Welcome Davonte "Ticket" Gaines

GreenLantern

Hall of Famer
⭐️ Donor ⭐️
I'm both living in the moment and keeping things real. No reason I can't get all hyped up given our recruiting has been a suckfest for so long. CKE will have to prove things down the road but I'm gonna celebrate what has been accomplished so far. Reality will hit again this fall and we'll be able to judge his coaching skills then.
 

mkaufman1

Administrator
Staff member
⭐️ Donor ⭐️
GIVING DAY 2023
You act as if we are expecting national championships every year. What most of us want is pretty reasonable: To at least be in the conversation every couple of years for post season play (NCAA OR NIT). Not that we make it every other year, just to be in the convo.

We have not been in the conversation for 11 years. I know you’re fine with that but I don’t think it’s outlandish not to be ok with it.

And by the way what’s wrong with living in the moment every once in a while? Yes there’s a chance we will be disappointed once the season starts but it hasn’t. The only thing we can be excited about now is the off-season and the chance to not perpetually suck.

So well said and I am with you. Even with what is perceived as a better head coach, nobody is expecting National Titles. But if you aren't going to be in the conversation for NCAA bids every so often, no need to be in the A-10.

To me, at least so far on paper, English is putting the program on a fast track to success. Whether that translates on the court? We'll see. But like I have said, I would be shocked if results on the court weren't good.

Of course its the offseason so we can start talking about Mason Football, Retiring numbers, and Eaglebank Arena upgrades if people want, but I much rather get excited about the quality of talent that has been brought in, in just a few short weeks.
 

FreeGunston12

All-American
Y'all are reading way too much into what Herndon said and bringing up irrelevant past comments. He's just calling it like he sees it. And I agree with him. This one is a wait and see for me too.
 

Herndon

All-Conference
You act as if we are expecting national championships every year. What most of us want is pretty reasonable: To at least be in the conversation every couple of years for post season play (NCAA OR NIT). Not that we make it every other year, just to be in the convo.

We have not been in the conversation for 11 years. I know you’re fine with that but I don’t think it’s outlandish not to be ok with it.

And by the way what’s wrong with living in the moment every once in a while? Yes there’s a chance we will be disappointed once the season starts but it hasn’t. The only thing we can be excited about now is the off-season and the chance to not perpetually suck.
I will say this much, and I think we can ALLLLLLLLLL agree on this one.

It's a hell of a lot more fun to be arguing about what our ceiling is than what our floor is, and it's better to be talking about transfers we got than transfers we didn't get.

Have an awesome weekend, you guys!
 

Falco

Hall of Famer
GIVING DAY 2023
If we’re going to keep doing this it would help if we knew what “program fundamentals” we are discussing. And since we are in a conference with private schools that don’t have to disclose what they pay their coaches and so on so forth, I don’t think we’re ever going to have a substantive understanding of where Mason “should” fall in the A-10 pecking order. It’s mostly based on outdated assumptions of how our program was operated prior to the arrival of Dr Washington.

Of course trying to temper fans’ excitement after 10 years in the wilderness is a fool’s errand but you do you...
This! New administration! Reading through the lines, it seems Dr. Washington understands the value of competitive athletics. Frankly I think he’s the one who wanted DP gone.
 

GMU79

All-American
⭐️ Donor ⭐️
GIVING DAY 2023
Speaking of tickets, I asked this in another thread, does anybody have a link to the site to purchase tics for next season, or is it even up yet? The Mason site only has 20-21.
 

GMU79

All-American
⭐️ Donor ⭐️
GIVING DAY 2023
This! New administration! Reading through the lines, it seems Dr. Washington understands the value of competitive athletics. Frankly I think he’s the one who wanted DP gone.
I think he realizes that a school's premier sports, if they are winners, are often the generator of alumni spirit and financial support. Not to mention revenue from TV, merch, etc. Students are also much more bought in to attendance and fan noise.
In many respects, successful sports are not the "side door" to a university, as Pres. Merten said, but the front door.
I don't really agree that that's the way it should be, but it is what it is.
 

Falco

Hall of Famer
GIVING DAY 2023
I think he realizes that a school's premier sports, if they are winners, are often the generator of alumni spirit and financial support. Not to mention revenue from TV, merch, etc. Students are also much more bought in to attendance and fan noise.
In many respects, successful sports are not the "side door" to a university, as Pres. Merten said, but the front door.
I don't really agree that that's the way it should be, but it is what it is.
Exactly! Dr Washington discussed in a interview how poor Mason’s endowment was.

I forget the exact quote, but he said something like, “Mason’s endowment is way below average and I plan to bring it to at least average”.

Athletics is would way to improve school pride and increase donations.
 

Pikapppatri8

Hall of Famer
⭐️ Donor ⭐️
GOLD SPONSOR
Exactly! Dr Washington discussed in a interview how poor Mason’s endowment was.

I forget the exact quote, but he said something like, “Mason’s endowment is way below average and I plan to bring it to at least average”.

Athletics is would way to improve school pride and increase donations.

A formula that works
 
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