Ohio State Fires Men's Basketball Coach

[orange tiger]

Ohio State fires men's basketball coach

By RUSTY MILLER
The Associated Press
6/8/2004, 2:46 p.m. CT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Ohio State fired basketball coach Jim O'Brien on Tuesday, alleging the program committed NCAA violations under his watch that included giving money to a recruit to send to his family overseas.

At a news conference on campus, athletic director Andy Geiger said a recruit was given $6,000 five years ago. The recruit was later ruled ineligible because he had been paid to play basketball in Europe.

"We consider these matters to be very severe," Geiger said. "I am troubled that a rule was admittedly violated and it took five years to find (out) about."

O'Brien received a letter Tuesday morning informing him he was fired, he said in a statement.

"I am advised that my firing is because I was asked to and tried to give assistance to a young man's family who was in dire financial straits," O'Brien said in the statement. "The assistance in no way influenced the young man in his decision to attend OSU and, indeed, the young man did not enroll at OSU."

The Buckeyes finished 14-16 in 2003-04, missing the postseason for the first time in six years, their worst showing under O'Brien.

O'Brien was 133-88 in seven seasons at Ohio State and 368-305 in a 22-year head coaching career.

He took the Buckeyes to the 1999 Final Four in his second season. :smash:

 

[JR]

Glad to see my other alma mater take action. O'Brien has been on the hotseat in Columbus for the last 2 years. Talking with some Buckeyes in the know. There has been a movement among some powerful OSU alumni to hire Bob Knight an OSU alum. I am sure he would love to get back to the Big 10 and go right at Indiana. Too bad the old IU A.D. is not there. It would be a slam dunk to get Knight back to Columbus. Should be interesting to watch.


Sidenote:
I bet OSU alum Jerry Francis of PV is quite intrigued right about now.

 

[Panther88]

Sidenote:
I bet OSU alum Jerry Francis of PV is quite intrigued right about now.

UH-OH!!!!!!! lol :lol:

Intriguing indeed. lol

 

[the band fan]

he got fired for common practices

 

[Robber]

he got fired for common practices

I'm sure the NCAA is hot on the trail and OSU would like a little leniency for taking "swift and appropriate measures."

 

[IWJNSU]

The "wrong" doing took place 5 years ago :smh: and the dude never played basketball at Ohio State.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=1818082

 

[orange tiger]

Glad to see my other alma mater take action. O'Brien has been on the hotseat in Columbus for the last 2 years. Talking with some Buckeyes in the know. There has been a movement among some powerful OSU alumni to hire Bob Knight an OSU alum. I am sure he would love to get back to the Big 10 and go right at Indiana. Too bad the old IU A.D. is not there. It would be a slam dunk to get Knight back to Columbus. Should be interesting to watch.

Knight agrees to Texas Tech extension


The Associated Press

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -- Bob Knight agreed to a three-year contract extension that will keep the basketball coach at Texas Tech until 2009.

Athletic director Gerald Myers told The Associated Press on Wednesday the agreement probably will be signed next week. Knight's contract pays him $250,000 a year and runs through May 2006.

Knight needs 48 victories to overtake Dean Smith (879) as the winningest coach in Division I. He has led Texas Tech to three consecutive season of at least 20 wins and taken the Red Raiders to postseason play each year.

"I'm pleased with the direction our program," Myers said. "He's done a great job turning everything around. I think the future really looks good for us."

Knight is on vacation in Canada and was unavailable to comment Wednesday.

"I look forward to doing this a long time," he said in Wednesday's Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. "This is the best possible situation for me as long as I coach."

He will begin his fourth season at Tech ? his 39th overall ? with 832 wins. He is the victory leader among active coaches following the retirement of Jimmy Phelan of Mount St. Mary's in 2003.

Knight was hired by Texas Tech in 2001, six months after he was fired by Indiana for what then-school president Myles Brand called his "pattern of unacceptable behavior."

 

[GSUperTiger]

Glad to see my other alma mater take action. O'Brien has been on the hotseat in Columbus for the last 2 years. Talking with some Buckeyes in the know. There has been a movement among some powerful OSU alumni to hire Bob Knight an OSU alum. I am sure he would love to get back to the Big 10 and go right at Indiana. Too bad the old IU A.D. is not there. It would be a slam dunk to get Knight back to Columbus. Should be interesting to watch.


Sidenote:
I bet OSU alum Jerry Francis of PV is quite intrigued right about now.

JR, this info at this link is not goog.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=1818902

However, since the SMU death-penalty the NCAA has been more forgiving. I thought Alabama would have been dealt much worse from their booster scandal involving the football recruit. I think the Buckeyes (like Grambling) are too important for the NCAA; therefore I expect another pat on the wrist (2-3 years probation). This is just the way it is.

 

[JR]

Knight agrees to Texas Tech extension


The Associated Press

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -- Bob Knight agreed to a three-year contract extension that will keep the basketball coach at Texas Tech until 2009.

Athletic director Gerald Myers told The Associated Press on Wednesday the agreement probably will be signed next week. Knight's contract pays him $250,000 a year and runs through May 2006.

Knight needs 48 victories to overtake Dean Smith (879) as the winningest coach in Division I. He has led Texas Tech to three consecutive season of at least 20 wins and taken the Red Raiders to postseason play each year.

"I'm pleased with the direction our program," Myers said. "He's done a great job turning everything around. I think the future really looks good for us."

Knight is on vacation in Canada and was unavailable to comment Wednesday.

"I look forward to doing this a long time," he said in Wednesday's Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. "This is the best possible situation for me as long as I coach."

He will begin his fourth season at Tech ? his 39th overall ? with 832 wins. He is the victory leader among active coaches following the retirement of Jimmy Phelan of Mount St. Mary's in 2003.

Knight was hired by Texas Tech in 2001, six months after he was fired by Indiana for what then-school president Myles Brand called his "pattern of unacceptable behavior."

I am not shocked that Texas Tech hurried up and got this deal done before OSU came a calling. With the NCAA breathing down our necks for O'Brien's dealings, Ohio State may be looking at a similiar fate as Michigan for the Fab Five mess. Bobby at this point is in a better situation at Texas Tech. I know alot of OSU alumni are sick. They wanted Knight in the worst way. Of course their are many OSU alums who want nothing to do with Knight. Should be interesting to see who they hire. I would expect a young coach to take the job since NCAA probation is around the corner for my Buckeyes. Maybe Matt Doherty puts his name in the hat. He's unemployed now. He knows the midwest after being at Kansas under Roy Williams and at ND.


GSUPE,
You are right that link you posted doesn't bode well for OSU. I had been hearing rumblings about the basketball program for a few years. This aint nothing new. Just OSU administrators trying to save face. I never liked the Obrien hiring in the first place. What a mess. It aint all on O'Brien. Those boosters aint no joke either.