The Annual HCGM's WSU Future

[Shocker Mama]

I was recalling the MVC tournament, which always has a HUGE contingent of WSU fans present. If Bama can't get fans to show up for basketball games in Tuscaloosa, what are the odds that thousands of them would take off work and drive six hours to support the team? They'd be like that Bradley fan.

[TheDover1018]

We appreciate your info, but you can understand our skepticism. Especially with it being April Fools, among the many other reasons. Hope both sides don't have to wait in limbo much longer.

Or the fact that Missouri posters were also "confident" last year that HCGM would be coming to Columbia.

[ShockerExpress]

I was thinking the exact same.

I have family that are BIG Oklahoma fans... If the football team goes on a bowl run.. BOOM no more money for travel. Everyone blows it on road trips to the bowl destination. It severely inhibits their ability to go to basketball games period.. not even considering basketball travel.

[WstateU]

[Topshock]

Bamaonline is the biggest Alabama site on the web. Go look at Luckys post, guy is always spot on. And the insiders on there are usually spot on, the few that still post but when they do. You listen, don't shoot the messagnger just helping yall out

Noticed you didn't respond to anything.

I think you meant "Noticed yall didn't respond to anything."

[DUShock]

In Wichita Gregg Marshall is our coach. In Alabama, Texas, or any other football school; he will never "our" coach to those schools. Here we say "There goes our coach, we love him!" A football school says "There's Coach Marshall, how'd they they do last season?" He and his family are loved here. It is as simple as that.

[DPruett2333]

Business as usual around Koch Arena tells me he may never have really been contemplating the deal at all.

[thunderkwb]

Or the fact that Missouri posters were also "confident" last year that HCGM would be coming to Columbia.

Oh Lord, I remember those inbreeds. I think I remember reading one of their "insiders" caught Marshall picking out curtains for his new office at a Bed, Bath, Beyond in Columbia.

[1972Shocker]

Here is my current theory:

I think that Marshall has already said no to Alabama. I think that Texas is off the table because of how the AD has handled the situation.

Alabama fans are claiming that he hasn't said no, but the absence of an announcement is no proof of that. Alabama is certainly not going to announce they were turned down (although if the reports that they are going after Pitino are true, it is as good as an announcement).

So, assuming my initial stance on Alabama and Texas, why hasn't Marshall announced he is staying yet?

I think that Marshall knows that he isn't taking any of the currently available jobs, but he also knows that Calipari to the NBA is still sitting out there as a possibility. That is a potential domino that will have to be resolved before he makes a firm statement about staying.

My current theory is that anyone who would take any theory of mine seriously should seek counseling. The absence of any announcement is kind of neutral. Doesn't mean he has told Alabama no nor does it imply he has told Alabama yes. Perhaps it indicates he is still discussing an enhanced deal with WSU and he wants to maintain maximum leverage as long has he can.

He can withdraw his name for consideration from the Texas and Alabama job without having any impact on his ability to consider an opening at Kentucky or elsewhere should those arise.

[_kai_]

Take it with a grain of salt, but there most likely won't be a press conference to announce Gregg staying, but rather an announcement of a replacement for Forbes or a recruit we've been after. If one of those happens, we can all go back to DEFCON5. Bama fans can cash that check if they're reading this.

[Awesome Sauce Malone]

Ladies and gentlemen, can I please have your attention. I've just been handed an urgent and horrifying news story. I need all of you, to stop what you're doing and listen

[BasketballJones46]

False.

I'm not really sure why you'd feel the need to lie about this, but unless UA has a super secret nuclear bunker with an inventory of unused and unregistered back-up aircraft, then all you have is N1UA. Stuff like this can be confirmed these days on a few aviation websites, so it makes it a little harder to lie.

And N1UA is a rather sad aircraft as far as corporate aviation goes. I would think with all the swagger that a school like UA likes to roll with that they'd have more impressive flying stock.

Actually, Alabama uses multiple private aircraft owned by boosters for university/athletic purposes. N1UA is owned by the school but it is rarely used for the types of private trips Saban/Marshall/etc. might be interested in taking. It is used primarily for university business - the school president, provost, etc. traveling and for some football recruiting trips. For non-university business there are several others that are more common. I haven't checked, but IIRC N1UA was not what brought Battle to Wichita on Monday. The university has disabled tracking of that plane as well.

There were actually rumors that two UA-affiliated aircraft came to Wichita in case the family or Gregg wanted to come back along with assistants, but that was shot down after a little research. The "2nd plane" turned out to be in Belize of all places, presumably being used by its owner (a booster and local businessman.)

Greene Group (Paul Bryant Jr.), Wilson & Associates, Crowe/ProAssurance (the one that went to Wichita on Monday I think), McMahon Group, a plane that used to be owned by Crimson Excel LLC, ironically owned in Wichita Kansas since 2008, Crimson Excel has a new plane, Drummond Coal, and Cooper T Smith Corp are all Bama-associated entities that allow use of their plane by the school and athletic department whenever needed. At least one is typically always available in Tuscaloosa or Birmingham. Tuscaloosa has a regional airport that is very easy to get in and out of, so usually unless a booster from Birmingham has also on board they fly out of TCL.

I have the numbers associated with all of the aircraft but I'm sure you can look them up if you are so inclined.

[GreatWhiteBuffalo]

And this is what I was hoping to see today. Parrish is well-connected and a good reporter. He's not going off half-cocked on this.

Also saw that Texas apparently cooled on Marshall because he's seen as being too outspoken and rubbing people the wrong way. That doesn't have the reporter integrity of anything coming from Parrish, but it doesn't surprise me. Always been something that I thought would hurt Marshall at many of the elite jobs I could see him leaving WSU for. Alabama, though, is one school that absolutely wouldn't care.

Kentucky's another, and one that I could see targeting Marshall fully. IMO, Marshall's at WSU until Kentucky comes open, if Kentucky wants him. If Kentucky doesn't come open, or doesn't make him their #1 priority, he retires at WSU.

Hopefully Shaka Smart blows off Texas to keep him up for the same jobs Marshall would be.

Agreed. If the football thing is really an issue for a guy like Marshall, I could see UNC, Kentucky and Duke being jobs of interest for him in the near future. If he left for one of those, who could knock him for it?

[GreatWhiteBuffalo]

Just heard Suellentrop on 98.7 with Heartl. He said the feeling around Koch Arena today was that of a "normal day". He also said he didn't want to overstate what he felt he knew. He did compare it to when Turgeon left and said then the feeling was quiet and odd; all doors closed, no one around, etc. Today he feels like a normal day...and went on to say that these things "could" change quickly. I was encouraged. I also agree with Heartl that there is no way that either WSU or Bama want this situation to go on until the weekend. I would hope we hear something very soon.

[thunderkwb]

The silence from HCGM has more to do with Texas than Alabama. Nothing will happen until Texas makes a hire. If Texas hires someone else, then I could see Marshall making a statement about staying with WSU. Alabama offer, not just money, would have had blown his socks off. It appears it didn't or he and the family would have high tailed it out of Wichita with Battle. No offense to all the Bama fans, but I think you got your answer. Now it's just the WSU fans waiting for Texas to decide.