Penny to University of Memphis??????

[Norman Dale]

9 hours ago, kwc said:

Penny CAN coach. Will he get outcoached when his talented team meets up with other teams with like talent? That is a wait and see proposition. He's done it in a big way in the AAU arena, as well as, in the high school level. East is a nationally ranked public high school. That's unheard of ... it is usually the prep schools. I know that's not D-1 big time college basketball ... but he's done exemplary on every level. Why wouldn't he excell at the U of M? We found out that Pastner couldn't coach, along with being overly dogmatic and just downright stubborn. He eventually lost his team and was crushed under the pressure he put on himself, more then anything else. He was WAY TOO ANAL. I don't think Penny is like Pastner at all, except, they can both recruit. That's it. Penny will be a starkly improved and better coach then Pastner ever was or will be. Penny is actually a terrific, knowledgable coach. I'm not worried about his Xs and Os either. He's got that department down pat as well. He's also a great motivator, as well as, a very good tactician. He's a defense first coach who has the understanding, commitmrent, and respect of his players. I couldn't disagree with you more. Penny has already targeted some excellent staff to hire when he gets the job. He's no dummy and he knows the coaching staff will be as crucial as the talent level of the recruits he brings in. He's in tune with todays culture of young people. This is actually a slam dunk. Yeah, he's going to go through a learning curve ... but he is well able to handle it. Just look at his focus and his team's focus currently. None of them are distracted and they will get the 3rd ball dispite all of the talk swirling around him... and THEN will he focus on the U of M job. 

Yeah ... Penny will do just fine. 

Penny will generate excitement but it still seems like a stretch of a hire by a desperate program that has lost its luster to me. Just my opinion- you could be right we shall see.

[HOOPSGURU]

9 hours ago, kwc said:

Penny CAN coach. Will he get outcoached when his talented team meets up with other teams with like talent? That is a wait and see proposition. He's done it in a big way in the AAU arena, as well as, in the high school level. East is a nationally ranked public high school. That's unheard of ... it is usually the prep schools. I know that's not D-1 big time college basketball ... but he's done exemplary on every level. Why wouldn't he excell at the U of M? We found out that Pastner couldn't coach, along with being overly dogmatic and just downright stubborn. He eventually lost his team and was crushed under the pressure he put on himself, more then anything else. He was WAY TOO ANAL. I don't think Penny is like Pastner at all, except, they can both recruit. That's it. Penny will be a starkly improved and better coach then Pastner ever was or will be. Penny is actually a terrific, knowledgable coach. I'm not worried about his Xs and Os either. He's got that department down pat as well. He's also a great motivator, as well as, a very good tactician. He's a defense first coach who has the understanding, commitmrent, and respect of his players. I couldn't disagree with you more. Penny has already targeted some excellent staff to hire when he gets the job. He's no dummy and he knows the coaching staff will be as crucial as the talent level of the recruits he brings in. He's in tune with todays culture of young people. This is actually a slam dunk. Yeah, he's going to go through a learning curve ... but he is well able to handle it. Just look at his focus and his team's focus currently. None of them are distracted and they will get the 3rd ball dispite all of the talk swirling around him... and THEN will he focus on the U of M job. 

Yeah ... Penny will do just fine. 

Long post with very little info. Penny can coach because he has best talent? Silly post...

[QSouth89]

21 hours ago, Norman Dale said:

I could see a school like Memphis hiring Penny to be an assistant coach. But I don’t think there is any way he will get hired as a head coach at a high major D1 university at this point- he’s not ready, IMO. Even if he gets top notch talent he would get outcoached by other more experienced coaches who likewise have top notch talent.

 

I disagree with you Norman Dale (and usually I agree with you on most topics) but if NBA players can go from playing right into coaching then Penny can coach college. He may have a mind for the game and be successful.  Lets be real the crowds were not showing up at FedEx Arena so economics played a role in this. But getting back to my point: Doc Rivers was an announcer before he started coaching, Jason Kidd and Derek Fisher went from playing right into head coaching (bad examples but Kidd has shown he can coach)  Steve Kerr was an announcer then a GM before coaching.  It's not impossible to do.  He would need to surround himself with top notch assistant coaches or former head coaches who are willing to groom him.  Also he would need to be able to recruit (you can have sharpest coaching mind in the world but you still win with talent). If I'm wrong then Memphis will look like as bad as Notre Dame did when they hired Gerry Faust back in 1981. Being a life long Notre Dame fan, that was a disaster. 

[bigchief]

9 hours ago, HOOPSGURU said:

Long post with very little info. Penny can coach because he has best talent? Silly post...

A voice of reason

[Red Rebels]

21 hours ago, Norman Dale said:

I personally think Memphis should go after a proven college head coach that would be a good fit - somebody like Steve Forbes of ETSU. 

 

 

I thought he'd get a look. From ETSU to WTSU.

[chattaauhoops]

Penny's ability to coach at the NCAA div. 1 level is a question mark. None of us know- we can all speculate. I'll go on the record as one who believes he should be given the opportunity at Memphis. He is a terrific alum and has done a great job at the HS and AAU / Exposure levels. Those are very different animals than going up against conference teams and achieving the goal of getting back in the National picture. Penny will attract high level talent in his first 2 years as young fellas will think this is their path to the NBA with a proven legend. After the first 2 years, we will all know if he "CAN COACH."

