SIU needs to remove Lowery now

[Ricardo del Rio]

That said, I've always disliked Lowery. He has always been a smug, classless douche if you ask me.

+1

[DoubleJayAlum]

We don't have to fire him and pay his contract off. Just remove him from duties.

This is the best and the simplest immediate answer to the problem that I have seen. DEMOTE HIM TO AN ADMIN POSITION; MAKE HIM GO OUT ON THE STREET AND BE A FUNDRAISER. ETC. KEEP HIM OUT OF THE GYM! Promote one of the assistants to the interim coach position with the possibility of becoming the head coach when the opening is evaluated. If he wins he can get the job and the money will come then. If he can't he also needs to look elsewhere. When Lowery's contract ends or when he decides to do the honorable thing and get out of Dodge things will begin to get better all the way around. Until then, the ship just keeps sinking further and further and further and further.............

I don't think it is that easy. I suspect his contract specifically indicates that he is being employed as the head coach of the basketball team. Simply reassigning him would be just as much a breach of such a contract as an outright termination would be.

If there was an easy way out, SIU would have already taken it. The fact of the matter is that SIU can't rid themselves of Lowery without paying him.

[Ace Dad]

We don't have to fire him and pay his contract off. Just remove him from duties.

This is the best and the simplest immediate answer to the problem that I have seen. DEMOTE HIM TO AN ADMIN POSITION; MAKE HIM GO OUT ON THE STREET AND BE A FUNDRAISER. ETC. KEEP HIM OUT OF THE GYM! Promote one of the assistants to the interim coach position with the possibility of becoming the head coach when the opening is evaluated. If he wins he can get the job and the money will come then. If he can't he also needs to look elsewhere. When Lowery's contract ends or when he decides to do the honorable thing and get out of Dodge things will begin to get better all the way around. Until then, the ship just keeps sinking further and further and further and further.............

I don't think it is that easy. I suspect his contract specifically indicates that he is being employed as the head coach of the basketball team. Simply reassigning him would be just as much a breach of such a contract as an outright termination would be.

If there was an easy way out, SIU would have already taken it. The fact of the matter is that SIU can't rid themselves of Lowery without paying him.

Agreed.

The only way out is for him to agree to step aside and perform sports-type administrative duties. The bad news is when a leader of a perceived failed program "steps aside" and hangs around, it is awkward for all parties. In the military we sometimes do not have enough reasons to fire a guy and a decision is made to put him in a position where he will not get anyone killed or hurt. Again, awkward.

[SubGod22]

How about an over/under on Ugly Dawg conference wins in 2011-12:

Let's start at 1.5.

Under

[Jet915]

How about an over/under on Ugly Dawg conference wins in 2011-12:

Let's start at 1.5.

I think over, 2-3 wins (probably more than they will have nonconference). Hopefully CU isn't one of them...

[Ali]

It sounds like everyone wants Watson. Is there a backup plan?

[unipanther99]

I get the impression he moved to Eau Claire to settle down with his family, but SIU could do a lot worse than longtime UNI assistant Kyle Green. He was Mac at the beggining to build the program, left to go to Marquette and then head coach at Lewis (D-2) before coming back to UNI to be with Jacobson.

http://www.uwecblugolds.com/?view=relea ... &season=95

[DoubleJayAlum]

What is so great about Watson? I get the impression SIU fans want him because he is a known entity.

This job is completely different now than it has been for some time. If I am SIU, I am looking for someone who knows how to build/rebuild a program. That is a completely different skill set IMO.

[xsaluki]

I would assume there would be a decent search, but I think that any new salary range is going to limit the options.

I agree that it takes a different skill set to build a program as opposed to maintain or build upon a decent program.

I also think it takes a different skill set to tear a program into tiny pieces and shove it to the absolute bottom of Division 1 and then take it hostage. If anyone is looking for a coach with those kinds of skills, we can send him your way.

[BirdmanBB]

Is it possible for SIU to backload a contract so that although they will be paid minimal to start, once Lowery's contract is off the books, their pay will increase? It is definitely tricky since you don't want to find yourself in the same situation, but I believe UC-Davis did something like this with Les so he could keep getting paid the maximum from Bradley.