NO WORD FROM MARSHALL ...

ANOTHER EPISODE IN DAYS OF OUR LIVES


    Day three of the Tuscaloosa hostage situation has arrived. No one has been physically harmed to date. The emotional burden has been extreme. Reports of people unable to leave their computers have become common place. The reality of the possibility that Gregg Marshall might turn down the University of Alabama has set in among the faithful.  

          It was disclosed early this morning that Athletic Director Bill Battle has contacted Coach Marshall and did request a decision today, but did not set a firm deadline. Let's interpret that for those of us who are not familiar with what that means. It's like asking your mother to "pretty please" let you know something. The next step is "pretty please with sugar on the top". It's really a move that children and desperate children use to implore when all other offers of cooperation have failed. In this case it would mean "Coach, we've given you everything we can, and more. There is nothing else we can do except throw ourselves at your feet and beg you give us what we want." 

          We all understand what it is like from time to time to have the best hand at the poker table. Most of us understand that next deal you may have the second best, and how horrible that is. I remember once when I was a kid my cousin had an extra Hostess Twinkie. I begged, cried, stomped my feet in a tantrum, and all he did was smile. I got so mad I finally got a quarter out of my money box and walked to the store and bought a package for myself. Sooner or later all the pretty please attempts give way to the reality that nothing is going to work, and you better move on. 

          I'm not saying that Alabama should leave Gregg Marshall and move on quite yet. I do think that I'd start to carefully review what my next option is. The truth is that it is highly unlikely that Alabama can find another coaching candidate to measure up to the fan's expectations at this point. It's also very likely that there is no coach out there who is better than Marshall. Say what you will about the Marshall situation but it shows me that Alabama is serious about elevating the sport of basketball. The only problem is that the Tide may not be able to find a coach who can operate the elevator. 

        I said we should give it 72 hours. That means 72 hours from the moment that Bill Battle and Gregg Marshall finished their meeting in Wichita. I also speculated that a late Friday press conference would be advantageous for Marshall if he leaves. Weekends have a way of putting problems into a different perspective. If you are the winner you have a weekend to celebrate. If you are the loser, you have a weekend to lament. I'm sticking by that time frame. I suspect that Alabama will call Marshall again sometime today and ask him to make a decision. The anticipation of his acceptance is being marginalized by a growing belief he is waiting for something else. Something else that doesn't have a thing to do with Alabama except to market Alabama's offer to other suitors. There is not a thing in the world that is wrong with that in a capitalist market. After all, the phrase "it's not personal, it's just business", is an American mantra in business. At what point does the waiting turn into anger is up to the individual.

       It would be dishonest if I didn't say that after 72 hours my belief that Marshall is coming wouldn't have to be reconsidered. I think we should at least have some indication one way or the other. Marshall hasn't interviewed with anyone else to my knowledge. That means he's all in or all out in the Alabama offer. I don't know Gregg Marshall. I do know that according to sportswriters he has a personality a lot like Nick Saban. If that's the case it would seem he would let Battle know the answer is yes or no as soon has he makes the decision.  
      
        Personally, I do not know enough about Wichita to compare it to Tuscaloosa. I have no idea if his family would want to leave their home, though my gut tells me they don't because that's their home. I know that 4 million dollars will buy a lot in Kansas or Alabama. I do know that the state tax in Alabama is more than Kansas. I don't see a decision being reached on that basis alone. Is there anything else Alabama can do?  I'd buy the family a house. A big nice house they could envision as home. If you are in for a penny you're in for a pound as the old saying goes. Do whatever it takes to get Gregg Marshall to come to Alabama but I'm not sure we have a realistic second alternative. For Marshall to turn down the substantial offer will be a real blow to the pride of the Crimson Tide. It should be. This is what happens when you sit around and withhold support from your basketball program for two decades. The beloved name Alabama isn't going to score a single basket.The SEC doesn't stir the heart of anyone else in the nation unless we are playing football. This might be the real wake up call Alabama has needed to see the light. 

WAITING ISN'T A LOT OF FUN

MARSHALL STILL MUM ON FUTURE...
The media is locked out in this one...

    I just read what Tim Brando said about Alabama fans discussing the merits of a basketball coach. You have to laugh. It was funny and basically true. Most Tide fans think they know everything about everything and that isn’t even close to accurate. Alabama fans want Gregg Marshall to be the next coach. I seriously wonder how many people even knew who Coach Marshall was a year ago. When you read posts about wanting to hire the Mountain Brook High School coach it makes me shake my head and wonder. That’s been done before. Notre Dame hired a living legend of a high school coach and it didn’t work out. That would be putting it kindly.

