David Cox

[steviep123]

We were one player away. It could have been Mahki. Cox gave several players a chance to step up and none could. We are not far away.

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[Rhody15]

We were one player away. It could have been Mahki. Cox gave several players a chance to step up and none could. We are not far away.

You're very far away from sounding intelligent, but we've known that already.

You feel like explaining why you think Cox will be a great head coach here? Or do you still want to be a troll clown?

[ramster]

We were one player away. It could have been Mahki. Cox gave several players a chance to step up and none could. We are not far away.

You're very far away from sounding intelligent, but we've known that already.

You feel like explaining why you think Cox will be a great head coach here? Or do you still want to be a troll clown?

I’m still waiting for his answers as to how much more URI should increase his salary from the current $750k per year and how many more years to extend his contract - to lock him in now versus paying a lot more later.

[Billyboy78]

I'm out on Betrand. Airball city baby. Unless he had some secret injury, theres no excuse. He doesn't really contribute anywhere else. I HOPE he improves, but a few good games won't keep him on the floor (or shouldnt at least).

I've actually been impressed how bad he's been. I didn't think it was possible to shoot that many airballs in a season.

His court awareness/basketball IQ seems to be very low. Those airball threes aren't desperation shots at the end of the shot clock either. They're just terrible shots. It's always, 'What the hell was that?' to me when he takes them. He and Carey both seem lacking in this area.

[ramster]

I'm out on Betrand. Airball city baby. Unless he had some secret injury, theres no excuse. He doesn't really contribute anywhere else. I HOPE he improves, but a few good games won't keep him on the floor (or shouldnt at least).

I've actually been impressed how bad he's been. I didn't think it was possible to shoot that many airballs in a season.

His court awareness/basketball IQ seems to be very low. Those airball threes aren't desperation shots at the end of the shot clock either. They're just terrible shots. It's always, 'What the hell was that?' to me when he takes them. He and Carey both seem lacking in this area.

I have heard the announcers ask the same question as to why Betrand is taking such a long 3FG with time left on the clock.
My fear is that players are playing for themselves a lot. They see others take a bunch of shots and figure they might as well too

We are not, and have not been a good passing and unselfish team.

[rambone 78]

The constant late game and season swoons are all about coaching.

It's not the players....they are not being put in position to win.

Yes player mistakes cost games late, but I'm talking about it happening all the time!

[rhodylaw]

I'm out on Betrand. Airball city baby. Unless he had some secret injury, theres no excuse. He doesn't really contribute anywhere else. I HOPE he improves, but a few good games won't keep him on the floor (or shouldnt at least).

I've actually been impressed how bad he's been. I didn't think it was possible to shoot that many airballs in a season.

His court awareness/basketball IQ seems to be very low. Those airball threes aren't desperation shots at the end of the shot clock either. They're just terrible shots. It's always, 'What the hell was that?' to me when he takes them. He and Carey both seem lacking in this area.

I agree with what we are seeing this year - but it is common for transfers to take a long time to adjust and play to expectations. Some of our best transfers over the years were not particularly good in year 1 or at least in the first half of a season. I am not writing either Betrand or Carey off. They can improve over the summer and come back as better players. They may never be the super-star level players we expected, but like Stan or Kuran or Scott Hazelton they can work on their games and be productive players.

[ramster]

I've actually been impressed how bad he's been. I didn't think it was possible to shoot that many airballs in a season.

His court awareness/basketball IQ seems to be very low. Those airball threes aren't desperation shots at the end of the shot clock either. They're just terrible shots. It's always, 'What the hell was that?' to me when he takes them. He and Carey both seem lacking in this area.

I agree with what we are seeing this year - but it is common for transfers to take a long time to adjust and play to expectations. Some of our best transfers over the years were not particularly good in year 1 or at least in the first half of a season. I am not writing either Betrand or Carey off. They can improve over the summer and come back as better players. They may never be the super-star level players we expected, but like Stan or Kuran or Scott Hazelton they can work on their games and be productive players.

