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

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I discussed this possibility with a friend of mine a few weeks ago. While the IU job may have been attractive to Matta several years ago, I would find it hard to believe he'd abandon ship in Columbus to face the possibility of starting his coaching tenure with a program with a potential sanction situation (yet again).
 
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A guy that I thought about when the story first broke about Sampson was Travis Ford who is now at UMass. He is a quality coach but would the IU faithful take someone who played at Kentucky. I think that they want someone who played an Indiana or at least has ties to Indiana like one of Knights' former assistants.
 
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LitlBuck;1124616; said:
A guy that I thought about when the story first broke about Sampson was Travis Ford who is now at UMass. He is a quality coach but would the IU faithful take someone who played at Kentucky. I think that they want someone who played an Indiana or at least has ties to Indiana like one of Knights' former assistants.
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There are lots of great young coaches out there..I really don't envision Thad leaving...
 
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Dispatch

June 27, 2008

Matta likes Koufos' landing spot

Like most observers, OSU coach Thad Matta was surprised that Kosta Koufos lasted until the 23rd pick of last night's NBA draft.
But like Koufos, Matta believes the former OSU freshman fell to a good spot.
"He?s going into a tremendous situation," Matta said this afternoon. "You have a great foundation in Utah. You?ve got a great organization. They?ve got veteran players. Those guys seem to be very classy, professional players. I think he?s going to walk into an environment that?s very good for a young kid. People forget he was the second-youngest player drafted. It?s the real world for him now. Nobody?s going to work harder for that organization to get better."
One intriguing part of Koufos going to the Jazz is playing for Jerry Sloan, who's notoriously old-school and crusty. Asked if that would be a good fit for Koufos, Matta replied, "I think it is, yes. I think at this stage, in the early part of his career, to get the message or gist of what they?re trying to do (is beneficial).
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-- He said Michael Redd told him Friday that he had been selected for the U.S. Olympic team, which was announced Monday.
"I don?t know if there?s anybody on that team more excited than Michael Redd," Matta said. "For our program, I don?t think he?s going to be the last one on an Olympic team that?s going to be a Buckeye."
-- He said Greg Oden seems to be progressing well in his comeback from microfracture knee surgery. Oden, drafted first overall last year, missed his rookie season with Portland.
"I just saw him working out the other day," Matta said. "He?s up to about 295 and he said he?s got to shed a few pounds. They want him a little lighter. But he looks great."
Matta said Oden is not yet participating in any pickup games.
"They're making sure of that," Matta said. "They?ve got a couple guys in here watching just to make sure."
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Matta Dealing with Player and Coaching Losses as Team Begins to Evolve for Next Season
By John Porentas

There has been some attrition in the OSU men's basketball program since the season ended. Freshman center Kosta Koufos opted for the NBA draft where he was the 23rd overall pick last week. There was another loss last week eight-year Matta assistant John Groce was named the head coach of the Ohio University Bobcats.

TM-lookingleft.jpg


Thad Matta
Photo by Jim Davidson

"In this profession we all have to do things to better ourselves," commented Matta on the loss of Groce.

"John was wavering a little bit on whether or not he wanted to do it and I think was because of the strong passion he had for Ohio State. In the end I told him Ohio University is a great opportunity. I think its a tremendous job and I think he's the guy for the job," Matta said.

Matta must now replace his top assistant before the season begins, a task that he knew he would face sooner or later.

"You always know as a head coach that if you get the right guys on your staff and those things are going to happen," Matta said.
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The-Ozone, Ohio State Football, Wrestling, Softball, Basketball, Hockey, Baseball and More

KK's HS Coach takes shots at Thad

Sunday Special: Greynolds: Matta clueless
GlenOak coach upset by Ohio State's treatment of Koufos
Sunday, June 29, 2008
BY Todd Porter
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

It is safe to say there is no love lost, at least as far as Greynolds is concerned, between the GlenOak coach and Matta. Greynolds isn't pleased with how Koufos' freshman season went at Ohio State, and there were rumblings in the weeks leading up to the draft that Matta held Koufos back as a freshman to try to persuade him from being a one-and-done player.
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"Listen, if you can't get along with a kid like Kosta, then you're clueless," Greynolds said. "If you're making $2 million season and can't figure out how to use a 7-foot-1 kid, you're clueless. If you can't get along with a kid who comes early, stays late and gets good grades, you're clueless, and you've got the problem."
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Koufos has not talked publicly about his relationship with Matta. Koufos has remained positive, and has said he is thankful for the opportunity to play under Matta.

