The Problem [was] URI. Not Who's In The Coaching Chair.

[Blue Man]

I was going to post this in the coaching thread, but I don't want to split that into something different. This is about URI, and how are struggles go beyond who's in the coaching chair at any point in time.

The problem with our basketball program is US. It's URI. We have followed this same pattern since Harrick was recruiting Odom from a trailer next to Keaney.

Hurley had to drag our sorry asses up a big hill to get things up to snuff, and we STILL fall short.

It took Hurley being out the door before we even pretended to start caring about building a sustainable infrastructure for a championship caliber program. It's not just about the compensation package. Everyone keeps saying "oh well we're not going to pay $2M+ for someone to come here" - the money will maybe get them here, but it certainly won’t keep them here.

Those types of coaches don't WANT to stay at a place where the school doesn’t generate their own momentum for wanting to win.

At a certain point it's not about money, it's about having a program that goes beyond "wanting" to win, and actually invests in the infrastructure and processes that gives them a better chance to win. Based on those factors, we are not serious about basketball. Period.

If we were, everything we "promised" Hurley in our hail mary contract offer would've been in place by now.

Ignoring our current performance and trajectory under Cox - what has got better program-wise since Hurley left?

Do we have a practice facility? No.
Do we have charter flights to all our away games? No.
Do we have a legitimate coaches pool? No.

^Those are the 3 minimums if you want to compete with the class of our conference. Ironically, those were the 3 things that were promised that would be done by 2021 in Hurley's contract.

Want to go bigger and compete with the PC's of the world?

Do we have charter flights for recruiting? No.
Do we have a dedicated mens/womens practice facility? No.
Do we have a dedicated film room? No.

From a fan experience -

Do we have replays? No.
Do we have working WiFi? No.

NOTHING about this program has got better since Hurley left. That's what he was trying to do here. And none of our donors/school want to listen.

The Foundation HAS the money. It just doesn't get spent.

It only gets pretend offered up when there's a coach they like and they want to try and appease them.

Until we start investing in our own program, we are going to suck in perpetuity and be a stepping stone for the one coach every decade who "turns us around" only to leave for a school that is serious about competing.

We're the toxic crazy chick that keeps blaming every one of her ex's for her own problems, while refusing to go work on ourselves.

So while yes, Cox may be the wrong coach - getting the right coach is a bandaid on the larger problem that hasn't been addressed in over 2 decades.

edit to reflect TP’s point about keeping the coach vs hiring the coach

[TruePoint]

Lol this seems to be the exact opposite take that I just posted in the Tammi Reiss thread but weirdly I think it’s driving at the same point. The accoutrements around the program are definitely important but the most important thing is the coach, IMO. Where that dovetails with what you’re saying here is that getting the coach who will deliver for your university requires a little luck but KEEPING that coach requires a ton of investment - in terms of salary and all the other stuff that keeps coaches happy. That’s where URI falls down. And it isn’t that we’re just too poor - the whole point of an investment is that it pays for itself over time. Being cheap and lacking foresight isn’t the same as being financially limited.

[Jersey77]

I was going to post this in the coaching thread, but I don't want to split that into something different. This is about URI, and how are struggles go beyond who's in the coaching chair at any point in time.

The problem with our basketball program is US. It's URI. We have followed this same pattern since Harrick was recruiting Odom from a trailer next to Keaney.

Hurley had to drag our sorry asses up a big hill to get things up to snuff, and we STILL fall short.

It took Hurley being out the door before we even pretended to start caring about building a sustainable infrastructure for a championship caliber program. It's not just about the compensation package. Everyone keeps saying "oh well we're not going to pay $2M+ for someone to come here" - you guys do realize that maybe those types of coaches don't WANT to come here?

At a certain point it's not about money, it's about having a program that goes beyond "wanting" to win, and actually invests in the infrastructure and processes that gives them a better chance to win. Based on those factors, we are not serious about basketball. Period.

If we were, everything we "promised" Hurley in our hail mary contract offer would've been in place by now.

Ignoring our current performance and trajectory under Cox - what has got better program-wise since Hurley left?

Do we have a practice facility? No.
Do we have charter flights to all our away games? No.
Do we have a legitimate coaches pool? No.

^Those are the 3 minimums if you want to compete with the class of our conference. Ironically, those were the 3 things that were promised that would be done by 2021 in Hurley's contract.

Want to go bigger and compete with the PC's of the world?

Do we have charter flights for recruiting? No.
Do we have a dedicated mens/womens practice facility? No.
Do we have a dedicated film room? No.

From a fan experience -

Do we have replays? No.
Do we have working WiFi? No.

NOTHING about this program has got better since Hurley left. That's what he was trying to do here. And none of our donors/school want to listen.

The Foundation HAS the money. It just doesn't get spent.

It only gets pretend offered up when there's a coach they like and they want to try and appease them.

Until we start investing in our own program, we are going to suck in perpetuity and be a stepping stone for the one coach every decade who "turns us around" only to leave for a school that is serious about competing.

We're the toxic crazy chick that keeps blaming every one of her ex's for her own problems, while refusing to go work on ourselves.

So while yes, Cox may be the wrong coach - getting the right coach is a bandaid on the larger problem that hasn't been addressed in over 2 decades.

I will be one of the first to reply.

Wow Blueman, maybe your best post.

I agree and have had this same discussion with many outside this forum.

Too many are quick to point fingers without looking at the big picture.

[NYGFan_Section208]

Agree. The fact that none of what had been promised to Hurls has actually happened, doesn't just speak volumes. It says everything you need to know.

[phipsiGD'11]

Couldn't agree more with your entire assessment. It is a failure from the top down and has been for decades. I would actually say that it is not only the URI administrations thinking small, but the entire state system needs to be reconfigured for the benefit of URI as a whole. I am not from Rhode Island, but with my time at URI and being an active member of this group for years it is clear that Rhode Island as a state is holding back the University.
URI should be the perennial New England university. And I am obviously very biased, but there is no way that UConn in shitty Stores should be the number 1 state school in New England when URI is down the street from beautiful beaches, with a beautiful quad, close to a city (45 minutes from Providence). How do we get there? The state doesn't invest in the University appropriately to compete with other neighboring state schools.

I can't put together a comprehensive sentence right now because of the frustration (and I am ranting during my morning coffee time). We are stuck in mediocracy unless they can make changes to the entire system.

[KeaneyBluBallz]

bingo.

URI screams mid major.

Mid major isn't going to get it done year in and year out. Of course we all want more but I expect nothing to change. It is what it is.

Make a true investment in the state university's flagship program and you'll see a ROI. don't, and this is what you get, a soup sandwich.

[section(105)]

……..I have talked about this before in various topics, getting of the porch, total URI commitment, lack of state funding etc etc…….Think Big We Do……..I suppose Tom Ryan envisioned the RC being the major catalyst to further develop that higher level program……..maybe for this type of visionary leader and program builder, we have the wrong AD………?…..the top to bottom institutional changes and vision that is needed is lacking…….

[RI_Bred]

Lol this seems to be the exact opposite take that I just posted in the Tammi Reiss thread but weirdly I think it’s driving at the same point. The accoutrements around the program are definitely important but the most important thing is the coach, IMO. Where that dovetails with what you’re saying here is that getting the coach who will deliver for your university requires a little luck but KEEPING that coach requires a ton of investment - in terms of salary and all the other stuff that keeps coaches happy. That’s where URI falls down. And it isn’t that we’re just too poor - the whole point of an investment is that it pays for itself over time. Being cheap and lacking foresight isn’t the same as being financially limited.

