The 2008 Coaching Carousel is spinning!

As you probably know, this year we didn't have to wait for the season to end for the coaching carousel to spin. A number of high profile jobs are available at the moment.

The most high profile job of course being Indiana, with cell-phone Kelvin Sampson out of the way, and former IU great Dan Dakich serving as interim.

Also ejected during the season was tenured coach John Brady at LSU, replaced by assistant Butch Pierre on an interim basis. Another "BCS" ejection was Jay John at Oregon State.

This was not a good year for Arizona coaches, as Lute Olson had to take a sabbatical for (still unknown?) reasons, Jay John got fired by OSU, Jessie Evans was pushed out of San Francisco to make way for Eddie "The Drunk Unethical Cheater" Sutton, and Rodney Trention was pushed out of LMU.

After almost a dozen donut years, Tim Welsh was fired (okay, not renewed) by the Providence Friars. Friar fans, Billy Donovan and Rick Pitino and Doris Burke are not walking through that door! How about Pete Gillen? Fannie Fatzilla?

Another long tenured coach, Willis Wilson was fired by Rice, and yes, Houston, we have a problem :)

And a former Ole Roy assistant is available now, as he was let go by the TCU Texan Frogs.

Other colleges firing their coaches: Toledo said goodbye to Janis Stan Joplin, Pepperdine kicked the "AASAA" offense coach Vance Walberg in the "AASAA". Also gone is Missouri State coach, and a few more we probably missed.

Also open is the South Carolina job, as highly respected Tim Duncan coach Dave Odom is retiring.

The Georgia coach (Dennis Felton) was saved by their miracle run in the Tornedo Tourney of the SEC. Am I the only one who thinks the Georgia coach looks a bit like the coach with the same moustache in the recurring Mad TV skid?


New Hires for 2008-2009
Yes, we know the 2008 tourney hasn't even tipped off (play-in game excluded), but we have the first hire for the 2008-2009 season! "BCS" tenured coach John Brady apparently had enough of the BCS crapola and signed on with Arkansas State. As you may recall, Arkansas State was also flirting with Nolan Richardson, but apparently decided to go with a coach who reached the Final Four in 2005, rather than one with a Ring in the 90s, but also a boatload of NCAA baggage.