Dan Hurley Signs Restructured Contract @ URI through 2021

[ace]

Nice things about Dan? Sure, I'll add them here. Good for Rhode Island, too.

[Ramulous]

What the f*** does DiSano know......he should go get educated over at the friar scout board.....

[ramster]

Ramster,

sorry it took so long to get back to you; I was busy celebrating our trip to the Frozen 4.

Posters who post on the PC board:
Rod
ATP
Scorpio2
BleedRhodyBlue

YOU don't post, but you stalk it.
So do BigAppleRam and a few others

I don't post because I got banned - and for far, far less than what you spew here
Rod doesn't post as he says he was also banned.

Never heard of Scorpio2 - how many posts does he or she have?
When was BleedRhodyBlue's last post?

What is the total posts for these 3 (Rod is gone) and how does that compare the the Friar 5 who occupy our Board?

It will be embarrassingly low URI Fans on the PC Board - almost negligible.

Not even remotely close

[Da_Process_Survivor]

Ramster,

sorry it took so long to get back to you; I was busy celebrating our trip to the Frozen 4.

Posters who post on the PC board:
Rod
ATP
Scorpio2
BleedRhodyBlue

YOU don't post, but you stalk it.
So do BigAppleRam and a few others

Hey Sean,

How's the baseball team looking this year? Think they can make a run? Any big football recruits you guys are excited for?

[Blue Man]

Nice things about Dan? Sure, I'll add them here. Good for Rhode Island, too.

welcome home ace it was a long weekend without ya!

[RhowdyRam02]

Ace, I know that no extra money was added on a per season basis, but didn't we add years to the contract last renegotiation?

One thing I'd like to see in this contract is us dropping a monetary buyout if Hurley leaves for another college program and in it's place a contract for a home and home series with a potential future employer. The only way I see Hurley leaving now is if he gets a mid level power 5 conference school with a solid roster or an upper level power 5 in need of some rebuilding and either way adding a school like that to our schedule is far more valuable than whatever monetary buyout we'd have in place.

[Ramulous]

How do we know anything that is in the new contract.....rumor, innuendo and hearsay are in the domain of the pc board......let us refrain ourselves from speculation...

[ace]

Ace, I know that no extra money was added on a per season basis, but didn't we add years to the contract last renegotiation?

Two years, from 2018 to 2020, but, as of the last contract, the coach would not owe money to the school if he left after 2018.

[Rhodymob05]

This is good, very good. I had a PC buddy of mine calling me about this and giving me the usual PC BS. Let's face it they wanted Hurley gone, but he's HOME. GO RHODY

[rodfromcranston]

Keep the buyout clause in force.
It will make it easier to pay for a new coach,
which is more important than playing
any home and home games.

[rambone 78]

RR2, that is an excellent observation .

It really does limit the pool of schools that Dan might go to someday.

Forget the NBE, and all other mid majors, and even low level P5's.

[seanmc94]

Ramster,

sorry it took so long to get back to you; I was busy celebrating our trip to the Frozen 4.

Posters who post on the PC board:
Rod
ATP
Scorpio2
BleedRhodyBlue

YOU don't post, but you stalk it.
So do BigAppleRam and a few others

Hey Sean,

How's the baseball team looking this year? Think they can make a run? Any big football recruits you guys are excited for?

Dude,

Our baseball team last played in 1999; and Last year PC STILL had more major leaguers than URI. The only recent success you had was bc a PC grad was your coach. The football team is a joke in the worst football conference in the country. People go to get drunk.

You want to talk other sports? Soccer-final four. Hockey-frozen four, mens/womens xc nationally ranked. Pc just had a gal win the 5k and set a nat'l record.

Oh yeah, mens hoops; FIVE straight.

[Blue Man]

Dan is pretty clear that the "right job" isn't necessarily one that will pay, it's one that will commit to it's basketball program and make his job easier. It's going to be a local/regionally close job to NJ. It's a job that isn't going to be a rebuild in any way, shape, or form.

The devil you know is better than the one you don't. Between surprise APR issues, financial and infrastructure support battles - Dan's already been down the surprise route before, and worked damn hard to get everything running as a first rate program should. He isn't going to want to go backwards and fight to get things back when he's in a place he can win and is comfortable.

He'll stay here forever if URI can continue that kind of commitment. A huge IF but it seems like this administration gets it.

