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Post by WorcesterGray on Jul 3, 2019 18:46:07 GMT -5
Either way, I hope Nelson cleans house of Carmody’s crew and starts this program fresh with a well-rounded staff who complement him effectively. Maybe needs to keep one to help with early summer recruiting. Live period starts next week, so Nelson has to hit the road right after the presser, and wonder if he can realistically appoint, assemble, and deploy a new staff between now and then.
Very interested to see who his top assistants will be.
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Post by hchoops on Jul 3, 2019 18:51:55 GMT -5
Either way, I hope Nelson cleans house of Carmody’s crew and starts this program fresh with a well-rounded staff who complement him effectively. Maybe needs to keep one to help with early summer recruiting. And with first hand experience with the players
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Post by A Clock Tower Purple on Jul 3, 2019 19:45:54 GMT -5
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Post by WorcesterGray on Jul 3, 2019 20:15:58 GMT -5
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Post by bringbackcaro on Jul 3, 2019 20:30:01 GMT -5
Maybe needs to keep one to help with early summer recruiting. And with first hand experience with the players First hand experience finishing last in the PL. The current players need a D1 boot camp, and the current staff will not help with that.
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Post by Crucis#1 on Jul 3, 2019 21:45:37 GMT -5
The more I think about Coach Brett Nelson becoming the new Head Coach, the more I like the direction that appears the Men’s Basketball program is now heading. HC Athletics leadership now has two former basketball All Americans in charge of the program.
First, HC hired an up and coming AD, who was a three time Academic All American, while playing basketball in a competitive program. Hiring an AD who has the a MBA degree in Finance, and another Masters in Sports Management, while working his way up the ranks at schools that HC has has had long term competitive relationship, including the evil empire in Chestnut Hill appears to be a sound decision by the BOT.
Second, hiring a Head Basketball Coach, who was an All American and was on a team that was the runner up in the National Championship game, provides incredible street cred in recruiting. Again, possibly lightning striking twice within six weeks in that we have senior management in Athletics, who have a diverse experience at a number of institutions running extremely strong to strong programs with high national visibility. They have seen the glass, not just half full, but full regarding what a program should be. Let’s hope they can execute this vision quickly. I’m optimistic that the turn around is in the very near future.
On some other boards, notably our friends at Bucknell, that made a reference to HC previously hiring an Associate Head Coach from a midwestern Catholic school, and hoping we have the same success. The difference between the FCSK and HCBN, is HCBN played at the highest level, was an All American and took his team to the final four. FCSK, played at a D3 school, and had not a clue what playing in Final Four was about.
Very happy that we appeared to have moved away from the Notre Dame envy, Ivy League envy in these recent decisions. Always thought it displayed an inferiority complex by HC regarding ND and the Ivy’s having the magic elixir. While those institutions have been successful in their own right, their success does not translate to our success.
Congratulation to AD Marcus Blossom and Head Coach Brett Nelson. Looking forward to you both having successful careers on Mt. St. James!
It is beyond time that we chart our own path to the top. Quoting the Chambers Brothers, “Time has come today”.
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Post by A Clock Tower Purple on Jul 3, 2019 22:08:52 GMT -5
Terrific post Crucis.
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Post by Crucis#1 on Jul 3, 2019 22:15:32 GMT -5
Thank you very much ACTP!
As you probablily know, I bleed deep purple.
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Post by longsuffering on Jul 3, 2019 23:01:29 GMT -5
Add to that, our new women's coach was the all time leading scorer at Assumption when she graduated, so our top leaders in BB have played the game well and have credibility with recruits and players.
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Post by Non Alum Dave on Jul 4, 2019 4:55:42 GMT -5
On some other boards, notably our friends at Bucknell, that made a reference to HC previously hiring an Associate Head Coach from a midwestern Catholic school, and hoping we have the same success. The difference between the FCSK and HCBN, is HCBN played at the highest level, was an All American and took his team to the final four. FCSK, played at a D3 school, and had not a clue what playing in Final Four was about. Well, my friend, I guess they have enough history to be all smug and such, but every dog has his day. And they can say all they want about former Coach Carmody, but in two of the four years his teams affected Bucknell's postseason: 1) knocking them out of the #1 seed last year with the win at the Hart, and, ah 2):
I hope there are a lot of good times ahead; we'll see.
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Post by DiMarz on Jul 4, 2019 7:58:55 GMT -5
Just got a note from my UMass friend...Our new coach Reed was college roommate with current UMass head coach Matt McCall..So that bodes well for the UMass series to continue...
OOppsss.. brain cramp..lol......Nelson......not Reed...
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Post by hchoops on Jul 4, 2019 8:01:46 GMT -5
Just got a note from my UMass friend...Our new coach Reed was college roommate with current UMass head coach Matt McCall..So that bodes well for the UMass series to continue... Reed ?
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Post by hchoops on Jul 4, 2019 8:03:54 GMT -5
McCall was the team manager when Nelson played for Florida
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Post by DiMarz on Jul 4, 2019 8:23:46 GMT -5
Just got a note from my UMass friend...Our new coach Reed was college roommate with current UMass head coach Matt McCall..So that bodes well for the UMass series to continue... Reed ? OOOPPPSSS... Wrong Brett...brain cramp!!! lol
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Post by hcpride on Jul 4, 2019 9:22:35 GMT -5
Throwing in my two cents after watching this hiring unfold and I like what I now see.
We were short in the talent department (notwithstanding the observations of some) and IMHO that was the primary (unimaginative offense being the secondary) reason for our 5-straight losing B-ball seasons and recent last-place PL finish.
