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Baylor coach atop Memphis' wish list?

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On the day when University of Memphis officials clamped down on the leaks coming from their search for a new men's basketball coach, one name did emerge as a serious candidate. Memphis received permission Friday to talk with Baylor coach Scott Drew, according to a source close to the search. It is believed that a representative of Memphis' search then had an informal discussion with Drew on Friday about the job. Memphis spent Thursday making exploratory calls about Drew, who was not available to talk until after his team lost in the NIT championship game on Thursday night. It's unclear whether that means Drew has emerged as the leading candidate or Memphis is still talking with other coaches. But it does indicate that Memphis is serious about Drew, 39, who resurrected a Baylor program in shambles after the scandal-ridden Dave Bliss era.

Memphis Commercial Appeal

Scott Drew, AP Scott Drew, AP
April 4, 2009  09:52 AM ET

of course if they throw $$$ at him- that's one thing-
but I don't think moving fron Baylor > Memphis is an upgrade
of a job....you're going from a major conference to a lesser one

April 4, 2009  11:10 AM ET

So...it's not about the school or position, it's about the conference your team is in. Whatever. Last I checked conferences don't play basketball games. Teams do.

April 4, 2009  11:40 AM ET
QUOTE(#1):

of course if they throw $$$ at him- that's one thing-but I don't think moving fron Baylor > Memphis is an upgradeof a job....you're going from a major conference to a lesser one

So you are saying that a job at Georgia is better than Gonzaga because they play in the SEC? The conference affiliation matters much much more in Football because of the b$$$ S$$$ system they have, but the basketball program at Memphis is light years ahead of Baylor.

April 4, 2009  12:18 PM ET

Not a great choice. I think we need another well known coach in order to keep the recruits coming. I do not think that the incoming players that Coach Cal had lined up will decide not to go to Memphis but a great HC pick would solidify it.

April 4, 2009  12:26 PM ET

Caption: This is how we give the finger at a Baptist university!

April 4, 2009  12:52 PM ET
QUOTE(#3):

So you are saying that a job at Georgia is better than Gonzaga because they play in the SEC? The conference affiliation matters much much more in Football because of the b$$$ S$$$ system they have, but the basketball program at Memphis is light years ahead of Baylor.

well...yes & no.....

Gonzaga NOW- becaue of their coach- is a really good program
- but after pew's 1st year or 2 there it wasn't & if he was offered
say the georgia job then.....well YES it was a better job

Memphis- minus calipari - is a DEAD program in a 'lesser' conference
the baylor coach has started to build his program up....
why take a step back & go to memphis?

April 4, 2009  12:55 PM ET
QUOTE:

Agreed its not ALL about the conference AFIf he does come to Memphis that would be great cause he is a great coach and players may decide to stay

- it certainly isn't ALL about the conference- but building a
program (from NOTING) at a major conference is certainly
more impressive than following in the footsteps of Calipari
at a lesser one/

I personally wouldn't go there- as I said - unless the $$$
is substantially more

April 4, 2009  01:54 PM ET
QUOTE(#5):

Not a great choice. I think we need another well known coach in order to keep the recruits coming. I do not think that the incoming players that Coach Cal had lined up will decide not to go to Memphis but a great HC pick would solidify it.

I disagree, it would be a great choice. Scott Drew has done wonders with that Baylor squad and can coach his rear off. He might not be able to get all the high-profile kids Cali did but I personally don't think he needs to, he's a better X's and O's coach. I think he'll get the job, if Memphis is smart and he wants it.

April 4, 2009  02:29 PM ET
QUOTE(#7):

well...yes & no.....Gonzaga NOW- becaue of their coach- is a really good program- but after pew's 1st year or 2 there it wasn't & if he was offered say the georgia job then.....well YES it was a better jobMemphis- minus calipari - is a DEAD program in a 'lesser' conferencethe baylor coach has started to build his program up....why take a step back & go to memphis?

his name (the Gonzaga coach) is Few.... and it's Mark Fox who was the Nevada coach who went to UGA. Not that Gonzaga was a powerhouse before, but they did have some guy named Stockton do pretty well there.

April 4, 2009  02:32 PM ET

Memphis was also a pretty good program before Calipari took over--not a national power, but still a better program than Baylor... even going back to the early 90s they have been pretty competitive (Penny Hardaway, Lorenzen Wright). What has Baylor done in the last 20 years? Almost nothing.

April 4, 2009  02:36 PM ET

Why don't you think he could be any good here? He obviously has practice guiding programs through a transition period.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns...

Our program is not destroyed. We still have great players.

Penthouse to the Outhouse??????
OUR TEAM IS NOT DEAD and GONE!!!

Our team is not going to be that bad compared to our old teams. IT JUST WON'T COMPARE TO THE DREAM TEAM WE WERE GONNA HAVE. That's all it was people a DREAM TEAM. It never happend. With that being said our team will still be good.

