I'm sorry you jumped ship. Not that it means much since you still support the team but just dislike the coach. It isn't taking much of a stand unless you disavow the program until things change in your eyes.
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I'm sorry you jumped ship. Not that it means much since you still support the team but just dislike the coach. It isn't taking much of a stand unless you disavow the program until things change in your eyes.
U will see the light on this. I held on for longer than u were a fan kind young sir. Now it is PAINFULLY obvious
I already see the light. You just see a different light. And that is fine. The world revolves around having multiple sides and viewpoints. I'll support who I view to be an outstanding coach and you'll protest who you believe is an inferior coach. I have no qualms with it.
Wait...what? You want Spider fans who desire a coaching change to disavow the program?
doesn't matter if it's year 4 or year 14. the roster is what it is and you coach how you should ... not to save your job.
if the administration felt it was NCAA or bust, they'd already fire CM. on paper we're not an NCAA team. JJ is our only senior. we've never gone to the NCAAs with one senior.
Correct. The further we get into his contract in terms of years remaining the less likely he will get canned regardless of his accomplishments & his record or lack thereof. If that is the case, urgency seems to not be an issue and winning is a back burner priority. Being a good ambassador seems to be the criteria to be judged by.
I don't agree, the latitude CM gets is very different in year 4 versus year 14, both positively and negatively. So he could very well have a specific goal to make the NCAA this year or be prepared to hit the pavement. None of us know here, but it's not unrealistic.
So he'll coach according to what matters to him, which certainly could include caring more about developing younger guys than trying to make the post-season with older players who aren't likely to achieve that objective.
No. What I'm saying is that in my opinion you aren't taking a stand if you do that.
The longer our NCAA drought drags on, the higher the chance Mooney gets fired. Maybe, we are just trying to save money on his buyout. We tick another year off, that is 1.2 million less we owe him.
Mooney feels heat, Hardt is feeling heat, our athletic department is feeling heat. That heat is only going to increase and I think substantially if Mooney rolls in another 10-14 win season this year.
My question is are they honestly feeling heat? Of all the Richmond alums I know the only ones who think they're feeling heat and are truly upset are those on here. That isn't to say others aren't upset but I think the amount that is a significantly smaller percentage than the percentage on here. Just my opinion from interactions with other alums.
I agree. We won 12 games last year and still had sell outs. Enthusiasm is still there, and big donors have not shied away. Where exactly is this heat that Mooney, Hardt, and the athletic department are feeling coming from other than a few angry people on here whose voices will never make a difference no matter how loud they scream?
yes, each year make a smaller buyout more possible.
I don't foresee a 10-14 win season, but agree that would add a lot of heat. there's none for now in my opinion.
You guys don't get out much I guess.
97, I suspect you go nowhere, living in your own little world. Honestly, I have NEVER seen anyone so obsessed with another's salary (i.e. Chris Mooney). Personally, I always felt that I was fairly compensated. Sounds like you may feel mistreated. My advice to you is to change jobs. Love ya, my fellow Spider. Maybe it's time for a change.
I'd say the same to you. The general public likes Mooney, you need to get out and talk to them!
I’m fairly active with Boston alumni community. Of those who actually follow the team (I wish there were more, but that’s a different conversation), we’ve been talking for a couple years whether or not Mooney is “the” guy. The mantra has always been “he’s a great guy, but only a good coach” and whether or not that’s good enough. This past year has soured people around here even more.
Long story short, there are certainly more people than just those on this board that are negative. I have no idea what the percentage of fans who are down on Mooney or aren’t is, but in my opinion, his seat really warmed up this past season and will only get hotter (if not scalding) this season if the struggles continue.
There’s a lot more alums that I run into that ask what the hell is going on with our basketball program than say wow, Coach Mooney is really doing a great job.
I know I am not renewing season tickets this fall and can’t be the only one. I still will root for the team but if we go 0-10 and Mooney gets fired midseason, I won’t be crying.
Interesting, this is someone like me, joined years ago, and now just launched by the Russian/VCU troll farm to troll Mooney.
Or maybe another one of the folks that don't post on here all day like some posters (not naming names), that are dissatisfied.
Or maybe another one of the folks that don't post on here all day like some posters (not naming names), that are dissatisfied.
It is implausible to think that there isn’t a meaningful faction of malcontents beyond this online community we wallow in. I don’t know that such a faction has any power to effect change but they exist.
I don’t think the attendance numbers are highly correlated with approval of the program. It’s more likely an indicator that folks have an acceptably priced entertainment option.
I don’t think the attendance numbers are highly correlated with approval of the program. It’s more likely an indicator that folks have an acceptably priced entertainment option.
