The warmer weather April often brings makes just about everyone happier, it seems — except major college athletic directors.

During the last three weeks, the country has seen more slots open up in the college basketball coaching ranks than have been filled in the police log by members if the ISU basketball team in the last 10 months. In other words, there are jobs in college hoops, unlike the careers most of us are going into.

Oh yeah, but on one condition — you’ve gotta be great.

Places like UCLA and North Carolina aren’t used to losing. I mean, it’s nearly a death sentence to expect someone to live up to John Wooden or Dean Smith. Those two are incomparable.

But it doesn’t stop there. Georgia is looking for a new coach too — preferably one that won’t fix grades and then lie about it. Pitt will be looking for a new leader as soon as Ben Howland takes the reigns in Bruinville. It’s not official yet, but ESPN’s Michael Wilbon said Tuesday on “Pardon the Interruption” that jobs like the one at UCLA are irresistible, a point I strongly agree with. Plus, Howland used to live in Southern California.

And let’s see, a town known for its steel and cold winters, or one known for its beaches and sunshine. Howland doesn’t look the part of an obsessive beach-goer, but hey, does it really matter when you’re making that much cash?

In all, 12 Division I universities need a basketball coach.

Marquette’s season isn’t over just yet, as the Golden Eagles take on Kansas in the Final Four, but my guess is Tom Crean will be lured away from there, leaving the No. 3 seed in this year’s NCAA tournament searching.

There are several reasons that some athletic directors have been handing out pink slips like others are dishing out coaching raises. As previously mentioned, some, like Jim Harrick just didn’t follow the rules.

Kindergarten taught us all to follow the rules.

Matt Doherty was reportedly encouraged to resign on Tuesday because of conflicts his players had with him. That’s one nasty April Fool’s joke, but …

First grade taught us all to get along with others.

Steve Lavin got his walking papers for being just plain bad. At least I assume that was the reason. If it’s not that, I’d say the content of whatever that goop is in his hair is a logical reason for the firing. And a fire hazard.

At least he didn’t break the second-grade rule — not to play with fire. Causing Pauley Pavilion to go up in flames — along with the 11 national championship banners (none of which Lavin accounted for as a head coach) that hang from the rafters — would have upset a lot more people than his coaching record did this season. The consequences of that tend to send shivers down one’s spine.

And even though Mr. Wooden — who hung 10 of those banners — is now 92, he still looks like he could intimidate his share of people.

With the demand for good college basketball coaches on the rise, the possibilities of who might fill those positions are as endless as the demands placed upon a college student after Spring Break.

I’m all about suggestions, so spread the word for the head honchos to listen up.

Bob Knight is the answer for North Carolina. I’m not sure the players will like him much more than Doherty, but can you imagine The General in baby blue? They say pastels can do crazy things to you inside, so maybe then he can lighten up just a tad.

In all seriousness, former ISU head man Tim Floyd, who turned into a dead man in many Chicago residents’ eyes, should be a Georgia Bulldog in less than a week. Since leaving the Bulls, he has made New Orleans his home and local fish the “opponent.” Floyd swept through the Windy City with a 49-190 mark in 3 12 seasons with the Bulls after bolting from Iowa State. My guess is he’ll be looking at more like a 190-49 record after about seven seasons at Georgia even though he went just 12-18 in his last season with the Cyclones.

And finally to UCLA — don’t take Howland, unless you want more of the same. Knight has made a team which was previously a joke into a contender. Floyd did something similar with his ISU teams, getting them to gel so much that Dedric Willoughby looked like a future NBA All-Star.

Meanwhile, Howland has simply been a product of all-everything guard Brandin Knight the last two seasons. Granted, those two seasons were special, and accounted for 57 wins, but they’d be better off with a guy like Gonzaga’s Mark Few or even Floyd.

Along with better experience in the college coaching scene, I’m sure both Few and Floyd made it through elementary school without breaking a single rule. And I’m sure they participated in Fire Prevention Week, just like the rest of us.