2014 College basketball coaching carousel thread...

I think UT football and women's hoops has greater relevance than men's hoops yeah, but don't contend for national titles like they used to.

For Martin its a better gig. Even after the Sweet 16, fans would just say UMass, Iowa and Mercer weren't exactly Slugger's Row. And who was the last coach that lasted more than six years in Knoxville? Ray Mears? Cal's only had one coach since '72 (Bozeman) who didn't last at least six years.
When coaches see the kind of turnover UT has had, it doesn't make it an attractive job. Buzz Petersen, Jerry Green, Wade Houston, Kevin O'Neill...

 

Is it possible that one reason Martin jumped is the stated one? He preferred the Bay Area to Knoxville. And I do think Cal coaches have more job security.

 

I think this is similar to Herb Sendek leaving NC State for ASU a year after a Sweet 16 appearance. Doesn't matter what you do, you're not UNC or Duke...

 

I'm happy that Cuonzo Martin is getting out of Knoxville. Arkansas is now smarting from being overtaken by Tennessee as Most Delusional Fan Base.

Once that little petition with 36,000 names on it circulated, I imagine Martin was ready to leave the next decent opportunity. I think Cal could be a sleeping giant and I ask this as I don't know. Berkeley is damn near impossible to get into as a student. How much easier is it for a basketball player?

 

It is the easiest place in the world to get into for a revenue-sport athlete. The academic performance of football and men's basketball players is a joke.

 

Berkeley has always had that well-deserved reputation. It's arguably the best public school in the country, but that doesn't apply to most athletes on any level. I'm sure you could say the same thing about Michigan, UCLA, Florida, Texas and countless other public schools with strong academic reputations.

 

Probably safe to add Chapel Hill to that list at this point.

 

North Carolina definitely belongs on that list.

I'm not sure if there is a single public school that has a reputation for being strict academically with its athletes. Virginia maybe?

 

Yup. Sendek was treated horribly. Was sad he went to Tempe, but many running around in 10 pounds of red polyester on game days were literally celebrating. Disgusting way to treat a class act, underrated coach and man who graduated every player in Raleigh who stayed in the program four years.

That was the first thing that ran through my head when I heard Martin bolted Knoxville for Berkeley.

 

Did the same thing happen when Tubby Smith left Kentucky for Minnesota?

 

UVA probably does better than some of the schools on your list (certainly better than UNC and Cal), but I won't pretend like they hold athletes to anywhere near the same standard as non-athletes.

 

Not even Harvard does that.