Hopefully that is what David Cox saw in these players when he recruited and signed them. We have had many examples of players coming in who simply did not have what it takes to be a solid starter in the Upper Tier Group of A10 Teams.

[Jersey77]

I've actually been impressed how bad he's been. I didn't think it was possible to shoot that many airballs in a season.

His court awareness/basketball IQ seems to be very low. Those airball threes aren't desperation shots at the end of the shot clock either. They're just terrible shots. It's always, 'What the hell was that?' to me when he takes them. He and Carey both seem lacking in this area.

I agree with what we are seeing this year - but it is common for transfers to take a long time to adjust and play to expectations. Some of our best transfers over the years were not particularly good in year 1 or at least in the first half of a season. I am not writing either Betrand or Carey off. They can improve over the summer and come back as better players. They may never be the super-star level players we expected, but like Stan or Kuran or Scott Hazelton they can work on their games and be productive players.

We are all disappointed and frustrated about our season and many 2nd guessing the Cox experiment, so thanks for a little positive spin.

[rambone 78]

A little improvement from Betrand and Carey won't be anywhere good enough.

They need a HUGE improvement.

[rhodylaw]

His court awareness/basketball IQ seems to be very low. Those airball threes aren't desperation shots at the end of the shot clock either. They're just terrible shots. It's always, 'What the hell was that?' to me when he takes them. He and Carey both seem lacking in this area.

I agree with what we are seeing this year - but it is common for transfers to take a long time to adjust and play to expectations. Some of our best transfers over the years were not particularly good in year 1 or at least in the first half of a season. I am not writing either Betrand or Carey off. They can improve over the summer and come back as better players. They may never be the super-star level players we expected, but like Stan or Kuran or Scott Hazelton they can work on their games and be productive players.

Hopefully that is what David Cox saw in these players when he recruited and signed them. We have had many examples of players coming in who simply did not have what it takes to be a solid starter in the Upper Tier Group of A10 Teams.

We have 7 transfers in their first year of playing for the team this year:

Makhi - injured but early projections are he can play with top A10 teams
Makhel - adjusting nicely, is going to be a player in the league
Shepherd - player in the league right now (also had benefit of sitting out and playing with team/system)
Malik - can play in the league, solid rotation player in A10 at minimum
DJ - has a role on an A10 team as a bench/reserve player - 7th or 8th guy
Betrand - needs improvement
Carey - needs improvement

So 5 out of 7 are A10 players in my opinion right now. 2 are still unknowns for now. That is not a terrible track record in my mind. The win/loss results together are bad this year but I think these guys can play at this level.

I am not as down on this team as some next year. These guys will all get better, Ish and Antoine will be a year better. We will also probably get a transfer guard to compliment what is here already. When the transfer flood gates open this year (and they will) we have 7 players on the team who already played for another team and will not be able to transfer without sitting a year (including Antoine).

[rambone 78]

I'm not as down on the TEAM, as I am on the staff.

Again, no matter the talent, if the staff can't coach them, what good is it?

[NC_Ram]

Most of the optimism I'm reading makes one very, very big assumption. That our players will improve under this coaching staff.

Well ... improvement is not really our thing. That's why we're 11th in the A10.

[Rhody72]

...
I’m still waiting for his answers as to how much more URI should increase his salary from the current $750k per year and how many more years to extend his contract - to lock him in now versus paying a lot more later.

$1.2M extend 2 more years. Let recruits know that he will be here.

[DeanDome88]

I think that’s the problem here. “Well Hurley would have done better”. No shit. I think everyone agrees. Including the Big East team who paid him to come coach at the next level

My issue with the post is being so drastic with knocking the transfers. Regardless of how he got there Cox had to bring in the best pieces available.

By my evaluation the Mitchell twins are home run recruits. These two are going to dominate the A10. Malik Martin is as advertised, defensive presence. AB and Carey leave more to be desired. I think AB is a lot more comfortable next year, he’s clearly shown he can play at the A10 level (albeit not consistently yet). Carey is what he is. There’s a reason he got buried on the bench at Cuse. The hope obviously is that gets corrected.

