OT: Russ will be happy about this.....

[Dback Jon]

UCLA fires Lavin

http://usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/pac10/2003-03-17-lavin_x.htm

It was the loss at Pauley to NAU that doomed him ,
Will UCLA turn to ex-NAU coach Ben Howland as his replacement?

 

[Russ Smith]

I interrupt my celebrating to post this!

Howland is one of the leading candidates, there are rumors Pitino has told UCLA he may leave Louisville for the job because he's convinced Louisville is being "persecuted" by the NCAA over the whole Marvin Stone controversy. Stone originally signed with Kentucky, had all kinds of rumors about stuff in his highschool and AAU days which the NCAA checked and cleared. he transferred from UK to Louisville and all of a sudden the NCAA reopens his case and he gets suspended for a couple of games, reinstated, suspended and now reinstated again. Pitino contends that the NCAA is reacting to pressure from UK(where he of course used to coach) and he might jump to UCLA to avoid it.

I don't buy it UCLA won't pay as much as Louisville.

If I had to rank candidates right now in order of who they'll hire I'd say

1) Howland
2) Majerus
3) Tim floyd

I'm a very happy man I was on the Bruins report ONline board earlier and the folks are quite happy!

 

[AZCB34]

Ooops, spoke too soon. Lavin was just hired back on a lifetime contract.

 

[Skkorpion]

Howland is happy where he is and has a top 5 recruiting class in place for this year. Dream on Russ.

Majerus would be a good fit. He already admits he cheats. UCLA alums wouldn't have to teach him.

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by AZCB34
Ooops, spoke too soon. Lavin was just hired back on a lifetime contract.

He actually had such a deal sort of. They gave him a deal with an automatic rollover so that if they didn't rescind it, the deal rolled over every year, it was like having a 6 year contract where the first year never expired. But quietly they did away with the rollover last year which is why he has 5 years left.

howland says he likes Pitt, they're looking at Mark Few, Brad Holland, and both Majerus and Larry Brown have expressed interest. Brown screwed UCLA over twice once with probation once with accepting the job and then changing his mind to stay at Kansas(which is how Harrick got the job). I'm hoping Howland changes his mind I really like the type of ball they play at Pitt.

 

[Dback Jon]

Who is the leading favorite among the Bruin faithful - Howland?

You know if you hire Howland, UCLA should be required to send some money to NAU - with former NAU offensive coordinater Karl Dorrell your Football Head Coach and former NAU Head Coach Steve Axman your Offensive Coordinator, UCLA will have quite a Lumberjack feel to it.

 

[CT Card Fan]

Originally posted by Skkorpion
Howland is happy where he is and has a top 5 recruiting class in place for this year. Dream on Russ.

Majerus would be a good fit. He already admits he cheats. UCLA alums wouldn't have to teach him.

As a Pitt alum from grad school, I hope your right Skkorp.