What Would You Do?

[Pablo]

What would you do if you continue to be dissatisfied with the direction of the program? Now, here are my basic assumptions:

(1) The AD reads this board and is sensitive to the potential loss of season tickets or the reduction in Patriot Club donations; and

(2) As posters, we represent the views of many of the season ticket holders as well as students who regularly attend games.

As discussed on this board, I believe that the current situation is fixable if Coach Hewitt would replace a current assistant with a good X's and O's guy (preferably one who has been a head coach at some level). So, unless I see a marked improvement in the quality of play during the remainder of the season or the hiring of a good bench coach to assist Hewitt, I will terminate my season tickets after more than 2 decades.

So, what would you do?

 

[gmu05]

Solution: hire a real coach and not TOC's golf buddy.

 

[gmutom]

I still get a lot of enjoyment out of the experience of going to the games and hanging out in the Patriot Club, so I would only be spiting myself, my wife and my kids if I didn't renew my season tickets as some kind of protest.

My son and daughter are 10 and 8, respectively, so they don't live and die by the results of each game. Even we we lose, they still have a good time watching the game, the band and the cheerleaders.

The downside to the team playing bad is they have learned a lot of new bad words from the guys sitting a few rows behind us in section 117. haha

 

[Leesburg Chankenstank III]

I am all for boycotting Mason games because of that idiot O'Connor and his lacky Hewitt. Anyone who does so is 100% justified.

Unfortunately, I couldn't do that even if my life depended on it. It's dumb asses like me that is part of the problem because no matter how bad this program is, I will keep coming back.

 

[The Great PATSby]

Boycotting Mason Basketball will only but hurt our program. Donations and attendance are a huge factor in pushing towards and maintaining a higher level of basketball. I understand we're trying to get a message across but that can be done be via letters, petitions, talking to high ranking Mason officials etc.

I have no idea what our assistants do behind the scenes so my opinion on this matter would be completely unwarranted. But I would guess the first one out would have to be Houston. He's the highest paid assistant. He seems he's not very involved during games. So far Copes has been a bust so if we lose him as a package deal, so be it.

Establish Team Leadership. Does this team even have captains? A huge problem is none of our 3 remaining Seniors are real vocal leaders. If not already happened, have a private meeting and make them fully aware of their responsibilities as veterans and seniors. This should be done every year over the Summer before the season starts.

Bench Anali permanently. No explanation needed. Replace J2 with Jenkins as a starter. Take players out of the game for making a bad play. Example... rushing a 3 point fade away shot with a defender in his face with plenty on the shot clock.

 

[mason89]

I lived through the Nestor and Westhead years, so this is nothing. Although I'm not thrilled with the current results (still not over last night's game), at least Hewitt runs a clean program of which I can be proud. I plan to continue to support my team and school.

 

[Pablo]

These are basically the responses that I expected, which I fully understand and appreciate. But, FWIW, this is my understanding of the Westhead firing from someone I consider to be a very reliable source:

Some of the season ticket holders made it quite clear to AD O'Connor that they would terminate their support for the program if Westhead wasn't fired (I'm guessing that this excluded the posters on this board). The AD appreciated the urgency of the situation and recommended the firing to President Merten . In fact, his first recommendation was during Westhead's third season when it was evident that Westhead would not modify his system to be successful here. Merten, however, was not prepared to fire Westhead until after his 4th season (with 1 remaining year on the contract).

Now, I know that Westhead's situation is different than Hewitt's. Not only is Hewitt's salary much higher, but his record here is much better than Westhead's. But, I strongly believe that AD O'Connor has always tried to ensure a successful basketball program here and will not be indecisive if a change is needed.

 

[Patriotfan49]

I may have been a bit early on it, but I really was thinking not to renew my tickets. The only reason I did was to check out the A10. After a year like its shaping up to be....I am not being convinced to renew next year, especially if Hewitt is still around.

Ill write my donation check to another part of the school. Ill send it to the Green Machine, or the CHSS. They will use it better.

 

[patriot2000]

Boycotting Mason Basketball will only but hurt our program. Donations and attendance are a huge factor in pushing towards and maintaining a higher level of basketball. I understand we're trying to get a message across but that can be done be via letters, petitions, talking to high ranking Mason officials etc.

Letters, petitions, and talking get no message across without the threat of lost revenue.

Sent from my Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk

 

[Patriotfan49]

Letters, petitions, and talking get no message across without the threat of lost revenue.