I believe the term "penny wise and pound foolish" applies here...

[rambone 78]

Blue Man's post really sums it all up.

URI's motto shouldn't be "Think Big", it should be "Act Big"...

But the problem is, the school isn't doing it in regards to the MBB program.

Thorr wants us to be the top of the A10 along with frequent NCAA tourneys.

But he and the school isn't doing anything to get us there.

It takes major investments to develop and sustain a program that will have the success that he wants.

We should have been putting the money that was promised to keep Hurley, into necessary improvements.

Instead we have a stagnant program with a dead end coach.

And even if we somehow hire another Penders, Harrick, or Hurley, they will end up leaving because of the litany of broken promises.

It's like when they hired Cox, they figured, oh well, let's wait and see if Cox is really good, and THEN make improvements.

That's the backward thinking that permeates decision making at URI.

And until that changes, nothing else will change.

[rambone 78]

Adding to my last post, at least some of the blame has to go to the boosters, who withdrew their promised money for Hurley and other improvements when Dan didn't stay.

Booster money is absolutely essential to this program...without it not much will happen...the state surely won't help.

[URI_05]

I think it's more of a chicken and egg type situation. The school is willing to invest once the winning starts and we have a promising coach. When we don't, they won't.

Look at UCONN, Calhoun built that program, it's not like they had a ton of facilities before he came and started winning, or even look at any of the top programs in the A10. VCU had nothing before Capel/Grant/Smart built a name for them, once they did, the money came.

[Rhodymob05]

Can this be summed up into a formal letter and taped to Thors forehead? I'm serious about the letter part. Maybe make it viral through email to students/staff, post it around campus ect. Seems like this should be a holistic effort to motivate the university.

[rambone 78]

I think it's more of a chicken and egg type situation. The school is willing to invest once the winning starts and we have a promising coach. When we don't, they won't.

Look at UCONN, Calhoun built that program, it's not like they had a ton of facilities before he came and started winning, or even look at any of the top programs in the A10. VCU had nothing before Capel/Grant/Smart built a name for them, once they did, the money came.

They were only willing to invest once it became clear Hurley was going to leave. Too late.

We were winning and had a promising coach.

I guess it's wait until next time?

[TruePoint]

Couldn't agree more with your entire assessment. It is a failure from the top down and has been for decades. I would actually say that it is not only the URI administrations thinking small, but the entire state system needs to be reconfigured for the benefit of URI as a whole. I am not from Rhode Island, but with my time at URI and being an active member of this group for years it is clear that Rhode Island as a state is holding back the University.
URI should be the perennial New England university. And I am obviously very biased, but there is no way that UConn in shitty Stores should be the number 1 state school in New England when URI is down the street from beautiful beaches, with a beautiful quad, close to a city (45 minutes from Providence). How do we get there? The state doesn't invest in the University appropriately to compete with other neighboring state schools.

I can't put together a comprehensive sentence right now because of the frustration (and I am ranting during my morning coffee time). We are stuck in mediocracy unless they can make changes to the entire system.

Borderline criminal, and absolutely embarrassing, how the state treats its flagship university.

I’m always amazed that people from this part of the country are so prideful about education and essentially look down at other parts of the country for their perceived lack of education, but those places generally have a much more evidenced commitment to their schools - the Arkansas and Alabamas and Oklahomas and South Carolinas. Part of that is that our elites and governing class go to fancy private schools and theirs largely are alumni of their state university, but it is shameful how state universities are regarded and treated by their state governments in this part of the country.

[Blue Man]

Would like to be clear. It is short-sighted and wholly incorrect to think the problem here lies at Thorr's feet or anywhere in the athletic department.

Thorr doesn't control the budget he gets from the school, the Foundation, the State, or the boosters. He is tasked with doing the best he can with what he's given. And what he's given is peanuts.

Like when he had to cut programs due to low funding in the late 00's. He made the decision to keep programs we could fully fund rather than hurt everyone by funding everyone partially. A first-class university athletics profile doesn't put their AD or athletic department in that position.

The state contributes the lowest percentage to it's flagship university budget of any New England state. The RIBGHE controls the purse strings. The school doesn't allocate a large percentage of funding to athletics etc, etc.

But again, with all those realities you need your big donors to step up. The "promises" were there had Hurley stayed, which means the money is there if the wind is right. But if they keep waiting for the "perfect" coach to come and "save" URI or make it the "Gonzaga of the East" we will continue to lag further and further behind, and that "perfect" coach will leave before the investments ever take shape.

Obviously our big donors have done a lot for URI - but these problems that we're listing could be handled with an additional $1M upfront, and maybe an extra $4M per year. (finish the facility, + 2M coach salary, +$750k assistant coach salary, +$1.25M charter flights).

Not chump change by any stretch, but you can't tell me with the amount of 2 and 3 comma net-worths that have ties to URI, that that number is unattainable.

But that's what it takes. Every school we say we want to compete with (VCU, Richmond, Dayton, St Louis) and our regional counterparts (PC, UConn), have boosters or a budget that support those initiatives.

Until there is a change in thinking at the state level, the Foundation level, or a big donor want's to make the Tom Ryan 2001 Ryan Center commitment...nothing will change no matter who our AD or coach is.

[adam914]

Would like to be clear. It is short-sighted and wholly incorrect to think the problem here lies at Thorr's feet or anywhere in the athletic department.

Thorr doesn't control the budget he gets from the school, the Foundation, the State, or the boosters. He is tasked with doing the best he can with what he's given. And what he's given is peanuts.

Like when he had to cut programs due to low funding in the late 00's. He made the decision to keep programs we could fully fund rather than hurt everyone by funding everyone partially. A first-class university athletics profile doesn't put their AD or athletic department in that position.

The state contributes the lowest percentage to it's flagship university budget of any New England state. The RIBGHE controls the purse strings. The school doesn't allocate a large percentage of funding to athletics etc, etc.

But again, with all those realities you need your big donors to step up. The "promises" were there had Hurley stayed, which means the money is there if the wind is right. But if they keep waiting for the "perfect" coach to come and "save" URI or make it the "Gonzaga of the East" we will continue to lag further and further behind, and that "perfect" coach will leave before the investments ever take shape.

Obviously our big donors have done a lot for URI - but these problems that we're listing could be handled with an additional $1M upfront, and maybe an extra $4M per year. (finish the facility, + 2M coach salary, +$750k assistant coach salary, +$1.25M charter flights).

Not chump change by any stretch, but you can't tell me with the amount of 2 and 3 comma net-worths that have ties to URI, that that number is unattainable.

But that's what it takes. Every school we say we want to compete with (VCU, Richmond, Dayton, St Louis) and our regional counterparts (PC, UConn), have boosters or a budget that support those initiatives.

Until there is a change in thinking at the state level, the Foundation level, or a big donor want's to make the Tom Ryan 2001 Ryan Center commitment...nothing will change no matter who our AD or coach is.