The only way to salvage next year's championship dreams is to assemble this group next year:

Mack rated #83 overall as a recruit
Taggart rated #45 overall as a a recruit
Weatherspoon rated #55 overall
Kemp rated #40 overall
Sallie rated #40 (SG)
Garcia rated #63 overall
Niles
Laird
Tyreke Evans #5 MAYBE????
C.J. Henry??
Will Coleman???Prob.
Darnell Dodson????Prob.

If we hire Drew he has these commitments for next year already:
A.J. Walton PG overall #18 PG ranking
Cory Jefferson #20 C ranking

Possibly for next year:
Wall #1 overall (Still has Baylor on his list)
If he comes maybe Xavier and C.J. stay and Cousins follows through.
Dennis??????

2010 class (next year )could include:
Jackson from White Station #4 overall
C Perry Jones # 15 overall
(already committed to Scott Drew and Baylor)

Cal's recruits and their ranks:
Anderson #42----
CDR #50 \___= Final Four
Dorsey# NR / Remember??
Rose#5
Dozier#83------

Who did Scott Drew beat last year at Baylor????

Anyone???

Anyone at all?

Surely no one Memphis lost to???

Providence
Arizona St.
Washington St.
Kansas
Texas
Okl. St.
Texas A&M
Kansas St.
GEORGETOWN
and more!!!!!!!

NIT Championship game this year.
Back-to-Back 20 win seasons for 1st time in school's history.
NCAA tourney last yr for 1st time in 20 yrs WHILE ON PROBATION.

THIS GUY WILL WIN AT MEMPHIS!!

April 4, 2009  02:37 PM ET

See you haters next year in the tourney!!!!!!!!!

Oh, and good luck trying to match our conference winning streak record that is at 61 and counting!!!!!!

April 4, 2009  02:42 PM ET

Memphis has a great talent base to recruit from. (See Joe Jackson above for next year)

Memphis has a NBA arena they play ALL of their games in.

Memphis has some of the most loyal fans in the country and our attendance ranks prove that.

Memphis has great local sponsors (FedEx).

Memphis has a local NBA team which provides access to many opportunities.

Memphis' number one sport is Men's College B-Ball and is many coaches would love to be the first priority at their school.

Memphis has some of the greates practice facilities in the nation.

Memphis can compete for a 1 or 2 seed on an annnual basis.


WHAT COACH WOULDN'T WANT THIS IN A MEN"S BASKETBALL PROGRAM????????

April 4, 2009  02:57 PM ET
QUOTE(#6):

Caption: This is how we give the finger at a Baptist university!

Bubba, congratulations on your PhD in Humor Studies! Your research here has been ground breaking.

April 4, 2009  03:23 PM ET
QUOTE(#9):

I disagree, it would be a great choice. Scott Drew has done wonders with that Baylor squad and can coach his rear off. He might not be able to get all the high-profile kids Cali did but I personally don't think he needs to, he's a better X's and O's coach. I think he'll get the job, if Memphis is smart and he wants it.

Scott Drew's strength as a coach is not in the x's and o's. You can ask Baylor fans about that if you believe differently. He's a great recruiter and once he goes after a guy he'll usually get him. There was a story a couple of years ago about how he just wore down a player until he finally committed...lol. Memphis would still get some big-time players to come to town if he gets the job.

April 4, 2009  03:30 PM ET

It may not be his strength, but is he any good with the X's and O's???

I know Cal screwed us a couple of times. Championship game last year is the most glaring example of his coaching deficencies.

April 4, 2009  04:00 PM ET

Unreal recruiter, and an even better person with great character. As a Baylor fan it would be disastrous to lose him. True, X's and O's need improvement but he improves every year. Just like a player matures, so do coaches.

The switch he made at the start of the Big 12 tourney going Zone and putting Dugat as 6th man proved to be great. BU absolutely can't lose him, and Memphis would have a long-term solution with Coach Drew.

April 4, 2009  04:04 PM ET

I can't say it enough, if BU loses Coach Drew we will never recover. His enthusiasm, confidence, and drive to succeed makes him special.

Just ask his players, not only do they love the guy....they respect him and fear him.

April 4, 2009  04:22 PM ET
QUOTE(#11):

Memphis was also a pretty good program before Calipari took over--not a national power, but still a better program than Baylor... even going back to the early 90s they have been pretty competitive (Penny Hardaway, Lorenzen Wright). What has Baylor done in the last 20 years? Almost nothing.

'pretty good program'.....come on-
yeah they'd get a good recruit or 2 every few years before cal-
but that's not what a 'good program' is.....

as far as gonzaga & stockton...that was like 30 years ago...you're kidding right ? lol
Gonzaga was NOTHING before Few - he's made them into not only
a national program, but a really good one

if you think memphis will sniff the tourney next year- your mistaken

 
April 4, 2009  04:35 PM ET
QUOTE(#19):

I can't say it enough, if BU loses Coach Drew we will never recover. His enthusiasm, confidence, and drive to succeed makes him special.Just ask his players, not only do they love the guy....they respect him and fear him.

Thanks for the local input. You have confirmed what I believed to be the case. Scott Drew would be a great hire for memphis and he would stay for a while.

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