The only thing worse than hiring Frank Haith? At this point NOT hiring Frank Haith.

E-mailed 4/4/11

Quite a few twists and turns today on a story that was considered rather dead.  Here is what we know:

(1) Board of Curators has to vote tonight via conference call at 7:45 pm about the terms of Frank Haith's contract.  They are involved because it is (a) longer than five years, and (b) has a large buyout clause (everyone is guessing).  Final terms aren't known at this time.
(2) Asshat Curator David Wasinger, whose term expired in January but hasn't been replaced yet because the Missouri Senate is running so smoothly, goes on a little personal media tour in Missouri today telling folks he has the votes on the Board and its 50/50 if Haith gets confirmed tonight or not. (3) Voice of Reason and current Curator, Wayne Goode, responds in the press to the Columbia Tribune that "its not the Curators job to hire head coaches" sending a salvo back toward Wasinger and his fellow asshats.

As if the whole situation didn't look bad enough already, this makes it look markedly worse. Wasinger is a self-centered prick and my guess is he has NO votes lined up behind him.  If Haith does not get confirmed tonight, basically, no one other than Kim Anderson will agree to coach at Mizzou.  Alden will be put into a position where he can't hire another head coach (who would trust him and agree to terms?) and he'll basically be out as Athletic Director, much to the merriment of many Mizzou "fans" (term used loosely).  Asshat Wasinger basically opened up the flood gates by telling all fans dissatisfied about the Haith hire to contact the Board and quite a few mindless souls did (one example here: http://www.mizzourahblog.com/2011-articles/april/open-letter-against-frank-haiths-hiring.html).  Evidently he thinks that hiring should be done by committee and the committee should be any citizen with access to an e-mail account.

Being spun into all this is English and Bower's decision to declare to the NBA draft but not hire agents.  Basically, if you think you can play in the NBA and you are a junior you are nuts if you don't declare for the draft, go through the motions, and then withdraw when you get an unfavorable draft position.  That's what both are doing.  The announcement today had nothing to do with the Haith announcement.
If you see anyone who tries to connect the two or mentions anything about how we missed our chance and should have hired Cuonzo Martin, punch them as hard as you can in the throat.
What will happen:

I don't see the Board rejecting the hire.  What I do see is a really awkward press conference in the future where Alden gets put on the spot about how he missed with Painter and had a horrible back-up plan.  Its going to be interesting to see how he tries to justify hiring the coach that is just sitting a few feet away from him.  Also interesting: how exactly will Haith sell himself to Missouri fans.  Pinkel was taken aback when a reporter asked him how he would succeed at Mizzou when so many others have failed.  He finally said, my system works.  Haith, unfortunately, can't say that.