PC game cancelled - WHY???

[reef]

Let’s get the last laugh on Eddie C and PC

We go dancing and they stay home baby !!

[theblueram]

I just looked it up and since 1988, URI has 8 NCAAT wins and pc has 4. LMFAO.

[Rhode_Island_Red]

The fact that Wisconsin agreed to play URI is the best expose of the many lame excuses Ed "we have bigger fish to fry than URI" Cooley made to justify his getting out of the game. The Badgers also play in a tough conference where they get to play lots of Quadrant 1 rivals and the possibility of a loss to URI doesn't bother them as much as it bothered Cooley. Maybe Wisconsin's confidence makes the difference.

Unlike Wisconsin, URI represents a long standing rival to PC and the rivalry game is as intense as it gets. In fact it is known as the best rivalry game that goes unnoticed nationally. There is no other New England state that has a rivalry game like URI versus PC. Yet for all the uniqueness that this game represents to the state, especially in this depressing pandemic year, and the need to give it even more national notoriety, Coach Cooley, a RI native, sadly chose to take the low road by focusing on his NET rating and confirming that he is not a broad or magnanimous thinker.

Ed’s Cooley is trying to schedule Chariho as we speak.

[ramster]

The fact that Wisconsin agreed to play URI is the best expose of the many lame excuses Ed "we have bigger fish to fry than URI" Cooley made to justify his getting out of the game. The Badgers also play in a tough conference where they get to play lots of Quadrant 1 rivals and the possibility of a loss to URI doesn't bother them as much as it bothered Cooley. Maybe Wisconsin's confidence makes the difference.

Unlike Wisconsin, URI represents a long standing rival to PC and the rivalry game is as intense as it gets. In fact it is known as the best rivalry game that goes unnoticed nationally. There is no other New England state that has a rivalry game like URI versus PC. Yet for all the uniqueness that this game represents to the state, especially in this depressing pandemic year, and the need to give it even more national notoriety, Coach Cooley, a RI native, sadly chose to take the low road by focusing on his NET rating and confirming that he is not a broad or magnanimous thinker.

Absolutely right Obadiah.
Notice in the video how mad Cooley gets when Kevin Mac tries to bring up the question of TCU and URI. Kevin didn't even get the question out of his mouth before Cooley threw a vulgarity at him and threw a fit.
Congrats that Kevin brought up the subject but Cooley's brutality certainly made the other 3 reporters on the call uncomfortable and likely to have them continue to throw softball questions his way in the future. Kevin Mac can do it because he knows Cooley and can't be fired from the Projo. Cooley could cut Kevin off from future interviews though. Nothing would surprise me with that guy.
Rarely does anyone from the local press question or criticize Cooley. He is not used to that. Even lighthearted comments from Local Press in twitter, articles pokes fun at the URI fans. URI fans have every right to be pissed. It is stupid for Cooley to drop the game during Covid times. He made a stupid decision and he knows it (maybe). Cooley is bigger than his boss, AD Driscoll. Embarrassing for Driscoll, Cooley, Bjorn and Cox to have announced this cancelled game. I don't think they realized how mad fans from both schools would be. Kudos to David Cox for his recruiting and scheduling games that his type of recruits value. He subbed Arizona State (PAC12), Boston College (ACC) and now Wisconsin (BIG10) to an already established schedule. Cox by his scheduling actions is basically saying my team doesn't need PC and Ed Cooley. Great JOB! Cox putting his money where his mouth is.

[Billyboy78]

The fact that Wisconsin agreed to play URI is the best expose of the many lame excuses Ed "we have bigger fish to fry than URI" Cooley made to justify his getting out of the game. The Badgers also play in a tough conference where they get to play lots of Quadrant 1 rivals and the possibility of a loss to URI doesn't bother them as much as it bothered Cooley. Maybe Wisconsin's confidence makes the difference.

