Odds that Donahue stays?

[YankeeLobo]

It's pretty likely that Donahue is gone after this season - any one feel differently?  I heard people starting a "Save Steve" fund in Ithaca, but I'm not sure that will help.  He knows his stock will never be higher and the money and stakes are higher most everywhere else.  I wonder what jobs will be open that he'd take an interest in?

[mnagowski]

one thing that might motivate a decision to stay in Ithaca is quality of life. He does have four young children, I believe. Not many leagues where you can have dinner with your kids five nights a week during the season.

[YankeeLobo]

That's true.  Even down here in New Mexico, which is considered a mid-major, Steve Alford is basically workin round the clock dealing with various media and community obligations.  In fairness, New Mexico is crazy about the Lobos, but still, imagine what it's like coaching ina  Power 6 conference with any semblance of a basketball program.

[mnagowski]

Another fair question to ask is how much more the University would be willing to pay to keep Donahue in Ithaca. Wild speculation on my part, but probably no more than $200,000 a year -- $100,000 in salary and another $100,000 for additional travel, recruiting expenses, etc.

The budget for basketball is currently $1.2 MM a year, and I doubt it makes anywhere close to that amount of money. Ticket revenue probably only amounts to $200,000 a year. And even if Cornell makes a run to the Sweet Sixteen this year, how much additional money do you think that would yield in donations?

[phillysportsfan]

I think he would jump to a school closer to the Philly area where his family is from.

[ugarte]

Fran Dunphy and Pete Carrill both stayed put after having more success than Steve Donahue has had. Carrill stayed until he retired (even though the NBA lured him out of retirement) and Dunphy stayed until the Temple job opened up and he could take it without moving.

I'm sure Donahue will get offers, and I'm sure he got them last year also. Until I hear that he is interested in someplace else - rather than that someplace else is interested in him - I'll assume that he's sticking around. Naive, perhaps, but I'm OK with that.

[upperdeck]

right now its zero chance he comes back.. but a run in the ncaa might show him you can do it here with a lot less stress.. but we lose enough this year, he may jump ship anyway.

[phillysportsfan]

I dont know much about Carrill but Dunphy is a Philly guy and always has been, he wasnt going to leave Penn for anywhere but a Big 5 job.

Donahue was interested in the Penn job 3 years ago and was a final candidate with Miller, Penn picked the wrong guy. I dont see Donahue going for Penn now but I would think he would go for a job that was closer to Philly. Besides Fordham and Penn there really arent any current openings close to Philly but I would not be surprised if there are openings at Rutgers, St Johns or Lasalle at the end of the season

[Luke 05]

If John Thompson III can go from Princeton to Georgetown after 2 NCAA appearances in 4 years, there's no reason to think Donahue couldn't go to a BCS conference. Granted JT3 had some nepotism going in his favor, but there is definitely a history that Donahue could end up better than in the Rutgers/Lasalle/St Johns area.

[fatchance72]

I was wondering when someone would start this thread. . .

I think he's gone. The title asked for odds. . . I'd say %70 chance he walks for a low-end Big10 (Penn St?) or BigEast (St. Johns? Rutgers?) school. I agree that he'd like to go back to Philly, but he's not going to be able to, IMO, if he wants to try his hand at the best place available.

[Jordan 04]

I'd say about a 5% chance he stays. At best.

[phillysportsfan]

Assuming Donahue is gone, the next question is who do we replace him with? Do they promote an assistant (Nat Graham has been here for 5 years) or do they look nationally? The problem is Cornell doesnt have much appeal nationally for basketball but since it is a DI job someone will want it

[KeithK]

Assuming Donahue is gone, the next question is who do we replace him with? Do they promote an assistant (Nat Graham has been here for 5 years) or do they look nationally? The problem is Cornell doesnt have much appeal nationally for basketball but since it is a DI job someone will want it

I understand where your coming from. But geez, isn't a little early to speculate about the man's replacement? Can't we wait at least until the day after the season ends?

[Jim Hyla]

Assuming Donahue is gone, the next question is who do we replace him with? Do they promote an assistant (Nat Graham has been here for 5 years) or do they look nationally? The problem is Cornell doesnt have much appeal nationally for basketball but since it is a DI job someone will want it

I understand where your coming from. But geez, isn't a little early to speculate about the man's replacement? Can't we wait at least until the day after the season ends?

Or how about the day after he resigns? What are we trying to do, tell him to go?

[phillysportsfan]

No I definitely dont want him to go, I think it is even too early to discuss if he is leaving. I wish he would stay and make Cornell a force in the conference for many years as Dunphy did at Penn. As discussed in other thread we have to live in the moment with this team as much as possible because it will probably be the best Cornell team in our lifetime unless Donahue stays, then anything is possible