KeaneyBlue - The URI Basketball Forum

Why would it be a shock to anyone to learn that Dan Hurley values a lot more things than a simple paycheck and big name school?

IF we continue to invest in this program and make his life coaching as easy as possible he will stay.

I will also enjoy this offseason with the same people calling for his head 6 weeks ago now saying that he's going to jump to a big school who calls his name.

......I realize this IS a discussion place, and the topic I guess is always gonna be there as long as the program grows with victories and being in the mix of top tier A-10.....but Dan has probably not even unpacked his bags yet.....

I wouldn't be shocked if he stays, but I wouldn't be shocked if he leaves. He will do whatever he believes is best for him and his family. He admits he seriously considered the Rutgers job. If someone blows him away with an offer this year, I assume he will once again consider it, discuss it with his family and make a decision.

He was never offered the St. John's job.
Rutgers, yes, but it's a coach's graveyard.
Dan still thought about it.
As I said before, nobody loved it here more than Tom Penders.
However, when Texas called with a boatload
of money and perks, he was gone in a flash.
Money has a way of making people think differently
about location.
That said, I don't see a fit for Hurley at this time.
He surely isn't up for the Indiana job, or Illinois.
NC State filled their opening.
In any case, if he leaves, he leaves.
With most coaches changing jobs, timing is key.
There has to be an attractive job to lure them.
Anyone who thinks Syracuse wouldn't be that type of
job, is delusional.
The ACC, the Dome, the tradition, would be a huge magnet
drawing countless applicants, when Boeheim leaves some day.
The URI program is in better shape than when he got here.
Dooley and Thorr are committed to the program,
and won't be hiring any Jerry Ds.

At least most of us now want Dan to stay....after last season it was closer to 50-50 stay or go.......

Winning changes everything. And I agree with Blue Man in that Dan has improved as a coach to a point where he can now play with the big boys in our league and beyond.

Man what a few weeks can do.

I don't necessarily think that money if the key motivator for Dan Hurley. It is a factor but I think the main driver for him is the ability to compete at a high level. Many speculated that the situation where he got Wagner to 25-5 and still could not even get an NIT bid was a main reason for him moving on to Kingston. Here at URI, we have heard him talk about how hard it is to get to the tournament. Things have been changing in the NCAA with a direction extremely favorable to the P5 leagues. A conference like the a-10 has its limitations and they seem to be getting even tighter as evidenced by the downward trajectory of bids and poor seeding the last few years. If Dan wants to go far in the tournament, he may feel it is a far easier route to do it at a P5 school. Not only will they throw a lot of money and resources at him, the conference will supply him a plethora of top 100 RPI games each season making the path to the tournament much more attainable.

RF1 wrote:I don't necessarily think that money if the key motivator for Dan Hurley. It is a factor but I think the main driver for him is the ability to compete at a high level. Many speculated that the situation where he got Wagner to 25-5 and still could not even get an NIT bid was a main reason for him moving on to Kingston. Here at URI, we have heard him talk about how hard it is to get to the tournament. Things have been changing in the NCAA with a direction extremely favorable to the P5 leagues. A conference like the a-10 has its limitations and they seem to be getting even tighter as evidenced by the downward trajectory of bids and poor seeding the last few years. If Dan wants to go far in the tournament, he may feel it is a far easier route to do it at a P5 school. Not only will they throw a lot of money and resources at him, the conference will supply him a plethora of top 100 RPI games each season making the path to the tournament much more attainable.

I think therein lies the rub. While it's trending to a more P5 focused selection - it is much easier to make the tournament by staying at the top of the A10, than trying to get a P5 team up to the high level of one of those conferences.

If Dan can get the support here, it will be easier for him to get a bid than having to start from the ground floor at a middle to lower P5 school.

He's already proven he can coach against the elites, and that he can have his players ready for the moment.

Any talk about him and another big program will benefit us this offseason.

