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Post by UICJohn on Mar 24, 2024 9:59:05 GMT -6
First order of business – if he can make sure Harris still comes and Rivera comes back that would be a really good step in the right direction
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Post by UICJohn on Mar 24, 2024 10:00:37 GMT -6
Rumor is that both Jones and Hamilton rejected our offers.
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Post by uiclaflame on Mar 24, 2024 10:03:14 GMT -6
Saw this account tweet that Jones and AW Hamilton reportedly rejected our offer sheets. If so, would make sense why we had to pivot to Ehsan. I know the salary we offered wasnt much more than Jones was making at Norfolk State. I assume our job is a tough sell given pay and risk (i.e., tough task).
While I do feel underwhelmed in many ways by Ehsan, I will try to see the positive. He is younger - which in theory makes me believe he'll have drive and energy to do all the hard work he'll to do to turn things around. He also experienced what it took to turn a sister school (i.e., UAB to Univesity of Alabama) to a notable program.
If he is genuinely excited about the challenge ahead and motivated, I will take it!
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Post by uiclaflame on Mar 24, 2024 10:15:49 GMT -6
First order of business – if he can make sure Harris still comes and Rivera comes back that would be a really good step in the right direction I see that Carlos Harris follows Ehsan on Instagram... hopefully this is a leading indicator that he will stay
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Post by waadle on Mar 24, 2024 10:41:04 GMT -6
I know this is a stretch, but Carlos used to have UIC in his bio, he still has his committed post up, but still...
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Post by bigsaltine on Mar 24, 2024 10:50:55 GMT -6
Obviously I’m not privy to any contract details, but it wouldn’t shock me if it’s a deal that runs with the rest of yaks buyout/contract and if there is no improvement/not enough we move on from Ehsan and offer a really competitive MVC salary for the rebuild.
On a super optimistic note, maybe one or two Stanford players comes over??? I doubt it but I can try and stay positive.
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Post by UICJohn on Mar 24, 2024 11:10:15 GMT -6
I’ll go with the positive of him following Coach on Instagram than the other of UIC not being directly mentioned 😎
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Post by UICJohn on Mar 24, 2024 11:10:49 GMT -6
Obviously I’m not privy to any contract details, but it wouldn’t shock me if it’s a deal that runs with the rest of yaks buyout/contract and if there is no improvement/not enough we move on from Ehsan and offer a really competitive MVC salary for the rebuild. On a super optimistic note, maybe one or two Stanford players comes over??? I doubt it but I can try and stay positive. I can’t see a college coach being hired on just a 2-year contract. Would assume that 4 years is the typical starting contract.
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Post by Big D on Mar 24, 2024 11:27:22 GMT -6
I’d love a 4-year contract but I feel like most UIC contracts have been 5 years. I imagine we’ll find out at the next UofI Board meeting on March 28th, where he’ll probably be formally approved.
I’d love to know more regarding Jones and Hamilton supposedly rejecting the offer. I assume we’re offering minimum 425-450k to anyone. If not, then how much is Yak’s unnecessary 1-year extension and/or pre May 1st firing hindering us?
Really curious to see how Ehsan recruits for year 1. A lot of work to do. His assistant hires will be important. Hoping he can get someone with Chicago connections.
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Post by flamernation on Mar 24, 2024 13:57:08 GMT -6
I feel it will be a 5 year deal also. Most college hoop coaches going in that direction. Would love a 3 or 4 year though as if he does well we pay him. If he does bad Lipitz and Eshan ride out at midnight March 9,2025 and we only eat 2 years of coach salary and we start whole athletic department all over again. No one not even the garage man is safe at uic athletics. Fire everyone and start over from ground up.
I hope this pans out. I hope he brings in former nba player as assistant like a Scott Burrell or Lindsey Hunter type with Chicago Bulls connections.
Also needs to bring in a assistant that has a son that plays hoops in college.
Lindsay hunter fits that model
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Post by goveybaseball on Mar 24, 2024 18:40:47 GMT -6
Maybe bring in some Stanford transfers too
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Post by uicc79 on Mar 24, 2024 19:01:07 GMT -6
Read an article a couple of weeks ago that said the AD at DePaul needed to get his next men's basketball hire correct, because if he didn't, he'd also be out the door if this current hire didn't work out. I feel Lipitz will be facing the same situation, he better get this one right, because if he doesn't ..... he'll also be shown the door. Not sure what it says, or means, when coaches at Norfolk State and Eastern Kentucky, if true, are turning down the chance to coach a D1 school that's a member of the MVC and has an excellent academic reputation, and is located in the third largest city in the country, a city that also has a rich high school and college basketball tradition. IF that is true, not a good reflection on UIC.
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Post by UICJohn on Mar 24, 2024 22:51:58 GMT -6
The difficult part is this. I am going to assume for a minute that the coach of Eastern Kentucky and Norfolk State turned us down. First foremost - that sucks. We are an MVC school and that is a step up on conference and (should be) pay. And that’s a big blow to us. But it is what it is.
But here’s also the truth - we are a great academic school in the MVC in Chicago with a great basketball tradition. And they both said no. Because those things have been true for years and we’ve lost for years.
This is a job that has potential but also a job that has had guys fail for years. McClain failed. Moore failed. Yak failed. None have had a head coaching job since. That is intimidating.
We have positives for sure. We also have no fan support (at the moment), no press in Chicago, nothing in regards to NIL, and a history of failure. We are fans and know the positives. But these are also the negatives and things outsiders see.
The other MVC schools hate this hire. Not a great feeling.
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Post by lalman on Mar 24, 2024 22:54:48 GMT -6
Gotta say, as much as I prefer to stay positive, this feels very much like another Steve McClain type hire, by an AD who maybe isn't up to the task of restoring this program to relevance or doesn't have a good enough job to offer for the rising talents in the field to come here. Maybe he can pull us up to be a middle of the pack Valley program, but it feels like another stopgap hire. I probably woulda been more enthused by just bringing Dee Brown back. Uninspiring, but hope for the best I guess. Sometimes guys who get their first jobs at a young age do learn and improve, so that's what we have to pin our hopes on.
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Post by Big D on Mar 25, 2024 1:26:46 GMT -6
As sad as this is to say, I feel like one of the biggest sources of excitement for UIC fans is the hiring of a new coach. It’s one of the few times we get to be hopeful. Even that has now been taken away, at least for me. Im just…not excited…nor hopeful.
I will support coach but I just don’t know what we’re doing. Just find the money to pay a name 800k-1 million and let’s see what happens. We don’t pay the lowest, but as someone here said….we need someone special for this job. Ehsan’s resume just doesn't indicate “special” to me. God I hope Im very wrong.
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