Candidate Thread: Thad Matta

[IUCrazy2]

3 minutes ago, Josh said:

Nah, what i meant was that he did quit for health reasons.  So why did OSU buy him out for $9M?  I can't believe they wanted him gone.  

Because he probably could have sat out for quite awhile for health reasons and still been under contract.  So they have an interim coach for a good deal of time wondering when he is going to get better, or they buy him out and move on.

[Hoosierfan2017]

2 minutes ago, Gnet550 said:

Those not interested in Matta...I question your thinking, unless your flat out worried about his health. If he’s healthy and your not interested, I don’t have much for you.

 

He’s won 73% of his games, been too 4 final fours I believe and a National Championship game. Several elite 8s and sweet sixteens.

Stole Oden and Conley from Indiana to Ohio state so he can recruit...

 

he’s a solid candidate 

I think the people not interested in Matta are going to wish we had hired him when we hire someone completely underwhelming. We could do much, much worse than him.

[Josh]

7 minutes ago, IUCrazy2 said:

Because he probably could have sat out for quite awhile for health reasons and still been under contract.  So they have an interim coach for a good deal of time wondering when he is going to get better, or they buy him out and move on.

Ahhh...so maybe he didn't want to quit, he just wanted time off to heal.  OSU wouldn't go for that so they bought him out.

Interesting, I hadn't thought of that.  I feel better about him with this theory

[LIHoosier]

12 minutes ago, Gnet550 said:

Those not interested in Matta...I question your thinking, unless your flat out worried about his health. If he’s healthy and your not interested, I don’t have much for you.

 

He’s won 73% of his games, been too 4 final fours I believe and a National Championship game. Several elite 8s and sweet sixteens.

Stole Oden and Conley from Indiana to Ohio state so he can recruit...

 

he’s a solid candidate 

I think that the naysayers for Matta (I'm on the fence) are worried about the health combined with the last 4 years of his OSU run compared to the first 8-9 years.

[Feathery]

Matta has won 20 games every year but 1 (his last) over his entire career. His last 4 years he still won 25, 24, 21, 17 games respectively. Only his last year is of concern from a total number of wins. But you can see by his record his health was an issue. He absolutely left a solid roster for Holtmann. If he is back to being healthy, then this is a no brained for Dolson. Let’s go. 

[Trish]

16 minutes ago, Gnet550 said:

Those not interested in Matta...I question your thinking, unless your flat out worried about his health. If he’s healthy and your not interested, I don’t have much for you.

 

He’s won 73% of his games, been too 4 final fours I believe and a National Championship game. Several elite 8s and sweet sixteens.

Stole Oden and Conley from Indiana to Ohio state so he can recruit...

 

he’s a solid candidate 

Well this was in 2006 when I was in middle school.. last time I checked it’s 2021. 
 

My biggest concern is not coaching for four years and no recruiting. Will be build a staff? It’s all about who you know and has he kept up with his coaching friends? Coaching is a perishable skill. It’s also important for a coach to adapt. Could he adapt? He wasn’t winning his final two years. 
 

How is he magically healthy? If you’re healthy and love coaching then you jump back in at some level. To my understanding , he hasn’t sniffed a coaching role in four years. He’s to big of name to not get back into it  until Indiana comes calling? 

[NVFalcons1990]

2 minutes ago, Treesh said:

Well this was in 2006 when I was in middle school.. last time I checked it’s 2021. 
 

My biggest concern is not coaching for four years and no recruiting. Will be build a staff? It’s all about who you know and has he kept up with his coaching friends? Coaching is a perishable skill. It’s also important for a coach to adapt. Could he adapt? He wasn’t winning his final two years. 
 

How is he magically healthy? If you’re healthy and love coaching then you jump back in at some level. To my understanding , he hasn’t sniffed a coaching role in four years. He’s to big of name to not get back into it  until Indiana comes calling? 

He's 'magically' healthy because he got a second back surgery to fix the botched first back surgery.

[Trish]

1 minute ago, NVFalcons1990 said:

He's 'magically' healthy because he got a second back surgery to fix the botched first back surgery.

He’s been healthy for four years now according to Matta. If he loved coaching and was healthy, he should’ve taken a job. 

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

If Matta is indeed the next coach, I want to see him drop to the floor at the introductory press conference and prove he's healthy.

 

[NVFalcons1990]

1 minute ago, Treesh said:

He’s been healthy for four years now according to Matta. If he loved coaching and was healthy, he should’ve taken a job. 

My guess, looking for a job that "fits" and is close to home since his daughter goes to Butler and he has family here in Indiana.  Which job in last 3-4 years would fit that?  Georgia, no?  Wichita State, no?

[ap2345]

Just now, NVFalcons1990 said:

My guess, looking for a job that "fits" and is close to home since his daughter goes to Butler and he has family here in Indiana.  Which job in last 3-4 years would fit that?  Georgia, no?  Wichita State, no?

I think we have a winner. When a guys had success at the level that Thad had he probably didn’t want to start coaching for just any job. 

[Hoosierfan2017]

9 minutes ago, Treesh said:

Well this was in 2006 when I was in middle school.. last time I checked it’s 2021. 
 

