UVA proved twice a long term contract is a horrible mistake. We ignored their experience. If they are really that great no contract will hold them (Shaka) but if they are not you'll never get out of them. We should at least force some changes in the staff. I don't know what is going on with the dead legs but our conditioning is horrible. Off season improvement plans, obviously didn't exist or DT, TD etc.or they just ignored them. Neither player has improved over the 5 years here. Coaching up players/recruitment is a disaster, most likely we're going to get second tier talent so dramatically improving their skills is vital.
Long term coaching contracts
- Thread starter I-M-UR
- Start date
Non-Retention of players has been devastating the past 3 years also.
Long term contracts I think only work in the power conference where 1) you got the money to spend and if needed, you can buy out the contract 2) you really want to lock down your coach from moving to another power conference job if one opens.
Some will argue with this - but we are a mid-major. We recruit like a mid-major program, we make the NCAA tourney like a mid-major program, we compete with other mid-majors for recruits, games, etc. So we should not worry too much about a coach leaving if he is successful. Its going to happen no matter how much we pay them. I think when we made the back to back NCAA appearances we were so worried about Mooney leaving we gave him the keys to the kingdom. He certainly deserved a raise, bonus, more perks, extension, etc - but given we are a mid-major - we went overboard. I don't care if we make the NCAA tourney and our coach leaves. As long as we continue to hire good coaches who get us back to the NCAA - that is all that matters. Beilein did it, Wainwright did it, Mooney did it - not it might be time for someone else to do it
Some will argue with this - but we are a mid-major. We recruit like a mid-major program, we make the NCAA tourney like a mid-major program, we compete with other mid-majors for recruits, games, etc. So we should not worry too much about a coach leaving if he is successful. Its going to happen no matter how much we pay them. I think when we made the back to back NCAA appearances we were so worried about Mooney leaving we gave him the keys to the kingdom. He certainly deserved a raise, bonus, more perks, extension, etc - but given we are a mid-major - we went overboard. I don't care if we make the NCAA tourney and our coach leaves. As long as we continue to hire good coaches who get us back to the NCAA - that is all that matters. Beilein did it, Wainwright did it, Mooney did it - not it might be time for someone else to do it
Its not just us - its the A10 as a whole. I think a few years ago - you had Xavier and Temple making cases for not being a mid-major, and guess what - they got invited to bigger conferences. VCU is making a case for not being labeled a mid-major, but with Shaka gone, I think they have to show some promise under Wade first. Dayton has made a case the past few years, and if they keep making the tourney and winning games - they will lose the mid-major label.
The A10 has good teams, but when we lost Xavier and Temple, and Butler stayed for a year or two - we, as a conference lost our best shot to enter big time conversations. Now its like we are starting over again and hoping Dayton and VCU can carry the torch and maybe someone like Davidson or GW can be that 3rd or 4th strong consistent team. It certainly is not us. We had our shot with the back to back NCAA appearances, but that has long been forgotten. I think people remember Martelli and his St. Joes team that was almost went undefeated back in 04 more than our back to back with a sweet 16 appearance.
But my main point is - if we are not mid-major, then pay up and buy Mooney out. Don't keep him because he has a good recruiting class coming in or because he has too many years left on his deal. Do you really want next year to rest on the shoulders of some frosh? Act like a big time program and make a big time move and go out and find someone better.
The A10 has good teams, but when we lost Xavier and Temple, and Butler stayed for a year or two - we, as a conference lost our best shot to enter big time conversations. Now its like we are starting over again and hoping Dayton and VCU can carry the torch and maybe someone like Davidson or GW can be that 3rd or 4th strong consistent team. It certainly is not us. We had our shot with the back to back NCAA appearances, but that has long been forgotten. I think people remember Martelli and his St. Joes team that was almost went undefeated back in 04 more than our back to back with a sweet 16 appearance.
But my main point is - if we are not mid-major, then pay up and buy Mooney out. Don't keep him because he has a good recruiting class coming in or because he has too many years left on his deal. Do you really want next year to rest on the shoulders of some frosh? Act like a big time program and make a big time move and go out and find someone better.
Mooney would make a decent living and a long tenure at a lower mid-major like in the CAA, MAAC or the NEC. I think what he does would work well at that level. Right now at the A-10 level, he's not recruiting the right players, he's not running the right offense and defense, and he's losing the fan base, and this level is supposed to be considerably higher than those 3 conferences. As someone said above here, if we want to be big time, then put on the big boy pants and make a change. If you want to be like La Salle, Fordham or Mason and do well enough to skate by, we're off and running in that department.
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