So Is TCU Now A Contender In BBall ??
- Thread starter Orlaco
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Aside how people around here feel about him, I think he brings a fair amount of notoriety and juice to a TCU job I suspect most wouldn't expect to atract. But like everywhere else, it's about ballplayers......and I myself don't have any good idea how long it will take Dixon to insert into Texas HS basketball. Of course, that's not going to keep him from recruiting in the areas where he's been successful in the past.
I find myself wondering if Dixon had issues with Pitt's AD, who currently seems to be more excited with football (and who's own guy is coaching). Of course, it's no secret Pitt basketball was in a comparative lull the past couple seasons, and perhaps Dixon felt this was the ideal time to leave. In the grand scheme of things, I think he's right; I always remember Lou Holtz saying 10 years was about the most a given coach can get out of a Program before his message/act gets tired. That could certainly apply to Dixon, especially if he and his boss aren't totally aligned.
Finally, in Dejan Kovacevic's "DK on Pittsburgh Sports" column yesterday, DK himself made a monstrous deal about the "fact" the only thing keeping WVU and Pitt playing was the roadblock Dixon himself built around the entire idea. His implication was clearly that Dixon himself never felt the possible upside for a win equaled what he considered to be the downside after a loss.
I find myself wondering if Dixon had issues with Pitt's AD, who currently seems to be more excited with football (and who's own guy is coaching). Of course, it's no secret Pitt basketball was in a comparative lull the past couple seasons, and perhaps Dixon felt this was the ideal time to leave. In the grand scheme of things, I think he's right; I always remember Lou Holtz saying 10 years was about the most a given coach can get out of a Program before his message/act gets tired. That could certainly apply to Dixon, especially if he and his boss aren't totally aligned.
Finally, in Dejan Kovacevic's "DK on Pittsburgh Sports" column yesterday, DK himself made a monstrous deal about the "fact" the only thing keeping WVU and Pitt playing was the roadblock Dixon himself built around the entire idea. His implication was clearly that Dixon himself never felt the possible upside for a win equaled what he considered to be the downside after a loss.
Dixon wouldn't play WVU because WVU had become an OOC game and Dixon, notoriously, would not play a team with a pulse in OOC. He will quickly down grade TCU's OOC.
Also, Dixon lost his recruiters at Pitt. He better find someone to recruit for him at TCU or he wont win a lot of games.
Not sure about "contender", but definitely an upgrade. Dixon's a pretty good coach and think he probably will do well with TCU. If the Big 12 didn't have the best coaches in any conference before, think they do now.
Here's an interesting excerpt from the ESPN piece on the Dixon move:
If there's any truth to this rumored buyout "softening".....and I assume there is......it would certainly appear to me this Barnes guy was more than ready to move on from Dixon. It also leads me to assume there were far more folks ready for Dixon to pack his bags than just the AD; possibly the Chancellor himself.
The 50-year-old Dixon had a contract with Pitt until 2023, with a buyout that was believed to be about $10 million. Without getting into specific numbers, Barnes said the significant buyout was "above anything" he had seen in the marketplace. But Pitt "softened" it to allow Dixon to follow his heart back to TCU.
"It wouldn't have been good for our program or our student-athletes or him and his family to hold him hostage by what was a way beyond market buyout," Barnes said.
"It wouldn't have been good for our program or our student-athletes or him and his family to hold him hostage by what was a way beyond market buyout," Barnes said.
If there's any truth to this rumored buyout "softening".....and I assume there is......it would certainly appear to me this Barnes guy was more than ready to move on from Dixon. It also leads me to assume there were far more folks ready for Dixon to pack his bags than just the AD; possibly the Chancellor himself.
A couple things.
Barnes didn't hire Narduzzi. That hire was made before his arrival.
Barnes is a basketball guy. He played at Fresno State and was Chairman of the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee.
Dixon had a favorable contract from Pederson. His results over the last few years weren't all that good. I don't think Barnes would fire him, but probably OK with not fighting to keep him.
Couple of takes
From Pitt's perspective - they were in a dead zone. I dont think their admin was openly welcoming of TCU of all programs to come in and poach what is basically the face of Pitt basketball. But on the other hand, with a new AD and prez, a stagnant program, they clearly werent against him leaving, I dont think they would have ever pulled the trigger themselves though.
