There’s a notion out there that because Pitt offered Rhode Island men’s basketball boss Dan Hurley $3m per season to coach Pitt, it’s OK if Hurley doesn’t take it.
“Pitt tried hard.” “Pitt made a big-boy offer.” "You can't blame Pitt."
That is absolute stupidity.
Merely “trying” won’t get a good coach. “Trying” won’t dig out of that deep, stinky, 0-18 ACC hole. “Trying” won’t fill those empty seats at the Pete.
Forget about making a big-boy offer. Get big-boy results.
$3m is a legit offer. But Pitt will have to overpay to get a quality coach. If $3m isn’t enough, try $3.5m.
Otherwise, the end result of “trying” will be Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard taking the Pitt job. He’s OK. But Pitt needs better than OK.
Here’s predicting Hurley spurns Pitt to take less money at Connecticut, or stays at Rhode Island for less. (Though dickering with Pitt may drive up Hurley’s price wherever he coaches.)
I wrote a uncomplimentary column on the Pitt men’s basketball coaching situation (click HERE). I have since been vilified because “You don’t know Pitt, fatass! You don’t know basketball, fatass! Stick to hockey, fatass!”
0-18 is all I need to know. I don’t have to step in excrement to know it stinks.