My biggest concern is not coaching for four years and no recruiting. Will be build a staff? It’s all about who you know and has he kept up with his coaching friends? Coaching is a perishable skill. It’s also important for a coach to adapt. Could he adapt? He wasn’t winning his final two years. 
 

How is he magically healthy? If you’re healthy and love coaching then you jump back in at some level. To my understanding , he hasn’t sniffed a coaching role in four years. He’s to big of name to not get back into it  until Indiana comes calling? 

You’ve talked a lot about Matta’s success being years ago and him not being able to adapt. What do you think has changed in Big Ten basketball to the extent that Matta wouldn’t be able to adjust and succeed at IU?

[Unexpectedflash]

1 minute ago, Hoosierfan2017 said:

You’ve talked a lot about Matta’s success being years ago and him not being able to adapt. What do you think has changed in Big Ten basketball to the extent that Matta wouldn’t be able to adjust and succeed at IU?

Doesn’t Matta run the same system as Archie. Matta is a smart guy though. I’m sure he’s been watching the game the last four years and seen what it’s trended to and would adapt. At least I’d hope he does.

[NVFalcons1990]

With the Stevens debacle, Beard waiting on the Texas opening, Musselman moves around every 1-3 years.  Take a look at Musselman years on Wikipedia, guy moves constantly. Beilein being too old, Bennett, Donovan and Jay Wright being unrealistic.

Give me Matta's credentials versus anybody's!!!  He's my new favorite if Stevens is an absolute no!!

[Feathery]

13 minutes ago, Treesh said:

He’s been healthy for four years now according to Matta. If he loved coaching and was healthy, he should’ve taken a job. 

Or maybe he took some time off to do rehab and to enjoy life and recharge the batteries. Nothing wrong with taking some time off when you’ve earned it. He was probably healthy but reluctant to test his back until he trusted he was back to 100%. A lot of people are skittish for awhile after major surgery. 
 

If he is ready now, then let’s go. You asked if he will build a staff? Of course he will have a staff. Just because you were in middle school when he was in the final doesn’t mean that the high school and AAU coaches don’t know or have a relationship with him and those he will have as assistants. Especially the coaches in this state where he cleaned up. 
 

He would also have a roster of sophs and Juniors with talent that can be a top half conference team or even at the top with a coach of his caliber. 

[Feathery]

1 minute ago, Unexpectedflash said:

Doesn’t Matta run the same system as Archie. Matta is a smart guy though. I’m sure he’s been watching the game the last four years and seen what it’s trended to and would adapt. At least I’d hope he does.

No Archie ran his own system. Matta’s teams, especially those that were successful, could all shoot it. He also doesn’t run a the pack line defense. 

[Trish]

3 minutes ago, Hoosierfan2017 said:

You’ve talked a lot about Matta’s success being years ago and him not being able to adapt. What do you think has changed in Big Ten basketball to the extent that Matta wouldn’t be able to adjust and succeed at IU?

Recruiting, transfers. The Big Ten is elite these days besides March. The transfer market and recruiting have helped with this as have the new coaching additions. 
 

With his lack of being in the game recently, I suggest he is out of the loop with recruiting, talking to kids, etc. I don’t know if he could build a staff. 
 

 

[reconmkd]

Health is a HUGE concern for me here, coming from a disabled vet with a non-repaired spine injury. Matta has had unsuccessful back surgeries, he has had some therapy that has relieved his pain, but I can tell you one false move or misstep can send you right back to immense pain that can go on for days, weeks, months, or even years. This is something that I have dealt with for over 15 years, I have good years and I have bad. All depends on how cocky I get with my back. Trust me when I say he could be fine now, but with no warning at all he could be needing help to just get dressed again.

[Gnet550]

14 minutes ago, Treesh said:

Well this was in 2006 when I was in middle school.. last time I checked it’s 2021. 
 

My biggest concern is not coaching for four years and no recruiting. Will be build a staff? It’s all about who you know and has he kept up with his coaching friends? Coaching is a perishable skill. It’s also important for a coach to adapt. Could he adapt? He wasn’t winning his final two years. 
 

How is he magically healthy? If you’re healthy and love coaching then you jump back in at some level. To my understanding , he hasn’t sniffed a coaching role in four years. He’s to big of name to not get back into it  until Indiana comes calling? 

That’s where I’m taking about his health...maybe he’s just now feeling truly healthy again...and a “bad 4 year run” negates everything else?

 

his teams never failed to play in the top 50 for offensive adjusted efficiency in any year, I believe. So even his “bad” years weren’t that bad. The only season he didn’t win 20 games was his last year...

maybe you should do a little more digging past his last 4 years...might change your mind. 
 

The daily Hoosier has a nice write up on him

[Hovadipo]

3 minutes ago, Treesh said:

Recruiting, transfers. The Big Ten is elite these days besides March. The transfer market and recruiting have helped with this as have the new coaching additions. 
 

With his lack of being in the game recently, I suggest he is out of the loop with recruiting, talking to kids, etc. I don’t know if he could build a staff. 
 

 

He wasn’t cryogenically frozen for 50 years.