"Possibly" emerged as Tulsa candidate

[ARCInsider]

That being said, I am suprised they are looking at Bryce Drew right now as his coaching stock is currently low. 

You seem to have really good instincts for stocks...I have a whole bunch of stock in Enron you might want to gobble up.  PM me if interested!!

[hoopfan22]

If he's offered he better take it. As much as people want to get offended his stock IS low. No telling when it's going to go up again with this team.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

No telling when it's going to go up again with this team.

um...when they start winning everything the next three years would be a safe bet.

[hoopfan22]

No telling when it's going to go up again with this team.

um...when they start winning everything the next three years would be a safe bet.

Until then, the stock is down, and that's fine with me.

[a3uge]

Bryce's stock right now is about the same as it was last year. His value is in his family and legacy with the NCAA tourney/NBA. Homer and Scott's success pushes Bryce's name up more so than a 20ish win season. Granted a win in the tourney would push it up even more, but until then (as long ad Valpo stays competitive), he'll keep drawing interest from schools like Tulsa. Tulsa would be a step up for Bryce, there's no denying that, and would make for a great stepping stone job, but at Valpo he has incredible stability, is beloved by all, and has very little pressure.

If I was a Tulsa fan, I'd be slow to anoint Bryce just because of his family ties, but at the same time, would be intrigued by his name recognition and his early success at a small private school in a conference full of large public schools.

[ARCInsider]

The stock being down and the stock being LOW are two totally different things.  Of course it isn't as high as it was coming off a 26 win season and an NCAA tourney appearance.  Saying Bryce Drew's stock is LOW is, well, idiotic.

[vu72]

Bryce's stock right now is about the same as it was last year. His value is in his family and legacy with the NCAA tourney/NBA. Homer and Scott's success pushes Bryce's name up more so than a 20ish win season. Granted a win in the tourney would push it up even more, but until then (as long ad Valpo stays competitive), he'll keep drawing interest from schools like Tulsa. Tulsa would be a step up for Bryce, there's no denying that, and would make for a great stepping stone job, but at Valpo he has incredible stability, is beloved by all, and has very little pressure.

If I was a Tulsa fan, I'd be slow to anoint Bryce just because of his family ties, but at the same time, would be intrigued by his name recognition and his early success at a small private school in a conference full of large public schools.

If family ties were that important, as stated earlier, Scott Sutton would be a better choice.  The Sutton name in Oklahoma is much bigger than the Drew's.

[classof2014]

Bryce isn't leaving for Tulsa. As many have pointed out Tulsa is a similar school, in basketball terms to Valpo, so it wouldn't be much of an upgrade for him. He'd be moving away from all of his family, I would imagine his brother Scott, would be the closest family down in Waco.

Unlike most coaches, Bryce has very strong ties to Valparaiso, both the city and the university. He grew up here, was the high-school star, played for his dad, was the star of the team once again. After his pro career, he coached under his dad, took over for his dad and brought the team back to the tournament. Bryce is a beloved figure in Valparaiso. He isn't going to leave for some third-tier city in Oklahoma, where he has no connections to.

If Bryce does leave, it'll be to a program that is a definite upgrade from a mid-major school, like his brother did going to Baylor in the Big 12. Tulsa isn't that much of an upgrade. I would imagine if he were to leave he'd go to the B1G or Big 12 or a similar conference, not a similar mid-major school that isn't much different than Valpo.

[a3uge]

And I'm sure anyone at Tulsa looking for a coach did a simple Google search to find out why Valpo dropped to a .500 record - any team that loses 5 starting seniors is going to see a drop in performance. So when Mercer is hovering around .500 next year, would Bob Hoffman's stock be down/low? I think Bryce's year WITH the 5 seniors is more relevant than anything that happened last year.

If you look at Tulsa's board, Drew seems to be their fans most desirable coach, with Bob Hoffman coming in a distant second.  I know this board likes to prop Bryce up to Wooden status sometimes and then drag him down when he's not, but I do think Bryce would be a great hire for Tulsa. This isn't drinking the Kool-Aid or whatever, unless you think the Tulsa fans have drank the Valpo Kool-Aid as well. Its not the job for Oral Roberts, and its not the job for Oklahoma State. It's a small private university that's smaller than Valpo in a pretty good conference. Its a step up, but its still within his league.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

The stock being down and the stock being LOW are two totally different things.  Of course it isn't as high as it was coming off a 26 win season and an NCAA tourney appearance.  Saying Bryce Drew's stock is LOW is, well, idiotic.

I would think "low" would be appropriate, as in "low as opposed to where it should be".  He may have been overvalued last year, and maybe under- this year.  We'll see over the next few years where the market rate should be set.

(Speaking of the Homer-to-Bryce, anyone else happen to be reminded of VHS when Bob Miller retired from his perennial state champion band in 1994, and Dan Pritchett kept winning for a couple years, then had some harder times thereafter?

Nope?  Just me? Figured.)

[a3uge]

Bryce isn't leaving for Tulsa. As many have pointed out Tulsa is a similar school, in basketball terms to Valpo, so it wouldn't be much of an upgrade for him. He'd be moving away from all of his family, I would imagine his brother Scott, would be the closest family down in Waco.

