Game 22: GMU (19-2 / 7-1) at St. Bonaventure (13-8 / 2-6) on Saturday, January 31, at 6:30 PM.

[NewPatriot]

Curran also comes across as well-spoken in interviews. That said, Mason wants to be big time, and I’m not sure the next hire should be a first-time head coach again..

vcu has maintained its position as a perennial power since Smart left in 2016 because it hired within the "Shaka Tree" by signing Will Wade and Mike Rhoades to establish "Havoc" as it's brand and program identity.

Conversely, Mason did the opposite by severing it's ties with the Larranaga tree and hiring a retread name Paul Hewitt who turned Mason into a dumpster fire

It's taken 15 years for this program to recover all the ground it lost and get back to this point.

To go outside the program and someone from the outside would be repeating the mistakes of history.

You spent years building the patriot pressure and then throw it away...that's the worst thing they could...hire from within and maintain the brand and identity of the program when the time comes.

 

[GMUgemini]

vcu has history before Shaka. I mean they have more NCAA tournament appearances before Shaka showed up than Mason has in its history. Hell, they were a 2 seed in 1985.
They are completely different than Mason.

The mistake Mason made was not going through a complete process. O’Connor saw a big name and went for the F you hire instead of doing a thorough national search.

 

[NewPatriot]

vcu has history before Shaka. I mean they have more NCAA tournament appearances before Shaka showed up than Mason has in its history. Hell, they were a 2 seed in 1985.
They are completely different than Mason.

The mistake Mason made was not going through a complete process. O’Connor saw a big name and went for the F you hire instead of doing a thorough national search.

After Barnett left, vcu pulled its own Paul Hewitt by hiring Mike Polio and then Hired a Sonny Smith who ship wrecked the program for 17 years...

It really wasn't until they hired Capel as a first time coach that they started climbing back toward respectability.

I would under no circumstances dump the Patriot Pressure brand and program DNA just established and start from scratch

The only 2 guys I would look from at the outside right now would be Jamal Brunt and Duane Simpkins..due to their ties with either Larranaga and Mason respectively.


Otherwise, I would hire Steve Curran...He should be the next head coach when the time comes.

 

[Patriotsince81]

Here's to hoping we don't have to hire anyone new for 20 years. Now back to the Bonnies.

 

[GMU79]

Here's to hoping we don't have to hire anyone new for 20 years. Now back to the Bonnies.

Yes, if we ever have a coach who is likely to stay long term, it is Tony.

 

[Ben Chwarmer]

vcu has maintained its position as a perennial power since Smart left in 2016 because it hired within the "Shaka Tree" by signing Will Wade and Mike Rhoades to establish "Havoc" as it's brand and program identity.

Conversely, Mason did the opposite by severing it's ties with the Larranaga tree and hiring a retread name Paul Hewitt who turned Mason into a dumpster fire

It's taken 15 years for this program to recover all the ground it lost and get back to this point.

To go outside the program and someone from the outside would be repeating the mistakes of history.

You spent years building the patriot pressure and then throw it away...that's the worst thing they could...hire from within and maintain the brand and identity of the program when the time comes.

I agree. I see a world where Skinn gives Mason 1 more year and takes the Georgetown job next cycle.

 

[Portlandian]

As long as it's not vcu, Florida, Maryland. Maybe he will come out west to Oregon and become a duck.

 

[Patriot Blue]

I agree. I see a world where Skinn gives Mason 1 more year and takes the Georgetown job next cycle.

Rutgers next year

 

[NewPatriot]

I agree. I see a world where Skinn gives Mason 1 more year and takes the Georgetown job next cycle.

Georgetown seems to be a land mine. Ultimately he bides his time a better job.

Whatever happens...the AD needs to commit to Patriot Pressure as the program and hire within the Skinn/Larranaga tree and build on the foundation established over the last 3 years if or when Tony leaves at some point.

 

[GunstonsGhost]

Had to do a double take on the subject. Thought I was in the Hate thread. I splash my beer in the general direction of you blasphemers!

 

[TweederGMU]

After Barnett left, vcu pulled its own Paul Hewitt by hiring Mike Polio and then Hired a Sonny Smith who ship wrecked the program for 17 years...

It really wasn't until they hired Capel as a first time coach that they started climbing back toward respectability.

I would under no circumstances dump the Patriot Pressure brand and program DNA just established and start from scratch

The only 2 guys I would look from at the outside right now would be Jamal Brunt and Duane Simpkins..due to their ties with either Larranaga and Mason respectively.


Otherwise, I would hire Steve Curran...He should be the next head coach when the time comes.

I went to Sonny Smith's basketball camp when I was like 12 or 13, early 90's, at the old Franklin street gym one summer, it's when he brought in Charles Barkley one day to speak to all of us.

Charles came and spoke after our games as we all got to ask him questions and take pictures and shoot around with him.... I remember shaking his hand and his hand was the size of my head. He was super nice. Still have a photo somewhere

 

[NewPatriot]

I went to Sonny Smith's basketball camp when I was like 12 or 13, early 90's, at the old Franklin street gym one summer, it's when he brought in Charles Barkley one day to speak to all of us.

Charles came and spoke after our games as we all got to ask him questions and take pictures and shoot around with him.... I remember shaking his hand and his hand was the size of my head. He was super nice. Still have a photo somewhere

What an Awesome experience that must have been! Meeting the Chuckster and Sonny!.

Don't get me wrong I love Sonny as a person!!! Great personality..

But I don't how he managed to lose to Richmond with an NBA HOF(Chuck) and an all star forward (Chuck Person) on the same team in the first round of the NCAA...granted the spider had Johnny Newman..but still..even worse..managing to play .500 ball for four straight years with Kendrick Warren!!!

 

[FlPatriot]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLrIw6KQc-8

What an Awesome experience that must have been! Meeting the Chuckster and Sonny!.

Don't get me wrong I love Sonny as a person!!! Great personality..

But I don't how he managed to lose to Richmond with an NBA HOF(Chuck) and an all star forward (Chuck Person) on the same team in the first round of the NCAA...granted the spider had Johnny Newman..but still..even worse..managing to play .500 ball for four straight years with Kendrick Warren!!!

Warren was a beast.