Rutgers, Seton Hall, St John's would be closest geographically - but they're all in some sort of dysfunction. Hurley isn't going to deal with that again. He won't go to a bare cupboard, a logistical nightmare, or a program that despite it's distant history and big money conference, has lower level facilities than what he has now.

He can already recruit against those schools here, why go through the hassle of getting adjusted to a new place?

[TruePoint]

Rutgers, Seton Hall, St John's would be closest geographically - but they're all in some sort of dysfunction. Hurley isn't going to deal with that again. He won't go to a bare cupboard, a logistical nightmare, or a program that despite it's distant history and big money conference, has lower level facilities than what he has now.

Those programs don't really worry me as much as a Maryland, Pitt or Syracuse over the long term. Those jobs will eventually open, and they're the best jobs in this part of the country. Resources we could never match, no matter how much the admin at URI "gets it," and they will not be programs that have been down for decades with legit question marks about whether ANYONE can win there. But that is years and a lot of URI success away, and if that ever came to pass we would be in such great shape we'd all be lined up to hug Dan as he walked out the door.

[RoadyJay]

But that is years and a lot of URI success away, and if that ever came to pass we would be in such great shape we'd all be lined up to hug Dan as he walked out the door.

Or in Blue Man's case attempt to mouth kiss him?

[Blue Man]

Rutgers, Seton Hall, St John's would be closest geographically - but they're all in some sort of dysfunction. Hurley isn't going to deal with that again. He won't go to a bare cupboard, a logistical nightmare, or a program that despite it's distant history and big money conference, has lower level facilities than what he has now.

Those programs don't really worry me as much as a Maryland, Pitt or Syracuse over the long term. Those jobs will eventually open, and they're the best jobs in this part of the country. Resources we could never match, no matter how much the admin at URI "gets it," and they will not be programs that have been down for decades with legit question marks about whether ANYONE can win there. But that is years and a lot of URI success away, and if that ever came to pass we would be in such great shape we'd all be lined up to hug Dan as he walked out the door.

Dan and Andrea Hurley will never live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

[Maineiac66]

I was following the situation on this board through the weekend. Coach Hurley's decision to stay is wonderful news. I attended the final senior day game for the first time in 50 years and the energy in that building was amazing. Such things not only energize the thousands of alumni but an entire state. This happened in Maine when the UMaine hockey team won two national championships and the women's team competed four year's straight in the NCAA's. I can't wait to get back to Kingston next year both to cheer on the Rhody Rams and celebrate the 50th reunion of the Class of 1966! I'll have to get my old Rhode Island letter sweater out of mothballs!!!

[rodfromcranston]

If Pittsburgh is good enough for Super Mario Lemieux and his family,
it's good enough for the Hurleys.
Let's not get silly.
Of course, he does have this summer home in Montreal:

[Seawrightspostgame]

Pitt scares me. Not Maryland, Not Syracuse.

Places like Syracuse, which is a top 25 program regardless of week to week rankings, they have their own thing going on. Like Boheim is Cuse basketball and there are tons of people that are connected. Same goes for 20 other programs.

[TruePoint]

Pitt scares me. Not Maryland, Not Syracuse.

Places like Syracuse, which is a top 25 program regardless of week to week rankings, they have their own thing going on. Like Boheim is Cuse basketball and there are tons of people that are connected. Same goes for 20 other programs.

I don't know what this means, but Boheim is in his seventies. He isn't going to coach forever. Syracuse and Maryland basically have limitless resources and are in the best basketball conference in the country. Not sure how you could say they don't worry you (not that this is something we should be focused on right now AT ALL, just don't understand what you're saying). It really doesn't matter. These would be long term possible threats, not short term ones so the conversation probably isn't even worth having.

[ace]

I lived in Pittsburgh for a year. I am still recovering.

[rambone 78]

Boeheim has announced he will be retiring in 3 years. Don't they have a "coach in waiting" anyway?

Maryland would be something down the road, but say Bobby ends up at Duke.

Like TP said, it's not anything to worry about for a while.

Dan has winning to do first. As in BIG winning.

[Blue Man]

Either way, this recent commitment from URI to Dan shows him that they want to be on his level of competitiveness. That's most important to Dan.

I think the nice thing is that regardless of how long he's here...his kids are in HS and middle school. Family is important to him, and the longer they stay, the more it makes sense to get them both through school.

