Fire Dave Paulsen / Hire Tony Skinn

GMUSSTN

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GIVING DAY 2023
I can't imagine NOT wanting to see an NCAA appearance. I think it's time to move on from Paulsen too but we don't have to be dopes about it.

Miller, Oduro, and Kolek as a top 3... could do (and have done) a lot worse. Can't wait to overhype the fellas again next year.

Miller/Oduro/Kolek plus some grad transfers (pause for laughter) would mean that Dave actually did good things that got us to a level where we could sneak in an A10 tournament win. I think that if we were going to wind up in a Matt Brady scenario it would have happened this year with the more experienced roster.

Either way, my interest in the program was already toned way down on account of the fact that I am now 6 hours behind Fairfax's time zone. Keeping Dave is just the sign I needed to spend more time on the beach and less time on the couch watching basketball.
 

gmubrian

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I can't imagine NOT wanting to see an NCAA appearance. I think it's time to move on from Paulsen too but we don't have to be dopes about it.

Miller, Oduro, and Kolek as a top 3... could do (and have done) a lot worse. Can't wait to overhype the fellas again next year.
We are not the one's being dopes about it. That award goes to Brad (and Mason). I don't think anyone is saying they don't want an NCAA appearance, the problem is that if we do go to the tournament next year, DP will likely be here for quite some time. Mishandling this situation the way Mason is seemingly doing means we are stuck with hypotheticals of the form: if Paulsen finishes in last place next year we get a new coach, if he goes to the NCAA we are stuck with him for at least 5 more years. That does not seem like a good decision making process and putting the future of the program in management's hands. It seems to be putting it in the random luck of Paulsen striking gold in a down A10 year.

Not that I would root against us, but if I was forced to choose between those two outcomes, my choice would probably be to suck next year and get a new coach. At least with that, I have the hope that things might change.

But, then again, that may be false hope. So, maybe we should just be honest with ourselves, keep Paulsen for his lifetime. If Mason is still behind Paulsen they should extend him for multiple years. That way, all Mason fans would be able to make decisions on how much to support Mason and know what to expect without the false hope of a change in the near future.
 
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GMUgemini

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We are not the one's being dopes about it. That award goes to Brad (and Mason). I don't think anyone is saying they don't want an NCAA appearance, the problem is that if we do go to the tournament next year, DP will likely be here for quite some time. Mishandling this situation the way Mason is seemingly doing means we are stuck with hypotheticals of the form: if Paulsen finishes in last place next year we get a new coach, if he goes to the NCAA we are stuck with him for at least 5 more years. That does not seem like a good decision making progress and putting the future of the program in management's hands. It seems to be putting it in the random luck of Paulsen striking gold in a down A10 year.

Not that I would root against us, but if I was forced to choose between those two outcomes, my choice would probably be to suck next year and get a new coach. At least with that, I have the hope that things might change.

But, then again, that may be false hope. So, maybe we should just be honest with ourselves, keep Paulsen for his lifetime. If Mason is still behind Paulsen they should extend him for multipole years. That way, all Mason fans would be able to make decisions on how much to support Mason and know what to expect without the false hope of a change in the near future.

Retaining a coach should never be made based on one season, is the issue here. There is a seven year body of work that should be looked at.

And like I said, if we are stuck with a decent winning percentage and top 7 placement in the A10 but we are somewhere in the 125-150 range of teams because we scheduled a weak OOC and our conference is down, what is then the criteria for saying he stays or goes? That’s the scary part to me.
 

Patriot8

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Seriously don't think anyone needs to worry about this team making an NCAA appearance next season.

Everything would have to go right.

1) Greene returns
2) Henry develops and plays at a high level on both ends
3) Polite takes the lead guard spot and never looks back
4) 1-2 impact grad transfers, ideally a frontcourt player & a shooter (impact=consistent/effective starter)
5) The OOC schedule includes 3-4 respectable games, with 2-3 wins
 

GMUgemini

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Seriously don't think anyone needs to worry about this team making an NCAA appearance next season.

Everything would have to go right.

