April Fools Day, 1999
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- Frank Keaney
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
The really sad take on all of this, is that even with the botched Harrick affair, URI could still have hired an excellent coach to succeed JH.
There were several very good candidates. But as we older fans know all too well, Carothers and Petro were swayed by Jerry's promise to bring Lamar back, along with the fact that many players threatened to leave if JD wasn't hired. He was their "buddy".
Actual coaching ability played no part in the decision. Lamar was actually even on the sham "search" committee.
And I still remember hearing about the boosters cheering Jerry at a meeting just before they hired him.
"Jerry! Jerry! Jerry! …...you would have thought you were at a showing of the moronic Jerry Springer TV show.
That decision turned out even more moronic than anyone thought possible.
There were several very good candidates. But as we older fans know all too well, Carothers and Petro were swayed by Jerry's promise to bring Lamar back, along with the fact that many players threatened to leave if JD wasn't hired. He was their "buddy".
Actual coaching ability played no part in the decision. Lamar was actually even on the sham "search" committee.
And I still remember hearing about the boosters cheering Jerry at a meeting just before they hired him.
"Jerry! Jerry! Jerry! …...you would have thought you were at a showing of the moronic Jerry Springer TV show.
That decision turned out even more moronic than anyone thought possible.
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- Carlton Owens
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
Agreed!! Carothers’s wife is still a Dean on campus so I still feel like his “presence” is there.phipsiGD'11 wrote: ↑5 years agoI've always blamed Carothers for all of URIs failures during my time in Kingston and now I can add this to that list. He has to be the worst thing to happen to URI ever. I remember the day he announced he was leaving, one of the best days of my college career. Made better only by hiring Dooley.Rhodyhooopz wrote: ↑5 years ago Rambone I can tell you this. It wasn't Petro who pulled the offer it was Carothers. Carothers didn't like the fact that Harrick was becoming bigger than the school. Petro at the time wasn't allowed to any big decisions without Carothers signing off on them.
Remember Carothers was the guy who dried the campus out.
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- Frank Keaney
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
Carothers was spooked by the entire Harrick deal and subsequent JD failure, and his influence on hiring a "safe" choice in Baron meant mediocrity became the order of the day.
And then he compounded the issue by giving Baron the guaranteed CFL deal, when VaTech considered hiring him away.
And then he compounded the issue by giving Baron the guaranteed CFL deal, when VaTech considered hiring him away.
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- Frank Keaney
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
I'm no Carothers fan, but the first half of his presidency was good and probably necessary. When listening to old timers talk about URI it strikes me that while it seems like a tremendous amount of fun it also seems like we weren't a real university back then, more just a fancy drinking club. The university needed to be changed and improved academically and in a time of budget cuts he fought hard, to the point in the late 90's where the board of governors wasn't going to give him another contract and the students had a protest in the library. If his presidency ended there I think he would be remembered in a very positive light.phipsiGD'11 wrote: ↑5 years agoI've always blamed Carothers for all of URIs failures during my time in Kingston and now I can add this to that list. He has to be the worst thing to happen to URI ever. I remember the day he announced he was leaving, one of the best days of my college career. Made better only by hiring Dooley.Rhodyhooopz wrote: ↑5 years ago Rambone I can tell you this. It wasn't Petro who pulled the offer it was Carothers. Carothers didn't like the fact that Harrick was becoming bigger than the school. Petro at the time wasn't allowed to any big decisions without Carothers signing off on them.
Remember Carothers was the guy who dried the campus out.
Unfortunately it didn't end there. He was eventually given another contract and he stopped being an advocate for the university on the state level, content to effect what he could that wouldn't attract attention, often with negative results while he accrued time for his pension. It actually is a really good parallel to how he treated men's basketball. He started off as someone willing to take bold action but at the first sign of struggle he completely turtled
Take down the Robert Carothers banner and fix the concession stand lines
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- Carlton Owens
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
I don't know about you but some of URI still seems like a fancy drinking club. Darties.
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- Art Stephenson
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
Exhibit A: Green Lane in Eastward Look the first nice weekend of ever Spring.Taylor Swift wrote: ↑5 years ago I don't know about you but some of URI still seems like a fancy drinking club. Darties.
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- Carlton Owens
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
So right now is litphipsiGD'11 wrote: ↑5 years agoExhibit A: Green Lane in Eastward Look the first nice weekend of ever Spring.Taylor Swift wrote: ↑5 years ago I don't know about you but some of URI still seems like a fancy drinking club. Darties.
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- Ernie Calverley
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
I don't know how I missed bringing this thread back yesterday. Some good Rod comments. 21 years now.
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- ARD
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
I'm still not ready to talk about this day
Like soldiers on a Winter's night with a vow to DEFEND, no retreat baby, no surrender.
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- Ernie Calverley
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
I know some guy named Jay Wright was looking for the next place after Hofstra around this time...
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- Sly Williams
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
I remember him or someone thinking at the time that Wright wanted bigger. I’ll see if I can find it later.
