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More On Stan Joplin’s Exit
By Matt Sussman | Mar 19, 2008 | Filed Under Basketball
It has only been a few days since the bombshell news of Stan Joplin being fired, but the only reason I can come with as to why he was canned is money-related, not basketball-related.
Boosters might not have wanted to donate money to a basketball team led by Stan Joplin. Money talks, most notably when you fold up a C-note like one of those grade school fortune telling thingies and pretend to have it speak. But let’s see what others think.
The Monroe News’ Jeff Meade sums it up well:
His successor may not be as good a coach as Joplin was, but the fans don’t know that. There hasn’t been a buzz around Toledo basketball for many years - that’s what happens when you don’t qualify for the NCAA Tournament for 28 years - but there’s always hope that a new coach can change that.
Indeed, that’s a pretty bad drought. Only Bowling Green’s is a longer one, and since Joplin’s hire in 1996, NIU and Akron have also been shut out of the tournament. Buffalo’s never been, and it might warrant mentioning that during Marshall’s modestly competitive time in the MAC, they didn’t reach the Field of 64 or 65 either.
Dave Hackenberg brings in what a new coach better cost for the Joplin firing to make sense:
[W]e’re talking in the neighborhood of $225,000 annually with an initial contract length of at least four, and probably five years.
Toledo’s athletic officials like to think of themselves as having the best franchise in the MAC.
I’m not quite sure how they figure that, but if it’s true, or if it’s going to be true, then it’s time for them to prove it.
That implies UT can bring in a coach that deserves that kind of salary. No, I don’t think Tom Izzo is interested. (But Dan Dakich will be looking for work!)
Then again, I didn’t think BGSU could get a coach with big name experience last year, and lo and behold, there’s Louis Orr of Seton Hall fame. Over there on the sidebar — no, higher, right at the … aw, hell, I’ll just link again, Maureen Fulton puts together a list of candidates, many of whom I’ve never heard. Okay, none of them I’ve heard, except for Jim O’Brien, although Mike O’Brien might want to hire him just because of the last name.
Or, Dan Dakich. C’mon, you know you’d pay good money to see that one.
(Photo: Andy Morrison/Toledo Blade)
Tags: college basketball, stan joplin, toledo
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I don’t necessarily think that Toledo thinks they have one of the best programs in the MAC. One trip to the MAC title game does not entitle you to think that, and it would be strange indeed if Toledo thought it had one of the best men’s basketball teams and subsequently fired their men’s basketball coach.
As I said before, Toledo expects more from their team though. Perhaps more importantly, Toledo sees other smaller (admit it) conferences sending 2-4 teams to the NCAA Tournament year after year and thinks, “Why can’t that be the MAC?” Indeed, the MAC has sent 2-3 teams on occasion, and Toledo obviously sees no reason that they can’t be one of those teams.
And you know what? They’re right, and every team in the MAC should think this way as well. However, as I’ve also said before, you make a good point by essentially asking, “If not Joplin, then who?” Truth be told, I don’t know. But there’s nothing wrong with wanting and expecting more from your team, and let’s remember that Joplin had 12 years! 12 friggin’ years!
If you’re not going to take a team to the Tournament in that time period, you’re never going to take a team to the Tournament.
West Coast, Missouri Valley, Atlantic 10 … none of them are Division I Bowl Subdivision conferences.
We will probably never know how many C-note origami mouths have been yelling into Mike O’Brian’s ear to fire Stan. I’m guessing it was more than enough to make him decide to pull the trigger. I think that Stan Joplin more than earned the opportunity to get behind the wheel of UT’s new 30 Million dollar recruiting tool and see what he could do with it.
You are kidding right? I just read your article on the love fest for Stan. By all accounts he is a class guy but that doesn’t mean he should stay UT’s coach. I have never seen interest in UT basketball lower. Have you actually been to the games and counted heads? The # is nowhere near the announced attendance. Your recruiting point was wrong. Unless you give Stan an extension past the one remaining year on his contract other coaches use that against UT in recruiting saying the coach is a lame duck finishing out his contract. So you either give an extension or you buy out final year. Has been done that way for ever. As for recruiting, the disaster of this season and the numerous players who couldn’t make the grade. I realize a mid-major team like UT needs to take some chances to get good players but come on, 5 in one group not qualifying academically. “I can’t wait till one of the top 50 points guards in the country enrolls”. Not one of the top guards, but top 50 point guards in the country. That sounds better that it actually means. Maybe he can replace, if he qualifies academically, the point guard who “left” the team and will not do interviews with any local media. If you have done your homework as a sports writer you will know the “rumor/theory” on why possibly he is not with the team. Which I feel also comes into play with Stan’s dismissal. Maybe next years team will be better and might compete for a MAC title but Stan has not shown he has the ability to take it to the next level and stay there. Why can’t Toledo be a Kent State who seems has a very good chance of making the NCAA’s every year? The time had come to go get a new coach who hopefully can restore UT to the days of fan interest and constistent chances of NCAA’s bids.
Wojo
“Have you actually been to the games and counted heads? The # is nowhere near the announced attendance.”
I’ve been to probably 75 percent of the Rockets home games in the Stan Joplin era. And yes, they include season ticket holders who aren’t present into the attendance. I imagine they aren’t the only schools to do that, although I will concede they probably have more empty seat season ticket holders, because they probably have more season ticket holders overall, being perhaps the largest metro city in the MAC.
“coaches use that against UT in recruiting saying the coach is a lame duck finishing out his contract.”
Not having a coach right now sure doesn’t help a recruit’s cause wanting to go to UT either. Like propagandist pamphlets, competing coaches will say anything.
“Not one of the top guards, but top 50 point guards in the country. That sounds better that it actually means. Maybe he can replace, if he qualifies academically, the point guard who “left” the team and will not do interviews with any local media.”
I was waiting for the part where you were going to disagree with me on that, but it seems you’re actually saying the same thing I am, only in a negative connotation.
“If you have done your homework as a sports writer you will know the “rumor/theory” on why possibly he is not with the team. Which I feel also comes into play with Stan’s dismissal.”
Hey, I’ve heard it all, believe me. I realize and understand the reasons behind getting rid of him, some which may not have anything to do with W-L records or NCAA tournaments. But it doesn’t discredit any reasons I feel he should have stayed as head coach. And the timing was still horrible.