The Official - URI’s NEW Head Coach is DAVID COX

[rambone 78]

Everybody needs some sleep here I think....have to be ready for the BIG day tomorrow....

If Cox isn't hired.....Chernobyl will seem like a sunburn compared to the meltdown on this board.

My thought...RP until he retires, no more gigs...stays long enough to get us a FF or better...and leaves us with NO NCAA issues.

PIPE DREAM

Oh, and one more thing....we beat the piss out of PC while we're at it. Now that would be something.

[Matunuck]

Everybody needs some sleep here I think....have to be ready for the BIG day tomorrow....

If Cox isn't hired.....Chernobyl will seem like a sunburn compared to the meltdown on this board.

My thought...RP until he retires, no more gigs...stays long enough to get us a FF or better...and leaves us with NO NCAA issues.

PIPE DREAM

I can’t sleep. I have FOMO!

[DC_Rams]

Believe me when I say, NONE OF COX’s recruits will stay to play for JOE DOOLEY. Thad Matta/Tom Crean type, MAYBE, but DOOLEY? No. Never.

What about the far chance Ashley Howard was still in consideration? Strong recruiter, 2x national champ... I know he has LaSalle history, but if he were offered URI, wonder which he would chose...

Even dumber, you don’t trade assistant for assistant. Especially for one with no forged relationship with players/recruits.

[rambone 78]

The recruits could not have made themselves any clearer....no Cox, no URI.....

We will have trouble fielding a team next season if this happens.

What we do have will be very fortunate to win 10 games. So much for upward and onward program wise.

[Tom98]

The decision will be Cox. It has to be. I just think Thorr is just doing his job in exploring all the options.

[PeterRamTime]

I need some Cox in my life right now

[Rhodymob05]

A man named Ashley, poor soul.

[Matunuck]

I need some Cox in my life right now

Not that there is anything wrong with that!

[RamIt!]

All I know is that the majority of us were convinced DH wasn't leaving.... now the majority of us are convinced it's DC... anything is possible.

[NJRhodyFan]

All I know is that the majority of us were convinced DH wasn't leaving.... now the majority of us are convinced it's DC... anything is possible.

Really? I got the feeling more of us thought he was leaving, but I understand your point.

[Rhody83]

UCONN has three open scholarships.
Hurley has left his top Assistant spot open for Cox.
If he doesn’t get the URI HC job he will be announced as UCONN’s Assistant this week.
Hurley is more likely to take recruits than the transfers. I would guess 2-3 players and Harris is definitely one if them.
URI will lose all four recruits, Jeff, Fatts and most likely Cyril.

[cRAM4finals]

I have heard DC speak pregame a number of times in the alumni lounge and was very impressed with him. Spoke at length about scouting reports in a way most people could understand without dumbing it down.

I was much more impressed when I saw him at a local restaurant on Saturday. He was there with family for a small birthday party. Two separate couples who seemed Rhody hoops knowledgeable said hello. I think he spent 3 to 5 minutes at both tables talking URI basketball, players, recruits, etc. It was a sincere, casual and warm conversation. He didn’t need to spend more than 15 seconds saying hi but he seemed to enjoy the chat. I can see why players would love to play for him.

I think he can lead his players and this program to better things.

[NYGFan_Section208]

UCONN has three open scholarships.
Hurley has left his top Assistant spot open for Cox.
If he doesn’t get the URI HC job he will be announced as UCONN’s Assistant this week.
Hurley is more likely to take recruits than the transfers. I would guess 2-3 players and Harris is definitely one if them.
URI will lose all four recruits, Jeff, Fatts and most likely Cyril.

Panic time!:

[rambone 78]

UCONN has three open scholarships.
Hurley has left his top Assistant spot open for Cox.
If he doesn’t get the URI HC job he will be announced as UCONN’s Assistant this week.
Hurley is more likely to take recruits than the transfers. I would guess 2-3 players and Harris is definitely one if them.
URI will lose all four recruits, Jeff, Fatts and most likely Cyril.

If URI doesn't hire Cox this will rank up there in URI infamy with the Baron hire.

