Only way I see White staying after this year is if he goes to the Elite 8 or better, bringing La Tech enough money to pay him $1.5MM like VCU and Wichita State have done.

Even then, I'm not sure they'd have enough money to pay that though because VCU and Wichita State both don't have football to pay for and they have larger fan bases.

I hope he sticks around though, it'd be good for the league to keep a rising star coach.

(03-02-2015 10:37 AM)Niner National Wrote:  Only way I see White staying after this year is if he goes to the Elite 8 or better, bringing La Tech enough money to pay him $1.5MM like VCU and Wichita State have done.

Even then, I'm not sure they'd have enough money to pay that though because VCU and Wichita State both don't have football to pay for and they have larger fan bases.

I hope he sticks around though, it'd be good for the league to keep a rising star coach.

He has been great for our program and nothing but positive for our University. He has faults but fits in great with the culture here. I know he will move on soon, where is a good question. There are far too many coaches that jump to next level for the money and end up failing because the School is not dedicated to their basketball program. Ask Anthony Grant about Bama and basketball. As far as White is concerned, well he has strong advisors in his father and brothers who all have AD experience. He is gonna take the RIGHT job and not just jump to the next one that offers him 7 figures. There are concerns in Ruston about his half-court offense and failure to recruit size in the middle, but if it weren't for that he would have left for a better job years ago. My point is that we have a smart talented coach that someone will eventually hire away. I am not too worried about who hires him as much as who replaces him. And my vote is a bit lofty but we can all dream. I want Ben Howland to come here.

(03-02-2015 10:07 AM)DwayneW1 Wrote:  

(03-01-2015 07:21 PM)Observer1 Wrote:  

(03-01-2015 05:19 PM)DwayneW1 Wrote:  

(03-01-2015 07:26 AM)BRtransplant Wrote:  White declined Tennessee's offer last year because he was confident that Tech would spend this season as a Top 15 team and cap it off with a nice run into the NCAA tourney. We blew any chance of getting ranked with some early OOC losses to some bad teams. His star may be rising, but I think it sank a little this year after we posted those bad losses. We've still got to beat a rejuvenated USM squad that is playing the best basketball it has played all year just to secure an NIT spot this season. That is far from a sure thing. I think anything short of a good showing in the NCAA tourney, or a deep run into the NIT tourney will prevent White from getting any offer that he'd take this year.

Actually he was going to take the offer at the beginning, but the deeper the negotiations went the more him and his agent soured on Tennessee -

It was about two things -

1) Tennessee did not make him feel like they "wanted" him - it was more along the line of you will jump at the offer because we are Tennessee and you are coming back to the SEC

2) The guarantee money on the two contracts - TECH actually guaranteed him MORE money than UT over the life of the contract

Make no mistake about it - if they would of offered him what they offered Tyndal - Mike White would be the HC at Tennessee right now

Anyway you see him staying another couple of seasons? If he leaves where do we look for a Head Coach next.

Obviously we will have to restructure his contract once again, would pushing his salary to 750k be enough? The contract would still have to be heavily front loaded, but it might give us a punchers chance.

Watch out for Florida State - that's the school I think would be able to snag him - and to some extent Alabama, but he might not be big enough name to compete against Bruce Pearl at Auburn

With the way he recruits FLA so heavy, I think the FSU job would be the one we would lose him to

I think we have plans in place to take him to $750K but everyone knows that will not be enough, $1M may not be enough

The good thing is that we have an incredible class of new talent waiting in the wings, and while there will be some drop out, I don't think it will be that great and this group of new comers has a HIGHER ceiling than the 3 seniors we are fixing to lose

Eager Eagle - you know that the ticket sales have NO measure on how you pay a basketball coach or any coach for that matter outside of the base salary - most all is picked up through the foundation from private donors

And yes, he was GONE to Tennessee and it was a valid offer that was turned down by White

Makes me happy to know we are making an effort to commit to basketball. I don't think people are giving enough credit to the fact that White's decision to stay last season had something to do with his senior class that grew up with him.