Who are these guys?

   I see names of posters on TI that I’ve never heard of before.  Many are people who drifted over from the football forum to give us their two cents worth of comments.  I’m sure it would be fair to say that everyone is entitled to their opinion stupid or not. I have a list of my top ten favorite posters. These are people who make sense, are realistic, and don’t like to speak in terms of a diatribe. That’s not to say that I always agree with them. Some posters are just mean. Some are thoughtless about saying things they haven’t really analyzed.  My bottom line is there are serious posters and then you have the yahoos. I grew up in Cleveland, Alabama that puts me clearly in yahoo category at times.

Supported Grant …

   Earlier last month I said that I supported Anthony Grant. One of the main reasons I thought Bama should at least consider keeping him was we really didn’t have a lock on a replacement. My thought was that it might be better to keep him, perhaps things get better, and we don’t have to go through all wringing of hands and the spreading of ashes. My point was that I didn’t think Battle had really intended in firing Grant and he hadn’t been sending out feelers. I know that when we hired Grant we had a basic understanding of which coach we wanted and felt he would come. I don’t think we did that with Gregg Marshall early on. It doesn’t mean that we can’t hire Gregg Marshall. But it means we might get caught holding the bag at the end of the day. I have a feeling that won’t happen, but we have to acknowledge the possibility. Right now we’re all in on Gregg Marshall. I haven’t heard an additional name connected with Alabama except last year’s assistant head coach. I’ve seen people speculate who others might be, but I haven’t read anything about anyone else. I’m sure there is someone out there who hopes that Marshall turns down the Tide, because he wants the job. I’d like to add that if we don’t get Marshall please don’t hire Richard Pitino. He may a decent coach but not the man who can get us moving on up.

Alabama is a tough job…

      A lot of us keep saying that the Alabama job isn’t the end all job that fans want to believe, Just because it is Alabama doesn’t mean anything. That remains the truth in basketball. My personal belief is that Marshall is trying to decide if Alabama is really sincere about wanting to elevate its basketball profile. If Bama is honest and wants to do make that happen, that might sway Marshall to come. If Bama really is not  serious, the man has given up a job he could keep for his coaching life and traded it in for a school that had 2900 people show up for its NIT game.  All that talk about not showing up because it might be interpreted as support to Grant just wasn’t true. Grant was gone and people still didn’t show support. I’ll never figure that one out. Frankly, that is embarrassing. What that tells Marshall is that Alabama has a lot of fair weather fans. That isn’t true in Wichita. With all the injuries suffered by the team this season I was proud the team made it to the NIT. I was really surprised at how well we played without Tarrant and Hale. By that time, people really didn’t matter. Maybe some fans used the record as an excuse not to attend. It just shows me that it isn’t the administration that needs to step, it up. We have 5000 thousand or so hard core supporters at best. I hope that all the noise makers on all the forums will actually show up next season. We’d need an arena with 30,000 seats if that happened.  I think that the measure of a fan is to support the team. You might not like the coach but the players are still playing. They need the support. It is also obvious that the forum has a lot of people who love Alabama basketball. I’m not referring to these fans.

It could be Friday before we know…

      My original thought was that we’d know something in 72 hours. My hope was 24 but I knew that really wasn’t going to happen. I’m not sure that Marshall would even respond publicly if he decides to stay in Kansas. The ‘Shockers made it to the Sweet Sixteen and beat Kansas this season. That was about what  Alabama did in football. We went to the playoff and beat Auburn. One difference is that Kansas will not schedule a game with State. So when will we know something? Some reports say that Coach asked until Friday to let ‘Bama know. Perhaps the Marshall family is really planning a trip to visit God’s own country later this week. If Mrs. Marshall says okay - he is coming. I’d hate to tell my wife that we are moving when she didn’t want to do so. Man, I’d be calling all my buddies to check out their guest room situation, and so would you. Mrs. Marshall is likely to do what her husband wants to do however.  Partnerships cut both ways.