Unlike Wisconsin, URI represents a long standing rival to PC and the rivalry game is as intense as it gets. In fact it is known as the best rivalry game that goes unnoticed nationally. There is no other New England state that has a rivalry game like URI versus PC. Yet for all the uniqueness that this game represents to the state, especially in this depressing pandemic year, and the need to give it even more national notoriety, Coach Cooley, a RI native, sadly chose to take the low road by focusing on his NET rating and confirming that he is not a broad or magnanimous thinker.

Ed’s Cooley is trying to schedule Chariho as we speak.

Chariho's pretty good this year. I'm not sure Ed wants to go there.

[ramster]

No, URI really does not “need the game”.
Time to move on and drop the game for a while, at least until the guy who is so full of himself is gone at PC.

The road to the NCAA does not run through that old, dilapidated Donut hole.

Game is way overrated by the Rhode Island local press.

URI does NOT need the PC game. You are and have been wrong in that. David Cox and Thorr Bjorn are showing they don’t need PC now with another game to be added.

Mediocre TCU, Fairfield and FDU - enjoy.

While URI adds Arizona State, Boston College, Wisconsin and a game tba.

#ducken

[KingstonLane]

No, URI really does not “need the game”.
Time to move on and drop the game for a while, at least until the guy who is so full of himself is gone at PC.

The road to the NCAA does not run through that old, dilapidated Donut hole.

Game is way overrated by the Rhode Island local press.

URI does NOT need the PC game. You are and have been wrong in that. David Cox and Thorr Bjorn are showing they don’t need PC now with another game to be added.

Mediocre TCU, Fairfield and FDU - enjoy.

While URI adds Arizona State, Boston College, Wisconsin and a game tba.

#ducken

“Needing the game” is more about revenue and ticket sales than it is about Strength of Schedule

[ramster]

Needing the game is brought up as URI needing more Quad 1, Quad 2 games and they can’t get so many in the A10.
URI can get quality teams - URI doesn’t need PC

[steviep123]

Bjorn -- '#URI cares about its fans and about the state of Rhode Island. We have a responsibility to play as competitive a schedule as possible. I continue to be impressed with David Cox and his desire to play the best teams in the country any time, any place.'

Sounds just like Cooley and Driscoll - only the exact opposite.

[BCarey1315]

Is there any bigger sporting event in our state then the yearly URI vs PC game? Pretty sure there isnt even a close 2nd. Cooley downplaying this game is a slap in the face to every sports fans in RI. It would be one thing if he was some new coach who didnt know any better.... but he was BORN AND RAISED IN RI, AND COACHED AT BOTH SCHOOLS. If anyone understands the significance of this game, it should be Ed. Instead, we get a bunch of weak ass excuses, and at the end of the day he chose to duck competition instead of face it.

Says an awful lot about the culture up there in Friartown. I am extremely grateful that our coach (and team) is wired differently.

[79RhodyFan]

Is there any bigger sporting event in our state than the yearly URI vs PC game? Pretty sure there isnt even a close 2nd. Cooley downplaying this game is a slap in the face to every sports fans in RI. It would be one thing if he was some new coach who didnt know any better.... but he was BORN AND RAISED IN RI, AND COACHED AT BOTH SCHOOLS. If anyone understands the significance of this game, it should be Ed. Instead, we get a bunch of weak ass excuses, and at the end of the day he chose to duck competition instead of face it.

Says an awful lot about the culture up there in Friartown. I am extremely grateful that our coach (and team) is wired differently.

I completely agree 1315

[79RhodyFan]

Needing the game is brought up as URI needing more Quad 1, Quad 2 games and they can’t get so many in the A10.
URI can get quality teams - URI doesn’t need PC

The problem is you can't get them to come to the Ryan Center

[SmartyBarrett]

The only reason URI "needs" the PC game is a big one, in my opinion.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[RhowdyRam02]

Bjorn -- '#URI cares about its fans and about the state of Rhode Island. We have a responsibility to play as competitive a schedule as possible. I continue to be impressed with David Cox and his desire to play the best teams in the country any time, any place.'

Sounds just like Cooley and Driscoll - only the exact opposite.

