Stull fiddles while blogs burn

We sports bloggers in town, and a bevy of posters, have been all over the board on who's to be UTEP's new basketball coach.

There are inside sources galore. And the latest "done deal" report is that Miner Assistant Randall Dickey will replace Tony Barbee.

What happened to the "done deal" regarding Tim Floyd? Snf I orginially liked, and still do, Billy Gillispie. Both, at this writing, were also being mentioned for the Houston job. And for UTEP. And maybe Gillispie is in line at DePaul.

The protocol here is that the UTEP Athletic Department hierarchy (Bob Stull) taps out its pick and seeks the OK from University President Diana Natalicio. We tend to forget that she has always made the final decision on coaches.

So we can only speculate what's going on; well, except in sports everybody can be a knowitall. That's the fun.

It could be that it's remembered that Gillispie wouldn't sign his contract when he was here; we don't really know what went on with Billy and the school when he was being recruited by Texas A&M. Billy also had to fight off a DWI charge while here. And since UTEP has a football coach who battled out of a national scandal, maybe Billy didn't stand a chance on returning here. And who knows if Billy ever wanted to come back in the first place.

It's still odd to me that every time the UTEP jobs comes open, which has now been five times since His Coachency retired, Floyd's name comes up. But it never seems to get very far. We do know that everybody likes Tim Floyd a lot. Then again there's the NCAA probe into a $1,000 bribe regarding a star player when Floyd coached at USC. Floyd resigned. He was not fired. He's ticked that USC's athletic director didn't back him on the allegation. So  that's hanging in the air.

I'm guessing maybe Natalicio has taken a deep breath, called Stull on the phone, and said: Bob, can you for once get somebody who's not Billy The Kid to come coach here?

Dickey?

He's a veteran assistant; never been a head coach. His brother, James Dickey, was head coach at Texas Tech before Bob Knight took over. Randall Dickey is known as a good Xs and Os man. Perhaps, if this "done deal" is the "real done deal," it can be said that since there were no seniors on this year's 26-7 team, and there are four freshmen recruits coming in, UTEP might take the stability road? But nobody ever mistook Randall Dickey for "glitz."

Now wait a second, I have it on reliable inside sources - dozens of them - that it's a "done deal" that Bob Knight is coming out of retirement and will coach the Miners next season. Can't go wrong on a "done deal," right?

Comments

[oh please]

Why wouldn't Doc have taken such a good recruiter and X and O's guy with him, then?

[TG]

According to Dickey (and I heard it from his mouth) is that Barbee wanted someone who was familiar with the school and the area. Basically help with the transition from Sadler to Barbee.

[Pugapalooza]

TG, I think for this upcoming year I would agree it would be beneficial to have Dickey take over with the familiarity of the team, but what about beyond next years team? I hope I eat my words if Dickey is hired and does well and sticks around longer than some of the previous coaches, but I was really hoping Stull could convince both Floyd and Natalicio(I agree she gets her say in the selection) to bring Floyd in as the next coach. I didn't think it was a done deal, but maybe we will know more soon.

[J.C.V]

Once again UTEP does not want to shell out the big bucks and go for a "Big Time" coach. Let's settle for less and get Dickey, that's o.k. We got an awesome team coming back that will make Dickey look like a coaching genius. After the 2010 season though watch out! Dickey can't recruit and is a mediocre X's and O's guy and that will become evident once Culpepper, Moltrie, and Stone leave. We've got to get a better coach!!!

[dragen]

Oh right, Billy G? Same guy who one week said he was staying put and about a week later he was off to Texas A&M. Same guy who wouldn't sign a contact, AND, left without any compensation to UTEP. Sam guy who had driving and drinking problems in at least two or three places. Right. Bring him back to El Paso.

Floyd? The innocent guy who dumped USC rather than fight for the school and himself against the NCAA. Right. Bring Floyd back to El Paso.

Why not give a LOYAL and TALENTED assistant a chance. Barbee was a nobody we took a chance on. Billy G. was a nobody we took a chance on. Sadler was a nobody we took a chance on. Why not take a chance on a guy who has been here for 6 years and wants to be here?

[Prospero]

nicely said dragen.

[miner fan]

wow J.C.V is right utep went for the cheap choice. just like UTEP to go for the cheap choice once again, never take risks and go for something. why do u think the hire assistants instead of old head coaches cause they'll take anything! stull is the most stupid athletic director i've ever seen doesn't he know that maybe if u get a well known coach (granted lost his job at a big school and well liked by the community) , pay him big yea u going to lose some money at first but guess sold out stands and bam! money right back. Why do u think no one went to the games? no one liked barbee cause no one knew who he was common sense.know i was starting wondering if he went to college? i say we kick stull out get a new A.D as well. a person with a lil bit more balls and who is willing to take risks and go for the big guys and is willing to stand up to Natalicio and say hey he's well worth the chance.

