UCAFANS.COM | GO UCA BEARS!

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/andy_staples/03/21/arizona.coach/index.html

The UCA alum's days are numbered at the reins of Arizona. If we weren't in such a financial stink, it sure would be nice to give Rand the ax and make a run at Pennell to return to his alma mater.

Undoubtably the guy can coach but as you mentioned I'm afraid we're stuck with what got us where we're at.

Wildcats in Sweet 16 after 1st round win over #5 seed Utah by 84-71 and a win today over #13 seed Cleveland State by 71-54.

Probably get Louisville next.

Go Wildcats!!

Russ is a first class guy that is a good coach. He was in my office a year ago contemplating moving to LR if he could find financing to build a sports complex with an emphasis on basketball/AAU tournaments/teaching. His dad was essentially a volunteer head coach for LR Christian and they won a state championship (with the help of 2 Cameroon athletes). Russ got the call from Lute Olsen to join his staff, Lute Olsen got tired/sick/burned out and Russ has taken advantage of his opportunity. His dad is his director of basketball operations. He will have some nice opportunities after the tourney but he would come home but it would take at least 1.5 to 2.0 x what we pay and we could not afford it. If corporate Conway really wants a fun, really good mid major program, they will have to underwrite it with a 6 to 8 year financial commitment like Chris Peterson did at UALR. The sad thing is that I don't think anyone cares.

Sounds like someone from PA had a bad experience?
I watched those guy beat up on CAC several times. If they had played basketball as long as most of their competition, they would have been even better. I think only one of them was really good though right?


You may be on to something. Problem is that it will probably take improvement for people to care. And most of us don't see it happening any time soon. Not that I/we wouldn't be happy (for the current players and coaches) if it did...

Let's get him to come here and take over for Rand!!

Word is Billy Gillespie is umemployed as of this afternoon. We might could get him cheap you think?

Pennel will be picky about next coaching job

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/ua/arti ... ll-CR.html

LRC never beat PA when my older son was there, they did beat us in the semi-finals of the state tournament when my youngest son was a junior and they went on the win the state that year. Ronnie, who hit the shot at the buzzer to beat us in that semi-final game (I coached him in AAU ball) is in Juco, and Gaby, the better of the two is at NC Charlotte, playing a little. Make no mistake, I like Rand, his best attribute is that he hates to lose, that is a good place to start with any coach. This move up will take a little time as you adjust recruiting philosophy and try to build community support. Rand is our coach and BT will evaluate and make those decisions.

People talk about Russ, a good guy, but what about James Dickey? 4 year letterman at UCA, a former UCA assistant, from the lineage of Eddie Sutton, Big 12 Coach of the Year, universally acclaimed as one of the real "gentlemen of college basketball." He is still in Stillwater, his wife is a successful real estate lady there, his daughter is graduating from OSU this spring. His dad died last year, his mom is still in Valley Springs, his heart will always be in AR. I don't understand why he is not already in the UCA Hall of Fame. His wife, from DeWitt, is the all time leading scorer in women's ball at the UA and she is in the AR Sports Hall of Fame. He was approached about the ASU job, and if Steve Shields would have gotten to the dance this year and got some opportunities, I know he would have been on the short list at UALR. James is 54 and still has the itch to be a head coach. He and Wesley Burks, another UCA alum that is world class in his field (Duke school of medicine), are the two finest men I know.

That is a very good question about James not being in already...there are plenty who did far less as a UCA athlete much less his post UCA accomplishments...my guess is politics play more than a minor role in who is admitted.....

Ditto re Wesley...his dad, Arvil, was a very good Health professor at UCA among ioher things....

http://nwanews.com/adg/Sports/256289/

Pennell has parting words for Wildcats

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Posted on Wednesday, April 1, 2009

TUCSON, Ariz. - Russ Pennell knows he will most likely be coaching college basketball next year, just not at Arizona.

The surreal one-season ride of the former assistant coach and ex-radio broadcaster who was thrust into the head coaching role at one of the country's premier basketball programs in October is winding down after last week's 103-64 loss in the Sweet 16 to Louisville...

Pennell has been named head coach of D2 school Grand Canyon.

Maybe he can stay there one year and find an opening somewhere else in the D1 ranks next year...

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4054891



I sure wish the Pennell hiring press conference was in Conway instead of Phoenix.