Dooley is probably better than Baron, but who knows. His record at ECU reeks of mediocrity.

[Gonebarongone]

UCONN has three open scholarships.
Hurley has left his top Assistant spot open for Cox.
If he doesn’t get the URI HC job he will be announced as UCONN’s Assistant this week.
Hurley is more likely to take recruits than the transfers. I would guess 2-3 players and Harris is definitely one if them.
URI will lose all four recruits, Jeff, Fatts and most likely Cyril.

If URI doesn't hire Cox this will rank up there in URI infamy with the Baron hire.

Dooley is probably better than Baron, but who knows. His record at ECU reeks of mediocrity.

Lol. What he did 15 years ago at a place no one has ever won? You should definitely cherry pick that reason to not like him.

[hrstrat57]

[Matunuck]

I guess we are finished for the night. Get some sleep, and we will get back at it in the morning.

[TruePoint]

As far as I can tell...nothing? I'm not sure what all the fuss is about here. I guess birdman jr jr (all-name team!) tweeted something sort of vague and mysterious, as he does, and now everyone is having heart palpitations?

I've always thought it was going to be Cox and I still think it's going to be Cox. This is the timeline that they've given publicly and that we've all heard privately. Until they actually fuck this up, I'm going to assume that they won't fuck it up. Rest easy everybody, big day tomorrow.

[Matunuck]

As far as I can tell...nothing? I'm not sure what all the fuss is about here. I guess birdman jr jr (all-name team!) tweeted something sort of vague and mysterious, as he does, and now everyone is having heart palpitations?

I've always thought it was going to be Cox and I still think it's going to be Cox. This is the timeline that they've given publicly and that we've all heard privately. Until they actually fuck this up, I'm going to assume that they won't fuck it up. Rest easy everybody, big day tomorrow.

As usual, well said!

[RamIt!]

I guess we are finished for the night. Get some sleep, and we will get back at it in the morning.

must....hit....reload....just....one....more....time....

[Matunuck]

I guess we are finished for the night. Get some sleep, and we will get back at it in the morning.

must....hit....reload....just....one....more....time....

I am still here. Twitter is quiet.

[DC_Rams]

I’m predicting tomorrow around 9-10am, the first leak will surface.

[TruePoint]

I honestly thought the leak would come tonight. But to their credit, Thorr and Doc have been playing this really close to the vest. I get it if they want to control the media narrative by getting it out themselves rather than notifying candidates of their decision tonight, which if they did we'd all know about it by now presumably.

[DC_Rams]

Wondering if they’ve decided. Maybe they are going to “sleep on it”.

[TruePoint]

If they didn't know what they were going to do, I can't imagine why they'd have put a timeline on themselves like this is The Bachelor. People have been hearing and reporting for a week that the interviews would be today, decision would come tomorrow and the presser would be Thursday or Friday. As quiet as they've been regarding what they're going to do, that information has been surprisingly easy to come by. Doesn't make a lot of sense to not just go completely radio silent if they weren't sure what they wanted to do. I think they did and this is going to plan, which is what gives me comfort. But if I'm being honest, I definitely don't know.

[Billyboy78]

All we really know is that Cox interviewed and we think Dooley interviewed. Not a peep about Becker or Shrewsberry today. Yes, it's been kept incredibly quiet.

[Cameron_Dollar]

Let the celebration begin. Cox will be the next head coach. No players will transfer. No recruits will decommit. We are hiring a coach in which no other program expressed interest and we lost our top target to a low level AAC program. All in all, everything worked out great. Hiring Cox takes all the pressure off Thorr to upgrade practice facilities and Cox will come "relatively" cheap at about 750 k with incentives. Maybe John Thompson can come in as his bench coach. This entire process only reinforces that the HC job here will never be more than a stepping stone for any up and comer that wants to make a quick name for himself and then move on. Predictions are very popular on this board so I will make mine. If Cox is fact the hire at season's end next year our program will be closer to UMASS than it will be to UConn; and Boston College will also surpass us. If I'm wrong, I will be the first one to send in my $20.19 check to put towards program improvements. Get ready for 3500 per game at the Ryan Center.