Quote:So, which school will La Tech lose it's bball HC to at season's end?

East Carolina or Tulane. Perhaps Southern Miss.

(03-02-2015 11:08 AM)EverRespect Wrote:  

Quote:So, which school will La Tech lose it's bball HC to at season's end?

East Carolina or Tulane. Perhaps Southern Miss.

(03-02-2015 10:57 AM)pilot172000 Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 10:37 AM)Niner National Wrote:  Only way I see White staying after this year is if he goes to the Elite 8 or better, bringing La Tech enough money to pay him $1.5MM like VCU and Wichita State have done.

Even then, I'm not sure they'd have enough money to pay that though because VCU and Wichita State both don't have football to pay for and they have larger fan bases.

I hope he sticks around though, it'd be good for the league to keep a rising star coach.

He has been great for our program and nothing but positive for our University. He has faults but fits in great with the culture here. I know he will move on soon, where is a good question. There are far too many coaches that jump to next level for the money and end up failing because the School is not dedicated to their basketball program. Ask Anthony Grant about Bama and basketball. As far as White is concerned, well he has strong advisors in his father and brothers who all have AD experience. He is gonna take the RIGHT job and not just jump to the next one that offers him 7 figures. There are concerns in Ruston about his half-court offense and failure to recruit size in the middle, but if it weren't for that he would have left for a better job years ago. My point is that we have a smart talented coach that someone will eventually hire away. I am not too worried about who hires him as much as who replaces him. And my vote is a bit lofty but we can all dream. I want Ben Howland to come here.

I personally thought UT was the right job. While football is first at UT, basketball has won and can be good again with the right coach. He would have had all the tools to be successful there and he would have been paid handsomly if he were. If he really wanted to go back to Ole Miss if the HC opportunity opened up, he still could have done that. I think UT has far more potential to be a consistent player than Ole Miss though.

Anyway, that opportunity is gone, so I'll be interested to see who shows interest in his this year. Someone definitely will at least interview him.

(03-02-2015 11:12 AM)pilot172000 Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 11:08 AM)EverRespect Wrote:  

Quote:So, which school will La Tech lose it's bball HC to at season's end?

East Carolina or Tulane. Perhaps Southern Miss.

Hey now, ECU is a good job to get. All you have to do is win around half your games and you get an 8 year contract.

(03-02-2015 11:13 AM)Niner National Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 10:57 AM)pilot172000 Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 10:37 AM)Niner National Wrote:  Only way I see White staying after this year is if he goes to the Elite 8 or better, bringing La Tech enough money to pay him $1.5MM like VCU and Wichita State have done.

Even then, I'm not sure they'd have enough money to pay that though because VCU and Wichita State both don't have football to pay for and they have larger fan bases.

I hope he sticks around though, it'd be good for the league to keep a rising star coach.

He has been great for our program and nothing but positive for our University. He has faults but fits in great with the culture here. I know he will move on soon, where is a good question. There are far too many coaches that jump to next level for the money and end up failing because the School is not dedicated to their basketball program. Ask Anthony Grant about Bama and basketball. As far as White is concerned, well he has strong advisors in his father and brothers who all have AD experience. He is gonna take the RIGHT job and not just jump to the next one that offers him 7 figures. There are concerns in Ruston about his half-court offense and failure to recruit size in the middle, but if it weren't for that he would have left for a better job years ago. My point is that we have a smart talented coach that someone will eventually hire away. I am not too worried about who hires him as much as who replaces him. And my vote is a bit lofty but we can all dream. I want Ben Howland to come here.

I personally thought UT was the right job. While football is first at UT, basketball has won and can be good again with the right coach. He would have had all the tools to be successful there and he would have been paid handsomly if he were. If he really wanted to go back to Ole Miss if the HC opportunity opened up, he still could have done that. I think UT has far more potential to be a consistent player than Ole Miss though.

