Tim Miles was a miracle worker at Nebraska. He ran a solid offensive system and recruited very well from the East Coast. Getting them to the NCAA tourney is equivalent to Cal getting to a New Year's Bowl. Fred Hoiberg has not even come close to getting the Huskers to respectable.
SJSU is a historically bad program. Getting them to 20 wins and an NIT is also larger than it seems.
This is not an endorsement of him (yet) , but don't undersell what he has accomplished. I get definite Ben Braun vibes, with a slightly better offensive system.
Completely respect your basketball mind, BP, as well as your familiarity with Nebraska, where it is absolutely hard to win basketball games. Also think given what we know of the inept Jim Knowlton, Miles seems an incredibly likely candidate to be Cal's next head coach. And he's had some solid individual seasons over the years...
But, my issue would be he wasn't ever able to capitalize on that occasional success, and getting terminated in Lincoln after 7-seasons because of a lack of consistent stability sounds a helluva lot like the resume of you-know-who, a man we know all too well. He seems like another mediocre retread in his mid-50's that will struggle to win and recruit in Berkeley. Really hoping they go in a younger, more dynamic direction.
OK, I'll re-think Miles...glad to hear he has a better handle on coaching offense. That was my concern with Fox from day one. I mistakenly thought Miles was more of a defense-first guy as well...
Braun gets an incredibly bad rap. Dude got us to the Dance 5 of 12 seasons, and it really should’ve been 6...that NIT Championship team was loaded - if they dont have to play the entire season in a 3/4 empty Oakland Arena, then the Bears would’ve made the Tournament in literally half of BB’s years…that’s as good as it gets for Cal fans, man. Toss in some horrible luck with the Leon Powe injuries, chump Shantay Legans bailing on a stacked roster the week school started, getting hit with Bozeman sanctions, getting Pitt in Pitt and Oklahoma in OK City, etc…
Dude was great for Cal, and he left Monty a full roster. We should be so lucky.
Exactly…and absolutely, things definitely got a little stagnant, especially on the offensive side. But he could recruit some, and certainly developed a lot of players.
If we could get another Braun, I’d be pretty stoked. He was a mid-major guy, but relatively young and Cal was his first P5 job. That’s the type of leader the program needs now - a hungry guy, looking to establish themselves.
A little longer in the tooth than Ben. Ben was young and maybe had a little more to prove when we got him than Miles does at this stage of his career. I'm sure you're right that Miles punches above his class, but his resume is not super dissimilar to Fox's from a distance. Not only do we need a good coach, but we also need one who's gonna change perception around the program IMO.
why do I feel like we're sharing the same brain yet again? Pasternak is clearly the better option between only these 2 pasty-ass middle of the road, boring AF candidates. I wish we could credibly declare that Cal could do better, but they really can't, not given the past 6 years. Who would want this shtshow, when the institution they'd work for offers little to no support? That's why another UC coach makes more sense, but even if we could swing for the fences, the AD will mess it up no matter what. We all thought anyone would be better than Wyking, but crapola, this is ridiculous. So we're stuck hoping & praying.
Side note: I watched the Gauchos w/ Andre Kelly squeak by Long Beach at the Pyramid last month. Not hard to outcoach Dan or Don Monson (whoever that guy is) when LB has 5 or more players 6'9" or taller but no one bothers on defense.
Monson was the guy that really helped put Gonzaga on the map, first as an Asst Coach and then HC...he left for a big contract at Minnesota, where he achieved a Mark Fox/Tim Miles level of success that leaves him with "retread" honors (8 seasons, 1 Tournament appearance, 3-4 other average, >.500 NIT years).
Even though I hated the selection of Fox, I at least understood it for Cal...theoretically, a high floor/limited ceiling veteran guy on the heels of a first-time HC disaster like Wyking made a lot of sense.
But, Cal needs a younger, dynamic, up and coming leader right now that will bring a jolt of energy to the fan base. Tim Miles is not that guy...a guy like Pasternack is...problem is, UCSB is likely a better job right now.