On draft night, Matta released a statement congratulating Koufos.

"Kosta Koufos meant a great deal to our program," Matta said. "We are excited for him because he had a goal to play at the next level, and he'll now have a chance to do so.

"We tell our guys to take advantage of the opportunities and resources available in college to reach their goals. Over the last two years, we've had four freshmen realize their dreams by being selected in the first round of the NBA Draft. I am proud of the players who have gone on to the next level, and look forward to watching them compete for many years to come."

On Friday, Matta again congratulated Koufos.

"I will say this, he's going into a tremendous situation," Matta said. "You have a great foundation in Utah. You have a great organization. You have veteran players. Those guys seem to be classy professional players. He's going to walk into an environment that's very good for a young kid. People forget he was the second-youngest player drafted.

"From that standpoint, for him getting his feet wet, it's a new world for him. Nobody's going to work harder for the organization and work on their game to get better.

"I was a little bit surprised he went 23rd. I thought he'd go a little higher. As you look at it for him, the 23rd pick is great."

Matta did seem a little irritated by Koufos leaving after a season, at least initially. However, any coach who recruited Koufos out of GlenOak is sandbagging if he didn't know that Koufos likely would be a one-and-done player.

Had the NBA not changed its rules, Koufos could have been a first-round pick out of GlenOak. He was approached by representatives from Greece about playing professionally there after his high-school season. Then in January, he was offered about $6 million, a house and a car to play in Greece? all tax free in a country where Koufos is becoming an icon.

"People forget that. He turned down all that ? tax free ? to stay at Ohio State and play," Greynolds said. "That says something to me about the kid. If he's gonna bust his butt for me as a coach, I'm gonna bust my butt for him. Most kids and probably every adult would take that deal.

"Kosta really kept his composure this year and with what he's said publicly. As much as he was getting screwed over, he always said the right things in the paper. He's not like some of the turds they recruit. He's a great kid. I can't tell you how much that upsets me."

NOT A SECRET

The Matta-Koufos relationship wasn't a secret in NBA circles. Yannis Koutroupis, a writer for hoopsworld.com, knew about it.

"I really think it was to his benefit to play at Ohio State, but he and his family weren't on the same page with Thad Matta," Koutroupis said. "That's one of the reasons he decided to leave. ... Things weren't working out for him at Ohio State. I do think he could've dominated and become a top-five pick next year."

Koufos keeps saying he enjoyed his time at Ohio State, that he remains a Buckeye fan and that he's grateful for the opportunity Matta gave him.
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CantonRep.com | The Canton Repository | Canton, Stark County & Northeast Ohio News, Community Events & Classifieds
 
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Dispatch
Asked during a recent Agonis Club fundraiser how his right leg is doing, Ohio State men's basketball coach Thad Matta said, "I'd like to say it's getting better, but I guess I should say it's not getting worse."
Matta, who had surgery on his lower back twice during the summer of 2007, still wears a brace to support his right foot because the nerve has not regenerated to the point where he can control it.
He said he should know by February whether he will regain full use of his foot. A test in August to measure the nerve's regeneration in his leg did not leave him optimistic.
"By the time I'm 176 (years old)," Matta said, "I should be doing fine."
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Considering what Thad has accomplished in his tenure at Ohio State in regards to recruiting, winning percentage, post season, team academics, etc. I think he is among the top 5 coaches in college basketball. I hope he sticks around for a long time here at Ohio State.
 
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