Anyway, that opportunity is gone, so I'll be interested to see who shows interest in his this year. Someone definitely will at least interview him.

I agree. UT would have been a great job. Something must have not been right for him not to take it. I am glad he didn't.

(03-02-2015 11:13 AM)Niner National Wrote:  I personally thought UT was the right job. While football is first at UT, basketball has won and can be good again with the right coach. He would have had all the tools to be successful there and he would have been paid handsomly if he were. If he really wanted to go back to Ole Miss if the HC opportunity opened up, he still could have done that. I think UT has far more potential to be a consistent player than Ole Miss though.

Anyway, that opportunity is gone, so I'll be interested to see who shows interest in his this year. Someone definitely will at least interview him.

It was how they structured the guaranteed money -

Over the a FOUR year contract - the GUARANTEED money at Tech was more, over a million dollars more...

Outside of Bruce Pearl, look at the run of UT basketball coaches and how many have made it 4 years

UT did not make that mistake with Tyndall and risk being turned down again

(03-02-2015 12:17 PM)DwayneW1 Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 11:13 AM)Niner National Wrote:  I personally thought UT was the right job. While football is first at UT, basketball has won and can be good again with the right coach. He would have had all the tools to be successful there and he would have been paid handsomly if he were. If he really wanted to go back to Ole Miss if the HC opportunity opened up, he still could have done that. I think UT has far more potential to be a consistent player than Ole Miss though.

Anyway, that opportunity is gone, so I'll be interested to see who shows interest in his this year. Someone definitely will at least interview him.

It was how they structured the guaranteed money -

Over the a FOUR year contract - the GUARANTEED money at Tech was more, over a million dollars more...

Outside of Bruce Pearl, look at the run of UT basketball coaches and how many have made it 4 years

UT did not make that mistake with Tyndall and risk being turned down again

Actually, it had more to do with a poor buyout structure that heavily favored UT and an athletic department in monetary flux than guaranteed money in the contract. But you're entitled to state your opinion tirelessly even if it is wrong.

(03-01-2015 07:26 AM)BRtransplant Wrote:  White declined Tennessee's offer last year because he was confident that Tech would spend this season as a Top 15 team and cap it off with a nice run into the NCAA tourney. We blew any chance of getting ranked with some early OOC losses to some bad teams. His star may be rising, but I think it sank a little this year after we posted those bad losses.

Glad we could help.

Alabama.

Just not sure how anyone thinks White would stay, sorry if I offended anyone...Everyone can state your own opinions, haha, was just my feeling he is gone losing what you guys lose this season....You guys have a long winning streak at home, but does not seem like its due to fan support....Not starting an attendance war, because we all have our issues, but surprised on how few people you guys have going to basketball games...I figured your attendance would be better than what it has been this season with the amount of success you have had lately in hoops..

(03-02-2015 11:08 AM)EverRespect Wrote:  

Quote:So, which school will La Tech lose it's bball HC to at season's end?

East Carolina or Tulane. Perhaps Southern Miss.

Now THAT's laughable. Seriously. With all due respect to those 3 schools, Mike White is already bigger than those 3. He would never leave LA Tech for one of those 3 schools. Why? Because he can get a job with a much bigger name immediately, if he wants it.

(03-02-2015 12:17 PM)DwayneW1 Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 11:13 AM)Niner National Wrote:  I personally thought UT was the right job. While football is first at UT, basketball has won and can be good again with the right coach. He would have had all the tools to be successful there and he would have been paid handsomly if he were. If he really wanted to go back to Ole Miss if the HC opportunity opened up, he still could have done that. I think UT has far more potential to be a consistent player than Ole Miss though.

Anyway, that opportunity is gone, so I'll be interested to see who shows interest in his this year. Someone definitely will at least interview him.

It was how they structured the guaranteed money -

Over the a FOUR year contract - the GUARANTEED money at Tech was more, over a million dollars more...

