andyokstate
12-27-2007, 08:05 AM
http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/10545273/1
Sutton to be interim replacement for Evans at San Francisco
Gary Parrish Dec. 26, 2007
By Gary Parrish
CBSSports.com Senior Writer
Tell Gary your opinion!
Eddie Sutton is coming out of retirement to replace Jessie Evans as San Francisco's basketball coach.
Hours after CBSSports.com first reported the development, USF announced Wednesday night that Evans is taking "a leave of absence" for the rest of the season and that the 71-year-old Sutton will lead the Dons on an interim basis.
"It'll be fun and I'm anxious because I enjoy coaching," Sutton told CBSSports.com Wednesday night by phone 45 minutes before he held a media teleconference. "It's going to be a big challenge, but surely I can steal a couple of wins."
A "couple of wins" would get Sutton to 800 in his career and he acknowledged the milestone is a motivating factor given how his career was halted in February 2006 after a drunken driving accident. Sutton retired after that season with 798 victories in 36 seasons at Creighton, Arkansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma State. He reached the Final Four three times and ranks fifth on the all-time list for victories among Division I coaches -- trailing Texas Tech's Bob Knight (896), Dean Smith (North Carolina, 879), Adolph Rupp (Kentucky, 876) and Jim Phelan (Mt. St. Mary's, Md., 830).
Sutton will coach USF at Weber State on Friday night.
That'll be the Dons' first game since Evans -- according to USF athletic director Debra Gore-Mann -- requested and was granted a leave of absence. However, multiple sources have told CBSSports.com that Evans was forced into leaving Wednesday and that he will not return as coach regardless of what the term "leave of absence" might imply.
As for Sutton, he told CBSSports.com that he is committed only to finishing this season but added "he'd never slam the door" on the idea of possibly returning for a second season in 2008-09.
Sutton also credited his relationship with Dana and David Pump as one of the reasons he's joining the West Coast Conference. The Pumps run ChampSearch, a California-based company that assists schools in coaching changes. Some of their recent successes involved helping Tennessee land Bruce Pearl, Nebraska land Doc Sadler and Ole Miss land Andy Kennedy.
"Nike used to have their basketball coaches meet in Southern California, and low and behold one day Sonny Vaccaro brought these two redheaded kids over," Sutton recalled while explaining how far his relationship with the Pumps goes back. "They were asking questions and I think some of the coaches didn't give them the time of day back then. But I talked to them for a while and I don't think they've ever forgotten that."
In other words, the Pumps were instrumental in bringing USF and Sutton together.
"For me, (the Pumps' relationship with Sutton) was key," Gore-Mann said. "Dana and I have a good relationship too."
Gore-Mann declined to offer many details about Evans' "leave of absence". She wouldn't say whether he had a health concern, an issue with the NCAA or whether he would even be considered to coach the team again next season.
"Those are private matters and I won't be addressing personnel matters today," Gore-Mann said. "We'll be in discussions. ... The men's basketball program, in particular, has been a work in progress."
Gore-Mann added she or someone from her staff would be traveling with the team regularly in the near future to "lend my support to the student-athletes and to assist interim coach Sutton in any way I can."
Sutton held his teleconference from an office at Oklahoma State while his son, Sean, was conducting practice downstairs. He acknowledged he did not like the way his career ended at OSU and that part of this decision is about wanting to leave the sport under different circumstances.
"I certainly didn't want to end my coaching career the way it ended here," Sutton said before later calling his drinking problems a "thing of the past."
"As a recovering alcoholic you have to work on that every day," he said. "I still attend meetings."
Gore-Mann said she "took coach Sutton at his word."
Sutton said he spoke to Gore-Mann a couple of days ago about the possibility of coming to USF if the job opened. Yet Gore-Mann said she didn't know what Evans would do until Wednesday, before adding that she would consider Sutton beyond this season if he were interested in staying.
"When I was talking to coach Sutton before, it was more a long-term basis," she said of their previous talks. "I would always consider him. I think it would be what he would be ready to commit to. I think it's an audition for USF athletics."
So, in a bizarre turn of events for both sides, Sutton committed to coach the Dons without even a campus visit -- and negotiated his contract over the phone. He was scheduled to meet his team in Salt Lake City on Thursday, and said he would lean heavily on his assistant coaches at first. He hoped to get one practice in with his team before Friday's game.
"I would say it's the toughest challenge that I've ever had," Sutton said. "I've had challenges before, but I'm looking forward to meeting the young men and trying to turn the season around."
Evans, who had been under careful watch by Gore-Mann over the past year, was in his fourth season at USF (4-8). He was hired from Louisiana-Lafayette in April 2004 to replace fired coach Phil Mathews.
This month, the NCAA suspended Dons senior forward Vince Polakovic for 24 games stemming from his participation with a German national team in 2004. The school said at the time that several members from the German national team received stipends deemed by the NCAA "above actual and necessary expenses." San Francisco contended that Polakovic wasn't among those players who received payments and said it would appeal the suspension.
When asked if the suspension and Evans' departure had a connection, Gore-Mann said, "No, they do not."
Evans coached on Lute Olson's staff at Arizona from 1988-97 and also worked as an assistant at Minnesota, Texas, Wyoming, and San Diego State before joining the Arizona staff. He helped lead the Wildcats to a 25-9 record and a national title in his ninth and final season with Arizona.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. SportsLine is a registered service mark of SportsLine.com, Inc. CBS "eye device" is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc.
