Things have been a little quiet on the SIU front....my guess is that it is a done deal....and waiting to make announcement after LU finishes NIT run to the Championship.

I actually wouldn’t be shocked if #3 happened.

Barkeep,

Any truth to the rumor Barry Hinson might be running for office in Oklahoma? Some Missouri St people we talked to at Arch Madness said he’s been contacted to run for Governor.

[Hinson] can handle himself on camera.

[quote="GoSIU8][Hinson] can handle himself on camera.[/quote]

Not sure that's a political plus. Just ask Anthony Weiner.[/quote]

Here's a question.... should Mullins want the job?

Consider the way Hinson was pushed out after finishing 4th, 3rd, 2nd, and 3rd in the league in his last four years. Last year, he was OT from getting to the Arch Madness final, and 2nd in league play to a team that went on to the Final Four. He was 10 games above .500 in conference play in the past 4 years, which is probably second to only Illinois State. And that got him fired and jeered out of the arena at his last game.

SIU has the 2nd lowest budget in the league, declining enrollment, budget deficits, frozen staff salaries, and some programs being moved to their branch in Edwardsville. They're in an area with declining population, declining or stagnant income, and it's 105 miles to the nearest town with more than 30,000 people. They're 18 miles from the closest Interstate ramp, and Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois (20 miles away in Marion) has commercial service to one city.... St. Louis, where you are able to transfer to reach other destinations.

There are a lot of "safer" first head coaching jobs that Mullins could take... in the OVC, in the Summit League, in the Horizon, etc. And almost all of the safer choices are also in more appealing places to live, with less intense scrutiny and more institutional support or latitude.

Barkeep,

Any truth to the rumor Barry Hinson might be running for office in Oklahoma? Some Missouri St people we talked to at Arch Madness said he’s been contacted to run for Governor.

You need to visit Carbondale. The Shawnee National Forest, Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, local lakes are second to none. Three Amtraks coming and going each day. Sure, air travel is limited, but how's that drive from Rogers Park to O'Hare or Midway?

The Salukis made the NCAA 6 straight years (5 at-large bids), 2002-2007 book ended by two Sweet 16 appearances. SIU is a great school that the Chicago media likes to give a bad rap. The Tribune, in particular, has been nasty to SIU for more than 50 years.

I’ll take the 45min drive to O’hare instead of flying out of Veteran’s Airport. SIU might have been good in the past but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s in an awful location. Don’t try and sell me on a few local lakes, it’s not going to work. It wasn’t just the tribune that has been nasty to SIU, I remember growing up with plenty Chicagoland locals that always seemed to label SIU as the party school that was extremely easy to get into and in the middle of nowhere.