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Altman does a Dakich

Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:15 pm
by Tricky_Falcon
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2824653

Altman wants to return to CreightonBy Mark Schlabach
ESPN.com


Dana Altman, introduced as Arkansas' new basketball coach on Monday, changed his mind less than 24 hours later and will announce Tuesday night that he is returning to Creighton, where he has coached the Blue Jays the past 13 seasons, sources at Arkansas said Tuesday night.

Altman, who had a 260-141 record at Creighton, was in his office at Arkansas' Bud Walton Arena and is expected to address reporters gathered outside the arena before 8 p.m. He spent much of the day in his new office in Fayetteville, but met with Arkansas athletics director Frank Broyles and university chancellor John A. White earlier in the day and expressed reservations about taking the job.

Altman was hired Sunday night by Broyles, who will have to renew an arduous search for a replacement for Stan Heath, who was fired last month after six seasons. Broyles, who has spent more than 50 years as the school's athletic director and football coach, will retire at the end of the year.

Altman was believed to be at least the Razorbacks' sixth target. Arkansas officials reportedly offered the job to Texas A&M's Billy Gillespie, Kansas' Bill Self, Southern California's Tim Floyd, Memphis' John Calipari and Marquette's Tom Crean, who each turned the job down.

At Monday's press conference, Altman said, "You don't stay in a place 13 years, and in 72 hours change your feelings about a special place and a special group of players that I had. So today, although I'm very excited, has also been very tough."

Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:24 pm
by Jacobs4Heisman
If I were Creighton's AD, I'd say thanks, but no thanks.

Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:28 pm
by BGDrew
Are we going to see a lot more come out about this in terms of NCAA violations? To have 5 coaches turn the job down before hiring someone, and then having them flee it sends up to a red flag.

Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:48 pm
by Bleeding Orange
Or maybe it just sends up the flag, eh Drew? :wink:

Perhaps this means we should stay as far away from Heath as possible, or maybe its just that no one wants to move to Arkansas. I'd say the latter theory is the most likely.

Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:55 pm
by Jacobs4Heisman
Bleeding Orange wrote:Or maybe it just sends up the flag, eh Drew? :wink:

Perhaps this means we should stay as far away from Heath as possible, or maybe its just that no one wants to move to Arkansas. I'd say the latter theory is the most likely.
This is from a source close to the situation. In his talks with the Arkansas AD, Altman was hooked by how committed to success the administration seemed to be. The AD kept saying thinks like "We REALLY want to succeed here at Arkansas" and "We think you can really help our efforts to succeed". When he was reading his contract, he noticed that the AD was saying secede, and not succeed. Being allergic to bayonets, Altman decided to run on back home.

Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:10 pm
by San Diego Falcon
It seems their problem has been, before offering the job to Altman, going after the wrong people.

Was there any chance of Floyd leaving USC with what he has returning and OJ Mayo on the way?

Bill Self leaving Kansas?