Thad Matta (OSU's All Time Winningest Coach & 3x B1G COY, Butler HC)

[BayBuck]

care to answer any of the questions?

I've been to a few, but where you and I have been is irrelevant. A recruit is not walking away unawed from a 100K+ stadium filled with people who live and breathe OSU football. Our footall gameday experience provides as much of a recruiting boost for our basketball coach as anybody else's, period.

 

[jwinslow]

I've been to a few, but where you and I have been is irrelevant. A recruit is not walking away unawed from a 100K+ stadium filled with people who live and breathe OSU football. Our footall gameday experience provides as much of a recruiting boost for our basketball coach as anybody else's, period.

If asked the night before (ignoring the violation), 40k Aggie students would sway, whoop and chant a recruit's name in unison on gameday. They are equal parts disturbing and impressive in the stands.

 

[zincfinger]

I've been to a few, but where you and I have been is irrelevant. A recruit is not walking away unawed from a 100K+ stadium filled with people who live and breathe OSU football. Our footall gameday experience provides as much of a recruiting boost for our basketball coach as anybody else's, period.

Matta has said as much, himself. Suppose UNC's football program became a powerhouse in the next five years. Would that diminish their basketball program in any way? The fact is, with probably about ten exceptions, at just about every school that has a D-1A football program, football is the most prominent sport. If basketball coaches had a problem with this, St. Johns would be able to lure away almost any coach from the BigTen, BigXII, SEC, or PacTen, with a few obvious exceptions. It doesn't work like that, because being "second fiddle" doesn't really matter.

 

[Bleed S & G]

Is that a problem? If the osu bball fanbase continues to grow, the wins/recruits keep piling up, and matta's wallet stays full... is there a need to leave for UK where averaging 26 wins a season isn't enough?

Thats what im asking you guys..

I dont think he's about the money

Lower standards for wins isn't a good point, makes a case for him to leave if he's up to challenges, and im assuming he's competive by nature. I know I rather coach at a school that expects 30 wins than one that expects 20.

Matta can recruit and win anywhere..

Question is, again, would Matta rather be second fiddle to JT or the man at UK/Duke/etc. If we knew if it were a problem or not, this wouldn't be a question now would it?

 

[jwinslow]

If we knew if it were a problem or not, this wouldn't be a question now would it?

I guarantee the question would still appear every time a "bigger" job opened up. Last year, it was IU. Now it's UK. You're asking for something no one here can provide, a definitive answer.

Why do you think he'd take the UK job? What does he gain by making that move, and how important do you feel that disparity is?

 

[Bleed S & G]

Matta has said as much, himself. Suppose UNC's football program became a powerhouse in the next five years. Would that diminish their basketball program in any way?

But tOSU historically is a succesful football school, one of the top programs par none of all time. UNC becoming one isn't one in the same. And no, it wouldn't diminish their program.

The fact is, with probably about ten exceptions, at just about every school that has a D-1A football program, football is the most prominent sport.

Exactly. Making the UK job all that more valuable to a coach, no? Being one of the few true (and sucessful) basketball schools wouldn't make the job any less appealing, thats for sure.

If basketball coaches had a problem with this, St. Johns would be able to lure away almost any coach from the BigTen, BigXII, SEC, or PacTen, with a few obvious exceptions.

ehh other factors, im not that familiar with st johns in terms of $, crowd size, exposure for atheltes etc compared to say Iowa, IU, MSU etc. But alright, good point.. im sure someone else here has a better counter than mine.

It doesn't work like that, because being "second fiddle" doesn't really matter.

I disagree. UK/Duke/etc being a dream job of basketball die hards.. kind of like coaching the yankees, no? or buckeye football.

 

[zincfinger]

But tOSU historically is a succesful football school, one of the top programs par none of all time. UNC becoming one isn't one in the same. And no, it wouldn't diminish their program.

I agree it wouldn't be quite the same, but if OSU's success and prominence in football is a detriment to the desirability of OSU's basketball job, I'd think that an increase in success and prominence of the UNC football program would be somewhat of a detriment as well, although to a lesser extent. But as you agree, it would have no effect at all.

Exactly. Making the UK job all that more valuable to a coach, no? Being one of the few true (and sucessful) basketball schools wouldn't make the job any less appealing, thats for sure.

I'm not arguing that it makes it less appealing, I'm arguing that the fact that their football program struggles to achieve mediocrity does not make their basketball program any more appealing.

ehh other factors, im not that familiar with st johns in terms of $, crowd size, exposure for atheltes etc compared to say Iowa, IU, MSU etc. But alright, good point.. im sure someone else here has a better counter than mine.

Sure there are other factors, but it's a high-profile basketball program (or at least was at one time), located in NYC. I can't think of a better exposure opportunity for athletes than that.

I disagree. UK/Duke/etc being a dream job of basketball die hards.. kind of like coaching the yankees, no? or buckeye football.

UK, UNC, Kansas, etc are elite jobs because the basketball programs have a tradition of success, not because their football programs do not. Or at least that's my argument. And Duke wasn't the nearly every-year power before they got Krzyzewski that they are today. Same thing to some extent with IU before Knight, and UCLA before (and after) Wooden. Basketball tradition is certainly a positive. I just don't see that football tradition is a negative, unless you believe that it's a zero-sum game, in which any gain in one automatically entails some loss in the other.