These seem very on brand. I really hope we look at Ryan Odom, whose ceiling is higher than both. I haven't any paid attention to SJ State, but I thought I had read that Miles has his teams play a pretty grind it out style. Not asking for a Dykes- or Wilcox-style over-correction to the last guy, but I think fans would welcome a high pace style of basketball. That's an easier sell to players and fans who have been starved for a good offensive beginning as far back as Cuonzo.
Cal needs to take an outside the box approach and find someone who's young, tough and scrappy. We missed the boat with Dennis Gates, who has since shown he has the chops to build a program -- no way we're able to lure him away now. But what about another former Cal favorite: Jerome Randle. No coaching experience, but as a point guard exposed to many different offensive schemes, he's gotta know how to implement a plan that maximizes the roster's strengths -- and there's nobody tougher or scrappier.
After mostly being ignored by the NBA because of his height, Randle has had a 14-year professional career in Turkey, Israel, Ukraine, Belgium, Australia, Lithuania, France, Germany and Russia. Who wouldn't want to play for someone like that? -- especially since such a low percentage of players (even on the blue-blood teams) make it in the NBA. I don't know if he's interested, but I'd be willing to bet that whatever Cal is able to pay him would be a step up from what he's been making. Randle could hit the recruiting trail, both domestically and in any of the countries where he's played (except Russia). Hire Braun as one of his assistants, and I think there's a greater chance for success than by hiring some boring old guy from SJS or UCSB.
I love Jerome; arguably my favorite Cal player ever. Just wondering if he is slick enough to satisfy the admin and donor/NIL crowd. Not saying he is not and not saying that is all that matters (cause Fox fits that bill yet....), but I just have no clue if he likes that kind of stuff. He also recently signed a contract to play in Tunisia, so his playing days are not necessarily over.
On the other hand, Jason Kidd and Sean Marks definitely can wear a suit....but luring them away from the NBA would be a long-shot
Pasternak would be a great choice. If not him then a high profile coach that is a top recruiter. Cal needs athletic players thst can shoot! They need Alpha players from their hs teams. They haven’t had one in years. Everyone wants to pass because nobody can shoot.
This line about Miles, “ so he technically performed solidly relative to expectations,” would be the reason why Knowlton would choose him over Pasternack.
Tim Miles seems to be very good at turning around a bad program in a short time, but bad at sustaining that success. He'd potentially be the MWC coach of the year if Alford (boo, hiss) wasn't drastically exceeding expectations this year.
Knowing that, Cal will hire him and quickly give him a 10 year extension after taking us to the NIT in his second year.
No chance with Gates. 'Member Mizou doubled Cuonzo's salary to get him to Columbia? They'd just double whatever we offer him. They love him, and they should. We missed the boat.
Tim Miles was a miracle worker at Nebraska. He ran a solid offensive system and recruited very well from the East Coast. Getting them to the NCAA tourney is equivalent to Cal getting to a New Year's Bowl. Fred Hoiberg has not even come close to getting the Huskers to respectable.
SJSU is a historically bad program. Getting them to 20 wins and an NIT is also larger than it seems.
This is not an endorsement of him (yet) , but don't undersell what he has accomplished. I get definite Ben Braun vibes, with a slightly better offensive system.
My friend:
Completely respect your basketball mind, BP, as well as your familiarity with Nebraska, where it is absolutely hard to win basketball games. Also think given what we know of the inept Jim Knowlton, Miles seems an incredibly likely candidate to be Cal's next head coach. And he's had some solid individual seasons over the years...
But, my issue would be he wasn't ever able to capitalize on that occasional success, and getting terminated in Lincoln after 7-seasons because of a lack of consistent stability sounds a helluva lot like the resume of you-know-who, a man we know all too well. He seems like another mediocre retread in his mid-50's that will struggle to win and recruit in Berkeley. Really hoping they go in a younger, more dynamic direction.
But as always, GO BEARS!
I am with you. I would prefer a young up-and-coming coach from a G5 or equivalent who has earned the chance in a major conference.
BUT....if you're going the retread route, Tim Miles is a better-than-average choice.
