Last week, Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs warned Tiger fans that his search for a new basketball coach would probably take weeks, not days.

Early, early this morning Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com announced that AU is “close to hiring” Tubby Smith.

Maybe this is just smoke.  Auburn’s search for a football coach in 2008 was all over the map.  And Gene Chizik’s name came out of nowhere late.

Or, perhaps Jacobs found Smith to be more interested than he might have thought… thus pushing up his timeline.

Either way, if Auburn is wooing Smith, then Auburn is prepared to spend for a winner.  Good for Auburn.

Charles Goldberg of The Birmingham News reports that “people familiar with the search process say the university is willing to significantly increase what it has paid former coaches in order to attract someone with a proven track record to replace Jeff Lebo.”

It’s rumored that Auburn might be willing to spend as much as $2 million per year for the right coach.  (Jeff Lebo — who was the lowest-paid coach in the conference at $750,000 last year — must love hearing that.)

Last week we wrote that Auburn should do just that — find someone with a proven track record, and not just someone who’d put together one hot tournament run.  How they went about that would depend upon their willingness to pay.

If they’re talking Tubby cash, then they’re not going to have to go to a smaller school to grab someone.  Maybe.

Auburn is still Auburn.  Even with a new arena set to open next year, the Tiger gig is not a plum job.  At least not now.  It has been a coach’s graveyard since Sonny Smith’s days.  Fan support is lacking.

Some coaches — even if offered lots of cool cash — might not take the job.  That’s what makes Smith an interesting target/rumor.  Smith has coached at Georgia and Kentucky.  After departing Lexington he landed in Minnesota.  While the Gophers have more tradition than the Tigers, it’s possible that Smith would simply like to work his way back down south, back to a league he’s familiar with.

Smith would be a tremendous upgrade for Auburn.  He is respected by fellow coaches and, most importantly, by the media.  The Tigers would get some nice plugs from the ESPN talking heads if they land him.

The move would signal a new dedication to the basketball program.  And it would trump Alabama’s hire of up-and-comer Anthony Grant last year.  Don’t think AU wouldn’t like to have a bigger “name” coach than Bama.

The mere mention of Smith’s name in connection with the Auburn job is a win for the Tiger program.  And if these rumors turn out to be true… all the better.

At the very least, AU fans have reason to believe this morning that their school is searching for a proven winner and that it’s willing to pay for one.

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A year-and-a-half ago, Columbus, Georgia native Sam Mitchell was a head coach in the NBA.  Now, 15 months after being fired by the Toronto Raptors, Mitchell says he’d be willing to talk about a job in the college ranks.

“I’m a coach and I want to coach.  I haven’t closed my mind off to having an opportunity to coach in college.”

He also campaigned a bit for the Auburn gig.  “I think Auburn would be a great job.  I think you have a lot of potential, a lot of possibilities.  I just think the most important thing for Auburn, and they would say the same thing, is getting the right person who is going to push the program and build a program to a national power, like it used to be in the early ’80s.

“We’ve got enough talent in the South to do that.  I just think somebody’s got to come in and stop everybody from all around the country from walking off with all the talent.”

Speaking of “getting the right person,” former Auburn player Chuck Person continues to be a hot name among many Tiger fans.  But Person’s background has been only in the pro ranks and only as an assistant coach (currently with the Los Angeles Lakers).  Mitchell at least has head coaching experience, even if it didn’t come at the college level.

Mitchell was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year as recently as 2007.

Whoever does wind up on The Plains will inherit a team that’s losing six seniors.  That leaves six players who saw some action in 2009-10, four who didn’t and six incoming freshman.  Of course, who knows which of those newcomers will actually arrive in Auburn now that Jeff Lebo has been fired.

Athletic director Jay Jacobs has warned fans that his search will not be rushed.

“Rumor and speculation will be rampant in the coming days.  As in past searches, much, if not most, of what you may read or hear will be wrong.  We will not refute rumors or comment on who will or won’t be considered or who has or hasn’t been interviewed.  Our sole goal is to find the right man for Auburn.”

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As many of you know, we here at MrSEC.com do radio interviews across the Southeastern Conference each and every week.  Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve taken the same two questions numerous times:

1.  Will Jeff Lebo be back?  (We obviously know the answer to that one.)

2.  Can Auburn win in basketball?

The second question is interesting.  It’s interesting because so many people outside of southern Alabama have been asking it.  There’s a very real perception out there that Auburn is simply a football school and that nothing will ever change that.