It really was tremendous shade throwing by him

[Blue Man]

No, URI really does not “need the game”.
Time to move on and drop the game for a while, at least until the guy who is so full of himself is gone at PC.

The road to the NCAA does not run through that old, dilapidated Donut hole.

Game is way overrated by the Rhode Island local press.

URI does NOT need the PC game. You are and have been wrong in that. David Cox and Thorr Bjorn are showing they don’t need PC now with another game to be added.

Mediocre TCU, Fairfield and FDU - enjoy.

While URI adds Arizona State, Boston College, Wisconsin and a game tba.

#ducken

While I agree with the sentiment - the state NEEDS this game.

In the past year we have lost the Paw Sox, we have lost our name...we're running out of things that make Rhode Island, Rhode Island.

Cooley is a piece of shit. He grew up here. He coached at both schools. He knows better.

My biggest problem is he didn't come into this job saying this wasn't a rivalry. He had no problem beating a shitty Jim Baron team and then a few rebuilding Hurley teams. He almost got into a fight with Hurley at mid-court! Not a rivalry my ass.

No, the "rivalry" only became "not a rivalry" when URI started winning. In fact, we've won 2 of the last 3.

Just like how he dropped the Brown game after their contract expired a few years ago. That only became an issue after they lost.

The State of Rhode Island (and Providence Plantations) deserves this game. It's been played 132 times in 90 years.

If the Big East is such a good conference - than one loss against a top 100 team in your OOC won't kill you in your quest for yet another first round NCAA exit. You big bitch.

[DC_Rams]

No, URI really does not “need the game”.
Time to move on and drop the game for a while, at least until the guy who is so full of himself is gone at PC.

The road to the NCAA does not run through that old, dilapidated Donut hole.

Game is way overrated by the Rhode Island local press.

URI does NOT need the PC game. You are and have been wrong in that. David Cox and Thorr Bjorn are showing they don’t need PC now with another game to be added.

Mediocre TCU, Fairfield and FDU - enjoy.

While URI adds Arizona State, Boston College, Wisconsin and a game tba.

#ducken

While I agree with the sentiment - the state NEEDS this game.

In the past year we have lost the Paw Sox, we have lost our name...we're running out of things that make Rhode Island, Rhode Island.

Cooley is a piece of shit. He grew up here. He coached at both schools. He knows better.

My biggest problem is he didn't come into this job saying this wasn't a rivalry. He had no problem beating a shitty Jim Baron team and then a few rebuilding Hurley teams. He almost got into a fight with Hurley at mid-court! Not a rivalry my ass.

No, the "rivalry" only became "not a rivalry" when URI started winning. In fact, we've won 2 of the last 3.

Just like how he dropped the Brown game after their contract expired a few years ago. That only became an issue after they lost.

The State of Rhode Island (and Providence Plantations) deserves this game. It's been played 132 times in 90 years.

If the Big East is such a good conference - than one loss against a top 100 team in your OOC won't kill you in your quest for yet another first round NCAA exit. You big bitch.

I like you so much more when you talk about other people and teams. I died at “you big bitch”.

[rhodylaw]

I 100% agree with the sentiment that it the state that needs the game, not URI or PC basketball teams. Both teams can make the NCAA without the game. That is not the point. Bill Koch shouldn't denigrate Rhody as "needing" this game. It's not like PC is a perennial top 10 team. They are an equivalent level team that is in a better conference. We can find that game. We did find that game this year (Seton Hall - who will finish higher than PC in the BE).

LOVE Thorr tacitly throwing it in PC's face that they do not care about their fans or the state. BE money doesn't necessarily buy happiness (or any tournament wins!)