[TruePoint]

Let the celebration begin. Cox will be the next head coach. No players will transfer. No recruits will decommit. We are hiring a coach in which no other program expressed interest and we lost our top target to a low level AAC program. All in all, everything worked out great. Hiring Cox takes all the pressure off Thorr to upgrade practice facilities and Cox will come "relatively" cheap at about 750 k with incentives. Maybe John Thompson can come in as his bench coach. This entire process only reinforces that the HC job here will never be more than a stepping stone for any up and comer that wants to make a quick name for himself and then move on. Predictions are very popular on this board so I will make mine. If Cox is fact the hire at season's end next year our program will be closer to UMASS than it will be to UConn; and Boston College will also surpass us. If I'm wrong, I will be the first one to send in my $20.19 check to put towards program improvements. Get ready for 3500 per game at the Ryan Center.

Do you get tired of having hilariously bad takes, or does it just come so easily that you could just fire these off all day forever? (Please don't, btw.)

[eli#10]

Hey Cameron--I have read your post 3 times and still don't understand it. Also, keep your $20.19.

[Rhody83]

Let the celebration begin. Cox will be the next head coach. No players will transfer. No recruits will decommit. We are hiring a coach in which no other program expressed interest and we lost our top target to a low level AAC program. All in all, everything worked out great. Hiring Cox takes all the pressure off Thorr to upgrade practice facilities and Cox will come "relatively" cheap at about 750 k with incentives. Maybe John Thompson can come in as his bench coach. This entire process only reinforces that the HC job here will never be more than a stepping stone for any up and comer that wants to make a quick name for himself and then move on. Predictions are very popular on this board so I will make mine. If Cox is fact the hire at season's end next year our program will be closer to UMASS than it will be to UConn; and Boston College will also surpass us. If I'm wrong, I will be the first one to send in my $20.19 check to put towards program improvements. Get ready for 3500 per game at the Ryan Center.

It is easy to make a prediction that can’t be measured. How will you measure that our program is closer to UMASS than UCONN and surpassed by BC? Also what does any of that have to do with how a new coach does in his first year. We lost FIVE seniors that were all major contributors this year. Everyone is expecting a drop off next year with four Freshmen getting significant playing time. Lastly, BC is a team on the rise and predicted to do much better next - they are young, tall & talented. Did you know they beat Duke this year.

[Cameron_Dollar]

It is my opinion based on what has taken place to this point. We both support this program. You gush over the hiring of Cox and I believe long term it will be a major mistake. It's that simple. Break my take point by point.
a. Did any program seek out Cox for their vacancy.
b. Is East Carolina a bottom feeder in the AAC
c.John Thompson is sarcasm. I'll give you that one.
d. UMASS hired their coach last year and is in year two of rebuilding.
e. Jim Christian has turned BC around in top 3 conference.
f. The fan base is fickle. A few early season losses and people will not be flocking to the Ryan center.
Call these takes hilariously bad. I call them realistic outcomes for a program and athletic director that told the fan base one thing and did another.

[PlayMikeMotenMore]

Nova didn't know what they had when Wright first came through. Same with Duke and Coach K and UConn with Calhoun. I would rather take that shot on Cox being the next big time coach then some under investigation coach who would only come here because no one else will take him.

I was not and am not a fan of Jim Harrick. And I'm just asking the question but what is the difference between URI hiring Jim Harrick (and his baggage) and Rick Pitino (and his baggage)? If you were OK with the Harrick hire, then shouldn't you be OK with Pitino?

There is a pretty big difference in terms of the accusations laid against them - one guy falsified an expense report and bought a kid a lobster, the other guy purportedly oversaw an established practice of having hookers host new recruits and potentially funneled 5-6 figure sums of money to incoming FR.
Not all errors in judgment or ethics are created equal.

Bottom line is they, Harrick and Pitino, both have NCAA and ethical baggage. URI (and some fans, including Rod) were willing to overlook Harrick's slickness and rulebreaking. Yet, he proved to be a dirtbag. Pitino and Harrick are birds of a feather, in my opinion.