And I couldn’t disagree more.

In answering that question, I’ve chosen to query the questioner with this follow-up: “Could John Calipari win at Auburn?”

The answer, of course, has been “yes” time and again.

Auburn can win in basketball IF it hires the right coach.  We all know that John Calipari won’t head to The Plains, but that doesn’t mean another quality coach won’t.

Auburn fans should be hoping to mimic one of their SEC rivals — Tennessee. 

Bruce Pearl immediately turned around a moribund program.  A perceived football school (at least it used to be) is now one of the nation’s leaders in basketball attendance and a yearly invitee to the NCAA tournament.

Pearl was forced to walk in the wilderness of Division II for nine years at Southern Indiana.  He became one of the nation’s winningest coaches and won a national title for SIU before finally getting a shot at Wisconsin-Milwaukee.  Then came the move to Tennessee and the rest is history.

Jay Jacobs at Auburn should be eyeballing men with proven track records of building and sustaining programs.  Pearl had that. 

Most of the men being mentioned in connection to the Auburn job do not.

In talking to folks in Alabama, I’ve heard the following names tossed about in connection to AU’s search:

Mike Anderson (Missouri) — Georgia went for him last year and couldn’t get him.  Why would he leave Missouri for Auburn?  That’s not going to happen unless the Tigers are REALLY ready to pay.

Frank Haith (Miami) — Just the type of re-tread hire that I would expect Auburn to make.  Think Cliff Ellis.  Has Haith turned Miami into a national power?  No.  So what’s the draw? 

John Brady (Arkansas State) — Ditto.

Tony Barbee (UTEP) — In his fourth year at UTEP, Barbee has rebuilt the Miners’ program.  Texas El-Paso has gone from 10th place to sixth to fourth to first in Conference USA.  He is also a former John Calipari assistant at Memphis so he has some ties to the South.  Problem is, we’ve seen only that he can build a program, not that he can sustain one.  Jeff Lebo, anyone?

Chuck Person (LA Lakers assistant) — Here’s the hire that many Auburn fans would like to see.  The idea of bringing in the school’s all-time leading scorer as the new head man is alluring.  Only that kind of thing seldom works.  First, Person has no head coaching experience.  Second, he has no college coaching experience, either.  And third, what happens if things don’t work out?  I don’t like alumni hires.  They’re usually messy in the end.  See: Mark Gottfried/Alabama.  Better yet, do a little research on Houston’s hire of Clyde Drexler earlier this decade.  That was an eerily similar situation to the potential marriage of Person and Auburn.



So who do I think the Tigers SHOULD be looking at?  First, I believe Auburn — if they can afford it — should make a run at someone with a real track record of success.  Missouri’s Anderson makes sense if, as I said before, Jacobs is ready to pull out his checkbook and write out a number with a lot of zeroes.

If the Tigers aren’t ready to throw big dollars around, then I believe they should look for someone who has proven that he can build a program… and sustain a program.  Hiring whoever takes a Cinderella to the Sweet 16 this year might generate some media buzz, but it’s not a smart move.  Ask Arkansas fans about Stan Heath.

No, in my view, AU should be looking at someone like Mike Leaf at Winona State.

Who?

Leaf is in his 12th season as head coach at the Division II school in Minnesota.  He’s been there for more than 20 years counting his seasons as an assistant.  He’s been named the National Coach of the Year, he’s won two national titles and he’s reached the Division II finals in three of the last four years.

A lifetime Minnesota man, would Leaf ever consider leaving his small northern (frozen) pond for the much bigger southern pond of the SEC?  Maybe, maybe not.  But he’s exactly the type of coach Auburn should be trying to find.

A builder.  A sustainer.  And a longtime proven winner.

Any hire is a roll of the dice.  But I’d rather take my chances with someone proven in the Division II or Division I-AA ranks than with someone who’s never coached a college game or someone who’s only had one or two winning seasons under his belt.

Auburn can win in basketball.  Jacobs just needs to get serious about his hire.  He didn’t worry about fan/media reaction when he hired Gene Chizik and the early results on that one are all positive.  He shouldn’t worry about “Who’s that?” talk during his basketball search, either.

