Bryce Drew...

[VUGrad1314]

Very interesting that they are undertaking a national search even after such a successful tenure under one staff. That says something to me. It says to me that they're looking for more. Also interesting is no overt statements or mention at all of the OVC. Maybe I'm reading too much into these things but maybe there's something there to give us pro MVC expansion folks some hope?

https://belmontbruins.com/sports/m-baskbl/2018-19/releases/20190401gs3zfz

[may know]

While I doubt it'll ever happen, Murray State and Belmont in the MVC would be amazing. If the current institutions can't get it done, bring in ones who can.

Valpo playing in Chicago, St Louis, & Nashville every year sounds like a dream.

[valpo84]

By the way, the ESPN scroll last night had Vandy connected to Jerry Stackhouse, who was on the Grizzlies' (Memphis not Montana) staff this past year.  No head coaching experience.  I guess they want to keep up with Li'l Penny over at Memphis.

[M]

Stackhouse and the Vandy AD have a D League connection.

[JD24]

Very interesting that they are undertaking a national search even after such a successful tenure under one staff. That says something to me. It says to me that they're looking for more. Also interesting is no overt statements or mention at all of the OVC. Maybe I'm reading too much into these things but maybe there's something there to give us pro MVC expansion folks some hope? https://belmontbruins.com/sports/m-baskbl/2018-19/releases/20190401gs3zfz

It says to me it is a press release which comes across better than "we are limiting our search to a 50 mile radius".

[VUGrad1314]

The longer they go without naming anyone the more I think Alexander is their guy and they are simply waiting for Lipscomb's season to finish so that they can talk to him.

[Just Sayin]

https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/high-school/2019/04/02/vanderbilt-basketball-casey-shaw-named-davidson-academy-boys-coach-bryce-drew/3342155002/

Casey Shaw, brother-in-law of Bryce Drew, named next Davidson Academy boys basketball coach

[wh]

Very interesting that they are undertaking a national search even after such a successful tenure under one staff. That says something to me. It says to me that they're looking for more. Also interesting is no overt statements or mention at all of the OVC. Maybe I'm reading too much into these things but maybe there's something there to give us pro MVC expansion folks some hope?

https://belmontbruins.com/sports/m-baskbl/2018-19/releases/20190401gs3zfz

I'm not sure why anything about Belmont, past or present, would make you feel hopeful. They flat out rejected previous overtures from both the HL and MVC, and if they had any lingering doubts (as unlikely as that might be), those were put to bed the day the OVC became a 2-bid league.

[VUGrad1314]

I worry about that myself but I also struggle to believe that the OVC will ever do that again. I know they only had to do it once but I like the MVC's future much better.  As I said Byrd was very opposed to the MVC so maybe there's a chance now because it would be an opportunity for Belmont to grow their program.

[FieldGoodie05]

I worry about that myself but I also struggle to believe that the OVC will ever do that again. I know they only had to do it once but I like the MVC's future much better.  As I said Byrd was very opposed to the MVC so maybe there's a chance now because it would be an opportunity for Belmont to grow their program.

Has it ever happened in the OVC before (at large)?

[vu84v2]

I worry about that myself but I also struggle to believe that the OVC will ever do that again. I know they only had to do it once but I like the MVC's future much better.  As I said Byrd was very opposed to the MVC so maybe there's a chance now because it would be an opportunity for Belmont to grow their program.

Has it ever happened in the OVC before (at large)?

Middle Tennessee in 1987.

[valpopal]

Very interesting that they are undertaking a national search even after such a successful tenure under one staff. That says something to me. It says to me that they're looking for more. Also interesting is no overt statements or mention at all of the OVC. Maybe I'm reading too much into these things but maybe there's something there to give us pro MVC expansion folks some hope?

https://belmontbruins.com/sports/m-baskbl/2018-19/releases/20190401gs3zfz

I'm not sure why anything about Belmont, past or present, would make you feel hopeful. They flat out rejected previous overtures from both the HL and MVC, and if they had any lingering doubts (as unlikely as that might be), those were put to bed the day the OVC became a 2-bid league.

On April Fool's Day I proposed a twist to the future for Bryce on the forum: "What if Belmont hired Lipscomb coach Casey Alexander, a Belmont product, and Lipscomb hires Drew, since they are also a Christian school in Nashville. With Lipscomb, Bryce and his coaches don't need to move their families." Given that Bryce's brother-in-law now has taken a job in the area, the possibility of the Drews not wanting to move families becomes even more real. Also, if Bryce were to become the head coach at Lipscomb, and Belmont doesn't change its position about entering the MVC, I'd be happy to see Lipscomb paired with Murray State and added to the MVC. Who knows?

[FieldGoodie05]

I worry about that myself but I also struggle to believe that the OVC will ever do that again. I know they only had to do it once but I like the MVC's future much better.  As I said Byrd was very opposed to the MVC so maybe there's a chance now because it would be an opportunity for Belmont to grow their program.

Has it ever happened in the OVC before (at large)?

Middle Tennessee in 1987.

Horizon Wikipedia states from 1995-2011 had 24 teams make NCAA tournament.  Producing 22 wins in the NCAA tournament.  Assuming that's all true, the OVC has quite a hill to climb.

[VU2014]

Yeah no thanks on the Limpscomb to the MVC proposal... one good year with its coach halfway out the door doesn't sound appealing. Also there are question marks about the schools financial commitment to athletics.