[dv]

miner fan,

Never take risks? what do you think hiring Assistant Coaches is? UTEP has actually managed to take 'risks' and be succesful at it. They have done their homework and have actually hired good coaches. Gillespie, Sadler, and Barbee have been good hires.

A real fan does not go to the games to watch the coach. Maybe THAT'S WHY UTEP cannot retain their coaches, and it's because of front runner fans who want 'the flashy hire' to show their support.

A long time ago there was the slogan: "don't be a whiner, support the UTEP miners." Ten years ago, it still holds.

Anyways, miner fan, you don't make sense.

[weatherbuddy]

Bob Stull... I mean D.V. as long as Bob Stull is in charge of the UTEP athletic department, UTEP will always hire at a cut rate price/bargain price. He (Stull) said it at his pres conference that he held last week. If you watched television Stull said that money is not always the most important thing. But yet those three great hires he (Stull) made all left for the same reason "MONEY." As long as dv I mean Bob Stull is here UTEP will get second choice coaches at a cheap price. My money says that if Stull were to go to the boosters, you know the ones that he said he doesn't listen to, and asked then to kick in some more money to up the anty, I would say UTEP could find some upper level coaches that just might stay here for a while making "MONEY." I also think that Don Haskins stayed here for so long making next to nothing that UTEP (Stull) still believes that he can continue to hire and keep coaches the way they did with Haskins for pennies. Well guess what dv I mean Bob Stull it's the 21st Century and coaches are not willing to sell themselves for peanuts any longer....they don't have to. OTHER schools are willing to PAY for their services. So dv WAKE Up......is that you really you Bob Stull?

[Dave Williams]

This is funny. Read the last blog, when people thought Floyd would be hired, and you have "Bob Stull is a genius". It's only a couple of days later and people want him fired. AND NO ONE HAS EVEN BEEN HIRED YET! Give me a break. Dickey is a good coach with a good lineage. He has paid his dues and should be a head coach somewhere, UTEP or not. Sure Billy G. or Floyd would be great hires, but like I said the other day, it would be a major coup to hire either one. Dickey is more realistic and he would probably stay for a long time. I like the guy. It wouldn't be a bad hire. Sure it's not one of the 2 people are wanting, but he definitely deserves a look. Let's put it in perspective. You are the assistant manager of your business. You have been there quite a while and have been successful. Your boss up and leaves. Don't you think it makes good business sense for the company to take a good look at you? They wouldn't be a good company if they didn't. Sure they may go "outside" and hire another entity, or bring someone back who was successful before. But you would deserve a good look, you would expect it (after all you earned it) and they wouldn't be doing their due diligence if they didn't at least consider you for the opportunity. Yes, it is a conservative pick. But just because it is the conservative option does not mean it is a bad one. Bashing Dickey is just mean spirited, he has done nothing to deserve it (except good coaching and being loyal to UTEP). And bashing Stull for doing his due diligence is just plain ignorant. Fans should be excited to see a guy who has stuck it out here get his chance when others have left. I like Billy, Floyd and Dickey. If those are the top 3, I have nothing to complain about, we will be in good shape. Now if they were thinking of bringing back Rab, I would be singing a completely different tune! Having fun yet? We should know very, very soon.

[j.g.]

I think Tim Floyd is everyone's #1 pick. But his asking salary is too high. UTEP is not ready to pay its head basketball coach over $500K, at least not yet...

I don't want to see Gillespie back here. I think he's burned his bridge. He would be better off at Houston. Looks like UTEP isn't taking him seriously anyway.

I've always liked Tony Madlock, but with his ties to Memphis recruiting, I can't imagine Barbee would do without him. He will leave to Auburn.

Coach Dickey is a heck of a basketball coach, not to mention a very respectable and likable guy. He is the team's choice for the next head coach. He deserves his chance.

Consider me on the Randall Dickey bandwagon, but I'll be buying my season tickets regardless of who is coaching.

[Robert Radcliffe]

UTEP is not cheap. El Paso is. Auburn has had a lousy basketball program for a long time. The communitiy is paying the coach. The report is that the university is only paying a small part of the salary and the rest is tv, radio and endorsements. Also we don't support the team unless they are really good. Buy a ticket and go and yell. Quit whining.

[Pugapalooza]

If Andy Katz reports that Tim Floyd will be the next Miner coach would that be considered a "done deal". Just reported about 10 mins ago there will be a 4pm press conference to announce the hiring of none other than Tim Floyd! Go Miners!

[dv]

well, weatherbuddy, suck on that. I.. err.. I mean Bob Stull just hired Tim Floyd. That's a pretty big name and a pretty good hire.

I stay behind my words. Stull knows what he's doing, and has done a very good job hiring coaches. (whether the haters like it or not).