TOSto Ballls

He's a tremendous coach.

I wrote a post earlier this season about Western's new arena. Crazy impressive.

They're an interesting a test-case on whether money and facilities can build a consistently high-level program in the MAC from the ground up. I'm eager to watch it from afar.

With money and elite facilities, they have the ability to sell a good coach on completely revamping a program, and I would absolutely kick the tires on Groce. His total Akron salary is somewhere in that $700-800K range. How serious is WMU about putting a good team in that $300M arena? $1M and a beautiful new arena enough to get Groce to change the color of his vest?

I'd also gauge Juwan Howard. Had a pretty rocky run at Michigan, still had an elite 8 and a sweet 16, but that sort of name could really drive some excitement. His first son played there, so he's familiar with the program. Obviously some pretty deep ties to Michigan, recruiting in Michigan and Detroit. Rebuild the culture. Raise the basement.

Saddi Washington is obviously the first name on everyones list at the moment, WMU grad, current Izzo assistant.

Maybe Drew Valentine?

Taking my OU hat off, it's pretty cool to see WMU going all in on rebuilding the rest of their athletics to match their hockey program.

Maybe we'd do the same if someone handed us half a billion bucks.

come, come, now . . . only a paltry $50 million of that was for athletics!

Pardon me?


A new arena, money being dumped into their lap left and right... and they hire a California guy from an 18-win team from the southland conference, who has never coached north of Louisville (1 year as an assistant)?


How did I have higher expectations than they did?

"We know something you don't" is good for smart asses on this site. Might be a little harder to sell to the people dropping $3M into the program.