Search to fill head job will be lengthy
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For moments, when he contemplated the future of Auburn’s basketball program, Jay Jacobs pretended that the big, new, $92.5 million arena sitting outside his window was a mirage.
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According to The Birmingham News, Jeff Lebo was informed today that he will not return as Auburn’s head coach.

Sources had said that Lebo expected to be fired after finishing with a losing record yet again.

Lebo was 96-93 overall in six season with the Tigers. 

Will Jeff Lebo be back at Auburn next year?  That’s the big question around the state of Alabama this morning.

1.  After Auburn’s 78-69 loss to Florida, Lebo said, “We’ve got a good recruiting class coming in.  We’ve got to get some guys who need to get better.”  Not sure what that last part means.  He also said that he hasn’t given any thought to his “body of work.”  (He better hope Jay Jacobs doesn’t either.)

2.  As for when he’ll learn of his fate from Jacobs, Lebo said, “We’ll meet like we always do.  It’ll be private.  It’ll happen soon, I’m sure.”

3.  Lucas Hargrove believes his coach “definitely should have a chance” to recruit to AU’s new arena.

4.  Not surprisingly, Lebo’s players rose to his defense.

5.  Jacobs has a lot of questions to answer concerning his coach’s future.

6.  And this probably isn’t good for Lebo — all-time AU scoring leader and current Lakers assistant Chuck Person said he would “look into it” if “a good college job in a good conference” came open.  (Maybe a former Tiger would think that the Auburn job IS a good college job.)

7.  According to this Auburn site, Lebo has told friends “that he does not expect to be invited back.” 



Lebo has a 96-93 record at Auburn through six seasons.  He has had five losing conference records in that time.  He has taken the Tigers to one NIT and no NCAA tournaments.  This year’s 15-17 squad featured six seniors.

If Lebo survives, it will be a pretty big shock.  And it will likely have to do with financial considerations above all else.

As we discussed last week, the hot topic in Auburn, Alabama this week is whether or not Jeff Lebo should return to The Plains for the 2010-2011 season.

Going Against Him:  Lebo has had one winning SEC record in six seasons at Auburn.  His teams have never reached the NCAA tournament.  Athletic director Jay Jacobs hasn’t given him a vote of confidence.  AU moves into a new arena next year… and programs like to have excitement surrounding new facilities.

Going For Him:  He received a nice ovation during the final game at Beard-Eaves Coliseum last week.  Auburn might not have the cash (thanks to the $95 million arena and football coaches’ salaries and Tommy Tuberville’s recent buyout) to pay Lebo a $1.5 million buyout.  Finally, he’s a nice guy.

Doesn’t look like there’s much going for Lebo, does it? 

And that’s the point of Kevin Scarbinsky’s blog for The Birmingham News today — there just don’t seem to be a lot of reasons to bring Auburn’s coach back.

Did you know that Auburn hasn’t had a single first-team All-SEC player under Lebo?  Did you know Auburn has never, ever been ranked under Lebo?  Did you know AU has never won more than a single game in six SEC tourneys under Lebo?  Did you know that Lebo has led Auburn to just one NIT trip?

Despite the ovation last week, Mr. Scarbinsky writes that the majority of fans and boosters want to see a coaching change.  Some might even want to see former Tiger Chuck Person — an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers — get the job.

But the final decision will be made by Jacobs.  And for now, he’s staying silent on the subject.

Paul Finebaum of The Mobile Press-Register — predictably — is not. 

In his view, it’s an SEC tourney championship in Nashville or bust for Lebo.

By winning in Nashville, “Lebo can get the NCAA monkey off his back and carry some momentum into the new arena.  Otherwise, it’s time for Jeff Lebo to pack his bags and allow Auburn’s basketball program to get back on track.”

Our take:  If Auburn has the money to pay a new coach with a proven track record, then it should make the move on Lebo. 

But if the school is not prepared to make a run at someone proven — Lebo had won 64% of his games at Tennessee Tech and Chattanooga — then they should stay the course for another season and save up some cash to pull the plug after next season, if/when Lebo fails again.

And let’s get one other thing straight… being willing (and having the financial ability) to go after a proven coach won’t guarantee a good coach can be hired.  After all, Auburn basketball has pretty much been a graveyard for coaches over the years.

