Steve Alford

[NotalentU]

New Mexico fans-

Now that Kelvin Sampson has officially been fired at Indiana, what's the buzz around Albuquerque regarding Steve Alford? You know he'll have to be one of the top candidates at season's end. With no buyout clause in his UNM contract, he could theoretically leave for Bloomington as soon as the Lobos season was over (or before that if he wanted to be an a-hole).

So what do you think? What's the future of your program look like with these latest developments? Does anyone think the call to go home will be too strong for him to resist? Your program is making such huge strides right now, it would be a shame to lose him, but he is a Hoosier--not just A Hoosier, but many out there consider him THE Hoosier!

[NMStorm]

New Mexico fans-

Now that Kelvin Sampson has officially been fired at Indiana, what's the buzz around Albuquerque regarding Steve Alford? You know he'll have to be one of the top candidates at season's end. With no buyout clause in his UNM contract, he could theoretically leave for Bloomington as soon as the Lobos season was over (or before that if he wanted to be an a-hole).

So what do you think? What's the future of your program look like with these latest developments? Does anyone think the call to go home will be too strong for him to resist? Your program is making such huge strides right now, it would be a shame to lose him, but he is a Hoosier--not just A Hoosier, but many out there consider him THE Hoosier!

I think if IU comes calling there is really no question that he will leave. However, I don't think they will hire him. They didn't even consider him the last two times they needed a coach and as great as we at UNM think he has been the rest of the country has no clue. The only places that I can find that seriously call him a candidate is the Albuquerque paper (it's sad that our own paper is trying to hype him up to leave). A couple of people have mentioned him in passing but nothing real serious. I think that he is too closely connected to Coach Knight for the current IU administration. As squeaky clean as Coach Knight ran the IU program I just don't think they want to go back to a Knight prodigy.

Granted, the scenario makes perfect sense when you look at it, I just don't think IU will hire a coach from New Mexico right now regardless of who he is.

[NotalentU]

I think if IU comes calling there is really no question that he will leave. However, I don't think they will hire him. They didn't even consider him the last two times they needed a coach and as great as we at UNM think he has been the rest of the country has no clue. The only places that I can find that seriously call him a candidate is the Albuquerque paper (it's sad that our own paper is trying to hype him up to leave). A couple of people have mentioned him in passing but nothing real serious. I think that he is too closely connected to Coach Knight for the current IU administration. As squeaky clean as Coach Knight ran the IU program I just don't think they want to go back to a Knight prodigy.

Granted, the scenario makes perfect sense when you look at it, I just don't think IU will hire a coach from New Mexico right now regardless of who he is.

I don't know......Somehow I don't think the fact that he's coaching at New Mexico will have any bearing on their decision process. He's got a completely different style than The General, and he is Mr. Indiana (playing second fiddle only to maybe Larry Bird). I find it hard to believe that he wouldn't be one of the first phone calls they make. It's not like the guy has been a stiff as a coach. He was terriffic at SW Missouri St., he had some good success at Iowa up until the last couple of years (really, who wants to live in Iowa? ), and he's made quick work of restoring respectability at UNM.

This should be real interesting to see how this thing shakes out. I think the Mike Davis hire was to preserve continuity (if I remember correctly, it was a mid-season hire, so he took over as interim coach and earned the right to keep the job "permanently"), plus, they had a new AD coming in (Michael McNeely--a real weasel who they dispatched within a couple of years). Kelvin Sampson was just too good to pass up the last time around. He had built Oklahoma into a powerhouse, and Indiana does have that allure to it, if you're a basketball guy. Kind of like Michigan or Notre Dame in football.

Unfortunately for you guys, I think the timing might be right for them to place the call to one of the state's favorite sons. We'll see what happens. It could be a real blow to the Lobos.

[mohlin]

Almost everyone in Indiana is talking about Alford. Because he is doing well makes it twice as likely. I would also worry about Geary and McDonald and maybe other of their recruits. The only reason they came was because of Alvord. I will guarantee that if he leaves, recruits and a player or two will leave. We went through this with Urban Meyer. You hope you can get someone that can come in and keep the momentum going.

[NMStorm]

Almost everyone in Indiana is talking about Alford. Because he is doing well makes it twice as likely. I would also worry about Geary and McDonald and maybe other of their recruits. The only reason they came was because of Alvord. I will guarantee that if he leaves, recruits and a player or two will leave. We went through this with Urban Meyer. You hope you can get someone that can come in and keep the momentum going.

I don't see a lot of people talking about Alford as the first choice. I read an article on ESPN saying they are looking at the T-Wolves head coach. I read on a message board that they are looking at Bruce Pearl. I think that they are going to look for who they perceive is a high profile coach and I don't think right now Coach Alford fits that bill as well as we think. I hope I'm not wrong but I know I could be.

[loborick]

Almost everyone in Indiana is talking about Alford. Because he is doing well makes it twice as likely. I would also worry about Geary and McDonald and maybe other of their recruits. The only reason they came was because of Alvord. I will guarantee that if he leaves, recruits and a player or two will leave. We went through this with Urban Meyer. You hope you can get someone that can come in and keep the momentum going.

I don't know who you know in Indiana, but what I've read and heard there's not much talk about Alford. And McDonald and the other recruits are here because of AC Walker...he coached them in AAU ball.

Alford is very bitter about how IU treated Bob Knight. The only reason he went to play at Indiana was because of Knight and he doesn't like how he was treated. Also, he and the present AD don't get along. If this AD is kept, there is no way Alford gets the job.

I've been listening to this crap on the Lobo message boards. What happens will happen. But I don't see it as a big chance that he will be getting the IU job. There are already big rumors about other candidates. Not so much about Alford. Most of the Alford stuff has been generated in Albuquerque.

[Loboblast]

I think Indiana can do can do better than Steve Alford and they know it. Afterall, he was 60-67 in Big10 play at Iowa and some IU and Big10 fans think "there is a reason why he is not coaching at a major conference" like someone put it. Overall, i expect IU to look at the best possible candidates rather than settle for a IU basketball player "prodigy".

I hope he stays but IF they do offer him the job....he's gone!

[RodneyDangerfield]

Indiana fan boards are predominantly anti-Alford. As I've told those who do support him, Alford can't coach his way out of a wet paper sack. He's lost on the sideline, can't follow the action on the floor, can't motivate his players, doesn't know defense from back fence, and can't recruit for nothing. They'd be far better off with almost any than Alford, period.

Go Lobos, Beat Utah!!!!!

[hog]

So if Alford leaves, big deal maybe the New Mexico can than hire Bobby Knight. Yet, i'm sure Sampson will be calling for a job beat he has alot of free minutes. Well, sampson probably needs to take a lesson from slick rick and head to the pro's for a couple of years...don't think kelvin went to ucla though but i'm sure given time some school will offer him. As for IU, i'd go with:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Montgomery