David Cox officially let go by URI (formerly, "Fire Cox")

[RhodyRams12]

[PeterRamTime]

Ah, I thought it was preposterous bringing up a “High School Shooting Coach” in Jimmy Baron.

As a head coach option right now, it is preposterous, which is why Goodman only mentioned him as an assistant option until he gets more coaching experience.

I mean what recruiting connections does Jimmy have? That's my question.

[Gonebarongone]

In some capacity I hate to hit like on this, but I'm so happy it's time for change.

We can all agree he's a great guy, but incapable at this point of leading a program, at least URI. Nobody wants to see anyone lose their job, but I have no doubt he will quickly find employment elsewhere as an assistant if he chooses to

I honestly think he will be a good HC at a lower level and he may have been an ok fit here if Hurley left a few years later and had built the program up more - I just don’t think he was ready to keep building it up the way it needs to be to compete in the A10.

Did you not watch the last four years? The pie chart of recruiting/talent evaluation vs actual coaching changes the closer you get to the Dukes of the world and as you get towards the pick your low major or D2 school. K is not a great game coach (look at his Army record) but got the best guys at Duke and, obviously, for USA basketball. The best guys at the lower levels teach and develop and dominate in game. That matters more when the talent gap is smaller. Those were Cox's worst traits. He should be a mid P5 assistant making 400k. Not a bad life.

[Not Mike Powell]

Experience. Jimmy played 12 years professionally in the 2nd best basketball league in the world. Literally raised by a head coach. I think he would know a thing or two about coaching basketball. What are we waiting for? Does he need to coach in the NEC for 3 years before he’s worthy of this job? He’s young, could probably be hired for cheap, and would be likely to stay if success was had.

[adam914]

Ah, I thought it was preposterous bringing up a “High School Shooting Coach” in Jimmy Baron.

As a head coach option right now, it is preposterous, which is why Goodman only mentioned him as an assistant option until he gets more coaching experience.

I mean what recruiting connections does Jimmy have? That's my question.

Yeah honestly I don't know. I mean he undoubtedly has connections in the game just from his playing career and with his father being a coach for so long, but in my mind if Jimmy was going to be a part of the staff it would be as the third assistant with two other more experienced guys.

[rhodylaw]

Bassy knows him playing at URI is basically a charity case. Hell be transferring downstream soon

I don’t agree. I’ve seen much more overwhelmed freshmen go on to have really good A10 careers, here and elsewhere. He has a lot of room to improve but I don’t have any real concern about whether he can play here. He could for sure end up transferring, and if he does it would likely be down rather than up. But calling him a charity case is way overstating it.

He was supposed to redshirt this year - definitely not a charity case, he has skills just needs to really work on his shot. He can find space to get the shot off just needs to get it in.

[SGreenwell]

Ah, I thought it was preposterous bringing up a “High School Shooting Coach” in Jimmy Baron.

As a head coach option right now, it is preposterous, which is why Goodman only mentioned him as an assistant option until he gets more coaching experience.

I mean what recruiting connections does Jimmy have? That's my question.

He's at IMG right now, so my guess would be, "more than zero," ha. I'd also argue that you have multiple assistant coaches with different strengths and weaknesses. It's not hard to imagine Jimmy being an effective recruiter, given his background - coach's son, hard worker, incredible individual skill (shooting) that you can tell recruits you'll improve. I'm not saying it's GUARANTEED he would be a good assistant coach, or that we absolutely have to hire him, but I'm kind of more bullish on hiring him than, say, a Tony Bergeron type. (I'm also blanking on the name of the coach that Dan had on his staff for a year or two, who essentially seemed like a "connected to recruits" guy.)

[PeterRamTime]

We can all agree he's a great guy, but incapable at this point of leading a program, at least URI. Nobody wants to see anyone lose their job, but I have no doubt he will quickly find employment elsewhere as an assistant if he chooses to

I honestly think he will be a good HC at a lower level and he may have been an ok fit here if Hurley left a few years later and had built the program up more - I just don’t think he was ready to keep building it up the way it needs to be to compete in the A10.

