Pitt Coach Jamie Dixon was on 93.7 The Fan with Vinnie Richichi and Ron Cook on Tuesday morning, and had some eyebrow-raising things to say about his future in Pittsburgh:
Jamie Dixon on The Fan [93.7 The Fan]
Ron Cook: Did you talk to the Oregon people, and are you going to be the Pitt coach next season?I'd say that response qualifies for a "Wow". As you know, Dixon's name has been mentioned numerous times for the vacant Oregon job, with all of that Phil Knight Nike money ready to be dumped on the first name coach willing to take it. This is the first time I've even considered the possibility, but it sounds to me like Pitt might be shopping for a new coach very soon - or at least giving him a big, Oregon-assisted raise.
Dixon: You guys get tired of this stuff every year, I hate to bore you with it. Our thing is we just don't talk about other jobs, other people's search... there's no benefit in it, most of the stuff is rumors, that's just how we do it.
You guys got other things to talk about. That's old hat, it's boring for you guys now.
Cook: Are you going to be the head coach at Pitt next year?
Dixon: [Laughing] Even the Pitt search I'm not commenting on.
Jamie Dixon on The Fan [93.7 The Fan]
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9 comments:
I swear my day can't get much worse...if Dixon leaves that'd be 2 coaches bailing to the PAC10
Much ado about nothing. He was just using the "reducto ad absurdum" argument. That is, not only will he not comment on coaching jobs that are available (Oregon), he will also not comment on jobs that are not open (Pitt).
Move along...nothing to see here.
This is nothing. Every smart person will NEVER fail to leverage an offer from somebody else into a pay raise negotiation. Safe to assume Dixon, if he has an Oregon offer (or Even if there's a rumor that he does) is using it to at least negotiate more money from Pitt. If that's the case, then reassuring people on the air that he's staying would hurt negotiations from his perspective. Again: this means nothing.
Well, first of all, I agree Dixon isn't going anywhere at least in the near future.
That said, Dixon could have handled the questions better. He began to give a half hearted refusal, then some babbling about how the hosts 'don't want to hear all of this'. Huh?
I think he got flustered with it, didn't want to address talking with Oregon and made more of a story by his refusals. Dixon reportedly cancelled the rest of his scheduled interviews after 'The Fan' had this one.
I wonder if there is more to meets the eye here?
In this day and age, anything is possible. DTA is the only approach you can take as a college sports fan I would say.
Pitt may have to pony up some more dough here in the near future. Remember when Arizona St. was trying to lure him away and Pitt offered a large extension? I am curious as to whether he is looking for the same type of leverage in this situation.
Rumor was he doesn't want Pitt to go to the Big 10. Maybe he knows something we don't. Who knows what goes on behind close doors.
The only way I could see him leaving is if Pitt went to the Big 10 Rege.
I've also heard rumors that if Jamie left, Sean Miller would be on the first flight from Arizona to Pittsburgh... but these are all just rumors.
But I still have the question: If Mike Tomlin can't just get up tomorrow and say "I'm leaving the Steelers and I'm going to be the Browns head coach tomorrow" why can a college coach basically do the same thing? How come contractual rules apply to pro coaches but not college?
The NCAA needs a strong commissioner for each sport, instead of having a comish for every conference.
We can all rest easy. Dixon and Pitt have agreed to a contract extension.
http://post-gazette.com/pg/10090/1046957-100.stm
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