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AUBURN, Ala. — The Auburn men’s basketball team could finish anywhere from third to fifth in the SEC West once today’s regular season finale at Alabama (1:30 p.m., FOX-54) is over.
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In six seasons under Jeff Lebo, the Auburn basketball program has had a winning conference record just once.  And it’s not this year, either (the Tigers are 15-15, 6-9 in the SEC).  So the coach can’t point to an upswing in fortunes for 2009-10.

Still, Lebo believes things are on the right track down on The Plains.  “I think we’re better.  There’s no doubt.”

Last season, the Tigers finished 24-12 (the second-most wins in school history) and 10-6 in the league.  But they also wound up in the NIT.

Auburn loses six seniors heading into next year.  Lebo will add six new players to take their place… including two 3-star players and one 4-star (Shawn Kemp’s son).

According to the coach, Auburn is in the middle of the pack in the SEC West, not at the bottom.  And you can expect him to make that argument after the season to AU athletic director Jay Jacobs.

“I’m sure I’ll talk about it with Jay when the season is over.  I hope I have the backing of my administration.”

So far, Jacobs has made no comment on his coach’s future or security.

Working against Lebo is his 96-91 overall record at Auburn and his dismal 35-60 mark against conference foes.  Also, the Tigers are moving into a new $95 million arena next season.  Most athletic departments like to see excitement growing before a new venue opens.

In addition, Jacobs inherited Lebo.  He was hired by interim AD Hal Baird prior to Jacobs being named the full-time Tiger boss.

Sounds bad, doesn’t it?

Well, it might not be as bad as it seems. 

Lebo received a pretty good round of applause on Wednesday from the nearly 10,000 fans who attended the final game at Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum. 

He also has a $1.5 million buyout and three years left on his current pact.  As I just mentioned, the Tigers have spent several million on a new arena as well as on new contracts for the football coaching staff this past year.  Does the AU athletic department want to write another check when the final second ticks off from the 2009-10 basketball season?

Another thing to keep in mind: A new coach will probably cost more than Lebo’s current contract, which is less than $800,000 per year.

Lebo’s body of work doesn’t suggest that he deserves one more season.  But fan support and money could make up for the shortcomings on his record.

Should it?  That’s the argument currently brewing among fans on The Plains.

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Mississippi State fans hoping for an at-large bid to the NCAA tourney knew that the Bulldogs desperately needed to beat Tennessee in Starkville on Saturday.

With an RPI of just 55 and four bad losses to teams outside the Top 100 in RPI, State had just one last shot in the regular season to knock off a high-ranking foe.

After last night’s 89-80 loss at Auburn, I’m not sure how much that game with Tennessee is going to mean.

State’s RPI will surely drop further with their loss to the Tigers… a loss that is now MSU’s fifth to a team outside the RPI Top 100.

In an ordinary year, that would mean certain elimination from at-large bid consideration.  This year, thanks to a lack of quality teams out West, the Dogs still might be alive.  Barely.  As in “must beat Tennessee and then win two or three in the SEC tournament” alive.

Dee Bost said after the game, “We knew we couldn’t lose this game to get into the tournament, so this is a big loss on the resume.”

The win was special for the Tigers a) because they dealt a serious blow to the West Division champs and b) they were closing down Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum.

Tay Waller hit on 6-of-11 three-pointers leading Auburn’s six seniors.  “We came out with a different mentality.  We saw all of the people here and we didn’t want anyone to go home sad.  We felt like we had to fight for all the players of Auburn’s past.”

Brendon Knox added, “We didn’t play the whole season like we wanted to, but it was great to finish like this.  To send off the coliseum like this felt real good.”

Mike Svetitz of The Opelika-Auburn News provides a fitting final eulogy for Beard-Eaves in this piece.

The game was not only the final home regular season game for Auburn’s seniors, but it might have been the final home game for head coach Jeff Lebo, too.

The Tigers are just 15-15, 6-9 in the SEC.  Perhaps the Tigers can earn an NIT bid, but that looks doubtful at this point.  So now that the old arena is padlocked, the remaining questions is this: Will Lebo be there to open the new arena next year?

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Its name isn’t exactly synonymous with basketball greatness: Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum.

