Disarray by the Bay

Coach Evans is resigning tonight, according to ESPN.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3168981

Eddie Sutton to coach the Dons. My how things move quickly there. The WCC, below the first two teams, is weak this year. Sutton will at least bring attention.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3168981

Dang you, WRV, I just heard it on The FAN, checked it online, and came to post here. You're too quick .

I read the story on the Fox Sports site, and it does look like a complete mess at USF. Hopefully they get it straightened out, and maybe we'll get to see Sutton in the Chiles Center. Unless I forgot someone, I think he would be the most famous coach to come to the Chiles Center since Pat Summitt in 97 or 98.

Anyone else think this smells funny?

This is just too weird. A "leave of absence" and Sutton was at the LBSU vs. USF game before... this is just weird.

I wonder how the USF team will respond to an "interim" coach? What about recruits? Yikes. Makes one appreciate the ship that Larry Williams runs...

I agree totally: there is a weird quality to what has taken place at USF. First, coach Evans is taking a leave of absence--I assume that the leave will become permanent and that contract buyout negotiations are ongoing. Evans may feel that speaking publicly about the circumstances will jeopardize his ability to settle his financial claims against the school. As far as I know, Evans has avoided comment, leaving only the version of the athletic director who claims she never spoke to Evans replacement, Sutton, until yesterday, the day Evans resigned. It has not been publicly reported why Evans is taking a leave. Is it burnout, bad relationships with his players, or perhaps inappropraite conduct on coach Evans part? If I were Evans and had engaged in no misconduct, I would want some resolution and some public acknowledgement that the leave is based soley on something other than misconduct.

The flip side, hiring Sutton, has its own strange air. As it turns out, Sutton was at the last Dons bball game--what a coincidence, being that Sutton does not live near where the game was played . Sutton claimed in an interview that he talked to his family during the holiday about taking the job, directly contradictory to the intrepid athletic director's comments which suggested surprise and a lightening quick decision.

One is left with the impression that at the very least there are significant internal tensions in the athletic department and pehaps between the players and the administration. Worse, there is an appearance of chaos and a suggestion of instability within the athletic department, particularly when important decisions are so quickly reached. If Evans has done nothing wrong and a discussion of change had been ongoing for more than a day, I am surprised that the transition was so poorly handled. Frankly, if knowledge that a change was necessary was known only yesterday to the AD, then why not ask one of the assistants to serve as interim. And what of the assistants and there job prospects.

I feel for the program and hope they right the ship there . . .maybe the AD is not up to the job? All this, btw, is discussed on the Dons message board . . .

The more I think about this... I cant figure out why, in the event of a supposed "leave of absence" that an Assistant Coach wouldnt take over. What is the status of Evans' Assistant coaches?? There is a comment from the USF AD about trying to bring in someone else to assist for Sutton. Why wouldnt the current assistants remain, if indeed it is a "Leave of Absense"?

Obviously, it isnt.

This whole scenario is really weird, and not in a good way...

Yes, I also find all this to be strange. Curiouser and curiouser: In The Oregonian today I read that Sutton has never been to the USF campus but will fly to the Dons' next away game to meet the team (and, presumably, his new staff). He also says he really, really wants to get to 800 wins. That's odd enough, but this afternoon I was reading through donscentral and found this, a column by ESPN's Andy Katz:

http://members4.boardhost.com/donscentral/msg/1198783043.html

What I find most distateful, if true, is that the AD was talking to Sutton before Evans asked for the leave of absence. If that's the case it sure sounds like she was talking to the new coach before the old one had left. From the tone of the posts on the USF board, USF athletics are indeed in disarray.

I'm in the bay area currently and the San Francisco Chronicle had an article on the whole Sutton situation.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/27/SPH6U4STA.DTL

Couple of Highlights:
-The article confirms what trumpet reported. Sutton has never been to the USF campus and has never met the players
-It sounds like the assistant coaching staff is going to say on board.
-There's conflicting stories on when Sutton was contacted by the USF AD, USF says that they contacted him on wednesday after Evans spoke to the AD. Sutton states that it was earlier. Also, the states that the coach search was done through a consultant.

I believe it might be a risk by USF to hire Sutton. With his past alcohol problems and recent quote about alcoholism it apears to be rather risky. Once an AlKy always an AlKy. He seems to be rather nonplussed about his recovery.

