News Mason Basketball Meet & Greet Set For Tuesday, Sept. 29th at EagleBank Arena

[gmujim92]

Were people on here expecting the facility to be built already? Edwards can do it and will but it takes time. Hard to get corp sponsors with the shit show they have been the last couple of years.

To be built already? No.

To have any public sign that there is movement in that direction? Yes.

Since this is Mason, I predict we'll still be talking about this very same topic 20 years from now.

 

[gmujim92]

Research and development done at research universities can bring in a strong amount of money.

None of which benefits athletics.

 

[Pablo]

I want a president who's willing to put money where his mouth is, like Michael Rao.

Actually, President Cabrera has put money where his mouth is. He's incurred the costs in leaving the CAA & firing Hewitt. Mason isn't even my school, and I seem to have a lot more confidence in its administration than you do.

 

[phoenix-arizona]

None of which benefits athletics.

And it shouldn't. I guess I was trying to say that a good professor doing strong research will bring tons of money into the university. True no one will go watch him do an experiment, like they will go watch a basketball team, but ultimately his research will bring money to the school, will increase the school's reputation. I mean, isn't that the point of the athletic program, to attract the best and brightest students?

So wouldn't be it be better to spend less on athletics and more on quality professors and adjuncts to create a university where stellar research is happening, as well as having well paid and not overworked adjuncts?

 

[MasonFanatic]

Brad Edwards has to get our current athletic facilities in order before he starts building new ones. And he's doing that. We have the field house renovations that were recently completed, as well as the new throwing field for the track and field teams. They're working on incremental changes at EagleBank Arena that can be done quickly. The turf is being replaced at the RAC football field. Phase 1 of the baseball stadium renovation should break ground soon. Etc. Money is being spent.

 

[gmujim92]

NM

 

[gmu05]

And it shouldn't. I guess I was trying to say that a good professor doing strong research will bring tons of money into the university. True no one will go watch him do an experiment, like they will go watch a basketball team, but ultimately his research will bring money to the school, will increase the school's reputation. I mean, isn't that the point of the athletic program, to attract the best and brightest students?

College athletics is an arms race right now when it comes to facilities, no offense but what you just said is what my mom would say about the subject. Do you honestly think the big ADs making top dollar with huge budgets are spending money on athletics to bring in the "best and brightest students?"

 

[gmujim92]

Brad Edwards has to get our current athletic facilities in order before he starts building new ones. And he's doing that. We have the field house renovations that were recently completed, as well as the new throwing field for the track and field teams. They're working on incremental changes at EagleBank Arena that can be done quickly. The turf is being replaced at the RAC football field. Phase 1 of the baseball stadium renovation should break ground soon. Etc. Money is being spent.

I guess it's just more a matter of philosophy, then.

This is probably going to make me sound like a giant A-hole, but men's basketball is the only Mason sport I care about. It's the only one that is a net revenue-generator for the university, and it in fact funds all of the other programs.

I believe facilities for the men's basketball program should come first, based simply on return on investment. Again, I'm sure others disagree.

 

[phoenix-arizona]

I know I am in the minority here, but I'd be okay if GMU de-emphasized sports, dropped to a lower league, division, if it meant that they could offer a stronger educational product (as a state university) to the citizens of Virginia.

I think there is a danger of an athletes arms race that would come at the expense of students' education, tuition.

 

[gmujim92]

I know I am in the minority here, but I'd be okay if GMU de-emphasized sports, dropped to a lower league, division, if it meant that they could offer a stronger educational product (as a state university) to the citizens of Virginia.

I think there is a danger of an athletes arms race that would come at the expense of students' education, tuition.

Isn't it mostly a case of knowing who you are and who you want to be?

If Mason's objective is to maximize its academic standing, to the exclusion of success in athletics, then our leaders should just come out and say that. People like myself would disagree and find other things to do with our time and money.

But if we're going to be in the A-10, and won't give the coaches of our flagship athletic program the tools they need to realistically compete for championships, that's disingenuous and frankly stupid.