OK, I'll re-think Miles...glad to hear he has a better handle on coaching offense. That was my concern with Fox from day one. I mistakenly thought Miles was more of a defense-first guy as well...
https://www.hudl.com/blog/swish-21-motion-offense-progression-tim-miles-san-jose-state-university
Outlet. Attack. Push. Quickly.
Some words that aren't even in Mark Fox's vocabulary.
"Force pace but don't force shots" does have a better ring to it than "don't force the pace and eventually force the shot"
Knowing Cal, they'll go with Miles. Because his record is worst than Pasternack, and they'll think that's a positive.
Miles is Mark Fox 2.0.
I prefer to think Ben Braun 2.0.
Braun gets an incredibly bad rap. Dude got us to the Dance 5 of 12 seasons, and it really should’ve been 6...that NIT Championship team was loaded - if they dont have to play the entire season in a 3/4 empty Oakland Arena, then the Bears would’ve made the Tournament in literally half of BB’s years…that’s as good as it gets for Cal fans, man. Toss in some horrible luck with the Leon Powe injuries, chump Shantay Legans bailing on a stacked roster the week school started, getting hit with Bozeman sanctions, getting Pitt in Pitt and Oklahoma in OK City, etc…
Dude was great for Cal, and he left Monty a full roster. We should be so lucky.
We’re still cursed for hiring Monty. Never shoulda
Agreed. I took him for granted towards the end there. Just seemed like the program had lost some energy. Little did I know . . .
Exactly…and absolutely, things definitely got a little stagnant, especially on the offensive side. But he could recruit some, and certainly developed a lot of players.
If we could get another Braun, I’d be pretty stoked. He was a mid-major guy, but relatively young and Cal was his first P5 job. That’s the type of leader the program needs now - a hungry guy, looking to establish themselves.
A little longer in the tooth than Ben. Ben was young and maybe had a little more to prove when we got him than Miles does at this stage of his career. I'm sure you're right that Miles punches above his class, but his resume is not super dissimilar to Fox's from a distance. Not only do we need a good coach, but we also need one who's gonna change perception around the program IMO.
I hate that I had this exact thought.
Same article mentions Utah Valley and Stanford alum Mark Madsen as a potential for Stanford. I wonder if Cal would also consider him.
Seeing Mad Dog on our sideline would break my brain
Might want to avoid looking at the furd's football sideline then. Knowlton is such a [expletive] waste.
It would certainly be a sight to see.
That said, if they can coach and recruit, I’m all on board. That’s why ya gotta get a younger HC…
Tim Miles is Mark Fox 2.0
Pass.
why do I feel like we're sharing the same brain yet again? Pasternak is clearly the better option between only these 2 pasty-ass middle of the road, boring AF candidates. I wish we could credibly declare that Cal could do better, but they really can't, not given the past 6 years. Who would want this shtshow, when the institution they'd work for offers little to no support? That's why another UC coach makes more sense, but even if we could swing for the fences, the AD will mess it up no matter what. We all thought anyone would be better than Wyking, but crapola, this is ridiculous. So we're stuck hoping & praying.
Side note: I watched the Gauchos w/ Andre Kelly squeak by Long Beach at the Pyramid last month. Not hard to outcoach Dan or Don Monson (whoever that guy is) when LB has 5 or more players 6'9" or taller but no one bothers on defense.
Monson was the guy that really helped put Gonzaga on the map, first as an Asst Coach and then HC...he left for a big contract at Minnesota, where he achieved a Mark Fox/Tim Miles level of success that leaves him with "retread" honors (8 seasons, 1 Tournament appearance, 3-4 other average, >.500 NIT years).
Even though I hated the selection of Fox, I at least understood it for Cal...theoretically, a high floor/limited ceiling veteran guy on the heels of a first-time HC disaster like Wyking made a lot of sense.
But, Cal needs a younger, dynamic, up and coming leader right now that will bring a jolt of energy to the fan base. Tim Miles is not that guy...a guy like Pasternack is...problem is, UCSB is likely a better job right now.
"UCSB is likely a better job right now." Well, a chance to improve conditions at the Haas Gulag.
