Alford to Utah? That's a longshot
It has been a quiet weekend on the coaching search front, but an intriguing new possibility - however unlikely - has unexpectedly arisen.
Anybody like Steve Alford?
Word is that the embattled Iowa coach is looking for a way to escape the unkind fishbowl in which he is working, and has had people working behind the scenes on his behalf to see if he can emerge as a candidate not only for the New Mexico job - that possibility has been widely reported - but also the Utah job.
Now keep in mind, that is unconfirmed scuttlebutt, though it was hashed over on a Des Moines radio station.
But as much as he might by trying, Alford does not seem especially poised to pique the interest of Utah athletic director Chris Hill, in large part because Alford seems to be trying to stay one step ahead of an angry mob.
Many fans in Iowa are dissatisifed with the former Indiana star, who is 152-106 in eight seasons as the Hawkeyes coach and has reached the NCAA Tournament only once in that time.
He has a prickly relationship with the media and fans, and is widely believed to be looking for a way out of Iowa City after new athletic director Gary Barta seemed to give him an ultimatum by saying he expects improvement from the Hawkeyes next season. The team finished 17-14 this season - its seventh straight winning year - but lost badly in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Conference tournament and failed to receive an invitation to the National Invitation Tournament.
That hardly sounds like the kind of resume that would excite many Utah fans, never mind the $1.1 million salary that Alford would be leaving.
He is under contract until 2011, too, meaning the Utes probably would have to scare up even more money than the $700,000 they are paying former coach Ray Giacoletti as a buyout for resigning his position - just to get Alford out from his current deal.
All in all, it does not seem like a realistic possibility.
But who knows?
Stranger things have happened, and perhaps Alford is among the candidates whom Hill plans to interview in the coming days. Just don’t put too much money it.
Anybody like Steve Alford?
Word is that the embattled Iowa coach is looking for a way to escape the unkind fishbowl in which he is working, and has had people working behind the scenes on his behalf to see if he can emerge as a candidate not only for the New Mexico job - that possibility has been widely reported - but also the Utah job.
Now keep in mind, that is unconfirmed scuttlebutt, though it was hashed over on a Des Moines radio station.
But as much as he might by trying, Alford does not seem especially poised to pique the interest of Utah athletic director Chris Hill, in large part because Alford seems to be trying to stay one step ahead of an angry mob.
Many fans in Iowa are dissatisifed with the former Indiana star, who is 152-106 in eight seasons as the Hawkeyes coach and has reached the NCAA Tournament only once in that time.
He has a prickly relationship with the media and fans, and is widely believed to be looking for a way out of Iowa City after new athletic director Gary Barta seemed to give him an ultimatum by saying he expects improvement from the Hawkeyes next season. The team finished 17-14 this season - its seventh straight winning year - but lost badly in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Conference tournament and failed to receive an invitation to the National Invitation Tournament.
That hardly sounds like the kind of resume that would excite many Utah fans, never mind the $1.1 million salary that Alford would be leaving.
He is under contract until 2011, too, meaning the Utes probably would have to scare up even more money than the $700,000 they are paying former coach Ray Giacoletti as a buyout for resigning his position - just to get Alford out from his current deal.
All in all, it does not seem like a realistic possibility.
But who knows?
Stranger things have happened, and perhaps Alford is among the candidates whom Hill plans to interview in the coming days. Just don’t put too much money it.
posted by www.sltrib.com @ 10:33 PM |
1 Comments:
Alford has actually been to three NCAA tournaments with the Hawkeyes, with one victory.
Thanks for all the coaching updates.
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