ESPN: JT3 Possible Candidate for UK

[hilltopper2000]

I really think in all of this discussion that people are missing how much JTIII owes to Georgetown. There is no way he would have this level of success this quickly at another school. Taking over the program his father built has played a huge role in him being able to recruit at a high level. The local contacts his Dad has and his ability to sell recruits on legacy of Georgetown are possibly the two biggest reasons for the recruiting success. Why would JTIII give that up? If he sticks with Georgetown, he gets to keep it all and he will get paid. The one thing Georgetown can't offer is an on-campus arena on par with a major state school. But hey, neither can Duke. I get the sense that JTIII wants to succeed and I assume he wants to get paid. There is no reason Georgetown can't offer him both.

In particular, I think the debate over his salary is silly. The University can afford to pay him a market salary. The bigger hurdle will be facilities and the operational budget, but he has to know that with the recent success these will become easier to accomplish. I don't necessarily think JTIII wants to stay at Georgetown forever. But the idea that we will be lucky if he sticks around 2 more years is crazy. Jack DeGioia is neither stupid nor ignorant of what basketball means for Georgetown. And he knows that if Georgetown does not pay a market salary to its coach the basketball program will be a big money loser for the school.

[EasyEd]

My brother who lives in Kentucky told me last night the rumor is strong in Kentucky that JTIII is on Kentucky's short list.

[HoyaLingus]

I think it's a bit ludicrous to believe that the only consideration that JTIII would take into account is salary.

Fact: He will get a raise here.


Fact: He's not lying when he says that the 'we are ... georgetown' chant means something to him. All the talk about what a classy, heart-filled program he runs, and yet we instantly assume that money would be enough to lure him away?

Forgive me for having faith that he's not the mercenary that some posters here would seem to suggest.

[theexorcist]

First: Kentucky seems insane. You are going to a school that not only expects a Final Four every year, but will fire you if you don't make it.

Second: Lots of people can succeed at various schools for a variety of reasons. III's dad may have been slightly helpful, but I don't think it was a clincher. Recruits can get sold on the history of St. John's, or of NC State, or of Missouri, but none of these three schools has been a barnburner recently. Georgetown by itself is special, but it isn't that special.

Georgetown and III, however, are very special.

[hilltopper2000]

I don't know Jack DeGioia personally, but from everything I've read, I can't believe he is not going to do for JTIII what Nova did for Wright and Marquette did for Crean. JTIII will get a big contract and other insentives. But I would advise DeGioia to come out publicly now and state something to that effect so the chattering can die down. Has anybody calculated how much a final four run brings in in terms of league payouts, future ticket sales, and merchandising. I'm guessing quite a lot more than a pay raise. Georgetown's president did not get to where he is by being a complete and total moron.

BTW: As for Ketucky, I have a good friend from L-ville who, in spite of going to GU, is a die-hard Kentucky fan. He has said on numerous occasions that much of the discontent with Tuddy started shortly after he won the national title, as comments on local radio shows criticized his every move, some even degenerating into racist rants. He was surprised Tubby lasted this long. I am at a loss as to why anyone would subject himself to that garbage, let along someone like JTIII. I'm interested to see what happens with that opening.

As to my earlier point, I wasn't arguing that JTII made JTIII's job significantly easier, but he has helped, and JTIII has been able to see recruits on Georgetown and JTII and Ewing and the whole legacy of the program of which he and his family are an integral part. If he is out in Michigan, I don't doubt that he could do well, but that "special" combination would be lost. It just doesn't make sense for him to coach elsewhere. So long as Georgetown does right by him, I can't believe he would leave until he has accomplished all he set out to do and simply wants a new challenge.

[bubbrubbhoya]

danmcq said:

mciguy said:

Crack on those who work at the university? More like crack on those who run the university, Dan. Lets get that straight. Their excuses over the year and lack of will to get anything done, their inability to run a damn hospital without going into debt, is more tiring than any of my rants about the issue. You end up being an enabler when you defend them. You sound like a Republican who after getting upset with people criticizing Bush's handling of Iraq respond with the tired rebuttal "well, what's your plan".

I should not even justify your gross mischaracterization of me with a direct response. If you do not know how difficult running a hospital without going into debt is then you have your head in the sand. I've worked in them for years and am on the board that runs the hospital our multispecialty group practice owns. Let me tell you, running an academic medical center in this financial climate is a recipe for disaster. For your information, the person who is running the university happens to be the person who solved that problem for the university. Frankly, it offends me when people attribute things to him that are blatantly wrong as you are doing. That is what I take offense to and yes, I do know personally the person you so blithely criticize.

Of course you should support your own alma mater first. But if you are going to come here and act like you have all the answers you ought to put your money (or the equivalent in effort) where your mouth is and be part of the solution instead of just tossing off smart-sounding barbs.

And with that thread-derailing rant I am going to flip into moderator-mode and move this to the 37th & O board.

Go Dan!

[TC]

Dan is right - Billy Donovan going to Kentucky is MUCH more realistic than JTIII going to Kentucky. Kentucky just Ty Willinghamed Tubby Smith, has a checkered racial history, and let's face it - coaching at Georgetown and Princeton is preparation for a place like Duke, not an academically-questionable booster-ridden hive of scum and villainy like Kentucky.

[rosslynhoya]

I wouldn't accuse III of being a mercenary. On the other hand, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised that when he sits down with Muir and DeGioia next week, they slide a little piece of paper across the table at him that offers him nearly $500k a year.

JT3 is a hot commodity. Someone with deep pockets will offer him serious money. As a fan, I hope the legacy, the prestige, the community, and all the other intangibles will be a factor in persuading him to stay. As an alum, I'm confident that the university is banking on that as a major part of their negotiating strategy. Dang them to heck.

[jerseyhoya34]

$500K? That's offensive. He gets $445K now. If Lord Crean gets around $1.75M, JT3 should be in the $2M range.

[miamihoya]

jerseyhoya34 said:

$500K? That's offensive. He gets $445K now. If Lord Crean gets around $1.75M, JT3 should be in the $2M range.

i think thats exactly what rosslyn was implying. That the university would be stupid enough to make such an absurd offer to JTIII and risk losing him to a school with much deeper pockets and an administration that has shown its committed to improving its athletics program.

[HoyaTejano]

I think the coming days are going to be a critical test.

That Michigan job is still open. If Kentucky does not get Donovan we have no idea what their real Plan B is. Arkansas still has an opening. If Donovan DOES leave UF then that's another opening too.

I'm not saying they will all make a run on JT3, but all it takes is one school to decide they want to win right now.

[fsohoya]

I want to know how fans can make it abundantly clear to the university that we REALLY need to keep JT III. I know he probably isn't going to bolt if he doesn't make as much as Crean, and I can't imagine how De Gioia would fail to realize the critical importance of keeping JT III here, yet for some reason I am uneasy...

[haydenmac]

Stan Heath is getting a 5 year deal worth $900k a year for freakin' South Florida.

Unbelievable.