This isn’t a defense of Cox. The results this year are disappointing. But let’s not pretend like he brought in 5 bum transfers

Coach Cox is a great recruiter and a good role model. Up to this point he is a disappointment as a head basketball coach. Lucky for him, assistant coaches who are great at recruiting make a very good living. I really wanted this to work out but it's not looking good.

Again, thank you but we’ve acknowledged that 100 times now on this board. The discussion being had was on the recruits being underwhelming

Let me be clear. I agree the recruits are good (including transfers). It makes the losing harder to swallow.

[Rhody72]

The constant late game and season swoons are all about coaching.

It's not the players....they are not being put in position to win.

Yes player mistakes cost games late, but I'm talking about it happening all the time!

URI does not have 200 mins/game of quality time from the players on the roster. Mahkel is being over used - he need to get stronger and have more stamina. Once you get beyond the starters and Malik there are too few quality minutes to be found, The result is we have trouble finishing games. I have not given up on AB for next year.

[Rhody15]

The constant late game and season swoons are all about coaching.

It's not the players....they are not being put in position to win.

Yes player mistakes cost games late, but I'm talking about it happening all the time!

URI does not have 200 mins/game of quality time from the players on the roster. Mahkel is being over used - he need to get stronger and have more stamina. Once you get beyond the starters and Malik there are too few quality minutes to be found, The result is we have trouble finishing games. I have not given up on AB for next year.

About the only agreeable thing you’ve posted here for months.

[ramster]

...
I’m still waiting for his answers as to how much more URI should increase his salary from the current $750k per year and how many more years to extend his contract - to lock him in now versus paying a lot more later.

$1.2M extend 2 more years. Let recruits know that he will be here.

$1.2 million per year? 2 more years?

Would you do that now? Or wait til the conference season and conference tournament plays out?

[PeterRamTime]

I agree with what we are seeing this year - but it is common for transfers to take a long time to adjust and play to expectations. Some of our best transfers over the years were not particularly good in year 1 or at least in the first half of a season. I am not writing either Betrand or Carey off. They can improve over the summer and come back as better players. They may never be the super-star level players we expected, but like Stan or Kuran or Scott Hazelton they can work on their games and be productive players.

Hopefully that is what David Cox saw in these players when he recruited and signed them. We have had many examples of players coming in who simply did not have what it takes to be a solid starter in the Upper Tier Group of A10 Teams.

We have 7 transfers in their first year of playing for the team this year:

Makhi - injured but early projections are he can play with top A10 teams
Makhel - adjusting nicely, is going to be a player in the league
Shepherd - player in the league right now (also had benefit of sitting out and playing with team/system)
Malik - can play in the league, solid rotation player in A10 at minimum
DJ - has a role on an A10 team as a bench/reserve player - 7th or 8th guy
Betrand - needs improvement
Carey - needs improvement

So 5 out of 7 are A10 players in my opinion right now. 2 are still unknowns for now. That is not a terrible track record in my mind. The win/loss results together are bad this year but I think these guys can play at this level.

I am not as down on this team as some next year. These guys will all get better, Ish and Antoine will be a year better. We will also probably get a transfer guard to compliment what is here already. When the transfer flood gates open this year (and they will) we have 7 players on the team who already played for another team and will not be able to transfer without sitting a year (including Antoine).

Pretty sure Makhel is already a player in the A-10 right now. Nobody can really do anything to stop him. Only thing stopping Makhel is his damn lay up issues. Otherwise he is a straight up P5 player. There are a very few teams he wouldn't find any playing time on right now.

We really needed AB to at least be what he was at Towson. Our lack of a wing scorer has really hurt us among many other things. Between him and Martin we should be getting more. It's crazy to me how bad AB has been.

[rambone 78]

Yeah let's reward a guy who hasn't done anything for 3 years and continues to get worse.

Based on nothing more than hope.

That would be insane even for URI.

[Rhody72]

...

