Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Reggie Nation dressed in black this week

Coaches, almost each and everyone of them, will be fired at some point in their professional lives. Like with the rest of us, sometimes it's deserved. Other times, it's simply circumstances.

Plus, anyone entering into a contractual relationship with the family Maloof understands that impetuousness rules the day.

Reggie Theus understood that and still chose to leap to the NBA -- yet who can question why considering the stratospheric salaries that are paid and the prestige that comes with such a spot.

Now Reggie is a free agent.

It seems very unlikely he will get back into the pros, even as an assistant. It would be hard for any NBA owner to win the press conference by hiring Theus as a head coach anytime in the near future and it also would be difficult for him to burnish his rep sitting a seat or two down from a head coach.

Our take is his best situation would be as a college head coach. At least in college coaching, you get to pick your players -- something not always so in the pros. If your ship sinks in the college ranks, it's usually because of inefficient recruiting -- your own doing.

There will be a goodly number of worthwhile college jobs available comes the end of the season and Theus has the charisma to convince more than a few ADs that he can lead a team towards or to the promised land.

Our sense is that only a very few of those college spots could keep Theus in place. Some have already mentioned Arizona and that would be one such destination. He would immediately be a major player in the SoCal prep ranks (which Arizona has to be to succeed) and also be able to nab some national recruits.

Let's see what other spots open up.

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