Did you not watch the last four years? The pie chart of recruiting/talent evaluation vs actual coaching changes the closer you get to the Dukes of the world and as you get towards the pick your low major or D2 school. K is not a great game coach (look at his Army record) but got the best guys at Duke and, obviously, for USA basketball. The best guys at the lower levels teach and develop and dominate in game. That matters more when the talent gap is smaller. Those were Cox's worst traits. He should be a mid P5 assistant making 400k. Not a bad life.

Coach K not a great game coach?

[RhodyKyle]

As a head coach option right now, it is preposterous, which is why Goodman only mentioned him as an assistant option until he gets more coaching experience.

I mean what recruiting connections does Jimmy have? That's my question.

He's at IMG right now, so my guess would be, "more than zero," ha. I'd also argue that you have multiple assistant coaches with different strengths and weaknesses. It's not hard to imagine Jimmy being an effective recruiter, given his background - coach's son, hard worker, incredible individual skill (shooting) that you can tell recruits you'll improve. I'm not saying it's GUARANTEED he would be a good assistant coach, or that we absolutely have to hire him, but I'm kind of more bullish on hiring him than, say, a Tony Bergeron type. (I'm also blanking on the name of the coach that Dan had on his staff for a year or two, who essentially seemed like a "connected to recruits" guy.)

Ty Boswell?

[KeaneyBluBallz]

re: Jimmy Baron...

Obv, I'm not advocating to go hire JB for a the HC position, but this is the fucking problem today in all sectors of life and real world work. how is one supposedly 'no experience', supposed to get some, when no one gives you a chance?

dude played D1 hoops, 12 years pro and is still very much involved in the game. if a school want to hire him as an assistant coach, what's the issue??

JB is more qualified to be a coach at any level than some of you dipshit keyboard cowboys here.

[SGreenwell]

re: Jimmy Baron...

Obv, I'm not advocating to go hire JB for a the HC position, but this is the fucking problem today in all sectors of life and real world work. how is one supposedly 'no experience', supposed to get some, when no one gives you a chance?

dude played D1 hoops, 12 years pro and is still very much involved in the game. if a school want to hire him as an assistant coach, what's the issue??

JB is more qualified to be a coach at any level than some of you dipshit keyboard cowboys here.

To be clear - I think the reaction to him being an *assistant* coach has been received pretty warmly. One (1) poster has advocated in the past for just hiring him as a head coach, which was not well received.

[Rhodymob05]

The coaching carrousel is going 100 mph right now. Not much work getting done today.

[STC]

Projo and Boston Globe reporting Cox had two years left on his deal? I thought he only had one?

Guess it is a moot point now....

[RhowdyRam02]

re: Jimmy Baron...

Obv, I'm not advocating to go hire JB for a the HC position, but this is the fucking problem today in all sectors of life and real world work. how is one supposedly 'no experience', supposed to get some, when no one gives you a chance?

dude played D1 hoops, 12 years pro and is still very much involved in the game. if a school want to hire him as an assistant coach, what's the issue??

JB is more qualified to be a coach at any level than some of you dipshit keyboard cowboys here.

Here's the problem cowboy, nobody is saying he isn't qualified to be an assistant. You have one poster saying he should be head coach and everyone else saying he's not qualified for that.

Baron would get experience by becoming a college assistant and then maybe a lower level head coaching job. Right now he's not qualified for the head coaching position at URI despite what one poster says

[adam914]

re: Jimmy Baron...

Obv, I'm not advocating to go hire JB for a the HC position, but this is the fucking problem today in all sectors of life and real world work. how is one supposedly 'no experience', supposed to get some, when no one gives you a chance?

dude played D1 hoops, 12 years pro and is still very much involved in the game. if a school want to hire him as an assistant coach, what's the issue??