We really needed AB to at least be what he was at Towson. Our lack of a wing scorer has really hurt us among many other things. Between him and Martin we should be getting more. It's crazy to me how bad AB has been.

Crazy to me as well. Then again, remember how badly Walker, Adingono and Hazleton played when they became eligible mid-season? This is why I have not given up on him.

[PeteRI]

...
I’m still waiting for his answers as to how much more URI should increase his salary from the current $750k per year and how many more years to extend his contract - to lock him in now versus paying a lot more later.

$1.2M extend 2 more years. Let recruits know that he will be here.

Think recruits will be impressed this coach led his team to an 11th place finish in the A10?

[Rhody72]

...
Think recruits will be impressed this coach led his team to an 11th place finish in the A10?

They will see a future NCAAT team that they can join that has very good talent.

I believe that you can tell what a program aspires to be by what they pay their head basketball coach. This is why VCU is paying Mike Rhoades $1.5M. Our commitment to David Cox and the talent he is assembling are a much greater concern/interest to recruits than our pandemic year record with the college basketball world in shambles because of the transfer rule and players given an extra year of eligibility.

As for the extension I would give Cox now, I would extend him again next year to $1.5M and 2 additional years when we go to the NCAAT. If you want to be among the best you need to walk the walk. If you pay your coach $700K, you will get a program worthy of a $700K/year coach. Three years ago if URI went looking for a $1.5M per year coach, David Cox would not be our coach. URI has a first time head coach with great potential. These coaches move on to greener pastures.

[RhodyKyle]

Ok, now I need to stop you here and ask a question. Cox is showing he may not even be worth the the 700k and you want to just double his pay? Do you somehow think Cox is purposely making these costly errors to make a point and will start coaching for real once he gets $1.5m???

If you want to spend $1.5m on a coach, I agree but the school needs to find a coach worthy of that salary. Paying Cox that much is just lighting twice as much money on fire.

[ramster]

...
Think recruits will be impressed this coach led his team to an 11th place finish in the A10?

They will see a future NCAAT team that they can join that has very good talent.

I believe that you can tell what a program aspires to be by what they pay their head basketball coach. This is why VCU is paying Mike Rhoades $1.5M. Our commitment to David Cox and the talent he is assembling are a much greater concern/interest to recruits than our pandemic year record with the college basketball world in shambles because of the transfer rule and players given an extra year of eligibility.

As for the extension I would give Cox now, I would extend him again next year to $1.5M and 2 additional years when we go to the NCAAT. If you want to be among the best you need to walk the walk. If you pay your coach $700K, you will get a program worthy of a $700K/year coach. Three years ago if URI went looking for a $1.5M per year coach, David Cox would not be our coach. URI has a first time head coach with great potential. These coaches move on to greener pastures.

I suggest you approach Thorr Bjorn with your idea. He will need to get approval from Dr Dooley and other sing-offs for this amount of money.

As you are proposing to double the annual salary of David Cox you should provide justification as to why you would double (why not triple or quadruple) his salary based on a 11th place finish out of 14 teams in the A10.

You might also want to be prepared for pushback as to why wanting to do this before the A10 Tournament takes place and before seeing what happens in the transfer arena. Last year we were the only A10 Team that lost 2 projected starters for 2020-21 that were not Grad Transfers. Might this happen again?

If URI goes to the NCAA Tournament then the $1.5 million per year will probably not be enough to keep him so another increase will be required. Ed Cooley makes $3 million per year with only 1 NCAA win to his credit.

[Blue Man]

Stop. Feeding. The. Troll.

[ramster]

Stop. Feeding. The. Troll.

I couldn't help myself
I can envision him walking into Thorr's office with the results of this season

[rambone 78]

Yeah let's pay someone big money BEFORE they have proved they are worth it.

72's reasoning is so bonkers I don't know why anyone even responds to it.

David Cox will not get any kind of raise until he gets this program to the dance.

And that's not happening based on past and current performance.

Future performance? There are NO signs of improvement, just regression.

[Rhody15]

Finally muted that clown. I was losing brain cells reading his posts.

