Terrible Tuesday

E-mailed 3/29/11

This morning I woke up and it felt like the morning after a night of too much partying: I was hung over.  Only last night I was drunk on excitement, not my standard cocktail of booze.  Much like hung over mornings the events of last night were hazy but started to take shape over time.  As such, to date, here is what we know:

(1) The job is Painter's if he wants it.  Some would say he has been offered the job.  I guess that all depends on what your definition of the word "offered" is.
(2) Mizzou officials are meeting with Painter in FL today where he is on vacation.
(3) Painter has called Missouri high school coaches within the last 24 hours to get their opinions on the Missouri program and their willingness to work with him as head coach.  You could classify this as a "significant" step
(4) Last night, in their words, Purdue "demonstrated our commitment to Coach Painter and our men's basketball program."  You could classify this as a "significant" development.
(5) Hall of Fame Basketball Journalist Dick Weiss is an ass clown.

Two bold moves in the last 24 hours:
(1) Painter taking the step to call Missouri high school coaches, and
(2) Purdue making an offer PRIOR to Mizzou finalizing their offer.

I think this is all good news for Mizzou.  First, since he took the steps to contact coaches he has to actually be interested in the job and not just interested in a job offer to leverage Purdue (as was once feared).  Second, Purdue made an offer so we now know the cards Purude is holding.  It also doesn't seem like Purdue is going to extraordinary lengths to keep him.

It's probably going to play out like this:
(A) Alden has an offer, is taking it to Painter.
(B) Painter leverages offer based on what Purdue offered last night.
(C) Alden counters.
(D) Painter "thinks on it" and contacts Purdue.
(E) Purdue counters or not.  It sounds like not.
(F) Painter accepts or rejects Alden's offer.
(G) If accepted, Curators vote to approve contact.
(H) If approved, press conference/pep rally announced.

Things to look for in the next 24 hours:

* Me murdering Hall of Fame Journalist Dick Weiss.
* Terms of Mizzou's offer being leaked by Indiana/national press outlets -- this will let us know what Purdue has to beat.
* Rumors or confirmation of a Mizzou Board of Curators meeting.
* If Painter stays at Purdue, what Alden does/says.  One would think he would have to come out and say "we gave it our best shot" but that's not his nature.  The fan base, I fear, will be really restless and start howling dribble about how we should have hired Cuonzo Martin.
* Purdue Alumni and students murdering their AD.

I'd like to say I would know where we go from here if/when Painter turns us down but I don't.  I also don't have a good feeling about today.  But I'm wearing black and gold to counter those bad feelings.  I'm hoping we have a coach by midnight.  Tomorrow by 5:00 pm is probably more realistic.

With a Cheer for 'Ole Mizzou,

Doug