Jimmy Dykes head women's bball coach

[ricepig]

He covered the womens basketball tournament this year:
http://espn.go.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10698030/jimmy-dykes-hired-arkansas-razorbacks-women-basketball-coach

Facts mess so many up.....

[Hawgon]

Facts mess so many up.....

Well, heck man, I'm an alum and went to every single Razorback game in four years and used to go all the SWC tournaments as a kid.  Basketball runs deep in veins, I guess I need to send my resume to Jeffrey so that he has it when he gets tired of Mike.

[ricepig]

Well, heck man, I'm an alum and went to every single Razorback game in four years and used to go all the SWC tournaments as a kid.  Basketball runs deep in veins, I guess I need to send my resume to Jeffrey so that he has it when he gets tired of Mike.

Just don't use Hawgon on your resume, in case he reads HV

[hoglady]

He covered the womens basketball tournament this year:
http://espn.go.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10698030/jimmy-dykes-hired-arkansas-razorbacks-women-basketball-coach

My bad on that.
It doesn't change the fact this is really an absolutely ridiculous hire.
He knows the game - so what.
Sidney knows the game, too - but he was an awful college coach.
The SEC is a top women's BB conference. If you want to compete you hire a top proven women's coach.
We don't care to compete - we are playing games for publicity.

[Hawgon]

My bad on that.
It doesn't change the fact this is really an absolutely ridiculous hire.
He knows the game - so what.
Sidney knows the game, too - but he was an awful college coach.
The SEC is a top women's BB conference. If you want to compete you hire a top proven women's coach.
We don't care to compete - we are playing games for publicity.

At halftime we're going to shoot a monkey out of a cannon to get more people in the doors.

[Pigdiana Jones]

Have you ordered season tickets?

This hire is getting a little play today. But can somebody who has never been a head coach and hasn't coached at all in many years win games in the SEC?

Also, would anybody be OK if a person with a similar resume was hired for football?

If this did happen in football, Hogville would melt down to nothing.

[rzrbackramsfan]

My bad on that.
It doesn't change the fact this is really an absolutely ridiculous hire.
He knows the game - so what.
Sidney knows the game, too - but he was an awful college coach.
The SEC is a top women's BB conference. If you want to compete you hire a top proven women's coach.
We don't care to compete - we are playing games for publicity.

It's all good, I know girls don't look at espn's website. 

I think Dyke's other qualities outweighs having success at a mid major program, like most people were hoping for.  I'm sure Long's formula was the best we could have: Dykes recruits and is the face, hire an assistant that will do whatever the mid major coach would have done.

Also, Dyke's experience in the mens game is worth A LOT.  An assistant coach in a major mens program ='s headcoach at a small woman's program. 

[rzrbackramsfan]

If this did happen in football, Hogville would melt down to nothing.

Long didn't take my recommendation of Chris Mortenson lol. 

[Hawgon]

Also, Dyke's experience in the mens game is worth A LOT.  An assistant coach in a major mens program ='s headcoach at a small woman's program. 

I'm not trying to pick a fight with you but THAT is exactly the kind of attitude that will have the entire world of women's basketball laughing at us when this thing fails spectacularly.

[bobcat ball]

If this did happen in football, Hogville would melt down to nothing.

But it didn't.

[Hawgon]

But it didn't.

This is okay because it is just a bunch of girls, right?

[hoglady]

High risk high reward.  It's so crazy it's just might work.

The only reason Long could get away wiht the hire is because JD is an Arkansas Alum and well known and liked in NWA.

Hire the right assistants with JD as the face of the program and it just might work.  I'm thinking Christy Smith for one.

Not to be too cliche but sometimes you have to think outside the box.  Dykes is probably one of the few hires that could have boosted attendance right away. People that were not Lady Razorback fans, but fans of JD may now start following the program and going to games.  I think he will do well in recruiting especially in state where we have lost big time talent lately.  The guy has a ton of energy and is a young 52.

I'm going to try to stay positive about the hire but I can understand why anyone would question it.  Also interesting that the ad critical of Long appears in the ADG on the same day. 

He may can boost attendance but don't see how he gets recruits UNTIL he can proves himself. Why would a top player go play for Dykes when they can go play for Mulkey or Blair or any other proven coach.

[Hawgon]

He may can boost attendance but don't see how he gets recruits UNTIL he can proves himself. Why would a top player go play for Dykes when they can go play for Mulkey or Blair or any other proven coach.

Because he was on ESPN you know.

[bobcat ball]

This is okay because it is just a bunch of girls, right?

Is it or is it not a low income sport? Maybe this hire can change that. This hire will do nothing but help in this state with his connections. Whether you want to admit it or not. People are already talking more about the program then ever before.

