ADVERTISEMENT

Official hot seat thread Mooney

I say NO to billboard.

I have had folks on here constantly state that Mooney was going to be canned - but the billboard saved him. I have also received private messages telling me that "insiders" have it on good authority that this is true.

If that is correct, then this admin and AD are really really even much worse than I thought. But, that is what "they" say - so we seem to be at a similar point in which Moon is just showing how terrible a coach he is. By the logic that has been shoved down my throat, NOT putting up a billboard this year should result in Mooney being gone - likely a forced resignation or some other face saving maneuver.

So please, hold off on the billboard this year, at least for the next several weeks.

If he is back as Trap believes - and I think trap is probably right - I think the billboard guys should bring it back. This time instead of just letting it run - and getting threats etc. and forced to pull it down, THEY should probably employ a more sneaky, calculated tact over the next 365 days. For example, just run it for 20 minutes a day, once a week in a different location. Let the local media play the game: "Where is #FMM going to show up next"?
 
  • Like
Reactions: nathanw19
Something to think about here; I was in Blacksburg this past weekend for the tech UNC game and after the game was hanging out with friends of mine who also came up for the game. One of the kids that was hanging out with us is a current vmi football player and was talking to him about our new OC from there as well as the QB and the receiver that we got from there as well. He said he heard that the football program is getting one year to turn things around or the whole staff is done so they’re going all in for this year. This made me think about basketball some and our situation with mooney. I think the university doesn’t like huesman too much with how he carries himself, how he talks and some of his antics after games. He honestly has been pretty average on the field too, just like mooney but mooney doesn’t have all the other stuff so that’s why there’s no rush to fire him. Interested to hear if y’all think the same.
 
712_VT said:
Something to think about here; I was in Blacksburg this past weekend for the tech UNC game and after the game was hanging out with friends of mine who also came up for the game. One of the kids that was hanging out with us is a current vmi football player and was talking to him about our new OC from there as well as the QB and the receiver that we got from there as well. He said he heard that the football program is getting one year to turn things around or the whole staff is done so they’re going all in for this year. This made me think about basketball some and our situation with mooney. I think the university doesn’t like huesman too much with how he carries himself, how he talks and some of his antics after games. He honestly has been pretty average on the field too, just like mooney but mooney doesn’t have all the other stuff so that’s why there’s no rush to fire him. Interested to hear if y’all think the same.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately our 2 major programs have gone nowhere and no indication of righting the ships. At this point and at least for the next year with a legit QB and OC, I have a bit more confidence in football. On the other hand, I have no confidence in Mooney. If he is nothing more than avg with the significant talent we have this year, then I see no upside for basketball until we have a new coach.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bullfrog91
I say no to the billboard as well. The first billboard actually got Mooney to coach a bit better. But then his coaching flaws showed up later. A second billboard wouldn't change anything and would just remind us of the first one.
 
Instead of billboard - ten helos with Time For Mooney to Go banners painted on the sides to buzz the Robins Center before and after every game until Mooney retires in 2042........................
 
SpiderTrap said:
Then they win 2 games in the A10 tourney - likely puts us in the semifinals. These are all good signs of "competing" and the narrative we will be given at the end of the year is that this team came back, battled COVID and one of the toughest schedules in school history to turn in 20+ wins, and come so close to winning A10 title. I just don't see them firing Mooney, winningest coach in school history, after a 22 win season.
Click to expand...

False narrative. Our sos is 122 and our non conf sos is 159. I realize Mooney calls it a great schedule & all but I hope we actually rely on facts. There are a boatload of them that make this an easy decision. In reality it should be NCAA or bust minimum, tho your 22 win scenario could be worrisome. of course the odds of winning 5 of next 6 can't be more than 5%. Maybe 1 of our math guys like SD, fan2011 or urmite can figure that out based on kenpom or bart torvik.
 
Let me reiterate - we have no shot at post-season - NCAA or NIT. All I am saying is that if Mooney can win 3 more games in regular season (I am assuming we beat GW, Bonnies, and then must win either Dayton or St. Louis) - then if we are able to just win 2 games in the A10 tourney - that probably means we made it to the semi-finals. I think a 5th place A10 finish, and semifinal appearance has COMPETE written all over it and I would guess he keeps his job. Maybe they don't extend him and they just see if his contract can run out to save money - but who knows. Remember - athletics are not a priority at UR, so you must keep that in mind in all decisions.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 8legs1dream
I think the most likely scenario is we go 1-3 or 2-2 to finish, win one A10 tournament game, and let Mooney go the Monday after. I just don't think we retain him unless we do something miraculous. not even sure that would be enough. the VCU 2nd half was probably the nail in the coffin.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nathanw19, plydogg, bongturk and 1 other person
I don’t believe the billboard saved Mooney for one minute. I believe it was the beginning of the end for Mooney. Planted the seed in the back of the Mooney’ites minds.
 
