Wednesday's WAC-itude

In a June 8 column on NBA happenings, Peter Vecsey included this:

"...In anticipation of a total coaching shakeup in Minnesota, assistant Reggie Theus is trying to line up a gig elsewhere, pro or college..."

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In Travis Hines' Times-Republican article on Marshalltown (Iowa) Community College basketball, Idaho receives a pair of mentions:

"...Chris Caird inked his National Letter of Intent with Santa Clara University on Tuesday, the MCC freshman confirmed to the Times-Republican in a text message.

The England native scored 12.4 points per game and shot 49 percent from the floor in his one and only season as a Tiger...

...Caird had interest from other schools earlier in the year, with Boston College and Idaho among other schools both taking notice."

and

"...Marcus Bell hasn't suited up for MCC yet, but he's already received his first scholarship offer.

Iowa State University extended him an offer Monday, Brynjarsson said.

Bell is a 6-foot-8, 230 pounder from California. He spent the 2009-10 season at Lower Columbia College where he was the Northwest Athletic Association of Community College's Western Division MVP...

...Oklahoma, Washington State and Idaho have all shown interest in Bell as well..."

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This is hopefully the last non-basketball-related item PTW will post about incoming USU recruit Norvell Arnold: he is 23, not quite a still-wet-behind-the-ears kid.

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Former Boise State head man Greg Graham has been hired as an assistant coach at Bradley. Not sure what, if any, connection he has with Geno Ford, the new coach at BU.

Mondays's WAC basketball links and notes

Dayton Morinaga features Bill Amis' professional plans (no, not in the videography field, at least not yet) and what the young man is doing to get ready for the challenges.

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Tony Jones has the scoop on a very recent test of the friendship between Stew Morrill and Larry Krystkowiak. Yep, it involves recruiting.

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With Dave Rice now in at UNLV (it that the end of Reggie Theus' college coaching return?), will Fresno State and Steve Cleveland juggle some contract numbers, thus allowing the latter to return to BYU and assist Dave Rose? Of course, Cleveland is 'home' but it will require departing if he wishes to stay in the coaching ranks.

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The second basketball signing period begins on Wednesday so the 'season' has actually yet to end.

Saturday's collection of WAC basketball links

A nice move: LA TECH athletics has set up the home page with a link to email Coach Mike White. Good PR from the get-go is a must and such is a very smart first step.

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Daniel Lyght covers what Fresno State has planned in the continuing effort to fill the Bulldog coaching opening.

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Shawn Harrison has the latest on Tai Wesley.

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In the spirit of the approaching Easter bunny, Dayton Morinaga has what readers need to know about Rainbow Warrior hops (not the brewing kind).

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Matt James offers advice to the Fresno State's athletics administration

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Tark has endorsed Coach Reggie for the UNLV opening. Right, wrong or residing in hazy shades of gray, is this the kiss of death or just what was needed to vault Theus to the top. Money talks loudest so which candidate will get the wallets open wider and more often?

Lon Kruger to Oklahoma

Ryan Greene of the Las Vegas Sun is reporting that UNLV Coach Lon Kruger has changed his mind and is now headed to Oklahoma.

So does Coach Reggie start livin' large on The Strip?

There are various tweets out there about financial cutbacks in the Vegas program and that may limit the choices but this is a match if there ever was one. Theus can land/keep a number of the Las Vegas kids and LA as both home and a recruiting territory is a short drive away. Who needs a beaucoup recruiting budget?

There must be some Fresno State fans lighting candles and/or ordering that second pitcher of...

An item about Coach Reggie and FSU

George (CBS 47 Sports Director) Takata is tweeting about Coach Reggie and the opening at Fresno State. He has posted a couple more so do check those out also.

Three more coaching items

Maybe PTW is torturing logic (we are certainly out in front of any actuality) but someone named jazzyUte at the BlockU site has a post up today about UNLV's Lon Kruger and the opening at Utah. If such turns out to happen, does that mean the suits at UNLV might hire Coach Reggie?

There is an element in Vegas that wants a return to the success (on the court) of the times with Tark and there is solid money behind them. UNLV is certainly a much better match for Theus and endlessly more attractive to him than say Fresno State.

Anyway, just thinking.

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Speaking of the Fresno opening, Geno Ford is now the new head coach at Bradley so Fresno State fans can calm down, or at least choose another candidate to wrangle over.

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At the Save Mart Center MB at the Bark Board site, there is a debate going on about the suggestion that Portland's Eric Reveno would not be considering the Fresno position because it would be a lateral move.

Hardly.

The Bulldogs are moving into the Mountain West Conference, of which BYU (and also Utah) is departing and headed to the West Coast Conference. Yes, San Diego State is very tough right now but just how is Portland supposed to compete with BYU, Gonzaga and even St. Mary's? Our sense is that Reveno has taken the Pilots are far as can be achieved and NIT post-season participation is the best that can be hoped for.

Having typed all this, PTW hasn't a clue if Reveno is interested in leaving Portland, let alone considering Fresno State as a possible next career move. Add to that the unknown of any reciprocal yearning from those in charge at FSU. However, he is a Bay Area native and our crude calculations indicate the San Joaquin Valley is closer to middle California than PDX.

