Brad Edwards Named New Athletic Director

[gmujim92]

Jim,

If your prediction actually happens (and I must admit that I've thought about the possibility), who would you recommend as the interim coach?

Probably won't matter that much because the season will be mostly over by that point, but I'd give it to Houston if he'd agree to stay. He's by far the most experienced and qualified to serve as HC, even on an interim basis.

 

[Vurbel]

Jim,

If your prediction actually happens (and I must admit that I've thought about the possibility), who would you recommend as the interim coach?

Houston. And then steal mike Rhoades from Rice in April.

 

[Pablo]

Probably won't matter that much because the season will be mostly over by that point, but I'd give it to Houston if he'd agree to stay. He's by far the most experienced and qualified to serve as HC, even on an interim basis.

I believe that Houston is the only assistant with no head coaching experience at any level. So, I'd select one of the other assistants as the interim coach for the remainder of the season.

 

[Walter]

Rhoades isn't leaving Rice to come to Mason. I realize you were probably joking but at best we will have to go after a hot assistant or a lower level HC.

 

[gmujim92]

Rhoades isn't leaving Rice to come to Mason. I realize you were probably joking but at best we will have to go after a hot assistant or a lower level HC.

If we wanted Rhoades, we would've had to cut Hewitt loose after last season.

But there are still going to be dozens of young up-and-coming guys who would jump at the opportunity to coach in the A-10 -- especially for a school that sits in the nation's most fertile recruiting territory and has a Final Four banner hanging in the rafters.

If we could get Andy Toole, that would be a very nice move. He's enough of a "name" that I could see our young guys staying to play for him instead of transferring.

 

[Walter]

What exactly will TOC's fundraising role be from now till January? Has this been clarified?

He would be raising funds, i.e., continue to receive a paycheck, to sweeten his retirement.

 

[Pablo]

He would be raising funds, i.e., continue to receive a paycheck, to sweeten his retirement.

To be clear, TOC is retiring from Mason but is still president of his consulting firm - see
http://athleticsolutionsllc.com/.

 

[Walter]

To be clear, TOC is retiring from Mason but is still president of his consulting firm - see
http://athleticsolutionsllc.com/.

But isn't he on the Mason teat until the end of the year?

 

[Pablo]

http://masonwrestling.wordpress.com/?DB_OEM_ID=25200:

"Our new athletic director, Brad Edwards, has only been on the job for one month but he is already having an impact. Our senior administration have spent numerous hours coming up with a strategic plan for the department. I am excited for the future of George Mason athletics."

 

[Pikapppatri8]

Nice to the other parts if the AD organization recognizing Brad's leadership

 

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

The man has a very effective method of fundraising. Can be extremely painful if you answer "yes" to "You looked like you played some receiver."

I've also heard, "Moose (Meyer), Rocko (Ruge), help the judge find his checkbook."

 

[sigmanorm]

We had Brad Edwards out to our youth football practice to talk to the kids. He was great with the kids. Oh yeah and when I introduced him I dropped in a little Mason football plea

 

[Vurbel]

He really seems like a bright guy and a great hire. Glad to have him on board!

 

[GSII]

I get a sense Mason will have football soon. Or they will push BE out.

 

[Vurbel]

I get a sense Mason will have football soon. Or they will push BE out.

Realistically, don't see it happening soon.

 

[gmujim92]

Realistically, don't see it happening soon.

I don't either, but you don't hire a "football guy" unless you have serious intentions of adding football when the financial resources become available to do so.

If Edwards is as effective a rainmaker as his billing suggests, who knows what the timetable could be?

 

[Pablo]

I don't either, but you don't hire a "football guy" unless you have serious intentions of adding football when the financial resources become available to do so.

If Edwards is as effective a rainmaker as his billing suggests, who knows what the timetable could be?

I don't know about "serious intentions of adding football". But, if it doesn't happen with Edwards as the AD, I would assume that the door will be permanently closed.

 

[gmujim92]

I don't know about "serious intentions of adding football". But, if it doesn't happen with Edwards as the AD, I would assume that the door will be permanently closed.

There were too many other qualified candidates available to replace TOC to think that hiring a former NFL player as AD was merely coincidence.

Add in the university's effort to create a residential atmosphere on campus and get rid of the "commuter school" stigma, and I think it's safe to say that football is inevitable.

If the money to start football landed in Edwards' lap tomorrow, I have no doubt that he'd act on it immediately.

 

[GMURaider]

To the pro-football folks:

1. How many fans do Georgetown or Howard draw for their teams?
2. What makes you think we wouldn't see similar fan apathy?

 

[gmujim92]

To the pro-football folks:

1. How many fans do Georgetown or Howard draw for their teams?
2. What makes you think we wouldn't see similar fan apathy?

1. Don't know, don't care.

2. Because if we do add football, we're going FBS as quickly as possible. We're not going to invest millions in starting up a football program to play on a level that's irrelevant to the vast majority of fans. We're especially not going to do that while trying to create a fan base in the DMV, which already has plenty of competition. That would be stupid as hell.

I have a question for you in return: Why would you compare Mason to Georgetown or Howard when we have next-to-nothing in common with either of those schools? Seems that your goal is to further an anti-football agenda.