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Yea, the general public thinks CM is a good guy. They also increasingly see Spider Basketball as irrelevant under his leadership. Giving away a bunch of tickets and filling the Robins Center is great, but sooner or later the product on the court has to be good if you want people actually buying tickets at full price. This isn’t about rather or not CM is a likeable or good guy. It’s about wins and losses and unfortunately that’s where the problem is.
I know it’s anecdotal but several of my friends who followed UR basketball don’t really think Mooney is a great coach. I can think of one person who thinks he’s been a good coach given where UR is as basketball program.
The main difference is that there can be plenty of people who may not think Mooney is a good coach for UR, but they don’t care that much to voice their opinion to the AD, on forums, on social media, etc.
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There’s 3 ways I see Mooney getting fired before his contract expires and 2 of which are very unlikely.
1. Enough average fans voice their opinion and displeasure to the AD or by not attending games that it makes an enough of an impact to get Hardt’s Attention.
2. Big donors don’t like Mooney and want him out
3. Richmond wins 12 or fewer games next year or two in a row, which is bad enough for everyone to agree that change is needed.
#3 is the only option that could happen
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Don’t underestimate a significant donor stepping up to provide funds for a buyout. I think budget is not an insignificant factor in any termination decision and removing that factor makes it exponentially easier, so it only takes one individual with enough cheddar to give Hardt some leverage.
not an insignificant factor? I'd go further and say budget is the biggest factor. it was a bad year, plus the loss of some big time players. if not for the money a change would be considered. without the money ... it's not.
if I'm a big donor, I'll kick in for something lasting like RC improvements or a practice facility, but not a buyout. I think it's funny to read posts here that clamor for a change and blame the AD or president. It's not even an option without the money.
if I'm a big donor, I'll kick in for something lasting like RC improvements or a practice facility, but not a buyout. I think it's funny to read posts here that clamor for a change and blame the AD or president. It's not even an option without the money.
It's probably the biggest factor, but not the only one. We obviously aren't going to go dipping into the endowment to make a buyout which I think some folks mistakenly believe is an option. It's not.
But the university always has annual contingency funds to address unanticipated costs. One might argue at this point that this could be anticipated too. None of us here really know.
If the team endures yet another crappy season, Hardt will have most certainly already had some discussion beforehand about the feasibility of a buyout. I don't think he'll sit on his hands if the bus is careening off a cliff.
Ulla, hate to break it to you, but I don't live in my mom's basement and I actually like my job.
As for as a change, I really wish I could change the college basketball team that I root for because the current one I root for has been greatly disappointing in a number of facets. Unfortunately, like you I bleed red and blue, and am not jumping ship, just because I think we need a new captain.
And for the record, I know a number of alumni and supporters of the program, and the vast majority of them are dissatisfied with the direction of the program under Mooney. Of course, I am pretty vocal about my disapproval of things so maybe I am skewing my sample.
Agree with everything you said. I'm thinking the admin is content with ticket giveaways & $5.00 tickets while at the same time having a mediocre coach. The results speak for themselves.
Our finances are pretty solid. I just can't fathom why on earth we have signed a deal that puts us into a position where we can't adjust accordingly. So, so frustrating.
Of course. That is why the financial excuse doesn’t carry water.
I agree Spider-Man, Donors don’t want their money going to cover the Administration’s mistakes like Michigan State. ($500,000,000)
Donors’ money should be for more tangible long term things as you mentioned.
It wasn't much but I love being able to walk over and see my brick at the Stadium.
Exactly. UR is not exactly hurting for money. I realize we have a budget but if we could afford to sign him to this contract, than we should have planned financially to cut bait if the things didn't go well. I can't imagine that we didn't make this calculations when the contract was signed and the later when his extension was signed.
I think the contract certainly tethers us to him to some extent, but no doubt if and when the powers that be want Mooney gone, his contract is not going to impede that.
Personally, I think we are bleeding another year off the contract this year and if Mooney does not show marked improvement this year, the combination of lack of progress on the court coupled with a reduced buy out will create the "alignment" needed to fire him.
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Why do you suppose when Miller goes on the radio and gets asked how much accountability the coach should have, he answers "Very little?"
'Sellout' is in the eye of the beholder. Have elementary students fill seats as a group, shouldn't count as sellouts.
I found that curious too. I didn't listen to the interview so didn't know if it was a joke or what context it was in.
If it was asked in the context of how much accountability should the coach have when a player gets booted from the team for violations of athletic department policy, it's probably fair to say very little. The players aren't marionettes. But I'm speculating that this is the context of the question.
