WATERCOOLER CHAT: TIGER BACK, STEVENS TO REMAIN AT BUTLER

GOLF

Well, Tiger Woods was back in action at the Masters yesterday.  Going in, nobody knew what to expect, nor how to react?  Should they boo?  Should they cheer?  More importantly, how would Tiger play?  Would he be so overcome with anguish and embarrassment that he would look like an amateur out there, OR would he turn right back into Tiger and dominate?  So many questions?

The answer:  He was back in true Tiger form with an amazing first round.  In fact, he is just two shots off the lead, finishing the day with 68.  Now, can he keep up that momentum on Day 2?

BASKETBALL

Brad StevensAnd in college basketball, the Butler Bulldogs had a glorious run in the NCAA tourney.  They defied the odds, and not only made the Final Four, but lost the National Championship by two.  If Gordon Heyward’s last shots would have gone in, they would officially be the best team in the nation.  The question remained:  What would happen to their 33-year old coach Brad Stevens.  He’s quite young to bring a team so far into the tourney, and definitely has the coaching prodigy stamp on him now.

Guys like Stevens are coveted in college basketball.  Once you get a Final Four appearance on your resume (or even a decent tourney resume), you can be recruited by larger conference schools and at much bigger dollars.  There was talk that Stevens might get the new big job at Oregon, a team looking to rebuild their program with Nike dollars.  They were even reportedly interested in Michigan State coach Tom Izzo.  However, yesterday Stevens fate was decided.  He will remain as Butler’s long time coach, as they signed him to a 12-year deal.  It’s unclear how much the deal is worth in total, but most are estimating it’s around $12 – $14 Million.  It seems Stevens would prefer to be a big fish in a small pond than to take a big school job and potentially be ousted within three seasons.  Butler may be on the national radar for the next 12 seasons with Stevens at the helm.   They will be a constant threat to big schools everywhere — the new Gonzaga.

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