Steve Alford was asked about Iowa this week, and he answered; Vitale touts Lavin for Hawkeyes job

To those who rip me every time I mention Steve Alford here, don't read the following.

I'm directing you to Dennis Dodd's column on Alford here at cbssports.com. It's an evenhanded piece about a coach whose team has a second-round game in the NCAA tourney. After his team's first-round win over Montana, someone asked him about what he left behind at Iowa. He answered.

"If all the ingredients were in place, odds are I wouldn't have left," Alford said following Thursday night's first-round NCAA tournament win over Montana. "I saw something in [New Mexico]. They were committed to basketball on the highest level.

"We have a practice facility, have our own strength coach, have our own marketing director that we didn't have in place at my last stop."

Alford's name is getting mentioned for the opening at Oregon. That's a Nike school next to Nike's world headquarters and Alford is a Nike guy.  Oregon probably has all those things that New Mexico is supplying to Alford, and more.

Meanwhile, Dick Vitale suggested on ESPN that Iowa hire Steve Lavin, an ESPN game analyst. Vitale says a lot of stuff.

Friday, I listed five major-college programs with coaching openings. I neglected to add DePaul to the list that included Auburn, Iowa, Oregon, Seton Hall and St. John's. ESPN showed the six openings and asked Vitale and Digger Phelps which was the most attractive.

Both said DePaul.

What is this, 1979?

At 8-23 this season, DePaul had a worse record than Iowa.

But the school apparently is ready to pony up to try to compete in the Big East, at least

according to this story.