JB is more qualified to be a coach at any level than some of you dipshit keyboard cowboys here.

You get some experience at a lower level first. Being an A10 head coach is not an entry level job.

[RhowdyRam02]

Projo and Boston Globe reporting Cox had two years left on his deal? I thought he only had one?

Guess it is a moot point now....

He only had one unless Thorr added the rumored Covid year or he was given a different one year extension in secret

[Not Mike Powell]

re: Jimmy Baron...

Obv, I'm not advocating to go hire JB for a the HC position, but this is the fucking problem today in all sectors of life and real world work. how is one supposedly 'no experience', supposed to get some, when no one gives you a chance?

dude played D1 hoops, 12 years pro and is still very much involved in the game. if a school want to hire him as an assistant coach, what's the issue??

JB is more qualified to be a coach at any level than some of you dipshit keyboard cowboys here.

Here's the problem cowboy, nobody is saying he isn't qualified to be an assistant. You have one poster saying he should be head coach and everyone else saying he's not qualified for that.

Baron would get experience by becoming a college assistant and then maybe a lower level head coaching job. Right now he's not qualified for the head coaching position at URI despite what one poster says

Yes, we need Jimmy to lead a NEC team to the CBI before he is worthy enough to accept a job at our prestigious program.

[rhodysurf]

Why are all the articles saying he had two years left but then also saying in 2018 he signed a 5 year deal??

[KeaneyBluBallz]

re: Jimmy Baron...

Obv, I'm not advocating to go hire JB for a the HC position, but this is the fucking problem today in all sectors of life and real world work. how is one supposedly 'no experience', supposed to get some, when no one gives you a chance?

dude played D1 hoops, 12 years pro and is still very much involved in the game. if a school want to hire him as an assistant coach, what's the issue??

JB is more qualified to be a coach at any level than some of you dipshit keyboard cowboys here.

You get some experience at a lower level first. Being an A10 head coach is not an entry level job.

oh stop. lets not pretend we're something special here. we're bottom of the barrel of a 1 bid league.

[rambone 78]

If he indeed had 2 years left it's very likely boosters stepped up to help buy him out...and if that's the case they will be helping to pay a new coach....and they might be very involved in making the choice.

[KeaneyBluBallz]

re: Jimmy Baron...

Obv, I'm not advocating to go hire JB for a the HC position, but this is the fucking problem today in all sectors of life and real world work. how is one supposedly 'no experience', supposed to get some, when no one gives you a chance?

dude played D1 hoops, 12 years pro and is still very much involved in the game. if a school want to hire him as an assistant coach, what's the issue??

JB is more qualified to be a coach at any level than some of you dipshit keyboard cowboys here.

Here's the problem cowboy, nobody is saying he isn't qualified to be an assistant. You have one poster saying he should be head coach and everyone else saying he's not qualified for that.

Baron would get experience by becoming a college assistant and then maybe a lower level head coaching job. Right now he's not qualified for the head coaching position at URI despite what one poster says

so little jimmy needs to be an assistant at a lower level school and then a HC at a lower level school before he could be an assistant at URI??

[RF1]

The relevant termination and buyout language from the 2018 URI contract with David Cox:



6.7.1 If the University exercises its right to unilateral termination within the first
three (3) Contract Years of this Agreement, the University shall pay to Coach, as liquidated
damages, the total sum or amount consisting of (i) the unpaid value of his Base Salary set
forth in section 3.1.1; (ii) the unpaid value of guaranteed portion of gate receipts set forth in
section 3.2.1; (iii) the unpaid value of his appearance and participation fees set forth in
section 3.2.2; and, (iv) the unpaid value of his participation in the URI Men's Basketball
television and radio programs set forth in section 3.2.9, through Contract Year 3 of the Term
and his base salary for the remaining portion of the Term (as if it naturally expired on the
End Date and Coach fully performed hereunder). If the University exercises its right to
unilateral termination at any time after Contract Year 3, the University shall pay to Coach, as
liquidated damages, the total unpaid value of his base salary for the remaining portion of the
Term (as if it naturally expired on the End Date and Coach fully performed hereunder).
Said liquidated damages may be referred to as the "Termination Payments" and shall be
subject to mitigation of damages.


