Best USI basketball coaches of all-time

[EaglesPride]

I've watched Mark Bial, Dr. Lionel Sinn, Bruce Pearl, Rick Herdes, Rodney Watson do their thing on the USI sidelines the past 31 years. Pearl is obviously the greatest coach in the history of USI basketball for many reasons. But who's No. 2? I respected the job Dr. Sinn did, he won 19 or 20 games a couple of times when USI wasn't a national power. I think he might have been the coach who beat Wisconsin up at Wisconsin years ago. I thought Herdes was an Okay coach until the scandal hit USI, so it's hard to know what his legacy with the program really is. Coach Watson is a pro's pro on the sideline, excellent to speak with, easy to like as a person. I wish the recruiting were a bit better, but he stepped into a very difficult situation because of the scandal that hit under Herdes watch. All in all, some great coaches at USI since I've been watching! I go with Pearl as the top coach in USI history, at least since I've been watching. Anyone disagree?

[crazznewt]

Re: Best USI basketball coaches of all-time

Pearl was a gem of a coach.

[EaglesPride]

Re: Best USI basketball coaches of all-time

Never will be another Bruce Pearl! But I think Watson does a very solid job overall, and I am including his ability to work under NCAA rules. Herdes proved he could not abide by NCAA rules, so I rule him out as No. 2, or No. 3, or even No. 4 since I've been a follower of USI basketball. Dr. Sinn brought in some great players, beat Big Ten Wisconsin on the road one year, had to go against some great Ky. Wesleyan and Ashland teams in the old GLVC. Remember how good Ashland was during the 1980s and 1990s? It was fun watching USI, Ky. Wesleyan, Ashland, and occasionally Bellarmine or IPFW as the powers of the GLVC. That's why I have Dr. Sinn No. 2 behind Pearl. Bial was an okay coach, but he was only there a year or two when I was watching.

[DJ Silky Panties]

Re: Best USI basketball coaches of all-time

Hot Wod is the worst. No fully funded SIUE, IUPUFW, or NKU they are d1 now instead 3 scholarship Maryville and Mckendree. No playing everyone like previous mentioned home and away. HoT Wod was handed a Mercedes and got Daewoo results. He's a arrogant loser who's Cialas is SIU.

[EagleWhip]

Re: Best USI basketball coaches of all-time

You are correct about Bruce being the best both as an on-court coach, recruiter and in the community. Wayne Boultinghouse also was a very good coach and certainly would be in my top three. Number two for me, although he wasn't here too long, would be Mark Coomes.

[EaglesPride]

Re: Best USI basketball coaches of all-time

Hot Wod is the worst. No fully funded SIUE, IUPUFW, or NKU they are d1 now instead 3 scholarship Maryville and Mckendree. No playing everyone like previous mentioned home and away. HoT Wod was handed a Mercedes and got Daewoo results. He's a arrogant loser who's Cialas is SIU.

I agree USI has not been dominant since Coach Watson took over, but much of that had to do with what he inherited from Herdes and the ramifications of the scandal. Coach Watson was not permitted to bring in the "at-risk" athletes that Herdes regularly recruited as both an assistant and head coach at USI. A great example is Kevin Caldwell, a troubled kid Herdes brought in with a past that eventually caught up to him in Evansville. I've been around USI basketball for 31 years and could point out many others, but I do not blame Coach Watson for the restrictions he faces after the Herdes scandal.

[EaglesPride]

Re: Best USI basketball coaches of all-time

You are correct about Bruce being the best both as an on-court coach, recruiter and in the community. Wayne Boultinghouse also was a very good coach and certainly would be in my top three. Number two for me, although he wasn't here too long, would be Mark Coomes.

Boultinghouse was before my time, but I hear he was an outstanding coach for both USI and Ky. Wesleyan. I remember him coaching against USI when he was at Ky. Wesleyan, he had some great teams for the Panthers. Mark Coomes also before my time. But we all agree Bruce Pearl is the greatest coach in USI history. I would like to see the new court named after Pearl when the renovations to the PAC are finished, maybe call it the Pearl Court or something.

[EaglesPride]

Re: Best USI basketball coaches of all-time

Hot Wod is the worst. No fully funded SIUE, IUPUFW, or NKU they are d1 now instead 3 scholarship Maryville and Mckendree. No playing everyone like previous mentioned home and away. HoT Wod was handed a Mercedes and got Daewoo results. He's a arrogant loser who's Cialas is SIU.