Sent from my Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk

Ive written TOC before and told him I was not renewing before and Ill I got was a general response. Threatening doesnt do anything, gotta back it up! Take your money elsewhere

 

[MasonFanatic]

Skeeters is supposedly a defense coach, or that's what he was marketed as at USF.

 

[MasonFanatic]

Given my currently small contribution, I would take the opposite approach: if we can field a better program and stop going in circles making the same correctable mistakes, I would absolutely increase my donation.

 

[GSII]

Don't buy cars from a McKay dealership. Tell them how you feel and see what happens.

 

[GMUSig03]

I think GSII is on to something, TOC may not listen to us, but I'll bet he listens to Kathy.

 

[MASONscott]

Respectfully to the donors to the program which I am guessing is a majority of alumni on these boards and I guess now sponsors - I strongly disagree with the thinking on this thread...

Considering where we all want this program to be - threatening to reduce contributions or knocking on sponsors seems like a quick road to do more damage to the program than good. I understand the carrot and stick implications, but it seems a bit careless.

We are already behind the majority of institutions that we aspire to emulate/compete with when it comes to contributions.

If this was Alabama football maybe this approach works. Sponsors don't fall from the sky in hopes of watching national championships. Instead, they get to advertise to 4000 a game, not 400,000 a game.

Improvement of the program and if needed added professional coaching talent is a great goal. But, there has got to be a better path.

 

[GMUSSTN]

I suppose I'll give Hewitt one more year. I take into account that Wright, Allen, J2 were not Hewitt recruits and who know is Coach L was still here if Wright would be expected to take on the leadership role we're all expecting from him. That being said, it's about the only factor for which Hewitt receives the benefit of my doubt.

But one more year of this and I'm not sure if it'll be worth it for me. If I don't manage to leave work early it can take over an hour to get to Fairfax--a very stressful hour, which doesn't feel worth it when we blow 17 point leads.

The biggest thing is that there's no improvement. We've been a consistently weird team since Hewitt showed up, incapable of blowing teams out, surrendering huge leads, playing every game down to the wire. Yeah, we win, but winning by 3 is different than winning by 13--and you're sure as hell going to win more games if you can manage a 13 point lead vs. managing a 3 point lead.

This team is loaded with players who have had enough Hewitt under their belts to start making sense, and I haven't really seen anyone figuring it out. It's just not entertaining basketball, for the most part. And in the end that's what I'm paying for--entertainment. If Hewitt can't deliver that I'll take my money elsewhere.

 

[mkaufman1]

I think the biggest thing (and I hate saying this) is patience and wait and see. Yes the trend right now is not so great, but with a new league, and an experienced roster and it being only 8 games in, we have to see what this team does against tougher competition. If we see the same mistakes and losses in the A-10 (maybe even worse) then its obvious something is not clicking and it falls on Hewitt. I think we will have a fair assessment after this year more than the first two because of the amount of experience returning. If things stay the same, which is possible, I hope its noticed by the high ups and they consider options.

As far as pulling away donations etc, that doesnt help the program. I donated a little more than usual because of the A-10 move and was proud of the decision. I dont know if I will be able to keep it at that level for personal reasons, but a winning season certainly gives me more reason to keep it at that level. I'll still donate something however and dont plan on giving up my season tickets, ever.

 

[GMUSSTN]

... and dont plan on giving up my season tickets, ever.

Next year they should send them in Albatross-shaped folders complete with chain for wearing around one's neck.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

Don't buy cars from a McKay dealership. Tell them how you feel and see what happens.

Not a smart move - punish one of the large donors to the athletic program and the school????? Really? Using that logic - we might as well advocate torching the Patriot Center and burn it to the ground - that will teach 'em and make things much better. If you want to get a better coach it might take more money - looking at that reality you will need to donate more not less.

Fact is the only thing we can do is have patience and see what next year looks like. Odds are we will have a 20+ win season and it won't be bad enough reason to discharge someone. However, Next year will be the make or break year - when TOC should start looking for a replacement if we end up middle of the road.

 

[EXpatriot13]

Fact is the only thing we can do is have patience and see what next year looks like. Odds are we will have a 20+ win season and it won't be bad enough reason to discharge someone. However, Next year will be the make or break year - when TOC should start looking for a replacement if we end up middle of the road.

20+ wins next season?! how??? We aren't going to come close to winning 20 games this season with a veteran team.