go more toward the Mick Cronin's, Scott Sutton's, and Dave Rose's of the world and less toward the Missouri Valley Conference young coaches.

For what its worth--and I think not much--the connected alumni of Purdue are under the impression Painter is gone and that is a done deal him coming to Mizzou.  On the flip side, connected Mizzou alums were probably saying Anderson was staying.

The prospect of going from Anderson to Painter, a major upgrade, is fascinating and is a testament to the University and Athletic Department.  Should be an interesting 48 hours.