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Big Coaching News -- confirmed

Howland had a freakishly good run early at UCLA but I remember his last years there with a program in disarray, miserable team morale and a disconnect with his own players. I seriously doubt he'd be able to recruit to UNLV the was he was able to get players to sign with UCLA. Plus it's a toss up whether SDSU or Howland's UCLA teams were more boring to watch. We have options. No need to get panicky and pick the first ugly girl you see.

Howland went a little wacky the last few years at UCLA. He also burned some recruiting bridges. NO doubt he was a hot commodity at one time. His stock however drastically plummeted by his own doing, or rather it was his own undoing. Let's not confuse the past with the present. Let's not live in a time warp from 10 years ago and regard Howland as the same accomplished coach he once was. Granted UCLA is a tough gig, but he just outright screwed over some of his own players, his own recruits, and the people that got him those recruits.

Then lets talk about style. So many of his players transferred out (Chace was one of them) because they felt he totally ignored coaching towards their strengths. Howland's transfer rate was appalling. If you're playing style is "run and gun", you sure as hell are not going to want to play for Howland.

If we were desperate, it wouldn't be the worst hire we could manage, but I'd rather have about 30 college coaches (who also would have interest) out there before I would want Ben Howland.
 
They won the conference his last year and the played a more up tempo style. First ugly girl really? Who do you think we're going to end up with? I can't believe how dilusional this fan base is. We are not who we were. Three straight years barely finishing over .500 with no invites to any tournaments. Ya were really going to attract some top level talent. Yes Howland would have been a good choice because right now we're without a head coach and dont have a clue who it might be while all the other schools out there are picking off coaches that are available. So there going to force feed us Pasternack. Hope you like that choice. I'm sure he will be better than Howland right!
 
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At this point, I'd take Howland. A few years back probably not, but now I would. The thing with Howland and UCLA is more on the side of UCLA. They have a very storied program and an older fan base that's begging for a winner (sound familiar?). A fan base that's wanting so badly to get back to relevance they'll do anything to try and get back there.

That being said, UCLA felt they he hit his ceiling and underperformed in the NCAAs the last few years there and though maybe if someone else came in right away they could leap over that ceiling (sound familiar, to a certain extent?) But instead, the program wallowed in mediocrity for another few years after that.

He's taken 3 teams to the dance, Couple sweet sixteens, couple final fours, a runner up champ, and took all those programs from really bad seasons and turned them around in 1-2 years.
 
At this point, I'd take Howland. A few years back probably not, but now I would. The thing with Howland and UCLA is more on the side of UCLA. They have a very storied program and an older fan base that's begging for a winner (sound familiar?). A fan base that's wanting so badly to get back to relevance they'll do anything to try and get back there.

That being said, UCLA felt they he hit his ceiling and underperformed in the NCAAs the last few years there and though maybe if someone else came in right away they could leap over that ceiling (sound familiar, to a certain extent?) But instead, the program wallowed in mediocrity for another few years after that.

He's taken 3 teams to the dance, Couple sweet sixteens, couple final fours, a runner up champ, and took all those programs from really bad seasons and turned them around in 1-2 years.
Yeah, howland is a great coach. Too many people on here are the ones that are delusional. And he is still a really good recruiter. Picked up a top 10 recruit within the first couple months after being hired at Mississippi state. Mississippi state of all places. People need to get a grip.
 
You'd take 30 coaches before Howland? A coach who went to 3 final fours?

You gotta be joking, that's ludicrous.
 
Yeah I don't understand the hate on howland. He took 3 middle of the pack schools, and turned them all into conference champions within a few years. Who cares if it's a "boring" style of basketball, if we're winning.
 
You know what's boring, LOSING. Losing is boring and I've had enough of it at UNLV. Winning is exciting. Name one championship team in any sport whose fans said, "it's great to win a title, I just wish we played a more exciting style". You can't because the notion is ridiculous. This is basketball not figure skating, you don't get extra points for style.