TBH life after Byrd at Belmont is somewhat of a risk but who knows what that program will look like in 10years. Murray State has proven to be able to sustain a mid-major level of success with different coaches.

[valpopal]

Yeah no thanks on the Limpscomb to the MVC proposal... one good year with its coach halfway out the door doesn't sound appealing. Also there are question marks about the schools financial commitment to athletics.

TBH life after Byrd at Belmont is somewhat of a risk but who knows what that program will look like in 10years. Murray State has proven to be able to sustain a mid-major level of success with different coaches.

My suggestion about adding Lipscomb was based upon three hypotheticals: 1, if Belmont continues to say no to the MVC; 2, if Bryce were to be hired as head coach at Lipscomb; 3, if Lipsomb were necessary as a partner to add Murray State. In those circumstances, I see no problem with its addition, especially from a Valpo perspective. A team coached by Bryce would guarantee sold-out games at the ARC and that program would be sure to continue at a higher level because of the recruits Bryce would bring to it. Moreover, if they hired Bryce, that might be a signal of willingness to raise their financial commitment. Finally, everyone seems to agree Murray State would strengthen the conference, but those in charge appear to believe they can only be added in tandem with a 12th team and not merely as an 11th team.

[valpolaw]

Vanderbilt just replaced Bryce with Jerry Stackhouse as the head coach.

[Just Sayin]

Might as well take advantage of every opportunity that Nashville has to offer. Looks like Bryce is beginning a new singing career.

https://www.hotelcafe.com/tickets/?s=events_view&id=9070

[VUGrad1314]

Concert is in LA... Likely not the same person...

[Just Sayin]

Duh

[VUGrad1314]

Unless he's taking the UCLA job. Though I can't imagine UCLA handing the keys to a guy that just went 0 for 2019 and 0 for the SEC at Vanderbilt unless they've truly gotten desperate or believe that he'd somehow do better there. However I don't see UCLA as a good cultural fit for Bryce AT ALL but hey John Wooden proved that Hoosiers can succeed out there so who knows? Not that Drew is anywhere near Wooden's level of course but still...

[bbtds]

Concert is in LA... Likely not the same person...

I don't know....................I found this info about Taylor Noelle which was listed under this Youtube video.

A Los Angeles native, pop singer-songwriter Taylor Noelle moved to Nashville after her senior year of high school to study music business at Belmont University..

So Taylor Noelle did attend Belmont in Nashville. There could be a connection.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilnl94R0NoU]

[VUGrad1314]

So Bryce Drew while coaching in the SEC and bringing in their best recruiting classes ever has time to moonlight as a singer with women from another university? If it really is him, he's either a superhuman dynamo or we now know exactly why Vanderbilt sucked this year and Bryce has lost his marbles and his priorities and needs an intervention desperately.

[Just Sayin]

It's not him. It never was. My post was a joke and Went over your head completely.

[Just Sayin]

Bryce Drew is a woman singer


https://twitter.com/brycedrewmusic?lang=en

[Just Sayin]

Vanderbilt Basketball alums react to hiring of Jerry Stackhouse

Another reason why Vanderbilt fans were so excited about Stackhouse's hire was the financial commitment to the Men's Basketball program that could come with it. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Vanderbilt has pledged to upgrade its financial commitment to the program, including increased assistant coaching salaries and budgets. Commodore Basketball alum and former NBA player Will Perdue has some ideas about what Athletic Director Malcolm Turner should do as part of that increased commitment.

"One, Malcolm needs to be touring the country or have somebody that's constantly touring or keeping an eye on your opponents' facilities," Perdue said. "As soon as a new facility has been labeled the latest and greatest, I think you need to go check that facility out and compare it to what you have. And then once you do that, you say okay, we need to upgrade, or we need to do this, or we need to do that. It's about facility maintenance and trying to stay ahead of the curve.

"Secondly, the bottom line is you really need to pay your assistants more money at Vanderbilt because the cost of living in Nashville is more than it is in Knoxville or Oxford or Tuscaloosa or Gainesville. You have to account for that, but at the same time, because it's Vanderbilt, and I don't like to use the term 'limitations,' but your recruitment base is probably a little smaller, so coaches have to work a little harder. Maybe you have to pay a little more in that sense because you truly have to be able to identify who the available players are. You can't just look at the best player available and move on. There are some criteria that have to be met that require a little extra work on behalf of the coaches."

Overall, the general sentiment from Foster, Byars, LaChance, Kornet and Perdue was that they are all excited about the direction of the program under Turner and Stackhouse. After two dismal seasons, the hiring of Stackhouse has been able to inject some excitement into the fanbase.

For LaChance, it was tough to see his former coach in Bryce Drew let go, but he still understands how exciting Stackhouse is for Vanderbilt.

"I have a lot of respect for Coach Drew and everything he did for me and for the program," LaChance said. "It was just kind of the perfect storm that happened, he had some bad luck and stuff like that. I'm thankful for everything he did for the program and myself included. But, it's a fresh face, and I think anytime there's change, it brings excitement among our fanbase and I think this hire specifically is one that brings a little extra excitement because of how well-respected he is around the NBA. A lot of fans have watched him play and coach over their lifetimes. It's definitely a hire that brings excitement to the program."