I think it's hypocritical for a URI supporter to say that they were OK with the hiring of Harrick but would not be OK with Pitino. Can't have it both ways. Either you want a coach who plays by the rules or you don't.

[Rhody83]

It is my opinion based on what has taken place to this point. We both support this program. You gush over the hiring of Cox and I believe long term it will be a major mistake. It's that simple. Break my take point by point.
a. Did any program seek out Cox for their vacancy.
b. Is East Carolina a bottom feeder in the AAC
c.John Thompson is sarcasm. I'll give you that one.
d. UMASS hired their coach last year and is in year two of rebuilding.
e. Jim Christian has turned BC around in top 3 conference.
f. The fan base is fickle. A few early season losses and people will not be flocking to the Ryan center.
Call these takes hilariously bad. I call them realistic outcomes for a program and athletic director that told the fan base one thing and did another.

You should go find another team. Please don’t come to the RC next year if David Cox is our HC.
Who cares if another program went after Cox. Do you know how many HC offers Chris Mack got before becoming the HC at Xavier - zero.
Each one of your points either has holes like that or has nothing to do with URI’s success (see your BC point as an example).

Let’s see how URI does in the next 3-5 years and then you can judge. Any outside coach hired would need at least 3 years to build a roster.

[PlayMikeMotenMore]

If I was a major booster to this program, I would be on the phone right now to Thorr and or Dooley, and telling them you hire someone other than Cox [since they aren't hiring RP] then no more dinero from me.......

How this has come to this point imo is ridiculous.....yeah they had to wait until today to hire someone....but really?

And that would be the problem with college sports, right there...major boosters trying to run the athletic department.

And if I were Thorr and/Dooley, I would tell that major booster that I don't tell him how to do his job or run his business...so he shouldn't tell me how to do my job and run my athletic department. A good president and AD need a strong backbone, even in the face of so-called pressure from those on the outside.

[PlayMikeMotenMore]

It is my opinion based on what has taken place to this point. We both support this program. You gush over the hiring of Cox and I believe long term it will be a major mistake. It's that simple. Break my take point by point.
a. Did any program seek out Cox for their vacancy.
b. Is East Carolina a bottom feeder in the AAC
c.John Thompson is sarcasm. I'll give you that one.
d. UMASS hired their coach last year and is in year two of rebuilding.
e. Jim Christian has turned BC around in top 3 conference.
f. The fan base is fickle. A few early season losses and people will not be flocking to the Ryan center.
Call these takes hilariously bad. I call them realistic outcomes for a program and athletic director that told the fan base one thing and did another.

You should go find another team. Please don’t come to the RC next year if David Cox is our HC.
Who cares if another program went after Cox. Do you know how many HC offers Chris Mack got before becoming the HC at Xavier - zero.
Each one of your points either has holes like that or has nothing to do with URI’s success (see your BC point as an example).

Let’s see how URI does in the next 3-5 years and then you can judge. Any outside coach hired would need at least 3 years to build a roster.

He should go find another team because he doesn't share your enthusiasm for Cox as the hire? Should people who don't like Trump find another country?

Cameron Dollar, like everyone, is entitled to his opinion and can still be a URI fan without endorsing the hire. (I don't remember anybody jumping for joy when the Pats hired Belichick but that didn't mean folks stopped rooting for the Pats.) Cameron Dollar is more than welcome at the Ryan Center. And based on his post, I'm guessing he'll be more than happy to admit if he's wrong down the road. And he's probably hoping he's wrong.

[TruePoint]

It is my opinion based on what has taken place to this point. We both support this program. You gush over the hiring of Cox and I believe long term it will be a major mistake. It's that simple. Break my take point by point.
a. Did any program seek out Cox for their vacancy.
b. Is East Carolina a bottom feeder in the AAC
c.John Thompson is sarcasm. I'll give you that one.
d. UMASS hired their coach last year and is in year two of rebuilding.
e. Jim Christian has turned BC around in top 3 conference.
f. The fan base is fickle. A few early season losses and people will not be flocking to the Ryan center.
Call these takes hilariously bad. I call them realistic outcomes for a program and athletic director that told the fan base one thing and did another.

