Countdown to Hewitt's Next Longevity Bonus

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

I was fine with rolling the dice on Hewitt but the worst thing you can do is overbid on a free agent where you're the only one bidding.

 

[wijg]

This is sports, it's not about found financial decisions (if it were, we wouldn't have jumped to the A10 with Hewitt as our coach, that's for sure, nor would James Madison have a $36 million athletics budget). Stop thinking of your pocketbook. This is about optics and the appearance of doing due diligence.

Yes, it is sports, which means the money should be spent wisely to make the team better. That is $85k that could be put towards hiring a winning coach.

Your willingness to waste other people's money is astounding and speaks volumes about you.

 

[wijg]

Fascinating. If terminated, it requires Hewitt to make a reasonable effort to find another sports or media related job, and if he does, his salary obtained from such a job is supposed to offset the remaining amount Mason owes him. (See bottom of page 23)

That is interesting. It means he may have to work next year, somewhere , regardless. It at least gives the AD a tiny crack with which to open the door to a buyout at a reduced amount. It is a long shot, but still a shot.

The $85k could be used as additional leverage if they get started soon.

 

[Walter]

Here is the deal. With that clause, I take it that Hewitt wanted to be fired before March 1 if things were not working out. He didn't want to be bothered with the preparation of a conference tournament if the plans were to fire him.

So fire him. NOW

 

[GMUgemini]

Yes, it is sports, which means the money should be spent wisely to make the team better. That is $85k that could be put towards hiring a winning coach.

Your willingness to waste other people's money is astounding and speaks volumes about you.

Oh please. Davidson spends about 40 percent less than we do on basketball. Tell me about "spending money to make the basketball team better some more."

 

[wijg]

Oh please. Davidson spends about 40 percent less than we do on basketball. Tell me about "spending money to make the basketball team better some more."

So your solution is to waste more?

Might I suggest a position in our federal government, where your attitude would fit right in...

 

[gmujim92]

Gemini is down with $1,000 hammers. Get him a job at DoD,

 

[PoorManProfit]

I'm not sure if Hewitt will be back next year, or not. However, if the new AD chooses to fire him he owes PH a LOT of $ for the 2015-16 season. I just don't think a paltry $85K and March 1st, 2015 deadline moves the needle at all.

 

[Pablo]

Fascinating. If terminated, it requires Hewitt to make a reasonable effort to find another sports or media related job, and if he does, his salary obtained from such a job is supposed to offset the remaining amount Mason owes him. (See bottom of page 23)

Evidently, someone at Mason actually considered the possibility that Hewitt would be fired!

 

[Cool Disco Dan]

I'm not sure if Hewitt will be back next year, or not. However, if the new AD chooses to fire him he owes PH a LOT of $ for the 2015-16 season. I just don't think a paltry $85K and March 1st, 2015 deadline moves the needle at all.

He's owed $650K regardless of what happens. If we go hire a new coach for 450-500, 85K covers ~20% of the cost. If money is tight, use it effectively.

 

[GSII]

Contract states that if Hewitt leaves for another job or media job, he owes the school damages and damages could be paid monthly. So, perhaps that means we will pay him monthly too when fired. Which would free up a higher salary for the new guy.

 

[patriotchild]

I see your point. I'm just paranoid everything will dry up and we'll just fade away to Fordhamness.

Aren't we already at this point? 1 game apart this year and likely headed to a basement showdown. Lost to them in the conference tournament last year... But sure, let's be polite and not pull donations and not wear paper bags to games etc. It really worked for us in the past when we wanted facility upgrades etc.

Bottom line is that there is no good answer. If you want to ratchet up pressure on CA and BE fans will have to do some "impolite" things. We all enjoyed the WaPo article because it brought public pressure. More pictures of empty stands or fans with bags on their head (or whatever) will get that point across in a very public way or, if you'd prefer to be less public, you can pull a donation (it doesn't have to be for forever).

If these sorts of things don't work, we'll know where we stand and go back to hoping and praying we run into another "magical" moment. Once that is made clear, we can resume donations and politely emailing the AD and know we are bound for obscurity.

 

[Walter]

I have it on good authority that this is a picture of Hewitt's agent.

 

[gmutom]

Walter, I was picturing Saul from "Breaking Bad" fame (and now "Better Call Saul").

 

[Quentin Daniels]

I have it on good authority that this is a picture of Hewitt's agent.

View attachment 211

I heard it was this guy.

 

[GMUgemini]

Gemini is down with $1,000 hammers. Get him a job at DoD,

No. I just don't agree with wijg's strategy of deciding to pull his donation if Hewitt makes it past March 1. You would agree that Edwards might know what he's doing a little more than you or I or Wijg, yes?

 

[MasonFanatic]

Contract states that if Hewitt leaves for another job or media job, he owes the school damages and damages could be paid monthly. So, perhaps that means we will pay him monthly too when fired. Which would free up a higher salary for the new guy.

Contract states that, if fired, he would continue to be paid on the school's normal payroll cycle.

 

[Walter]

No. I just don't agree with wijg's strategy of deciding to pull his donation if Hewitt makes it past March 1. You would agree that Edwards might know what he's doing a little more than you or I or Wijg, yes?

O'Connor didn't. Edwards is getting a pass so far. I may reevaluate on March 1.

 

[wijg]

No. I just don't agree with wijg's strategy of deciding to pull his donation if Hewitt makes it past March 1. You would agree that Edwards might know what he's doing a little more than you or I or Wijg, yes?

Again, what I am saying, is IF he is fired shortly after our exit from the A10 tourney, possibly as early as March 11, hasn't what got him fired already occurred by March 1? If so, why just throw the $85k away? It makes no sense. I have heard no credible argument for keeping him for 1 and half weeks, thereby costing the school $85k. That is mishandling of the available budget.

Now, in the above scenario where Hewitt is going to be fired, if Edwards manages to pull a rabbit out of his hat, and get Hewitt to resign, with some deal to that reduces what the school owes Hewitt for next year, to something below what can be saved by releasing him before the longevity bonus, I am all for it, but that is not the scenario I put forward.

I would hope Edwards knows what he is doing more so than me, but, if my original scenario came to be, that would create a huge doubt in my head.

 

[wijg]

I'm not sure if Hewitt will be back next year, or not. However, if the new AD chooses to fire him he owes PH a LOT of $ for the 2015-16 season. I just don't think a paltry $85K and March 1st, 2015 deadline moves the needle at all.

That is similar to Gemini's argument. Yet, Gemini does not agree with my strategy of pulling my donation. If it doesn't move the needle, then my donation certainly won't either, so they don't need it, which goes back to my original premise.

Mason does not get my donations as a matter of course. They have to show that they are worthy of receiving my hard earned money. If they operate in a manner that I find to be fiscally irresponsible, then some other organization that I feel is more responsible will get it.

If you like to give money to an organization that throws away hard to come by cash, that is your prerogative. I would just like you to consider throwing some of it to the wijg foundation if you are fine with with it being thrown away. I am confident that I can throw it away with the best of them.