 

[jimotis4heisman]

"raising tides raise all boats"


who has the resources available that are at a school like theosu?
who has a state with one major school?
who has the following, the brand and potential to use another big sport as leverage?
who has the cash that a school like theosu has?

what job is actually a better job?

 

[Buckskin86]

Updated: March 21, 2007, 11:37 AM ET
Coaches are masters of preparation, creatures of habit
By Pat Forde
ESPN.com

Thad Matta takes a 32-win Ohio State team into San Antonio this week. His Buckeyes are deep, athletic, offensively explosive, defensively resolute, physically mature and mentally tough.

Thad Matta's mouth usually has a stick of gum in it.In other words, there are a lot of very good reasons why the Buckeyes have won 19 straight to get to this point.

But judging from Matta's behavior, it could all go to hell in a heartbeat without a stick of chewing gum.

Before every game, he has to have a piece of Juicy Fruit or Orbit -- "I don't know which one he chews currently," associate head coach John Groce said -- presented to him by a team manager. Matta has to unwrap it himself, then wad up the wrapper, then shoot it into the trash can behind the bench.

Every game. Without fail. Lest the Earth split open and swallow him on the spot.

Or maybe it's the tie choice that has kept the Buckeyes rolling. Before each game, Matta's daughters, 8-year-old Ali and 6-year-old Emily, have to pick out dad's neckwear.

"Sometimes it might not match," Groce said. "But if it doesn't, that's OK."

At this point, Matta would wear a maize-and-blue tie if his daughters selected it. There is no going against the established ritual.

"He is the most superstitious person I've ever met," said Xavier coach and longtime friend Sean Miller. "It's really bizarre."

Matta might be bizarre, but he is not alone.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=2806621&sportCat=ncb

 

[Steve19]

Who says Matta feels like he's being disrespected? Who says he perceives that he is respected less than Jim Tressel?

Big salary, nice facilities, and lots of respect probably are fine. When he hits a down year, and he will hit a down year, he knows it is best to NOT be the only show in town.

Does Matta seem unhappy to anyone? OK, then why is this discussion continuing? We've got potential recruits visiting BP. Why make it appear that something is an issue when it doesn't seem to be.

Will Matta move on? Maybe he will. When, gee, let me get out my crystal ball. If cash isn't enough, gosh, what will we do?

The sky, the sky, I tell you the sky is falling!

Look folks, eventually he is gonna die even if he doesn't leave for another job. There, now can we move on?

 

[jimotis4heisman]

Who says Matta feels like he's being disrespected? Who says he perceives that he is respected less than Jim Tressel?

Big salary, nice facilities, and lots of respect probably are fine. When he hits a down year, and he will hit a down year, he knows it is best to NOT be the only show in town.

Does Matta seem unhappy to anyone? OK, then why is this discussion continuing? We've got potential recruits visiting BP. Why make it appear that something is an issue when it doesn't seem to be.

Will Matta move on? Maybe he will. When, gee, let me get out my crystal ball. If cash isn't enough, gosh, what will we do?

The sky, the sky, I tell you the sky is falling!

Look folks, eventually he is gonna die even if he doesn't leave for another job. There, now can we move on?

i agree with everything steve thats what im saying. granted one thing i do disagree with. "nice" facilities? half the teams in the nba dont have the facilities that are on lane ave...

 

[BB73]

The only college jobs that I could see Matta leaving for would be Kentucky, Duke, and Carolina. I just don't see him taking a job at the other schools with great tradition (Indiana, Kansas, UCLA).

With the recruits he's got lined up at tOSU for the next 2 years, he'd be foolish to leave for Kentucky. He would be able to line up great recruits at Duke and Carolina, but those jobs don't look to be open for the next 5 years.

I'm not losing any sleep over this topic.

 

[rocketman]

Does Matta seem unhappy to anyone? OK, then why is this discussion continuing?

Damnit, Steve, quit robbing us of our only way to kill time around here between games. When things are going great for Ohio State athletics the only thing we can do is make up shit and argue about it!

 

[Dryden]

As I mentioned in a rumor mill thread about a year ago, having a coach that somebody else might want to hire away is a good problem to have.

My take has always been that it would be better to be at an OSU and be the legend, rather than going to a UK, UNC, or IU where you will always be in someone else's shadow. And as Steve19 mentioned, there's something to be said for not being the only game in town. Matta's got a comfy flame retardant sweatervest in front of him to hide behind, while he goes about his business building a national power without drawing any ire from the fans.

 

[Bleed S & G]

I'm not arguing that it makes it less appealing, I'm arguing that the fact that their football program struggles to achieve mediocrity does not make their basketball program any more appealing.

UK, UNC, Kansas, etc are elite jobs because the basketball programs have a tradition of success, not because their football programs do not.

I just don't see that football tradition is a negative, unless you believe that it's a zero-sum game, in which any gain in one automatically entails some loss in the other.

I didn't say it makes it less appealing. Nor did I say a struggling football program is why UK's BBall job is appealing. Its appealing because of the tradition. I don't consider football tradition a negative either, all i'm saying is tOSU is not as big a bball school as a UK, or other program with a rich bball tradition.