What an absolute idiot.

[rhodylaw]

Yeah let's pay someone big money BEFORE they have proved they are worth it.

72's reasoning is so bonkers I don't know why anyone even responds to it.

David Cox will not get any kind of raise until he gets this program to the dance.

And that's not happening based on past and current performance.

Future performance? There are NO signs of improvement, just regression.

So 72 might be half right - I have no issue with an extension that has some performance related pay increases (NCAA tourney = $100k, A10 top 4 = $50k). While I don’t think he has necessarily earned an extension yet, leaving him dangling is a sure fire way to lose the program. Either cut bait now, or give a term extension. If he is successful we will have to renegotiate anyways.

[ramster]

Yeah let's pay someone big money BEFORE they have proved they are worth it.

72's reasoning is so bonkers I don't know why anyone even responds to it.

David Cox will not get any kind of raise until he gets this program to the dance.

And that's not happening based on past and current performance.

Future performance? There are NO signs of improvement, just regression.

So 72 might be half right - I have no issue with an extension that has some performance related pay increases (NCAA tourney = $100k, A10 top 4 = $50k). While I don’t think he has necessarily earned an extension yet, leaving him dangling is a sure fire way to lose the program. Either cut bait now, or give a term extension. If he is successful we will have to renegotiate anyways.

Sounds like 3 choices:
1. Extend
2. Stay with current contract
3. Cut bait now

I would wait until the A10 Tournament. If we win the A10 (and I think it’s possible but then I always do) then I’d extend.
Depending on how we do if now winning the auto bid I’d need to think more.

[phipsiGD'11]

If we win the A10 tournament, I'll start a GoFundMe and we can all contribute to increase his pay. I'll give my next month's paycheck.

Heck, I'll give my next 6 month's pay because there is a more likely chance we get bounced first round the way we have been playing.

This year has been brutal.

[ramster]

In the midst of the JimBaron2.0 thread many were ready to run Hurley out of town. Winning the A10 Tournament was considered an extreme long shot, maybe a longer shot than this year. The A10 seems winnable by many teams this year (no #3 AP Ranked Dayton like last year)
Best to root for winning the A10, then assess.
As Blue Man is doing.

[Rhodyhooopz]

3 choices

1. Cut bait
2. Cut bait
3. Cut bait

[TruePoint]

Based on solely on personnel and the max potential of each individual player, it isn’t completely beyond the realm of possibility that Rhody could win the conference tournament. Last year we saw the team get incredibly hot for a stretch to go from nowhere near the bubble to safely in the field, only to turn back into a pumpkin as quickly as they arrived. I don’t think this team has been considerably worse than last year’s team save for that hot stretch in the middle of the season, so you can’t categorically rule out a hot stretch for this group and it would be amazing if that aligned with the tournament.

But the reality is that is extremely unlikely and this year’s team is almost completely different from last year’s, doesn’t have the same veteran presence and experience, and to date has shown basically no sign that it has a good four game stretch somewhere in it.

[Rhody15]

Based on solely on personnel and the max potential of each individual player, it isn’t completely beyond the realm of possibility that Rhody could win the conference tournament. Last year we saw the team get incredibly hot for a stretch to go from nowhere near the bubble to safely in the field, only to turn back into a pumpkin as quickly as they arrived. I don’t think this team has been considerably worse than last year’s team save for that hot stretch in the middle of the season, so you can’t categorically rule out a hot stretch for this group and it would be amazing if that aligned with the tournament.

But the reality is that is extremely unlikely and this year’s team is almost completely different from last year’s, doesn’t have the same veteran presence and experience, and to date has shown basically no sign that it has a good four game stretch somewhere in it.

I mean, this team has been much worse than last year. That hot stretch did occur last season, so you really can't pretend like it didn't happen. There was so much more talent last year, as well as team chemistry from playing together multiple years.

[steveystuds06]

Stop. Feeding. The. Troll.

I couldn't help myself
I can envision him walking into Thorr's office with the results of this season

I'd keep feeding him he's currently in the running for the best excuse of the year.