From Dixon's perspective - I think he is just over Pitt, and potentially high profile coaching in general. Hes flirted with leaving many times before, always got the admin into buying him back, and he always produced top shelf results. However with the top shelf results a thing of the past and his program becoming a perennial bubble team, I would question his motivation into actually putting in the effort to build Pitt back up to what it was. I would also question how badly did Scottie Reynolds buzzer beater against his best team to box them out of a Final Four and potential title hurt him and his desire to coach at that level. They had another good team after that, but it was an obvious "pretender" that was discarded in the 2nd round, they havent been the same since that Villanova game.
From TCU's perspective - they must really want to win in basketball. This is akin to Rutgers making a powerplay, it just does not happen. If the money they spent and reportedly were willing to spend to get a big name is true, then TCU is going to be a problem in hoops going forward. Expect a Baylor-like meteoric rise in the next year or two.
From Pitt's perspective - they were in a dead zone. I dont think their admin was openly welcoming of TCU of all programs to come in and poach what is basically the face of Pitt basketball. But on the other hand, with a new AD and prez, a stagnant program, they clearly werent against him leaving, I dont think they would have ever pulled the trigger themselves though.
From Dixon's perspective - I think he is just over Pitt, and potentially high profile coaching in general. Hes flirted with leaving many times before, always got the admin into buying him back, and he always produced top shelf results. However with the top shelf results a thing of the past and his program becoming a perennial bubble team, I would question his motivation into actually putting in the effort to build Pitt back up to what it was. I would also question how badly did Scottie Reynolds buzzer beater against his best team to box them out of a Final Four and potential title hurt him and his desire to coach at that level. They had another good team after that, but it was an obvious "pretender" that was discarded in the 2nd round, they havent been the same since that Villanova game.
From TCU's perspective - they must really want to win in basketball. This is akin to Rutgers making a powerplay, it just does not happen. If the money they spent and reportedly were willing to spend to get a big name is true, then TCU is going to be a problem in hoops going forward. Expect a Baylor-like meteoric rise in the next year or two.
I don't think Dixon is the guy who position TCU, or any team, for a meteoric rise. He's a good coach who will make the respectable and consistent. Dixon said he's known the TCU AD for 30 years. The fit is there.
It's a great hire for TCU, but I'm not making any more of it than that. Remember, Dixon didn't build Pitt, Howland did the foundation.
When I say "meteoric rise" I mean they are going from a team with a typical RPI of 200 or so, to a top 50 team in no time. They are not rising to the top of the CBB world by any means, but they get instant credibility. They now have a coach who has won less than 20 games once in his entire tenure. I would not be surprised if this paid immediate dividends next season.
Howland did put in the foundation, but I think it stopped being "Howland's program" after about 4 years or so and Dixon maintained a high level of play.
I think it was 4-7 in the Big East. Huggs might bring that to .500 or better in the next couple of years.
I do think Dixon will elevate TCU some. I also think that if Dixon makes TCU a contender any time soon or more than once every 4 years or so after that, he will deserve to be considered a great coach.
I do think Dixon will elevate TCU some. I also think that if Dixon makes TCU a contender any time soon or more than once every 4 years or so after that, he will deserve to be considered a great coach.
When Dixon lost his recruiters he was doomed. He was also given way to much power over the BB program and the new AD wasn't keen on him not wanting to get his OOC up to decent standards including playing WVU.
He doesn't appear to have any interest. Neither does his brother.
They could rehire Howland.
TCU has a natural recruiting base in Texas, and particularly, the Dallas-Fort Worth area. They have never paid attention to hoops...really never. Now they are dead serious, they have the money from both the league and well heeled boosters. Dixon is a great hire for them. You could field a Top 20 team every year with Dallas recruits.
Maybe, but he's probably got one of the 10 best jobs in the country......maybe higher......already, and he probably has a wing of his house dedicated to his entire family from Pittsburgh.
Never say never, but I find it hard to believe blood is thicker than water in this case. Now, if you're talking about Archie Miller's interest in the job, I could definitely see that (even though he's got a good job at Dayton).
