WP: What Happened to George Mason Basketball?

[GSII]

Goff and I disagree the program is in a 'free fall'. The free fall was the Northeastern debacle and the vcu 32-4, and finishing 6th in crappy caa with a good roster. At this point the program has crashed and the search for surviors is getting started.

 

[smccart5]

Here is what the article says, for the record.

Guided by Jim Larranaga, the Patriots were the model for mid-majors after parlaying a 2006 at-large bid into a Final Four run, upsetting Michigan State, North Carolina and Connecticut along the way.
They were not going to return to the Final Four anytime soon, but that was okay with everyone involved because “the Final Four was a magical situation,” said Tom O’Connor, who retired last summer after 20 years as George Mason’s athletic director. “And that magic doesn’t happen every day.”

It is Goff asserting that everyone (including Larranaga) was okay with not returning to the Final 4, not TOC.

How does the quote "The Final Four was a magical situation. That magic doesn't happen every day." mean TOC was okay with mediocrity or believed it was luck? Hint--it doesn't.

Ok maybe he didn't say it was luck exactly, but calling something "magic" has a similar tone for me. It is also the fact of what wasn't said. I have not read or heard him say "we may not be in the FF every year, but this is the start to GMU being in the national conversation every year". The lack of a ballsy comment coupled with the seeming unwillingness of the university to truly improve the program, puts off a lackadaisical vibe by the whole administration. I think this is why me and so many are furious (along with the losing of course)

 

[psyclone]

Ok maybe he didn't say it was luck exactly, but calling something "magic" has a similar tone for me. It is also the fact of what wasn't said. I have not read or heard him say "we may not be in the FF every year, but this is the start to GMU being in the national conversation every year". The lack of a ballsy comment coupled with the seeming unwillingness of the university to truly improve the program, puts off a lackadaisical vibe by the whole administration. I think this is why me and so many are furious (along with the losing of course)

Perhaps...but I think you're overworking the "magic" TOC comment. I remember Larranaga referring any number of times to the "magic carpet ride" that was Mason's final four experience.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/24/AR2006032401831.html

So maybe he also was part of the conspiracy of being satisfied with mediocrity for Mason's basketball program?

 

[wijg]

How about another trip down memory lane - see http://www.caazone.com/boards/threads/if-larranaga-goes-go-get-amaker.106702/?

That was a hilarious read! I won't single anyone out since I was not posting in that time frame and would probably have said some stupid/funny things if I was. What I will say is that one person was pretty prophetic with this prediction:

"It's retread, or if we're lucky, up and comer time for us."

That was Patriot Lawdog. While his posts seemed as if maybe they were a little exaggerated for effect, in retrospect, his posts in that thread have pretty much hit the nail on the head.

 

[Walter]

http://www.caazone.com/boards/threads/larranaga-will-haunt-tom-oconnor-forever.124853/#post-1856112

My favorite all time thread.

 

[Quentin Daniels]

I love that you named the image TOC_Gay before uploading.

Incidentally, haven't had time to read the "What happened to GMU" article yet. Is it written positively or negatively about the program?

 

[Walter]

I love that you named the image TOC_Gay before uploading.

Incidentally, haven't had time to read the "What happened to GMU" article yet. Is it written positively or negatively about the program?

If I knew someone could read the name of the file I would have named it "Jollay admits to having gay sex with TOC.jpeg"

 

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

I have got to get my Ozone avatar back. Frankly I'd still like to use my Intimidating Brensy avatar but I will refrain unless given permission by one of the brothers.