All-in or nothing. As my boy Yoda once said, "Do or do not. There is no 'try.'"

 

[phoenix-arizona]

Fair enough. My problem will come when the university starts to decide to fund an aspect of the athletics' department over the needs of an academic program, or raising pay or lowering tuition

 

[GMUgemini]

It seems to me Edwards is trying to figure out what to do with EagleBank Arena, including building a new arena. I can't imagine that any real movement on major changes to the arena or a practice facility will happen until they decide to renovate or build a new facility.

 

[Pablo]

It seems to me Edwards is trying to figure out what to do with EagleBank Arena, including building a new arena. I can't imagine that any real movement on major changes to the arena or a practice facility will happen until they decide to renovate or build a new facility.

I hope that Mason does a renovation similar to UR's Robins Center - see https://www.google.com/search?q=university of richmond robins center renovation&rlz=1CASMAE_enUS525US525&espv=2&biw=1093&bih=526&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CD8QsARqFQoTCPP85PuwpMgCFYZxPgodS2QLJw&dpr=1.25#imgrc=6NZpK056_CUyoM:.

http://www.richmond.com/news/local/...cle_cf6f7262-3685-11e3-8dc6-0019bb30f31a.html

 

[Herndon]

I guess it's just more a matter of philosophy, then.

This is probably going to make me sound like a giant A-hole, but men's basketball is the only Mason sport I care about. It's the only one that is a net revenue-generator for the university, and it in fact funds all of the other programs.

I believe facilities for the men's basketball program should come first, based simply on return on investment. Again, I'm sure others disagree.

I agree, actually. I only took a few summer courses at Mason, so I don't REALLY care about the school's athletic program. I went to Mason games when I was a teenager, and so I follow the hoops team, and that's really my only attachment to the school. Sure I'd like to see a top notch university in the area, but basketball isn't just the front door to the school for me. It's really the only door.

That said, I STILL understand wanting to get some tangible wins on the board relatively quickly so you can establish an atmosphere of "getting stuff done". That sort of thing builds on itself.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

I want a president who's willing to put money where his mouth is, like Michael Rao.

Like Mason, vcu is also in the process of an ambitious growth and fundraising campaign. The university has transformed large swaths of Richmond by tearing down blighted properties and replacing them with dorms and academic buildings.

And yet, their athletic department was able to raise about $14 million in private donations for the new basketball practice facility that opens today.

I guess they're just better at multi-tasking than our folks are.

Jim - I agree with you in principle but to be build on Tom's post - it is easy to multi-task academic and campus development when the basketball team is hot. When Cabrera came in - he inherited a coach who took a dump on the entire program. Would you want to try to kick start a campaign for a practice facility when we had four asstacular years? If the program doesn't start well - it would die - probably permanently. Case in point - look at JMU - they have grand plans for an all new Convo predicated on private funding. Yet - they have Brady as coach that has done crap and are looking to keep him on for the foreseeable future. In that environment - you can bet the new Convo never comes. Hell - their football facility is half done.

If DP gets the program moving in the right direction - then a fundraising campaign makes perfect sense. Additionally - if the current Mason Campaign comes anywhere close to meeting expectations - it will provide room for funding a new practice facility. Your post ignores the shit show Carbrera and Edwards inherited and assumes that in that context you could just successfully walk into that campaign.

If Merten and O'Connor did right after the Final Four then it wouldn't be an issue. However, that did not happen and was not Cabrera's or Edwards fault. They are starting from the ground up.

 

[gmujim92]

Jim - I agree with you in principle but to be build on Tom's post - it is easy to multi-task academic and campus development when the basketball team is hot. When Cabrera came in - he inherited a coach who took a dump on the entire program. Would you want to try to kick start a campaign for a practice facility when we had four asstacular years? If the program doesn't start well - it would die - probably permanently. Case in point - look at JMU - they have grand plans for an all new Convo predicated on private funding. Yet - they have Brady as coach that has done crap and are looking to keep him on for the foreseeable future. In that environment - you can bet the new Convo never comes. Hell - their football facility is half done.

