As frustrating (at times) as it has been to be a Purdue fan (30+ years watching), I must admit, it's pretty AWESOME how passionate our fan base is. There is no denying our base. It's late April and we can have a hotly debated thread about recruiting offers, how we look next year, how the offense/defense we compare (next year vs this year), etc. Most message boards are completely vacant this time of year, yet here we are in good numbers discussing a wide variety of topics. When I think of how much our base would enjoy and appreciate a Final Four, it gives me chills.
We have those in the pro-Painter camp and those that want to see a change in direction. There are those in the middle waiting to see how things unfold in the next year or so before seeing which camp they want to be in.
To me, I can see the argument on both sides. I do think Painter is a good coach. I think he will continue to win a good number of games and he's brought the program to a pretty good place from the late Keady years. The talent we have been getting the last couple years has improved. We probably won't have those last place finishes that we had a couple years ago and will solidly be in that upper half of the B1G with an occasional shot at the title. We will make the tourney most years. For many programs, that's a good place to be. Some worry that the next coach won't be as successful (see football program), so let's count our blessings with what we have. I get that.
Then there are those that are frustrated and teased by the talented teams we put together every 4-6 years or so that no one can deny has the potential to go deep in the tourney - only to come up short. These are teams that aren't easy to put together, so kudos to Painter for assembling them in the first place. Keady did this throughout his tenure (except for the last few years). These teams excite our fan base like an assembled mass of high octane fireworks, only to not have the fuse lit. When they fall short against the fan base's expectation, fans question Painter, who while a good coach, hasn't shown that his best teams can put it together in the NCAA, a single game elimination event - where an off night by even a great team can mean it's all over. Those fans don't believe Painter will ever take us to a Final Four. So, let's roll the dice with someone who might. If you are afraid to go for a higher ceiling with another coach, then be happy with the status quo for the last 11 years. Let's find the right guy.
I think Painter is a good coach. He knows his X's and O's (at least in terms of motion offense and man-to-man defense). For the most part, he builds a good game plan against an opposing team. He's good with the media (though some may argue he puts too much blame on the players). He represents the university well. Over his 11 years, his teams represent the university well (not getting into trouble and shenanigans).
I think where I personally find his weaknesses are in some softer skills and his stubbornness. To me, like the Cincinnati game and the Little Rock game, it wasn't so much that they lost, it was HOW they lost. It was the lack of aggressiveness/confidence, the lack of belief, the deer-in-the-headlights look on most of his guys. I think players pick up the demeanor of the coach and I think the last couple years Painter gets tight in the big game and the players follow suit. I think he has such control over his players and teams - it seems that they care much more of his approval than sometimes the outcome of the game. Don't screw up, do exactly what he wants. If we do what he wants, we'll be fine. It's like they forget there's a game on the court to win. Then, in crunch time, when a player needs to be aggressive and go for the win and attack the defense, or react to a game situation that just isn't written up on Painter's (or any coaches) whiteboard, they just don't have it in them - it's like they been overcoached or conditioned to be like this. I think those here (correct me if I'm wrong) want to see a new direction with Cuonzo or others listed in the thread because they want a coach who has the potential to bring in the same or higher level recruits and build that belief.
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/15356168/brad-stevens-next-superstar-head-coach
I'm not comparing Painter to Stevens, but in the article above, Steven's talks about a circumstance that I think appiles to Painter in my book:
"In his first season at Butler, Stevens started 8-0, but the ninth game was at Wright State, a notoriously difficult road venue. The young coach fretted about it for days. When game time arrived, Stevens snapped at his players, he harangued the officials, and his team departed a 43-42 loser. As he reviewed the game film late into the night, hoping to decipher why his team, which typically scored in the 60s, had struggled, the answer became obvious.
"I'm watching and thinking, 'Well, no wonder they were tight.
I was tight,'" Stevens recalls.
From that moment on, he vowed he would never lose another game because he was on edge."
My only other minor gripe from Painter would be to close the deal in recruiting on a semi dynamic guard (shoot and dribble drive). He's had one (Etwaun Moore) who was excellent from Day 1. I don't see why a guard like that wouldn't want to come to Purdue. Others have indicated some guards are put off by the strict motion offense that he runs that takes away freedom and dynamic from a really good guard. If he can fix these 2 things (the tightness and guard situation), then I think he could be the guy to get us to a Final Four. If not, then I think a search committee needs to look for a coach who has these types of qualities and make a change.