[KingstonLane]

I don’t always agree with Bill on a lot of things, but he is extremely spot on with what’s holding URI basketball back at this point. Money. Whether it’s from Donors, the State, or normal revenue streams (like a sellout vs PC). Cox and URI have proven they can put together a strong OOC schedule, but unfortunately the biggest draw games will more often than not be on the road/neutral court. URI needs this game like it or not

[Obadiah]

What is getting under Cooley's skin is that opinion from independent observers is running strongly against him with his support found only with PC sycophants. They feel that Cooley showed no class in the move to drop URI and add Fairly Ridiculous. Even WEEI came down on him on and mocked his response as he repeatedly stumbled with logic in that video. Well, no one expected Cooley to be a Renaissance man, but his classless, crude and cliche' ridden articulation made Jim Baron look like Shakespeare.

[rjsuperfly66]

Bill Koch shouldn't denigrate Rhody as "needing" this game. It's not like PC is a perennial top 10 team. They are an equivalent level team that is in a better conference. We can find that game. We did find that game this year (Seton Hall - who will finish higher than PC in the BE).

I don't feel like re-litigating the entire process, but I will say that this is one thing I'm not sure I agree with.

URI (and PC has the same issue) will always struggle to pull solid P5+BE OOC opponents to the Ryan Center.

Yes, they did pull games against Seton Hall and Boston College. Does URI land those series' under normal circumstances, or because of changes in behavior due to the pandemic? That is a major question when you think of long-term scheduling.

I think the comment about PC is that PC does represent a consistent bi-annual solid home opponent for URI. Depending on A10 scheduling, it might be one of the few they have.

Ifyou look at the KenPom for this season, Seton Hall with their KenPom of 57 is currently ranked as the best home opponent URI will play all season. By comparison, URI's Top 5 conference home games are #59 Dayton, #69 VCU, #73 St. Bonaventure, #80 Davidson, and #118 George Mason. Using KenPom as a substitute for NET, that would give URI 3 Q2 games and 6 Q3/Q4 home games during conference play. I believe if you look at the last 5 full conference seasons for URI, they have played 13 KenPom Top 75 home games, or 2.6 per season.

So it's obviously important for URI to maximize those quality opportunities OOC (which he has done a good job at), but also make sure to try to land some of those home OOC as well. Is the current scheduling model sustainable, or has Cox taken advantage of the pandemic? That's the million dollar question, but one I think Koch and others allude to believing may be more pandemic driven, but he can speak for himself on that one.

[spookydog]

What is getting under Cooley's skin is that opinion from independent observers is running strongly against him with his support found only with PC sycophants. They feel that Cooley showed no class in the move to drop URI and add Fairly Ridiculous. Even WEEI came down on him on and mocked his response as he repeatedly stumbled with logic in that video. Well, no one expected Cooley to be a Renaissance man, but his classless, crude and cliche' ridden articulation made Jim Baron look like Shakespeare.

Retired Projo columnist Jim Donaldson has been all over him as well. He was asking why Wisconsin "didn't prefer to schedule a 'developmental game'" & he also said "It's embarrassing to have ducked out of playing a longtime Rivalry Game against an instate opponent during a pandemic when travel is frowned upon in favor of bringing in a Northeast Conference 'cupcake' from NJ for a 'buy' game"

[Billyboy78]

Yes, I've never been a Donaldson fan, but he's been killing PC about this on twitter. I'm warming up to him a little bit now.

[ramster]

[ramster]

[ramster]

[ramster]

[JFrech21]

Good to see the tweets from Donaldson since he blocked me last year and I can't see them on twitter.

[ramster]

I love the chicken!!

[Obadiah]

Don't you love it when an indy guy like Donaldson calls out a Friar fan like the so aptly named, greedyfriar, a chicken. A perfect depiction though a parrot would come close. Is woodennickel or superfly next???? Just asking!!

[Rhody72]

URI should contact PC and offer to get them out of everyone's doghouse by scheduling a game later in the year. There are bound to be cancellations caused by the pandemic in both team's schedule. Put the offer out there privately and let them claim that they made the call. The current situations is not good for URI, PC or basketball in RI. It is time to cultivate friendships, not enemies. Unlike the business world, URI and PC as academic institutions are not competitors. We all make mistakes,

[rjsuperfly66]

Don't you love it when an indy guy like Donaldson calls out a Friar fan like the so aptly named, greedyfriar, a chicken. A perfect depiction though a parrot would come close. Is woodennickel or superfly next???? Just asking!!