But the old bandbox will host its final Auburn basketball game tonight and that has many writers across the state of Alabama penning obituary pieces for the Tigers’ longtime home.

Here’s a history lesson on the 12,500-seat arena that first opened up in 1969.  Great read from Andrew Gribble of The Opelika-Auburn News (one of the SEC’s best young writers, by the way).

If you like your history a bit more “listy,” check out this timeline.

For former coaches like Cliff Ellis, it won’t be easy to see the arena close its doors.

Next year, Auburn will move into the new, $90 million Auburn Arena.

In case you’re wondering, the Tigers host Mississippi State tonight on Senior Night.

Running backs took center stage during yesterday’s NFL combine scouting session.  And two former SEC backs made news… for different reasons.

According to SI.com, Mississippi State’s Anthony Dixon put on a good show with “his work handling the football.”  Despite a 4.70 40-time, Dixon “is drawing comparisons to Michael Turner of the Falcons.

On the other end of the spectrum was former Auburn tailback Ben Tate.  While he got off to a good start with his 40 time, the rest of his session “was rather ordinary.”  The writer continues, “Throughout his career at Auburn, Tate flashed big-time ability yet never pulled all the pieces together.”

Perhaps not, but Tate did average 104.5 yards per carry last year… fourth best in the wicked SEC.

It hasn’t been the season anyone at Auburn longed for, but the Tigers certainly can’t be accused of giving their 41-year-old arena a lousy curtain call.
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When Auburn and LSU last met, coach Jeff Lebo was scrambling to find someone, anyone, who could guard Tasmin Mitchell and prevent him from breaking some sort of scoring record at the Tigers’ expense.
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AUBURN, Ala. — In a season filled with defensive shortcomings, one type of player has been especially bothersome for Auburn defenders: the rangy forward capable of playing inside and out.

It’s a particular concern, considering perhaps the best of the bunch will visit the Plains tonight.

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One of Tommy Tuberville’s long-time Auburn aides has finally found his way back to LSU.  Steve Ensminger — an LSU quarterback from 1976-79 — has been hired as the Tigers’ new tight ends coach.

Ensminger served as an assistant at Georgia from 1991-93 and at Auburn from 2003-08, where he took over as offensive coordinator after Tony Franklin was canned during Tuberville’s final season.  In Baton Rouge, he replaces Don Yanowsky who moved to Memphis along with Larry Porter.

According to Texas Tech’s new coach, it was just a matter of time before Ensminger dressed in purple and gold again.

“He’s one of those guys that always talked about his home,” Tuberville said.  “He’s always been very proud to be an LSU Tiger.  I knew one day if he had a chance, he’d go back and coach there.  He’s purple-and-gold all the way through.  He spilled a lot of sweat and blood on that field and he’s very partial to that school.”

Alabama has won the battle of the spring games.  It was announced earlier this week that the Crimson Tide’s A-Day game would be broadcast by ESPN.

Yesterday, it was announced that Auburn’s A-Day game will be televised, too.  Alas, it will be carried by ESPNU, not ESPN.

In a state as football-crazy as Alabama, I’m sure messageboards are already filling up with, “You can’t even get on ESPN” insults.

One of the prizes of Gene Chizik’s first recruiting class at Auburn is heading for greener pastures.  Redshirt freshman quarterback Tyrik Rollison is planning to transfer to Sam Houston State, according to this father.

Rollison had already posted on his Facebook page: “MOVING ON FROM AUBURN…I APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO IS SUPPORTING ME.”

Rollison was expected to battle Neil Caudle, Clint Moseley, Barrett Trotter and Cameron Newton for AU’s starting job this spring.

AUBURN, Ala. — Tay Waller had a hot hand he didn’t want to lose. After the Auburn guard got enough of a breather in the first half Saturday, he lobbied hard for coach Jeff Lebo to put him back in the game.
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Gene Chizik and his assistants are being rewarded for an 8-win season, an Outback bowl trip and win, and a Top 5 recruiting class. 

Chizik will get a bump — of unknown size — on his existing $1.9 million dollar deal. 

Offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn appears to be the biggest winner… notching a 43% hike in salary that will move him to the $500,000 per year range. 

All of the other assistants on staff will receive 10% raises and have seen their contracts extended for another season.