Hey, if Johnny Dawkins doesn't turn it up and soon, Reveno might just he headed back to The Farm.

Two more coaching items connected to Fresno State

This name -- Geno Ford of Kent State -- seemingly came out of nowhere in the stampede of 'considereds' for the vacant Fresno State coaching position. PTW is debating tossing the proverbial hat into the ring but the pay cut surrounding leaving the lucrative world of blogging would be substantial.

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Jason Groves has posted a blog entry on the mentioned return of Reggie Theus to the college coaching ranks. Head there and post your comment. It's true that Theus needs to define the surroundings he wants to work in -- college or the NBA -- and then convince the powers-that-be of such a delineation, in order reach the ultimate level he sees himself prospering.

Tuesday's WAC hoops news and notes

Rivals' Eric Bossi is reporting that Texas prep power forward Daniel Green has given a verbal to Wake Forest (a Rivals sub is required). He had been connected to Fresno State and many others.

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Chris Murray has the latest on Armon Johnson and Luke Babbitt as they continue dipping their toes into The Show. We do hesitate to bring this up because it give notice to the loonies but someone offered a comment on Babbitt after the article that reminds us of that great Bob Dylan stanza:

"...While one who sings with his tongue on fire
Gargles in the rat race choir
Bent out of shape from society’s pliers
Cares not to come up any higher
But rather get you down in the hole
That he’s in..."

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Thanks to Sam Wasson at his Bleed Crimson site for this tip -- Joel Welser's College Hoops preview of New Mexico State.

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Here is Reggie Theus' latest venture -- apparently, you can now invest in it.

For those wishing to send well woshes...

For no particular reason, Reggie Theus turns 53 today.

The what we could find Wednesday morning WAC entry

The Bobby Miles signing gets play from both Brian McInnis and Dayton Morinaga -- the days of an injured/worn down Hiram Thompson having to play 38 minutes at the point for UH are over.

Poster al at the sports hawaii.com site basketball forum posts that community college wing Dominick Brumfield will go with Gib Arnold and announce it this morning.

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Longdog at the Bulldog Barks and Bytes site (go to the basketball message board) tells us that Kerry Rupp has signed another frontcourter.Here is another link -- the story that is referenced -- to check out.

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Plus, we just have to post this. We have to. For reference, Fred Hoiberg is a former Iowa State and NBA backcourter who is currently the vice president of basketball operations for the Minnesota Timberwolves -- the team that employs Reggie Theus as an assistant coach. Jeff Grayer, another former Iowa State star and an assistant on the former ISU coaching staff, has already been announced as part of Hoiberg's coaching staff as has T.J. Otzelberger, another retainee. The latter will act as associate head coach. Is there 'room' for Reggie?

I laughed at ISU....

When I heard they were hiring Hoiberg...but now I'm not so sure if this is a good thing. One of my Clone friends (who is well connected) says Hoiberg's salary is going to be very low a ton of money is going to be thrown at assistants. According to him both assistant coach positions will be filled by current NBA assistants...one being Reggie Theus. That would make things interesting.

Will it be Chicago Reggie?

Jeremiah Wright, Ernie Banks and a mystery candidate are next in line.

Really, who else is left?

Theus to meet with DePaul about coaching job
Toni Ginnetti
Chicago Sun Times
March 31, 2010

Reggie Theus has made no secret of his interest in the DePaul coaching job. And Theus, who played for the Bulls and coached in the NBA and college, will get a chance to claim the position...

Go here for the remainder.

Just what you wanted: more on Coach Reggie

Coach Reggie sure is receiving a lot of attention in Florida but, quick, what conference does Central Florida reside in? And, no, we couldn't recite much in the way of facts and figures on Kalin Lucas either.

Here's one feature to read on the association of the entities.

Plus, within Brian Schmitz' column -- about halfway down-- he writes that Coach Reggie's agent reached out to Central Florida. Wow. Double wow.

We've been wrong -- thanks for the reminders -- and will find ourselves on the incorrect side of some matters in the future but does anyone think the matrimony Coach Reggie and Central Florida is along the lines of "I take you to be my head coach/my next employer, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish from this day forward until death do us part."

If so, that's Las Vegas ringing you on line one.

Reggie interviews for a college job

We have to make amends (again).

After quoting Reggie Theus as saying he is an NBA guy (Andy Katz, ESPN, June 20, 2007) and pontificating that talk of him coming to Boise State or Hawaii was silly, he did interview for the opening (now filled) at Auburn.

Per Pat Forde today, "Former New Mexico State and Sacramento Kings coach Reggie Theus interviewed with Auburn Tuesday night about its coaching vacancy, a source told ESPN.com..."

Why Auburn? The plusses: apparently a new basketball facility is due soon there (replacing the worst in the SEC) plus the conference is still a power one despite a down year. Always being Avis to Tuscaloosa's Hertz in the minds of the vast majority of the citizens there didn't seem to matter.

But UTEP's Tony Barbee got the job.