Maybe Coach Saban’s lovely wife will make a call…

    We could know at any minute about the decision. He may come to Tuscaloosa after talking to his team. If he were my client I’d suggest a Friday afternoon press conference. Of course, he’s not client.  He isn’t going to change his plans just because Alabama fans are as nervous as a chain smoker in the nitroglycerin plant. I think for the most part fans on the forum have been very understanding about the time Marshall is taking. That’s the way it should. Is Marshall coming to ‘Bama? My best belief is yes. I just don’t know when we will know. Maybe Mrs. Saban will call Mrs. Marshall will have one of talks which escapes a male’s understanding. It wouldn’t hurt.  Here’s one thing you should know.  Coach Marshall and CM Newton are friends. I’d stop knocking CM it you can. Marshall has said in the past how much he respects Newton. Just because a lot of posters were not alive when Newton was here doesn’t diminish his clout. You’d have to understand exactly what CM did when hired.

Battle returns to Tuscaloosa


       

        He came, he saw, did he conquer? I hope so because there has been a complete alpha male meltdown on the forums throughout the State. The TiderInsider "backboard" forum who now comprises two types of posters. One type is holding the line on optimism. The type has thrown in the towel and has surrendered. Neither has any reason for optimism or pessimism.  Why do I say that? Because no one knows a thing. I will say that the optimist are not making up anything. Some of the pessimists seem to be salting the board with lies and some half-truths. I've talked with my friend who works at Wichita State about the day's events. He knows nothing. He wasn't even sure where the meeting took place. He said that he saw Battle around 9;00AM or so. He said he left "very late in the afternoon".  He said he really shouldn't have even said that but he knew I'd never tell the State of Kansas what man's name might be. He went on to say he really had no idea where the meeting took place. He said Battle probably came by his building to talk with their AD. He said he learned from another person he had gone. It's ashamed our CIA can't keep leaks secret; but Wichita State and Alabama apparently can. So there you have the sum of what I know. Using my lawyer brain, now retired, both the lawyer and his brain, I can put together some pretty good speculations about what happened. More importantly we can speculate about what will happen in the next two days.

     First, Battle got Marshall to agree to meet. That means he was willing to listen to what Alabama has to say. He is likely to hear several things he needed to hear. He certainly didn't hear anything that would discourage him from coming. Well, unless he doesn't want a six year contract at more than 3plus that would make him a multimillionaire. He probably heard that Alabama was going to flip the house and make the Tide a national power in basketball, and we want him to be our King. 

       He'll hear that a new building will be announced. He also will have a very detailed presentation about who is coming back to Alabama to play basketball, and who they recruited. He knows all of this, of course. He is thorough. He probably told our AD what it would take from being close to good to becoming a great program. I want to add that will be a series of steps and not just a singular event. If I were Marshall I'd tell Battle that it would take four recruiting years to get near the top of the SEC, unless he lands a monster recruiting class. Battle probably said words or words to the effect - you must beat Auburn as often as you can, and often is not a strong enough word. Within reason, Battle told him he wanted to wipe Bruce Pearl and Auburn off the face of the earth, pour lime on the ruins, and set the whole Auburn program on the deathbed. It will be scorch the earth pitch. Marshall will say that is not the most pressing problem but he understands. Then he will reassure Battle that will be done and then move on to more important things. Things like winning the SEC and get annual NCAA bids to go dancing. (I want to apologize to my old radio broadcasting partner Ben Cook for using the dance word. He hates the term.) He will not say a world that has sixteen, eight. or four in the sentence. Both parties know that getting an invitation makes those numbers possible. 
     
       Marshall will talk about what he needs to make his vision of Alabama, the powerhouse, a reality. It will take time, money, and hard work. It will take a whole new mindset around the AD's office about basketball. This may never be disclosed but you'll see clear examples of his intent as soon as he takes the job Marshall will tell him how much money he needs to have a great staff, and they'll be some talk about Pettway staying. Assume Marshall wants to come. That means that Battle will have to talk with the family. He will  have to invite them to Tuscaloosa. I still haven't been able to determine whether Mrs. Battle went on the trip. I'd really like to know that. Then, of course, there will be a team meeting where he addresses the team. That will be the hardest thing he'll have to do. It won't be any different that when the Bama team learned that Anthony is leaving. His vision, his family, and his old team will be front and center. Those are great kids who played their hearts out and became America's team in a lot of ways. The players know it means more than their coach leaving. Wichita State has a storied tradition but getting back to that level will be hard to do. It will even hard for Marshall to sustain having lost Early last season, Van Fleet, and maybe Baker might go this season. 