[Hawgon]

Is it or is it not a low income sport? Maybe this hire can change that. This hire will do nothing but help in this state with his connections. Whether you want to admit or not.

His connections, whatever they might be, will not help as much as winning will.

[bobcat ball]

His connections, whatever they might be, will not help as much as winning will.

They will in keeping the better players home which in turn should help with winning. His connections in Arkansas are really good. Can only help moving forward. Being a father of 3 girls myself I'd like them to play for him from what I heard today.

[Westcoasthog]

   The very best to Jimmy Dykes as the new head women's basketball coach at Arkansas.

[bobcat ball]

He has connections to girls basketball coaches in Arkansas? Doubtful.

But he was very smart to keep Tari Cummings. She's the one with all the connections these days, according to those in the know.

I'm betting he has plenty of connections to high school coaches both male and female. And more to be made for sure.

[Hawgon]

He will in the future. But now? No. Why would he? He's been doing college ball on ESPN. Not scouting Northside vs. Conway girls games.

But you know he was on ESPN.

[bobcat ball]

He will in the future. But now? No. Why would he? He's been doing college ball on ESPN. Not scouting Northside vs. Conway girls games.

Bet he does a lot more then you know.

[bobcat ball]

I don't bet on unprovable information - except maiden claimers at Oaklawn.

Well to think he has no connections to the women's high school coaches in Arkansas is just ridiculous. If he has them with the men's coaches he has them with the women's coaches. At worst the men's coaches can get him in the door with the women's coaches at their schools.

[ricepig]

I don't bet on unprovable information - except maiden claimers at Oaklawn.

Her been the AD at Shiloh, I'm sure he knows more than you.

[ricepig]

That was 10 years ago.

He surely knws more than an outsider would. But to think he knows a quarter as many as Tari Cummings is silly. He'll get up to speed quickly though. I'm just saying he didn't walk into the job with all the high school coaches names, faces and cell numbers memorized.

No, but he will be a recognizable name to this coaches, so that will help.

[porkrindjimmy]

I kind of doubt that he is going to be able to get quality assistants with experience in the women's game and I imagine there is going to be some serious negative recruiting going on against him.  Why?  Because coaches in the women's game and people who are devoted to the women's game will see his hire as sort of a slap in the face, not just to more qualified people who could have been hired, but to the women's game in general.

This was not a serious hire.  It indicates that Jeff Long does not care about women's basketball or is seriously lacking in judgment. 

I believe it is a lack of judgment. This guy has proven he can be moved by someone who bats their eyes at him & strokes Jeff's ego.

Since Jeff has taken over except for Petrinos 3 years, football was and is a dumpster fire. Basketball, while I believe Mike gets it figured out, Mike was forced on Jeff, he held on to Pel way too long....If Jeff doesnt have his hand forced with a hire, he has proven pretty incompetent when left alone to do his own hiring.....

PRJ

[porkrindjimmy]

Is it or is it not a low income sport? Maybe this hire can change that. This hire will do nothing but help in this state with his connections. Whether you want to admit it or not. People are already talking more about the program then ever before.

Who is talking about it? Hogville? People are commenting because it is another Jeff Long failure...

And just because it is a low income womens sport, doesnt mean you make an incredibly irrational hire....

And you people blast Gus? Had Gus been hired before Petrino, and he should have been, you and your ilk would have melted down....

This AD is systematically destroying the athletic program..

I believe t was John White who said at the introduction of Jeff Long as AD, that he envisioned the UofA as the Harvard of the south....

PRJ

[bobcat ball]

This AD is systematically destroying the athletic program.

Good God Step away from the keyboard!!!

Who is talking about it?

With him having worked for ESPN they were talking about it today on the studio show. Been a while since that's been the case with our women's program.

[WilsonHog]

I believe t was John White who said at the introduction of Jeff Long as AD, that he envisioned the UofA as the Harvard of the south....

I certainly hope so. I'd even take the Vanderbilt of the SEC West.

[porkrindjimmy]

I certainly hope so. I'd even take the Vanderbilt of the SEC West.

I know, you have made it clear that wins and losses dont mean anything to you. If Bielema wins 7 every once in awhile, I believe you said that as long as we had A students and nary a gangster in sight, you were perfectly content. Which is your right and if we were Harvard, I would agree with you...but we arent Harvard, we are the University of Arkansas,  we are playing in the most inmoral, vicious conference in America, and 7 wins and espn commentators will get Jeff and Bret fired in time....even if everyone.graduates...

PRJ

[GioB26]

Can hiring an arky who loves the helmet and has limited coaching experience but a rah rah attitude ever be a bad decision?  In the most powerful conference?

