Mr Hardt, you’re being unfair.

[AnnapSpider]

Having been in a position of hiring and firing over my career, I think Mr. Hardt is being
unfair.
To allow a proud man to dangle in the wind is not fair or beneficial to that coach, the team, or the
school. It’s time for the “meeting” where the A D sits the coach down and tells him, “we want
to thank you for all you have done for the University of Richmond basketball program, but
we feel that at this time, we need to make a change. We wish you well.”

 

[Stork3]

Mr. Hardt was on Bob Black's radio show one morning where he said, "The one thing I do know is that this is not the time to make that kind of decision. Let's see what the entire season holds."

 

[Wood Hall]

Fire lots of people at Christmas, did you?

Midseason dismissals are generally pointless and counterproductive. Hardt is a professional AD, who has experience with a very successful program (Bucknell). I expect if he feels a change must be made, he'll make one, if he is allowed to by the beancounters.

 

[Eight Legger]

Never the wrong time to do the right thing. I'm sure the Mooneys will have a lovely Christmas and plenty of gifts with the $14+ million he will have earned in his career here.

 

[MolivaManiac]

There is definitely a valid argument that firing Mooney now would be the more "humane" move.

 

[Wood Hall]

There is definitely a valid argument that firing Mooney now would be the more "humane" move.

What argument is that? It won't make us better this year.

 

[GKiller]

I'm told Hardt and Mooney had a meeting after Saturday's game...

 

[MolivaManiac]

What argument is that? It won't make us better this year.

Regarding how it would be "humane", did you ever have a cancer riddled dog or a bird with a broken wing in your back yard? What was the right thing to do?

As relates to this year's performance, which i dont think was the subject of the thread, pull the plug now and you might actually get some people to come back to games and get some enthusiasm in the building.

 

[AnnapSpider]

Fire lots of people at Christmas, did you?

Midseason dismissals are generally pointless and counterproductive. Hardt is a professional AD, who has experience with a very successful program (Bucknell). I expect if he feels a change must be made, he'll make one, if he is allowed to by the beancounters.

So, Christmas is responsible for keeping a proud, upright man in limbo? Letting him dangle through the
holidays is the correct way to handle this?

 

[keefusb]

As relates to this year's performance, which i dont think was the subject of the thread, pull the plug now and you might actually get some people to come back to games and get some enthusiasm in the building.

^This. It would be the only scenario that gets me back in the RC this season.

#NoMoreMooneyTruthing

 

[SouthJerseySpiderFan]

I like to know what GG and Jacob are thinking? And Nick might think he can get more time to heal? These kids and all UR players aren't dummies. Maybe best to let them know a new leader will be brought in next year now?

Wait till the end of season and by then with guidance from their family might have already made or close to the decision to leave? Or do you we think they would leave just because Mooney was let go? I doubt that. And if Khawn can continue to have success, these players might feel, why not me too?

 

[32counter]

 

[I-M-UR]

There is definitely a valid argument that firing Mooney now would be the more "humane" move.

I think it would be for the players.... as I've said before Mooney's departure would take all the pressure off the players. Mooney is coaching to save his job (Sal's cameo appearance in ORU as an example), the players need development and playing time.

 

[I-M-UR]

Fire lots of people at Christmas, did you?

Midseason dismissals are generally pointless and counterproductive. Hardt is a professional AD, who has experience with a very successful program (Bucknell). I expect if he feels a change must be made, he'll make one, if he is allowed to by the beancounters.

First Mooney is not Bob Cratchit or a Chevy employeee his family will be just fine. Secondly 'very successful program (Bucknell)' That's your aspiration?

 

[Not-A-Homer]

I like to know what GG and Jacob are thinking? And Nick might think he can get more time to heal? These kids and all UR players aren't dummies. Maybe best to let them know a new leader will be brought in next year now?

Wait till the end of season and by then with guidance from their family might have already made or close to the decision to leave? Or do you we think they would leave just because Mooney was let go? I doubt that. And if Khawn can continue to have success, these players might feel, why not me too?

100% agree. Firing him now actually sends a message to the players that we care about winning. The players are not dumb, they care about being successful, and I am sure that they are not having fun. The longer the malaise is allowed to continue unabated, the greater the risk that player disillusionment makes transfer attractive.

I don't think that anybody leaves BECAUSE Mooney is fired. I think transfer(s) are likely if Mooney is allowed to stay.

 

[keefusb]

I think transfer(s) are likely if Mooney is allowed to stay.

Not only that, I think the chance of players leaving the program increases with time and the idea that Mooney might just stay another year or two.