     Fans are already saying it is a done deal. It might be,  but I doubt it is at this point. I will say this - I think it is going to get done and soon. My two sources in Tuscaloosa say things went well, but that is all they had to stay. Or that is all they were allowed to stay. I suppose by now you understand that leaks are given to some people to float the idea of what might happen. That's not the case here. We know what the fans will say. Lets give this 24 hours. Lets keep Coach Marshall, his family, and his team in our thoughts. If Marshall turns us down we need to handle it with some class and understanding. Everyone did their homework. Everyone did a good job of letting the other side know what's on their own wishlist . Let me add that if Marshall comes to Alabama it will be a six year contract in excess of 3 million, or maybe 3 million with lots of incentives. There may or may not be talk in public about a new arena, but Marshall will take Battle on his word that will happen. Alabama may be on the cusp of paying a basketball coach a number that would likely make Marshall one of the top ten coaches in the NCAA. Be still my beating heart.

BAMA NATION WAITS ON WORD ABOUT MARSHALL

IS MARSHALL COMING TO BAMA?
My guess is yes, but I don't know
A day in the life of a longtime bama fan...

 

A selfie from earlier this morning

      I don’t know about you but I’m on pins and needles with my fingers crossed. It occurred to me to break out my lucky tee shirt and put it on. Got my shoes tied just right, knocked on the same wooden table my great grandfather knocked on a  hundred and thirty years ago. I straightened up all my Tide Pride plaques.  Got my sideline chair from the first year I had my floor seats and put it by the television.  Made sure I photos of Coach Dee, Coach Riley, Coach Newton,  the Wimp, David Hobbs, Coach MG, and Anthony completely straight on the wall. I have an app for that.  Took my Derrick McKey warm up out of the closest and hung it on the chair, and then got out my Alabama golf bag and golf shoes to go play some golf. You know the shoes that are red and white saddle oxfords with the big Alabama A on the side? In summary, I’ve done all I can do to help to Bama hire Gregg Marshall. I’ve turned this matter  over to Bill Battle. I do not get God involved in these things because I’m a Methodist.  I’m far to excited and anxious to just sit around and hit a refesh button all day. I’m about to play the worst round of golf in my life. There are many to choose from, but this one will be with no concentration at all. I am not taking my smart phone.  It has all the golf yardages on it, and I’m still not taking it. That’s how nervous I am. 68 years old and I’m as nervous as the day I got that letter from the draft board. I seriously need to get a life.

       I had this urge to light a candle and put it by my ’76 and ’87 team basketballs.  That seemed a little overboard, so I put the ’14-15 ball out because those guys have the most to lose.  I called a couple of current players, one assistant coach, and one sports writer.  I think the basketball coach was putting on his lucky tee shirt as well.  The players are very interested. And the sports writer didn’t give me anything.  All of my basketball buddies have been calling this morning. The emails are coming in like rain on an Alabama summer afternoon. All I could tell them was, “Sorry, I honestly don’t know anything concrete”.  I called my friend who works at WSU. He sounded like he had a bad case of the bubonic flu. After telling me a million reasons why Marshall won’t leave he finally said he had a bad feeling. At last, something solid to believe in. A man who works in the same building as the basketball administration told me he had a bad feeling about today.  I pressed him as hard as I can. He finally said “I just hope he doesn’t take the Texas job”.  He said that was what was making him sick. We told each other a couple of Texas jokes and then got into discussion about whether it was best to live in Kansas or Alabama. The consensus is they are so much alike it probably didn’t matter.  He did admit that their governor had bankrupt  Kansas with all the tax cuts. I told him if that happened in Alabama people would blame Obama. He allowed they had already done that but it didn’t work. 

     We both laughed about how grown men could be so uptight about all this Gregg Marshall stuff.  He then said something I won’t forget.  “We should worry; basketball is all we have in this State”.  There you go. Alabama fans are hoping that Marshall comes to Alabama. Kansas fans are scared to death he might leave.  I started to think about that. It is unlikely that Wichita State will ever get back to the level that Marshall took them. He was a kind of once in a lifetime deal for the ‘Shocker fans. If Marshall is coming to Alabama the WSU fans are going to be angry and feel betrayed. In our State we will be happy and jubilant for a few days, and then start talking about the A day game.  You have to feel a little sorry for those fans. Fans are just fans.  We just live in different locations.  But you know how people from the Midwest will handle the situation.  They will have tears in their eyes even as that pat their coach on the back and wish him well.  They will actually mean that. They will tell him they understand, and thank him for all he gave the ‘Shockers. In this State you leave for something you are a dead as far as people are concerned.  You are a traitor to the highest degree.  A knife in the back is more likely than a pat.

