"we certainly have a lot for which to be thankful!"

[UR80sfan]

Update From John Hardt

"As we conclude our fall sports seasons and begin winter sports competition, we certainly have a lot for which to be thankful!"

"While a point of pride, success in competition is only a partial measure of the success of our Spider athletes."

"We were able to end it on a positive note by winning the 129th Capital Cup and evened the all-time series against William & Mary."

"our women’s cross country team as it won its third Atlantic 10 Championship in the last four years"

"Our field hockey program, under the direction of first-year head coach Jamie Montgomery, advanced to the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament"

Why is everyone so negative? Is sounds like things are going really well in the athletic department.

 

[Captain Anderson]

“While a point of pride, success in competition is only a partial measure of the success of our Spider athletes”

Might be the most “2018” quote of all time. And yes, I understand that we have some extremely smart, talented young men and women that we should be very proud of but last time I checked they still kept score in college athletics.

He’s right that we do have a lot to be thankful for though.

 

[Eight Legger]

Took note of that line also. Disappointing. Crutcher used the same phrasing in his email to the campus community last week, so there’s clearly some PR maneuvering at work here.

We’re not here for participation trophies and juice boxes after every game, gentlemen, nor will we be spending our money on products that don’t have winning as prominently stated goals. Not sure who you are trying to fool with this sort of language. We are running a Division I athletics program here, allegedly, so maybe let's act like it.

 

[spiderstudent17]

I have no problem with the language used. We really haven’t had a strong year in athletics so far, so there really isnt much to say on that regard. Plus, I for one would love to hear the accomplishments they make off the playing field as well. After all, they are student-athletes. Everyone from the fans, school, the athletes want success on the field/court. However, highlighting non-athletic accomplishments of student-athletes who have a 10X busier schedule than normal students, is noteworthy and something to be proud of as well.

 

[ChoppinBroccoli]

I believe this thread belongs on the "Other Sports" board.

 

[Dr. Spidey]

No one gives a damn about women’s cross country or field hockey. Football and Basketball are the only sports that have mattered and now they’re in a dumpster fire.

 

[Eight Legger]

I have no problem with the language used. We really haven’t had a strong year in athletics so far, so there really isnt much to say on that regard. Plus, I for one would love to hear the accomplishments they make off the playing field as well. After all, they are student-athletes. Everyone from the fans, school, the athletes want success on the field/court. However, highlighting non-athletic accomplishments of student-athletes who have a 10X busier schedule than normal students, is noteworthy and something to be proud of as well.

Nothing wrong with accentuating the off-the-field stuff, but it read like something I would expect to see from a D3 athletic director. Just be honest and say, 'Hey, we are all disappointed that our flagship sports are not doing well but we are working like heck to improve things... and oh by the way, here are some of the awesome things the athletes are doing off the field too.'

Honesty really isn't that difficult.

 

[spiderstudent17]

Nothing wrong with accentuating the off-the-field stuff, but it read like something I would expect to see from a D3 athletic director. Just be honest and say, 'Hey, we are all disappointed that our flagship sports are not doing well but we are working like heck to improve things... and oh by the way, here are some of the awesome things the athletes are doing off the field too.'

Honesty really isn't that difficult.

Hardt said “Our football program had a tough season, but I am proud of the tenacity and grit our student-athletes exhibited throughout the year.” He then went on to talk about the facility renovations they’re doing to improve our programs. I don’t have expectations of Hardt to say anything more than that. Keep that stuff in house and let his actions speak louder than words.

 

[Eight Legger]

He's been here a year. What have his actions said so far?

 

[spiderstudent17]

He's been here a year. What have his actions said so far?

That he wants our programs (especially top ones) to succeed. At least that’s how I see it. He wasn’t going to fire Mooney last year and he isn’t going to do it during the season this year. All eyes will be on him at the end of the year assuming we have a subpar record and don’t make the tournament.

 

[I-M-UR]

I have no problem with the language used. We really haven’t had a strong year in athletics so far, so there really isnt much to say on that regard. Plus, I for one would love to hear the accomplishments they make off the playing field as well. After all, they are student-athletes. Everyone from the fans, school, the athletes want success on the field/court. However, highlighting non-athletic accomplishments of student-athletes who have a 10X busier schedule than normal students, is noteworthy and something to be proud of as well.

Do they sell tickets to watch students take exams?
You play games to win.... unless you're under 8 years old.

 

[SpiderRick]

That he wants our programs (especially top ones) to succeed. At least that’s how I see it. He wasn’t going to fire Mooney last year and he isn’t going to do it during the season this year. All eyes will be on him at the end of the year assuming we have a subpar record and don’t make the tournament.

I hope like he'll he wants our programs to succeed, he's the athletic director for crying out loud! DO SOMETHING

And the way I see it, all eyes are on him NOW

 

[UR80sfan]

I believe this thread belongs on the "Other Sports" board.

This letter is very relevant to the basketball board because it shows how the president of the university and AD evaluate the success of teams, which is very different then most of the people on this board.