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- Carlton Owens
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
Petro was on his way out when JD was hired. Bob Beagle headed the search committee and he reported to Carothers who made the call. At the end Petro lobbied for Mike Deane, So you are wrong - Petro did not make this hiring decision.
NCAAs or Bust!
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- Frank Keaney
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
Who was the AD when he was hired?Rhody72 wrote: ↑4 years agoPetro was on his way out when JD was hired. Bob Beagle headed the search committee and he reported to Carothers who made the call. At the end Petro lobbied for Mike Deane, So you are wrong - Petro did not make this hiring decision.
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- Sly Williams
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
I can't find any article or anything, but I'm certain I remember, maybe on espn, some talking head suggesting Jay Wright as a possibility at URI, but the other person said, Wright would skip that level. I don't remember the specifics, but I remember the thoughts by the people. I don't think Wright (unfortunately) was a serious consideration to replace Harrick. I still think to this day if we turn it over to someone like Larry Farmer, or really, reasonable head coach instead of Jerry Duh, we don't fall into that abyss followed by years of mediocrity.steviep123 wrote: ↑4 years agoI remember him or someone thinking at the time that Wright wanted bigger. I’ll see if I can find it later.
Bleed Keaney Blue!
”I'm not coming there to be in the top 3 of the Atlantic 10. I'm coming to win the damn thing!”
”I'm not coming there to be in the top 3 of the Atlantic 10. I'm coming to win the damn thing!”
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- Frank Keaney
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
I lobbied for Farmer.
What I didn't know was just how unqualified JD was.
Any of our assistants at the time would have made far better HC's.
What I didn't know was just how unqualified JD was.
Any of our assistants at the time would have made far better HC's.
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- Frank Keaney
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
Ron Petro was. He was AD for 12 years until replaced by Tom McElroy mid 2004.theblueram wrote: ↑4 years agoWho was the AD when he was hired?
The hiring of Jerry D was based on a committee of which Lamar Odom was a member.
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- Carlton Owens
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
Post-Harrick, the AD did not have the final say on who was hired - it was Carothers and Beagle. In later years Carothers called the JD hiring the worst personnel hiring he had ever made.
NCAAs or Bust!
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- Ernie Calverley
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
This infamous day in URI hoops history was 22 years ago today.
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- Ernie Calverley
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
Reading through the posts of this old thread makes me miss Rod.
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- Ernie Calverley
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
We could've had Jay Wright...
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- Sly Williams
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- Tom Garrick
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
I dread this bump every year.
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- Art Stephenson
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
can this be deleted forever. this day was one of the worst days of my life. So much went on that day that just sucked and pushed URI hoops back 15 years.
"If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special" - Jim Valvano
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- Frank Keaney
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
or at least stop bumping it every April 1. Nobody is interested.
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- Frank Keaney
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
Or you could not read the thread that is very clearly labelled
Take down the Robert Carothers banner and fix the concession stand lines
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- Frank Keaney
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
But you still have to open it
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- Ernie Calverley
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
Simply click the “mark topics read” button at the top of the page and all the threads will be marked like you already opened them.
Go Rhody
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- Carlton Owens
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
I came here to say, "not this thread again".
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- Frank Keaney
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
Same thoughts as well , let’s hope nobody remembers to bump this thread 4/1/22
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- Steve Chubin
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
Whenever this thread comes up I always cringe but then I come in and read it from the start. Rod's insight on all this is invaluable. Tells us way more than was ever reported at the time. Not only about that day but how the Ryan Center came about. It's really unfortunate Harrick didn't stay for a few more years just to see what that incoming class would have accomplished with him at the helm. It's probably unreasonable to think he would have stayed many more years but even just 2 or 3 more would have been fun to see and would have blocked the horrible Jerry D years.
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- Frank Keaney
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
But what if I don't want all threads to be marked like I had already opened them? Can I choose threads like this one to not show with new messages? or is it all or none?
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- Ernie Calverley
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
Just open all the threads you want to read, don’t open the thread/threads you don’t want to see, then just click “mark topics read” so it’ll only be the ones you don’t want click and read.
Go Rhody
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- Carlton Owens
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
Let’s not forget who brought Jerry Duh to URI in the first place.
Proudly supplying the Internet with online wisecracks, impertinent comments and loathing of all things mental hospital since 1996.
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- Frank Keaney
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
Has he ever donated a dime to URI?Rhode_Island_Red wrote: ↑3 years ago Let’s not forget who brought Jerry Duh to URI in the first place.
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- Tom Garrick
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
If Harrick stayed, my guess is that URI would've gotten the death penalty or been in the same type of hole that Baylor was in with Dave Bliss. Harrick was the kind of guy that would look you in the face, lie to you, and then you'd still walk away feeling like he was as good guy.bpaz11 wrote: ↑3 years ago Whenever this thread comes up I always cringe but then I come in and read it from the start. Rod's insight on all this is invaluable. Tells us way more than was ever reported at the time. Not only about that day but how the Ryan Center came about. It's really unfortunate Harrick didn't stay for a few more years just to see what that incoming class would have accomplished with him at the helm. It's probably unreasonable to think he would have stayed many more years but even just 2 or 3 more would have been fun to see and would have blocked the horrible Jerry D years.