Donaldson is doing what he has to do thats right for his him -- good for him for actually having people interesting in what he has to say. Will never begrudge anyone for doing what they feel is right for their person, business, team, etc. I'll be 100% consistent on that. There is not one path to what is right though, people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones and focus on themselves and their own journeys.

[JimSidd]

“There is not one path to what is right though, people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones and focus on themselves and their own journeys.”

This sounds like lines from an episode of Kung Fu.

[Rhode_Island_Red]

I'm glad that Five-foot-one Donaldson is sounding on the mental hospital and Ed's Cooley, but he last covered UVa in the 1970s, so his comparison is at best specious.

[reef]

Probably should take a break from playing PC for a few years

Cox doing good with the schedule we don’t need to play them

[Rhode_Island_Red]

Probably should take a break from playing PC for a few years

Cox doing good with the schedule we don’t need to play them

Disagree. The only way we’ll get the respect we deserve from the state if if we beat the crap out of the fairly ridiculous chickenshit mental hospital every year.

[bigappleram]

Bill Koch shouldn't denigrate Rhody as "needing" this game. It's not like PC is a perennial top 10 team. They are an equivalent level team that is in a better conference. We can find that game. We did find that game this year (Seton Hall - who will finish higher than PC in the BE).

I don't feel like re-litigating the entire process, but I will say that this is one thing I'm not sure I agree with.

URI (and PC has the same issue) will always struggle to pull solid P5+BE OOC opponents to the Ryan Center.

Yes, they did pull games against Seton Hall and Boston College. Does URI land those series' under normal circumstances, or because of changes in behavior due to the pandemic? That is a major question when you think of long-term scheduling.

I think the comment about PC is that PC does represent a consistent bi-annual solid home opponent for URI. Depending on A10 scheduling, it might be one of the few they have.

Ifyou look at the KenPom for this season, Seton Hall with their KenPom of 57 is currently ranked as the best home opponent URI will play all season. By comparison, URI's Top 5 conference home games are #59 Dayton, #69 VCU, #73 St. Bonaventure, #80 Davidson, and #118 George Mason. Using KenPom as a substitute for NET, that would give URI 3 Q2 games and 6 Q3/Q4 home games during conference play. I believe if you look at the last 5 full conference seasons for URI, they have played 13 KenPom Top 75 home games, or 2.6 per season.

So it's obviously important for URI to maximize those quality opportunities OOC (which he has done a good job at), but also make sure to try to land some of those home OOC as well. Is the current scheduling model sustainable, or has Cox taken advantage of the pandemic? That's the million dollar question, but one I think Koch and others allude to believing may be more pandemic driven, but he can speak for himself on that one.

You do realize that pre pandemic we were lined up to play Marquette and/or Minnesota in Mohegan and already had Seton Hall coming to the Ryan Center?? You made mention here, and also on the PC board, that we lucked into games against ASU and BC like they were replacing games against CCRI and Bryant...they replaced equally strong games against P6 programs.

Yes it is difficult for Rhody to get quality non con teams to come play us at home. Same for PC, let's look at the non con marquee teams that have come to the Dunk...it's a short short list. Yes the A10 offers less quality home matchups than the BE...so technically losing a PC game at home is a loss for URI, losing the away game less so bc we easily could find another team of similar or better quality than PC that would play us in their gym.

All that said this just comes down to how EC decided to message and handle it. If he came out and said the truth, that he didn't want to play another tough game coming off Maui and wanted his team to have a tune up against an inferior opponent I would have less beef. Instead he tried to spin some BS and got called out, then doubled down on being an arrogant asshat. Don't forget where you came from EC, your first job was at Rhody for Al Skinner, that's what started you on the path to where you are now. You were born and raised in RI. If anyone should appreciate the importance of the game to the state it should be you. For now go back to your giant fish fry...ya know what pairs well with fish? Duck.