I guess I'm sort of ambivalent at this point. The last few weeks have been just excellent. Really everything I could want in a Ram team. But, there was a stretch where it was the exact opposite. I would like to see another year with DH and go from there.

When more than half of teams get into the NCAAs in P5
conferences, even with sub .500 conference records,
that makes it easier than trying to get there in the A-10.
Michigan State was 20-15. 15 losses!
It's a stacked deck in favor of P5 schools.

Blue Man wrote:

RF1 wrote: I think therein lies the rub. While it's trending to a more P5 focused selection - it is much easier to make the tournament by staying at the top of the A10, than trying to get a P5 team up to the high level of one of those conferences.

Disagree. You can be a middling P5 team with some bad defeats and as many as 15 losses and still make the tourney. All you have to do these days is get a few wins over some top schools in your league and you go dancing.

Blue Man wrote:

RF1 wrote:I don't necessarily think that money if the key motivator for Dan Hurley. It is a factor but I think the main driver for him is the ability to compete at a high level. Many speculated that the situation where he got Wagner to 25-5 and still could not even get an NIT bid was a main reason for him moving on to Kingston. Here at URI, we have heard him talk about how hard it is to get to the tournament. Things have been changing in the NCAA with a direction extremely favorable to the P5 leagues. A conference like the a-10 has its limitations and they seem to be getting even tighter as evidenced by the downward trajectory of bids and poor seeding the last few years. If Dan wants to go far in the tournament, he may feel it is a far easier route to do it at a P5 school. Not only will they throw a lot of money and resources at him, the conference will supply him a plethora of top 100 RPI games each season making the path to the tournament much more attainable.

I think therein lies the rub. While it's trending to a more P5 focused selection - it is much easier to make the tournament by staying at the top of the A10, than trying to get a P5 team up to the high level of one of those conferences.

If Dan can get the support here, it will be easier for him to get a bid than having to start from the ground floor at a middle to lower P5 school.

He's already proven he can coach against the elites, and that he can have his players ready for the moment.

Any talk about him and another big program will benefit us this offseason.

Blue Man, I think it's tougher to get a bid in the A10 [look how much harder it is to schedule P5's], and much harder to advance once you make it. You are at the mercy of the committee who obviously makes it tougher with their seedings and pairings.

For Dan to stay I think we have to get this program to the Dayton and VCU level at least....however I don't think Rhody can compete at the financial end compared to those two....both their coaches make at least double what Dan does.

Yes Dan might not be about the money but it plays a part like it or not.....also I know Dan wants more money for his assistants too....he's always praising Cox who makes squat compared to P5 assistants along with Dayton and VCU's.....

There is some straight bullshit with the way some of these P5 teams schedule their non-conference games. Duke has played I think only 9 hostile road games in the past 8 years. That's a joke. There should be some sort of rule on that.

There needs to be a rule that a team needs to be at least .500 in their league to make the dance. If you can't prove that you can win in your own league, then why do you deserve a big?

You know how we get to VCU status, by fans going to games and supporting the program as much as they post BS on this site.

This NCAAT money is a big step in the right direction, but this program needs more to get to the top of even the A10 in financial support....and we don't have a 13K arena like Dayton does.......

We've just seen how much support this program has when things go well....but it's still a small group compared to many other programs...our fan base is rabid but small.

But maybe, like ATP said, we'll get more and bigger donors as a result of this....it has to happen because the school can't do it on it's own.

hey BAR, my donations just doubled......

Exactly BAR!

Thank you for finding a way to give DOUBLE, Rambone78! Putting money where your keyboard is! I like it.

There you go Bone! And there are lots of ways to support, both big and small. Every bit counts at URI! Go Rhody.

I don't buy the P5 trend argument.
There was a huge imbalance this year because the mid majors weren't beating the majors in the non conference.

Especially in the A-10.

The A-10 hasn't been that bad in 10 years. We weren't beating power conference teams like we usually do.

