Who Replaces Gene?

[ABC]

Ironically enough several people on this board have been saying for years that WSU needs to get rid of
Gene and that there would be a lot of great head coaches (including some BCS coaches) that would kill to take his place. I have expressed the concern that we could end up with a worse coach, maybe even the Mike Cohen of baseball. Now that the day I have been dreading has come, I am wondering where all of the great candidates are? Are we not getting them because they don't want BK? I don't know. But it isn't my job to find the new HC. I just have to believe that WSU can do better than the guy who finished tied for 6th and 7th in the 18th ranked conference last year? I would have a lot more confidence in Todd Butler based on his reputation at Arkansas. But based on the names I have heard or read on this board, I don't have a lot of confidence in who our next coach is going to be.

Which I said ironically was my big fear all along about when this day came. So far I am not reading much to help my confidence and make the night mare go away.

Who said this? Do you think things get worse or better under Gene?

[DwShock]

This thread is driving me nuts. People said lets get rid of the guy who built our program and are now complaining about who the AD might hire. You can't have it both ways. Once you fire a legend who just won the conference title and made it to the NCAA tournament your not going to get a power house coach your going to have to find someone up and coming. Sure if Stephenson would have been allowed to finish his contract next year you might get a better group of names but that didn't happen. So we have to move on with whomever the AD sees fit.

[shox1989]

Who said this? Do you think things get worse or better under Gene?

Next year they would have certainly been better. WSU has everybody back (except Coy and McGreevey) and Chase Simpson who looked great in fall ball becomes eligible. I think next year would have been a great year for WSU (should still be). Beyond that it is hard to say, but Gene always had WSU in the post season or knocking on the door. His teams always competed for the Valley title and were always in post-season or close to post-season even though they fell short 3 of the last 5 years. There were no bottom half of the conference finishes or anything like that.

[GoShockers89]

Some people are determined to complain and be unhappy I suppose. To each his own.

[TheReal3G]

Anybody else have an issue with BK making this hire? ADES obviously has to bless this but this is strange. ADJS hired his own coaches and locked himself in office till offer was extended and accepted. No loose lips either.

[Kung Wu]

How about John Savage at UCLA? Currently making $185,000 base in LA. Recent contract is here:

At $185,000 in LA, that's a $132,000 equivalent in Wichita. He could live like a rockstar for $200k plus bonuses here, relative to what he's living like in California. And he's got CWS experience.

Their baseball stadium seats 1,820 people.

They averaged under 1,200 people in attendance in 2010.

Why not a guy like that? One that has CWS experience (took second in the country in 2010) that is under compensated, under supported, and under loved?

[Kung Wu]

How about John Savage at UCLA? Currently making $185,000 base in LA. Recent contract is here:

At $185,000 in LA, that's a $132,000 equivalent in Wichita. He could live like a rockstar for $200k plus bonuses here, relative to what he's living like in California. And he's got CWS experience.

Their baseball stadium seats 1,820 people.

They averaged under 1,200 people in attendance in 2010.

Why not a guy like that? One that has CWS experience (took second in the country in 2010) that is under compensated, under supported, and under loved?

Plus he's got four kids. He won't find a better place to raise his kids that has this type of baseball tradition for the bucks he can make. Raising kids in LA? Raising kids in Wichita? No brainer. Ask Gregg Marshall.

[vancedave56]

I'm just glad we on the board aren't in charge of hiring :) I believe ES and BK will do a fine job in finding a replacement and heading into the future...

[shockkansas]

My sources are telling me that Heefner has been offered, at around $400k. Reasons given: youth, MVC ties, and clean character (given recent WSU athletic related scandals). He isn't sold after Gene's firing, after making the tourney.

[ShockTalk]

How about John Savage at UCLA? Currently making $185,000 base in LA. Recent contract is here:

At $185,000 in LA, that's a $132,000 equivalent in Wichita. He could live like a rockstar for $200k plus bonuses here, relative to what he's living like in California. And he's got CWS experience.

Their baseball stadium seats 1,820 people.

They averaged under 1,200 people in attendance in 2010.

Why not a guy like that? One that has CWS experience (took second in the country in 2010) that is under compensated, under supported, and under loved?

Perhaps it's not so much that such coaches are under compensated, but others being greatly over compensated. In which case would a program and AD be considered successful and which one draws criticism and loses revenue to support the program? If the fans continue to show up in large numbers, season tickets continue as before, big donors continue their flow of money due to their satisfaction of the situation, no problem. Otherwise, there simply comes a time when good will runs out and no longer cuts it. It is a cost/reward business and all parties know it.

[mjbaker84]

400K?? damn!
kinda high imo for him

[shockkansas]

400K?? damn!
kinda high imo for him

Exactly. Not sure how it is structured, but what could he possibly need to "think about"? We should know soon enough.

[Metalkatz]

Article about Heefner getting the most out of his players.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=6639145

[ShockerFever]

400K?? damn!
kinda high imo for him

Consider the "source".

[shox1989]

How about John Savage at UCLA? Currently making $185,000 base in LA. Recent contract is here:

At $185,000 in LA, that's a $132,000 equivalent in Wichita. He could live like a rockstar for $200k plus bonuses here, relative to what he's living like in California. And he's got CWS experience.

Their baseball stadium seats 1,820 people.

They averaged under 1,200 people in attendance in 2010.

Why not a guy like that? One that has CWS experience (took second in the country in 2010) that is under compensated, under supported, and under loved?

Sounds like a very worthy candidate to me.