[Billyboy78]

...
I’m still waiting for his answers as to how much more URI should increase his salary from the current $750k per year and how many more years to extend his contract - to lock him in now versus paying a lot more later.

$1.2M extend 2 more years. Let recruits know that he will be here.

Think recruits will be impressed this coach led his team to an 11th place finish in the A10?

Early in the season, Chance Stephens was tweeting and retweeting anything and everything concerning Rhody basketball. Haven't seen anything from him in the last few weeks.

[rhodylaw]

Back to an earlier comment in this thread that we were 1 player away this year - I have thought hard on that comment and agree completely. The problem is that player is Jeff Dowtin. If Dowtin was on this team, we would be a championship level team. Needed that steady play and deadly instinct at the end of games. It is why so many people wanted more Ish earlier because of the obvious comparisons. Imagine, Jeff, Jeremy and Fatts playing together. In fact, just imagine how much better last years team would have been if Jeremy wasn't screwed by the NCAA. That would have been an NCAA team and people wouldn't be as upset about this being a reloading year.

[adam914]

Back to an earlier comment in this thread that we were 1 player away this year - I have thought hard on that comment and agree completely. The problem is that player is Jeff Dowtin. If Dowtin was on this team, we would be a championship level team. Needed that steady play and deadly instinct at the end of games. It is why so many people wanted more Ish earlier because of the obvious comparisons. Imagine, Jeff, Jeremy and Fatts playing together. In fact, just imagine how much better last years team would have been if Jeremy wasn't screwed by the NCAA. That would have been an NCAA team and people wouldn't be as upset about this being a reloading year.

This is the entire story of being a URI basketball fan. Its always "imagine if we just had that one guy". Can't wait to see who it will be next year!

[Shinze88]

In the midst of the JimBaron2.0 thread many were ready to run Hurley out of town. Winning the A10 Tournament was considered an extreme long shot, maybe a longer shot than this year. The A10 seems winnable by many teams this year (no #3 AP Ranked Dayton like last year)
Best to root for winning the A10, then assess.
As Blue Man is doing.

The auto bid from the A10 tourney in certainly up for grabs this year and I can see and handful of teams with a legitimate shot. URI however doesn't appear to be one of those teams capable of making a run based on where this team is right now. Our path will require us to both play and coach well over a 3 or 4 game stretch in a 4 day window. This team has not been able to put together decent back to back games (or halves for that matter) in the past 3 month. In fact, I'd say the odds are likely better we dont win another game this year than winning the A10. I really hope I'm wrong here.

[Running Ram]

I've been a big DC fan since he joined the family, I really hoped he would make a fast adjustment to head coaching because he brings so much to the table otherwise and I'm not ready to say he should be a career assistant/recruiter but I am ready to question this team's heart, their tenacity. It's been a strange season of small flashes, so we all know the talent is available, where's the heart, the drive?

I've been watching a team that gives 100%, 25% of the time, 75%, 50% of the time and 25%, 25% of the time, mentally and physically. Obviously this is a subjective and simplified analysis, but that's how it feels to me. Even in this strange season where I declared I was happy just to watch Rhody men's bb, win or lose, it's getting harder and harder to appreciate the product. Even the patience of the coach's fan boys is being challenged.

[Jersey77]

Back to an earlier comment in this thread that we were 1 player away this year - I have thought hard on that comment and agree completely. The problem is that player is Jeff Dowtin. If Dowtin was on this team, we would be a championship level team. Needed that steady play and deadly instinct at the end of games. It is why so many people wanted more Ish earlier because of the obvious comparisons. Imagine, Jeff, Jeremy and Fatts playing together. In fact, just imagine how much better last years team would have been if Jeremy wasn't screwed by the NCAA. That would have been an NCAA team and people wouldn't be as upset about this being a reloading year."


Shep was definitely screwed by the NCAA last year. Maybe that is why our administration hired a specialized legal team to handle the waivers this year. Although not sure Shep would of even started last year, sometimes it takes awhile for transfers to fit in. We also had Tyreese at the 3, so who knows.
Since there was no NCAAT last year, it makes no difference in the long run, who will remember.

