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Post by hchoops on Jan 24, 2023 12:02:05 GMT -5
In The Athletic article on Who’s the Next Coach to be fired ?, one of their writers offers this I suppose we could see a few changes filter in at the bottom of mid-major or low-major leagues, where some coaches are struggling epically a few years in (Bucknell, Presbyterian, Northern Arizona and UTSA come to mind.)
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Post by timholycross on Jan 24, 2023 12:26:04 GMT -5
They mentioned Nathan Davis and managed to exclude Brett Nelson? I guess 4 years is in their collective minds not "a few years in".
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Post by Ray on Jan 24, 2023 13:41:07 GMT -5
It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who reads the Bucknell board, or reads b137's posts here, that Davis *should be* in trouble. Things have been rough in Lewisburg since 2019. Obviously, a lot of extenuating circumstances in that time, so whether a change actually gets made there depends on how forgiving that admin is, what Davis' contract status is, etc.
But yes, mentioning Davis ahead of Nelson is a little odd. But if you think the writer is putting more than 10 seconds of thought into which low-majors he's going to specifically mention vs. not mention, you're kidding yourself.
It will be interesting if both HC and Bucknell are running coaching searches this spring, though.
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Post by Sons of Vaval on Jan 24, 2023 13:46:54 GMT -5
A mystery to me why Truax didn't let Davis go after last season.
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Post by res on Jan 24, 2023 14:10:17 GMT -5
A mystery to me why Truax didn't let Davis go after last season. Bison137 will weigh in, I'm sure, but I believe that would have cost Bucknell $300,000. That won't be an issue this year.
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Post by DiMarz on Jan 24, 2023 14:11:38 GMT -5
Some administrators look at more than wins and losses...Just saying....How does the coach represent the college and community...
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Post by Sons of Vaval on Jan 24, 2023 14:28:12 GMT -5
Some administrators look at more than wins and losses...Just saying....How does the coach represent the college and community... 137 will tell you Davis alienates fans, alums, and locals.
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Post by bison137 on Jan 24, 2023 16:15:58 GMT -5
A mystery to me why Truax didn't let Davis go after last season. Bison137 will weigh in, I'm sure, but I believe that would have cost Bucknell $300,000. That won't be an issue this year. Are you sure of that? I haven't been able to confirm the length of his contract, but I have assumed he got a new 5-year deal after the 2019 season. If that is correct, he will still have one more year. Given the level of his incompetence and how much his destruction of the program has cost Bucknell, it is hard to believe they won't buy him out even if he has another year. A lot of alums would contribute if necessary.
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Post by bison137 on Jan 24, 2023 16:18:20 GMT -5
Some administrators look at more than wins and losses...Just saying....How does the coach represent the college and community... Horribly (and that is an understatement). He regards fans as the enemy and does everything in his power to avoid them. During his eight year tenure, I have attended about 20 games a year. Not once has he or any member of his staff except John Griffin ever showed any appreciation at all to the fans. Never an acknowledgement that they exist. And Bucknell normally has a large turnout at away games.
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Post by bison137 on Jan 24, 2023 16:20:05 GMT -5
A mystery to me why Truax didn't let Davis go after last season. A mystery to a lot of people. I'm sure it has to due with having to do a lot of work. In addition to a lengthy interview process, he might have had to go to alums to solicit money for a buyout. John Hardt would have had no trouble doing that, but I'm not sure Truax has developed many relationships with donors.
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Post by sader1970 on Jan 24, 2023 16:28:42 GMT -5
Some administrators look at more than wins and losses...Just saying....How does the coach represent the college and community... Is this an area that our coach does better than the Bucknell coach? I'm not in Worcester so I don't know how he represents the school locally but pretty sure Bob Chesney excels in this area - but we aren't talking about football.
