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Post by trimster on Mar 11, 2023 10:27:23 GMT -5
ESPN’s Coaching Carousel has a notation regarding the HC job. “Don’t be surprised to see Holy Cross garner interest from bigger names than expected for its head coach opening. The Crusaders can offer a strong salary and sources have indicated Vermont’s John Becker and Towson’s Pat Skerry are among the candidates they could pursue.” Some of the Vermont faithful are getting nervous about the allure of the HC position to Becker.
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Post by trimster on Mar 11, 2023 9:35:43 GMT -5
A thought... Certainly at present, HC basketball is a bottom feeder in a bottom feeding league. However, would success at HC garner more attention than success at Towson? Is HC a better stepping stone for a coach trying to move up? We have been buffeted by years of failure. Maybe we have become blind to the opportunities HC b-ball offers. Don't sell HC b-ball short. Look at things not only as they are but as they could be at HC. Potential! Very good point. Leaders have to have vision. When we moved into our neighborhood, there was a pink house around the corner that I considered ugly. I thought the exact same house looked very good after it was painted brown. Someone, maybe the owner, looked at it and envisioned it with a different color. Would that HC could transform its men hoops program as easily as that example.
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Post by trimster on Mar 11, 2023 9:10:05 GMT -5
The CAA is a better league compared to the PL. The only reason that Skerry would be interested is that he would love to come back to New England. That would seem like a pretty big reason. He also seems to value education and as Ches says, "You can have it all at Holy Cross."
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Post by trimster on Mar 11, 2023 8:13:50 GMT -5
ESPN’s Coaching Carousel has a notation regarding the HC job. “Don’t be surprised to see Holy Cross garner interest from bigger names than expected for its head coach opening. The Crusaders can offer a strong salary and sources have indicated Vermont’s John Becker and Towson’s Pat Skerry are among the candidates they could pursue.” Not sure I believe this, but I was banging the drum for Skerry after Milan was let go, and he'd definitely be on my short list, too. From Medfid, went to Tufts, high academic experience as an assistant at Tufts and William&Mary. Great recruiter in the fertile soils of New England prep basketball. We'd be getting kids from NMH again, imho.
I really think the NEPSAC needs to play a big role in any possible resurgence of HC hoops. There is a lot of talent right in HC’s backyard and I am not thinking just Worcester Academy but New England in general.
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Post by trimster on Mar 11, 2023 8:09:20 GMT -5
CBS offered Dick Vitale the opportunity to call one Big Dance game this month. He declined citing his loyalty to ESPN. Nice gesture by CBS.
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Post by trimster on Mar 11, 2023 7:36:34 GMT -5
Skerry took over a Towson program that had had 15 consecutive losing seasons. Went 1-31 in year one, 18-13 in year two and 25-11 in year three. His teams have won at least 18 games in 8 of the 11 or so years he has been there.
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Post by trimster on Mar 11, 2023 7:24:55 GMT -5
Skerry is a local guy, Medford and a Tufts grad, whose teams have done very well on and off the floor.
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Post by trimster on Mar 11, 2023 7:19:33 GMT -5
UMass Lowell at UVM for American East title this morning at 11:00.
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Post by trimster on Mar 11, 2023 7:15:19 GMT -5
There is one individual I feel badly about in regards to this news: FCBN's young son, who obviously had no say in the matter. FCBN will be just fine. I was thinking the same thing. I think I saw him on the bench at home games. Has to be tough on him.
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Post by trimster on Mar 10, 2023 20:59:13 GMT -5
It was rumored Brown's head coach, was a finalist when BN was hired. His record over the last 4 years at Brown is 64-53. Brown has traditionally been a very tough place to win. If he is interested, I would give him a serious look. Seems like he has done a very nice job recruiting at Brown.
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Fired
Mar 10, 2023 18:37:20 GMT -5
Post by trimster on Mar 10, 2023 18:37:20 GMT -5
I guess he'd have two huge "advantages" for lack of a better word. A possible recommendation from Ralph and the picture of HC right from the horse's mouth. I don't know. Martin and Miller haven't exactly set the world on fire at UMass and URI although it is very early for both. At first blush, he kind of reminds me of them in that they are former P6 coaches looking to resurrect their career. Oh, he is married to a Harbaugh so we could have 3 NFL coaches with an interest in HC. Well, actually 2 but UM is almost the NFL.
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Fired
Mar 10, 2023 18:35:13 GMT -5
Post by trimster on Mar 10, 2023 18:35:13 GMT -5
I hope the last week and a half was just Kit preparing a big offer for Tom Crean. A Willard guy.. I guess he'd have two huge "advantages" for lack of a better word. A possible recommendation from Ralph and the picture of HC right from the horse's mouth. I don't know. Martin and Miller haven't exactly set the world on fire at UMass and URI although it is very early for both. At first blush, he kind of reminds me of them in that they are former P6 coaches looking to resurrect their career.
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Fired
Mar 10, 2023 18:25:40 GMT -5
Post by trimster on Mar 10, 2023 18:25:40 GMT -5
Why would Tom Crean or anyone of his ilk, want to take a job busing all over NY and PA?? Why did RW? Why did Dechilles? Why is Langel still doing it? There is a sales pitch to be made to be able to coach kids who care and will listen at a place where you CAN be successful. There are elements that are more appealing versus even a South Florida (a place I’ve seen Crean’s name mentioned) where it’s extremely difficult to win and the players are a pain in the ass. A few trips per year on a coach bus are not that big of a deal. Does Williamsport/Lewisburg have an airport? In all seriousness, how old is TC and what has he been up to lately?