It would be such a Knowlton hire. It feels like we are destined to hire Miles.
Exactly.
My only hope is that some of the donors get in the buffoon’s ear and exert some influence. Otherwise, Miles should be the even money favorite.
Some high 6 figure search firm is already tasking an unpaid intern to put together the power point slide deck for Knowlton.
With Ben Howland being featured prominently towards the very top….
Any chance for Cuonzo Part Deux?
These seem very on brand. I really hope we look at Ryan Odom, whose ceiling is higher than both. I haven't any paid attention to SJ State, but I thought I had read that Miles has his teams play a pretty grind it out style. Not asking for a Dykes- or Wilcox-style over-correction to the last guy, but I think fans would welcome a high pace style of basketball. That's an easier sell to players and fans who have been starved for a good offensive beginning as far back as Cuonzo.
My thought is that Jimmy K will find a way to F this up
Cal needs to take an outside the box approach and find someone who's young, tough and scrappy. We missed the boat with Dennis Gates, who has since shown he has the chops to build a program -- no way we're able to lure him away now. But what about another former Cal favorite: Jerome Randle. No coaching experience, but as a point guard exposed to many different offensive schemes, he's gotta know how to implement a plan that maximizes the roster's strengths -- and there's nobody tougher or scrappier.
After mostly being ignored by the NBA because of his height, Randle has had a 14-year professional career in Turkey, Israel, Ukraine, Belgium, Australia, Lithuania, France, Germany and Russia. Who wouldn't want to play for someone like that? -- especially since such a low percentage of players (even on the blue-blood teams) make it in the NBA. I don't know if he's interested, but I'd be willing to bet that whatever Cal is able to pay him would be a step up from what he's been making. Randle could hit the recruiting trail, both domestically and in any of the countries where he's played (except Russia). Hire Braun as one of his assistants, and I think there's a greater chance for success than by hiring some boring old guy from SJS or UCSB.
I love Jerome; arguably my favorite Cal player ever. Just wondering if he is slick enough to satisfy the admin and donor/NIL crowd. Not saying he is not and not saying that is all that matters (cause Fox fits that bill yet....), but I just have no clue if he likes that kind of stuff. He also recently signed a contract to play in Tunisia, so his playing days are not necessarily over.
On the other hand, Jason Kidd and Sean Marks definitely can wear a suit....but luring them away from the NBA would be a long-shot
Pasternak would be a great choice. If not him then a high profile coach that is a top recruiter. Cal needs athletic players thst can shoot! They need Alpha players from their hs teams. They haven’t had one in years. Everyone wants to pass because nobody can shoot.
This line about Miles, “ so he technically performed solidly relative to expectations,” would be the reason why Knowlton would choose him over Pasternack.
I would also look hard at Hawai'i head coach Eran Ganot
Cal fans shouldn’t count on Pasternack, other Power 5s in the mix and above all he loves Santa Barbara.
Respect the take, but Cal’s got as good a chance as any if he does leave SB.
The NIL era has really taken a lot of the sting out of the Sean Miller violations…that behavior is now almost legal.
Tim Miles seems to be very good at turning around a bad program in a short time, but bad at sustaining that success. He'd potentially be the MWC coach of the year if Alford (boo, hiss) wasn't drastically exceeding expectations this year.
Knowing that, Cal will hire him and quickly give him a 10 year extension after taking us to the NIT in his second year.
Wow I'm surprised there's talks about possible co as coaching changes 😀
Pasternack, Russell Turner, or one of Gonzaga's assistant coaches.
Or sellout and spend the big bucks and get Dennis Gates
We should definitely throw money at Gates, and he’ll almost certainly turn us down, as he should.
No chance with Gates. 'Member Mizou doubled Cuonzo's salary to get him to Columbia? They'd just double whatever we offer him. They love him, and they should. We missed the boat.
Well, I would love Stan...you beat the 'Zags and St. Mary's in the same season, you're doing something right.
Just fear he might be a candidate for a better gig.
I also want Jay Wright! He’s available. :)
That's a drink folks. Chug chug.