I always thought the GLVC with Ashland, Kentucky State, IPFW, Northern Kentucky, USI, Ky. Wesleyan, and Bellarmine was its glory years in the late 1980s and early 1990s. SIUE was not a quality basketball program for the most part, yes, they did have a couple of good years, but for the most part SIUE was a bottom-feeder for the top-level GLVC teams. Their head coach, Jack Margenthaler, was a great gentleman but a rather average basketball coach. SIUE's recruiting hit the bottom while Margenthaler was the head coach and they have been awful in Division I. Ashland and Kentucky State both had great teams in the GLVC, I recall Ashland winning the GLVC a couple of times. Northern Kentucky had some good teams, but like SIUE, they made a bizarre move to Division I that has resulted in multiple scandals during their transition. I would guess both SIUE and Northern Kentucky would prefer to be back in Division II now that they have seen bigger isn't always better in Division I.

[DJ Silky Panties]

Re: Best USI basketball coaches of all-time

I agree USI has not been dominant since Coach Watson took over, but much of that had to do with what he inherited from Herdes and the ramifications of the scandal. Coach Watson was not permitted to bring in the "at-risk" athletes that Herdes regularly recruited as both an assistant and head coach at USI. A great example is Kevin Caldwell, a troubled kid Herdes brought in with a past that eventually caught up to him in Evansville. I've been around USI basketball for 31 years and could point out many others, but I do not blame Coach Watson for the restrictions he faces after the Herdes scandal.

Wod had one year no postseason. That was 8 years ago and his best season and the following season. All down hill since. He has no "restrictions" on questionable recruits. That's PR BS by HoT Wod sympathizers.
Nick Evans had charges including assault on a police officer in Carbondale. HW ushered him in. Hate? Geo Edwards? What about the kid he was hot after that mutilated kittens on YouTube. To name a few.

[EaglesPride]

Re: Best USI basketball coaches of all-time

Wod had one year no postseason. That was 8 years ago and his best season and the following season. All down hill since. He has no "restrictions" on questionable recruits. That's PR BS by HoT Wod sympathizers.
Nick Evans had charges including assault on a police officer in Carbondale. HW ushered him in. Hate? Geo Edwards? What about the kid he was hot after that mutilated kittens on YouTube. To name a few.

Not "PR BS" at all, just facts. Herdes was allowed to bring in guys like Ronald Roundtree, Dennis Coutee, Reque Newsome, John Oden, Kevin Robinson. I love all these guys, but they all had baggage to some degree. Coach Watson is under restrictions from the President and Athletic Director when it comes to "at-risk" players. Get your facts straight.

[EaglesPride]

Re: Best USI basketball coaches of all-time

Wod had one year no postseason. That was 8 years ago and his best season and the following season. All down hill since. He has no "restrictions" on questionable recruits. That's PR BS by HoT Wod sympathizers.
Nick Evans had charges including assault on a police officer in Carbondale. HW ushered him in. Hate? Geo Edwards? What about the kid he was hot after that mutilated kittens on YouTube. To name a few.

And thank you for making my point about the kid who mistreated the kittens. The USI administration informed Coach Watson this young man would not be playing basketball as a Screaming Eagle. Under the Herdes regime, they would have not even noticed. See Ronald Roundtree. Herdes was finally forced to let Roundtree go before something terrible happened. Nuff said.

[DJ Silky Panties]

Re: Best USI basketball coaches of all-time

Not "PR BS" at all, just facts. Herdes was allowed to bring in guys like Ronald Roundtree, Dennis Coutee, Reque Newsome, John Oden, Kevin Robinson. I love all these guys, but they all had baggage to some degree. Coach Watson is under restrictions from the President and Athletic Director when it comes to "at-risk" players. Get your facts straight.

He is under no "restriction". What risk was Coutee? He didn't qualify for Uof L because he didn't "graduate" juco which was to be d1 eligible but did obtain 48 hrs. What was Reque risk? Nothing. Again juco non d1 qualifier same as Macklin, Nelson, Carter Davis III, the guy he just signed from Florida etc.
Just an excuse for his failures. Same BS weber is trying to spin in Manhatten and tried at UI. They just can't recruit.

If such "restrictions" then this
http://news.wsiu.org/post/former-saluki-basketball-player-arrested#stream/0

And the Josiah YouTube kitty mutliater to name a few wouldn't be allowed. If that isn't baggage or at risk I don't know what is.

[DJ Silky Panties]

Re: Best USI basketball coaches of all-time

Wrong! Kitty de committed as he saw his stock rise this summer and had Aau coaches tell him he was minimum low D1. Hot Wod was still blowing his load over him.

[DJ Silky Panties]

Re: Best USI basketball coaches of all-time

And thank you for making my point about the kid who mistreated the kittens. The USI administration informed Coach Watson this young man would not be playing basketball as a Screaming Eagle. Under the Herdes regime, they would have not even noticed. See Ronald Roundtree. Herdes was finally forced to let Roundtree go before something terrible happened. Nuff said.

They didn't inform of diddly. Kitty killer de committed this summer after getting low D1 interest.

[DJ Silky Panties]