Will he or won't he? Or is he even interested? Is DePaul?

Reggie Theus would be a great selection as DePaul's new basketball coach -- if a 'report' is true, if he truly wants the position, if he has changed his mind regarding his ultimate role in the world of basketball and if DePaul wants him.

From a Chicago Tribune unattributed article utilizing an unattributed source and employing the word 'may': "According to an NBA source, former Bulls guard Reggie Theus may be interested in becoming the head basketball coach at DePaul..."

Theus in Chicago and as part of the Big East (how's that for geographical dissonance?) would be a recruiting dynamo and surely get DePaul back into the ranks of a hoops program that matters.

But he said this back in June 2007 when taking over the Sacramento Kings: "I'm an NBA guy coaching in college."

Of course, this could all be what Billy Shakes once wrote: "Much ado about nothing."

We don't know why but...

...we had to send this out: Reggie Theus turned 52 yesterday. We wish him many more, this despite his statement about sports bloggers because we're sure he didn't mean us. At least talk about pounding out diatribes from the basements of our elderly parents' home while ensconced in pajamas and subsisting on Cheetos was absent. We want to set the record straight: it's a Hugh Hefner-like smoking jacket for us. If that's in the dirty laundry -- meaning mom is slacking off yet again -- it's commando for us.

Little did we know that Coach was a co-host way back when on “The Best Damn Sports Show Period” which deteriorated into "The Most Irritating Sports Show Period" but only way after Theus left.

By the way, his son Reggie Jr. is a freshman baller at Fairfax High in Los Angeles (see above photo taken by Dave Keefer) who has already received some nice press.

Reggie Theus Jr.

Reggie Theus Jr. photo courtesy Dave Keefer/CaliforniaPreps

We scoured the 'net today and came up with nothing yet there had to be at least some visits going on at WAC schools this weekend. We did find a note and photo about a certain Reggie Theus Jr. who is a freshman at Fairfax High in Los Angeles. It's obviously a ways down the line but it will be interesting to see who joins the recruiting suitors for the youngster.

A smart moves by all

Kurt Rambis certainly isn't afraid of strong personalities among his assistants. That shows a level of self confidence and intelligence. For Theus, helping the Wolves advance forward (if they indeed do so) after years of mediocrity and worse could be a smart career move for what he really wants -- another NBA head coaching shot.

Laimbeer, Theus to join Wolves coaching staff
Kurt Rambis is adding two peers from his playing days to the Wolves staff.
Jerry Zgoda
Minneapolis Star Tribune
August 30, 2009

Run and gun with a little bad boy attitude mixed in? Sounds like a plan.

New Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis will add former Detroit Pistons bad-boy center Bill Laimbeer and former Sacramento Kings coach Reggie Theus to his staff, according to a league source.

Those two notable names will join Boston assistant general manager Dave Wohl, a former Los Angeles Lakers assistant and New Jersey Nets head coach in the 1980s who will become Rambis' No. 1 assistant...

Go here for the remainder.

A short video featuring Reggie Theus

Reggie Theus is interviewed here (it runs a bit more than a minute) during the Adidas Nation get-together. He helped coach the Canadian team.

Furthermore on Reggie's latest

Yes, anyone connected to the 'net can become a blogger as no expertise is required and there are no certification tests to pass. Like most things in life, that's good and bad. It's a democratic medium. Thankfully.

We've certainly read our share of cringe-worthy posts and comments on blogs and message boards, including some -- ahem -- self-inflicted ones.

We've also learned a great deal from the posts and comments of others.

For us, it's a matter of determining (with all the inherent biases and prejudices involved in doing so) who is educational and who isn't. Spending time with those selected, while dipping one's mind into the shallower end of the gene pool now and then in search of a nugget or two, is our method of operation.

Now we don't know who Reggie Theus specifically had in mind or how he came up with his percentage of blogging cheek stabbers but he was a beloved figure (and still mostly is) in Las Cruces. His short time with the Sacto Kings seemingly reflects more on the decison-making of the Maloof brothers than anything else. So personally, Reggie is actually a fairly unscathed figure in the sports blogosphere.

This is really a nothing story and, yes, we are perpetuating it (which is our fault). Mea culpa.

Reggie tosses a broadside in the direction of bloggers

We don't take it personally and we're sure if he knew us he would like us (the same goes for the in-laws) but Reggie cannot win this battle -- it's like taking on those who own a printing press if anyone can remember such a contraption. To wit:

Unemployed Basketball Coach Reggie Theus Thinks Sports Bloggers Are A “Real Pain In The Ass”
Weed Against Speed
July 20, 2009

Former above-average NBA player turned-below average NBA coach Reggie Theus, in an interview with Isiah Jones from the website Global Sports Fraternity, said he believes that sports bloggers are a bunch of country bumpkins who never come in contact with real people and are generally a “real pain in the ass.” Here’s the entirety of what Theus said in the interview when he wasn’t getting interrupted by Mr. Jones:

Go here for the remainder, including the inevitable photos.·

Okay, it's 3 p.m. so maybe we should toss a robe over our jammies, have breakfast and check to see when Oprah is on.