The sad reality is it would be a tremendous shock (a good one) if the school sacked Mooney. Probably need Juwan Howard to coach Mooney how to act in postgame scenarios or something that dramatic for his career at Richmond to end. Not saying I want Mooney to do something that stupid but saying with the way teflon Mooney stays on season after season why would this season which will end with a winning record be enough to get him canned? Mediocrity and no NCAA is par for the course and to date the school administration sadly is fine with that.
 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: Zeeter and Eight Legger
SpiderTrap said:
Let me reiterate - we have no shot at post-season - NCAA or NIT. All I am saying is that if Mooney can win 3 more games in regular season (I am assuming we beat GW, Bonnies, and then must win either Dayton or St. Louis) - then if we are able to just win 2 games in the A10 tourney - that probably means we made it to the semi-finals. I think a 5th place A10 finish, and semifinal appearance has COMPETE written all over it and I would guess he keeps his job. Maybe they don't extend him and they just see if his contract can run out to save money - but who knows. Remember - athletics are not a priority at UR, so you must keep that in mind in all decisions.
Click to expand...
If that finish is as you describe, it still is not satisfactory given the schedule as setup in off-season, skills of returning and seasoned players, preseason hype. By all accounts the scenario described is underachievement for this year. Maybe the powers that be see it as passable, but 17 years in and 11 years with no NCAA bid doesn’t cut it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: spider fan
I don't see any possibility of Mooney getting fired.

1) He is a "personal friend" to the decision-makers, "one of us." It is very obvious that this is criteria # 1
2) He is the "winningest" coach in school history
3) By all accounts, he is meeting the expectations of the decision-makers
4) He wasn't fired a couple of years ago following 2-very bad seasons. He was given an extension. If you don't fire him at that point, then you certainly won't fire him after a successful (winning) season
5) By decision-maker standards, this wasn't a bad season. 20-13 or whatever it ends up is actually better than MANY of Mooney's previous teams. (yes, they massively underachieved, but people in charge won't see it this way)
6) The AD has proven himself to be one who won't (or can't) act. Why would one think he suddenly grew a spine this year? Makes no sense

UR basketball fans can wish for Mooney's firing all we want. However, I am supremely confident that Mooney isn't going anywhere UNLESS he initiates it. To this point, we have seen nothing to indicate that Mooney is ready to go on his own.
 
  • Like
Reactions: spider fan and 8legs1dream
Mooney was not given an extension after two bad seasons...it was after the 24–7 COVID year where he was rewarded for the imaginary NCAA bid.

But yes, all of the other points are worrisome.
 
  • Like
Reactions: regatw, spider fan and Not-A-Homer
SFspidur said:
Mooney was not given an extension after two bad seasons...it was after the 24–7 COVID year where he was rewarded for the imaginary NCAA bid.

But yes, all of the other points are worrisome.
Click to expand...
More like imaginary NIT bid. We weren’t going to the NCAA’s I’ll forever die on that hill.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nathanw19
38 in the NET, second in the A-10 at 14–4 and with three Q1 wins? There's no way you can say with any certainty that we weren't going to get a bid. If that had been our résumé on Selection Sunday, we would have been significantly more likely than not to get a bid.

If we'd lost to La Salle in our first A-10 tourney game, that would have put us on shaky ground. A loss to Davidson might not have been too damaging. A win in that game would have kept us looking pretty good even with a semifinal loss to URI or Duquesne. A semis loss to Fordham had they managed to get that far would have been troublesome.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kneepadmckinney and SpiderDogg
SFspidur said:
38 in the NET, second in the A-10 at 14–4 and with three Q1 wins? There's no way you can say with any certainty that we weren't going to get a bid. If that had been our résumé on Selection Sunday, we would have been significantly more likely than not to get a bid.

If we'd lost to La Salle in our first A-10 tourney game, that would have put us on shaky ground. A loss to Davidson might not have been too damaging. A win in that game would have kept us looking pretty good even with a semifinal loss to URI or Duquesne. A semis loss to Fordham had they managed to get that far would have been troublesome.
Click to expand...
What was Davidson NET? I assume between 51 and 99? So a Q2 loss.

