Ten days ago we set the table regarding inside perspective on the NC State Basketball coaching situation. I think that it is important that you start by reading that entry. In that entry you will see where we shared the following:
Some key human resource consultants with a focus on advising schools in coaching searches have shared off the record that they see no way that Herb Sendek can get the type of job in which they expect that he has interest.
With the Wolfpack in Dallas over the weekend, we updated you with this update and analysis that shared:
We have learned that Coach Sendek has escalated his discussions inside the world of college basketball regarding his desire to move to a fresh beginning. Sendek is fed up with the current situation at NC State and wants to leave. (Despite what any administrator or player may publicly argue).
The following is an update with some opinion interwoven into the information:
* Upon arrival back in Raleigh after State’s embarassing loss (and school record NCAA Tournament beating) to Texas on Sunday, Coach Sendek met with Bobby Purcell and Lee Fowler earlier in the week. The exact topics of discussion are not known, but we do believe that this was more than a normally scheduled meeting due to the presence of Bobby Purcell.
* After sending feelers throughout college basketball related to potential job opportunities (for at least the last month), Coach Sendek has received little to no interest in his services from the kinds of schools in which he would be interested. This week, Sendek has changed his message to the community to hint that he is “not interested” in leaving NC State to save face and not look rejected.
* Big rumors potentially planted by ‘Team Sendek’ started flying on Monday and Tuesday that Wendell Murphy had re-inforced his support for Coach Sendek, even going as far as saying that he would personally “match any job offer Sendek received” to keep him in Raleigh.
* We do not know the accuracy of these^ rumors, particularly because later in the week the new story being filtered was that “Mr. Murphy never says anything about these issues and he just wants what is best for NC State”. Such a statement related to money seems odd since everyone realizes that no school is going to offer Sendek more than his $800k-$900k current package in Raleigh. If Murphy actually believes this would be the case then he would be indicating just how far removed from reality that he is. Based on historical behavior, it would not be beyond some of the members of ‘Team Sendek’ to use Mr. Murphy in such a manner to help build political insulation for Sendek without Murphy’s knowledge.
* Most of the jobs that many hoped would be interested in Coach Sendek have been filled this week without an ounce of interest in Herb – Iowa State, Ole Miss, Kansas State, others. Because of Sendek’s ties to Pennsylvania and three years as the Head Coach at Miami (Ohio), the Cincinnati job appeared to be a potential fit for Sendek. Due to the tarnished image that the University endured under Bob Huggins, the clean image of Sendek seemed to make more since. Instead, UC heard negative things about Sendek’s relationship with his Miami players (Miami’s players actually threw a party celebrating Sendek’s departure to Raleigh 10 years ago)
and chose to express no interest in Herb before hiring another rising that is now not available for NC State in the future – Mick Cronin.
* Arizona State has reportedly offered Pitt Head Coach, Jamie Dixon and reports today indicate that Dixon is leaning towards accepting the open Arizona State job (that also had no interest in Coach Sendek).
Earlier in the week, it was believed that Dixon had decided to remain at Pitt, where he has four years remaining on a deal reportedly worth close to $600,000 annually. But Arizona State increased its offer — a supposed five-year deal — over the past two days to “close to $900,000” annually, the source said.
Pitt’s new offer to retain Dixon is believed to be roughly $800,000 annually. It is unclear what buyout provisions are included in Dixon’s contract at Pitt.
* Three years ago, Ben Howland left Pitt to become the Head Coach of UCLA. At the time, Coach Sendek was coming off his 2nd straight NCAA Tournament Appearance while compiling less than impressive numbers and had lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Cal. Lee Fowler and other members of Team Sendek chose to use the open Pitt job as an opportunity to tout how attractive Herb Sendek was to the overall market and started telling the world that Pitt wanted Coach Sendek. Some very interesting perspective and comments logged at the time can be found by clicking here.
* The truth to the Pitt rumors could never be confirmed, in large part because of the nature of how coaching ‘searches’ and conversations take place. The best that we have ever heard was from Team Sendek that that “Pitt offered Herb and he turned it down”. We don’t know if a true offer ever officially came from the school or if conversations where being had with mutual representatives.
* But, Team Sendek failed to share that the REASON Coach Sendek decided he was not interested in the job –beacuse the financial package tied to the position was approximately $500k-$600k. Sendek, who is notoriously frugal and values money with much greater priority than is recognized publicly, was not interested in taking the job for less money even if it meant re-setting his clock at Pitt.
* Pitt does not have financial deep pockets and afford to pay coaches such high salaries. Three years ago this was an issue for Herb Sendek. If the Pitt job should come open again, we doubt that the financial issue would be as large of a hurdle because of the current environment surrounding Sendek’s continued presence in Raleigh.
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