Doesn't matter now. It could not have turned out any better. The program got the best possible result they could have gotten..

ElDuque wrote:

I know Westender. I just get frustrated every time I see a new reference to the alleged poop show.

Happy summer sir!

No way would Harper ever reveal the job being turned down to a reporter.
 

ElDuque wrote:

No, but he could put to rest any that were never actually offered. Although there's really nothing to gain and you might tick off someone who used us to get a raise or extension.

No need to piss anyone off for basically no reason.
 

There was one of two things happening during the Duquesne coaching search. 

1) Someone was leaking info either from the search firm or the athletic department
2) Someone or multiple individuals were able to pass themselves off as credible sources and play the media. 

Personally, I think there was a hole in the dike and the coaching search went down the way it was described in the media in the sense that candidates mentioned were approached and ultimately, could not come to terms with Duquesne. I'm not sure how close these candidates were to getting hired when the talks broke down and I doubt all were imminent. Based on information I received from multiple, albeit second hand sources (at least one connected to Monmouth), I believe King Rice was very, very close. I don't think some of the rest were close at all. 

We are never going to hear from Harper that Dambrot was anything but his top choice and I have no problem with that. You immediately create credibility issues for him if you say otherwise. For me, Dambrot wasn't even on my list pre-search because I didn't think he was a realistic option. For what it's worth, Rice was one, Fife was two, Groce was three though I'd have slotted Dambrot in ahead of Groce. Clearly, I think he's a great choice, but when he's viewed as a fifth or sixth choice, that damages his position with coaches, fans and recruits. 

I do think there is a way to reconcile parts of everything being true. It is possible that Dambrot was the first choice. We know he was approached by South Florida and other schools while Akron was still involved in the NIT. At that time, he could have easily been the first candidate the firm targeted, but told them no or not now. Everyone moved on! We also know that Harper was away from his family for much of the duration of the coaching search. If they were all in on Dambrot, why would he be camped out in a town that's an easy day trip from Pittsburgh? The most logical explanation of that is Harper compulsive White Castle binger and he was hospitalized with severe diarrhea after eating there.  Of course, that's not very logical. 

My best guess is that they started with Dambrot, Kelsey and Rice as their top choices. When Dambrot went lukewarm and Kelsey verbally committed to UMass, they focussed on Rice. When that went south, Harper went North to Vermont specifically. Becker talks barely got off the ground and were done by the time they were even reported as close. He then headed home briefly to ask for more money and Fife entered conversation. That broke down and he moved onto the Ball St coach who got offered significantly less than the advertised going rate for other candidates and rejected the deal on principle. Rather than scrape the bottom of the barrel, he went back to the top candidates and offered more. Dambrot bit and here we are. 

I respect Zach and have for a very long time. I don't think there are many people in the media at the moment who work harder for a story than or respect their subject as much as he does.  

That said,  I also respect the folks at Pittsburgh Sports Now and my own sources that directly contradict what Zach reported. too much smoke not to have fire. I think we're all just going to be left with speculation. 

Well in support of what Weiss said, King Rice told his local newspaper that he was never a candidate for the Duquesne job after a lot of media created false smoke.

http://www.app.com/story/sports/college/monmouth-university/2017/03/21/king-rice-duquesne-basketball-coaching-carousel/99449820/

Moreover, I listen to a pod cast (can't find a link) where Whitford was point blank asked about the so called offer from Duquesne and he said "I was never offered".  This was after Jeff Goodman tweeted that he took the DU job.  I also remember the PG claiming that Harper was meeting with Becker in Pittsburgh that was debunked. 

There was not much smoke in reality, just the local media stepping on their peckers. Just to be fair, I don't recall Mike Vukovich involved in the PG circus and I don't see see much on Pgh Sports Now from the three main clowns that were involved in the circus. 

To me it's all coach speak to deny you were offered just like it's AD speech to say you got the guy you wanted all along. If you tell someone that you were in talks but ultimately declined, it looks bad to your players, some fans, you're currently employer (esp if an extension isn't what keeps you at the school) and potential future employers. To me, it's less likely that I'd offer someone in the future if they drug another school through the mud in the past by publicly rejecting their offer at the 11th hour. 

I fully admit that I could be completely wrong on this. In the end, it doesn't matter much cause I think we made an outstanding hire. People can bash us for the coaching search, but we hired a 400 game winner whose already created a greater sense of stability than the program up Forbes Ave currently has. 

Amen. Choir.

Harper is the alpha and omega in that category.