In college, when attempting to fill a coaching vacancy, athletic directors request permission to talk to coaches from other schools.
Common courtesy goes out the window, however, when pro teams want to lure college coaches from their campuses.
“I’ll be honest with you. I’m 0-for-2 on that,” KU athletic director Bob Frederick said Thursday.
Five years ago, the San Antonio Spurs did not inform Frederick of their interest in ex-KU coach Larry Brown, who indeed accepted a lucrative NBA offer.
Just a couple weeks ago, the Los Angeles Lakers didn’t inform Frederick of their interest in current KU coach Roy Williams.
“It’s not a rule in the NCAA,” Frederick said, “just courtesy within the universities. Of course it didn’t make any difference this time. As soon as they called, Roy told me about it.”
Like Brown, who summoned Frederick to his house at 1:30 a.m. one morning to discuss a UCLA offer he didn’t take, KU coach Williams chatted with Frederick the evening the Lakers called.
“It was not that late. It was only 9 a.m. He rode over on his bike,” Frederick said of Williams. “We talked for an hour. It’s all we talked about. He told me in essence he’d call them in the morning and say ‘No.'”
Williams, it seems, is happy with his five-year rollover contract here. And it’s obvious he’s happy working for Frederick, who has proven an athletic director’s job includes communicating not only with alumni and student groups but also with members of the coaching staff.
“In the two situations I’ve been in,” Frederick said, “all I’ve said is, ‘You know, any way I can help in the matter, just let me know. I want to be a help, not a hindrance.’ In the case with the Lakers, Roy was almost stunned by it. I think he wanted to tell somebody and just talk about it.”
Frederick is not pleased KU is tentatively scheduled to play three or four ESPN Big Monday games on the road next season. Last year, KU played three of four at home. The year before, KU played three of four ESPN Tuesday telecasts on the road.
“As the schedule stands, the matter is not totally resolved,” Frederick said. “Like the TV people have told me, ‘Kansas games are competitive on the road but at home they’re blowouts.’ It’s tough to understand their point of view. I understand Roy’s point, too. It’s nice to be on TV, but not to go on the road and sometimes lose.”
KU will not approve a proposed two-year series with Indiana unless the Hoosiers agree to play the return game in Allen Fieldhouse. Next year, KU is slated to play IU on Dec. 5 at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis.
“We need the home games to sell out our ticket package,” Frederick said. “The thing that annoyed both of us is the first time we were told about it, they (IU officials) said we’ve got a two-year TV commitment worked out – the HoosierDome one year and Kemper the next. We said, ‘Whoa.’
KU football coach Glen Mason, in the final year of his original five-year deal, still hasn’t signed the five-year rollover contract offered by Frederick. The AD isn’t alarmed, however.
“We’ve been visiting this week and will visit tomorrow,” Frederick said Thursday. “It’s been primarily little things.”
Frederick on the hiring of Gary Hunter as Wichita State athletic director: “I like Gary very much and am happy he’s back in the state of Kansas,” Frederick said of Hunter, who has worked as Idaho athletic director the past four years. “The last time I talked to him, I picked up the phone and said, ‘Is this Wheatshocker Gary?'”
