One Note before we get started today. If you want to hear today's show, you need to either be near a computer so as to recieve the web stream or download the App now. In the spirit of helping WJBE grow, I'm allowing them to cover my show for the Smokies for a couple of days this week! The Smokies have given the station some signage in the stadium. I'm a team player. It's a win, win for everybody involved. And you can still hear and participate in the show. You must download the app NOW! Do it!
Droid &
iPhone
As I reported on Twitter last night, the reports out of Nashville that Michael White was Tennessee's next basketball coach were premature. It's true that UT has offered the job to White and he could accept it sometime today. Then again, things are NEVER cut and dried here. It just doesn't works smoothly here.
The holdup on White is this. Tennessee doesn't want to pay his $600,000 buyout and they are trying to lock him into a serious buyout in the event that he bolts. Dave Hart played some Easter Sunday hardball yesterday with Michael White. My observation is this. If you want a head coach and you're Tennessee, you pay the guy's buyout. Word from several sources in the coaching community is that UT let White know that they had no intention of playing Santa Clause on the buyout issue.
I had a couple of prominent UT boosters last night tell me that White turned Tennessee down last night. I don't believe it. Not yet. I will say this. If Michael White isn't Tennessee's coach by 7pm eastern time tonight, I'll be officially worried.
This stuff is never clean or easy around here.
I do find it stark that Tennessee got to Michael White so quickly. It fell to him at warp speed. As I predicted, Tennessee NEVER EVEN CALLED Ben Howland. They don't do power people. The last guy they hired with Ben Howland's level of success in anything was Johnny Majors and he was a legacy guy.
I would still take Donnie Tyndall over White as he's been to the NCAA Tournament as a coach. White's resume is too close for comfort to Cuonzo's for my liking. Three years. A couple of bubble teams. That's not enough for me for this job. Tennessee fans deserve better. Could Michael White end being a solid hire if it comes to fruition? Of course. How did it fall to him so soon.
I'll say this for Dave Hart. He did a wonderful job navigating the Cuonzo Martin situation. Two thumbs up. Butch Jones is a great hire. Two thumbs up. Charlie Strong would've been a horrible hire here and he was first choice. Dave Hart is big on helping family friends. This is the same guy who was fighting to keep Derek Dooley in year three after it was apparent to everybody that DD was NO head coach. One has to wonder how much Hart's relationship with White's father (AD at Duke), has impacted this sudden courtship with a guy before many on UT's initial projected list were even interviewed. What's the rush? Where was White going? Just sayin'.....
Tennessee has been in the top 10 in attendance for several years running. Don't Tennessee fans deserve better? You're not even going to sit down with Mick Cronin who wants to talk? No Ben Howland interview? Just make it look good for TV here guys.
Vol Colonel checks in exclusively here at tonybasilio.com and it makes me dizzy.
Vol Colonel
'Michael White could be our new basketball coach by the time you're reading this. Then again, he may not be. He was offered the job early yesterday. Tennessee met with White last Thursday and had a 2nd meeting on Saturday. There were some premature reports floating around late Sunday afternoon that a deal was in place and he had accepted the job. This is simply not true. The one hold up in negotiations has been over the buyout money. Dave Hart just isn't going to give away the house like Mike Hamilton did too many times.
As I write this late Sunday evening/early Monday morning (Vol Colonel doesn't sleep much these days) it seems plausible that by the time you're reading this that a press conference has been set to announce White as our new Head Men's Basketball Coach. I think it's fair to say if you're reading this and we don't have confirmation, then there's been Big Trouble in Little China over the buyout money.
I was told Michael White was very impressive in the interview process and Dave Hart had nothing but positive feedback when vetting the 37 year old coach. I've seen a lot of feedback on White in the Vol community and it seems that a lot of people have concerns. I think there's a certain disappointment factor anytime you hire a guy who isn't a household name or what you'd consider to be an A-List hire. Think back to Butch Jones, I can remember a lot of people up in arms over that hire. People were saying he couldn't even beat Dooley. We don't feel that way anymore, do we?.
It's hard to move a sitting A-List coach. These guys just don't jump around that often. Dave Hart kicked the tires and had some discussions with some bigger names, but there just wasn't that much interest.
The 1st call Tennessee made was to Gregg Marshall and his people. Hart was told it would take a one million per year raise over what he is making at Wichita State as a starting point in negotiation to bring him to the table. This guy would've commanded 3 million a year, not to mention he would've commanded a fat chunk for his staff. The bottom line here is, we're not going to pay the basketball coach more than we're paying football.
I don't ever see that happening here and that's reality. I believe they reached out to Tad Boyle and were told he had concerns over the roster that was coming back and that he was happy at Colorado.
They talked to Mick Cronin's people from Cincinnati and there was some interest. How or why that didn't get out of the starting gate, I don't have that answer for you. I do know they talked.
Donnie Tyndall from Southern Miss had his agent get in contact with Tennessee and to be perfectly honest, me and most of the media outlets around here thought he was a serious player. It's my understanding as of Sunday evening Hart had not made contact with Tyndall.
I think the tires were kicked with Richard Pitino and Chris Mack from Xavier. Nothing was really pursued with those two. Archie Miller is another name I had heard early on. I don't believe Hart had any conversations with Miller.
Tubby Smith's agent contacted Tennessee and thank goodness Hart didn't give that one the time of day.
Ben Howland's people contacted Tennessee and while I don't believe they had any discussions, I do believe Hart made some calls and talked to some people about Howland and didn't exactly get any ringing endorsements. He crossed Howland off early on from what I'm told.
This is a tough story to put a wrap on right now because as I'm writing this we're in hold mode with White. If and when White turns us down I'll continue here at Tonybasilio.com to track an updated list of candidates that UT could move on.
IF WHITE Says NO:
I think they would have to sit down and meet with Tyndall and I wouldn't be surprised one bit if Mick Cronin gets in the mix.
They could always get involved with Pitino and possibly Chris Mack. We'll have to wait and see and go from there. We'll try our best to keep you in the loop. Go Big Orange
Your Vol Colonel'
Thanks VC! Wonderful report! We told them Tennessee wasn't going to sit down with Ben Howland at the front of this process and they haven't as of yet. How you can have a coach out there with 3 Final Four appearances and success and THREE stops in college hoops is mystifying. I'll say it again. This fan base (which is a whipping boy of most local, regional and national) media people deserves better than a bargain basement coach. If UT fans turned out like Auburn or Bama or LSU for hoops that would be one thing. UT fans live up to their end of the bargain. Is it too much to ask for UT's administration to do the same and do right by the fans here?
Go on the main page here at tonybasilio.com because when news breaks out, you must click in. We will be doing a several hour live show as soon as the new coach is announced. We were on past midnight on Saturday talking about it taking over 50 calls in the process. Download the app today and tell a friend. On the app you will also be able to listen to any past show under the web button on demand. Do it today. It's free, it's easy and it's fan friendly!
Go Vols
Tony B
Map of Recent Visitors @TonyBasilio.com