Other mid major conferences were similar.

That's why there were so many teams in the p5's that were 500 in conference in a position to dance.

If the A-10 does better in the non-conference next year we will even the gap a little bit.

If the A-10 returns to form and beats teams in the non conference like it normally does, I don't see this trend being an issue for us or for Dan. We will be in a league that at least gets 3 teams in every year, most years about 5 or 6 with at large possibilities, and a conference RPI that's in the 6-7 range.

We can only hope DH wants to be like a Few at Gonzaga or a Bennett at Saint Mary's guys who stay for a long time at mid major programs

I am sure there are jobs that will come open that he would consider

Timing is everything, we just have to hope he stays here and consistently wins in the a10 and gets us to the dance

Lots of buzz about Wade from VCU, going to LSU.
Also, King Rice of Monmouth to Duquesne.

rodfromcranston wrote:Lots of buzz about Wade from VCU, going to LSU.
Also, King Rice of Monmouth to Duquesne.

well, that puts an end to the 'best coaching name in the conference' competition

I think it would take one more successful season (NCAA appearance) for a true p5 school to offer him a job. So in my opinion, Dan's staying to help build this program to become a more consistent contender.

Da_Process_Survivor wrote:

rodfromcranston wrote:Lots of buzz about Wade from VCU, going to LSU.
Also, King Rice of Monmouth to Duquesne.

well, that puts an end to the 'best coaching name in the conference' competition

King's son, Alexander, is a really good sophomore guard at St. Anthony this year.

I think the Wade situation is interesting. He's a relatively inexperienced head coach- two years at Chattanooga and two at VCU- but has good experience as an assistant at Harvard and VCU. You get the sense that he's a good coach, and I think he did an especially good job last year. But, he also inherited a lot of good players and just a phenomenal set-up at VCU (fans, money, facilities). He'd have the resources st LSU, and almost anyone would be an upgrade over Jones.

Rhodymob05 wrote:I think it would take one more successful season (NCAA appearance) for a true p5 school to offer him a job. So in my opinion, Dan's staying to help build this program to become a more consistent contender.

Is that really true?

Andy Enfield went from FGCU to USC after 3 years and 1 tourney run.
Bobby Hurley went from Buffalo to Arizona St. after 2 years and 1 tourney appearance.
Chris Beard went from Arkansas-Little Rock to Texas Tech after 1 season, 1 tourney appearance.
Mike White went from Louisiana Tech to Florida after 4 years, 3 which were NIT teams and no NCAA appearances.
Richard Pitino went from FIU to Minnesota after 1 year where he didn't even make the tournament.
Tad Boyle went from Northern Colorado to Colorado after 4 seasons, only 1 which had an CIT appearance.

Some of those guys had more pedigree/assistant coaching experience at this level but it just shows that sometimes all it takes is the right run in the right year to make someone all hot and bothered for you. Heck, Oklahoma St. offered Cooley last year after 1 NCAA win.

rjsuperfly66 wrote:

Rhodymob05 wrote:I think it would take one more successful season (NCAA appearance) for a true p5 school to offer him a job. So in my opinion, Dan's staying to help build this program to become a more consistent contender.

Is that really true?

Andy Enfield went from FGCU to USC after 3 years and 1 tourney run.
Bobby Hurley went from Buffalo to Arizona St. after 2 years and 1 tourney appearance.
Chris Beard went from Arkansas-Little Rock to Texas Tech after 1 season, 1 tourney appearance.
Mike White went from Louisiana Tech to Florida after 4 years, 3 which were NIT teams and no NCAA appearances.
Richard Pitino went from FIU to Minnesota after 1 year where he didn't even make the tournament.
Tad Boyle went from Northern Colorado to Colorado after 4 seasons, only 1 which had an CIT appearance.

Some of those guys had more pedigree/assistant coaching experience at this level but it just shows that sometimes all it takes is the right run in the right year to make someone all hot and bothered for you. Heck, Oklahoma St. offered Cooley last year after 1 NCAA win.

