Dave Paulsen

[psyclone]

The Patriot Club just sent this out from the coach. He gives an honest summary of how things have gone so far and what he is trying to accomplish.

Dear Friends of Mason Basketball:


I wanted to take this opportunity to wish you the best this Holiday Season and to thank you for all your support of our men’s basketball program! It is an honor and a privilege to be the coach at Mason and our entire staff is working tirelessly to make certain that all of our players feel this same sense of honor and gratitude for the privilege to represent this great University.

As you are well aware, the first eleven games have offered a mixture of excellent performances and disappointing results. We have had mixed results in our effort to build a culture of accountability and discipline on and off the court. My promise to you remains the same as it was when I wrote at the beginning of the season – I cannot guarantee how many games our team will win, but I can promise a group that plays with great passion, energy, and connectedness and that improves during the course of the season.

I was struck by this thought from the great football coach Bill Walsh: “The culture precedes positive results. It doesn’t get tacked on as an afterthought on your way to the victory stand. Champions behave like champions before they’re champions; they have a winning standard of performance before they are winners.” I look forward to celebrating many championships with you in the months and years to come.

Happy Holidays!

Dave Paulsen

Men’s Basketball Coach

 

[Vurbel]

Well written. Excellent. PH would never have done anything like this.

 

[mkaufman1]

We written. Excellent. PH would never have done anything like this.

Hes still probably worried about the African prince that emails him asking for money.

 

[GSII]

Reading between the lines I'm getting this....

Dear Mason Nation,
The damage from The Virus is way worse than anyone thought. So please don't complain and give me time b/c what was left here was nothing close to a competitor, much less a champion. I'm sure guys like GSII and Gmutom and others will become frustrated and angry at our performances. I can relate b/c my passion is just as great. I just hope Jollay didn't make any bets on us to win games where he could end up sleeping on the sidewalk again. I assure you all, things are on the right track. If anyone has time, I'm usually under the student rafters drinking heavily around 8pm nightly. Just knock 3 times and yell f**k YOU HEWITT and the door will open.

PS..Congrats to Pikapps son on his acceptance to Mason. Maybe one day we can take a ride in the Abrams while we drink that good scotch of yours?

Regards,
DP

 

[Pablo]

http://www.gwhoops.com/default.aspx?mid=2ifhhwpi1:

"Coach Paulsen is very similar to our own ML. He will get guys that want to play and conduct themselves on and off the court consistent with his values. And he's not going to give a crap about what you or I think about it. He is another former DIII coach and he coached in the Patriot League. I expect GMU to struggle for a bit until he fills the roster with his guys. Then we can expect a rise because he is a very good coach."

 

[Pablo]

1. 
   Ashley Hill Retweeted
   Dave Paulsen ‏@PaulsenDave 9h9 hours ago
   “@Ashley_MHill: I feel like I'm the one in trouble when @PaulsenDave yells on the court #MasonMBB”. You are! Take care of the ball lol!!
   
   View conversation
   
   
2. 
   Ashley Hill ‏@Ashley_MHill 11h11 hours ago
   I feel like I'm the one in trouble when @PaulsenDave yells on the court #MasonMBB
   

 

[Pablo]

1. 
   By George. ‏@ByGeorgeMason 9h9 hours ago
   Coach said, he's never been a full court guy but that we will see some zone soon. He said he's proud of the teams half court man to man.
   
   
2. 
   By George. ‏@ByGeorgeMason 9h9 hours ago
   By George followers, you've probably noticed I have been critical of Mason's refusal to run zone or full court D. I asked Coach today.
   
   
   

 

[smccart5]

So besides being a Mason fan, I am also a Jets fan, and I feel their are a lot of similarities between the teams right now. Both have new coaches, and both have not only been bad the last few years, but also not respected and mocked organizations.

For both teams, there is a CLEAR culture change. And while neither team has an amazing record, the coach, and the players they have brought in, are actually respected.

