Hooper leaving Wichita

[Shocker-maniac]

Not much, but hopefully it improves.

[1972Shocker]

While Hoop will only be in Wichita about 10 days a month he and his family will continue to make Wichita their home for now. I guess it doesn't make a lot of difference where home is as it sounds like Hoop's new gig is one that will involve a lot of travel and moving around. You just never know what will open up in the future but I suspect Hoop will be successful with whatever path awaits him.

[Kung Wu]

Did we ever determine if Hoop graduated? Isn't there a bachelor degree requirement to be a skipper of an NCAA program and that Hoop never graduated? I could be having failed memory.

It was confirmed that he graduated.

[DUShock]

It was confirmed that he graduated.

Thanks @Kung Wu:

[1972Shocker]

Here are some interesting tidbits from Hoop that were in a May 2014 article in the Lawrence Journal-World:

Hooper’s team has won its division of the American Association in four of his five seasons, and he has done the majority of the recruitment of talent, working with general manager Josh Robertson to stay within the league’s salary-cap restrictions — good preparation, Hooper thought, for college recruiting. He didn’t think a lack of college coaching would keep him from being hired by Wichita State, but it did.

“I don’t think it was any secret I was the fan favorite and media favorite to get that job,” Hooper said by phone Wednesday. “I think they wanted a guy with college experience. As much as I disagree with that, it was their choice.”

Arkansas assistant coach Todd Butler landed the position and has a 25-23 record (9-6 in the Missouri Valley Conference) in his first season at WSU.

Hooper lives in Wichita with wife Lindsey and their daughters Lucy, 8, and Laney, 5. He said he has turned down numerous affiliated-minor-league opportunities and would like to become a college head coach.

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2014/may/08/column-kevin-hooper-returns-city-sunday/

[ShockerFever]

If we fail to produce this year, I'm really gonna be hot after letting Hooper slip by. We had a big opportunity and went with a "stud recruiter".

[SHOCKvalue]

If we fail to produce this year, I'm really gonna be hot after letting Hooper slip by. We had a big opportunity and went with a "stud recruiter".

Seems we might have gotten the Dave Rice of college baseball. And the sad thing is, it is not as if the writing on the wall shouldn't have indicated to somebody... anybody... within the WSU AD that Butler had a prior HC gig where he earned a W/L of .520.

[shockfan89_]

Just further evidence that the former AD screwed the entire thing up. What was the reasoning Gene wasn't allowed to coach his final year? Oh yes, the former AD wanted to fire him rather than let him finish out his contract and depart gracefully. I know the logic was that recruiting was suffering because GS didn't have a contract extension in place but I think more damage was done to the program with the way things played out (paying the last year of his salary, hard feelings of many fans, not involving GS in finding a replacement, possibly making a hasty decision when the AD could have had a full year to conduct a search, ...).