Butler Aims for Continuity with Brad Stevens

Just when you thought the Butler Bulldogs' story couldn't get any malt shop-sweeter, the small private Indianapolis school locked up its coach from bigger-name suitors.  Butler signed head coach Brad Stevens to a 12-year contract extension for an undisclosed amount.

The announcement, coming on the heels of Butler's 61-59 loss to Duke in the national championship game, completed a whirlwind week that most mid-major schools wouldn't see in a decade.

Stevens, like Gonzaga coach Mark Few in past years, cited quality of life issues and loyalty to his program in agreeing to the deal, despite overtures from bigger programs that could have made him an instant multi-millionaire. Somebody needs to call the coaches' association and tell them to pull those guys aside for a talk.

In the end, Stevens took the advice of Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who told reporters Stevens should stay at Butler. Of course, Krzyzewski quickly added that "they should pay him more money."

Stevens reportedly received overtures from Oregon and a couple of ACC schools. Butler's administration took a long look at a fantastic record of promoting from within—a run of "Butler Way" coaches Barry Collier, Thad Matta, Todd Lickliter, and now Stevens, and maybe figured it was due for a lemon. The previous '70s and '80s era of the immortal Joe Sexson delivered three winning seasons in 12 years.  

Comedian David Letterman even jokingly offered Stevens "a year of (his) salary" to coach Ball State, Letterman's alma mater and frequent comic foil.

Independent boosters courting coaches is just the kind of talk that makes NCAA administrators nervous, but when Oregon alum and Nike chairman Phil Knight dresses and shoes the Ducks, plows millions into new facilities, and alternative energy magnate T. Boone Pickens donates millions to Oklahoma State's football program, well, that's just the business.

Coach Stevens deserves credit for loyalty to a program that took him in from the pharmaceutical industry as a volunteer assistant, but he also would've been nuts to leave Butler for a few reasons:

- He likely returns four starters, two of them academic All-Americans, and his program has an instant infusion of big name-credibility with recruits; Butler doesn't play Division I football, so he doesn't have to compete for resources or attention—his program is the rainmaker on campus.

- Despite an unprecedented run of success, Butler's fan's aren't yet as jaded as those at major powers (most of Butler's games in Hinkle Fieldhouse played to about two-thirds capacity)

- He stands to attract a lot of bandwagoning, Indiana University fans now starved for a winner that "plays the right way." Believe it or not, Butler has a potentially higher ceiling.

It also remains to be seen if Stevens is a great young basketball mind or the product of an outstandingly disciplined "system" that produces national success outside of the Horizon League.  Collier (Nebraska), Matta (Xavier and Ohio State), and Lickliter (Iowa) all bolted for greener pastures and only Matta achieved lasting, or any success for that matter.

For every Stevens, there are other Cinderella-story coaches like Mike Davis and Steve Fisher who failed to get back to the mountaintop. Rather, Stevens is now following the model of Krzyzewski or Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, unknown entities thrust into the spotlight who are now the public face of their schools.

Stevens is now under contract at Butler until he's 45. Heck, most major college coaches are just getting started then.