High Major Scoop throwing spaghetti against a wall: http://twitter.com/highmajorscoop/statuses/18520636264769...

Christian strikes me as silly. Mike Rhoades, however, is a winner. He's probably moving up a chair and I don't know if Schaus would give him the keys, which is what it would like take to get him to leave Richmond. Jayson Gee isn't a fit with what we're doing down here. Gaudio? Meh.

Boals
Gee
Holtmann

Knowing both Coach Groce and Coach Holtmann and knowing what we currently have returning next year I think Coach Holtmann would be an excellent choice.  There would be very little change and Ohio could continue to be successful come March!  Bring back Coach Holtmann.  Once a Bobcat always a Bobcat!

Pitino seems REALLY intriguing to me. You would think we might have some history there as Rick Pitino did have some very flattering things to say about Ohio when he was back in Kentucky PLUS we did play Louisville this year tight.

The only downside is he is MUCH more likely to be gone in 1-2 years.

So now we are onto the makings of the coaching list. How important is the chance the coach will stay here and be our Shaka/Stevens coach? And does that affect our thinkig of who we want hired.

I am really afraid the reason so many people want Boals (myself included) is the chance he might stick around for 10+ years. But is he really that type? While we'd like to think he would be our Shaka/Stevens... would he? Or could he have aspirations to move on to a bigger job? I don't know him that close to know whether as long as we can up his pay, he would be willing to stay here for 10 years?

So let's say the choice comes down to Coach X who is a young outsider like Groce and most likely would leave once an Illinois type job comes open or Coach Boals/Ford who most likely would stay longer, what type of coach do we want?

And for giggles... the 3rd option... a Solich type guy, or an older coach (or maybe a better word is not a hot young assistant) who got his shot and failed but is still a good coach that can keep Ohio at the top of the MAC but more likely to not move on since he already had that taste?

And these are the days of Stevens, Shaka & Few staying at mid-majors despite major offers from bigtime programs?

Really it will come down to sustaining the success we had this year so more money can come into the program. If our top paying salary is 500k then yes, our coach will ALWAYS leave for the higher paying job.

BUT, if we can keep winning and can earn more money from it and can someday up that 500k to closer to a million a year, then we can have that chance.

It might not happen within the next 5-7 years, but can we hope in 10 years if we continue making the NCAA tournament and winning a couple games there that the money can come in to eventually be able to up our coaching salary?

I think the coaches you mention have 6 figure yearly salaries; I it's easier for them to stay where they're at when they make that kind of coin versus our ability to pay a b-ball coach $300,000 a year. I agree with you, hopefully if we keep winning and if we sustain our recent success, hopefully the necessary money to really compete at the highest level rolls in.

Boals would be great.  However, I worry that OU is just going to become a springboard school for coaches if we continue to win games/MAC Championships/go deeper into the NCAA Tourney, without paying out a reasonable salary to keep a winning coach.  Granted there are more things to look at other than salary, but in today's society...its a big one.

I'll cool with a springboard school, it means we continue to win, get national exposure, etc.

In order to keep a coach..salary is very important
in order to increase salary... fan base/season ticket holders, increased revenue is important
in order to increase fan base/season ticket holder/revenue...winning is important.

Until we have a fan base that is going to shell out the $$$, a springboard school is the best we can hope for.

+ 1000000000000

I have no problem being a springboard, and hopefully if you keep springboarding people up the money will flow into the program enough that one day instead of springboard up, they springboard into the pool of staying in Athens.

It was a rough year there in conference play, but it ended with a Conference title appearance, Sweet 16, and the #14 ranked recruiting class in the country heading into next year. Not bad for a down year. 

First, we've had two good years and Groce laid the groundwork. But yes, the next hire will be critical. The question I have is: what's the alternative? We turn back to a guy like TOS or worse and let the program falter. I highly doubt Schaus and McDavis want that again. Those guys are committed to making Ohio athletics viable. They'll get the job done. It all starts at the top, just like in any sports organization. If the people at the top are committed to success, then all of the pieces will fall into place.