[kwc]

On 3/15/2018 at 9:40 PM, HOOPSGURU said:

Long post with very little info. Penny can coach because he has best talent? Silly post...

This is a message board and your opinion is your opinion about my post. My state ments about him excelling on every level is a such. He started coaching in the public school arena at the middle school level where his team won a state championship when he took ovver a program for his dying friend. He assisted on East's 1st state championship, and was the HC on their 2nd. He's going to be the HC ob their 3rd. Those East's teams have fared well in national tournaments that compete at the highest levels in high school basketball ... in the country. One is the City of Palms in Flordia, and the other is a tournament in Missouri, that I can't remember the name right now. These are invitation only tournaments, and they played the the championship game. Team Penny has won at one of the most prestigious AAU events of the summer in recent history ... the Peach Jam. They are there consistently and they have fared well throughout the AAU season. 

My point is being this. He's not some johnny come lately at this. He has been focused and involved in high school/college basketball for quite a while. The teams that he has coached, even at the middle school and high achool level have achieved the highest award. State championships. He is an active participant in the AAU world. He's part of the team that assembles the talent that plaus on those AAU teams. He's connected and he knows all the players and all of the players know him.

I think he may flip some young men when he takes the job.

He's proven he can coach and win championships on the middle school and high school levels. The Team Penny AAU teams are always one of the best in the country on a yearly basis, and those teams are not comprised of only players from Memphis. James Wiseman is an example. He will recruit big time talent and be successful at doing it.

Like I've said ... he's done it on every level to which he has been involved. I don't think he's in over his head. I think he's been preparing for this all of his post professional career. It's so obvious, it isn't funny.

We will all see in due time.

Edited March 17, 2018 by kwc

[Norman Dale]

4 hours ago, QSouth89 said:

I disagree with you Norman Dale (and usually I agree with you on most topics) but if NBA players can go from playing right into coaching then Penny can coach college. He may have a mind for the game and be successful.  Lets be real the crowds were not showing up at FedEx Arena so economics played a role in this. But getting back to my point: Doc Rivers was an announcer before he started coaching, Jason Kidd and Derek Fisher went from playing right into head coaching (bad examples but Kidd has shown he can coach)  Steve Kerr was an announcer then a GM before coaching.  It's not impossible to do.  He would need to surround himself with top notch assistant coaches or former head coaches who are willing to groom him.  Also he would need to be able to recruit (you can have sharpest coaching mind in the world but you still win with talent). If I'm wrong then Memphis will look like as bad as Notre Dame did when they hired Gerry Faust back in 1981. Being a life long Notre Dame fan, that was a disaster. 

Thanks Qsouth- no problem on disagreeing some.

FYI, I absolutely loved Penny as a player so my opinion is nothing personal against Penny. He played with incredible passion and was truly gifted as a player. IMO, he would have been a sure fire NBA Hall of Famer if not for injuries. He also seems like an outstanding person and you have to give him credit for being a great mentor to the young men he has coached in high school.

I just think Memphis could hire a more proven head coaching commodity than Penny. I think the Tubby Smith debacle has empowered their athletic department hierarchy to go in a completely 180 degree different  direction with a totally unproven college coach. It is a risky move but it could potentially be a gold mine if  Penny works out- we shall see.

 

 

 

 

[QSouth89]

3 hours ago, Norman Dale said:

Thanks Qsouth- no problem on disagreeing some.

FYI, I absolutely loved Penny as a player so my opinion is nothing personal against Penny. He played with incredible passion and was truly gifted as a player. IMO, he would have been a sure fire NBA Hall of Famer if not for injuries. He also seems like an outstanding person and you have to give him credit for being a great mentor to the young men he has coached in high school.

I just think Memphis could hire a more proven head coaching commodity than Penny. I think the Tubby Smith debacle has empowered their athletic department hierarchy to go in a completely 180 degree different  direction with a totally unproven college coach. It is a risky move but it could potentially be a gold mine if  Penny works out- we shall see.

 

 

 

 

I know I shouldn’t base his coaching on one game but after watching East play Bearden I truly believe he might need some time as an assistant. High school ball and college ball are two different animals but if he can recruit and hire some strong assistants he will be fine. 

[kwc]

2 hours ago, QSouth89 said:

I know I shouldn’t base his coaching on one game but after watching East play Bearden I truly believe he might need some time as an assistant. High school ball and college ball are two different animals but if he can recruit and hire some strong assistants he will be fine. 

I think he will be fine as well.

[REBELRON]

Steve Forbes would be a great choice at Memphis. I wouldn't want him to take that job. I would love to see Steve Forbes take the UT job when Rick Barnes hangs it up. 

Edited March 16, 2018 by REBELRON

[kwc]

On 3/16/2018 at 5:54 PM, REBELRON said:

Steve Forbes would be a great choice at Memphis. I wouldn't want him to take that job. I would love to see Steve Forbes take the UT job when Rick Barnes hangs it up. 

Penny is the only person they can hire that will bring back the fan base. That's what got Tubby fired. If the U of M tries to get cute and hire anybody else, it will be chaos. They really don't have a choice.