Good to know we have a chance of making the NCAA if we win the tournament. On a related note, have you looked up our record in the A-10 tournament the past 8 years. Not exactly a Mooney strong point.
Is this the best basketball team in the past 50 year for U of R?
- Thread starter UR80sfan
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And we all know, the best Mooney is a Mooney under pressure.
He's been living the carefree life for most of OOC, now the pressure is gonna mount. JOC better be ready for the first semi-serious question he asks him to be met with a belittling and petty response.
Sorry if I was not clear. I think we can be one of the top 10 teams over the past 50 years and not go the the NCAA. Over that time period we have only had a very small number of teams that were good enough to get an at large bid. Winning the old ECAC South/CAA conference tournament to make it to the NCAA was fun, but not that impressive. I think there is a very small chance we will get an at large bid to the NCAA tournament this year and a high probability next year.
You might want to sit down for this, but I was actually not that disappointed when we were one of the first 4 out and got a one seed to the NIT, because I got to watch 3 more home games.
80s I'm with you, as long as the guys go to class and play hard and Mooney doesn't get arrested I'll sign up for that. I could care less about March madness anymore.
March madness is why everyone turns on their tv. NCAA makes half of its profits during the tournament. Going to need a miracle in order to make it this year. Finish in the top 4 gets a bye. The conference is very top-heavy this year. VCU, Dayton and Davidson are the favorites.
So nit is ok with you this year because you may get another home game?
I hope that is sarcasm, otherwise it is truly sickening. The sad part is we have fans just like that, all spider basketball means to them is a night out of the house
Personally I would rather win the crummy lowly CAA tournament and go to the NCAA, than be a bottom feeder in the A10. Others obviously feel different though.
Davidson loses at Vandy after being down 20 3 or 4 times, whatever that means...
Yeah, those teams that beat Auburn, Indiana and Syracuse were not that impressive.
We don't need a seven figure coach and a fancy basketball facility for an occasional NIT bid.
We don't need a seven figure coach and a fancy basketball facility for an occasional NIT bid.
As someone, who projects themselves as being so pro-player and pro-program, this is a pretty selfish statement.
I'm sure the players on that NIT team were so elated that they didn't make the NCAA so they could play a couple more home games in a consolation bracket tournament.
How about this, just pony up a couple extra bucks, since you have so many of them, and buy a plane ticket to see them play in the NCAA tournament, cause their is nothing like that as a fan or more importantly as a player.
I want every single player that enters our program and puts on the uniform to have that opportunity. As fans, alumni, and supporters of the University of Richmond, we should all want them to have that experience. It is why they come here, why they play the game.
I would think that a player's happiness with his college basketball experience involves a lot of factors and is not one dimensional on just making the NCAA Tournament. The number one thing players want is a fan base that supports and appreciates their efforts and is not constantly criticizing them and the program. The second thing many want is an opportunity for a pro career which our program has helped provide to a significant number of players.
I consider the 2015 NIT team to be better than a number of previous Spider teams that made the NCAA by winning the tournament. I enjoyed that season and consider it a success, not a failure like some people on this board. There are a lot of teams that go to the NCAA each year by winning their conference that are not very good teams.
Different people have different evaluation factors in determining what success means. Many people on this board are completely fixated on making the NCAA and when we lose a game they become extremely negative and unhappy.
My enjoyment of Richmond basketball is multidimensional. I like supporting the school and when I go to games I enjoy the whole experience including seeing my friends, sitting in a wonderful basketball arena, watching the cheer leaders and dancing team, hearing the pep band and great rock music from the pa system. Of course the main reason I go is to watch good basketball and hopefully see our team win.
I completely support this team and strongly believe this junior class will finish their basketball careers as one of the top teams in the history of Richmond basketball. For the 2019-2020 year I am hopeful that they will rank well into the top 10 teams we’ve had over the past 50 years, even if they don’t make the NCAA. Next year we should be even better.
I hope we make the NCAA each of the next 2 years, however I also hope all 5 starters will have the opportunity to play pro basketball along with a number of players coming off the bench.
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"Winning the old ECAC South/CAA conference tournament to make it to the NCAA was fun, but not that impressive."
Personally, I disagree with this. In my opinion, winning the conference tournament and 4 of 6 opening round NCAA games (with a 1 point loss to a 6 seed, and a loss to a national runner up) was impressive...
First, I still expect a lot from this team.
Second, I think both the positive and negative people go too far on this topic.
That said here is how some will interpret part of your post.
"The second thing many want is an opportunity {to be drafted by the NBA} which our program has helped provide to a significant number of players."
"however I also hope all 5 starters will have the opportunity {to be drafted by the NBA} along with a number of players coming off the bench."
"There are a lot of teams that go to the NCAA each year by winning their {top 8} conference that are not very good teams."
I don't think these are what you meant, but I also don't think you believe these are true.
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80sfan, I know you're sincere and I applaud your unwavering support of the basketball program, but you can't possibly know this. It certainly wasn't my experience.
Happy New Year!
I apologize if I was not clear. In describing pro career I was referring primarily to Europe and G league with a small possibility NBA. We have had a lot of players go pro since getting into the A10.
In referring to "There are a lot of teams that go to the NCAA each year by winning their conference that are not very good teams." I was referring to many of the lower quality conference winners out of the 32 automatic bids.
