OP Resigns (Retires?) at DePaul

[Donniex3Era]

OP deserves credit for helping UD rebuild after the JOB era.
Never had a chance at DePaul, no coach would when you play in a barn
like Allstate Arena 22 MILES from their campus

On a side note, GO FLYERS! So proud of this team and coach
Be loud and proud those that are at Barclay's tomorrow

[ScottyExpress]

Don't think he "resigned" by choice, pushed out is more likely, but who knows? Had to be tough ending the season on that losing streak.

[FlyerGuyer]

I always thought he took the DePaul job to collect a nice paycheck and just kind of coast to retirement. He's "only" 61 (I thought he was older than that for some reason) so he might take another job, but I bet it will be a relatively low-pressure job.

[bobber]

Originally Posted by Donniex3Era OP deserves credit for helping UD rebuild after the JOB era. Never had a chance at DePaul, no coach would when you play in a barn like Allstate Arena 22 MILES from their campus On a side note, GO FLYERS! So proud of this team and coach Be loud and proud those that are at Barclay's tomorrow

You are right, sir. Recruiting to All-State Arena must be like recruiting to Alcatraz. The most depressing, uncomfortable arena I have ever seen a basketball game in. Much more suited to circuses and tractor pulls than college basketball games.

I wish OP all the best if it is his swan song at DePaul. He's a class act.

[CraSch]

Dont they open a new state of the art on campus arena next year? If so, im guessing forced out, why leave when the one thing they really needed is finally occurring?

[bobber]

True, it's a publicly funded arena (about 10K) that will also be a part of Chicago's convention set up near McCormack Place, so it will be used for trade shows, etc., the rest of the year. It should be a lot easier to watch a game there. But then, anything would be better than the All-State Arena. It always amazes me that All-State, headquartered in Chicago, got talked into putting it's name on that dump. Naming rights must have come dirt cheap. If not, they overpaid.

At the same time, the new arena is maybe 8-10 miles East of the DePaul campus. Not an "on campus" court by a long shot. But still better than 22 miles away, as is the All-State Arena.

[T-Bone 84]

It may be state of the art, but from what I heard, it's going to be on the south end of downtown, which is still @ 5 miles or so from campus. Not exactly walking distance.
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[Windy City Flyer]

First of all the All State Arena is only 12 miles from campus in Rosemont. Granted this could take you nearly an hour with traffic. Although it's not a modern facility it isn't a bad place to see a basketball game. I've been to a number of games there. I can tell you that back in the Meyer era, the attendance there was good. Support from the greater Chicago community was also good. I don't think they'll ever have a strong student following. The campus is split with some class administered in the Lincoln Park and others downtown. The campus is land locked and doesn't alllow an on-campus site. The new complex will be complete in 2017. It's will be located about 7 miles from main campus. There was much public debate on where the new facility should be built. The school didn't have a better option, there simply isn't a place to build a stadium. Here's how the arena will be funded. "Funding for the arena will comprise $70 million from DePaul, $70 million from the McPier bond fund and $33 million from public taxes."

[bobber]

Most would agree, I think, anything is an improvement over All-State, though some seem like it.

DePaul is land-locked, its main campus is in a very expensive area on the fashionable near North side. Getting land and building even a small arena on campus would be way too expensive. Forget about parking altogether, because even residents have trouble finding a space.

The new multi-purpose arena is the best alternative. It is on an L line that connects with the DePaul campus. Don't know if I'd want to ride the L trains back to the dorm after a night game without a group of burly friends to accompany me though.

Good Luck with it.

[NJFlyr71]

I was watching the pregame talk on CBSSports yesterday when I noticed the scroll underneath concerning OP. Must say I was surprised as although they did not finish well, they had there moments and I thought OP would be staying.

I think they let him walk rather than "Quote" fire him But I really believed that he would have at least one more year.

WHen you think back to when OP was here it seems like many seasons ago for sure. When you think of where we were before OP, wandering in the desert of BB land and he led us to an oasis where we could drink from the water of life giving energy once again.

For UD BB it was a struggle to get away from the awful JOB years and although it was not always pretty after ALL this time and in what IS a LONG TIME I am beginning to see a resurgence in the program like I haven't seen since the DD years. The program having consecutive successful seasons and IN the NATIONAL discussion.

Nope it hasn't been this way since really the 1960's and MR OP started it for us!

Thank you Sir! And GOOD LUCK in whatever you decide to do!

[Flyer68]

I liked OP and thought it was a smart decision by UD to hire an experienced coach with a winning record and background as OP had at Old Dominion. He turned our program around and put it on the right road. I was never a big fan of hiring the "hot assistant" but I am now (Go Archie). But hasn't OP always gotten out before something happened to him - UD, Clemson and now DePaul. I do think he was an example of a coach always looking for his next job down the road. I go back to the 64-68 Meyer days and the highlight of DePaul basketball and, although DePaul, was a big paycheck, it is a program in despair. I always thought move to Big East was mistake and should have stayed with Midwestern routes.

[College B-Ball Fan]

Reports from G Parish and several other sources are that DePaul will hire former Blue Demons coach Dave Leitao to replace OP! Evidently the guy coached at DePaul for a three year time frame (maybe 2002-05) and the Blue Demons made what was there last NCAA appearance (ouch) during his tenure!

I don't know, OP doesn't sound all that bad given who will now take the helm!

Lots of names mentioned-----kinda' interesting------in a bad way if your a Blue Demon fan?

[jumpin' joe]

Originally Posted by College B-Ball Fan Reports from G Parish and several other sources are that DePaul will hire former Blue Demons coach Dave Leitao to replace OP! Evidently the guy coached at DePaul for a three year time frame (maybe 2002-05) and the Blue Demons made what was there last NCAA appearance (ouch) during his tenure! I don't know, OP doesn't sound all that bad given who will now take the helm! Lots of names mentioned-----kinda' interesting------in a bad way if your a Blue Demon fan?

He beat UD and Brian Gregory in the 2004 NCAA Tournament.

	Brian Gregory BRIAN GREGORY UD Men's Basketball Head Coach since 2004. Groomed by the likes of Judd Heathcoate and Tom Izzo at Michigan State, as well as Kevin O'Neill and others, Gregory's defensive-minded leadership has led Dayton to NCAA and multiple NIT appearances. A good recruiter, BG has elevated the athleticism of the squad in recent years and kept top area talent at home. Still looking for that breakthrough season with his own players that catapult him to the NCAA tourney. Graduated from Oakland University.