First off, yes, I would typically post reasons why I thought Kim could get it done at Mizzou. This shouldn't be confused with me thinking he would get it done --- but there were still narratives to be created where it could have been possible. However, I was STRONGLY against the hire. But i'm the type of person.. that once something is done, it's done. And at that ponit, I think it's nobody's best interest to cry -- so I decided to back Kim Anderson quickly after being hired, and very much tried to provide a counter point to the 8-10 posters who have the oppositve type mindset as I do on things. These people are patting themselves on the back right now, probably celebrating somewhere -- but they are also the types that do this in every situation -- so they are going to be right at times. And at this point, I think they may get to continue to celebrate as I don't see this ending well.
But actually I wanted to get into the Mike Alden's last two hires. I have found them to be very curious, or at least how they went down.
Lets start with Haith. Most reports suggest that Mizzou was VERY CLOSE to landing Painter. Possibly to the point of him telling Mizzou "yes"... but then when he went to deliver the news to his team and Gene Keady -- he could not go thru with leaving his players and alma mater. Within maybe a day or so, Frank Haith is hired. Of course, I'd say literally, 99 out of 100 Mizzou fans had to ask -- "who is Frank Haith"? By any objective candidate list, I would be very surprised that Frank Haith would have been a top 50 candidate for the Mizzou job.
So how do you go from a big name, especially at the time, in Matt Painter -- and within a day... you end up with Frank Haith. I'm not saying Frank Haith is terrible. He did have one great year, one decent year... and last year was very mediocre, but nothing like this year. Still that aside, he would not have been a top 50 candidate by an objective list.
Then last year. Reports have it that Mizzou really went after Greg Marshall. Some think they were somewhat close, other say not close at all. Either way, a commitment was going to be there financially to land Greg Marshall. A large commitment. Once Greg Marshall is confirmed to not be a candidate -- here we go again, withiin a day or two --- Kim Anderson is hired. He's obviously a known quantity to Mizzou fans. But if an objective independent candidate list was put together -- Kim Anderson doesn't make the top 50. Probably not the top 150 to be honest.
I just find it almost bizarre that Alden would go pretty hard after two of the biggest names in college basketball, and once he didn't succeed -- he almost immediately resorted to a complete WTF candidate to any objective independent observer. Why did things go down like this?
But actually I wanted to get into the Mike Alden's last two hires. I have found them to be very curious, or at least how they went down.
Lets start with Haith. Most reports suggest that Mizzou was VERY CLOSE to landing Painter. Possibly to the point of him telling Mizzou "yes"... but then when he went to deliver the news to his team and Gene Keady -- he could not go thru with leaving his players and alma mater. Within maybe a day or so, Frank Haith is hired. Of course, I'd say literally, 99 out of 100 Mizzou fans had to ask -- "who is Frank Haith"? By any objective candidate list, I would be very surprised that Frank Haith would have been a top 50 candidate for the Mizzou job.
So how do you go from a big name, especially at the time, in Matt Painter -- and within a day... you end up with Frank Haith. I'm not saying Frank Haith is terrible. He did have one great year, one decent year... and last year was very mediocre, but nothing like this year. Still that aside, he would not have been a top 50 candidate by an objective list.
Then last year. Reports have it that Mizzou really went after Greg Marshall. Some think they were somewhat close, other say not close at all. Either way, a commitment was going to be there financially to land Greg Marshall. A large commitment. Once Greg Marshall is confirmed to not be a candidate -- here we go again, withiin a day or two --- Kim Anderson is hired. He's obviously a known quantity to Mizzou fans. But if an objective independent candidate list was put together -- Kim Anderson doesn't make the top 50. Probably not the top 150 to be honest.
I just find it almost bizarre that Alden would go pretty hard after two of the biggest names in college basketball, and once he didn't succeed -- he almost immediately resorted to a complete WTF candidate to any objective independent observer. Why did things go down like this?
