I have a question. Will N.C. State ever hire a basketball coach?
I was on vacation for four days, heard that Steve Lavin, the former UCLA coach, was offered the job. At least that's what The Sporting News had said. So, I expected to come back to work, the Pack has a new coach, and we can quit playing guess the coach and move on to the hockey playoffs.
Well, it hasn’t turned out that way yet. People tell us that Lavin, who compiled a 145-78 record in seven seasons at UCLA, may indeed be the frontrunner, but if the job is his for the taking, he hasn’t taken it yet. And don’t you know State athletic director Lee Fowler is not happy a story like that got out and hmmm, I wonder where that little tidbit of information came from? Not Lee Fowler, you can be sure of that.
And about Lavin, everybody says he’s a good guy and an excellent recruiter, but while at UCLA, it seemed his job was always in jeopardy, Every season, the Bruins are in trouble, in danger of missing the tournament. Then, almost on cue, they put together a streak, make the tournament, go to the Sweet Sixteen, and Lavin lives to coach another day. But he never really made UCLA fans happy, and then, when things really went south his last season --boom he’s out the door. There’s always been a question about his ability as a bench coach. But on the plus side for State, he would bring the Pack instant attention, and with all his work on ESPN, etc, he is very media savvy, which would be a nice change from you know who.
Now, there have been reports that State is having contract discussions with Lavin and John Beilein of West Virginia. What does that mean? Co-coaches? Or whoever says he’ll take it first?
Speaking of Beilein, and we’ve been hearing his name since early last week, he spoke on Monday night at a major fundraiser for the Mountaineer Club. He was asked by the media about the N.C. State job. “There is so much speculation,” he said. "Every time a job comes open, my name is involved with it. So what do you do? Do you comment every time a job comes open?” He added, "my personal career is very, very private to me so, I’m not going to comment.”
When asked if people should take any of this State talk as rumor, Beilein said, “I don’t know. And I’m not going to comment on it. I don’t know. You just can’t do it. Can’t do it. It’s not appropriate to comment.”
Here’s the thing: if John Beilein is not interested in the N.C. State job, then why doesn’t he just say that. So far, he has not. He just will not say, "I’m not interested in N.C. State." So, that has to mean he is and that State is interested in him. Still, to me, $3 million to buy out John Beilein seems like an awful lot of money. But the guy can X and O. Can he recruit in the ACC? I will say this: I enjoyed watching his West Virginia teams play, and I saw them quite a few times.
Now, Dereck Whittenburg, the former State star, told Jeff Gravley on Monday that nobody from State has been in touch with him. Whitt has been mentioned as a third candidate. When he says nobody, does that mean officially, unofficially or both? In searches like this, you never know.
Anyway there’re down the stretch. At least we hope so. Whatta you think? Beilein by a stray hair?