So the 3 questions would be: how likely were we to lose? and how close to the cutoff were we before the conference tournaments? and how many bid stealers?

The world will never know...
 
Problem is, whoever we lost to in the first or second game would have been viewed as a bad enough loss to keep us out. We needed to win both.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zeeter
And I maintain that if it were Davidson in that first game we would have lost. We beat them 2 times in the regular season so really hard to beat anyone 3 times. Also we know how flat mooney led teams come out in the A10 tournament, it’s so predictable. Would have been know different than a lot of other years.
 
The season ending Covid cancellation gave the Mooney supporters another excuse; just think what "might have been" if the season had not been cancelled. It was unfortunate that the season was cancelled because it was our best in quite awhile. And to be technical we can scratch one season from the number of years we have not been to the NCAA under Mooney.....................but does not change the fact we have not been since 2011................................
 
  • Like
Reactions: 8legs1dream and Eight Legger
Davidson was 75 in the NET.

We beat them by 17 just a week earlier, though I'll certainly give credit to McKillop teams being clutch in the A-10 tournament year in and year out. Regardless, the "really hard to beat a team three times in a season" is a myth.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kneepadmckinney and plydogg
Kind of funny I remember that after the ncaa tournament was canceled they put out some kind of simulation of the tournament and I think it had us in the elite 8 or something absurd. You know damn well a simulation elite 8 is good enough in the minds of the decision makers. Might as well hang a banner.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Eight Legger
SpiderTrap said:
Both are to blame, but the fact of the matter is - you can't fire the players, even if they are 6 year Super Seniors.

I just have a feeling, while the seat is hot, that Mooney will be back. I don't think the administration has it in him to fire him. BUT - I do think the following needs to happen to give administration (AD and Board) reasons to keep him.

If Mooney is able to win 3 of the last 4 games, which will be tough - but is doable with GW and I think Bonnies - who we beat earlier, then they just have to beat Dayton or St. Louis - that gets us to 20 wins and 11 in conference, probably good enough for 5th place, maybe 4th if a lot goes our way down the stretch.

Then they win 2 games in the A10 tourney - likely puts us in the semifinals. These are all good signs of "competing" and the narrative we will be given at the end of the year is that this team came back, battled COVID and one of the toughest schedules in school history to turn in 20+ wins, and come so close to winning A10 title. I just don't see them firing Mooney, winningest coach in school history, after a 22 win season. He might be entering Coach Atkins territory from baseball where they will just wait for him to retire or resign as long as he keeps turning in middle of the pack results.history suggests we will neither wine 3 of 4 nor win 2 in the conference tournament.
Click to expand...
History suggests the Spiders will neither win 3 of 4 nor win 2 in the conference tourney. So while I agree with your analysis of the outcome should that happen, it seems exceedingly unlikely that it will in fact happen.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SpiderGuy
8legs1dream said:
This looks less like a man on the hot seat and more like one headed towards a mental breakdown

View embedded media
Click to expand...

& while this came from rtd it is just further proof as I indicated in the other thread that Richmond made the very unprofessional choice not to post the video. U can even hear JOC start to ask question.
 
GKiller said:
& while this came from rtd it is just further proof as I indicated in the other thread that Richmond made the very unprofessional choice not to post the video. U can even hear JOC start to ask question.
Click to expand...
Yeah I didn't even know this clip existed until someone shared it on twitter today, I had assumed there was no footage of our postgame at all. After watching it you can definitely see why it was not widely shared by our admin, Moonie looks like he just saw a ghost.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GKiller
GKiller said:
& while this came from rtd it is just further proof as I indicated in the other thread that Richmond made the very unprofessional choice not to post the video. U can even hear JOC start to ask question.
Click to expand...
Our opponents always play great when we lose. Yawn.
 
8legs1dream said:
Yeah I didn't even know this clip existed until someone shared it on twitter today, I had assumed there was no footage of our postgame at all. After watching it you can definitely see why it was not widely shared by our admin, Moonie looks like he just saw a ghost.
Click to expand...

Agree & good find 8legs. Rest assured had we won 100% we’d have the presser recording online. It’s just more validation of the cancer spreading through the halls of the RC.
 
  • Like
Reactions: spider fan and 8legs1dream
You must log in or register to reply here.
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest posts

ADVERTISEMENT
Top Bottom
Back