For some dumb reason, I really thought this team was going to fight and win tonight. I thought there is no way an Ohio basketball team can miss playing in Cleveland three times over a five year stretch. I guess it's only fitting it ends this way...a third loss in one season to Northern Illinois. Never thought I'd ever utter that phrase as well.

Saul's five year record at Ohio will show 81 Wins 77 losses. He walks away from Ohio pocketing more than $2,500,000. That comes out to $30,864 per win. Something tells me he won't be making that much per win next season at Nicolet Area Technical College (google it). I hear that program could sure use a "nice guy".

We've now missed playing March hoops in Cleveland for two straight years. That should never, ever happen at Ohio. The Saul Ball era has been an epic failure. Now it's finally time to turn the page and look to the future. The pressure is on Jim Schaus to get the next one right.

What could have gone wrong taking a guy from Wisconsin/North Dakota and asking him to recruit outside his base in a totally new and unfamiliar conference? This thing was a smoldering mistake from the beginning. Honestly, IMO still not as big of a mistake as bringing in Jim Christian after the best season in Ohio history, but a mistake nonetheless.

I didn't want to post in the other thread (retain Saul Phillips) today, as I was busy and didn't want to jinx things. However, if you think we should continue this forgettable era of Ohio basketball history, you need your head examined - STAT. Just grading the situation:

Recruiting is a D-.
In Game Management might be an F.
Fan interest/excitement is a Q.
Player Development is a solid C.
Scheduling may be a B- overall, but the home schedule is a D+.
Personality is an A+

There is absolutely nothing in this 5 year body of work that screams retention. Nothing.

Now that it's all out of the way - my list:

1. Pitino - Pick up the phone. The man can coach. What a missed opportunity if he sits out another year. We go from MAC Pretender to MAC Contender with one phone call. Also, because the mere mention pisses Arkley off so much.

2. Chris Jans - Don't care about history. Don't. Care.

3. Mark Montgomery - Still think he's one of the best Coaches in this league, just in a terrible situation at NIU. TK at Toledo is the other one I would grab in a heartbeat. Obviously this is contingent on availability.

4. Jeff Boals - I give. Tapping out. Knows the region. Knows the conference. Clearly knows the University. Results have been sufficient. Give him a try.

5. John Brannen - I suspect his phone will be ringing pretty consistently, and we'll forgive his Marshall ties.

People, we are clearly at rock bottom for this program. As far as I go, Schaus has whiffed on the last two. Three strikes and you're out.

This is an even more embarrassing suggestion than Pitino.

100%
Couldn’t have said it better!

https://youtu.be/_WbcCDgIbAw

I know you just said you don't care and I'm not going to change to change your opinion. Brannen or Boals would be outstanding and

Fully aware of that situation. Coach Solich endangered lives by driving intoxicated. Again, if you're OK with that, I'm OK with a guy who made a poor decision at a bar.

If many of those on this board had the scrutiny provided to head coaches, I'd suspect there could be some unflattering articles/videos about many of us. Most of us have also lived a significant portion of our lives prior to the dawn of social media. All it takes is watching the news any given night to realize that almost everyone has a skeleton or two in the closet.

I say bring in a notorious global gunrunner, if, in fact, he has intensity, a willingness to bring in MAC level talent and above, and a desire to take no prisoners and make no more excuses. This Ohio program deserves to be feared as it has for so many years! Good character, my butt. Nice guys finish last. I want T.H.U.G.S: Talented, Huge, Ugly, and Game winning Sociopaths!!!

Jans is not even remotely worth the cost (reputation, added political scrutiny OR dollars).

It's time.

Agree that JC would've brought talent, if (from what I understand) the kids could learn to tolerate him. But his leaving wasn't much of a shock. He'd been to a "power" program at TCU and most everybody knew he wanted to get back to that level. Unfortunately for him, BC is in waaaaaay over it's head in the ACC. Too many programs with long-standing traditions of being in the top ten. They'd be better off pulling a reverse ND; Big East for b-ball and ACC for football.

Looks like JC might be available again. Just saying . . .

Sonny Johnson

So, you like Pitino then. LOL.

If it is not Boals, and boy is he the obvious choice or what, then we need to think about top assistants from places OSU, Michigan, WVU... (Don't know who they are. But seems like the logical place to look.)