A few points though:
-Is Valentine even 30 yet? I don't doubt he'll make a great coach in the future, but I just wonder if he's ready for this particular job. Mullins overachieved in year 1, but that's a small sample size with really low expectations. The larger sample size at SIU is the Chris Lowery era.
-If they are promoting from within, I would think Kimbrough would have an inside track. Obviously Kimbrough doesn't provide continuity from the Final 4 team, but they did hire him as the lead assistant last year instead of promoting Valentine to the top assistant and hiring someone else as the #2 assistant. Just from reading the tea leaves, Mullins was promoted to associate head coach, a position they haven't promoted Valentine yet. I don't have inside knowledge as to why, but there's that.
-If we do promote Valentine, I still don't think we'll get an attractive associate head coaching candidate. In theory, you're looking for a guy with a lot of experience yet will be comfortable not being in charge. Couple that in with a very real budget crunch and Chicago living, and that's a really hard sell to the type of candidates we would all have in mind. We'll be picking either a very underqualified D2/D3 lifer or a guy with serious problems who's desperate to get back into the game like Larry Eustachy (who we should stay very far away from).

"Rambler Associate Head Coach Gregg Marshall" has a nice ring to it.

I have a feeling the Mr. & Mrs. will be such good customers that they'll rename Bruno's after them...

The downside of Lynn Marshall coming to Loyola is that I will lose my title of Most Obnoxious Rambler Fan.

I am not sure that you are right Swella, but I agree with your reasoning on promoting Valentine.

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Let's go Braden!

64, thanks for the vote of confidence about my retaining the title!

Realistically though, while I might be able to go toe to toe with a .08 or .10 Lynn Marshall, when her BAC reaches .16 or higher I am no match for her 100 decibel f bombs rendered in the key of G.

That’s probably exactly what happened. Who wouldn’t want to work in basketball over the corporate world? Good for him.

I'm sure he will be a good addition to the staff. I am mostly surprised we added a position (or filled an open position) during a budget crunch.

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MBB Scholarship Chart

Definitely thought about this as well. I take it as a big positive, shows that the basketball program (and Porter’s happiness) is a real priority at the university.