Nothing you said here explains why you think hiring Cox will be a long term mistake - you might think that, but you need to have better reasons than BC is turning around and UMass is in year 2 of a rebuild and ECU sucks. I agree with all those points, and yet I disagree with your underlying point - that hiring Cox is bad.

The only thing you said that could have any bearing on whether hiring Cox is a smart decision or a dumb decision is the last point about the fans, which cuts directly against the idea that hiring Cox is a dumb decision. The only chance that URI has to be any good next year is to hire Cox. I expect that next year will be a small step back from this year even if Hurley stayed, but it would be an abject disaster if they hired outside the program and lost the entire roster. Yes, you can’t hire only for next year and yes, you cannot hire only to appease players. But this is about more than that. Hiring Cox is an affirmative decision to continue down a path that is leading where we want to go as a program. Hiring someone else is blowing it up and starting over. For that reason, I believe Cox represents not only the best choice for next year and the year after that (when he will have a team that could very well be better than either of the last two teams), but also for the medium and long terms. It will be easier for Cox to recruit to a program that has been consistently good for a while than it would be for Dooley to recruit for a program that is where we were at four years ago.

Implicit in your take here is that Cox is strictly a recruiter and will be in over his head as a head coach, and for the record I think that is dead wrong. The guy is sharp as hell, and he has all of the traits you’d want in a head coach. If he weren’t - if he were Jerry D - he wouldn’t have the type of support he has for this job from so many people who have scars from the Jerry D fiasco. To the point that he hasn’t drawn any interest for other programs, I honestly don’t know whether that is accurate or not, but I have to believe that there are two reasons that may be true: he is the presumed next coach here, and he probably isn’t going to walk into another situation as well set up as this one is for him; and he cannot offer another program what he can offer URI - stability, continuity, familiarity and a loaded roster. Without those things here, maybe Joe Dooley would have more appeal. I don’t know that I’d want URI to hire Cox for a rebuild, and so maybe other programs aren’t sure they want to either. But fortunately this isn’t a rebuild, so that doesn’t really matter.

[Obadiah]

If Cox is fact the hire at season's end next year our program will be closer to UMASS than it will be to UConn; and Boston College will also surpass us. If I'm wrong, I will be the first one to send in my $20.19 check to put towards program improvements. Get ready for 3500 per game at the Ryan Center.

Let me see if I have this right. In Jerry D's first disastrous 5-24 season, URI drew an average of 4,254 per game, but you are predicting that under Cox we will draw 3,500. Really!!!

[luke]

Regarding cox not having experience as a HC and not receiving offers from other schools ; See xavier when Thad Motta leeft ( replacement Sean Miller no HC experience but Assistant to Motta ) How did that work out ? Nobody else was courting for him either. Then Miller leaves and is replaced by chris Mack, his Assistant . How did that go ? Archie Miller no HC experience just an assistant at Xavier and then at Arizona . How did that work out for Dayton ? most good coaches have assistants who are qualified and waiting in the wings . coaches like Hurley, Motta, and Sean Miller surround themselves with them and take pride in their proteges accomplishments . That is why cox was identified as coach in waiting with the contract arrangements. Who would know better than Hurley about cox ?

[Blue Man]

If I was a major booster to this program, I would be on the phone right now to Thorr and or Dooley, and telling them you hire someone other than Cox [since they aren't hiring RP] then no more dinero from me.......

How this has come to this point imo is ridiculous.....yeah they had to wait until today to hire someone....but really?

And that would be the problem with college sports, right there...major boosters trying to run the athletic department.

And if I were Thorr and/Dooley, I would tell that major booster that I don't tell him how to do his job or run his business...so he shouldn't tell me how to do my job and run my athletic department. A good president and AD need a strong backbone, even in the face of so-called pressure from those on the outside.

Agreed. That happened already.

[PeterRamTime]

Remember Cox was also an interim head coach for a little while at Rutgers.
So you can't say he has no experience.