As a start I can't see him bringing in less talent than Carmody (a decent guy) and can only see him bringing in more. This is the same reaction I had to the Chesney hire. And same sentiments towards Gilmore.
Objectively, our cupboard is pretty bare, kind of a gutsy move by Nelson at this stage of his career, and a smart choice by HC.
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Post by rgs318 on Jul 4, 2019 9:33:19 GMT -5
Was that same “lack of talent” that got HC their early season tournament title last year? I have to feel it was the knowledge that our PL opponents had of our style of play and our players that were the important factors in the team’s poor PL showing. We also showed a reluctance to adopt a different offensive system, even for short stretches.
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Post by hc6774 on Jul 4, 2019 9:46:10 GMT -5
Throwing in my two cents after watching this hiring unfold and I like what I now see. We were short in the talent department (notwithstanding the observations of some) and IMHO that was the primary (unimaginative offense being the secondary) reason for our 5-straight losing B-ball seasons and recent last-place PL finish. As a start I can't see him bringing in less talent than Carmody (a decent guy) and can only see him bringing in more. This is the same reaction I had to the Chesney hire. And same sentiments towards Gilmore. Objectively, our cupboard is pretty bare, kind of a gutsy move by Nelson at this stage of his career, and a smart choice by HC. As long as that gutsy ambition can handle the limits that come with our program, it should be a nice match.
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Post by possum on Jul 4, 2019 9:59:50 GMT -5
Not sure how gutsy of a move this is by Nelson, 12 years as an assistant with no prior head coaching offers I'd think you better strike while the irons hot.
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Post by trimster on Jul 4, 2019 10:07:45 GMT -5
Just got a note from my UMass friend...Our new coach Reed was college roommate with current UMass head coach Matt McCall..So that bodes well for the UMass series to continue... OOppsss.. brain cramp..lol......Nelson......not Reed... How about a game with Marquette.
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Post by hcpride on Jul 4, 2019 10:19:40 GMT -5
Not sure how gutsy of a move this is by Nelson, 12 years as an assistant with no prior head coaching offers I'd think you better strike while the irons hot. I don't know what sort of positions he has applied to and not applied to in the past so I can't comment on that but I would say that if you take our (challenging) job and fail that might be very damaging to your career trajectory. I'd say 5 consecutive losing seasons topped off by a last place PL finish last year qualifies us for the descriptor challenging. No doubt coaches factor in their own career trajectories and the specific chances to turn around a losing program prior to applying for jobs. (It is also true Coach Nelson spent several years as an assistant coach at Marquette before being bumped up two years ago to associate head coach.)
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Post by cmo on Jul 4, 2019 10:38:03 GMT -5
Just got a note from my UMass friend...Our new coach Reed was college roommate with current UMass head coach Matt McCall..So that bodes well for the UMass series to continue... OOppsss.. brain cramp..lol......Nelson......not Reed... How about a game with Marquette. And maybe the gators down the road
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Post by HC92 on Jul 4, 2019 10:50:14 GMT -5
How about a game with Marquette. And maybe the gators down the road Maybe the Thunder too while we’re at it!
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Post by HC92 on Jul 4, 2019 11:00:38 GMT -5
Brett Nelson mic’d up:
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Post by CHC8485 on Jul 4, 2019 11:01:37 GMT -5
Welcome, to Holy Cross Brett Nelson! I am by nature an optimist. I grew up as a Mets fan. I had to be. When Hoop Dirt tossed out the names Tuesday night, I was, meh, on all the names. Nothing in any of their backgrounds made me excited about any of them. With respect to coach Nelson, as with any hire, I see positives and negatives Negatives - Never been a head coach. - Never been at a high academic school. - After Florida, as DOBO or assistant has not been with a program that saw tremendous success in its conference though Marquette seemed to be making strides. Positives - He’s got a reputation as a good recruiter - He has had a wide exposure to different coaches and I assume coaching styles. Which opens a question – what/which styles does he favor and adapt to his style of play? - Promoted to Associate Head Coach at 2 locations for 2 different coaches. - He’s apparently a shooting coach (God have we needed someone who excels at this going back to ). - Has been described as competitive and therefore can assume he is eager to make his mark. May translate to a more urgency in whatever style he wants to play. I started this off by saying I’m an optimist, and so I’m cautiously optimistic. As we know with any coach hired, time will tell. But, I really like what this hire says about Marcus Blossom. - He was aggressive in the hiring time line, getting it done in 2 weeks, doing the majority of the work before he even officially started as AD. - This was not a “safe” hire as Carmody was or JT-III or Mike Martin would have been. There is clearly risk in hiring a first-time head coach with the other negatives above at Holy Cross. - If we have these doubts about Nelson, have to assume Blossom had them as well but was able to get these doubts and any other doubts he may have had satisfactorily answered in the interview. Again, a cautious optimism that Nelson will work out but we have an early indicator that the athletic department will have a different Modus Operandi than the past 2 administrations. I think that’s a very good thing.
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Post by sader1970 on Jul 4, 2019 12:36:10 GMT -5
Perhaps I have a slightly different take and just maybe Nelson feels the same and why he took the job. When you take over a team that finished last (and shouldn't have IMHO), the only place to go is "up" or at absolute worst, stay in last place. I will bet anyone that regardless what players he has, what offense/defense he runs, that Holy Cross will NOT finish in last place next year. I'll also bet anyone that we will see significant improvement in rebounding on both ends because he will likely let our players actually try to get rebounds. You get almost no rebounds you don't try for as the ball just coincidentally falling into your hands by accident just come far and few between.
In any case, like almost everyone else here, I add my welcome to Brett Nelson though I wouldn't be surprised if he never sees all these good wishes.
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