Maybe it is still the drinking binge talking, but I have fallen in love with the Howland idea. If that doesn't happen, Jim will likely be mentioned in my suicide note. Now, time for for some hair of the dog since it is saint patties day...
While I could wind up being wrong, I'm not just throwing Howland's name out there just for sh!ts and giggles. There is some logic involved in my thought process:
1. Howland was very successful at Pitt and remains very well respected in the northeast corridor where we now play and do most of our recruiting.
2. Howland wants desperately to get back into coaching and has said so to the press.
3. Nobody has hired him, for whatever reason.
4. Howland worked A-10 games for NBC Sports Network this season, so he was familiar enough with the league to know Hewitt was in serious trouble (if not worse).
5. Whether Howland inquired about the job through channels or Edwards initiated contact, the fact that Howland spent so much time on the east coast this winter left multiple opportunities for them to get together if they so desired.
5. My source told me Edwards already knew who our next coach would be, which I assumed meant that it was somebody not under contract elsewhere. Making even a handshake deal during the season with a coach already employed by another school would be considered unethical, I think. Don't they typically wait until after a team's season ends for this specific reason?
6. The source also told me that our fan base would like the hire and that it was a "substantial" hire. I took that to mean it was a recognizable name, and we've established that there aren't many out there who would satisfy that criteria while not being currently employed as a coach. Again, maybe my assumptions are way off.
Now, does any of this mean Howland is the guy? Of course not. Never said he was. But even without staying at a Holiday Inn Express last night, it's not that difficult to connect the dots ... and it's way more fun than ripping Hewitt a new one.
