Comments about candidates

[BBFran]

Terry Frei, a resepected Denver journalist and author of "Third Down and a War to Go," a fascinating book about the 1942 Wisconsin Badger football team members who went off to war, posted this on the Badger board about Mike Dunlap:
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I haven't checked what's going on today, but if UWM hires Mike Dunlap of Metro State (Denver commuter school, my wife's alma mater, Division II national power) to succeeed Bruce Pearl, they've got a winner. He's turned down overtures from a bunch of second-tier programs. He wanted to be in a situation where he had a chance to win and sufficient control over his own fate. His loyalty to Metro State, which is a very good school, has earned him a lot of friends around here and he and the University of Denver's Terry Carroll are the the two best coaches in this state.
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Dunlap looks like a very strong candidate to me.

As for the other reportedly leading candidate, Rob Jeter, I'm surprised by some of the negative reaction here. He is a heck of a coach and a great recruiter, and he knows the university. I think he would be terrific. Those who think that he would keep the UWM job for a few years and then take over at Wisconsin need to understand that Bo Ryan has no intention of stepping down for a long time. Considering that Bo's dad still regularly travels to games in his mid-eighties, I'd be shocked if Bo was even considering retiring before he was 65 -- and he's only 57 now.

I'd be very happy with either Dunlap or Jeter. Doherty is the guy I think we shouldn't give a passing thought to. He's really not that good a coach, and there's no way he'd be looking at the UWM job as anything but a "rehab" assignment.

[bigjim98]

good post...i agree with your take on doherty. thanks for sharing the dunlap post...his record is incredible....my negative jeter posts come from friends who have played for him at MU and local coaches who have had negative interactions with him.....though it's been awhile since his MU days.....local coaches still bad mouth him....seems like a love/hate guy.....

[PointSpecial]

If you've ever met Jeter then you'll know that he comes across as being very arrogant. Whether he is or not is difficult to judge. Fact is, the first impression he gives people is that he's not interested in talking with them. That would not be very good for UWM on the heels of having Mr. Personalility Pearl on the bench and in homes recruiting for the Panthers.

[Zoofan]

I totally agree with that statement!!! Although I am very upset with Bruce for saying some of the things he said, like how he needed to be in Tenn right away, cuz they needed a coach when they returned from spring break....well, what about our guys who ust played their tails off in the sweet 16 game, it's ok for them to not have a coach for weeks....anyway, done venting...Bruce did leave some BIG shoes to fill as far as I am concerned...he was totally mr. approachable, and howm uch of it was true, I'm not sure, but he at least made me feel like my cheering was VERY appreciated. We definitely need someone with an open personality. just my $.02

[pnthr30]

PointSpecial said:

If you've ever met Jeter then you'll know that he comes across as being very arrogant. Whether he is or not is difficult to judge. Fact is, the first impression he gives people is that he's not interested in talking with them.

I have met him and talked with him several times, and I my impression of him was the exact opposite. But, with that being said, I still don't think he is the best candidate for us.