Unlike most coaches, Bryce has very strong ties to Valparaiso, both the city and the university. He grew up here, was the high-school star, played for his dad, was the star of the team once again. After his pro career, he coached under his dad, took over for his dad and brought the team back to the tournament. Bryce is a beloved figure in Valparaiso. He isn't going to leave for some third-tier city in Oklahoma, where he has no connections to.

If Bryce does leave, it'll be to a program that is a definite upgrade from a mid-major school, like his brother did going to Baylor in the Big 12. Tulsa isn't that much of an upgrade. I would imagine if he were to leave he'd go to the B1G or Big 12 or a similar conference, not a similar mid-major school that isn't much different than Valpo.

The road from Tulsa to a major program could be easier than the road from Valpo to a major program. But I don't think Bryce takes this job even if offered. He generally seems happy at Valpo, so much so that he signed a long term contract knowing full well that other schools would be knocking at his door.

[usc4valpo]

ok, the wrong word.  It is down.  Cripes, I was not a liberal arts major.

[ARCInsider]

The stock being down and the stock being LOW are two totally different things.  Of course it isn't as high as it was coming off a 26 win season and an NCAA tourney appearance.  Saying Bryce Drew's stock is LOW is, well, idiotic.

I would think "low" would be appropriate, as in "low as opposed to where it should be".  He may have been overvalued last year, and maybe under- this year.  We'll see over the next few years where the market rate should be set.

(Speaking of the Homer-to-Bryce, anyone else happen to be reminded of VHS when Bob Miller retired from his perennial state champion band in 1994, and Dan Pritchett kept winning for a couple years, then had some harder times thereafter?

Nope?  Just me? Figured.)

Low compared to who?  Among young coaches who could be available, wouldn't his stock be high?

[HC]

I'm not sure what in his past leads anyone to believe he would consider leaving for this job or just about any other.  He is at a place that wants him, has job security (pretty much for as long as he wants to coach), just signed a 10 year extension (I know this doesn't set anything in stone, but I bet there is a big buyout clause), and has a fantastic young core of players.

If he is going to leave I hope it is before someone picks off Coach Powell so he can fill the position from within.

[oklahomamick]

Don't want to sound like Panther U, but I have news from a source that Drew is safe at Valpo.  Everyone can breath.  Drew remains. 

[valpotx]

Even if Bryce left, Valpo is a desireable job for a coach on the rise in the lower ranks, or for an Assistant at a BCS school who wants a mid-major HC job for a few years, to get that bigger job down the line.  We are in a much better position than our conference mates in regards to name recognition, and have winning teams just about every year.  I don't see Bryce leaving for a Tulsa, it will be a better name in a few years.

[a3uge]

It's not official that he's staying until I read something like this:

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Low compared to who?  Among young coaches who could be available, wouldn't his stock be high?

Compared to where he was last year as a coach with a team in the Dance.  You don't compare a stock to another stock, you compare it to itself; no one says "company A is a higher value than company B!  let's buy it!"

I have news from a source that Drew is safe at Valpo.

Well, only because VUPD has really stepped it up under Asst. Chief Garber.

[a3uge]

Low compared to who?  Among young coaches who could be available, wouldn't his stock be high?

Compared to where he was last year as a coach with a team in the Dance.  You don't compare a stock to another stock, you compare it to itself; no one says "company A is a higher value than company B!  let's buy it!"

I have news from a source that Drew is safe at Valpo.

Well, only because VUPD has really stepped it up under Asst. Chief Garber.

[wh]

It's not official that he's staying until I read something like this:

Lol One of the funniest posts I've seen in a long time.

Jimmy - we're laughing with you buddy, not at you. I read your blog and enjoy it. 

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Just so you know I was going to "like" your fake tweet until I saw this.

[a3uge]

Just so you know I was going to "like" your fake tweet until I saw this.

Admittedly it was better than the potential "Family Ties" quip I set you up for.

[ARCInsider]

That .gif is AMAZING a3uge...love it.

[Dave_2010]

I think many are looking at the desirability (or lack thereof) of the Tulsa job from the wrong perspective. Moving to the AAC without a doubt gives the Tulsa job greater exposure, better tournament access, and a bigger payday...to argue any of those points is foolish and unproductive.

Where the Tulsa job loses much of its luster to me is after seeing what happened to our friends from Indianapolis during their first season in the Big East. I have no idea how the 2014-15 Tulsa depth chart compares to Butler's this season, but I think it's a safe bet that Tulsa is destined to take some major lumps in its first season (or more) of AAC play. Playing in a league with the defending national champion (UConn), and high profile programs like Memphis, Cincy, and (now) SMU will do that to you. This is a significant step-up in competition for a school with only one tourney appearance in the last decade.

For me to leave a job where I am nearly unfirable for a job where I'm destined to lose a lot of games over the next few seasons will take a major commitment of guaranteed cash. Bryce needs to be very calculating as to where and when he makes the move away from Valpo because if you make the jump and wind up getting fired, you're probably not going to get a second chance.  If you don't believe me, just ask Gary Waters.

[valpotx]

Whoa, whoa, whoa!  Let's not call SMU a high profile program until they show any type of sustained success.  One season does not a top program make