I'm not sure about Walton being elite...his prior job to UF was HC of the Wichita State Shockers. In his three years there, they never won their conference, and they only made the NCAA Regionals in his final year. Granted, they might not have been competitive before he got there. Prior to that, he was an assistant at Oklahoma, which is an elite softball program.
As for Sully (Kevin O'Sullivan), he was an assistant at Clemson. Mary Wise was an assistant at Kentucky (hardly a volleyball powerhouse) before she came to Florida. Becky Burleigh was essentially coaching a Division 2 soccer program, although she won championships at that level. Roland Thornqvist maybe is elite-ish, having had HC experience at UNC and Kansas, though he didn't coach any championship teams at those schools. Mike Holloway was track coach at Buchholz and then assistant at UF before getting the HC job. Really, of all our currently successful coaches, the only one I can think of that would be considered elite prior to taking the job is Mandy O'Leary, as she was HC at Temple for over a decade and two of her teams went to the NCAA Tournament. On Fri, May 8, 2015 at 3:55 PM, C.Simpson <[email protected]> wrote: > IIRC Tim Walton was in the 'elite" category when hired to be the > softball coach. > Charlie > > On 5/8/2015 3:47 PM, Sandy Alonso wrote: > > I knew you didn't mean "the" Roy Williams, I was just stating I'm no fan > of the guy (because I seriously am not). That being said, what elite coach > would you have tapped for the UF job? Who could we realistically get, > knowing that no matter what, basketball will always play second fiddle to > the football program? (And it's not just because of butts in seats - just > look at the Gator fan sites that get more hits and comments about football > than basketball.) In a perfect world, we'd have snagged Shaka Smart, and I > think most Gator fans would love that, but he's not really "elite" either. > > Not even sure who we really could have taken for football (since once > again, UTx took our best coach for the position *shakes fist at Austin*). > > I remember there were actually people who made faces when it was > announced Spurrier was coming to UF ("he only won at Duke"). Almost nobody > knew who Billy D was when Foley brought him over from Marshall. And you > can't say UF didn't have ANY program then, because they'd been to the Final > Four under Kruger. > > Who was Rhonda Faehn before she came to UF? Just an assistant at > Nebraska, a program that still doesn't have a national title. The project > I hope Foley hires is one of Faehn's assistant coaches. Hell, I'd love it > if he made them co-HCs, because they have a significant amount to do with > the program's success and I think they'd continue Faehn's philosophy for > the program. > > > > On Fri, May 8, 2015 at 3:22 PM, Oliver Barry <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Well, yes. That’s one thing I don’t get. Like I said, we should have >> picked up a Roy Williams (not the Roy Williams, Sandy). We should have >> picked up a Nick Saban for football. >> >> I wouldn’t say Saban brought any baggage, or any boring games. >> >> Instead, the elite program of the SEC gets two “potential” great guys. >> >> Whether he is or not, McElwain should look like the second coming of >> Knute Rockne with this team. The talent is there. All they need is >> someone with an actual plan for offense. >> >> Muschamp should be ashamed for throwing away the career of Jeff Driskel. >> >> At any rate, if we’re elite, let’s go get an elite coach. >> >> I can’t wait to see who the project is Jeremy brings in for the three >> time national champion gymnastics team. >> >> >> >> All this grousing aside, I will be firmly supportive of our coaches, >> whoever they are. >> >> >> >> >> >> Oliver Barry, CRS, GRI >> >> Bob Parks Realty, LLC >> >> Real Estate Broker >> >> 145 Maple Row Blvd >> >> Hendersonville TN 37075 >> >> Phone: 615-826-4040 >> >> Mobile: 615-972-4239 >> >> [email protected] >> >> >> >> *From:* [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] *On >> Behalf Of *John Bowers >> *Sent:* Friday, May 08, 2015 11:13 AM >> *To:* [email protected] >> *Subject:* RE: [gatortalk] Fwd: [gatornews] [SUN]: Dooley: Foley gets >> his guy >> >> >> >> I also think that “only” paying $2 mill a year was a factor. White is >> young, obviously talented, a Florida native, and plays “uptempo” hoops. >> Jeremy had a tough decision, he went with what he thinks is correct. With >> all Jeremy has done for UF, we need to get behind the new guy. And the new >> football guy, too, whatever his name is. Heh heh…. >> >> >> >> *From:* [email protected] [mailto:[email protected] >> <[email protected]>] *On Behalf Of *Sandy Alonso >> *Sent:* Friday, May 08, 2015 11:04 AM >> *To:* [email protected] >> *Subject:* Re: [gatortalk] Fwd: [gatornews] [SUN]: Dooley: Foley gets >> his guy >> >> >> >> I respectfully disagree. Besides the fact that I am no fan of Roy >> Williams, a lot of those guys will cost a ton of money and bring along >> baggage or a boring style of play. >> >> I was on the Archie Miller bandwagon, but the basketball talking heads >> are gushing so much about this guy, that I'm starting to really warm up to >> this hire. >> >> >> >> On Fri, May 8, 2015 at 10:47 AM, mail.bobparks.com <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >> I'm not impressed. If Florida is an elite program we should get an elite >> coach. A Roy Williams, not another project. >> >> Oliver Barry, CRS, GRI, SFR >> >> Real Estate Broker >> >> Bob Parks, LLC >> >> 145 Maple Row Blvd >> >> Hendersonville TN 37075 >> >> Mobile: 615-972-4239 >> >> Office: 615-826-4040 >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> >> Begin forwarded message: >> >> *From:* Shane Ford <[email protected]> >> *Date:* May 8, 2015 at 7:06:15 AM CDT >> *To:* GatorNews <[email protected]> >> *Subject:* *[gatornews] [SUN]: Dooley: Foley gets his guy* >> *Reply-To:* [email protected] >> >> Dooley: Foley gets his guy >> >> >> >> Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley was pumped up after hiring Mike >> White on Thursday. (The Associated Press) >> >> >> *By Pat Dooley <http://www.gatorsports.com/personalia/patdooley> >> Gainesville SUN Columnist* >> *Published: Thursday, May 7, 2015 at 10:06 p.m.* *Last Modified: >> Thursday, May 7, 2015 at 10:55 p.m.