If DP gets the program moving in the right direction - then a fundraising campaign makes perfect sense. Additionally - if the current Mason Campaign comes anywhere close to meeting expectations - it will provide room for funding a new practice facility. Your post ignores the shit show Carbrera and Edwards inherited and assumes that in that context you could just successfully walk into that campaign.

If Merten and O'Connor did right after the Final Four then it wouldn't be an issue. However, that did not happen and was not Cabrera's or Edwards fault. They are starting from the ground up.

PiKapp, I concede the argument. Great post. Well done.

I guess I'm still in denial about how much damage the unholy trinity of Merten, TOC and Hewitt have done to our beloved program.

But your point was dead-on about trying to fundraise for a new facility when you're in the toilet.

We just have to hope DP can win big with fewer resources than the top A-10 programs. It's a much tougher task that Larranaga had in the CAA.

 

[GMU92]

I know I am in the minority here, but I'd be okay if GMU de-emphasized sports, dropped to a lower league, division, if it meant that they could offer a stronger educational product (as a state university) to the citizens of Virginia.

I think there is a danger of an athletes arms race that would come at the expense of students' education, tuition.

So we're the largest university in the state (roughly 35,000 real enrollment that is, not Liberty's 70,000 on-line students) and we can't fund the basics for a good A10 level basketball team, given that we've all but decided we will not have football in our lifetimes? (I know the president said he is open to the idea, but read Edwards recent statements....football is nowhere in the plans in the realistic future) A practice facility and enhancements to the support system for hoops is relatively light investment wise (and the administration knows it)...and remember that this will not entail Title IX impacts because both men's and women's hoops may use the facility. The real athletics arms race "budget busters" come when you try to reach competitive status in FBS (Division 1-A) football. This is when you start building 7 practice fields for no other reason than Alabama has them too (this has actually happened at some schools). That's not gonna happen here. I mean Ohio State and Texas spend millions more on football alone than we spend on our entire Athletic Dept. budget.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

PiKapp, I concede the argument. Great post. Well done.

I guess I'm still in denial about how much damage the unholy trinity of Merten, TOC and Hewitt have done to our beloved program.

But your point was dead-on about trying to fundraise for a new facility when you're in the toilet.

We just have to hope DP can win big with fewer resources than the top A-10 programs. It's a much tougher task that Larranaga had in the CAA.

Let me be clear - I agree with you. You are correct - I think they need to do the things you stated. So feel the Pikapp love on that.

I just think - given our current state - we have to crawl, walk, run. I have spoken to Cabrera and he gets it. He points to his hire of Brad and his statements and he understands from a marketing and media perspective what a winning college basketball program does in the Washington Metro area.
He really knows media and marketing.

But I was guilty of trying to keep a stiff upper lip regarding Hewitt and TOC. But they were a perfect storm of shit given what we could have achieved in 2007-2009 and then got hammered in 2010 when Coach Hell showed up.

 

[GSII]

Doesn't Delaware have a practice gym? When were they ever "hot" ? Same for UMass. I seriously doubt the horrible in game coach thats named Kelloog sparks the movement for a practice gym at umass. Heck, unless you are Coach K, I doubt many coaches hold much water vs the AD when it comes to building anything for the bball teams. Coaches come and go, especially at the A10 level. Caberra and Brad will build a practice gym for the student athletes benefit, not b/c we have a good coach.

 

[phoenix-arizona]

I understand universities use sports to build a community spirit and a financial return and that's fine. I'm not opposed to rational and reasonable requests. If GMU can spend some money to be top of the table in the A10 and it doesn't hurt the academic experience and reputation of the university, that's awesome .

I think I'm coming from a place that worried that in this country we sometimes put building athletics at the expense of the educational experiences and costs of students , if that makes sense