For those doubting Bunting...

These things go in cycles, kshead.

Once upon a time, Ole Miss was a powerhouse every year (60s and 70s). Not too long ago UGA sucked for a good long while in the 80s, and then again mid 90s. LSU has come and gone and come again. Really, any SEC team outside of MSU, Vandy and Kentucky could get to that level with that right coach. See Pat Dye and Aubrun.

 

Metro.... Sorry. How calculated you reckon it was? I wasn't around for the press conference where he said he expect to win 10 or 11 every year.

Ok. You made a great hire. How did keeping him around work out?

See what I'm saying?

I understand Larry is a dreamer. And I'm cool with that too. But what got this whole thing started was that I told him he had unrealistic expectations. That's something I stand by whole heartedly.

 

Part of my point is they can't STAY there. Only a few teams can stay there. And again, it's a lot easier in the SEC than in the ACC. I'm talking BIG picture every year.

Let's take a team like Ole Miss. How many you think they are going to win next year? Every third year or so there will be a dip. Recruiting. If they do really well Cutcliffe goes to a better school. Another dip. Same with say... Purdue. Every year, it's the same story for those middle programs. Recruiting or the coach leaves. Those are the two biggest hassles these programs face.

The schools I am talking about as elite simply reload. Their dip comes MAYBE once every 4 or 5 years. Maybe that's where I am getting my signals crossed with everyone.

 

well, mack averaged nine wins a season over a seven-year span before leaving. it was happening. it was working. it was just what i said it should be.

at what point would you have been satisfied that the UNC program was a winner? year 5? year 6? year 7? or would you have always waited for mack to leave and then say, "AH HA! I TOLD YOU!" i mean, come on -- seven freaking years averaging nine wins? that's right up there with the big boys. they were a big boy. they were a top 10 program.

but, in the end, you are right -- money talks. the programs that want a winner will pay to get a winner. texas did that with mack back in 97. unc wouldn't (not couldn't) come close to matching what the longhorns offered him in annual base. another factor for mack was the starting over part. i'm not so sure that he didn't enjoy climbing the mountain as much as he did being at the top.

maybe he saw the handwriting on the wall and said that, you know what, we'll never beat FSU with this basketball-first mentality so i'm outta here.

do you think that with the addition of miami, boston college and virginia tech that the ACC will change its tune and start beefing up the football side of the ledger? i mean, schools coming off the hip with some more $$ (from the BCS/TV deal/bowl winnings) to attract the better caliber of coach? i think that with the acc being a legit football conference, that it makes it more attractive for a prospective coach when they can look at the schedule and see FSU, miami, virginia tech, clemson, n.c. state, virginia, boston college and georgia tech. that's as decent a group of conference opponents as you'll find dotting anyone's schedule.

 

He succeeded at Tulane and we took a shot he could step up. He did, we look smart. It's not like we picked his name out of the fucking phone book and got lucky. (That is for DaveW)

Let's see, can we cover this a little more? He got the 1 (of maybe 3) calls that could pry him away, and even then he almost said no.

Saying that we couldn't keep him would be like criticizing Kansas' basketball program for failing to keep Roy. He got the one call that could make him leave. And just as importantly, he got it at a tim when UNC was down and he could be the savior. Same as Mack.

 

again, unc did it for SEVEN STRAIGHT YEARS. that's what i'm looking at when i say that it can be done. remember, i'm just talking about UNC.

 

So Larry in your opinion, what do you think the problems are at UNC. What do they need to do to get back to the early to mid 90's?

 

I honestly don't think that money was the deciding factor. I think if he had said match their salary we would have. It was the chance to be the hero on the white horse that drove him to Austin.

 

A GOOD COACH! I am just saying that I have not been sold that Bunting is not capable of returning UNC to that type of record. Next year is a biggie for him.

 

Yes. On both counts. Even if it's not the basketball first mentality - it's just that any coach would jump to go to Texas. I would. You would. We all would unless we have a special tie to the school.

As for the coaches? I think schools - when they need a coach - will open up the wallet now. But if yo uthink about it, there is a hell of a list of good coaches there now. I mean monster good. And the good thing is that most of them are going nowhere for a while. Groh and Gailey are pro rejects who are much better coaches at the college level than I ever thought they'd be. Not sure on Gailey's age, but Groh is too old to go anywhere else I think. Same with Fridge at MD. Beamer will actually be the old fart in the conference when Bobby leaves. Coker ain't leaving Miami. That's a destination program.

I've got a suspicious eye on Chesty down at State though. That's one I think might hit the road someday - although isn't he a State alum? Same with Grobe at Wake. He'll get out of there at some point.

I'm sure I just left someone out.