Kentucky Coaching Search Day 4 - Scott Drew Turned Down The Job Of A Lifetime, All Eyes Are Now On A Plane That Landed In New York
Goddamnit, Scott. You let Chip Gaines get in your ear didn't you? First, this is an awful look for Mitch Barnhart, our AD. Mitch and Scott are good friends and everyone assumed Drew would take the job because of that. This is about reason number 7,000 every Kentucky fan wants Mitch fired. He's awful. Remember, he's the same guy who fucked up with the Billy Gillispie hire and the Joker Phillips hire. Then he dragged his feet with selling alcohol at games because, well, he's dumb.
I don't know why Drew would pass it up besides feeling like he has a lifetime deal at Baylor. I know a lot of Kentucky fans were screaming about his personality or only winning the COVID Tournament. What Drew did at Baylor is the greatest rebuilding job in all of sports when you remember he wasn't allowed to play non-conference games, took over a team on the death penalty and what not. He was the clear 2nd option when Hurley said no.
So what the hell happens next?
We all turn our eyes to this plane in New York:
Again, the Craft's are the biggest donors for Kentucky. They are the people with deep pockets that every college team needs. Are we really going to back in order to move forward? This is really gonna happen?
I know Pitino is a top-5 coach the game has ever seen. But really? This is where we're at? Bringing Pitino back? The dude is 71 years old! We're just going to go through another coaching search in like 4 years? You're not flying to NYC to meet with Hurley, let's just get that out of the way. The only real reason the Craft plane would be going to NYC would be to meet with Pitino. It's the only realistic option there.
Billy Donovan is still out there, but like I keep saying. Why is he a surefire thing? He hasn't coached college basketball in over a decade! The game is just slightly different now. You also have to wait for the Bulls season to end, it makes no sense for Kentucky to wait that long for Billy Donovan.
As for other names, Sean Miller and Tommy Lloyd should be top of the list. I know people like shitting on Sean Miller, but the dude can coach his ass off. We know he can recruit, he had Arizona rolling until the FBI investigation. Lloyd you take a swing on. Pearl has been mentioned, Beard has been mentioned, Mark Pope has been mentioned, Wade should be mentioned.
But this? This is a bad look, especially for Mitch. Save me the 'Drew's family is happy in Waco.' You don't offer Drew the job when you're on your 3rd coaching search, get turned down and not take any heat as the AD. Not when the majority of the fanbase thinks you don't do a decent job to begin with. The Calipari news broke Sunday, you need to start having someone say yes here soon, especially with the portal era.
We're back to tracking planes.