* >> >> It was Monday morning and Jeremy Foley was choked up. He was saying >> goodbye to Billy Donovan, his close friend and best hire as Florida's >> athletic director. >> >> On Monday afternoon, Foley made a phone call that would shape the >> immediate future of Florida basketball. He dialed up Tommy McClelland, the >> young athletic director at Louisiana Tech, to let him know he wanted to >> talk to McClelland's basketball coach. >> >> On Thursday, Foley was pumped up. >> >> He had hired the coach to replace the irreplaceable. >> >> “You're gonna love him,” Foley told me Thursday night. “I know this >> happened fast, but he blew us away.” >> >> Mike White, 38, fits all the parameters of a Foley hire. He's young, he >> has a great personality, he has had success but not so much that Florida >> had to pay ridiculous money to get him here. Foley has a track record of >> rewarding coaches who do well here, not somewhere else. >> >> The hiring of White happened so fast it caught a lot of people by >> surprise. The surprise wasn't that they hired him, but that they hired him >> so quickly. >> >> But you have to understand this — once coach Scott Brooks was fired by >> Oklahoma City, Foley and his staff prepared for the worst-case scenario. >> They started looking for a new coach before Donovan was even talking to >> Thunder general manager Sam Presti. >> >> That's what you do when you are an athletic director. You don't wait >> until the bomb drops, you start moving when you hear the planes overhead. >> >> “Our antennae were up,” Foley said. >> >> And the one guy they kept picking up on the radar was White, who might >> well be the next big thing in college basketball. He is energetic and knows >> the state of Florida. His team plays fast-tempo basketball, which was >> crucial for Foley to find. >> >> After 19 years of Billyball, nobody wanted to see Deflategate, >> basketball-style. >> >> Then there is this — White and Louisiana Tech have been to the NIT three >> straight years. That shouldn't excite anyone, but if you are at Louisiana >> Tech you had better win your conference tournament if you want to dance. >> >> I could mention this — he turned down Tennessee and has already won at >> Florida State. >> >> Now you're warming up to the guy. >> >> Or this — Florida basically traded Jeff Driskel for Mike White. >> >> Point, Florida. >> >> But these are all trivial points that pale in comparison to the biggest >> one. Just like it was the right time for Donovan in his career to leave >> Florida, it was the right time for White in his career to come to Florida. >> >> Time will tell if this was a good hire. It makes a lot of sense. There >> were other coaches on speculative checklists, but most of them were >> bloggers' dreams. Foley knew who he wanted, vetted him and went after him. >> >> Certainly, this is now an athletic director with two new coaches with >> limited track records in the sports that matter most. If nothing else, it >> makes the coming years around here really interesting. >> >> The bottom line is that a new era has begun for Florida basketball. It >> has been so long since one started, it's difficult to remember when it did. >> Here's a clue — Michael White was a sophomore point guard at Ole Miss when >> Donovan started his career as UF's coach. >> >> Now, White takes over an elite program, one that Donovan started building >> when White was trying to find a way to beat the Gators as a player. >> >> Now, White's their guy. >> >> Now, he has the chance of a lifetime. >> >> There have been a lot more splashy hires in the SEC over the last two >> years. Bruce Pearl, Rick Barnes, Ben Howland. >> >> This hire had much less splash. But what matters are the ripples. >> >> *Contact Pat Dooley at 352-374-5053 <352-374-5053> or >> at [email protected] <[email protected]>. And follow at >> Twitter.com/Pat_Dooley <http://Twitter.com/Pat_Dooley>.* >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Sent From Shane's iPhone >> >> Go Gators! & Skål Vikes! >> >> ALPCA #8756 >> >> Europlate #1045 >> >> -- >> -- >> GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! >> 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions >> 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 >> National Football Champions | >> Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel >> (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "GatorNews" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> >> -- >> -- >> GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! >> 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions >> 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 >> National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier >> (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "GatorTalk" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> >> >> >> -- >> -- >> GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! >> 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions >> 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 >> National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier >> (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "GatorTalk" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> >> -- >> -- >> GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! >> 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions >> 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 >> National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier >> (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "GatorTalk" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> -- >> -- >> GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! >> 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions >> 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 >> National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier >> (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "GatorTalk" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> > > -- > -- > GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! > 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 > National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 > National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier > (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "GatorTalk" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > > > -- > -- > GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! > 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 > National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 > National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier > (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "GatorTalk" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "GatorTalk" group. 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