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UNM coaching offers Alford a fresh start
Jeff Roberson/Associated Press
Iowa head coach Steve Alford is close to signing a contract to be the University of New Mexico's next men's basketball coach.
University of Iowa
Steve Alford
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Possible Lobos?
Iowa coach Steve Alford, who will likely take the New Mexico job, has five recruits committed to the Hawkeyes for the next two years. Will they follow Alford to another destination?
Class of 2007 - all rated as three-star recruits on Scout.com
PG Jake Kelly, 6-5 Carmel, Ind.
PF Jarryd Cole, 6-7 Kansas City
PG Dairese Gary, 6-1 Elkhart, Ind.
Class of 2008 - four-star recruits
C Beas Hamga, 6-11 Decatur, Ill.
SG Matt Gatens, 6-5 Iowa City, Iowa
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Pick a side, any side.
One side depicts Iowa's Steve Alford as a failure at his last stop, someone who couldn't find favor with a community that watched his Hawkeyes win one NCAA Tournament game in eight seasons.
The other side praises Alford as an iconic college basketball star-player-turned-coach, a winner of two Big Ten tournament titles destined for sideline greatness.
Alford, who, according to multiple sources, is close to becoming the University of New Mexico men's basketball coach, will step into The Pit with his share of detractors and supporters.
But this could be a fresh start for a guy who can use one, outsiders say.
"The thing at Iowa wasn't that pleasant for him, so I'm not surprised to see him get on to greener pastures," said Norm Ellenberger, the former Lobos coach who was an Indiana assistant when Alford played there.
"Getting a guy of Alford's caliber, (New Mexico) is smart to grab it and run with it," Ellenberger said. "New Mexico is the ideal situation for a guy who can coach, and Alford is a good coach. It just gets tougher every year with the scrutiny people get in all jobs, and I'm sure he felt he made some mistakes."
Winthrop coach Gregg Marshall, a prime candidate for the job, was notified by UNM Athletics Director Paul Krebs that the school is looking to hire someone else, a source close to Winthrop said.
Krebs said Wednesday the school could make a hire by Friday, but "it's never over until it's over."
Alford couldn't be reached for comment. Sharon Alford, Steve's mother, said she couldn't comment on her son's situation and "had to let it play out."
After Alford's 61-67 record in Big Ten play, many in Iowa City are ready to throw a party for his departure. An Iowa message board had a post titled: "Hallelujah! Hallelujah!!!!" that was frequently visited as of Wednesday night.
Some fans have excoriated Alford at every turn, citing everything from his recruiting to his lukewarm relationship with the fans to his Pat Riley-esque hair.
"From Day One, there was never a love affair between Steve and the Iowa fans," said a member of the Iowa media who asked to remain anonymous. "Something just went wrong. He rubbed many people the wrong way, and even though it seemed he matured over time, he never regained that confidence from the people."
But how's this for respect - even search firm agents are backing UNM's hire. Here's the proverbial "big name," his own billboard with the pedigree to eat up the Mountain West Conference, some say.
Save Lon Kruger, Alford could become the most glitzy brand of pinstripe suit in the conference.
"That's really a classy hire," said John Kasser, who helped with UNM's search to hire Krebs. "That was a tough environment for him (in Iowa) to succeed in, but he made the best of it and now has a chance to move on."
What some call Alford's biggest mistake was likely his most forgiving one.
Alford allowed former Iowa guard Pierre Pierce to remain on the team after being charged with sexual abuse in 2002.
Pierce, the team's leading scorer, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of assault causing injury and sat out one season while practicing with the team. Alford's decision to keep Pierce sparked student protests on campus.
In 2005, Pierce was sentenced to two years in prison for a separate charge of assaulting his former girlfriend, prompting his removal from the team.
"The Pierce thing hung over the program for two or three years, and a portion of the fan base never forgave him for that and the way he handled that," Susan Harman, the beat writer for the Iowa City Press-Citizen, said. "He believed he was defending his player."
In the coming days, a new administration and band of teammates could be defending Alford.
The coach will likely reciprocate with a touch of winning, Ellenberger said.
"He has a quality about him to lead UNM to great heights," Ellenberger said. "He'll do fine there."