Most powerful conference? Not in WBB, you honk! Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

[WilsonHog]

I know, you have made it clear that wins and losses dont mean anything to you. If Bielema wins 7 every once in awhile, I believe you said that as long as we had A students and nary a gangster in sight, you were perfectly content. Which is your right and if we were Harvard, I would agree with you...but we arent Harvard, we are the University of Arkansas,  we are playing in the most inmoral, vicious conference in America, and 7 wins and espn commentators will get Jeff and Bret fired in time....even if everyone.graduates...

PRJ

Well, you've added a touch of exaggeration to my position, but you did capture the sentiment.

[Inhogswetrust]

Except that John McDonnell was coaching in high school as cross country coach when he was hired to coach cross country at Arkansas.  And after six years of being a college coach in cross country, he was given the position of head coach over the entire track program in 1978.

Lots of coaches were high school coaches before getting a break to coach in college. You mean a high school coach was hired to coach a college team. Heaven forbid but it does happen. Yes John was the cross country coach before getting the job as the coach of the ENTIRE program of Track and Field. The similarity is he had to get his break somewhere. Some sports lend themselves to taking that risk moreso than others. Yes it is a gamble but IF it pays off then it is something special.

[Inhogswetrust]

The young women on our team deserve to have their AD take the program seriously. They deserve a coach committed to the women's college game.
This just looks like Dykes was tired of traveling, wanted to come back to Fayetteville, needed a job and Long said well I have an opening.
Guess, Dykes will just have to learn on the fly.
I wish someone would ask Dykes last time he watched a women's basketball game.

Jimmy has lived most of his life in NWA. What do you mean "wanting to come back".  He didn't "need" the job either. Besides he will still have to travel as the coach. Maybe not as much though.

[Inhogswetrust]

High risk high reward.  It's so crazy it's just might work.

The only reason Long could get away wiht the hire is because JD is an Arkansas Alum and well known and liked in NWA.

Hire the right assistants with JD as the face of the program and it just might work.  I'm thinking Christy Smith for one.

Not to be too cliche but sometimes you have to think outside the box.  Dykes is probably one of the few hires that could have boosted attendance right away. People that were not Lady Razorback fans, but fans of JD may now start following the program and going to games.  I think he will do well in recruiting especially in state where we have lost big time talent lately.  The guy has a ton of energy and is a young 52.

I'm going to try to stay positive about the hire but I can understand why anyone would question it.  Also interesting that the ad critical of Long appears in the ADG on the same day. 

Some good points. The big thing is in the non-mega revenue sports you can afford to think outside the box a little. Especially if things haven't been going good prior. But the funny thing is how everyone that has NEVER been a respected AD thinks they know what is best for the AD to do. It is easy to sit on the sidelines and tell the people actually doing the job what they should do. It brings to mind the old adage "If it was so easy then everyone could do it". Also on an adaptation of a biblical quote "Let he who is without mistakes in their job cast the first negative stone". 99% of people that complain and think they know what others should or should not do couldn't do the job themselves.

[ricepig]

Jimmy has lived most of his life in NWA. What do you mean "wanting to come back".  He didn't "need" the job either. Besides he will still have to travel as the coach. Maybe not as much though.

He is quoted as saying he will be taking a cut in pay to take this job, albeit, small.

[Inhogswetrust]

My bad on that.
It doesn't change the fact this is really an absolutely ridiculous hire.
He knows the game - so what.
Sidney knows the game, too - but he was an awful college coach.
The SEC is a top women's BB conference. If you want to compete you hire a top proven women's coach.
We don't care to compete - we are playing games for publicity.

It is kind of funny that star players that I've seen try to coach aren't good at it. However those that were not star players it seem to do much better as a coach. Sorry but Jimmy wasn't a star player and he'd be the first to say so.

[ricepig]

It is kind of funny that star players that I've seen try to coach aren't good at it. However those that were not star players it seem to do much better as a coach. Sorry but Jimmy wasn't a star player and he'd be the first to say so.

Shoot, you know Sidney, Corliss, Jimmy, they all were stars at the university. I think one of them was a walk-on, but that doesn't matter.

[Inhogswetrust]

But can somebody who has never been a head coach and hasn't coached at all in many years win games in the SEC?

Aren't some asking this same question of the football coach that has years of head coaching experience?

[Inhogswetrust]

I'm not trying to pick a fight with you but THAT is exactly the kind of attitude that will have the entire world of women's basketball laughing at us when this thing fails spectacularly.

You are assuming it will fail spectacularly and maybe it will. What if it is a spectacular success? Then I bet you want to laugh at those others don't you. Besides why care what others think.   

[Inhogswetrust]

His connections, whatever they might be, will not help as much as winning will.

Only time will tell if that happens or not. Why cry over a broken bone before you break it. A little more logical to wait until you see the bone protruding out to do that.