This is where you lose me a LITTLE bit. Like I get your point and there is a lot of truth to it, Thorr can't move mountains on his own and just pull money out of thin air, but a HUGE part of being an athletic director is fundraising. Making those connections and inspiring your donors/foundation (and to a lesser extent the state) is one of the most important parts of the job. I mean there is a department (Development) dedicated to this, so if we feel the fundraising is coming up short we can't completely absolve them of any part in that.

This is even a line directly from Thorr's bio on our website: "Bjorn's championship culture is also rooted in a philosophy in which everyone in the Rhode Island Athletics Department is a fundraiser and marketer."

So I would disagree that none of this lies at the feet of Thorr or the athletic department. I definitely would not say ALL of it lies with them, but at least some of it does.

[Blue Man]

Would like to be clear. It is short-sighted and wholly incorrect to think the problem here lies at Thorr's feet or anywhere in the athletic department.

Thorr doesn't control the budget he gets from the school, the Foundation, the State, or the boosters. He is tasked with doing the best he can with what he's given. And what he's given is peanuts.

Like when he had to cut programs due to low funding in the late 00's. He made the decision to keep programs we could fully fund rather than hurt everyone by funding everyone partially. A first-class university athletics profile doesn't put their AD or athletic department in that position.

The state contributes the lowest percentage to it's flagship university budget of any New England state. The RIBGHE controls the purse strings. The school doesn't allocate a large percentage of funding to athletics etc, etc.

But again, with all those realities you need your big donors to step up. The "promises" were there had Hurley stayed, which means the money is there if the wind is right. But if they keep waiting for the "perfect" coach to come and "save" URI or make it the "Gonzaga of the East" we will continue to lag further and further behind, and that "perfect" coach will leave before the investments ever take shape.

Obviously our big donors have done a lot for URI - but these problems that we're listing could be handled with an additional $1M upfront, and maybe an extra $4M per year. (finish the facility, + 2M coach salary, +$750k assistant coach salary, +$1.25M charter flights).

Not chump change by any stretch, but you can't tell me with the amount of 2 and 3 comma net-worths that have ties to URI, that that number is unattainable.

But that's what it takes. Every school we say we want to compete with (VCU, Richmond, Dayton, St Louis) and our regional counterparts (PC, UConn), have boosters or a budget that support those initiatives.

Until there is a change in thinking at the state level, the Foundation level, or a big donor want's to make the Tom Ryan 2001 Ryan Center commitment...nothing will change no matter who our AD or coach is.

This is where you lose me a LITTLE bit. Like I get your point and there is a lot of truth to it, Thorr can't move mountains on his own and just pull money out of thin air, but a HUGE part of being an athletic director is fundraising. Making those connections and inspiring your donors/foundation (and to a lesser extent the state) is one of the most important parts of the job. I mean there is a department (Development) dedicated to this, so if we feel the fundraising is coming up short we can't completely absolve them of any part in that.

This is even a line directly from Thorr's bio on our website: "Bjorn's championship culture is also rooted in a philosophy in which everyone in the Rhode Island Athletics Department is a fundraiser and marketer."

So I would disagree that none of this lies at the feet of Thorr or the athletic department. I definitely would not say ALL of it lies with them, but at least some of it does.

I understand your POV, but our athletic department is also hamstrung on HOW we can accept money. This is kind of what I'm getting at.

The state/Foundation (I forget which) won't allow a major project to start on a "pledge" i.e. I couldn't win powerball and say "i'll give you 50 mil for a practice facility, go and start it" without writing the check first - a lot of other schools will. We require the donation first before we break ground on anything. Very tough to get big projects done that way.

But remember, this is the school that was still doing film study on FILM in 2012 until Hurley lost his shit and made them invest in digital.

A lot of donors aren't willing to part with their money without control over what is being built and the confirmation that it's being done to their specs/ideals/spent on exactly what they want.

I can go way down the rabbit hole to all our institutional failures - but I can promise you, there's absolutely no one better than Thorr, Garrett or the rest our our AD leadership. Absolutely no one else could do more with less based on what we're given.

[Billyboy78]

Fundraising must be extremely difficult when there is so much apathy towards the program. Obviously, Thorr must be seeing this right now, especially from the big donors. But isn't that even more reason to make the change? On the other hand, why should we, and also the big donors, give money to the program if it's not being used to make improvements?

[Taylor Swift]

The Foundation has been known for having an extremely parochial mindset when it comes to where money is spent. That’s why it’s such a revolving door there with employees. Work 80hrs a week for peanuts!

SG EDIT: Reminder about keeping politics out of these threads. Post edited.

[Taylor Swift]

Couldn't agree more with your entire assessment. It is a failure from the top down and has been for decades. I would actually say that it is not only the URI administrations thinking small, but the entire state system needs to be reconfigured for the benefit of URI as a whole. I am not from Rhode Island, but with my time at URI and being an active member of this group for years it is clear that Rhode Island as a state is holding back the University.
URI should be the perennial New England university. And I am obviously very biased, but there is no way that UConn in shitty Stores should be the number 1 state school in New England when URI is down the street from beautiful beaches, with a beautiful quad, close to a city (45 minutes from Providence). How do we get there? The state doesn't invest in the University appropriately to compete with other neighboring state schools.

I can't put together a comprehensive sentence right now because of the frustration (and I am ranting during my morning coffee time). We are stuck in mediocracy unless they can make changes to the entire system.

Absolutely agree with you here.

Out of all six NE states, we by far have the best campus and best location for a campus due to its proximity to the ocean, other cities, Amtrak, etc. etc. I’ve never been to Orono, but I cannot imagine much else there besides moose.

The state has never given a flying shit about the university. When I say state, I mean our slimy lawmakers on Smith Hill (minus a small handful), McEntee is good to URI since she’s an alum herself.

This state loves being mediocre but then advertising our beaches in the WSJ.

[Taylor Swift]

Couldn't agree more with your entire assessment. It is a failure from the top down and has been for decades. I would actually say that it is not only the URI administrations thinking small, but the entire state system needs to be reconfigured for the benefit of URI as a whole. I am not from Rhode Island, but with my time at URI and being an active member of this group for years it is clear that Rhode Island as a state is holding back the University.
URI should be the perennial New England university. And I am obviously very biased, but there is no way that UConn in shitty Stores should be the number 1 state school in New England when URI is down the street from beautiful beaches, with a beautiful quad, close to a city (45 minutes from Providence). How do we get there? The state doesn't invest in the University appropriately to compete with other neighboring state schools.

I can't put together a comprehensive sentence right now because of the frustration (and I am ranting during my morning coffee time). We are stuck in mediocracy unless they can make changes to the entire system.

Borderline criminal, and absolutely embarrassing, how the state treats its flagship university.

I’m always amazed that people from this part of the country are so prideful about education and essentially look down at other parts of the country for their perceived lack of education, but those places generally have a much more evidenced commitment to their schools - the Arkansas and Alabamas and Oklahomas and South Carolinas. Part of that is that our elites and governing class go to fancy private schools and theirs largely are alumni of their state university, but it is shameful how state universities are regarded and treated by their state governments in this part of the country.

Well stated, TP. When I used to travel for work people from other parts of the country would say “oh that’s great you went to Rhode Island”. These are people who went to places like Tenn, UGA, Missouri, etc. all state schools.

The mindset on higher Ed here is so different. When I graduated from high school I was one of maybe 10 in a class of 90 who went to URI and we ALL graduated with solid degrees. Some other of our classmates went to small liberal arts colleges in MA, like Mt Ida or Nichols…majoring in musical theory or whatever. And….?

[adam914]

Would like to be clear. It is short-sighted and wholly incorrect to think the problem here lies at Thorr's feet or anywhere in the athletic department.

Thorr doesn't control the budget he gets from the school, the Foundation, the State, or the boosters. He is tasked with doing the best he can with what he's given. And what he's given is peanuts.

Like when he had to cut programs due to low funding in the late 00's. He made the decision to keep programs we could fully fund rather than hurt everyone by funding everyone partially. A first-class university athletics profile doesn't put their AD or athletic department in that position.

The state contributes the lowest percentage to it's flagship university budget of any New England state. The RIBGHE controls the purse strings. The school doesn't allocate a large percentage of funding to athletics etc, etc.

But again, with all those realities you need your big donors to step up. The "promises" were there had Hurley stayed, which means the money is there if the wind is right. But if they keep waiting for the "perfect" coach to come and "save" URI or make it the "Gonzaga of the East" we will continue to lag further and further behind, and that "perfect" coach will leave before the investments ever take shape.

Obviously our big donors have done a lot for URI - but these problems that we're listing could be handled with an additional $1M upfront, and maybe an extra $4M per year. (finish the facility, + 2M coach salary, +$750k assistant coach salary, +$1.25M charter flights).

Not chump change by any stretch, but you can't tell me with the amount of 2 and 3 comma net-worths that have ties to URI, that that number is unattainable.

But that's what it takes. Every school we say we want to compete with (VCU, Richmond, Dayton, St Louis) and our regional counterparts (PC, UConn), have boosters or a budget that support those initiatives.

Until there is a change in thinking at the state level, the Foundation level, or a big donor want's to make the Tom Ryan 2001 Ryan Center commitment...nothing will change no matter who our AD or coach is.

This is where you lose me a LITTLE bit. Like I get your point and there is a lot of truth to it, Thorr can't move mountains on his own and just pull money out of thin air, but a HUGE part of being an athletic director is fundraising. Making those connections and inspiring your donors/foundation (and to a lesser extent the state) is one of the most important parts of the job. I mean there is a department (Development) dedicated to this, so if we feel the fundraising is coming up short we can't completely absolve them of any part in that.

This is even a line directly from Thorr's bio on our website: "Bjorn's championship culture is also rooted in a philosophy in which everyone in the Rhode Island Athletics Department is a fundraiser and marketer."

So I would disagree that none of this lies at the feet of Thorr or the athletic department. I definitely would not say ALL of it lies with them, but at least some of it does.

I understand your POV, but our athletic department is also hamstrung on HOW we can accept money. This is kind of what I'm getting at.

The state/Foundation (I forget which) won't allow a major project to start on a "pledge" i.e. I couldn't win powerball and say "i'll give you 50 mil for a practice facility, go and start it" without writing the check first - a lot of other schools will. We require the donation first before we break ground on anything. Very tough to get big projects done that way.

But remember, this is the school that was still doing film study on FILM in 2012 until Hurley lost his shit and made them invest in digital.

A lot of donors aren't willing to part with their money without control over what is being built and the confirmation that it's being done to their specs/ideals/spent on exactly what they want.

I can go way down the rabbit hole to all our institutional failures - but I can promise you, there's absolutely no one better than Thorr, Garrett or the rest our our AD leadership. Absolutely no one else could do more with less based on what we're given.

I don't want to belabor the point and risk coming across as overly critical of Thorr and Co. or your overall point, because that's not my intention and I think we agree on like 95% of this (which I think you get, for the record). And actually I love the Hurley example you used because I have made some version of that same point since the day Hurley left. It takes a lunatic like him (meant as the highest of compliments) to get things done around here, which just sucks for everyone involved.

There is a reason I made the quote below my signature the day of Thorr's press conference in 2018, because while I believe he truly meant it, I also was highly skeptical that it was actually going to happen based on all of these challenges we're mentioning here and based on the guy coming in to replace Hurley.

[DeanDome88]

Adding to my last post, at least some of the blame has to go to the boosters, who withdrew their promised money for Hurley and other improvements when Dan didn't stay.

Booster money is absolutely essential to this program...without it not much will happen...the state surely won't help.

If the offer was conditional on Dan staying they did not break any promise.

[NYGFan_Section208]

Adding to my last post, at least some of the blame has to go to the boosters, who withdrew their promised money for Hurley and other improvements when Dan didn't stay.

Booster money is absolutely essential to this program...without it not much will happen...the state surely won't help.

If the offer was conditional on Dan staying they did not break any promise.

My guess would be that the "conditional-ness" was all of it.

[PlayMikeMotenMore]

bingo.

URI screams mid major.

Mid major isn't going to get it done year in and year out. Of course we all want more but I expect nothing to change. It is what it is.

Make a true investment in the state university's flagship program and you'll see a ROI. don't, and this is what you get, a soup sandwich.

What is wrong with being a "mid-major?" Mid-major "isn't going to get it done year in and year out." What does that even mean?

Is somebody who is a doctor, lawyer, inventor, etc. better than somebody who works in sales? Is a mortgage banker better than a plumber? Don't worry about the label "mid-major." Just be a great lawyer, be a great banker, be a great plumber. There's nothing wrong with that. Be a great "mid-major."

If you want to use labels, then the "blue-bloods" are the ones who "get it done year in and year out." What exactly is "getting it done?" Does PC get it done? Butler? Davidson? Temple?

Go ahead and set the bar at Final Four's. Fine. But creating a winning program is really what URI is after. That doesn't mean NCAA's every year, although you can wish for it. And that doesn't mean URI can't have sub-500 seasons along the way. (BC would take what Al Skinner and Jim O'Brien had going in a heartbeat...so too would URI.)

It all starts with a coach. Administrative support, video board, locker room, charter jets, etc. That's all nice. But that's outside the lines, on the periphery. Gimme a team and a coach who want to grind, work, play as a unit, and play fundamental ball. That's all.

What would you say if heard Cox after a loss say "my guys came up short because our locker room is too small and outdated." Charter flights don't make you a winner...just like because you drive a BMW and I drive a Nissan makes you better. Get a coach who knows how to get it done.

You can learn a little from Central Michigan football and how they adapted to playing in the Sun Bowl on short notice. This is a great story and echoes what I'm referring to:
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/colu ... 049998002/

[KeaneyBluBallz]

bingo.

URI screams mid major.

Mid major isn't going to get it done year in and year out. Of course we all want more but I expect nothing to change. It is what it is.

Make a true investment in the state university's flagship program and you'll see a ROI. don't, and this is what you get, a soup sandwich.

What is wrong with being a "mid-major?" Mid-major "isn't going to get it done year in and year out." What does that even mean?

Is somebody who is a doctor, lawyer, inventor, etc. better than somebody who works in sales? Is a mortgage banker better than a plumber? Don't worry about the label "mid-major." Just be a great lawyer, be a great banker, be a great plumber. There's nothing wrong with that. Be a great "mid-major."

If you want to use labels, then the "blue-bloods" are the ones who "get it done year in and year out." What exactly is "getting it done?" Does PC get it done? Butler? Davidson? Temple?

Go ahead and set the bar at Final Four's. Fine. But creating a winning program is really what URI is after. That doesn't mean NCAA's every year, although you can wish for it. And that doesn't mean URI can't have sub-500 seasons along the way. (BC would take what Al Skinner and Jim O'Brien had going in a heartbeat...so too would URI.)

It all starts with a coach. Administrative support, video board, locker room, charter jets, etc. That's all nice. But that's outside the lines, on the periphery. Gimme a team and a coach who want to grind, work, play as a unit, and play fundamental ball. That's all.

What would you say if heard Cox after a loss say "my guys came up short because our locker room is too small and outdated." Charter flights don't make you a winner...just like because you drive a BMW and I drive a Nissan makes you better. Get a coach who knows how to get it done.

You can learn a little from Central Michigan football and how they adapted to playing in the Sun Bowl on short notice. This is a great story and echoes what I'm referring to:
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/colu ... 049998002/

this should be a joke but I think you're serious.

so you're satisfied with the current state of affairs, I see. lovin' mediocrity. we'll good for you then. I'm not, fuck that.

PC is getting is done. They have all the nice shinny things we want. Facilities, weight rooms, $ injected into the program, national ranking, NCAAT appearances, a coach those players want to play for, wifi, students who show up to games in droves, non-student fan base that shows up, games easy to find on TV with competent PxP and color analysis, beer at your seat, charter flights, ect.

We're kicking the can on down the road bickering about attendance #s. amateur hour in Kingston.

the program is treated like a mid major, just happy to be here. win a few games, have some fun. maybe make a little noise but probably not.

nothing wrong with a mid major when YOU'RE ACTUALLY A MID MAJOR. I do not consider the A10 a mid major conference. obv not a power 5 but right below. act like we belong here, do what you need to do to compete. we're just mailing it in.

[rambone 78]

Promises or not, URI plus boosters were willing to pay for major upgrades and much higher salaries.

We need to put the horse before the cart, not the other way around like we always have.

And how are we going to attract a big name coach to come to Backwater U. otherwise?

[Blue Man]

bingo.

URI screams mid major.

Mid major isn't going to get it done year in and year out. Of course we all want more but I expect nothing to change. It is what it is.

Make a true investment in the state university's flagship program and you'll see a ROI. don't, and this is what you get, a soup sandwich.

What is wrong with being a "mid-major?" Mid-major "isn't going to get it done year in and year out." What does that even mean?

Is somebody who is a doctor, lawyer, inventor, etc. better than somebody who works in sales? Is a mortgage banker better than a plumber? Don't worry about the label "mid-major." Just be a great lawyer, be a great banker, be a great plumber. There's nothing wrong with that. Be a great "mid-major."

If you want to use labels, then the "blue-bloods" are the ones who "get it done year in and year out." What exactly is "getting it done?" Does PC get it done? Butler? Davidson? Temple?

Go ahead and set the bar at Final Four's. Fine. But creating a winning program is really what URI is after. That doesn't mean NCAA's every year, although you can wish for it. And that doesn't mean URI can't have sub-500 seasons along the way. (BC would take what Al Skinner and Jim O'Brien had going in a heartbeat...so too would URI.)

It all starts with a coach. Administrative support, video board, locker room, charter jets, etc. That's all nice. But that's outside the lines, on the periphery. Gimme a team and a coach who want to grind, work, play as a unit, and play fundamental ball. That's all.

What would you say if heard Cox after a loss say "my guys came up short because our locker room is too small and outdated." Charter flights don't make you a winner...just like because you drive a BMW and I drive a Nissan makes you better. Get a coach who knows how to get it done.

You can learn a little from Central Michigan football and how they adapted to playing in the Sun Bowl on short notice. This is a great story and echoes what I'm referring to:
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/colu ... 049998002/

this should be a joke but I think you're serious.

so you're satisfied with the current state of affairs, I see. lovin' mediocrity. we'll good for you then. I'm not, fuck that.

PC is getting is done. They have all the nice shinny things we want. Facilities, weight rooms, $ injected into the program, national ranking, NCAAT appearances, a coach those players want to play for, wifi, students who show up to games in droves, non-student fan base that shows up, games easy to find on TV with competent PxP and color analysis, beer at your seat, charter flights, ect.

We're kicking the can on down the road bickering about attendance #s. amateur hour in Kingston.

the program is treated like a mid major, just happy to be here. win a few games, have some fun. maybe make a little noise but probably not.

nothing wrong with a mid major when YOU'RE ACTUALLY A MID MAJOR. I do not consider the A10 a mid major conference. obv not a power 5 but right below. act like we belong here, do what you need to do to compete. we're just mailing it in.

Exactly. I am only trying to match the supposed expectations I keep being told we have.

We built the Ryan Center to compete with the top of the A-10. Then we just stopped investing. We didn't update videoboards or ANYTHING until Hurley got there. We still haven't got replays (which is definitely a gameday ops issue, not a tech issue), and we don't have WiFi.

Why did we spend $65 million to build one of the largest arenas in the A-10, and in the top half of all college basketball, if we didn't intend to compete at that level?

If we wanted to be a "mid major" we should've stayed in Keaney and dropped down a conference. But we built a 7600 seat state of the art building in the middle of cow country for a sport played in the winter time.

A great comparison is VCU. Public university. Class of the A-10. Almost 20k enrollees. Our arenas are the same size and just about the same age.

They invest. We do not. (yes I realize that the endowments are vastly different, but we made the promises for Hurley).

This "bar" that was talked about when Cox was hired. We talked about that. Hurley CONSTANTLY talked about owning VCU, and for a while we did on the court. But we never followed up with that investment.

And again, the promises to make that investment and get to that "next level" were made to try to keep Hurley at the 11th hour. Basic logic would say the money is there - people just don't want to spend it until they have the right guy. But like 78 said, if we keep putting the cart before the horse we're not going anywhere.

If you were willing to invest to try and keep Dan Hurley, please invest so we can be a good program REGARDLESS of which individual coach is here.

We don't have to suck like this. The investment to be VCU isn't as substantial as everyone likes to act. Just no one wants to step up to the plate and do it.

[Rhodysk]

Great post.

This has been URI’s problem for the last 30 plus years.
Always was a stepping stone type of school. Everyone one wants to mention the Penders,Harrick, and hurly’s but remember Al Skinner. Look what they did to him. He got the school to a few NCAA tournaments and then URI low balled him on a contract ( thinking he will just stay ) and he turned it into a job at BC. Got BC on track with the school committed to being better and he won not only Big East conference but when BC got the ACC conference they were competing with the blue bloods for championships.

My point is your right URI always “low ball” offers or “ promise “ future projects when it never happens.

Sorry URI love you to death put SHIT or GET OFF THE POT!

[PeteRI]

VCU is a great comp. They figured out how to build a successful program that makes their fans and alums proud. We have a first class facility in the Ryan Center. We need to replicate that in every other facet of our program. I just question if we have the leadership and desire to get it done.

[ramster]

What is wrong with being a "mid-major?" Mid-major "isn't going to get it done year in and year out." What does that even mean?

Is somebody who is a doctor, lawyer, inventor, etc. better than somebody who works in sales? Is a mortgage banker better than a plumber? Don't worry about the label "mid-major." Just be a great lawyer, be a great banker, be a great plumber. There's nothing wrong with that. Be a great "mid-major."

If you want to use labels, then the "blue-bloods" are the ones who "get it done year in and year out." What exactly is "getting it done?" Does PC get it done? Butler? Davidson? Temple?

Go ahead and set the bar at Final Four's. Fine. But creating a winning program is really what URI is after. That doesn't mean NCAA's every year, although you can wish for it. And that doesn't mean URI can't have sub-500 seasons along the way. (BC would take what Al Skinner and Jim O'Brien had going in a heartbeat...so too would URI.)

It all starts with a coach. Administrative support, video board, locker room, charter jets, etc. That's all nice. But that's outside the lines, on the periphery. Gimme a team and a coach who want to grind, work, play as a unit, and play fundamental ball. That's all.

What would you say if heard Cox after a loss say "my guys came up short because our locker room is too small and outdated." Charter flights don't make you a winner...just like because you drive a BMW and I drive a Nissan makes you better. Get a coach who knows how to get it done.

You can learn a little from Central Michigan football and how they adapted to playing in the Sun Bowl on short notice. This is a great story and echoes what I'm referring to:
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/colu ... 049998002/

this should be a joke but I think you're serious.

so you're satisfied with the current state of affairs, I see. lovin' mediocrity. we'll good for you then. I'm not, fuck that.

PC is getting is done. They have all the nice shinny things we want. Facilities, weight rooms, $ injected into the program, national ranking, NCAAT appearances, a coach those players want to play for, wifi, students who show up to games in droves, non-student fan base that shows up, games easy to find on TV with competent PxP and color analysis, beer at your seat, charter flights, ect.

We're kicking the can on down the road bickering about attendance #s. amateur hour in Kingston.

the program is treated like a mid major, just happy to be here. win a few games, have some fun. maybe make a little noise but probably not.

nothing wrong with a mid major when YOU'RE ACTUALLY A MID MAJOR. I do not consider the A10 a mid major conference. obv not a power 5 but right below. act like we belong here, do what you need to do to compete. we're just mailing it in.

Exactly. I am only trying to match the supposed expectations I keep being told we have.

We built the Ryan Center to compete with the top of the A-10. Then we just stopped investing. We didn't update videoboards or ANYTHING until Hurley got there. We still haven't got replays (which is definitely a gameday ops issue, not a tech issue), and we don't have WiFi.

Why did we spend $65 million to build one of the largest arenas in the A-10, and in the top half of all college basketball, if we didn't intend to compete at that level?

If we wanted to be a "mid major" we should've stayed in Keaney and dropped down a conference. But we built a 7600 seat state of the art building in the middle of cow country for a sport played in the winter time.

A great comparison is VCU. Public university. Class of the A-10. Almost 20k enrollees. Our arenas are the same size and just about the same age.

They invest. We do not. (yes I realize that the endowments are vastly different, but we made the promises for Hurley).

This "bar" that was talked about when Cox was hired. We talked about that. Hurley CONSTANTLY talked about owning VCU, and for a while we did on the court. But we never followed up with that investment.

And again, the promises to make that investment and get to that "next level" were made to try to keep Hurley at the 11th hour. Basic logic would say the money is there - people just don't want to spend it until they have the right guy. But like 78 said, if we keep putting the cart before the horse we're not going anywhere.

If you were willing to invest to try and keep Dan Hurley, please invest so we can be a good program REGARDLESS of which individual coach is here.

We don't have to suck like this. The investment to be VCU isn't as substantial as everyone likes to act. Just no one wants to step up to the plate and do it.

VCU
29,417 students enrolled
18:1 student-faculty ratio
2,501 full-time faculty
205,456 alums

[Taylor Swift]

bingo.

URI screams mid major.

Mid major isn't going to get it done year in and year out. Of course we all want more but I expect nothing to change. It is what it is.

Make a true investment in the state university's flagship program and you'll see a ROI. don't, and this is what you get, a soup sandwich.

What is wrong with being a "mid-major?" Mid-major "isn't going to get it done year in and year out." What does that even mean?

Is somebody who is a doctor, lawyer, inventor, etc. better than somebody who works in sales? Is a mortgage banker better than a plumber? Don't worry about the label "mid-major." Just be a great lawyer, be a great banker, be a great plumber. There's nothing wrong with that. Be a great "mid-major."

If you want to use labels, then the "blue-bloods" are the ones who "get it done year in and year out." What exactly is "getting it done?" Does PC get it done? Butler? Davidson? Temple?

Go ahead and set the bar at Final Four's. Fine. But creating a winning program is really what URI is after. That doesn't mean NCAA's every year, although you can wish for it. And that doesn't mean URI can't have sub-500 seasons along the way. (BC would take what Al Skinner and Jim O'Brien had going in a heartbeat...so too would URI.)

It all starts with a coach. Administrative support, video board, locker room, charter jets, etc. That's all nice. But that's outside the lines, on the periphery. Gimme a team and a coach who want to grind, work, play as a unit, and play fundamental ball. That's all.

What would you say if heard Cox after a loss say "my guys came up short because our locker room is too small and outdated." Charter flights don't make you a winner...just like because you drive a BMW and I drive a Nissan makes you better. Get a coach who knows how to get it done.

You can learn a little from Central Michigan football and how they adapted to playing in the Sun Bowl on short notice. This is a great story and echoes what I'm referring to:
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/colu ... 049998002/

To clarify, doctors and lawyers are essentially “selling” you something also. Lots of mortgage lenders are predatory. I personally think the trades (plumbers, electricians, etc.) are some of the best people out there.

Your commentary on professions seems like you’re extremely green in the working world, please don’t take offense. BUT I personally know electricians and HVAC people who make more than doctors and attorneys. Plus, the trades are more heavily regulated by the state than mostly any profession out there.

[Taylor Swift]

VCU is a great comp. They figured out how to build a successful program that makes their fans and alums proud. We have a first class facility in the Ryan Center. We need to replicate that in every other facet of our program. I just question if we have the leadership and desire to get it done.

Absolutely agree - plus they have one of the best pep bands out there. I believe a few years ago a handful of people on KB wrote to the head of the Ram Band to say - please for the love of God could you play something better than (insert random band song).

VCU is an excellent school. I may be biased saying URI is better but the product they’ve put out there has been consistent as hell.

[Taylor Swift]

I can probably look this up tomorrow when I get a chance, but I’d be interested to see the comparison URI runs with PC in terms of endowment and donors. I’ve been to the campus, I have family and friends who are alums, I am in that neck of the woods frequently for my profession, etc…

I want to say the entire undergrad pop at PC is maybe about 3,500-5,000 students? That’s roughly an entire class size here at URI. I know it’s not an apples to apples comp as they’re private. They’re working with a much smaller endowment pool and a much smaller pool of successful alums.

I don’t have the answer nor am I able to provide the solution but after this season it’s pertinent to make sure that proper direction will be taken.

[section(105)]

…..didn’t the men’s locker room get an upgrade facelift as one of the Hurley demands…….? And regarding our donors etc as necessary part of program development, why is it always the donor fills the funding void to make a significant aspect of the URI athletic programs reality? Examples; turf and lights for football and practice facility for basketball?……..what I getting at here is that the 100% state funding for such things should be part of the capital funding by the state funding for state university…….as long as the donors seem to fulfill major funding portions of projects, the basketball program is just not going to get beyond where we are now…….top(the State) to bottom(RC staff) need the institutional commitment and goal to excellence………can this ever happen at a state school……?

[KeaneyBluBallz]

…..didn’t the men’s locker room get an upgrade facelift as one of the Hurley demands…….? And regarding our donors etc as necessary part of program development, why is it always the donor fills the funding void to make a significant aspect of the URI athletic programs reality? Examples; turf and lights for football and practice facility for basketball?……..what I getting at here is that the 100% state funding for such things should be part of the capital funding by the state funding for state university…….as long as the donors seem to fulfill major funding portions of projects, the basketball program is just not going to get beyond where we are now…….top(the State) to bottom(RC staff) need the institutional commitment and goal to excellence………can this ever happen at a state school……?

not this one.

Full Time RC staff, Boss Arena staff are not URI/state employees. The RC and BA are out sourced to Spectra out of Philly. They don't care. those employees for the most part are not from here. they are shipped in and shuffled around the country wherever Spectra needs them.

so given this, no, this can't happen at our state school. we're almost tenants in our own building. let that marinate for a bit.

Now, URI wants to take the bull by the balls and have a real vested interest, take control back of your own buildings.

[SmartyBarrett]

I know this is women's hoops, but still feels extremely relevant to this conversation.

[RI_Bred]

I know this is women's hoops, but still feels extremely relevant to this conversation.

I'd love to read that, but I'm not subscribing to that paper...

[section(105)]

…..didn’t the men’s locker room get an upgrade facelift as one of the Hurley demands…….? And regarding our donors etc as necessary part of program development, why is it always the donor fills the funding void to make a significant aspect of the URI athletic programs reality? Examples; turf and lights for football and practice facility for basketball?……..what I getting at here is that the 100% state funding for such things should be part of the capital funding by the state funding for state university…….as long as the donors seem to fulfill major funding portions of projects, the basketball program is just not going to get beyond where we are now…….top(the State) to bottom(RC staff) need the institutional commitment and goal to excellence………can this ever happen at a state school……?

not this one.

……fair enough, In the world of big arenas I get the need to outsource the facility ops……..but how about including in the RFP(f there is one)something regarding the need of the contract to include such URI commitment to excellence in the facing ops including the customer experience……..

Full Time RC staff, Boss Arena staff are not URI/state employees. The RC and BA are out sourced to Spectra out of Philly. They don't care. those employees for the most part are not from here. they are shipped in and shuffled around the country wherever Spectra needs them.

so given this, no, this can't happen at our state school. we're almost tenants in our own building. let that marinate for a bit.

Now, URI wants to take the bull by the balls and have a real vested interest, take control back of your own buildings.

[section(105)]

….sorry my response mixed in above…..

[Rhodyram]

I know this is women's hoops, but still feels extremely relevant to this conversation.

I'd love to read that, but I'm not subscribing to that paper...

Basically says pay her or risk losing her. Hurley 2.0 Bigger schools can cover buyout.

[KeaneyBluBallz]

I know this is women's hoops, but still feels extremely relevant to this conversation.

I'd love to read that, but I'm not subscribing to that paper...

Basically says pay her or risk losing her. Hurley 2.0 Bigger schools can cover buyout.

but we wont

[Blue Man]

I know this is women's hoops, but still feels extremely relevant to this conversation.

I'd love to read that, but I'm not subscribing to that paper...

Do you also complain about their coverage for URI sports?

I'm happy to pay the $16 a month just to support Bill and the coverage he does give us.

Because if no one subscribes and clicks on URI articles, than no one covers URI.

As for the article - Bill knows what he's doing, he's 110% correct, and it's what URI should've done with Hurley and now at least has a chance to with Reiss.

[RI_Bred]

I know this is women's hoops, but still feels extremely relevant to this conversation.

I'd love to read that, but I'm not subscribing to that paper...

Do you also complain about their coverage for URI sports?

I'm happy to pay the $16 a month just to support Bill and the coverage he does give us.

Because if no one subscribes and clicks on URI articles, than no one covers URI.

As for the article - Bill knows what he's doing, he's 110% correct, and it's what URI should've done with Hurley and now at least has a chance to with Reiss.

Don't get me started - the ProJo is a liberal rag and a shell of its former self. I appreciate Bill, sure. But he's a small part of the overall product. It's bigger than just URI hoops for me.

[PlayMikeMotenMore]

bingo.

URI screams mid major.

Mid major isn't going to get it done year in and year out. Of course we all want more but I expect nothing to change. It is what it is.

Make a true investment in the state university's flagship program and you'll see a ROI. don't, and this is what you get, a soup sandwich.

What is wrong with being a "mid-major?" Mid-major "isn't going to get it done year in and year out." What does that even mean?

Is somebody who is a doctor, lawyer, inventor, etc. better than somebody who works in sales? Is a mortgage banker better than a plumber? Don't worry about the label "mid-major." Just be a great lawyer, be a great banker, be a great plumber. There's nothing wrong with that. Be a great "mid-major."

If you want to use labels, then the "blue-bloods" are the ones who "get it done year in and year out." What exactly is "getting it done?" Does PC get it done? Butler? Davidson? Temple?

Go ahead and set the bar at Final Four's. Fine. But creating a winning program is really what URI is after. That doesn't mean NCAA's every year, although you can wish for it. And that doesn't mean URI can't have sub-500 seasons along the way. (BC would take what Al Skinner and Jim O'Brien had going in a heartbeat...so too would URI.)

It all starts with a coach. Administrative support, video board, locker room, charter jets, etc. That's all nice. But that's outside the lines, on the periphery. Gimme a team and a coach who want to grind, work, play as a unit, and play fundamental ball. That's all.

What would you say if heard Cox after a loss say "my guys came up short because our locker room is too small and outdated." Charter flights don't make you a winner...just like because you drive a BMW and I drive a Nissan makes you better. Get a coach who knows how to get it done.

You can learn a little from Central Michigan football and how they adapted to playing in the Sun Bowl on short notice. This is a great story and echoes what I'm referring to:
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/colu ... 049998002/

To clarify, doctors and lawyers are essentially “selling” you something also. Lots of mortgage lenders are predatory. I personally think the trades (plumbers, electricians, etc.) are some of the best people out there.

Your commentary on professions seems like you’re extremely green in the working world, please don’t take offense. BUT I personally know electricians and HVAC people who make more than doctors and attorneys. Plus, the trades are more heavily regulated by the state than mostly any profession out there.

Green in the working world? Well, I'm 50. Maybe that makes me green. We all know blue-collar (there's another label) people who make more and do better than (white collar) workers...like me. That's my point, don't care about blue vs. white collar...and don't care about P5/P6 vs. mid-major label. The A10 is what is...whatever you want to call it. Whatever league or level URI is at, just strive to be a winner. Hey, URI doesn't play Division 1A football...does that matter or not?

[PeterRamTime]

And nobody has even brought up NIL

College sports is about to be dictated by it

Need to he vigilant since we don't have big money like the big programs

If high majors start paying similar to what they do in football and we don't have an NIL program we aren't going to get shit for talent. Maybe some benchwarmer P5 guys they may or may not pan out.

[SGreenwell]

And nobody has even brought up NIL

College sports is about to be dictated by it

Need to he vigilant since we don't have big money like the big programs

If high majors start paying similar to what they do in football and we don't have an NIL program we aren't going to get shit for talent. Maybe some benchwarmer P5 guys they may or may not pan out.

Eh, I kind of think the worries about it have been overblown. As expected, a couple of the elite athletes and "celebrity" cases - like J.R. Smith, or the gymnasts and golfers who are also models - are the ones mostly profiting from this.

[PlayMikeMotenMore]

bingo.

URI screams mid major.

Mid major isn't going to get it done year in and year out. Of course we all want more but I expect nothing to change. It is what it is.

Make a true investment in the state university's flagship program and you'll see a ROI. don't, and this is what you get, a soup sandwich.

What is wrong with being a "mid-major?" Mid-major "isn't going to get it done year in and year out." What does that even mean?

Is somebody who is a doctor, lawyer, inventor, etc. better than somebody who works in sales? Is a mortgage banker better than a plumber? Don't worry about the label "mid-major." Just be a great lawyer, be a great banker, be a great plumber. There's nothing wrong with that. Be a great "mid-major."

If you want to use labels, then the "blue-bloods" are the ones who "get it done year in and year out." What exactly is "getting it done?" Does PC get it done? Butler? Davidson? Temple?

Go ahead and set the bar at Final Four's. Fine. But creating a winning program is really what URI is after. That doesn't mean NCAA's every year, although you can wish for it. And that doesn't mean URI can't have sub-500 seasons along the way. (BC would take what Al Skinner and Jim O'Brien had going in a heartbeat...so too would URI.)

It all starts with a coach. Administrative support, video board, locker room, charter jets, etc. That's all nice. But that's outside the lines, on the periphery. Gimme a team and a coach who want to grind, work, play as a unit, and play fundamental ball. That's all.

What would you say if heard Cox after a loss say "my guys came up short because our locker room is too small and outdated." Charter flights don't make you a winner...just like because you drive a BMW and I drive a Nissan makes you better. Get a coach who knows how to get it done.

You can learn a little from Central Michigan football and how they adapted to playing in the Sun Bowl on short notice. This is a great story and echoes what I'm referring to:
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/colu ... 049998002/

this should be a joke but I think you're serious.

so you're satisfied with the current state of affairs, I see. lovin' mediocrity. we'll good for you then. I'm not, fuck that.

PC is getting is done. They have all the nice shinny things we want. Facilities, weight rooms, $ injected into the program, national ranking, NCAAT appearances, a coach those players want to play for, wifi, students who show up to games in droves, non-student fan base that shows up, games easy to find on TV with competent PxP and color analysis, beer at your seat, charter flights, ect.

We're kicking the can on down the road bickering about attendance #s. amateur hour in Kingston.

the program is treated like a mid major, just happy to be here. win a few games, have some fun. maybe make a little noise but probably not.

nothing wrong with a mid major when YOU'RE ACTUALLY A MID MAJOR. I do not consider the A10 a mid major conference. obv not a power 5 but right below. act like we belong here, do what you need to do to compete. we're just mailing it in.

Hmmm, can you find me a quote or statement in my post where I referenced being satisfied with the current state of affairs...lovin' mediocrity? Please quote me verbatim and/or where implied that.

I just double-checked what I wrote which was "creating a winning program is really what URI is after." I said URI should be a "great mid-major." Which to me is a lot a better than be an also-ran of a P5/P6 like Washington St., Minnesota, Georgia Tech, Kansas State.

PC? Hmmm...I hear gripes all the time about Cooley not getting any NCAA wins, complaining about the old "flex" offense, he's never won anything at PC...kids transfer out just like every other school. They don't have an on-campus arena, students show up to games WHEN they win, they have "subway" alumni because it's the population center, and Dave Gavitt put them in the Big East, a conference in which PC is an afterthought and has no natural rivals after all these years. The Big East has a TV contract, not PC. If you think PC is so big time, then go be a fan of theirs.

I wrote: " Gimme a team and a coach who want to grind, work, play as a unit, and play fundamental ball. That's all." I'll focus on that...not excuses.

Build the foundation first! (Just like a big house with a fancy car and extravagant vacations are worthless if you're a cheating husband, awful father, bad person, and your house is mold infested.) You can focus on the nice shiny things like TV play-by-play announcers (that URI has no control over), having a beer at your seat, and WiFi. That stuff is all gravy and nice to have and makes you feel big time (just like a big house, fancy car, etc.) and it's all worthless if you don't have a coach, a program, and players.

UCLA had all the shiny objects for years but no foundation. Not any more. Memphis now has shiny objects but no foundation. (games on TV, fancy blue court in big arena, famous alum coach, highly rated recruits) Million dollar look for Memphis and 10-cents worth of performance.

[Taylor Swift]

What is wrong with being a "mid-major?" Mid-major "isn't going to get it done year in and year out." What does that even mean?

Is somebody who is a doctor, lawyer, inventor, etc. better than somebody who works in sales? Is a mortgage banker better than a plumber? Don't worry about the label "mid-major." Just be a great lawyer, be a great banker, be a great plumber. There's nothing wrong with that. Be a great "mid-major."

If you want to use labels, then the "blue-bloods" are the ones who "get it done year in and year out." What exactly is "getting it done?" Does PC get it done? Butler? Davidson? Temple?

Go ahead and set the bar at Final Four's. Fine. But creating a winning program is really what URI is after. That doesn't mean NCAA's every year, although you can wish for it. And that doesn't mean URI can't have sub-500 seasons along the way. (BC would take what Al Skinner and Jim O'Brien had going in a heartbeat...so too would URI.)

It all starts with a coach. Administrative support, video board, locker room, charter jets, etc. That's all nice. But that's outside the lines, on the periphery. Gimme a team and a coach who want to grind, work, play as a unit, and play fundamental ball. That's all.

What would you say if heard Cox after a loss say "my guys came up short because our locker room is too small and outdated." Charter flights don't make you a winner...just like because you drive a BMW and I drive a Nissan makes you better. Get a coach who knows how to get it done.

You can learn a little from Central Michigan football and how they adapted to playing in the Sun Bowl on short notice. This is a great story and echoes what I'm referring to:
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/colu ... 049998002/

To clarify, doctors and lawyers are essentially “selling” you something also. Lots of mortgage lenders are predatory. I personally think the trades (plumbers, electricians, etc.) are some of the best people out there.

Your commentary on professions seems like you’re extremely green in the working world, please don’t take offense. BUT I personally know electricians and HVAC people who make more than doctors and attorneys. Plus, the trades are more heavily regulated by the state than mostly any profession out there.

Green in the working world? Well, I'm 50. Maybe that makes me green. We all know blue-collar (there's another label) people who make more and do better than (white collar) workers...like me. That's my point, don't care about blue vs. white collar...and don't care about P5/P6 vs. mid-major label. The A10 is what is...whatever you want to call it. Whatever league or level URI is at, just strive to be a winner. Hey, URI doesn't play Division 1A football...does that matter or not?

They're 1A because they would be absolutely demolished by even some high school teams in Texas who have better stadiums than Meade. I have zero issue with URI Football being 1A and Fleming is doing a fantastic job.

[RhowdyRam02]

Agree. The fact that none of what had been promised to Hurls has actually happened, doesn't just speak volumes. It says everything you need to know.

It was incredibly shortsighted by our boosters to not provide those things once Hurley left. The things Hurley asked for made the job better for him but also everybody else after him. We need people that provide because it's good for the program/University, not because they're wrapped up in a specific coach.

I will be buying a Mega Millions ticket tonight to fix this very issue