2200 days of Brad Edwards

[GMUgemini]

The interesting thing to me is that Mason has made such rapid progress in many areas that most alumni don’t know about (and wouldn’t care if they did), but steadfastly refuses to throw money at the one program — men’s basketball — that has put the university on the map more than any other.

I was thinking about this yesterday. While vcu has a world-class med school and renowned arts program, their identity is most closely associated with basketball.

What is Mason’s identity? It could be one of any number of things. But it sure ain’t basketball.

I suppose it depends on whose map you care about. There is academia, there is the business community, and then there are the laymen. In each category, what would put Mason on the map is different.

I also don't think they've purposefully neglected basketball, like you seem to be suggesting, but without raising student fees what they can do is limited. We need to increase contributions and increase revenue streams if we want to do anything, because Cabrera is philosophically against raising student fees any further to fund athletics. Maybe that changes if we make the NCAA (and win a game or two) and we need to come up with funding for Paulsen's salary (the way vcu raised student fees to fund Shaka Smart's salary), but we haven't had that problem yet.

I'm really curious to see 2018's numbers, because 2017 contributions were our highest ever, but we're still lagging behind URI and UMass, and we aren't anywhere close to vcu's numbers.

 

[GSII]

Other state universities play a role too. Maybe uva and vt dont want Mason to become what we want it too become.

 

[gmujim92]

I suppose it depends on whose map you care about. There is academia, there is the business community, and then there are the laymen. In each category, what would put Mason on the map is different.

I also don't think they've purposefully neglected basketball, like you seem to be suggesting, but without raising student fees what they can do is limited. We need to increase contributions and increase revenue streams if we want to do anything, because Cabrera is philosophically against raising student fees any further to fund athletics. Maybe that changes if we make the NCAA (and win a game or two) and we need to come up with funding for Paulsen's salary (the way vcu raised student fees to fund Shaka Smart's salary), but we haven't had that problem yet.

I'm really curious to see 2018's numbers, because 2017 contributions were our highest ever, but we're still lagging behind URI and UMass, and we aren't anywhere close to vcu's numbers.

I truly mean no offense to anyone in academia — providing quality education is the purpose of the university, after all — but while we pay lip service to arbitrary school rankings, the vast majority of alumni won’t be energized/motivated to donate if we jump even 50 spots in U.S. News and World Report.

Contrast that to 2006, when a highly publicized athletic achievement brought the entire university community together and finally gave Mason students, faculty and alumni something to thump our chests about.

And yet it seems that it’s not just our former administration that was unable/unwilling to recognize the opportunity for enormous ROI from success in men’s basketball.

Unfortunately, the university appears content to keep doing athletics on the cheap — relative to our peer institutions — while investing in other priorities that barely move the needle.

We’re never going to see significant increases in donations and attendance as long as that’s the case.

 

[MasonSAE4]

I suppose it depends on whose map you care about. There is academia, there is the business community, and then there are the laymen. In each category, what would put Mason on the map is different.

I also don't think they've purposefully neglected basketball, like you seem to be suggesting, but without raising student fees what they can do is limited. We need to increase contributions and increase revenue streams if we want to do anything, because Cabrera is philosophically against raising student fees any further to fund athletics. Maybe that changes if we make the NCAA (and win a game or two) and we need to come up with funding for Paulsen's salary (the way vcu raised student fees to fund Shaka Smart's salary), but we haven't had that problem yet.

I'm really curious to see 2018's numbers, because 2017 contributions were our highest ever, but we're still lagging behind URI and UMass, and we aren't anywhere close to vcu's numbers.

The latest BOV report indicates they are raising student fees for athletics. It doesn’t mention basketball specifically, but I can’t imagine crew is going to be the one reaping the benefits.

 

[Cedric Dempsey]

Other state universities play a role too. Maybe uva and vt dont want Mason to become what we want it too become.

No one is holding Mason back. Amazon deal demonstrates that with Mason matching the state investment of $100+ million. Mason is all in on that, as they should be. The facility is being developed. But it is a priority and Athletics is not. Simply in too good a location.

 

[Five Two]

Thomas Jefferson could come back and become UVA's president for the next 25 years and winning the national title a few weeks ago would still be # 1 for their alums. Its amazing to me how many UVA alums I work with. I've worked with some of these folks for almost a decade and had no idea they went to UVA until earlier in the month.

Brad should be judged like all other ADs- how many NCAA bids have his teams received and how much $$ is he bringing in. The rest is just noise.

 

[gmujim92]

Thomas Jefferson could come back and become UVA's president for the next 25 years and winning the national title a few weeks ago would still be # 1 for their alums. Its amazing to me how many UVA alums I work with. I've worked with some of these folks for almost a decade and had no idea they went to UVA until earlier in the month.

Brad should be judged like all other ADs- how many NCAA bids have his teams received and how much $$ is he bringing in. The rest is just noise.

But you can’t judge him in a vacuum: if athletics is not a priority to the president and BOV, it doesn’t matter who our AD is.

 

[GMUgemini]

The latest BOV report indicates they are raising student fees for athletics. It doesn’t mention basketball specifically, but I can’t imagine crew is going to be the one reaping the benefits.