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Post by HC92 on Jan 24, 2023 17:00:02 GMT -5
I have never felt any personal connection to Nelson. Not sure why. Just no real connection. Covid certainly didn’t help him get connected but I haven’t ever gotten the sense he really wants to engage. Kit Hughes is obviously in a different role but he has approached me twice at events and introduced himself and had a few minute conversation about the department. If other alums or fans had had different experiences, I would assume it was just me. But I can’t think of a single person here who has any personal connection to Nelson at all. Maybe bbc but I think he just liked Nelson initially because he wasn’t Carmody. RW wasn’t the cuddliest, but he’d give you a couple of one liners and have a conversation when he wasn’t coaching. And he started on third base based on his status as an alum and guy with a track record of success.
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Post by hchoops on Jan 24, 2023 17:07:45 GMT -5
I had one talk with Nelson.. RJ introduced us. Nelson was friendly and spoke about Tom Konchalski whom he knew from 5 Star Camp. This was at Fordham during the Tom K Classic
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Jan 24, 2023 18:37:53 GMT -5
It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who reads the Bucknell board, or reads b137's posts here, that Davis *should be* in trouble. Things have been rough in Lewisburg since 2019. Obviously, a lot of extenuating circumstances in that time, so whether a change actually gets made there depends on how forgiving that admin is, what Davis' contract status is, etc. But yes, mentioning Davis ahead of Nelson is a little odd. But if you think the writer is putting more than 10 seconds of thought into which low-majors he's going to specifically mention vs. not mention, you're kidding yourself.It will be interesting if both HC and Bucknell are running coaching searches this spring, though. In the event that the writer put 10 or more seconds of thought into which PL head coaches may be on the hot seat, the thought process could be the following: Bucknell has been a relevant mid-major program much more recently than Holy Cross in the memory of the college hoops junkie. To those under 30, Holy Cross has been just a bad basketball program in a bad league since they were old enough to follow college sports. No different than the way I would have grown up viewing Colgate.
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Post by longsuffering on Jan 24, 2023 20:23:28 GMT -5
Nelson started 3-29. He doesn't appear to be a backslapper or gladhander, but if he had started 29-3 he assumedly would have glided smoothly into the role of a sought after guest at alumni functions, interviews, videos on GoHolyCross.com, etc.
It wouldn't have been as natural for him as it is for Coach Chesney probably but he would be out there more, collecting compliments and not getting grilled by venting fans.
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Post by hchoops on Jan 24, 2023 21:16:52 GMT -5
Hard to glad hand when half your recruits have left the team.
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Post by DiMarz on Jan 24, 2023 21:20:48 GMT -5
Some administrators look at more than wins and losses...Just saying....How does the coach represent the college and community... Is this an area that our coach does better than the Bucknell coach? I'm not in Worcester so I don't know how he represents the school locally but pretty sure Bob Chesney excels in this area - but we aren't talking about football. This years coaches night was the first one in Nelsons time at HC..This has been well attended by season ticket holders.. Covid has taken away so many things people can do... I have had the chance to speak to Coach Nelson on a few occasions, he is very easy to talk with, smiles and listens.. I don't believe any coaches are out much, still much concern about health..
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Post by res on Jan 25, 2023 9:25:03 GMT -5
Bison137 will weigh in, I'm sure, but I believe that would have cost Bucknell $300,000. That won't be an issue this year. Are you sure of that? I haven't been able to confirm the length of his contract, but I have assumed he got a new 5-year deal after the 2019 season. If that is correct, he will still have one more year. Given the level of his incompetence and how much his destruction of the program has cost Bucknell, it is hard to believe they won't buy him out even if he has another year. A lot of alums would contribute if necessary. Nope, not sure of that, at all. I thought that this year was the last of his new deal based on a post on the Bucknell board. I could have misread it.
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Post by timholycross on Jan 25, 2023 10:36:14 GMT -5
It sucks tuning in to a game at a dead arena where there used to be a lot of enthusiasm surrounding that particular team. Our league needs it badly.
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