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- Frank Keaney
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
April Fools Joke or is my sarcasm meter off, because this can't possibly be a real take?PlayMikeMotenMore wrote: ↑3 years agoIf Harrick stayed, my guess is that URI would've gotten the death penalty or been in the same type of hole that Baylor was in with Dave Bliss. Harrick was the kind of guy that would look you in the face, lie to you, and then you'd still walk away feeling like he was as good guy.bpaz11 wrote: ↑3 years ago Whenever this thread comes up I always cringe but then I come in and read it from the start. Rod's insight on all this is invaluable. Tells us way more than was ever reported at the time. Not only about that day but how the Ryan Center came about. It's really unfortunate Harrick didn't stay for a few more years just to see what that incoming class would have accomplished with him at the helm. It's probably unreasonable to think he would have stayed many more years but even just 2 or 3 more would have been fun to see and would have blocked the horrible Jerry D years.
Take down the Robert Carothers banner and fix the concession stand lines
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- Ernie Calverley
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
The sad reality for me is that this day was the end of the best run in URI basketball history in my lifetime. The thirteen seasons from 1987 to 1999 were a great time for Ram fans. The coaching trio of Tom Penders, Al Skinner, and Jim Harrick had much success.
URI BASKETABLL 1987-1999
NCAA Tournament
Five appearances (1988, 1993, 1997, 1998, 1999)
Six wins (Missouri, Syracuse, Purdue, Murray St, Kansas, Valpo)
1998 Elite-8
1988 Sweet-16
NIT Tournament
Three appearances (1987, 1992, 1996)
Four wins (Vanderbilt, Boston College, Marist, Charleston)
A-10 Tournament
1999 A-10 Championship
Played in four finals
URI BASKETABLL 1987-1999
NCAA Tournament
Five appearances (1988, 1993, 1997, 1998, 1999)
Six wins (Missouri, Syracuse, Purdue, Murray St, Kansas, Valpo)
1998 Elite-8
1988 Sweet-16
NIT Tournament
Three appearances (1987, 1992, 1996)
Four wins (Vanderbilt, Boston College, Marist, Charleston)
A-10 Tournament
1999 A-10 Championship
Played in four finals
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- Ernie Calverley
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
It is now 23 years later. Let us hope that we are today at the beginning of a new era of success in Kingston similar to the chapter that came to a close in 1999.
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- Ernie Calverley
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
Well it's the first time URI committed to athletics, so I would say these days are long gone.
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- Sly Williams
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
i remember vividly following the projo message board w my dial in modem while this was going down
it is wild - i can close my eyes and see myself in my old bedroom exactly as if it was yesterday.
i think we all have similar memories and can recall the same thing
it is wild - i can close my eyes and see myself in my old bedroom exactly as if it was yesterday.
i think we all have similar memories and can recall the same thing
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- Sly Williams
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- Frank Keaney
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
St. Patrick's Day will now always be better than April Fools Day.
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- Art Stephenson
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
I think we are in a new era, we don't wish we had a Ryan Center, we have one. The Ryan Center was a dream in 1996 that more than likely would nver come true.
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- Art Stephenson
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
Don't Don't Don't I can't even looking at the name of this thread sends me to a deep dark place. beside my mothers passing this may have been the worst day of my life.
"If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special" - Jim Valvano
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- Sly Williams
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
Not today my friends, not today.
Bleed Keaney Blue!
”I'm not coming there to be in the top 3 of the Atlantic 10. I'm coming to win the damn thing!”
”I'm not coming there to be in the top 3 of the Atlantic 10. I'm coming to win the damn thing!”
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- Ernie Calverley
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
24 years ago today.
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- ARD
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
The day most Rhody fans want to forget.
Never was there ever a day where your emotions were on a roller coaster.
Never was there ever a day where your emotions were on a roller coaster.
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- Sly Williams
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Re: April Fools Day, 1999
Fun Fact:
Rod wasn't even a member of the Projo board when this day took place, nor the day Jerry D was hired.
He signed up almost immediately after Jerry D was hired though, and just started tearing everyone a new a hole. I didn't know who he was but he was angry as all get out. He was fighting mad. Obviously, some older folk that were members there on Projo did know who he was though.
I remember thinking afterwards, if only you had been on the site before he got hired, maybe you could have convinced them not to hire him. Maybe they still would have hired him in the end, but Rod could have put up a good defense why they shouldn't. I even told him that a few times.
Rod wasn't even a member of the Projo board when this day took place, nor the day Jerry D was hired.
He signed up almost immediately after Jerry D was hired though, and just started tearing everyone a new a hole. I didn't know who he was but he was angry as all get out. He was fighting mad. Obviously, some older folk that were members there on Projo did know who he was though.
I remember thinking afterwards, if only you had been on the site before he got hired, maybe you could have convinced them not to hire him. Maybe they still would have hired him in the end, but Rod could have put up a good defense why they shouldn't. I even told him that a few times.