    As much as I’d feel sorry for the City of Wichita, I’d feel ten times happier for our program.  This man is a great coach, and we may negotiate some real changes in our approach to the game.  We might actually do something this time as opposed to giving the program more lip service. Like you guys, I’m excited and hopeful.  The second and third names on our list are not bad coaches at all. They just aren’t Gregg Marshall.  If Marshall can do for Bama what he did for WSU some really happy days are ahead. Roll Tide to all my Crimson brothers.  

  My bet is that Battle is ready to talk         

     

Let's give Bill Battle some credit. From all outward appearances the man is trying to refine Alabama basketball. It is important to remember that should 'Bama fail to get their first choice, Battle can still make sure that all the other things get done. I believe he is trying to do that. Until Gregg Marshall or any other coaching candidate publicly says no to Alabama, we can infer we are still in the horse race. When you get the two  principles in a room anything might happen. Mal Moore proved that. Bill Battle is a very impressive business man with the experience to explain to any candidate why they'd be a good fit. Gregg Marshall is already wealthy by most people's standards. Money will matter some but I suspect that is not what Bill Battle will be talking about. Battle has the authority to get a contract signed. I'm sure Battle will press Marshall on what it will not only take to get him in Tuscaloosa, but he'll also find out what Marshall really needs to move from Wichita State.

    

      Marshall seems to defy the idea of moving anywhere quickly. He appears to reach a decision by thinking about everything he'll gain by leaving. But he also will consider what it is he will be losing in doing so. Don't be under any illusion that isn't important to Marshall. He and his family are firmly involved in the community of Wichita. He's been there for a lot of years. Relationships and friendships have been formed. Tears will be shed if his family moves. I don't think enough time is ever devoted to what a man' wife and family want. To make the family comfortable is a lot more than a quick jaunt around the campus and over to the mall. Dinner by the river will be nice. That's hospitality Southern style. It's a  skill all of us learn growing up in Dixie. Fine people live in the Midwest. They are families with their values firmly loved and expected. The Midwest represents a lot about America represents. Decency is not only admired but inspected. Marshall is by birth a Southerner. That will help the coach with some of his questions. It isn't like he is uprooting and moving them to LA.

     Looking at the coaching history of Marshall you'll find a man who loves his community and feels a lot of loyalty to him. He's not unlike Grant in that his value system is well established. Will be get him and his family to Alabama? I don't know. I'm impressed enough with Coach Battle to know he'll give it his best effort. Money will be discussed and then the two men will move on to the important stuff. If Battle can't convince him to come it won't be because of lack of caring or preparation. He will eventually hire a coach and cross that part off his things to do list. Getting a great coach is important. Alabama has lot more things to address that will be just as important a redefinition of where 'Bama is currently, and what the Tide needs to be go where they desire in the future. I thought that Grant re-established a model for conduct and gave the program some ethical direction. That is an important step. It's one we shouldn't overlook or forget. Now we can move on to other things.

The Mess in Texas...
Reports are that Marshall has said no to Bama...

                I was wondering about the Texas job now vacate due to the firing of Rick Barnes.  He has been at Texas, a football factory, for 17 years.  He took 16 of those teams to the NCAA.  Exactly what does Texas expect? It seems to me that Texas fans are so upset at the state of their football program, Rick Barnes got fired instead. That’s Texas logic in my experience.  You can’t call that moderate success. So what does the AD tell a prospective coaching candidate when he visits? Our last coach was in 94% of the last 17 NCAA Tournaments, and we had to let him go. He wasn’t a winner. You’ll love it in Austin. We’ve got great bands, a wonderful culture, and more pretty women than you could imagine. What’s not to like? If you thought that Alabama had or has a good old boy network, then Texas is the Marshall Space Center of Stupidity.