Finally, I am very proud of the wins we have had historically in the NCAA tournament. I just don't think making the NCAA tournament is the only evaluation factor in determining the success of a season by the fan base or the players.
You’re absolutely correct that it’s not the only evaluation criteria for success. Grades and character matter a ton, along with wins and losses, sending guys to the pros, etc. I don’t think anyone here expects NCAA every season. But once a recruiting cycle isn’t unreasonable, particularly if we’re doing the other aforementioned things.
In fact, I can objectively say this isn’t within our evaluation criteria, otherwise we would have done it recently or instead, opted for a new coach.
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Considering our resources, tradition, coaching salary, conference, history, fan base (yes - we are not great but better than many), school, and all factors making the NCAA should absolutely be one of the major criteria in judging the basketball program's success. This is more Mooney cover up. Not sure why folks continue to do so, but he needs to produce. Or not. And we just keep fading into irrelevance. Not that I care, I am on board with this now - much easier on the blood pressure. Go Spiders, and go Aztecs.
Is this a top 10 team in the past 50 years for U of R? Thread title change alert.
To be clear, I’m not making a statement about my willingness or lack thereof to demand an ncaa visit every 4 years, I’m simply stating that it’s objectively not an evaluation criteria for the program. If it was, we would have moved from CM by this juncture. That’s just logic.
Yep, I get it T, it makes sense. Though I think there was some false hope that Hardt was walking in with big boy pants and had some sort of criteria to be met.
I don’t think that’s on the evaluation criteria. It Is likely not a university imperative but could also be a function of higher priorities. Maybe the clock reset with Hardt’s hire and he’s on a different timeline than the rest of us are.
Once he extends Mooney he will be on the 7 year plan.
Feel optimistic this may be best UR team in past 3 years.
Well, it was the evaluation tool that John Hardt laid out for our program and our coach last April when he decided to retain him. He was quite explicit in it, I believe.
Was he? I don’t recall what he actually stated in so far as NCAA appearances go.
Per Big Hat No Cattle...
"After several years with no NCAA tournament appearances, coach Mooney and I have talked about our strong desire to return to the NCAA tournament. Coach Mooney and I share a sense of urgency, and we are on the same page in terms of expectations for the program. "
There was other stuff about competing for A10 championship and tournament bid but I wouldn't call it explicit, and even it it were, the top people in our AD have proven to use bait and switch tactics anyway.
However it would be crystal clear there is zero urgency if you now go 9 years without a bid and keep the status quo. Also 8 > several. Lol several.
Also Coach Mooney did explicitly state NCAA was an expectation THIS year and if they're on the same page logically Hardt has the same.
We're making it this year anyway, we're just too good, too talented. I would consider it Mooney's worst coaching job of his UR tenure if we don't.
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Interesting helping our players make the G league and Euro Leagues and having a "supportive fanbase" were not mentioned by Hardt in his expectations for our program.
making the NCAA tourney is not the only criteria for a successful program - but it is easily #1 or should be #1.
You can send all the kids you want to play overseas (even Duinker who hardly played here has had a nice career overseas), but fact of the matter is that you go to win and make the tourney. Like mentioned above - once a recruiting cycle, with an NIT or two mixed in there is not asking too much I don' t think.
I wish we could make it every year or be in contention every year, but clearly that is impossible for a small academic school in Richmond, VA. If we were a large state school that we used to beat with some sense of regularity back in the CAA days, like VCU - then we could set the expectation of making it or being in contention each year - but we are not state owned rams, we are private owned spiders.
You can send all the kids you want to play overseas (even Duinker who hardly played here has had a nice career overseas), but fact of the matter is that you go to win and make the tourney. Like mentioned above - once a recruiting cycle, with an NIT or two mixed in there is not asking too much I don' t think.
I wish we could make it every year or be in contention every year, but clearly that is impossible for a small academic school in Richmond, VA. If we were a large state school that we used to beat with some sense of regularity back in the CAA days, like VCU - then we could set the expectation of making it or being in contention each year - but we are not state owned rams, we are private owned spiders.
No, I think it is asking too much for a small private college to go to the NCAA's. I mean heck, spider23 mentions we should shoot for the moon, like Wichita, Gonzaga and VCU, but let's be real - we are a small private school - how can we go 4 or 5 times a decade. Woe is me.
Oh 23 forgot to mention St. Mary's - private, enrollment of ~ 2,700. Non p6 conference. Oh, let me check their appearances since they played the lil ol Richmond Spiders in 2010 in the NCAA.
2010
2012
2013
2017
2019
I think most on this board would be happy with that. It can be done.
Oh 23 forgot to mention St. Mary's - private, enrollment of ~ 2,700. Non p6 conference. Oh, let me check their appearances since they played the lil ol Richmond Spiders in 2010 in the NCAA.
2010
2012
2013
2017
2019
I think most on this board would be happy with that. It can be done.
You also forgot to mention that in the years that they didn't make the NCAAs, they went to the NIT
2009
2011
2014
2015
2016
2018
THAT'S 11 STRAIGHT YEARS IN THE NCAA AND NIT.........11 years in a row for a small private school. And not with the same players so it must be COACHING
I am only buying into this thread until we get a bid to the NCAA tournament not accept anything less.
The future is bright. You have come a long way. Remember to repeat "Chris Mooney is a great coach" to yourself 5 times a day, every day. Your condition as a spider fan will improve. If one continues Truther denial, one eventually sacrifices his sanity.