[Inhogswetrust]

I believe t was John White who said at the introduction of Jeff Long as AD, that he envisioned the UofA as the Harvard of the south....

Harvard did make the NCAA tourney in Men's BB. Maybe we should emulate them!

[Inhogswetrust]

I don't bet on unprovable information - except maiden claimers at Oaklawn.

And if you bet big you win big! The difference is this isn't a big bet. Low risk.

[Hawgon]

Lots of coaches were high school coaches before getting a break to coach in college. You mean a high school coach was hired to coach a college team. Heaven forbid but it does happen. Yes John was the cross country coach before getting the job as the coach of the ENTIRE program of Track and Field. The similarity is he had to get his break somewhere. Some sports lend themselves to taking that risk moreso than others. Yes it is a gamble but IF it pays off then it is something special.

No, what I meant is that John McConnell was a heck of a lot more qualified than Jimmy Dykes is right now, unlike you tried to portray it.  He was actually coaching the sport for which he was hired on the high school level. 

[Inhogswetrust]

He is quoted as saying he will be taking a cut in pay to take this job, albeit, small.

That doesn't surprise me at all.

[Inhogswetrust]

No, what I meant is that John McConnell was a heck of a lot more qualified than Jimmy Dykes is right now, unlike you tried to portray it.  He was actually coaching the sport for which he was hired on the high school level. 

I never said John wasn't qualified and there were others out there at the time that on paper were probably were more qualified. Just like in Jimmy's case. I've hired and fired quite a few people in my days. Sometimes I hired the more qualified on paper and sometimes I didn't. Sometimes it worked out both ways and sometimes it didn't. Part of my decision was based on the job I was hiring for and what was the risk.

[baumsquad]

Faldon and Irwin all over it!! DUMB HIRE...

[Hawgon]

I never said John wasn't qualified and there were others out there at the time that on paper were probably were more qualified. Just like in Jimmy's case. I've hired and fired quite a few people in my days. Sometimes I hired the more qualified on paper and sometimes I didn't. Sometimes it worked out both ways and sometimes it didn't. Part of my decision was based on the job I was hiring for and what was the risk.

Actually, no there weren't.  Hiring a high school coach was right where the University of Arkansas track program was at the time.  It was a relatively new sport in the SWC and the other candidate for the job at the time McConnell was hired was an Arkansas high school coach with the last name of Nutter.

[The_Iceman]

Its amazing to see so many people who couldn't care less about women's basketball now all of a sudden act like they are passionate fans and experts about it all.

Our last hire, Tom Collen, had a pretty good resume going into our job. Probably a resume similar to whatever coach we would have hired outside of Jimmy. Jeff Long went a different direction, one that has a little higher ceiling, but also with potential lower lows.

[Inhogswetrust]

It's women's basketball. All bets are low risk.

Perhaps this one works. Perhaps not. I think somebody like Mike Neighbors or even one of the former LadyBacks who are now D-I assistants would have raised fewer eyebrows than an inexperienced TV guy.

I agree. But if an AD always worried about raised eyebrows then they are worried about the wrong thing unless it is the big donors and their bosses at the school's eyebrows.

[Inhogswetrust]

Actually, no there weren't.  Hiring a high school coach was right where the University of Arkansas track program was at the time.  It was a relatively new sport in the SWC and the other candidate for the job at the time McConnell was hired was an Arkansas high school coach with the last name of Nutter.

No there wasn't others more qualified? Surely you jest. Maybe they didn't apply but there were others on paper at the time more qualified. Perhaps Frank didn't want to go that route. Even if it was an emerging sport in the SWC doesn't a matter. It wasn't an emerging sport in the whole US or around the world. The question is were there more qualified Resumes' and the answer is yes. How do you know that someone more qualified on paper may not have been convinced to take it if Frank had been more wiling to have a broader search. 

[Dwight_K_Shrute]

Its amazing to see so many people who couldn't care less about women's basketball now all of a sudden act like they are passionate fans and experts about it all.

Our last hire, Tom Collen, had a pretty good resume going into our job. Probably a resume similar to whatever coach we would have hired outside of Jimmy. Jeff Long went a different direction, one that has a little higher ceiling, but also with potential lower lows.

My thoughts exactly.  Our last 2 HC's had experience and failed.  Suzie more so than Tom.  Collen's resume was that of a guy that coached at mid major and high level, had success at both and was a former assistant here and yet he could not excite the fan base, could not get over the hump and could not keep some of the high level talent in state.

With the level that attendance had sunk to trying something a bit crazy or unexpected is low risk.  In one day this hire has sparked more interest in WBB than any hire short of Geno, Mulkey, or Blair.

It may work it may fail, but I'm intrigued by the hire