Driving home last night, I heard the news break that Tennessee had hired a new men's basketball coach.
My first though: already?!?
After watching the Elite Eight over the weekend, I was become excited by the prospect that the Vols might go after the coaches of Butler or VCU. Sure, it'd be a hard-sell, but isn't that why we pay Mike Hamilton the big bucks?
Apparently not so much.
Instead, the Vols have hired Cuonzo Martin. He could be the greatest guy I've never heard of, but 24 hours into his tenure I'm pretty skeptical. His biggest resume spot is that he's been to the NIT. And that he scored a bunch of three-pointers at Thompson-Boling against Kansas back in his playing days at Purdue.
I've got to admit I'm pretty unexcited by the choice. I feel as though the Vols settled or caught new car fever in the hiring. I've heard stories that Martin was potentially in line for another job should the dominoes begin to fall the right way. And it looks like Tennessee was eager to get a new coach onto campus to try and start building again in the wake of Bruce Pearl's departure last week. And so, we got "new car-itis" as it were and hired Martin.
I may be proved wrong. He could be the greatest thing since sliced bread. But I'm wary, especially given how Jimmy Hyams and the writing staff at the
Tennessean are on board as this being a good choice. Especially the
Tennessean staff since they hate anything the UT athletic department does.
And while I've heard the theory that Hamilton likes to find up and coming coaches before they really get hot, my response to that is, "Yeah, look where Lane Kiffin got us." I have a feeling that this could be the final straw that shows Mike Hamilton the door as athletic director.
I've said it before and I'll say it again--it's time for Hamilton to go and Phil Fulmer to step in as AD.
Labels: tennessee basketball
posted by Michael Hickerson at 3/28/2011 07:34:00 PM |
|