Howland is a winner, we need a winner. Yes it would be great to have a Golden State style winning team but lock-em-down, grind it out Celtics-ball won titles too. Right now we're the Sixers, occasionally we look good but most of the time we're on posters. We have that history but it's slipping away. You get what you pay for.
 
The Howland/UCLA stuff has to be taken with a grain of salt somewhat. UCLA is a toxic job and program. Why else do you think they had to go to plan G and hire Alford? They could have bought out almost anyone but no one would take it. You think UNLV fans have unreal expectations? They don't even hang final four banners over there.
 
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Just to add to the discussion, the year Ben Howland was fired at UCLA he won the PAC 12 regular season championship. Tha's how crazy it is at UCLA.
 
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I love all these posters that are rejecting experienced coaches with multiple deep tourney runs.

I'm very good with fans not accepting mediocrity but c'mon.

UNLV was straight up dumb to not release Dave and get a proven winner in Howland last year. Straight up dumb.

Maybe Dave will turn into a good coach someday but Howland was proven.
Good grief, UNLV, don't screw this up again...please.
 
That's fine, you guys can pull for Ben Howland all you want. Honestly I wont argue with you because I don't believe you have a clue in what you are wishing for. In your little 2+2=4 world, you see that Howland has been to 3 final fours and you draw immediate conclusions that he is a viable candidate that will do well. You see the final fours on his resume and you think he will do the same for UNLV. If you want Ben Howland as your coach, and you get him, than you guys can go to the games. Personally I will be sitting them out. I will pass on being a Rebel fan if Howland becomes coach. I will pass in rooting for a UNLV team that scores 50-60 points every game. I fell in love with UNLV because of the style. I don't want a team that resembles SDSU. I would rather not follow the program if that is what we get.
 
That's fine, you guys can pull for Ben Howland all you want. Honestly I wont argue with you because I don't believe you have a clue in what you are wishing for. In your little 2+2=4 world, you see that Howland has been to 3 final fours and you draw immediate conclusions that he is a viable candidate that will do well. You see the final fours on his resume and you think he will do the same for UNLV. If you want Ben Howland as your coach, and you get him, than you guys can go to the games. Personally I will be sitting them out. I will pass on being a Rebel fan if Howland becomes coach. I will pass in rooting for a UNLV team that scores 50-60 points every game. I fell in love with UNLV because of the style. I don't want a team that resembles SDSU. I would rather not follow the program if that is what we get.
I confess I also live in the world where 2+2=4
 
That's fine, you guys can pull for Ben Howland all you want. Honestly I wont argue with you because I don't believe you have a clue in what you are wishing for. In your little 2+2=4 world, you see that Howland has been to 3 final fours and you draw immediate conclusions that he is a viable candidate that will do well. You see the final fours on his resume and you think he will do the same for UNLV. If you want Ben Howland as your coach, and you get him, than you guys can go to the games. Personally I will be sitting them out. I will pass on being a Rebel fan if Howland becomes coach. I will pass in rooting for a UNLV team that scores 50-60 points every game. I fell in love with UNLV because of the style. I don't want a team that resembles SDSU. I would rather not follow the program if that is what we get.

Wow. I have never once felt that way about any team I support.I can't ever imagine saying...

'I will only root for the Steelers if they play a 3-4 defense and utilize zone blitz philosophies. The minute they go to a 4-3 cover-2 I am out!'

But thats just me..
 
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That's fine, you guys can pull for Ben Howland all you want. Honestly I wont argue with you because I don't believe you have a clue in what you are wishing for. In your little 2+2=4 world, you see that Howland has been to 3 final fours and you draw immediate conclusions that he is a viable candidate that will do well. You see the final fours on his resume and you think he will do the same for UNLV. If you want Ben Howland as your coach, and you get him, than you guys can go to the games. Personally I will be sitting them out. I will pass on being a Rebel fan if Howland becomes coach. I will pass in rooting for a UNLV team that scores 50-60 points every game. I fell in love with UNLV because of the style. I don't want a team that resembles SDSU. I would rather not follow the program if that is what we get.
So, not a true fan and still okay with mediocrity. All good. Sit at home and pout all you want.
 