#NoMoreMooneyTruthing

 

[97spiderfan]

100% agree. Firing him now actually sends a message to the players that we care about winning. The players are not dumb, they care about being successful, and I am sure that they are not having fun. The longer the malaise is allowed to continue unabated, the greater the risk that player disillusionment makes transfer attractive.

I don't think that anybody leaves BECAUSE Mooney is fired. I think transfer(s) are likely if Mooney is allowed to stay.

Just like last year. Players want to win. Losing to the likes of Longwood, Hampton, ORU, the players are not stupid, they have to know this team is so far away from competing an A-10 championship and NCAA bid. Gilyard and Grant could go to any number of BCS teams and play a significant role on NCAA caliber teams.

Or do they stay here in what is now a dysfunctional and somewhat hostile environment because so many supporters of our program are disillusioned with the leadership and now are showing that in multiple forums.

Letting Mooney go now would be a shock to the system for the players, but I do believe it would be like a thousand pound weight lifted off of their shoulders. I think the atmosphere at home games would improve drastically as well, because everyone would rally behind our players because they know change is coming.

 

[mr.spider]

100% agree with you guys. I have sent letters to Hardt in the past with the same reasoning. Please continue to write him and explain your reasoning and what actions you would take upon a change.

It would be much better to get this done now. It would re-unite our players and fans and keep our fan-base together as best as possible at this point. We continue to lose fans the longer we show we don't care.

 

[Wood Hall]

First Mooney is not Bob Cratchit or a Chevy employeee his family will be just fine. Secondly 'very successful program (Bucknell)' That's your aspiration?

He's also not a cancer-ridden dog, another comparison on this thread.

Yes, Bucknell's program has been very successful. Five NCAAs, three NITs in the last eight seasons. I'd be thrilled if our program had that much success, wouldn't you?

There is no upside to firing him now, and yes, firing someone just before Christmas is a terrible PR move. Others may disagree.

 

[keefusb]

There is no upside to firing him now

Please explain. I believe at least a few other posters have already identified the upside(s) of firing CM now,

#NoMoreMooneyTruthing

 

[I-M-UR]

He's also not a cancer-ridden dog, another comparison on this thread.

Yes, Bucknell's program has been very successful. Five NCAAs, three NITs in the last eight seasons. I'd be thrilled if our program had that much success, wouldn't you?

There is no upside to firing him now, and yes, firing someone just before Christmas is a terrible PR move. Others may disagree.

Weren't most if not all of those NCAA bids because they won their conference? We could always step down to a lower level conference.

and yes I think there is an upside... we can play players to help them develop for the future. Mooney has a terrible habit of not playing bench players if we don't develop them now, when?

 

[I-M-UR]

Please explain. I believe at least a few other posters have already identified the upside(s) of firing CM now,

#NoMoreMooneyTruthing

by the way what is Mooney Truthing? This board is for opinions about the future and discussing the past.

 

[keefusb]

Anyone here care to expand on Mooney Truthing/Mooney Truthers?

I would say that Mooney Truthing is blind, complete, and unwavering support of CM despite overwhelming evidence that our on the court product over the past several years is not deserving of such support.

#NoMoreMooneyTruthing

 

[97spiderfan]

He's also not a cancer-ridden dog, another comparison on this thread.

Yes, Bucknell's program has been very successful. Five NCAAs, three NITs in the last eight seasons. I'd be thrilled if our program had that much success, wouldn't you?

There is no upside to firing him now, and yes, firing someone just before Christmas is a terrible PR move. Others may disagree.

The Flyers just fired their head coach today. I don't see too many people saying, oh my lord, they fired him right before Christmas, those heartless bastards of an organization. To the contrary, most people were like hallelujah.

Mooney getting fired at this point is like a damn anvil hanging over the head over the entire program. Most people expect it to happen, but the waiting for the hammer to drop, is going to weigh heavily on everyone until it does. To Mo's point, on the cancer-ridden dog, which I think is appropriate, sometime it is actually more humane to just put it out of its misery.

Anyone think Chris is enjoying this right now. No way. As the losses mount, the suffering of all is just going to increase.

 

[Wood Hall]

Weren't most if not all of those NCAA bids because they won their conference?

Winning the conference, and earning an automatic berth. What a horrible thing to aspire to and/or emulate. Darn you, Bucknell!

The Flyers are a professional team. Quite different than college.

 

[spider23]

Anyone here care to expand on Mooney Truthing/Mooney Truthers?

I would say that Mooney Truthing is blind,complete, and unwavering support of CM despite overwhelming evidence that our on the court product over the past several years is not deserving of such support.

#NoMoreMooneyTruthing

This an accurate definition. Truthers went back into hiding.

 

[ur2K]

I think firing Mooney and him taking a crap load of money to not coach anymore would be a great Christmas present for him.