And that you're a coach with some mercenary tendencies... and that's not an insult, really. I like Bobby, and he kind of took that path. Some guys have a plan in mind and their eye on moving up at all costs, regardless of destination or geography. Other coaches have their priorities weighted a little differently.

rodfromcranston wrote:Lots of buzz about Wade from VCU, going to LSU.
Also, King Rice of Monmouth to Duquesne.

Seems like King Rice taking that Duquesne job at this point would be cashing out a bit too early on what he's done at Monmouth. That job is a dead end. I feel like if Rice keeps winning at Monmouth eventually someone with a better situation than Duquesne will reach out to him.

Listen to Ace. Btw I love that you are back amongst us!

rjsuperfly66 wrote:

Rhodymob05 wrote:I think it would take one more successful season (NCAA appearance) for a true p5 school to offer him a job. So in my opinion, Dan's staying to help build this program to become a more consistent contender.

Is that really true?

Andy Enfield went from FGCU to USC after 3 years and 1 tourney run.
Bobby Hurley went from Buffalo to Arizona St. after 2 years and 1 tourney appearance.
Chris Beard went from Arkansas-Little Rock to Texas Tech after 1 season, 1 tourney appearance.
Mike White went from Louisiana Tech to Florida after 4 years, 3 which were NIT teams and no NCAA appearances.
Richard Pitino went from FIU to Minnesota after 1 year where he didn't even make the tournament.
Tad Boyle went from Northern Colorado to Colorado after 4 seasons, only 1 which had an CIT appearance.

Some of those guys had more pedigree/assistant coaching experience at this level but it just shows that sometimes all it takes is the right run in the right year to make someone all hot and bothered for you. Heck, Oklahoma St. offered Cooley last year after 1 NCAA win.

Point taken, but looking at it from Hurleys perspective, he's at a school with much more potential, history, and who play in a better league all together than those you have listed (LA tech, FGCU ect.)So in his eyes, he can continue to build this program where Northern Colorado is most likely going to stay in it's current national status no matter who's the coach. There's exceptions to everything but I like URI's position after this NCAA run and with the returning roster.

Right. Dan got out of Wagner relatively quickly when it became painfully obvious how limited prospects were there.

Wish people would just look at his track record here with respect to job offers and being both loyal and highly selective.

Or just listen to Ace.

Dan isn't going to take a job that involves turning around another train wreck.

He will be very selective, like ATP just said.

If he gets us to another dance next season, with EC and co. graduating...and a good class coming in the year after, then he might go.

I don't think the program is where he wants it to be just yet. But it's on it's way.

I also think that yes, Dan has grown and improved on the job dramatically this season....he still has some work to do though imo....and next season there should be even more improvement.

While he is here, he won't stop challenging the administration and all others supporting the program to do what hasn't been done in the past. To operate as a perennial championship worthy team requires increased commitment from everyone involved.

Duquesne would do well to get a coach like King Rice

Not sure Rice would want that dead end job but it's a step up in conferences so you never know

Doesn't matter who gets hired if the school's administration doesn't support the program.

The right people need to be in place from the top down, or any fleeting success can't be sustained. We should know.

I remember when Ed Eddy was president....he didn't give two fucks about athletics....and it showed.

Rhody still beat him twice this season, though...

Curious where VCU looks next.

VCU has become like Xavier...everyone wants their coaches.......let's see if VCU can either bring in another good one or promote from within like X did.....life as a mid major....really hard to keep coaches, even though Wade made 2 mil a year at VCU.....

LSU has the money and resources to be really good, but the SEC hasn't had the number of bids that other P5 conferences have been getting.

BB will always be second fiddle there.

Also curious to see if VCU misses a beat...depends on kids and recruits staying......they didn't after Shaka left, sign of a strong program.

That's where we need to be when Dan leaves.