It's the reality. You keep holding on to that past. Current statistics show that out of all the teams that are considered fast paced teams only two made rhe NCAA tournament. So if you just want to live back 30 years ago and that's all you care about than you should have been completely satisfied with Rice as the head coach because that's where his number fell.

Personally I want to win games. Be in contention for the conference title every year. Win the conference tournament. Play in the NCAA tournament and win games. And If that means we have to throw out this outdated idea of run and gun basketball then I'm okay with that.

And here we lost a recruit now in Vital. Not sure if he was going to be a stud for us or not but this could turn into a disaster quickly if we start losing this incoming class and current players.
 
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Personally I want to win games. Be in contention for the conference title every year. Win the conference tournament. Play in the NCAA tournament and win games. And If that means we have to throw out this outdated idea of run and gun basketball then I'm okay with that.

+ about 18,500
 
Cryptic tweet by Obpeka a few min ago. Says, " Lav Lets Run "

Of course he was at St. John's when Lavin was there. Maybe Lavin is in town on an interview.
 
Cryptic tweet by Obpeka a few min ago. Says, " Lav Lets Run "

Of course he was at St. John's when Lavin was there. Maybe Lavin is in town on an interview.

People are jumping off bridges on twitter, personally, if true, I have no problem with it. Would be far from my first choice, but preferable to a guy with no head coaching experience, just because that guy happens to be our native son.
 
Blah... Lavin's teams had some success in ncaa so that's a plus, but consistently underachieved and lacked discipline. Billy Bayno clone. I hope we can do better...
 
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Well it appears that the coaches we thought would come because we're such a fantastic opportunity aren't even interested in the least bit. Reality check folks. We're going to have to settle for someone that is not impressive. Sorry but that's the fact. Of course the admin will sell is on how awesome of a choice the coach will be and how lucky we are blah blah blah but we will probably take a couple steps back again.
 
Reality check folks. We're going to have to settle for someone that is not impressive. Sorry but that's the fact.
There is absolutely nothing factual about it. It's a prediction. You may be correct in the end, but it's the furthest thing from a fact.

I think it'll be way better than you are predicting. But I can't say that's a fact.
 
Well it appears that the coaches we thought would come because we're such a fantastic opportunity aren't even interested in the least bit. Reality check folks. We're going to have to settle for someone that is not impressive. Sorry but that's the fact. Of course the admin will sell is on how awesome of a choice the coach will be and how lucky we are blah blah blah but we will probably take a couple steps back again.
Would Stacey Augmon meet your definition of settling?
 
I like willden's list, if we cant get the bigger names then underwood is my choice! I would have dixon and howland infront of underwood only because they've proven they can win at a big programs, underwood is still not proven at a higher level yet but im willing to roll the dice with him! Lavin is an ok choice but hes kind of what we had with rice, good recruiter but not a X and Os coach. I think he would be a better manager of players but is that what we need? The only thing with underwood is how would he do with recruiting? What do you guys think?
 
I like willden's list, if we cant get the bigger names then underwood is my choice! I would have dixon and howland infront of underwood only because they've proven they can win at a big programs, underwood is still not proven at a higher level yet but im willing to roll the dice with him! Lavin is an ok choice but hes kind of what we had with rice, good recruiter but not a X and Os coach. I think he would be a better manager of players but is that what we need? The only thing with underwood is how would he do with recruiting? What do you guys think?
I heard Underwood was a good recruiter under Huggins. I would love to see him as coach. The fact that he's gone 59-1 in conference the last 3 years excites me. I think the reward with him could be higher than Dixon or Lavin, maybe even higher than Howland. Also, he would come cheaper than those guys probs.
 
this stuff is hurting my stomach. still don't have a good feeling and won't feel otherwise until i'm proven wrong.

thankfully, i get proven wrong a lot...see Dave Rice.
 
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