 

[Spiders05]

You play games to win.... unless you're under 8 years old.

My 6 year old son would have a problem with this statement. He throws his participation trophies away and can tell you the W/L record and his goal talley for his U7 soccer team.

 

[WebSpinner]

really do not expect or desire an email from the athletic director bad mouthing everything and just being completely negative. when the smoke clears, we are still an institution of higher learning first and foremost, all the other stuff comes second as it should. if i was an alum of tennessee or usc or florida state, etc., then i would be completely outraged and screaming, am not, keep things in perspective, we are not a football or basketball school, we don't make millions of dollars from those sports, they cost us millions of dollars. do i want to win, absolutely but also understand who we are and have been around this school since i was 8 years old. am happy and impressed that we have made a commitment, investment, in those two sports and wish that our return was much better. CEOs work in different ways, some come in and just blow up everything and start from scratch, others come in, observe, ponder, get the lay of the land from all angles before taking a lot of action. am sure he is looking at more than just Ws and Ls, way too much happening in programs to just make a knee-jerk reaction before you know and understand the full story.

 

[spiderstudent17]

Exactly, the AD isn’t going to bad mouth the teams that haven’t done well, especially in an email about what we are thankful for. Let’s not start grasping for straws here. All schools do this with non-athletic achievements. I go to a bigger state school for graduate school and I get occasional emails from the athletic department highlighting team GPAs.

 

[mr.spider]

Yes, we are blowing the letter out of proportion. You are never going to gain much from a letter like that. I'm sure Hardt wants us to win.

On a different note, some of you seem to misunderstand that the goal in sports is to win. It doesn't seem that hard to understand, but some of you seem to miss that somehow. It doesn't mean sports is the only thing that is important in life. In fact, there are many way more important things in life. But do please understand that the goal in sports is to win.

 

[ChoppinBroccoli]

This letter is very relevant to the basketball board because it shows how the president of the university and AD evaluate the success of teams, which is very different then most of the people on this board.

You selectively quoted passages about other sports. There is a forum for those sports.

I am glad our non-revenue sports are doing well, and graduating high-achieving, high-quality young men and women. I bet I follow them more closely than most.

I would love for Richmond to qualify for A10 awards that equal weight all the sports (may be difficult because we have fewer teams), similar to what Bucknell was able to do under Hardt. All sports are important.

However, I am genuinely concerned that Richmond basketball (and to a lesser extent, football) is going the way of Bucknell football - irrelevant on the national scene.

 

[Dr. Spidey]

really do not expect or desire an email from the athletic director bad mouthing everything and just being completely negative. when the smoke clears, we are still an institution of higher learning first and foremost, all the other stuff comes second as it should. if i was an alum of tennessee or usc or florida state, etc., then i would be completely outraged and screaming, am not, keep things in perspective, we are not a football or basketball school, we don't make millions of dollars from those sports, they cost us millions of dollars. do i want to win, absolutely but also understand who we are and have been around this school since i was 8 years old. am happy and impressed that we have made a commitment, investment, in those two sports and wish that our return was much better. CEOs work in different ways, some come in and just blow up everything and start from scratch, others come in, observe, ponder, get the lay of the land from all angles before taking a lot of action. am sure he is looking at more than just Ws and Ls, way too much happening in programs to just make a knee-jerk reaction before you know and understand the full story.

Everything you just said is the exact kind of errant mentality that is destroying our once beloved flagship sports programs.

 

[SpiderRick]

[QUOTE="WebSpinner, post: am sure he is looking at more than just Ws and Ls, way too much happening in programs to just make a knee-jerk reaction before you know and understand the full story.[/QUOTE]

Well, I'm looking for more Ws................how about the rest of you?

 

[whampas]

[QUOTE="WebSpinner, post: am sure he is looking at more than just Ws and Ls, way too much happening in programs to just make a knee-jerk reaction before you know and understand the full story.

Well, I'm looking for more Ws................how about the rest of you?[/QUOTE]
I'm looking for a lot fewer Ls. Hate Ls, no Ls.

 

[spider23]

Yes, jesus Webspinner, we are not talking about knee jerk reaction here. Don't need to be Bama in football or Duke/UNC in hoops to see that Mooney effing just flat out sucks as a coach and cannot recruit, and has sucked the life out of the basketball program. You are overthinking this bro.

 

[WebSpinner]

agree 23 but he has no idea of why this is happening, knows nothing about our recruiting base, etc. now that he is here and can observe for himself both on and off the court, he may see what you see, he may not. heck, not saying like Ls and do not want to win but following our programs from eight years old to now 72, have a lot more losses than wins, though have never counted it up. we had some good years with Frank Jones, a few with Jim Reid, a break through with Dave Clawson and a steady hand with rocco but historically, we have been average or below average in winning, same with basketball, some good years but many, many, more years of losses or just average teams. kind of reminds me of lsu fans when i lived in new orleans, they won a national championship in 1958 and although they were just an average team during my time there, the fans thought they should be there every year and they were not until what 2003, about 45 years. expectations can sometimes not be realistic thus frustrating. if this guy is smart, think he is, he will figure it out and make changes where needed.