I can see the appeal but it's a football school on a football conference. I wouldn't feel good about it besides the mullah.

Shaq is not walking through that door, Mr. Wade...

Guess the buzz I referred to this afternoon was true about Wade.

Funny story about Eddy Eddy's Athletic Department.
He came from Penn State, and was not a fan of athletics.
Tom Penders had taken us to the Sweet 16, and was THE hottest
coach at the time.
I spoke to Ellie Lamiere who was Assistant AD at the time, about
the need to keep Penders and keep the winning going forward.
Her answer to me was stunning.
"I would not want to be a part of an institution where winning
is the most important thing."
Think about that statement.
So many times URI internally has been their own worst enemy.
They couldn't have kept Penders by coming anywhere near
what Texas offered, but the idea was, they didn't even want to try.

That statement is mind boggling to me. I want URI to win everything. I want our athletic teams to be the best, I want our academics to be the best, if we take part in something I want it to be the best

VCU Board is not too happy a place.......

https://www.vcuramnation.com/forums/thr ... one.16770/

Jay's sign was just a couple of states off the mark!

ramster wrote:VCU Board is not too happy a place.......

https://www.vcuramnation.com/forums/thr ... one.16770/

Their posters seem pretty reasonable to me. I know that cynics will call me naive but I really do agree that this was a chickenshit move by Wade. As one of their posters said, Smart left but he stayed a long time and left for a glamour job. Wade wasn't there long enough to justify this kind of move, IMO, and LSU is not even a good basketball program - at least not the type I would leave a place like VCU for. I'm not saying that from emotion - VCU is not my school. And I'd say the same thing if Marshall left Wichita St. for Washington State or Miller left Dayton for Penn State (or, yes, if Hurley left URI for Rutgers). I really think if you do the math on it, you gain more by staying for a reasonable amount of time at a good non-P5 school where you're setup to keep winning and keep cashing good paychecks until you can parlay sustained success into a crack a legit high-level job versus the overwhelming likelihood that you eventually wash out a P5 non-basketball school. It's like with if you met your significant other when they were cheating on their previous relationship, they will likely cheat on you eventually - if these schools have the money to lure you out of a good job, they have the money to cut bait with you sooner than later if you don't work a miracle.

adam914 wrote:Jay's sign was just a couple of states off the mark!

Almost got it right...

Interestingly, when I held up the sign during the starting lineups JeQuan Lewis said to me "I'm leaving too!"

VCU fans seem shocked by Wade leaving but I wonder if players already knew he was gone at the end of the season.

LSU, a program which gave the NBA, Pete Maravich, Bob Petit, and Shaquile O'Neal.
They have great facilities, in a major conference.
Dale Brown coached them to 15 NCAAs.
LSU made the Final Four in 2006.
Three SEC championships this century.
So, it's not exactly the pits, even though it's a
football school.
The right coach as history has shown, can produce a winner.

RoadyJay wrote:

adam914 wrote:Jay's sign was just a couple of states off the mark!

Almost got it right...

Interestingly, when I held up the sign during the starting lineups JeQuan Lewis said to me "I'm leaving too!"

VCU fans seem shocked by Wade leaving but I wonder if players already knew he was gone at the end of the season.

Good call,

$2M per year for 6 years. He was making $1.4 per year at VCU. My guess is that they knew

rodfromcranston wrote:LSU, a program which gave the NBA, Pete Maravich, Bob Petit, and Shaquile O'Neal.
They have great facilities, in a major conference.
Dale Brown coached them to 15 NCAAs.
LSU made the Final Four in 2006.
Three SEC championships this century.
So, it's not exactly the pits, even though it's a
football school.
The right coach as history has shown, can produce a winner.

Yeah and San Francisco produced Bill Russell. LSU had the resources to pay a little bit more than VCU (for reasons that have nothing to do with basketball), but they will very rarely put a better team on the floor than VCU does. Chalk that up to whatever you want.