Anatomy of a Coaching Decision
Where things stand with Cooley, Shrewsberry, and Georgetown
What a whirlwind of a week. I’ve gone from firmly believing Cooley is gone to being absolutely convinced he’s back about 20 times, all in the span of 48 hours. Now I sit somewhere in the middle. Here’s where things currently stand as of Sunday, 1:45 pm. As always, take these updates however you want, but these are the facts.
Ed Cooley will visit Georgetown today to get an up close look of the Georgetown Basketball Operation.
This is a fact. As a write this Cooley is on a private plane down to Georgetown to get an in person view of the Georgetown basketball apparatus. The ‘news’ of this flight was discovered by a Georgetown Basketball half fan, half semi side half blog (not dissimilar from this one) and further speculated via Twitter by a very ‘in the know’ college basketball account. I am telling you now, it’s true.
I have no idea who is on this flight. But I’m bored waiting for Cooley’s decision and so, I share the following with you all: flightaware.com/live/flight/DP…
One Providence source telling me this morning that Ed will be in DC today to check out the program’s infrastructure and get a more up close sense of the situation he’d be inheriting https://t.co/tEpuCk2cRuI have no idea who is on this flight. But I’m bored waiting for Cooley’s decision and so, I share the following with you all: https://t.co/dxLbl03t2U https://t.co/guQBiUAdWi
Hilltop Hoops @HilltopHoops_As I understand it, this is not a trip for Cooley to see what the Georgetown weight room looks like. He knows that. He’s seen the facilities, his daughter spent her last 4 years there, he knows the campus, he knows the area. This is a visit to meet the decision makers at Georgetown, the AD, the President, the Chief of Staff with direct ties to the Thompson era, those people. My take on this trip, if Cooley gets back on that flight to Providence this afternoon, he’s staying at Providence. If he doesn’t, well, you do the math.
Ed Cooley will make a decision on his coaching future within the next 48 hours.
Based on the information I’ve gathered I’m comfortable saying that this is a fact, but I would honestly expect a formal decision to come much sooner than that. This shouldn’t necessarily come as a surprise. I know Friartown is 1) sick of this story 2) scared that Cooley will drag this decision out. I can’t help you with #1 but #2 will not be happening. From a logistics perspective, whether Cooley decides to go to Georgetown or stay at Providence it is imperative that he hit the ground running. I already spoke to the fact that Cooley and his assistants were actively recruiting the transfer portal on behalf of Providence, and he’ll have even more work to do in that regard if he takes the Georgetown job. One way or another, this story is saga will be over soon.
Providence has offered Cooley a contract extension, this one giving him, and his entire staff, a raise beyond last September’s contract extension signed for $4 million per year.
This is a fact. I don’t have the exact numbers on the contract that was offered but putting together what I know, and using my brain, I would expect this offer to be in the upper 4’s, lower 5’s (think 4.8 - 5.1 million per year). Keep in mind that Georgetown’s offer came in ~$5.2 million. Georgetown is offering more per year to be sure, but not materially more (although if you want to tell me a couple hundred thousand dollars a year is material, I hear ya!)
Here’s the deal. If Cooley bolts, it is not fair to say Steve Nap and Father Sicard got outbid by Georgetown. As I’ve said all along, if Cooley takes the Georgetown job, it’s about a lot more than money. The ball is now officially in Cooley’s court.
Micah Shrewsberry’s Penn State Nittany Lions were eliminated from the NCAA tournament on Saturday night.
Penn State bowed out of the NCAA tournament in the second round on Saturday night, losing to Texas, 71-66. I bring this up because it goes directly to #2. Georgetown needs to make a move here, and fast. It has been widely reported that Penn State is preparing a multi-year, multimillion dollar extension for Shrewsberry now that the season has concluded. Notre Dame is also in the mix for his services.
Source: Penn State is prepared to make a significant, long-term financial commitment to Micah Shrewsberry as soon as the Nittany Lions conclude their season. Shrewsberry has been linked to other high profile jobs.Remember that scenario I laid out last week where Cooley balks at the Georgetown offer, Shrewsberry turns them down as well, and they’re left blowing in the wind? Well, if the longer Georgetown drags this out the more realistic that scenario becomes. Again, this is all coming to a conclusion very soon.
Rick Pitino is expected to make a decision on his coaching future by Wednesday, but is waiting to see how the Providence / Georgetown / Cooley situation shakes out.
This has been widely reported. It is expected that Pitino will end up taking the St. John’s job. It has also been speculated that the only decision Pitino has to make is whether he will either 1) Take the St. John’s position 2) Stay at Iona. This is not true. The reason Pitino is holding out on formally taking the St. John’s job is because he is waiting to see how this Georgetown / Providence / Cooley situation turns out. Pitino has not been shy that Georgetown would be his first choice gig. Georgetown has not been shy that Pitino is absolutely not under consideration given his prior transgressions. Is there an opportunity for Providence to slide in here IF Cooley ends up leaving? Unclear. I can tell you that Pitino would at least be getting a call. I do not know (obviously) how it would play out from there.
If Cooley does end up leaving I promise we will have plenty of time for ‘who’s the next coach’ speculation, but it looks like Pitino will be the next domino to fall after Cooley, and probably fairly quickly after. Worth keeping in mind as the chaos of this situation continues to unfold.
Id imagine he is looking for a raise again...a commitment to his staff, they are prob on year to year contracts, a better NIL program, and see If Hopkins & Carter are coming back.Georgetown has already said they have their Target, Pretty lame if a deal is in place with Gtown and he is faking this whole thing, and he`s stupid to think it wont come out in this day and age...he`ll never be able to come back to Providence If true...It would be an all in move to D.C. never coming back....on the clock Cooley