The Other Basketball Team. The One With a Coach. The Iowa women stayed alive this weekend with a 70-63 win over Rutgers. As we have come to expect over the past two months as the Iowa women surged to the NCAA tournament, the Hawkeyes were led by their big three: 18 points, 8 boards, and 4 assists from Kachine Alexander, and another 15 points apiece from Jamie Printy and Kamile Wahlin. That, and a 39-29 edge on the boards, was enough to dispatch Rutgers. They face No. 1 seed Stanford tonight (8:30, ESPN2), which is 32-1 and playing at home...
One in a million, probably, but Stanford is comparable to the Ohio State squad Iowa nearly defeated two weeks ago in the Big Ten Tournament finals. There's a chance, I suppose.
The Rumor Mill Spins Away. B.J. Armstrong was the subject of a round of coaching rumors last week, rumors that made little sense on their face but far more in context: Jon Miller had a source tell him that Armstrong was open to helping the basketball program in any way possible. Miller innocently published those rumors and let the page views roll in, but those rumors probably had little to do with the coaching position itself. Armstrong has no head coaching experience (and little to no coaching experience in general), is currently a successful NBA agent (he represents Bulls point guard Derrick Rose), and had previously served on the search committee that tabbed Todd Lickliter. As John Bohnenkamp wrote last week, Armstrong is better suited as kingmaker:
Armstrong is smart enough, and has enough connections, that he would be perfect as the kingmaker, finding someone to be the head coach of the Hawkeyes. He knows the names and he knows the right people to ask. And as a former Iowa player, he knows, and can sell, the Hawkeye culture to prospective candidates....Letting Armstrong be a crucial part of the process is good PR. But Armstrong would be more than a perfect face to put on the search. He’s probably the perfect mind to be leading the way.
Armstrong, for his part, offered to help "once [he] has a break in [his] schedule," which doesn't sound like the involvement required of a potential head coach. This rumor is DOA.
As for what Iowa should be looking for, former Iowa players are putting an emphasis on personality. Mike Henderson said Iowa should be looking for someone who "works the sideline," while Kenyon Murray suggested Iowa needs a coach who can successfully adapt to a variety of opponents. In other words, much like the last search, everyone wants the polar opposite of the last guy.
Footnotes:
- Giants Football Blog profiles Pat Angerer as an NFL draft prospect.
- The 2010 Big Ten Helmet Schedule is out. Gentlemen, start your engines.
- Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson touches a baby. The camera turns away before Adrian Clayborn comes from nowhere and sacks the guy holding said baby.
- Iowa State and Northern Iowa who, unlike Iowa, still use taxpayer money for varsity athletics, must be self-sufficient by next September. Expect further cuts to those programs, both of which have already cut varsity baseball in the last 5 years. Jamie Pollard remains inconsolable.