By that time, aka near the end of this contract, which you would have to assume will be extended again for recruiting purposes, Dan will have had 9 years here. 9 years of doing this, which with the trajectory we're on would put us as "gonzaga of the east" status.

At that point, would he really want to uproot everything?

This contract and commitment was huge, and I can't wait to see what Dan does with this program.

[ace]

Another thought as I'm catching up on this thread- the last thing fans of a program like Rhode Island in its current state should want is a coach who is in no danger of leaving, ever, whether it's Hurley or Murphy or anyone. This constant negotiating, while probably annoying, pushes the program ahead. The elite programs can exist just fine with no change, or threat to a change, in leadership because everything that's in place is already so good. Both sides seem to be very in sync- now, just win.

[steviep123]

Pitt scares me. Not Maryland, Not Syracuse.

Places like Syracuse, which is a top 25 program regardless of week to week rankings, they have their own thing going on. Like Boheim is Cuse basketball and there are tons of people that are connected. Same goes for 20 other programs.

I don't know what this means, but Boheim is in his seventies. He isn't going to coach forever. Syracuse and Maryland basically have limitless resources and are in the best basketball conference in the country. Not sure how you could say they don't worry you (not that this is something we should be focused on right now AT ALL, just don't understand what you're saying). It really doesn't matter. These would be long term possible threats, not short term ones so the conversation probably isn't even worth having.

Boheim announced he is retiring in 3 years. He'll probably have a hand picked successor in place before then. If that person doesn't succeed, then maybe Hurley or someone of that ilk.

But that's tomorrow's problem, which is clear that Thorr and Dooley are proactive about. We have our program moving in the right direction and for the first time, I'm confident that this administration recognizes the importance of the infrastructure, and if they lose Hurley down the road, they will make the right hire for his replacement.

[rambone 78]

The timing of this signing is perfect too.

Now Dan can go to the FF, and do whatever coaches do, to improve the program even more.

Right now the focus has to be on recruiting that ever elusive big man or men.

It would be nice if he already has them locked up, and just waiting for the signing period to start.

However, I'm sure there's more to do, there always is.

[RhowdyRam02]

It was announced before the 2007 season that Mike Hopkins, a former Syracuse player and current coach under Boeheim, would take over upon Boeheim's retirement. He's 45. Not sure if that's still the plan in the wake of their scandal, but it does seem there already is a hand picked successor.

[Blue Man]

Another thought as I'm catching up on this thread- the last thing fans of a program like Rhode Island in its current state should want is a coach who is in no danger of leaving, ever, whether it's Hurley or Murphy or anyone. This constant negotiating, while probably annoying, pushes the program ahead. The elite programs can exist just fine with no change, or threat to a change, in leadership because everything that's in place is already so good. Both sides seem to be very in sync- now, just win.

Very true. Having your coaches' name at the top of prominent and national search lists, as well as major publications dedicated pages to begging him to come to their school, during the Elite 8, is a HUGE plus for the program.

That kind of publicity is the stuff that helps recruiting and moves everything forward.

Bear with us Ace, having a good coach who is in demand is a new thing for all of us. Having an administration who understands what it takes to keep that guy is also a new territory. We're all happily adjusting!

[TruePoint]

Another thought as I'm catching up on this thread- the last thing fans of a program like Rhode Island in its current state should want is a coach who is in no danger of leaving, ever, whether it's Hurley or Murphy or anyone. This constant negotiating, while probably annoying, pushes the program ahead. The elite programs can exist just fine with no change, or threat to a change, in leadership because everything that's in place is already so good. Both sides seem to be very in sync- now, just win.

Very true. Having your coaches' name at the top of prominent and national search lists, as well as major publications dedicated pages to begging him to come to their school, during the Elite 8, is a HUGE plus for the program.

That kind of publicity is the stuff that helps recruiting and moves everything forward.

Bear with us Ace, having a good coach who is in demand is a new thing for all of us. Having an administration who understands what it takes to keep that guy is also a new territory. We're all happily adjusting!

It is the publicity stuff, obviously, but not just that. The other part ace is getting at is that the charters, the training tables, the increased salary pool, recruiting budgets, the apparel sponsor, and the goodies we are expecting from this latest renegotiation are the type of things that move the program forward at an institutional level. Those things are unquestionably helped along by the two sides sitting at the table and negotiating.