The section about base salary compensation referenced above for termination after Year 3:

3.1.1 An annual base ("Base Salary") salary of $300,000.00 (Three Hundred
Thousand and no/100 Dollars) effective April 9,2018, payable in bi-weekly installments
during the Term of the Agreement.

[DanInAZ]

I wouldn't trust anything Jeff Goodman wrote. You guys have a better chance of being correct on who is in the mix than he would.

Also, don't be disappointed when the coach you want isn't hired here.

Should we start a Fire <Insert new coach here> post now to stay ahead of the curve?

[adam914]

re: Jimmy Baron...

Obv, I'm not advocating to go hire JB for a the HC position, but this is the fucking problem today in all sectors of life and real world work. how is one supposedly 'no experience', supposed to get some, when no one gives you a chance?

dude played D1 hoops, 12 years pro and is still very much involved in the game. if a school want to hire him as an assistant coach, what's the issue??

JB is more qualified to be a coach at any level than some of you dipshit keyboard cowboys here.

You get some experience at a lower level first. Being an A10 head coach is not an entry level job.

oh stop. lets not pretend we're something special here. we're bottom of the barrel of a 1 bid league.

I am not pretending we are anything more then we are. So prove me wrong...provide a list of coaches who were hired as the head coach at an A-10 school having never coached anywhere before in their lives and I am willing to listen and change my mind if its been proven that it can work.

Also, while this may change this year, the A10 has not been a 1 bid league since 2005. I'm all for bringing Jimmy on as the third assistant at this point, but anything more then that is a reach for now.

[reef]

Give us a splash hire someone we can be excited about not the Grasso or beckers of the world

[PeterRamTime]

re: Jimmy Baron...

Obv, I'm not advocating to go hire JB for a the HC position, but this is the fucking problem today in all sectors of life and real world work. how is one supposedly 'no experience', supposed to get some, when no one gives you a chance?

dude played D1 hoops, 12 years pro and is still very much involved in the game. if a school want to hire him as an assistant coach, what's the issue??

JB is more qualified to be a coach at any level than some of you dipshit keyboard cowboys here.

You get some experience at a lower level first. Being an A10 head coach is not an entry level job.

oh stop. lets not pretend we're something special here. we're bottom of the barrel of a 1 bid league.

We'll have two bids this year.

[Not Mike Powell]

You get some experience at a lower level first. Being an A10 head coach is not an entry level job.

oh stop. lets not pretend we're something special here. we're bottom of the barrel of a 1 bid league.

I am not pretending we are anything more then we are. So prove me wrong...provide a list of coaches who were hired as the head coach at an A-10 school having never coached anywhere before in their lives and I am willing to listen and change my mind if its been proven that it can work.

Also, while this may change this year, the A10 has not been a 1 bid league since 2005. I'm all for bringing Jimmy on as the third assistant at this point, but anything more then that is a reach for now.

We’ve made two NCAA tournaments in 23 years. Any model that you think should be followed should be thrown out the window. Time to think outside the box.

[adam914]

oh stop. lets not pretend we're something special here. we're bottom of the barrel of a 1 bid league.

I am not pretending we are anything more then we are. So prove me wrong...provide a list of coaches who were hired as the head coach at an A-10 school having never coached anywhere before in their lives and I am willing to listen and change my mind if its been proven that it can work.

Also, while this may change this year, the A10 has not been a 1 bid league since 2005. I'm all for bringing Jimmy on as the third assistant at this point, but anything more then that is a reach for now.

We’ve made two NCAA tournaments in 23 years. Any model that you think should be followed should be thrown out the window. Time to think outside the box.

