Heath or Pelphrey?

[pioneerb]

Heath had arkansas talent while pelphrey had south alabama talent. Heath will turn around the usf basketball program.

[Velcro]

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[Joe]

Both coaches are very good. (This is the story I got from my friend at the Dallas area newspaper)

Arkansas had several problems going for it. Attendance was at an all time low, contributions weren't coming in, and Heath was alienating some of the bigger boosters. They felt for the good of the program they needed a change at the top.

They before the Big 12 tourny they discussed through an agent the possible job opening at Arkansas with Billy Gillispie who was very interested. Well then the UK job opened and within the 1st few days Gillispie's agent was contacted by UK's search firm, as we see now he was near the top of their list.

Arkansas panicked and canned Heath with no plan (as reports later stated Frank Broyles didn't have Gillispie's direct line.) Gillispie agreed to an extension with Texas A&M but didn't sign it, only agreed. That had Arkansas he was willing to negotiate with them still, he wasn't. He was waiting for a UK job that he was talking with.

Despite what the media said Billy Donovan was never really interested in the UK job and most at UK knew this. However, the big time boosters (who were going to be paying most of the coach's salary wanted to give it a shot)

They told Gillispie that they believed Donovan was staying at Florida, but he was their 1st choice as coach and if he declined the job they would turn to him(Thursday night after Donovan said no Thursday morning).

Dispite other reports Rick Barnes was just contacted for interest, he wasn't UK's 2nd target.

To make a long story short. No Arkansas did not get the guy they wanted, but they still got a great coach and recruiter who should get them to the tourny next year.

USF got a great coach and recruiter who is willing to build the program (unlike Pelphrey) to prominence.

Clearly I'd take Heath because he WANTED the job. We got a steal, because there is no doubt that he might have been a candidate for Kansas State or Texas A&M or any other job out there. Way to lock em down Wollard!