4/2/2007

GATHERING MOMENTUM

ESPN.com’s Andy Katz is also reporting Todd Lickliter will be the new Iowa Hawkeyes basketball coach.

The more I read up on this, the more it seems like a really good hire. Over at the mess boards some of the Frowny-Faced Deluded are complaining that Lickliter’s two Sweet 16 appearances aren’t significant and the Horizon League really isn’t a very good conference. I’ve been living in Horizon League territory for a while now and I can tell you that’s just a bunch of flapdoodle from a bunch of people who were hoping for Majerus or Crean. Here are some coaches who have come out of the Horizon League:

  • Bruce Pearl
  • Bo Ryan
  • Dick Bennett
  • Thad Matta, who, y’know, might be coaching in a game tonight
  • Rollie Massimino

So, if this Lickliter stuff is true (and it’s sure starting to look like it is), I’d say the Hawks have done well for themselves. By the way, Todd Lickliter apparently picked up some meaningless award today, something about being the National Coach of the Year or something. Clearly, they should’ve hired Steve Lavin instead.

Posted by Mark @ 6:36 pm | | Permalink
This post is filed under: Sports

2 Comments »

  1. Well…Rollie Massamino wound up in the Horizon League at Cleveland State after his flameout at UNLV. His last year there he went 8-22. Licklighter seems like a good choice. It was smart of Iowa to at least try to get Pearl. Crean was never going there. If he turned down a loaded Illinois teama couple of years ago, he set the bar really hight. He’ll go to Kentucky, and likely Michigan State if Izzo leaves, but that’s about it.

    Comment by Jon — 4/3/2007 @ 7:03 am

  2. True. Massimino was on the downward slope of his career, but my sole point was that some pretty good coaches have coached in the Horizon League.

    I don’t think Crean was on Iowa’s list at all.

    Comment by Mark Hasty — 4/3/2007 @ 7:21 am

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