[rambone 78]

88, you won't be wrong ha ha.

This team hasn't played a good 40 minute game ONCE this season.

That's mind boggling when you think about it.

Winning 4 in a row is outside the realm of possibility.

Someone said that college basketball success is coach driven. Right as rain.

As for Chance Stephens, that's ominous news. He seems like the shooter we need....but

I seriously doubt Cox will be here year after next.

When RR is starting to doubt Cox, you know hope is fading.

[steveystuds06]

Chance retweeted our win vs Dayton.

[Jersey77]

88, you won't be wrong ha ha.

This team hasn't played a good 40 minute game ONCE this season.

That's mind boggling when you think about it.

Winning 4 in a row is outside the realm of possibility.

Someone said that college basketball success is coach driven. Right as rain.

As for Chance Stephens, that's ominous news. He seems like the shooter we need....but

I seriously doubt Cox will be here year after next.

When RR is starting to doubt Cox, you know hope is fading.

It is really hard for me to get too excited about his commitment. Much can happen between now and then, kids seem to change their mind especially at that young age, and he is from the West coast.

The way our team has been playing, winning one game will be tough let alone 4. This is one of those years we need to put in our rear view window, and hopefully this staff can put it together moving forward.

[rambone 78]

It would be unfortunate to lose him, but the goal of the program is to win, and to do what it takes to win.

It's reality that when Cox is fired, we will lose players and have to start over, hopefully not from scratch though.

I would rather start over than continue on the path we're on now.

At least give us a reason to hope.

[rhodylaw]

I've been a big DC fan since he joined the family, I really hoped he would make a fast adjustment to head coaching because he brings so much to the table otherwise and I'm not ready to say he should be a career assistant/recruiter but I am ready to question this team's heart, their tenacity. It's been a strange season of small flashes, so we all know the talent is available, where's the heart, the drive?

I've been watching a team that gives 100%, 25% of the time, 75%, 50% of the time and 25%, 25% of the time, mentally and physically. Obviously this is a subjective and simplified analysis, but that's how it feels to me. Even in this strange season where I declared I was happy just to watch Rhody men's bb, win or lose, it's getting harder and harder to appreciate the product. Even the patience of the coach's fan boys is being challenged.

Maybe this should go in the excuse thread, but the regular season chances at an at large was over weeks ago. I don't blame the players for not putting in 100% every game since then, that is human nature. GW was concerning because it seemed like a chance to be a tune up game for the only 4 games that will matter for this team since mid-January and we failed. I thought I saw a lot of effort in December and January but the results did not necessarily follow. They need to play 120 minutes of intense D at the level we know they can next week to have a chance to make it to the Championship. I think that is do-able and the team should be up for that task. I don't think it is likely they pull it off, but the players need to show up on D which is how we have won the few games we have this year. If the defensive effort is not there next week.....

[PeteRI]

(RIP Pete Shelley,)

[Rhody72]

The players collectively have not been capable of contributing a total of 200 quality minutes in 1 game. We are weaker in the forecourt than backcourt so I believe having Mahki this year would have made a huge difference. That said, having Jeff Dowtin would make any team better.

It was mentioned above that Ed Cooley makes $3M, I thought it was more like $2.2M. In any case, URI pays its head coach less than a third of what PC pays its coach. URI's budget dwarfs PC's institutional budget. Furthermore, URI was willing to pay DH ~$1.2M three years ago to keep him. The money I mentioned for a head coach is not excessive. As a recruit, I would ask myself whether I would prefer to play for a coach who was worth more than three times another coach with whom I was considering signing. The top paid basketball coach in the country (Calipari) makes > $8M.

As fans and supporters of URI basketball, we need to have far greater expectations of what our coaches are paid. What's happening with the basketball practice facility is even a bigger joke when you compsre it to the Cham[ion's Facility at UMASS. Raise your expectations or it will never happen!