Outside of Bruce Pearl, look at the run of UT basketball coaches and how many have made it 4 years

UT did not make that mistake with Tyndall and risk being turned down again

Tyndall's timing was perfect. After losing Mike White --and not too many years after UT football coach Lane Kiffin left for USC, the Tennessee AD was hell bent on getting their next man. The Tenn AD dept was seriously concerned about how things were starting to look.

(03-02-2015 02:22 PM)papa_dawg Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 12:17 PM)DwayneW1 Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 11:13 AM)Niner National Wrote:  I personally thought UT was the right job. While football is first at UT, basketball has won and can be good again with the right coach. He would have had all the tools to be successful there and he would have been paid handsomly if he were. If he really wanted to go back to Ole Miss if the HC opportunity opened up, he still could have done that. I think UT has far more potential to be a consistent player than Ole Miss though.

Anyway, that opportunity is gone, so I'll be interested to see who shows interest in his this year. Someone definitely will at least interview him.

It was how they structured the guaranteed money -

Over the a FOUR year contract - the GUARANTEED money at Tech was more, over a million dollars more...

Outside of Bruce Pearl, look at the run of UT basketball coaches and how many have made it 4 years

UT did not make that mistake with Tyndall and risk being turned down again

Actually, it had more to do with a poor buyout structure that heavily favored UT and an athletic department in monetary flux than guaranteed money in the contract. But you're entitled to state your opinion tirelessly even if it is wrong.

Semantics...

Buy-out structure and guaranteed value of the contract are tied at the hip -

When the man sits across the table from me and tells me he was guaranteed more money by Tech, I tend to believe him...

(03-02-2015 05:15 PM)WKUFan518 Wrote:  Just not sure how anyone thinks White would stay, sorry if I offended anyone...Everyone can state your own opinions, haha, was just my feeling he is gone losing what you guys lose this season....You guys have a long winning streak at home, but does not seem like its due to fan support....Not starting an attendance war, because we all have our issues, but surprised on how few people you guys have going to basketball games...I figured your attendance would be better than what it has been this season with the amount of success you have had lately in hoops..

Coach White turned down better jobs than Bama the last couple of years. If he goes great, but he is leaving a lot of talent for next year. Attendance has been less than last year but some of that could be due to the fact that we haven't been to the big dance in 24 years. That's just me.

(03-02-2015 05:40 PM)pilot172000 Wrote:  Coach White turned down better jobs than Bama the last couple of years. If he goes great, but he is leaving a lot of talent for next year.

Oh he'll regret leaving (because he won't be nearly as successful though he'll have $$$) but if La Tech doesn't make the tournament this season it could be his last chance to jump for a while. I'm assuming he wants to go back to the SEC.

(03-02-2015 05:57 PM)monarchoptimist Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 05:40 PM)pilot172000 Wrote:  Coach White turned down better jobs than Bama the last couple of years. If he goes great, but he is leaving a lot of talent for next year.

Oh he'll regret leaving (because he won't be nearly as successful though he'll have $$$) but if La Tech doesn't make the tournament this season it could be his last chance to jump for a while. I'm assuming he wants to go back to the SEC.

Seriously doubt that, Coaching changes happen every year and Michael White will be on the big boys radar. His Dad is the AD at Duke so if a prominent ACC school comes calling next year, who knows

(03-02-2015 05:15 PM)WKUFan518 Wrote:  Just not sure how anyone thinks White would stay, sorry if I offended anyone...Everyone can state your own opinions, haha, was just my feeling he is gone losing what you guys lose this season....You guys have a long winning streak at home, but does not seem like its due to fan support....Not starting an attendance war, because we all have our issues, but surprised on how few people you guys have going to basketball games...I figured your attendance would be better than what it has been this season with the amount of success you have had lately in hoops..

Regarding attendance:
Tech 11,000 students
WKU 21,000 students

Population:
Ruston 20,000
Bowling Green Metro 162,000