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Post by trimster on Mar 10, 2023 18:19:38 GMT -5
4 out of 10 now fired in the PL - Will we reach 50 pct attrition rate with a 5th (Lafayette?) - in any case we will probably have the distinction of the greatest turnover in all of D.1 Does this indicate a change in institutional support to get serious about men's bball ? To your last point, I highly doubt it. It didn't take long for hoopdirt to update its list of programs in "leadership transition." HC becomes the 27th D1 program that is open.
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Fired
Mar 10, 2023 18:16:35 GMT -5
Post by trimster on Mar 10, 2023 18:16:35 GMT -5
I hope the last week and a half was just Kit preparing a big offer for Tom Crean. Why would Tom Crean or anyone of his ilk, want to take a job busing all over NY and PA??
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Post by trimster on Mar 10, 2023 18:08:04 GMT -5
Patriot League Purge continues. I get the feeling the coach of Christopher Newport, John Krikorian, might be interested in the job. He is a very local guy, Auburn, MA., 49 years old, a Penn Grad, assistant for two years each at Penn, Lafayette and Navy. Head man for 14 years and has won nearly 80% of his games in ten years at CN. He might be interested in moving and coming "home" to boot.
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Post by trimster on Mar 10, 2023 17:59:08 GMT -5
I wish the Nelson family all the best. This has to be very difficult for Brett and his family.
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Post by trimster on Mar 9, 2023 11:55:18 GMT -5
If this is accurate? Wow! Time for Hughes to give the bully coach the bum's rush as evidently the coach did to the young men. Maybe, use the comment by WHY4 as an introduction to a petition demanding Nelson's ouster. Pass the petition among alums, students & friends of HC. I'm old, in & out but I would sign it. Maybe set up a poll on this board to start. I had questioned Nelson's inability to hold onto so many players. Now I know why. Nelson must go, Now! Meanwhile out on the recruiting front. Yeah, right. Wonder how that is going.
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Post by trimster on Mar 9, 2023 9:37:49 GMT -5
I'm quite comfortable with a team gpa of 2.96. Similarly, I'd be very OK with a team gpa of >2.00 if we were winning the PL championship every year. Everyone at alma mater doesn't have to be a genius. 2.01 cumulative baby. “D for Degree.” What do they call the med student who finished last in his class?
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Post by trimster on Mar 9, 2023 8:51:54 GMT -5
I'm quite comfortable with a team gpa of 2.96. Similarly, I'd be very OK with a team gpa of >2.00 if we were winning the PL championship every year. Everyone at alma mater doesn't have to be a genius. Posting that team GPA on Twitter as some sort of accomplishment when the team has a god awful record is laughable. Also HC Mens Basketball/ Patriot is not Mid Major. We need to stop referring to it as such. We (and the PL) are bottom of the barrel D1 basketball. Especially when you play multiple DIII teams a year. A very sobering thought.
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Post by trimster on Mar 8, 2023 13:33:05 GMT -5
Coaching is a tough gig. The AD at McNeese State, who was a head basketball coach for 24 years, fired the guy who was his long time asst and his successor on the sidelines, after 2 years. The AD said the fired coach is a dear friend and a very good coach. He was given a 3 year contract when named head coach in 2021.
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Post by trimster on Mar 8, 2023 9:36:32 GMT -5
Interesting point. This kid reached out to a random player from 20 years ago with whom he had zero prior contact. A complete stranger. Maybe he did his homework and thinks this situation is similar to what Jared went through with Coach Raynor. Or maybe he learned somehow (like reading this board) that Jared is an outspoken former player who wants better for his program. Either way, always good to remember that players, parents, and recruits might be reading what we post He did not do his homework, and wasn’t prepared for my reaction, BUT he’s a kid, and he needs to know his alumni care about him and his success. You’re absolutely correct, I have sat in his chair, and it is traumatizing. Being a 19/20 year old kid having your coach tell you that you are “taking food off table for his kids”, is a brutal position to be in. I’m not saying that has been told to him, but it was to me, and after hanging up yesterday I have a feeling this might be the case. Manipulating your staff/kids is page one in the “Loser Handbook.” It is very unfair you were told that by someone with much more experience in life than you had at that age. I don’t think there are that many D1 college athletes who aren’t trying as hard as they can to win. Maybe I am being naive.
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Post by trimster on Mar 8, 2023 7:39:34 GMT -5
He would have been fired by now. Nelson is going to come back for a 5th year it seems. Bad idea! If Nelson returns for a 5th year I am all in in supporting him and his players to get things turned around and to see them enjoy the fruits of winning. I alluded to not renewing my season tickets but have decided to do so to support everyone involved with the program. Losing sucks and brings out a lot of negativity. We are better than making all these assumptions about what is going on behind the scenes, denigrating someone’s personality, etc. We really don’t know what has been discussed, probably never will and would be better served putting the last week behind us and moving on. The world will not spin off its axis if Brett Nelson is HC’s coach going forward.
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Post by trimster on Mar 7, 2023 15:35:46 GMT -5
He came over to Martin's staff after LIU canned him late - I wonder how Martin is feeling about his move to Mass. after this horrid season I rarely visit the UMass Board but based on my two minute look just now, I would say the bloom is off the rose for Frank Martin. I am guessing it has been for a while. I caught glimpses of games this year and Mullins looked mostly empty.
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Post by trimster on Mar 7, 2023 14:56:30 GMT -5
UMass lost, 71-38.
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