 

[MrTbone]

He's also not a cancer-ridden dog, another comparison on this thread.

Yes, Bucknell's program has been very successful. Five NCAAs, three NITs in the last eight seasons. I'd be thrilled if our program had that much success, wouldn't you?

There is no upside to firing him now, and yes, firing someone just before Christmas is a terrible PR move. Others may disagree.

Mid season firing isn’t a great option but there are two plausible possibilities that come from it.

1) you bring back/reinvigorate a group of fans who seem to have bailed on the program
2) it allows you to justifiably dismiss him now rather than face a quandary in March if he ends up around .500

But agree, it has no real chance of helping this year. You’re doing it for entirely other reasons if you choose to consider it.

 

[GKiller]

I don’t see us firing Mooney during season so moot point for me but just curious how long is this Xmas window?

Because aren’t football coaches fired by colleges right around Thanksgiving regularly. Many assistant football coaches will lose jobs right after signing day of Dec 19. Right near Xmas.

Christmas Day,Christmas Eve, Thanksgiving. Yeah off limits. Nobody should be fired then. And we wouldn’t do that. Beyond that well that’s life. happens everywhere.

At beginning of season I thought it would take a really remarkable scenario for it to be even considered but gosh we’re not that far away from such scenario tho again I still don’t see it happening.

 

[spiderman]

a mid season firing would give a lot of disgruntled fans what they want, but in no way benefits the team despite some attempts at rationalizing it on this board. an announcement like that would come shortly after our last game.

 

[Eight Legger]

The solution here is to announce now that Mooney will be fired after the season ends. But then let him coach the rest of the season. Perfect!

 

[VT4700]

a mid season firing would give a lot of disgruntled fans what they want, but in no way benefits the team despite some attempts at rationalizing it on this board. an announcement like that would come shortly after our last game.

I still think we can have a good season. It was always going to be all about A-10 play this year. It was only a few years ago that we went 7-6 OOC with some bad losses before going 12-6 in the A-10. Still a lot of basketball left.

 

[VT4700]

So, Christmas is responsible for keeping a proud, upright man in limbo? Letting him dangle through the
holidays is the correct way to handle this?

Why not see how things go in the A-10? What if we turn things around, get a top 4 seed, and make some A-10 tourney noise?

 

[Spider B]

Why not see how things go in the A-10? What if we turn things around, get a top 4 seed, and make some A-10 tourney noise?

Sorry, that’s not enough at this point. We have been down this road too often. This team isn’t deep enough to win on consecutive days in the A10 tournament. We have lost to Longwood, Hampton, and Oral Roberts at home. This program is not improving, and is probably worse, in year 8 of CM rebuild since 2011 team. Mooney is out of chances. We have been overly patient and given him ample opportunity to return to the NCAA. It’s best for both the school and coach to move on. How a few of you don’t see it by now is beyond me.

 

[spiderman]

Why not see how things go in the A-10? What if we turn things around, get a top 4 seed, and make some A-10 tourney noise?

hard to get excited about the likeliness of A10 success after the Oral mess.
but sure ... that's all I can hope for.

 

[VT4700]

hard to get excited about the likeliness of A10 success after the Oral mess.
but sure ... that's all I can hope for.

I hear you, but just 2 years ago, went 6-6 OOC with a bad loss to Oral Roberts, but went 13-5 in the A-10 before losing the OT heartbreaker to VCU in the tourney semis.

 

[Eight Legger]

I hear you, but just 2 years ago, went 6-6 OOC with a bad loss to Oral Roberts, but went 13-5 in the A-10 before losing the OT heartbreaker to VCU in the tourney semis.

Yeah, that's exactly what happened: With two all -time greats on our roster and our best chance to make the NCAAs since 2011, we completely choked on our OOC schedule, lost to a HORRIBLE Oral Roberts team and even a great A10 season could only get us to the NIT. Losing to our rival in the A10s, as per usual, just sealed the deal.To me, that season was more of an indictment on Mooney than any other. He couldn't take a team to the NCAA that was basically made for the NCAAs.

 

[mcspider]

Plus if he does that well in the A10 (top 4 finish, etc), it might make the powers that be believe that he has done enough to warrant being kept on as the head coach. That is unacceptable.

 

[VT4700]

Plus if he does that well in the A10 (top 4 finish, etc), it might make the powers that be believe that he has done enough to warrant being kept on as the head coach. That is unacceptable.

Fine. So cheer against us this year if you want. That is your choice. I will choose to keep supporting us and hope we have a very successful year in the A-10 like we did two of our last four years.

 

[MolivaManiac]

Fine. So cheer against us this year if you want. That is your choice.

"Us". Hah.