`  

   If I were Bill Battle I’d interview Barnes just of find out the precise meaning of dysfunctional. What I’d ask Rick is it true that Alfred E. Neumann is AD. Now, Texas is rewarding Barnes for his service by waiting until after April 1 to fire him officially. They can save $250,000 dollar in his buy out that way. I’m sure a new coaching candidate will love that. The one thing that Texas has is oil money. I don’t know a lot about the oil business, but it strikes me that digging and hole in ground doesn’t take a lot of intelligence. Don’t mess with Texas? No way. Once I got stopped by their highway patrol. It is the only time I been stopped by the highway patrol there who  told I was driving to slow. No joke. I was doing almost ninety and was told to move to the outer lane so I wouldn’t tie up traffic. Texas isn’t a State. It’s a bad idea that got out of hand. Anyone who decides to coach at Texas needs an exit strategy tattooed on his arm just in case he forgets what it was. When I now travel through Texas, I drive 100 miles an hour just to get the hell of that godforsaken place.

     It may very well be that Greg Marshall takes the job at Texas. It seems like an odd fit to me. Marshall can speak in complete sentences and doesn’t wear boots. I’m sure that Texans can say equally upsetting things about Alabama. Texas started out as a Republic and that didn’t work. They then became a part of the Confederate States of America and we know how that worked out, and now they have Rick Perry as Governor. Some places just can’t learn from past mistakes. At least Governor Bentley doesn’t look like he has been marinated in pickle juice, and wears a cheap hair piece.

     I don’t know if Alabama is even close to finding a new head coach. Marshall may indeed turn us down. I’ve said before it wasn’t a done deal by any means. Shaka Smart is too intelligent to follow Grant at Alabama. Other coaches who we had chosen as fall back positions are going away one by one. Now the name of Richard Pitino is being floated for reaction. Here’s mine. Never select a coach based on the gene pool application of hope. Take White before little Rick. Here’s another idea, and I’m just saying, “what if”. What if we offered Tom Izzo 5 million dollars a year, and give him 10 million dollar signing bonus?  Saban can live with that. Alabama can likely afford that. What Alabama can’t afford is some guy who is up and coming and we hope will work out. We tried that. 

If Battle is serious about Basketball he better have something up his sleeve to keep from embarrassing the University of Alabama. Or here’s a less expensive idea – Tide fans need to understand that we just can’t find a top coach for basketball. Tuscaloosa is not a moving up job it seems. The word Alabama might not carry enough juice to get a big named coach anymore. I hope I’m wrong about that. I don’t put much value into that Yahoo Pat Forde. I think he makes some wild guesses and hopes he is correct on occasion. Let’s hope Forde is out on a limb again. 

10 reasons why Gregg Marshall should coach at Alabama...

Coach Marshall has some incentives to come to Bama

1.   Reason number one is that the University of Alabama could make Gregg Marshall a rich man, and they can also provide virtually unlimited financial support to help him succeed.

2.   Reason number two is that Coach Marshall has taken the ‘Shockers about has far as he can. The only thing left for him would be to win a national championship. He’s also done it on the cheap. Remarkable.

3.   Reason number three is that Marshall could put himself in some rarified air with the most prominent coaches in America. It might be even more shocking taking Alabama to the upper echelons in college basketball than WSU.

4.   Reason number four that Coach Marshall needs to take the step to a power five conference. He can prove to himself and the world that he can build a program in a great conference, as opposed to be the premiere program in a lesser league. I’m not suggesting the program at WSU is worse than our situation. It is not the same as a big money program

5.   Reason number five is exposure. He will be given opportunities to appear on the big stage weekly. His greatest opportunity at Alabama will be to be Kentucky and Florida. Beating those two teams is priceless for your coaching resume

6.   Reason number six is that the SEC is getting better but still is weaker than some other big conferences. It’s perfect time to come into the league and have an excellent chance to win against teams who are also down.

7.   Reason number seven is that Marshall is smart enough to use the Alabama brand to his benefit. Just by coming to Alabama his stature as a coach is elevated to be an equal to Nick Saban.

8.   Reason number eight will be ability to get some kids he could never recruit despite what a great coach he had become. Having a jet to pick up a kid in Los Angeles is a lot different from having mom and dad driving to campus from Fort Hayes, Kansas.

9.   Reason number nine is that the State is finally on the verge of producing some great players. He would have all the advantages that Pearl initially had in regards to playing time, need, and personality.  He would be the best coach in a three team state.  

10. Reason number ten is that great coaches thrive on great challenges. Great coaches believe that can do almost anything. Marshall is a proven winner and can set himself apart from Nick Saban by having the authority to run his program the way he needs. He’s the type guy that would say if Florida can win national championships in football and basketball so can Alabama. Fans are primed and loaded for a new coach and success. He'll have more support than he needs, and he'll be his own man