[sf2010]

the last thing fans of a program like Rhode Island in its current state should want is a coach who is in no danger of leaving, ever, whether it's Hurley or Murphy or anyone.

So true. Some others have made that point as well. CFL had ONE opportunity in 10 years to move to something bigger, VaTech after year 3-4 at URI, I think. After that, nobody wanted him. Some here reacted to the SJU news by saying "oh boy, here we go again, why is he always looking to leave?" It's a good thing that our coach is wanted by other programs. Ultimately, one day he may say yes to one of those opportunities. But it is not this day.

[Running Ram]

Bear with us Ace, having a good coach who is in demand is a new thing for all of us. Having an administration who understands what it takes to keep that guy is also a new territory. We're all happily adjusting!

You have been in the zone with your analysis for sometime now, this is your year, maybe start offering market advice. Another plus post for Blue Man.

[bigappleram]

The key here is he is getting enhancements and changes to the program that have value long past the regime of any one coach...he is building a program. That is what is most exciting, programs endure through coaching changes. He is institutionalizing how the URI basketball program will run. The long term value of that is monumental.

In my 30+ years of following the team we NEVER have won in these situations. First time for everything, and it feels good. Not even the constant barrage of trolling can damper that.

[rambone 78]

The thing that's great, is that Dan is building a sustainable high level program, that's never been done in the history of the program!

And that's whether he leads it or not someday. We will all be forever in his debt, long after he's gone.

The other good coaches we've had, never had a chance to do this.

[CTRamfan]

The thing that's great, is that Dan is building a sustainable high level program, that's never been done in the history of the program!

And that's whether he leads it or not someday. We will all be forever in his debt, long after he's gone.

The other good coaches we've had, never had a chance to do this.

Good points !.......and add, that our APR was 1000 last year will really help the average going forward. ......Congrats to the guys as well for the max effort in the classroom.

[rambone 78]

I think we're a year away [by my calculations anyway] from being totally out of the APR woods.

Hopefully that isn't hurting recruiting anymore.

[Blue Man]

The thing that's great, is that Dan is building a sustainable high level program, that's never been done in the history of the program!

And that's whether he leads it or not someday. We will all be forever in his debt, long after he's gone.

The other good coaches we've had, never had a chance to do this.

Very true. I would have to think (and hope) that when that program is built, why would he not want to lead it?

There is going to be very little in terms of facilities and commitment that will separate URI from a lot of other top basketball programs by the time this contract is seen through.

Either way, the sentiment is shared - Dan Hurley essentially took our program to the next level. A level that URI has never been. The winning is obviously coming - but with everything that we have now, this would not have been possible without him.

Having Thorr and Dooley recognize all of this, and commit to it, is the bonus that this University has never had.

I said this week that URI has been in a weird flux with trying to answer the question: what type of program do you want to be?

If the answer was "stepping stone school" and not pay a coach more than 800k- that's fine. But why did you build a 60 million dollar arena, SEC-level facilities, and continue to upgrade and pump the program up?

You can't go half way. Just like with your NBA team - be great or terrible, in the middle is wasting everyone's time. Be great enough to compete for a title, or suck to get a high draft pick. Stuck in the middle for that 8th playoff spot is just terrible.

If we want to act like a big program, commit to it. That commitment means paying your coach. It means getting basketball only facilities. It means letting your coach decide who sponsors his team so that he can recruit the way he wants.

I'm happy that Thorr and the Doctor have signed and answered that question, echoing Hurley, with a resounding "we want to be a championship type program."

I fucking love the URI Rams.

[rambone 78]

Awesome, Blue Man.

URI had to make the choice. Spend the money and improve the program NOW, ahead of the success and money that's coming, or it won't happen.

Waiting until we started winning first, would be too late.

That's being forward thinkers. Dan, Thorr, and Dooley have the same vision.