1) Greene returns
2) Henry develops and plays at a high level on both ends
3) Polite takes the lead guard spot and never looks back
4) 1-2 impact grad transfers, ideally a frontcourt player & a shooter (impact=consistent/effective starter)
5) The OOC schedule includes 3-4 respectable games, with 2-3 wins

No, but I could foresee a scenario where r go 10-2 against a really crappy OOC and wind up 10-8 in a down year for the A10 finishing 6th or 7th. But our NET doesn’t crack 100 and we have no shot at a postseason unless we win the conference tournament. What does Brad do with a 20-10 season? Just keep rolling over the contract year over year either hoping for a breakthrough or a collapse?
 

mkaufman1

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Seriously don't think anyone needs to worry about this team making an NCAA appearance next season.

Everything would have to go right.

1) Greene returns
2) Henry develops and plays at a high level on both ends
3) Polite takes the lead guard spot and never looks back
4) 1-2 impact grad transfers, ideally a frontcourt player & a shooter (impact=consistent/effective starter)
5) The OOC schedule includes 3-4 respectable games, with 2-3 wins

This is reality. Dave isn't going to magically warp into an A10 tactician overnight, someone who takes transfers and someone who schedules real games and compiles a respectable schedule. The fact is that its going to be more of the same next year, its just that lots of us won't be paying much attention and we'll be back here probably a year from now wondering who our coach is.

This isn't being negative, these are the facts. We've all had it with Dave, we've all broken it down. Maybe in 2 years we can finally talk about a path to the NCAAs or being top 4 in the A10. For now it'll be the same cupcake schedule, .500 in conference and placing 6-9th place with no shot at the NIT.
 

GSII

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Plus our players aren't used to winning the "big games".
 
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tblack33

tblack33

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Plus our players aren't used to winning the "big games".
Very true. Defending how you define it, I would say our team hasn’t even played a big game under Paulsen. Big game meaning post season implications seriously on the line, not cakewalking the blind and deaf sisters of the Chesapeake bay on our way to the slaughterhouse in the A10 quarters.
 

mkaufman1

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Very true. Defending how you define it, I would say our team hasn’t even played a big game under Paulsen. Big game meaning post season implications seriously on the line, not cakewalking the blind and deaf sisters of the Chesapeake bay on our way to the slaughterhouse in the A10 quarters.

there’s been a few games. They were close to top4 in year 4 and had like 2 home games to close the deal I think.
 

By George.

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Bryan and Tyler what's his name could have not have had less of a pulse on the program. Hilarious

Well, my intel was wrong, they have since texted me to apologize. I believe the decision took Brad some extra time to make. Maybe someone stepped in and donated the necessary funds. We’ll find out soon.
 
This is something that originated new...

I would pray it's because we have a plan for someone but since that's generally not how it works I would guess it's something with the players or something DP couldn't agree to regarding BE new "stipulations."

Javon news same day makes you wonder, cause I heard was a pretty good bet he might stay (still might, I suppose)
 

TweederGMU

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I don't think Javon wanted to play under DP anymore. Seems they clashed too many times but all speculation on my part from what had taken place this year.

Brad has to have something up his sleeve if he is making a change. A person or plan is most likely in mind.

Orrrr Brad wanted to keep this quiet and not let anyone know in the AD he was going to pull the trigger since some of the GMU AD sources have more leaks in them than the Iraqi Navy.
 
I don't think Javon wanted to play under DP anymore. Seems they clashed too many times but all speculation on my part from what had taken place this year.

Brad has to have something up his sleeve if he is making a change. A person or plan is most likely in mind.

Orrrr Brad wanted to keep this quiet and not let anyone know in the AD he was going to pull the trigger since some of the GMU AD sources have more leaks in them than the Iraqi Navy.

I mean, you would think BE's evaluation didn't take this long but maybe honest to God he was unsure we wouldn't make the NIT or some obviously wrong thought like that.

I still think it was something that happened this week....

But, hope you're right with a GUY and a PLAN already in motion.

F this search firm bullshit
 

FreeGunston12

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I mean, you would think BE's evaluation didn't take this long but maybe honest to God he was unsure we wouldn't make the NIT or some obviously wrong thought like that.

I still think it was something that happened this week....

But, hope you're right with a GUY and a PLAN already in motion.

F this search firm bullshit
For real. If you need a search firm for this hire, you shouldn't be an AD.
 

GSII

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I mean, you would think BE's evaluation didn't take this long but maybe honest to God he was unsure we wouldn't make the NIT or some obviously wrong thought like that.

I still think it was something that happened this week....

But, hope you're right with a GUY and a PLAN already in motion.

F this search firm bullshit
It wasn't decided this week.
 
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