Josh Pastner: Wunderkind!

Pronunciation: \ˈvu̇n-dər-ˌkint\

Definition: one who succeeds in a competitive or highly difficult field or profession at an early age

***
Prima! Wunderbar!

I'm stop throwing around my "fancy" German and get on with the show!

The University of Memphis has a very special announcement, and it's a boy!

Not only is he a multi-tasker (as evidence from Val Canez/Tucson Citizen shows), but unlike the one who shall remain nameless (think: Lord Voldemort) he actually turned down Kentucky last year.

Students and professors on campus this morning seemed excited. Maybe it was in part because now we can finally stop the speculation madness. But I heard a lot of great comments:

Finally! They didn't have to go far to find him.
One of the Youngest? Good! He'll have fresh new ideas!

Then there were the comments by complete strangers I heard OFF CAMPUS:

Really, he did all the recruiting, ya know?
The players can related to him better, he's young!

Open arms! And it's not lost on me that one year ago tonight...well, you remember what happened. You were watching, mouth agape with tear-stained faces too!

1996: Arrives at Arizona as a walk-on guard from Kingwood, Texas

1997: Part of UA's NCAA championship team

1998: Receives bachelor's in family studies after only 2.5 years

1999: finished master's in teacher education

2000-01: Lute Olson names him UA graduate assistant coach

April 2002: Is named UA assistant

2005: Rivals.com calls him one of nation's top 25 recruiters

2007: Turns down Kentucky assistant's job*

2008: Accepts Memphis assistant's job

Today: It becomes official at Noon!

Yes, he is 31 years old. Yes, I refer to him as "the HOT ONE, right there on the bench..." (a bit schoolgirl, I know). YES, we have a new head coach...new era of Tiger basketball starting.....very soon!

~~J