I think we should follow the model that we followed when we made the tournament those two years. A home run hire that injects immediate life into a dead program. Not a guy who has never coached a game in his life anywhere.

[luke]

The names mentioned for replacement of Cox are making me very nervous . None of them have an name that can attract better recruits and that is
really the main issue for URI . If these are the only choices under consideration look forward to the bottom of the league for 3-4 more years until they fire the guy.

[TruePoint]

I love and appreciate the passion of everybody here, but I’m very thankful that these decisions are not being made by a randomly selected poster or a committee of posters.

[RhodyRams12]

[PlayMikeMotenMore]

The names mentioned for replacement of Cox are making me very nervous . None of them have an name that can attract better recruits and that is
really the main issue for URI . If these are the only choices under consideration look forward to the bottom of the league for 3-4 more years until they fire the guy.

Names don't recruit...people and programs attract recruits.

You think anybody had ever heard the name of Shaka Smart before VCU? John Calipari was an assistant at Pitt before he became "Coach Cal" at UMASS.

Bruce Pearl was a head coach at Division II Southern Indiana...then went to Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He wasn't a name.

[luke]

If the names mentioned are the best they can do give me Pitino . Kansas State coach was just fired . I would look at him a well , but Pitino could probably rebuild the talent with his name. Archie or Sean miller please please consider URI . IT IS LOOKING A LITTLE DESPERATE AT THE MOMENT .
i hope Thorr has other ideas from what is being reported .

[KeaneyBluBallz]

You get some experience at a lower level first. Being an A10 head coach is not an entry level job.

oh stop. lets not pretend we're something special here. we're bottom of the barrel of a 1 bid league.

I am not pretending we are anything more then we are. So prove me wrong...provide a list of coaches who were hired as the head coach at an A-10 school having never coached anywhere before in their lives and I am willing to listen and change my mind if its been proven that it can work.

Also, while this may change this year, the A10 has not been a 1 bid league since 2005. I'm all for bringing Jimmy on as the third assistant at this point, but anything more then that is a reach for now.

yeah, I don't care that much. I'm just dismissing the notion that jimmy baron is not qualified to sit on the bench at URI and teach the youth of America some basketball.

[RF1]

If he indeed had 2 years left it's very likely boosters stepped up to help buy him out...and if that's the case they will be helping to pay a new coach....and they might be very involved in making the choice.

I have a pdf copy of his original 2018 contract that was for a period of five years. The only way I would think there could be two years left is if he was given a one year extension that was never made public.

[luke]

Okay PlayMIKe you go with that . Names don't recruit ? Okay if they follow your belief and take one of the mentioned names we will see where that leads .
Players are absolutely influenced by the reputation of the coach . Are you posting just to get a reaction or do you really believe this ?

[RhodyRams12]

[adam914]

So he did have 2 years left. Very interesting.

[KingstonLane]

A month or so ago someone here suggested all URI coaches got an extra year added to their contracts due to Covid. Sounding like that might have been true

[reef]

Class move Coach Cox good luck in your next stop

[Rhody74]

Maybe he’ll end up an assistant at Maryland.

[steviep123]

So he did have 2 years left. Very interesting.

I'd like to see that confirmed and responded via the tweet.

[bigappleram]

More confirmed than it saying so in the official announcement?

[SGreenwell]

Now up on GoRhody, so I'll change the title topic in a second. I'll copy-paste the text here, in case it changes or the link expires at some point.

https://gorhody.com/news/2022/3/11/mens ... asons.aspx

David Cox Let Go as Head Coach After Four Seasons
Posted: March 11, 2022, 1 p.m. EST

KINGSTON, R.I. – Rhode Island men's basketball head coach David Cox will not return to the program next season, Director of Athletics Thorr Bjorn announced Friday.

Cox, who completed his fourth season with the Rams, had two years remaining on the contract he signed in April of 2018.

