Steve Alford to UCLA!!

[Nukem2]

He has four tournament victories in 18 years as a coach. He piles up a bunch of wins during the season, then craps the bed in the tournament...repeatedly. As a coach, he's OK. But he isn't a better coach than Howland.

True. Though, he probably will relate better to the laid-back West Coast athletes....? Will that relate to NCAA success...who knows?

[Halo]

He had a successful tenure at Iowa. One season, they were a 3 seed in the Big Dance. He's from Indiana, a coach's son, played for Knight....he's a great coach. Won at Missouri State also.

Great coach? I guess our definitions of great are much different. What has he ever really done in his career to warrant this UCLA job and being great? He basically was fired at Iowa. Think about that. Maybe they should have gone after Tubby.

[MUBasketball]

Great coach? I guess our definitions of great are much different. What has he ever really done in his career to warrant this UCLA job and being great? He basically was fired at Iowa. Think about that. Maybe they should have gone after Tubby.

I consider someone who wins year after year to be an excellent coach. He's done that at 4 schools (can't remember which school but he was at a D2 or D3 school prior to Missouri State). He won how many conference titles at New Mexico? The guy is a winner. Remember, the season starts in November, not March.

[MUMac]

Yeah, the "great" moniker is a bit extreme for me. Look at his record, to me it is spotty. Look at his tournament success (or lack thereof), he has as many NIT appearances as NCAA. Mentioning his being a 3 sead, each time they flamed out.

Is he truly an upgrade from Howland? I am not buying that if that is what you are selling. UCLA pee'd down their leg on this exchange.

[IWB]

Here is UCLA's biggest problem....and Minnesota's....and Oklahoma and Arkansas and everyone else who has fired coaches in the last few years. They fire their coaches with such an elitist attitude that, "We are Big Time University, we will get whoever we want"....so they fire their coach.....then choice #1 turns them down....then choice #2 turns them down...then #3.....then #4.......then they end up worse off than they were before they fired their coach.

[MUBasketball]

Howland is an excellent coach. My debate isn't whether or not Alford is better. I'm simply saying they hired, in my estimation, a great coach.

[MUMac]

I consider someone who wins year after year to be an excellent coach. He's done that at 4 schools (can't remember which school but he was at a D2 or D3 school prior to Missouri State). He won how many conference titles at New Mexico? The guy is a winner. Remember, the season starts in November, not March.

Manchester was a DIII school. If that defines a great coach, all I can say is WOW.

Let's look at success, by your standards. He finished 4th, 2nd, 3rd and 2nd in Missouri Valley (at SW Missouri State) with 1 NIT, 1 NCAA (Sweet 16 that he parlayed into the Iowa job) and 2 non appearances sandwiched in between. At Iowa 7th, 6th, 8th, 8th, 4th, 7th, 2nd 4th with 3 NIT, 3 NCAA appearances and two non appearances. At NM he finishe 3rd, 1st, 1st, 5th, 1st and 1st with 3 NIT and 3 NCAA appearances. Now, you might say that NW is impressive, well, with 4 conference championships in 6 years and one of those being an NIT reward, that may tell you all you need to know about the conference.

All I can say is that with the results he had in season and post season, if he does that at UCLA, the job will be open again in short order. Certainly not impressive at all. Great? Really? Are you sticking with that one? WOW.

[Mucrisco]

How successful has Iowa been after Alford? He took them to three NCAA's and they haven't been back since. He has been the most successful coach at New Mexico and won 4 league titles there. I wouldn't say he's better than Howland, necessarily, but he's not a huge downgrade like it appears you guys are claiming. I was surprised they fired him in the first place. Again, I've never really liked Alford, but he's certainly proven he's a great coach. Also, I don't think he was fired from Iowa. I think he bolted for New Mexico.

[MUBasketball]

Manchester was a DIII school. If that defines a great coach, all I can say is WOW.

What a ridiculous comment. He won at Manchester. That doesn't count because its not Division 1? I don't understand your point.

[MUBasketball]

How successful has Iowa been after Alford? He took them to three NCAA's and they haven't been back since. He has been the most successful coach at New Mexico and won 4 league titles there. I wouldn't say he's better than Howland, necessarily, but he's not a huge downgrade like it appears you guys are claiming. I was surprised they fired him in the first place. Again, I've never really liked Alford, but he's certainly proven he's a great coach. Also, I don't think he was fired from Iowa. I think he bolted for New Mexico.

Amen Crisco!