[rjsuperfly66]

BAR, Seton Hall was announced on May 23rd. Last I checked that was not pre-pandemic.

In fact, here were some comments on the pre-pandemic schedule ...

The home OOC schedule is a real oater. This type of scheduling is the college basketball version of putting lipstick on a pig.

Rhody72,
When have we last had a OOC Schedule as weak as this?

This is the NET at the end of last season:
Home-5 games
Drexel 237
Boise State 90
Brown 225
Lehigh 288
Quinnipiac 245

Away-4 games
Florida Gulf Coast 312
Western Kentucky 123
Providence 37
Harvard 107

Neutral - 2 games
Marquette 26
Central Florida 124 or Minnesota 42

That said, I don't disagree on being forthcoming on the reason, but again, me debating that is murdering a dead horse.

[spookydog]

That said, I don't disagree on being forthcoming on the reason, but again, me debating that is murdering a dead horse.

To be fair, the horse did have it coming.

[Jersey77]

Rutgers/Seton Hall in-state rivalry game may still happen:

Per Adam Zagoria:
Kevin Willard still hopes to play
@RutgersMBB
"We still have the Rutgers game hopefully in January or February so it will give us another non-conference opportunity," he said in his post-game radio interview.

[DC_Rams]

Can we stop bumping this PC thread to life? They don’t give a f**k about us, so f**k them.

[PeterRamTime]

Can we stop bumping this PC thread to life? They don’t give a f**k about us, so f**k them.

No we must shit on them until we beat them next year!

[RhowdyRam02]

Rutgers/Seton Hall in-state rivalry game may still happen:

Per Adam Zagoria:
Kevin Willard still hopes to play
@RutgersMBB
"We still have the Rutgers game hopefully in January or February so it will give us another non-conference opportunity," he said in his post-game radio interview.

Not a surprise. We've already seen this year that Willard isn't a coward

[DC_Rams]

Can we stop bumping this PC thread to life? They don’t give a f**k about us, so f**k them.

No we must shit on them until we beat them next year!

They shouldn’t be living in our heads rent free... it should be the other way around.

[theblueram]

Can we stop bumping this PC thread to life? They don’t give a f**k about us, so f**k them.

No we must shit on them until we beat them next year!

They shouldn’t be living in our heads rent free... it should be the other way around.

Only way that happens is if we win games like tonight.

[NYGFan_Section208]

No, URI really does not “need the game”.
Time to move on and drop the game for a while, at least until the guy who is so full of himself is gone at PC.

The road to the NCAA does not run through that old, dilapidated Donut hole.

Game is way overrated by the Rhode Island local press.

URI does NOT need the PC game. You are and have been wrong in that. David Cox and Thorr Bjorn are showing they don’t need PC now with another game to be added.

Mediocre TCU, Fairfield and FDU - enjoy.

While URI adds Arizona State, Boston College, Wisconsin and a game tba.

#ducken

“Needing the game” is more about revenue and ticket sales than it is about Strength of Schedule

Wrong

[ramster]

More time to rest

[Jersey77]

More time to rest

Too bad, I was looking forward to Xavier beating up on Providence, they look impressive so far. Also their game on 12/15 against Seton Hall would of been entertaining.

[Rhode_Island_Red]

Rutgers/Seton Hall in-state rivalry game may still happen:

Per Adam Zagoria:
Kevin Willard still hopes to play
@RutgersMBB
"We still have the Rutgers game hopefully in January or February so it will give us another non-conference opportunity," he said in his post-game radio interview.

I didn't think Bigheaded East teams played in-state rivals from other conferences. Doesn't Willard believe the road to the Bigheaded East championship runs through South Orange?

[ramster]

[RhodyRam86]

I know this won’t happen, but I would love to see that blowhard come crawling back and beg URI for a game to help fill their schedule. And if I’m URI I absolutely accept...on one condition...this would now be PC’s home game and next year it’s back to the RC.