Cameron Dollars take is completely asinine to me.
I can't imagine why he would think it's such a bad idea.
Why would Dooley be that appealing?
Why destroy this momentum???
Cox by all accounts is a reputable coach.
Dan is a good coach and said he felt like Cox was another head coach on the sideline with him.
How could you celebrate losing oodles of talent either??

We need some Cox

[Cameron_Dollar]

Antonio Reynolds Dean was an interim head coach and he didn't get a sniff for this job. Oh and he's only an assistant at an ACC school. Preston was and continues to be a tremendous recruiter for an upper echelon Big East program. He didn't get a sniff for this job. I don't get it. As for Jerry D, we played in Keaney. To say we averaged 4254 is an exaggeration when capacity was 3800. Major donors have dwindled over the years for a variety of reasons. There is only one donor that matters and his name is on the building. He was all in on Pitino, who wanted to come here for a straight 1.75 million for three years. It's come down to this. Most of you think Cox is the answer. I don't. I hope I am wrong. When he is hired, I hope he brings in an experienced bench coach to replace Moore and he will need a recruiter to take over his role. I don't believe Boswell has any recruiting value outside of Boston.

[mstyles22]

OK - I can't take it anymore. TP makes the same points (good ones) of why Cox will be a good hire at least once on every page of thread.

And every single time the same 4/5 posters ignore it and THEN stump for...wait for it...Pitino and Dooley?

Here is my question: What is the anti-Cox agenda? Bringing up the Jerry D signing as if that climate around this program was remotely similar to what it is today? It is not close to the same situation other than "he replaced a guy who left".

Cox is the guy from a basketball, personnel and business sense. All matter and all of those boxes he checks. Now please, I'm looking forward to this being spun as "I think Cox is a more proven Coach than Pitino" when what reasonable posters on here have meant is: Cox is the best guy for 2018 URI based on a million factors, including roster/recruiting retention but not just because of that.

I'm baffled as to why that has been so difficult for some to grasp, hence my honest question about people possibly having an agenda. People are acting like he'll be sitting on the bench wearing a propeller beanie during games if he gets the gig. Calm down and pay more attention to your program.

[brady1]

The casual fan outside of little RHODY thinks we’re off our rocker for not hiring slick Rick.

Pull the trigger Thorr.

GO RHODY!

[reef]

Let's go URI hire the right man for the job David Cox

Make it happen baby !!

[TruePoint]

Antonio Reynolds Dean was an interim head coach and he didn't get a sniff for this job. Oh and he's only an assistant at an ACC school. Preston was and continues to be a tremendous recruiter for an upper echelon Big East program. He didn't get a sniff for this job. I don't get it.

You don’t get it? You don’t get that the main differentiator for Cox against other candidates for this job, including head coaches that have gone to the tournament and won their league multiple times, is that he represents stability and continuity of the whole program (the roster, the culture, the systems, the relationships, etc.), which is overall as healthy as it’s ever been before? You don’t get that ARD and Preston, both of whom we love and hold in high regard and will always be special to fans of this program, do not represent that? You don’t get that we are on the verge of establishing an identity and an ethos as a program that transcends one coach and that can be sustainable for as long as it is properly maintained, and that Rick Pitino doesn’t represent that?

When you have to make decisions, you can make sentimental decisions, you can decide to take shortcuts, or you can make smart, measured, calculated decisions. I’m going to go with option 3.

[rambone 78]

Interesting about Ryan, Blue Man......I knew there was a major booster in favor of RP.....hopefully there won't be any issues with him going forward.

[DC_Rams]

D-DAY! Don’t muck this up Thorr!

[RF1]

To compare Harrick at the time URI hired him to the Rick Pitino of today is ludicrous. Pitino has ten times the baggage and all his transgressions are not even yet fully known. Harrick never had his NCAA title vacated. Anyone that can't see the differences is blind to reality.

[SnooterMagoo]

Any real news on Pitino would have been released almost immediately.

[RF1]

The casual fan outside of little RHODY thinks we’re off our rocker for not hiring slick Rick.

Pull the trigger Thorr.

GO RHODY!

Those casual fans thinking that would be the ones off their rockers.

Pitino is a POS scumbag. Why people continue to mention him is beyond me. He was never seriously going to get this job.