 

[64Spider]

A 8 year knee jerk has got to be a record. Hang the flag.

 

[WebSpinner]

we are discussing the athletic director who has not been here for eight years, he just got here, has not lived through it and thus does not have the same frustration as some. knee-jerk is coming in, not knowing all the facts and just blowing it up which he has not done, yet.

 

[MrTbone]

Agree with spinner on this. AD wasn’t in a position to go thermonuclear on CM last year even with the crappy season. He’d have to have the buyout funds and I’m sure hale wasn’t casually stroking a check.

If we end up with a crappy record and hardt didn’t make a move, then it’s ok to unleash the icbms.

 

[Ferrum Spider]

People are reading way to much into this letter. What coach would want to come to a school where the AD blasts the teams peformances? WTF do you guys want him to write?

"Guys our football team sucks, so does our basketball, I hate working with these coaches as much as you guys hate watching them coach the team. Granted I would like to bring attention to our other sports programs that exist and have had some success that you may not know about but I will continue to only focus on the negative aspects of our program in a holiday post. Also, I will now post how much we suck on spider nation and take suggestions on how we should fire our coaches, hopefully in the most embarrassing way possible to satisfy the SpiderNation. This will make us a better program as my scorched earth, knee jerk reaction policies many on here so desperately yearn for will reign supreme and deliver us to the promise land, immediately!"

Would that make the dissenters feel better? I'm no more happy about where we are as an athletics program as anyone else so don't put me in the "everything is fine" camp, but the mental gymnastics I see on here having to politicize every thing done by the AD, Coaches, Promotions gets ridiculous and almost as tiresome as the losing.

We didn't experience becoming a middling athletics program overnight, it wont be fixed over night either. Give the AD a full academic year to figure things out.

 

[WebSpinner]

Ferrum, you sum it up pretty nicely, spot on.

 

[whampas]

People are reading way to much into this letter. What coach would want to come to a school where the AD blasts the teams peformances? WTF do you guys want him to write?

"Guys our football team sucks, so does our basketball, I hate working with these coaches as much as you guys hate watching them coach the team. Granted I would like to bring attention to our other sports programs that exist and have had some success that you may not know about but I will continue to only focus on the negative aspects of our program in a holiday post. Also, I will now post how much we suck on spider nation and take suggestions on how we should fire our coaches, hopefully in the most embarrassing way possible to satisfy the SpiderNation. This will make us a better program as my scorched earth, knee jerk reaction policies many on here so desperately yearn for will reign supreme and deliver us to the promise land, immediately!"

Would that make the dissenters feel better? I'm no more happy about where we are as an athletics program as anyone else so don't put me in the "everything is fine" camp, but the mental gymnastics I see on here having to politicize every thing done by the AD, Coaches, Promotions gets ridiculous and almost as tiresome as the losing.

We didn't experience becoming a middling athletics program overnight, it wont be fixed over night either. Give the AD a full academic year to figure things out.

You are correct. It won't be fixed over night. But the fix won't start until the change is made and that needs to happen "over night".

 

[ur2K]

I had no problem with Hardt’s message - more telling in it was that men’s basketball, which should be our flagship program was barely mentioned.

He seems like a smart guy, hopefully he can see what we have in our basketball coach who has a 13+ year body of work now to review.

 

[SpiderGuy]

Hardt is a professional with the background and skills to be AD. With his years of experience around university sports, it shouldn't take him too long to gather facts & opinions from whatever sources he chooses. He does not have to have lived our situation over the recent years to perform the job he was hired to do.

At the end of this season, he will need to look at this year's record, level of competitiveness, and observe what he sees as Mooney's fundamentals of coaching. Also, he'll evaluate our performance compared to last year's performance as well as what research & knowledge he has gathered on Mooney over time.

I believe actions or lack of at the end of this season will tell us all we need to know.

 

[FrontRoyalSpider]

No one gives a damn about women’s cross country or field hockey. Football and Basketball are the only sports that have mattered and now they’re in a dumpster fire.

I fear that behind the scenes, our basketball and football programs are being prepared for membership in the ODAC.

 

[spider23]

If Mooney can't win in the ODAC With chartered flights, new RC, and best practice facility he indeed should be fired.

 

[AnnapSpider]

I bet there are some business majors on this site. And I bet they took Marketing 101.
Now, I’d like one of them to explain how a negative letter by the new AD would help?
Thank you.

 

[ChoppinBroccoli]

If Mooney can't win in the ODAC With chartered flights, new RC, and best practice facility he indeed should be fired.

Love the idea of a chartered flight to Ashland.

 

[GKiller]

we're moving to ODAC as soon Front Royal moves to West VA. Could happen. I have personal knowledge we're working on a straight up trade...Fro Ro for Paw Paw, WV.