We had that type of situation at Arizona State University with a Female A.D. (Nothing against women A.D.'s in general though).

It will be interesting to see how this all unravels, maybe it will help the Pilots pick up a couple wins from them having some instability. Who Knows?

Go Pilots, 3 game sweep

Every personnel move is a risk. But I do not think his alcoholism is likely to be a problem--I am troubled by your backhanded dismissal of Sutton. I wonder whether Sutton's age might present a problem, but apparently those in the know do not.

Let's hope for USF that the poor way the change was made does not affect where the program goes from here. I also hope that the people running the athletic department are grounded in values and not looking to duplicate past glories in an unhealthy way--pursuit of which led to one basketball death penalty already.

Nothing personal intented toward Sutton, Sutton has been one of the great college coach's in history. I just have extensive expierence in my profesion with a comment "I have that other thing under control". If one had any knowledge of the field they would know that's a scary statement. But who knows? Thats just been my profesion for the last 20+ years. I suggest the layman watch the program "Intervention" on cable. A good adult beverage is a healthy thing for many(as long as they don't drive drunk) But, I am not Sutton and In his head so you could possibly be right. I come on this message board to talk about Pilot Basketball and how that pertains to WCC conference. Surely not to get "shots" taken at me for my observation or opinion. What do you guys feel? I've always generally dealt with most statements with principles over personality's.

But in this electronic age it is sometimes easy to shoot off something , which it was'nt alway's as easy to do in the past without thinking about our thought's and inference's without review.

Maybe I am just shooting off my hot mouth, and an beer or two would be a better solution for me.I agree though the whole situation sound's odd. But it will be nice to have Sutton coaching in the WCC I am sure it will benefit and give more notice to the league.
Have a great day and GO PILOTS BASKETBALL

Check out this article from SI:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/ncaa/wires/01/03/2060.ap.bkc.san.francisco.sutton.0794/

And he [Sutton] doesn't plan on staying at USF beyond this season

"I'm giving my walking papers when this season ends,'' he [Sutton] said.

"This is my 37th year in Division I and this is the least amount of talent I've ever had to work with. I've really had to program myself to be patient,'' Sutton said. "Some of these guys have almost developed a defeatist attitude. ... I'm not downgrading them. They are what they are - they're good college players. I've been blessed with great players. Look at my record. You don't have that record without great players.''

The Dons have some basic problems with conditioning, playing defense and rebounding, Sutton said, noting, "They'll be first to admit you can't play basketball if you're not in shape.''

"This whole experience is extremely humbling,'' sophomore guard Christian Hernandez said.

This whole thing is a royal mess. You dont go publicly ridiculing your team, and then turn around and try to recruit into a black hole... This is embarassing. Too bad this is being handled so poorly; it could have been a shot in the arm if handled right.

Nothing against USF, but I really hope Sutton doesnt win 2 more games this year... I also have to think there will be further player departures...

Wow. Eddie, perhaps this should be a lesson to you: Don't let your desire for 800 wins prevent you from doing your homework and taking a long look at a program before taking a job there.

As for USF, it looks like they wanted to hire a coach who could turn the team around and gain some national notoriety. It appears that strategy has backfired on them.

I'm sure there will be more departures after this season, and you really can't blame the players for wanting out. This situation has made matters worse and it will likely take even longer for the program to improve.

Thought I would add this note about the takeover at USF (as a bonus, an enconium to Sutton's character) :

http://www.sportsline.com/columns/story/10557128

Sutton has now apparently indicated to the press that this, the USF team, is the least talented group of players he has ever coached. Whether it is true is aside from the point, I think. Student-athletes are people too and one wonders how they might react to a coach who may only be in it for an obscure goal and then is so uncomplimentary to them in the press itself.

One defection among the players has already occured. You don't need to stretch your imagination much to conclude that morale among the players must be low.

I am in no position say that Sutton has taken this job for selfish reasons, as the writer suggests. But I do agree that the whole thing is "weird" but "not in a good way."

The afffair has tarnished the reputation of everyone involved, including USF, a Jesuit university where values are important. (?)

Good luck to the team--read players-- for the rest of the year . . . really.