"David Cox is a first-class individual, and I am grateful for his hard work and the manner in which he represented the University throughout his time at Rhode Island," Bjorn said. "This is not a decision I take lightly, but a change is necessary. I have tremendous respect for David, and I wish nothing but the best for him and his family."

Cox had an overall record of 64-55, including a record of 34-36 in Atlantic 10 play. The Rams also were 3-3 in the Atlantic 10 Championship under Cox.

"Today is a tough day, as I have been informed by Administration that I will not return as the head coach at URI," Cox said. "It is disappointing news as I had hoped and expected to return to finish the job I started four years ago. But I respect the decision and I'm grateful for the opportunity.

"I have learned quite a bit in the eight years I've spent at Rhode Island. I am certain that I will grow from those experiences. From winning championships to suffering tough losses. I will cherish my time here.

"I'd like to thank my family for all their love and support. I want to recognize my staff for their dedication to this program and players. Rhody Nation, you all have been so awesome in your support of the program, my family and myself.

"And to ALL the players who I have coached during my time in Kingston, know that I love you all and will forever cherish the memories."

A national search for the next head coach is underway. The University will have no further comment until the search is complete.

[RF1]

So he did have 2 years left. Very interesting.

The URI press release does say he had two years remaining on the contract he signed in April of 2018. That contract (which I have a pdf copy of) however has the following as its first text: Men's Basketball Coach Employment Agreement 2018-2023

Could the two years remaining reference just be related to him being let go one month before year 4 ends?

[steviep123]

More confirmed than it saying so in the official announcement?

Not that there are 2 years, but where/when the extra year was added.

[4Diffs]

Now to follow the transfer portal to see who is going to jump ship

Frankly who cares. If people leave, they leave. This was part of the reason why we hired Cox in the first place and look where that got us.

This team was a disaster to watch, in fact I did not watch much the last month or so. I said back before the year began how the hell do you build a team like this in 2022. Back in the early 80's before the 3 point shot, maybe. They had no one who could shoot where most teams today are playing with four guys that can shoot the basketball. They had no guards or wings to speak of that had any ability to shoot the basketball consistently, just not built for todays basketball. The 3 point shot has changed basketball for better or worse, but this team did not reflect this at all. The emphasis on how athletic someone was and ignoring all else such as viable basketball skills such as shooting, dribbling and passing.

Cox is a fine human being, no denying that. But he failed miserably as a coach in almost all areas. I said last year it was time to cut bait, I knew they would give him this year and hope for the best. But I was convinced that he was what he was which is not a very good coach.

This is a very important hire. I have no idea who to hire, but they need to get this one right. Kudo's to Thorr to making the decision quick, there was no reason to prolong this, and I wish him success with the new hire.

And Cox I wish you the best in your next endeavor. You are a class act in many ways, but unfortunately not a very good head coach. Ouch, that sounds harsh but those are the facts.

[RhowdyRam02]

I'm sorry, but it's absolutely unacceptable that they're just adding years to contracts without making announcements. You have this instance where Cox received an extra year without an announcement and as best as I can tell Jim Fleming's contract ran out years ago without an announcement of an extension being made. The University and athletic department should be announcing all of these.

And as much as I defend the ProJo and other media about certain things, they should absolutely be doing the digging and reporting on these issues as well

[Rhody15]

I'm sorry, but it's absolutely unacceptable that they're just adding years to contracts without making announcements. You have this instance where Cox received an extra year without an announcement and as best as I can tell Jim Fleming's contract ran out years ago without an announcement of an extension being made. The University and athletic department should be announcing all of these.

And as much as I defend the ProJo and other media about certain things, they should absolutely be doing the digging and reporting on these issues as well

GT did this with Ewing too.

I know this is a state school, but it probably happens way more than we think.

[bigappleram]

It was a result of the Covid year...and I wouldn't doubt if it was a thing done by ADs all over the country in light of the pandemic.