Chizik said some of his assistants “had potential opportunities to go other places — some as assistants, some as potential head coaching opportunities.”

Instead, all chose to stay.  And Auburn is rewarding their loyalty.

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Auburn’s offense lost its sizzle in overtime and Mississippi State’s Dee Bost made a crucial 3-pointer as the Bulldogs beat the Tigers 85-75 Saturday at Humphrey…
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For as prolific as Jarvis Varnado is at blocking shots down low, where it seems opposing teams keep a safe distance from the Mississippi State forward, he does have a weakness as Auburn center Brendon Knox sees it.
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Two ESPN.com writers appear to be in a bit of a listing duel with regards to the 2010 college football season.

Mark Schlabach posted his “Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2010″ yesterday and here’s how he sees the SEC’s squads faring:

Alabama — Number one in the nation.  Despite the Tide having “plenty of holes to fill,” Nick Saban “has stockpiled talent the past three seasons.”

Florida — Number 10 in the nation.  “The Gators should again by the favorites in the SEC East.”

Arkansas — Number 15 in the nation.  “It seems to be only a matter of time before Bobby Petrino has the Razorbacks seriously challenging Alabama, Auburn and LSU in the SEC West.”

LSU — Number 16 in the nation.  “If his team doesn’t bounce back from last season’s disappointing 9-4 finish, (Les) Miles might find himself on the hot seat…”

Georgia — Number 19 in the nation.  “The Bulldogs will have 10 starters back on offense, including all five offensive linemen and junior receiver AJ Green.”



Then along came Bruce Feldman with his “10 teams being overlooked for 2010.”  (You might have to pay to view this one.)  Two SEC teams make his list… including the most-overlooked team in the country:

South Carolina — Number one overlooked team.  “… This should be Steve Spurrier’s best Carolina team yet, although that’s probably not saying all that much.”

Auburn — Number six overlooked team.  “Mix a big number of returning starters (15) with a powerhouse recruiting class, and you have a very dangerous team.”

Auburn’s game at Georgia tonight is a matchup of two programs seemingly headed in opposite directions.

Bulldog fans are starting to get excited about first-year coach Mark Fox and a team that’s knocked off Georgia Tech, Tennessee and Vanderbilt on the season.

Tiger fans are yawning through another disappointing year. 

Auburn is currently 11-12 overall, 2-6 in the league.  Georgia is a similar 10-11 and the Dawgs are also just 2-6 in the SEC.  But while their records are similar, the feel is complete different. 

The Tigers have had wins over Virginia (14-7) and rival Alabama (13-11) as their high points.  (Actually, they did beat High Point, too.)  But those wins are more than canceled out by bad losses to Missouri State, Central Florida, Troy and Sam Houston State. 

Note to Lebo: When you schedule small-name programs, you’re supposed to beat them.

Lebo wants his team to stay focused on the job ahead.  “You can’t get too high or too low.  You have to put it behind us.  You don’t worry about what’s in the past, whether it’s good or bad, wins or losses.  You just focus on what’s lying ahead of you, and that’s what we’re continuing to do.”

Ah, but for how much longer?

Lebo is in his sixth year on The Plains and his record is a remarkably average 92-88.  Take away the flotsam and jetsam of weak non-conference schedules and you’ll find that the Tigers are a miserable 30-57 in league play under Lebo.

His best team came last year and even in their high-water season the Tigers failed to earn an NCAA tournament berth.

Granted, Auburn has rarely had success in basketball.  Take away the Sonny Smith era in the 1980s and you’ll see an awful lot of L’s in the ledger.

But it’s still a certainty that AD Jay Jacobs would LIKE to win in basketball.  His school is spending $92 million on a new arena that is scheduled to open next year.  And ultimately, that arena could save or crush Lebo’s last chance for survival.

If the Tigers want to open their new digs with a good crowd and with a positive fanbase, it would seem that Lebo’s time would have to be up.  But, if that $92 million pricetag — as well as the money being spent on Gene Chizik and his football staff — have left the Tigers athletic department over the barrel, it might mean that Lebo lives to coach another day. 

So will the money spent on that new arena force AU to make a move on their coach?  Or will it mean that they don’t have the surplus cash in the coffers to pay a buyout to Lebo and then write a bigger check to a new man?

Only time will tell.  But it appears that time is running out for Lebo.

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