Interesting.

From the May 2 meeting, looks like they are estimating the student fees will generate approximately $20 million for the athletic department. In 2017, it looks like they generated approx. $15 million. I wonder how that compares to 2018?

 

[Bricker]

We’re simply in too good a location.

I'm not buying the location excuse anymore. It's like a golfer flying the green on a pitch shot and claiming it was because he hit the ball too pure.

 

[Cedric Dempsey]

I'm not buying the location excuse anymore. It's like a golfer flying the green on a pitch shot and claiming it was because he hit the ball too pure.

It is not an excuse, rather a reality. Your BOV and administration could change the priority status at any time. They seem very comfortable with their tract. Remember, it seems important, but not a high priority. How much of the 2/3 of a billion dollar Capital Campaign went to Athletics? I’d be interested.

 

[gmujim92]

How much of the 2/3 of a billion dollar Capital Campaign went to Athletics? I’d be interested.[/QUOTE]

Not much, we can be sure of that. It’s going to dorms and academic buildings.

 

[GMUgemini]

How much of the 2/3 of a billion dollar Capital Campaign went to Athletics? I’d be interested.

Not much, we can be sure of that. It’s going to dorms and academic buildings.[/QUOTE]

This is what I see in the last capital request:

$2.5 million for the Aquatic and Fitness center repairs
$9.1 million for field house renovations
$4.4 million for baseball stadium renovations
$6.8 million for soccer stadium renovations
$6.9 million for Patriot Center addition, Phase III (not sure what that means).
$25 million for field house addition
$14 million for indoor practice facility addition

Total: $68.7 million.

I'm not sure how far along any of these projects are. This was from 2012.

The latest one for 2020 has no requests for capital funds related to Athletics (but the list is much, much shorter).

 

[MasonSAE4]

Brad should be judged like all other ADs- how many NCAA bids have his teams received and how much $$ is he bringing in. The rest is just noise.

It is not an excuse, rather a reality. Your BOV and administration could change the priority status at any time. They seem very comfortable with their tract. Remember, it seems important, but not a high priority. How much of the 2/3 of a billion dollar Capital Campaign went to Athletics? I’d be interested.[/QUOTE]
That’s not just general money to be spent as the board sees fit....it’s the total raised over a decade. I’d say 90% of those donations were earmarked by the donor for specific projects. It’s not like we raised 600 mil to do whatever we wanted and only gave peanuts to athletics.

 

[gmujim92]

That’s not just general money to be spent as the board sees fit....it’s the total raised over a decade. I’d say 90% of those donations were earmarked by the donor for specific projects. It’s not like we raised 600 mil to do whatever we wanted and only gave peanuts to athletics.

The result is still peanuts for athletics. Because it’s not a priority at Mason. And that’s just not smart strategic thinking if you care about giving alumni a reason to stay connected and donate.

 

[GMUgemini]

I’m a little confused about your argument, Jim. Are you saying Paulsen can’t get better recruits because we don’t have they kind of eye popping facilities that would convince a kid with a bunch of offers to come here and so we need to spend more money on facilities?

It’s an interesting thought experiment, but I don’t think, for instance, that GW, La Salle, Fordham, Duquesne or even St. Joes have superior facilities to us. I will definitely grant you UMass, SLU, Dayton, and vcu (although building wide, I still don’t think the Siegel Center is a better building — atmosphere, yes). The Ryan Center at URI is also a beautiful facility, but they don’t have a practice facility.

 

[ephoops]

Bucknell had the best facilities in the Patriot League during DP's tenure. Williams had the best facilities in the NESCAC when DP was there.

Ceteris paribus, better facilities help in recruiting.

 

[sleeperpick]

Bucknell had the best facilities in the Patriot League during DP's tenure. Williams had the best facilities in the NESCAC when DP was there.

Ceteris paribus, better facilities help in recruiting.

would you say Mason has better facilities than both of those schools though? I have never been to Bucknell, but I know for a fact Mason>>>>>>>>>>>>> Williams

 

[ephoops]

would you say Mason has better facilities than both of those schools though? I have never been to Bucknell, but I know for a fact Mason>>>>>>>>>>>>> Williams

Your frame of reference is off. It's irrelevant that Mason has better facilities compared to Bucknell or Williams.

How do Mason's facilities compare to other A-10 or certain P-5 teams? Mason certainly does not have the best facilities in the A-10 (more like middle of the pack) and it's facilities are at the bottom compared to P-5 schools.

 

[sleeperpick]

Your frame of reference is off. It's irrelevant that Mason has better facilities compared to Bucknell or Williams.

How do Mason's facilities compare to other A-10 or certain P-5 teams? Mason certainly does not have the best facilities in the A-10 (more like middle of the pack) and it's facilities are at the bottom compared to P-5 schools.

so the fact that Paulsen continues to recruit Patriot League/D2 level talent has to do with our facilities not being up to snuff within A-10? That does make sense.

 

[ephoops]

so the fact that Paulsen continues to recruit Patriot League/D2 level talent has to do with our facilities not being up to snuff within A-10? That does make sense.

The quality of facilities is one of many things that factor into recruiting.