Maybe we can call them the Three Amigos? [Apologies to the movie of the same name]

[ace]

Look! More feel-good stuff

[RhowdyRam02]

It was a long 48 hours, but something struck me when I was reading the Bobby Hurley article Ace posted in the other thread. When leaks came out that Bobby agreed in principle to a restructured deal it created a feeling of dirty negotiations amongst the parties. Think back to 1999 when sides used the media here to muddy the waters during the Harrick saga. Now think about the three times we've negotiated as a university with Dan. Almost total radio silence until both parties felt the deal was right there. You can try to win the deal by playing games in the media or you can try to win the deal by getting the deal done at the table. As fans, it's difficult to sit through the radio silence, when all you can do is hope things get done but as fans we're lucky to be in the position we're in. We're represented on the University side by smart people who see the big picture and know how to get things done. And we have a basketball coach who knows what it takes to make a program run properly. And when you put those two sides together, instead of negotiating against each other they're planning the best way to move things forward in the most responsible manner. This is the new golden age, this is the new era fans will remember so well decades from now.

[Billyboy78]

Once we start filling the RC and start making an annual trip to THE tourney, the money will start flowing in and paying the coach will no longer be a problem.

[rodfromcranston]

"having a good coach who is in demand is a new thing for all of us."
Wait. Are your serious?
The day my daughter was born,April 7, 1988, I was in the labor room watching on TV,
my all time favorite coach give his press conference from Austin, Texas.
Texas is a much bigger job than SJU.
Then Al Skinner left for BC. Then a real Big East school.
Om April 1, 1999, I was in the room, when Jim Harrick didn't show up for his return
from Georgia press conference. Georgia is an SEC school.
He gave us an Elite 8, A-10 championship, the Ryan Center, an NBA lottery pick.
and another NBA player, plus a world of unlimited possibilities.
So, lets have a little sane perspective here.
We all love Dan, by those guys all won NCAA games and Penders and Harrick
were national stories.
So, hell yeah, some of us remember some VERY good proven coaches leaving here,
because they were in demand.

[Billyboy78]

It's a new thing for the younger crowd. I've seen it 3 times that I can remember.

[rodfromcranston]

Sorry, but URI basketball doesn't begin and end with the
Ryan Center.

[Rhody74]

I lived through those times, too, but I think there is a tangible difference .... it's not just the coach this time. It's the entire program that's being elevated. The fact that Thorr and Dooley are committed as well is as important as Hurley. I want to see the program become bigger than the coach so that if he leaves for UCLA or Kentucky .... or gets run over by a bus .... we are in a position to get another coach with the same abilities and goals.

[rodfromcranston]

If someone wants to say this is the best Athletic Department/Administration
for basketball, absolutely.
If we had this type of leadership in 1999, things may have been
radically different.
I doubt Jesus could have kept Penders here, getting a raise from $50,000
to $500,000 (1980's money, folks), and a plane at his disposal and perks up the wazoo.
However, they didn't even make a token effort.

[Running Ram]

Haha! I knew you were going to jump all over that Rod. No its not 'new' as in never before, we know our history, I know more about Frank Keaney than I do about U.S. Presidents. We have a GREAT basketball history here. You know what I believe about what Keaney did for this sport, and yes there were other greats (sought after and retained I'm sure), but it has been a long time since we've had the program attitude of success to the highest level of administrators, we've been punched in the face with the "stepping stone" jargon for so long for many I think our attitudes became of that ilk. Whether one is experiencing it for the first time or learning to embrace it again, it has been some time since the admin has been this invested in continued success, and a good estimation of why we get so anxious when it comes to maintaining our rise and putting this thing into fourth and fifth gear.

[ATPTourFan]

Once we start filling the RC and start making an annual trip to THE tourney, the money will start flowing in and paying the coach will no longer be a problem.

This BETTER begin next season. With this new contract comes higher expectations from Dan, Administration, Business Partners, and we the Fans.

Attendance is very key here. There f'ing better be a huge response to the team's anticipated and demonstrated success next season for all sorts of reasons.

Also, if you haven't recently, give to Athletics. Give something, anything. Just GIVE.

[ATPTourFan]

Keep the buyout clause in force.
It will make it easier to pay for a new coach,
which is more important than playing
any home and home games.

Agree here. Dan's now in a position where a significant buyout isn't a threat to his potential future employment. I'd be shocked if the restructured contract doesn't have strengthened buyout language and monetary levels.

[rodfromcranston]

NCAA appearance revenues, would go a long way towards
helping the fiscal demands of the Athletic Department.
The actuality is, they have put the cart before the horse in a
show of good faith in the coach and the program's future.
Now Dan has to deliver the goods.
I'm sure he will!

[Rhody74]

Bill Koch, KMac and Bunkie discuss Hurley, etc.

http://www.providencejournal.com/articl ... /150339944