Sutton to be interim replacement for Evans at San Francisco
Gary Parrish Dec. 26, 2007
By Gary Parrish
CBSSports.com Senior Writer
Tell Gary your opinion!
Eddie Sutton is coming out of retirement to replace Jessie Evans as San Francisco's basketball coach.
Hours after CBSSports.com first reported the development, USF announced Wednesday night that Evans is taking "a leave of absence" for the rest of the season and that the 71-year-old Sutton will lead the Dons on an interim basis.
"It'll be fun and I'm anxious because I enjoy coaching," Sutton told CBSSports.com Wednesday night by phone 45 minutes before he held a media teleconference. "It's going to be a big challenge, but surely I can steal a couple of wins."
A "couple of wins" would get Sutton to 800 in his career and he acknowledged the milestone is a motivating factor given how his career was halted in February 2006 after a drunken driving accident. Sutton retired after that season with 798 victories in 36 seasons at Creighton, Arkansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma State. He reached the Final Four three times and ranks fifth on the all-time list for victories among Division I coaches -- trailing Texas Tech's Bob Knight (896), Dean Smith (North Carolina, 879), Adolph Rupp (Kentucky, 876) and Jim Phelan (Mt. St. Mary's, Md., 830).
Sutton will coach USF at Weber State on Friday night.
That'll be the Dons' first game since Evans -- according to USF athletic director Debra Gore-Mann -- requested and was granted a leave of absence. However, multiple sources have told CBSSports.com that Evans was forced into leaving Wednesday and that he will not return as coach regardless of what the term "leave of absence" might imply.
As for Sutton, he told CBSSports.com that he is committed only to finishing this season but added "he'd never slam the door" on the idea of possibly returning for a second season in 2008-09.
Sutton also credited his relationship with Dana and David Pump as one of the reasons he's joining the West Coast Conference. The Pumps run ChampSearch, a California-based company that assists schools in coaching changes. Some of their recent successes involved helping Tennessee land Bruce Pearl, Nebraska land Doc Sadler and Ole Miss land Andy Kennedy.
"Nike used to have their basketball coaches meet in Southern California, and low and behold one day Sonny Vaccaro brought these two redheaded kids over," Sutton recalled while explaining how far his relationship with the Pumps goes back. "They were asking questions and I think some of the coaches didn't give them the time of day back then. But I talked to them for a while and I don't think they've ever forgotten that."
In other words, the Pumps were instrumental in bringing USF and Sutton together.
"For me, (the Pumps' relationship with Sutton) was key," Gore-Mann said. "Dana and I have a good relationship too."
Gore-Mann declined to offer many details about Evans' "leave of absence". She wouldn't say whether he had a health concern, an issue with the NCAA or whether he would even be considered to coach the team again next season.
"Those are private matters and I won't be addressing personnel matters today," Gore-Mann said. "We'll be in discussions. ... The men's basketball program, in particular, has been a work in progress."
Gore-Mann added she or someone from her staff would be traveling with the team regularly in the near future to "lend my support to the student-athletes and to assist interim coach Sutton in any way I can."
Sutton held his teleconference from an office at Oklahoma State while his son, Sean, was conducting practice downstairs. He acknowledged he did not like the way his career ended at OSU and that part of this decision is about wanting to leave the sport under different circumstances.
"I certainly didn't want to end my coaching career the way it ended here," Sutton said before later calling his drinking problems a "thing of the past."
"As a recovering alcoholic you have to work on that every day," he said. "I still attend meetings."
Gore-Mann said she "took coach Sutton at his word."
Sutton said he spoke to Gore-Mann a couple of days ago about the possibility of coming to USF if the job opened. Yet Gore-Mann said she didn't know what Evans would do until Wednesday, before adding that she would consider Sutton beyond this season if he were interested in staying.
"When I was talking to coach Sutton before, it was more a long-term basis," she said of their previous talks. "I would always consider him. I think it would be what he would be ready to commit to. I think it's an audition for USF athletics."
So, in a bizarre turn of events for both sides, Sutton committed to coach the Dons without even a campus visit -- and negotiated his contract over the phone. He was scheduled to meet his team in Salt Lake City on Thursday, and said he would lean heavily on his assistant coaches at first. He hoped to get one practice in with his team before Friday's game.
"I would say it's the toughest challenge that I've ever had," Sutton said. "I've had challenges before, but I'm looking forward to meeting the young men and trying to turn the season around."
Evans, who had been under careful watch by Gore-Mann over the past year, was in his fourth season at USF (4-8). He was hired from Louisiana-Lafayette in April 2004 to replace fired coach Phil Mathews.
This month, the NCAA suspended Dons senior forward Vince Polakovic for 24 games stemming from his participation with a German national team in 2004. The school said at the time that several members from the German national team received stipends deemed by the NCAA "above actual and necessary expenses." San Francisco contended that Polakovic wasn't among those players who received payments and said it would appeal the suspension.
When asked if the suspension and Evans' departure had a connection, Gore-Mann said, "No, they do not."
Evans coached on Lute Olson's staff at Arizona from 1988-97 and also worked as an assistant at Minnesota, Texas, Wyoming, and San Diego State before joining the Arizona staff. He helped lead the Wildcats to a 25-9 record and a national title in his ninth and final season with Arizona.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. SportsLine is a registered service mark of SportsLine.com, Inc. CBS "eye device" is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc.