Here We Go Again...

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 8 years ago

Billyboy78 wrote:I'm waiting for someone to come in and blast me, but I think there's something to this. This is the tweet that Zags "liked". How would you interpret it? But, even though Dan might be interested, he still would probably turn then down unless they blew him away.

CL57 ‏@clarkie57 · 8h8 hours ago

@AdamZagoria @softballscifi Once again, I'm assuming, but I take your lack of response as meaning that, yes, he is. (on whether Dan was interested)

Ok, pile on. I can take it.

Just a week or so ago I was told that there was no way a P5 school would go for DH, that he wasn't ready yet. That Tim Cluess or Andy Toole would be looked at before him.
Fact is tha A10 is looked at with great respect for their top Head Coaches. Look how many have moved up to P5 schools in just the last 5 years. DH has rebuilt this program very effectively and P5 AD's know that.
I hope he stays and I'm nowhere near the camp that thinks he is not ready. Maybe that's why so few of us are worried.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 8 years ago

Billyboy, I think Dan could quite possibly interview at Rutgers.

I do hope he stays. Next year is the "put up or shut up" season for him, imo.

I want to see if he, and we, can actually meet expectations.

If he leaves, it will set us back a little bit, at the least. No guarantee everybody stays, including recruits.

Although if Preston was hired, I think most would stay, along with ARD.

EC, Hassan, Terrell and JG all know him well.

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 8 years ago

Adam Zagoria
Adam Zagoria – ‏@AdamZagoria

Pat Hobbs on Rutgers to @SNYtv 'We're gonna try to get it done this week'
4:54 PM - 12 Mar 2016 from Manhattan, NY

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 8 years ago

I'm just saying that he at least has to listen, right?

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 8 years ago

It has to tearing Hobbs up what Seton Hall just accomplished after they were so down and out. Picked preseason to finish 7th. Hobbs has to be hungry.
Hope he looks elsewhere from here.

Adam Zagoria
11m11 minutes ago
Adam Zagoria ‏@AdamZagoria
Rutgers AD Pat Hobbs here congratulating Kevin Willard
Embedded image

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 8 years ago

I think so, Billyboy.

Something's happening, and quickly.

Maybe it doesn't involve Dan at all, but who really knows right now?

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 8 years ago

Some know and that is what has me nervous. It's eerily too quiet here.

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 8 years ago

rambone 78 wrote:I think so, Billyboy.

Something's happening, and quickly.

Maybe it doesn't involve Dan at all, but who really knows right now?

Yeah, the part of making it happen this week, and one name has dominated the conversation.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 8 years ago

Here's what I think guys...

Zags and Hurley are pretty tight.

DH has probably told Zags to not say anything one way or the other, until he's made up his mind.

The fact that Zags hasn't said that DH isn't interested, is what is worrisome.

This will all be over very soon I think, 2-3 days at most.

Billyboy, aren't the other 2 coaches mentioned still playing?

I've also heard that Rutgers is ready to throw the bank at Dan, at least 2 million per for 5-6 years.

Not bad for a guy who really hasn't won anything yet.....

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 8 years ago

rambone 78 wrote:Here's what I think guys...

Zags and Hurley are pretty tight.

DH has probably told Zags to not say anything one way or the other, until he's made up his mind.

The fact that Zags hasn't said that DH isn't interested, is what is worrisome.

This will all be over very soon I think, 2-3 days at most.

Billyboy, aren't the other 2 coaches mentioned still playing?

There have been some mentioned who are not currently in coaching. I'll be glad when this is over, the way I hope it turns out of course.

Dre3000 · Unread post by **Dre3000** » 8 years ago

I think the two big questions are:

What would it take for Dan to leave vs. what it would take for him to stay?

Which AD can get closer to what Dan wants/needs?

With both Thorr and Hobbs in NYC right I wonder if Dan made a trip back out there to meet with each of them? If I'm Thorr I do as much as I can to shut this down ASAP! Seems like Hobbs is ready to throw everything he can at his top priority, which seems to be Dan.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 8 years ago

URI can not match the money and other perks Rutgers can offer. Fact.

Let's hope other factors end up being more important to Dan to keep him here.

Right now, I put this at 50-50 he stays or goes......

Could be a long weekend at the Hurley home.....

UCH21377 · Unread post by **UCH21377** » 8 years ago

Billyboy I agree. I think there's something to this too. I would not be surprised at all. Just a gut feeling.

eli#10 · Unread post by **eli#10** » 8 years ago

let's go to the CBI so Dan will still be working this week which should prevent any contact from Rutgers and then hope they get it done this week...

STC · Unread post by **STC** » 8 years ago

The irony would be delicious if Hurley went to Rutgers and URI hired Cluess.

URI has to be careful in this situation. Obviously I want URI to keep Hurley but they have to be careful not to overextend themselves in order to do so.

URI athletics is not financially equipped to annually re-do a contract based on potential with out seeing some results. While I believe Hurley is the right man for this job and as noted in another post I give him an A- for his tenure so far this is a results oriented business.

I still believe Hurley will be here next year but I think the EC injury may give him pause. He saw how razor thin the margin is for a mid major school like URI when EC blew out his knee this year.

Also, since I keep getting dragged into crap here on this board regarding Cluess and Toole. If I'm an AD right now I hire Cluess over Hurley but would take Hurley over Toole. But can we stop acting like Rutgers interest in Hurley validates his greatness? Rutgers has been inept for two plus decades so for them to be interested in Hurley, a big name from Jersey is only natural. We will see what other jobs come calling for Hurley and Cluess. March Madness upsets make stars of some coaches (see Steve Donahue) so we will see who becomes the flavor of the month coach in just a few weeks.

STC · Unread post by **STC** » 8 years ago

I wouldn't hire Cluess or Hurley if I'm Rutgers. They need to throw a lot of money at a legimately accomplished coach.

Gonebarongone · Unread post by **Gonebarongone** » 8 years ago

Donahue is a bad example. The guy won three straight Ivy titles at a place that never did anything. He then beat Temple and Wisconsin in the tournament. He earned a big job. Just didn't take it from there. He recruited a first team All-ACC guy and what turned into maybe the PAC-12 player of the year. Had some bad luck with injuries and never got to see those first two classes to the end. That's life in the big conferences, I guess, but he earned a P5 job, much more than DH.

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 8 years ago

Cluess would move up to a A10 job
Hurley has always rebuilt an A10 program and is ready for the next level

I would not want Cluess here ever

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 8 years ago

I think Dan is realizing that this might be his chance to take over a program that has a chance to be a national player if they hire the right people.

They certainly have the resources, and the conference to do it.

Of course right now they are nowhere, but it won't take forever to get back on their feet.

He might be also realizing that little Rhody might not have the resources [read money] to become that national player, especially as a mid major.

URI can't come close to the top 2 programs in this conference, Dayton and VCU, when it comes to money and facilities, and it's highly doubtful they can even close the gap that much in the future, even with a couple of NCAA tourney invites.

Dayton is a private school with great facilities, a huge fan and booster base, and a big BB budget.

VCU is public like URI, but a much larger school with the above advantages too.

If he leaves for Rutgers, I think that this will be why he leaves, not just due to his salary level.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 8 years ago

ramster wrote:Cluess would move up to a A10 job
Hurley has always rebuilt an A10 program and is ready for the next level

I would not want Cluess here ever

ramster, why so hard on Cluess?

I would guess he would be a finalist for the job.

Same for Preston, of course.

Obadiah · Unread post by **Obadiah** » 8 years ago

Bill Koch has now weighed in on the Hurley situation.

http://www.providencejournal.com/sports ... er-program

I have to take issue with a Koch comment near end of article about "deferred maintenance", neither accurate or classy I bet the boosters who supported those efforts are impressed with his metaphor.

"The occasional public criticism of program enhancements negotiated by Hurley through his two contract extensions is frequently overstated. The Rams’ administration has operated on a shoestring budget for decades, with the state’s contribution coming in at a paltry 9 percent. Any recent upgrades made by the school — a new weight room, office renovations, an increased salary pool for assistant coaches — were all a collective form of deferred maintenance. The next wave of challenges in the ongoing college sports version of an arms race — charter flights for all road games and recruiting trips, a basketball practice facility, a refined and robust marketing department capable of driving interest and revenue — all could well be light years away."

STC · Unread post by **STC** » 8 years ago

Gonebarongone wrote:Donahue is a bad example. The guy won three straight Ivy titles at a place that never did anything. He then beat Temple and Wisconsin in the tournament. He earned a big job. Just didn't take it from there. He recruited a first team All-ACC guy and what turned into maybe the PAC-12 player of the year. Had some bad luck with injuries and never got to see those first two classes to the end. That's life in the big conferences, I guess, but he earned a P5 job, much more than DH.

All good points, I would agree.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 8 years ago

Obadiah, if Hurley thinks that URI won't be able to make these improvements, then that could be a big factor in him leaving.

URI won't do these things anyway, until they can afford it, with increased revenue from NCAA tourney appearances, which haven't materialized yet.

That's what I was getting at, when I said that URI can't compete with the top programs in it's own conference, when it comes to money, fan and booster support, and facilities.

Not only BB needs more upgrades, but look at other sports at the school. Many millions are needed.

Football=Exhibit A. Just not nearly enough money to go around.

DeanDome88 · Unread post by **DeanDome88** » 8 years ago

I'm interested in this development but not worried about it. Dan is a good coach but not yet a great one and I am not sure he ever will get there.

NYGFan_Section208 · Unread post by **NYGFan_Section208** » 8 years ago

DeanDome88 wrote:I'm interested in this development but not worried about it. Dan is a good coach but not yet a great one and I am not sure he ever will get there.

And, he may be a NJ 'legend'...but we may not see RU in the top half of that conference in our lifetimes...

Unread post by **TruePoint** » 8 years ago

I said that I wouldn't comment unless he interviews, but since people are treating this like a real thing I will say: Dan leaving to go to Rutgers would be far worse for his career than it would be for URI's basketball program. I like Dan a lot. I don't want to see him out of coaching in 4 years. We will be OK. The hard work here - in terms of getting us out of the ditch and back on the road - is over. It would be a shame if he wasn't here to enjoy the payoff.

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 8 years ago

TruePoint wrote:I said that I wouldn't comment unless he interviews, but since people are treating this like a real thing I will say: Dan leaving to go to Rutgers would be far worse for his career than it would be for URI's basketball program. I like Dan a lot. I don't want to see him out of coaching in 4 years. We will be OK. The hard work here - in terms of getting us out of the ditch and back on the road - is over. It would be a shame if he wasn't here to enjoy the payoff.

There is absolutely no way that DH is out of Coaching in 4 years. If anyone could turn around Rutgers it's DH, and I believe he would.

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 8 years ago

Hmmmmm

https://www.sny.tv/college-recruiting,r ... 167260314/

PeterRamTime · Unread post by **PeterRamTime** » 8 years ago

This stuff is scary.... I don't like it.

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 8 years ago

PeterRamTime wrote:This stuff is scary.... I don't like it.

Particularly this from my previous posting and link..........

Rutgers, of course, hasn't been to the NCAA Tournament since 1991, but Hobbs wants to choose someone who can begin to turn it around as soon as possible.
"As quick as we can," Hobbs said on the timeframe for making a decision. "We got a lot of work to do."
Dan Hurley, the New Jersey native and Rhode Island coach, is considered the No. 1 option, and he also happens to share the same agent as both Willard and Rutgers football coach Chris Ash -- Jordan Bazant.
What qualities will Hobbs be looking for?
"Hard work, dedication, integrity, doing it right," he said. "Working hard."
Somebody with New Jersey roots?
"That's great if we can, but there's a lot of good coaches out there right now," Hobbs said. "Just have to find the best person for Rutgers."

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 8 years ago

I guess we'll know when it happens. If word of an interview gets out, then it's "scary" time.

Or Dan will come out and put it to rest in a few days. One way or the other......

I do know one thing he'll do if he leaves....wait until he's talked to his team and recruits before it's announced.

woodennickel1 · Unread post by **woodennickel1** » 8 years ago

Don't think Hurley is leaving but I do think he is using this attention to get facility upgrades. Man is very competitive I give him credit for that we shall see.

section(105) · Unread post by **section(105)** » 8 years ago

My view of Cluess, his teams play no defense to compete in the A-10....

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 8 years ago

105, he has to be doing something right.

He's won 3 conference tourneys in 5 years.

That's called "raising your game" at the right time.

Like UConn and others do.

You have to be able to score to win games, especially at the end of games.

They do that. Our guys can't make shots at the end of games. And even the defense falls apart then too.

Watched a lot of basketball this week. The teams that can put the ball in the hoop, win.

With the new rules, scoring is up also. And the refs aren't calling as many touch fouls on the defense either, unless teams are too aggressive. Which we are.

Dan if he stays, needs to change a lot of things to win start winning close games against better teams.

Even then, do we have someone who is clutch at crunch time? Right now, we don't.

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 8 years ago

Cluess is doing something right, he's coaching in a garbage conference. I learned everything I needed to know about Cluess from the NIT game. Multiple times his players would hang back in the offensive zone for almost half the shot clock allowing URI to essentially have a powerplay with zero repercussions to the guy that was hanging back. It's not that he can't coach defense, it's that he's actively against his team even attempting to play it. That's fine in a garbage conference but it's not ok for real college basketball.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 8 years ago

RR2, I think he knows he'll have to coach defense if he moves up....

It won't work at the A10 level, sure. And I'm sure he knows that.

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 8 years ago

Well if he has to actually get his team to play defense, wouldn't his offense take a huge hit? So at that point, what would be the point of hiring him?

Hopefully Dan is staying and this is all irrelevant. But if we have to hire someone else and that person is Cluess, I'll throw up. Literally, not figuratively vomit.

UCH21377 · Unread post by **UCH21377** » 8 years ago

So we're "scarred and skeptical". Definitely skeptical. Especially the casual fans that show up for the big games we seem to have trouble winning.

NYGFan_Section208 · Unread post by **NYGFan_Section208** » 8 years ago

I hope he stays, but if he leaves, he leaves. Any one of us that had a chance to double salary and move 'home' would probably not think twice about it. His supporters, including me, will be disappointed, but it will still work out perfect either way for the doom and gloom crowd (maybe even 'better' for them than if he stayed?). If they succeed without him... -> 'see, told you...it was the coach.' And, if they don't -> 'if DH hadn't ditched us...' Win-win for the negative crowd, right?

ramster · Unread post by **ramster** » 8 years ago

RhowdyRam02 wrote:Well if he has to actually get his team to play defense, wouldn't his offense take a huge hit? So at that point, what would be the point of hiring him?

Hopefully Dan is staying and this is all irrelevant. But if we have to hire someone else and that person is Cluess, I'll throw up. Literally, not figuratively vomit.

I have no idea how anybody could ever think that Cluess is more ready for a P5 Opening than Hurley.
We will be vomiting in unison if Cluess ever gets hired here

So let's just go back to last March 17, 2015 in Post Season Play for a second 1st round NIT. URI vs IONA on ESPNU
URI easily wins 88-75 (good thing it wasn't a close game or Hurley would have blown it

)
URI hits 6 of their first 7 threes
Soph Martin 11 rebounds and 6 blocks
Freshman Garrett with a double - double with 10 points and 10 assists
Soph Mathews with 18 points and 1 turnover
Freshman Terrell with 18 points
Biruta played only 5 minutes. Look at the improvement Iverson brings to the team over this IONA game last year

AJ English scores 28 points but has a costly 8 turnovers

No thanks. I'll take Hurley and never Cluess-less

If we want NCAA bids at all costs then we should drop to the NEC, MEAC, Patriot................I'll stay in the A10

http://www.gorhody.com/sports/m-baskbl/ ... 0317gzo9z5

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 8 years ago

This sentence from Koch's article hits hard:

Only Duquesne (1977) and Fordham (1992) have suffered through longer NCAA droughts among the Rams’ fellow Atlantic 10 members.

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 8 years ago

Yeah English scored 28, but he was the biggest offender on not getting back on defense. How many extra points did URI score because English only played offense, and how many would he have scored if he had to play a complete game?

bigappleram · Unread post by **bigappleram** » 8 years ago

I question if the interest is mutual here, but I assume we will know in a short time. I would like DH to dispel the rumors, if they are baseless, quickly.

This would shock me and would seem to be a huge risk by Dan. To say it is a graveyard is an understatement....look at the last 5 coaches since Bob Wenzel took them to the NCAAs 25 years ago (1991). Kevin Bannon (out of basketball), Fred Hill Jr (Seton Hall assistant), Gary Waters (Cleveland St head coach), Mike Rice Jr (high school coach) & Eddie Jordan (TBD, would guess back to NBA as an assistant). As one supporter put it, "you fail there and you are the coach of Fairleigh Dickinson." Not only do RU coaches not win in Piscataway, it seems they commit career suicide in trying to do so. Dan is a smart guy, he has a loaded roster, I don't see it. 1-2 NCAA appearances and he will have his choice of jobs.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 8 years ago

Well said, BAR.

The inconsistency from some on this topic is profound.

We hear about how no Power 5 conference school would ever want Dan Hurley because he hasn't won anything yet, never mind hasn't been to the NCAA tournament like his big brother, Bobby.

Dan's best opportunity to check those boxes (big wins) (NCAA berth) are available to him NEXT year and he doesn't have to change anything at all!

Rebuilds are out of the question. Dan felt physically unhealthy from the grinding loss-filled first season in Kingston. Bobby said it was the worst basketball experience of his life. Losing and Hurleys are incompatible at the deepest level. Do you think Dan wants to see himself with a .500 or worse career NCAA head coaching record 5 years from now? What kind of jobs will that PREVENT him from getting??

Dan already has millions of dollars guaranteed to him here, with additional performance bonuses ready to pay out next season and beyond. Money is not an immediate concern (or even medium term concern). He lived just fine for a decade as a history teacher / basketball coach at St Benedicts. His family situation is stable and that is very important. Saunderstown is home for the Dan, Andrea and his sons.

Stability and institutional support matter. Rutgers has none of those. They have a terrible track record. Why risk a promising career by taking one of the absolute WORST Power 5 jobs?

It would be another 4, 5 or 6 years before Rutgers would be challenging for the top third of the B1G -- and perhaps NEVER challenging for B1G title. A year ago, Dan was a few bounces away from the A10 regular season title here in Kingston.

Right in front of him is a team that will be favored to win the A10, the 6th or 7th best conference in the nation which regularly puts 3+ teams in the Dance. Dan can achieve at URI what he needs to put him into a position to take that one last big time job down the road. He is receiving unprecedented institutional support from Dr. Dooley and is poised to see his program jump from the 10th in A10 for men's basketball budget to top 5 as a result of the support from the program's largest boosters.

Winning next year opens doors to even more funding which will be fed directly back to his program -- feeding the engine that he's built here to compete for A10 championships and annual NCAA berths.

Where can I WIN NOW and enhance my national reputation? How can I position myself for the best possible next coaching opportunity? What is least disruptive to my family?

Those are the questions which point to Dan building a perennial winner at Rhode Island.

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 8 years ago

So, ATP, you're saying there is zero percent chance he leaves? Then let's delete this thread. What's the point of discussing?

Gonebarongone · Unread post by **Gonebarongone** » 8 years ago

ATPTourFan wrote:Well said, BAR.

The inconsistency from some on this topic is profound.

We hear about how no Power 5 conference school would ever want Dan Hurley because he hasn't won anything yet, never mind hasn't been to the NCAA tournament like his big brother, Bobby.
.

I think you have to separate Rutgers from the 64 or so other P5 jobs. DH hasn't earned a P5 gig offer at all. I think we all recognize how unique Rutgers is. Both in how much of a gutter situation it is and how his name fits there.

NYGFan_Section208 · Unread post by **NYGFan_Section208** » 8 years ago

Gonebarongone wrote:
ATPTourFan wrote:Well said, BAR.

The inconsistency from some on this topic is profound.

We hear about how no Power 5 conference school would ever want Dan Hurley because he hasn't won anything yet, never mind hasn't been to the NCAA tournament like his big brother, Bobby.
.
I think you have to separate Rutgers from the 64 or so other P5 jobs. DH hasn't earned a P5 gig offer at all. I think we all recognize how unique Rutgers is. Both in how much of a gutter situation it is and how his name fits there.

Agree. Let's say Rutgers was a top 2 or 3 team in the B1G and their coach was retiring...
Would DH be getting this much play? Just asking...maybe he would, I don't 'know'...but somehow, I don't think so...

Unread post by **TruePoint** » 8 years ago

Billyboy78 wrote:So, ATP, you're saying there is zero percent chance he leaves? Then let's delete this thread. What's the point of discussing?

I can't speak for ATP, but I can say that I agree with just about everything he said. I do think there is some chance he could go. I don't see it as very likely, but not zero either. I would say that it would be pretty shocking and I honestly think it would be a pretty poor decision. Can't ever rule anything out, though. I'll say again that I think him taking the Rutgers job would be worse for his career than it would be for our basketball program. I hope he stays and I would be both disappointed and very surprised if he left.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 8 years ago

Billyboy78 wrote:So, ATP, you're saying there is zero percent chance he leaves? Then let's delete this thread. What's the point of discussing?

I would say zero chance for Rutgers. I've made my point by point case why it would be a very bad short and long term move for Coah Hurley.

Instead of asking if the thread should be deleted, why not challenge the points I made? That's what the thread is for, in my opinion.

gorhody89 · Unread post by **gorhody89** » 8 years ago

I would be very surprised and disappointed if Hurley left. Want to see him finish what he started, what he has built here...however my much bigger concern would be players and or recruits leaving with Hurley. With the team we have and recruits coming in we will be fine next year with a competent coach.