This to me, particularly for my school, is about as important as a winning record. We all know that some seasons and games will be better than others, but knowing that people respect our program and how we conduct ourselves is a constant feeling of pride that a win/loss record cannot touch.

Really happy with this coach so far.

 

[99 Patriot]

Tonight as I returned home from Christmas Eve church I noticed a box on our front porch. I was relatively confident that I'd received everything I had ordered for presents, so I was curious what it may be. I could not have been more pleased with what I received.

Inside the box was a handwritten note from Coach Paulsen saying, "Just wanted to drop you a quick note to wish you a Merry Christmas and to thank you for your support of our men's basketball program. I am looking forward to better days on the court!" Inside the box was a sweet Mason Men's Basketball Adidas polo for me and a yellow long-sleeve Mason shirt for my wife.

Not that I was a flight risk, but gestures like this make it really easy to write a check and do all I can to support this program. Very, very impressed.

 

[Jack Strop]

Tonight as I returned home from Christmas Eve church I noticed a box on our front porch. I was relatively confident that I'd received everything I had ordered for presents, so I was curious what it may be. I could not have been more pleased with what I received.

Inside the box was a handwritten note from Coach Paulsen saying, "Just wanted to drop you a quick note to wish you a Merry Christmas and to thank you for your support of our men's basketball program. I am looking forward to better days on the court!" Inside the box was a sweet Mason Men's Basketball Adidas polo for me and a yellow long-sleeve Mason shirt for my wife.

Not that I was a flight risk, but gestures like this make it really easy to write a check and do all I can to support this program. Very, very impressed.

Hmmm... All I got was a rock.

 

[Bison137]

1. 
   By George. ‏@ByGeorgeMason 9h9 hours ago
   Coach said, he's never been a full court guy but that we will see some zone soon. He said he's proud of the teams half court man to man.
   
   
2. 
   By George. ‏@ByGeorgeMason 9h9 hours ago
   By George followers, you've probably noticed I have been critical of Mason's refusal to run zone or full court D. I asked Coach today.
   

In DP's seven seasons at Bucknell, they never played more than about 25 possessions of zone in a full season. Most seasons less than 10. I doubt you'll see as many as 25 - and probably less. When it comes, it will almost surely be some sort of junk defense - either a mediocre 1-3-1 or a triangle and two.

 

[By George.]

Do us all a huge favor and record the interview so we can hear how he responds to your coaching expertise. Thanks.

In case you missed it - Last couple questions start at 10:25...
http://www.atlantic10.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?mid=80313&db_oem_id=31600

 

[Cedric Dempsey]

In case you missed it - Last couple questions start at 10:25...
http://www.atlantic10.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?mid=80313&db_oem_id=31600

Pulitzer.

 

[liem.le.3388]

In case you missed it - Last couple questions start at 10:25...
http://www.atlantic10.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?mid=80313&db_oem_id=31600

Nice job, I look forward to more.

 

[psyclone]

Goff column on Paulsen's thoughts about where we are in the re-building process:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...581920-c6ad-11e5-b933-31c93021392a_story.html

 

[JimP]

Good article - read the dumb comment somebody left. Guy calls Paulsen a nobody. Idiot. Our last "no name" hire worked out pretty well. Actually, Paulsen came to Mason with a more impressive track record than L.

 

[psyclone]

Good article - read the dumb comment somebody left. Guy calls Paulsen a nobody. Idiot. Our last "no name" hire worked out pretty well. Actually, Paulsen came to Mason with a more impressive track record than L.

Agreed about both the article and the know-nothing comment writer.

Nice to have Goff back covering Mason once in a while, even though it's not likely to last beyond the GW game. Hard for the Post to assign a writer to a team that isn't a factor in the current A10 race when GW has some hopes for an NCAA bid.

 

[Cedric Dempsey]

Goff knows coaching. He see's DP with 400 career college wins through ascending path. It's not if this will get better it is when will it be news worthy.

 

[Raider_SPE]

Coach has started a new program which invites members of the Mason Staff and Faculty to be a Sideline Coach for the day.

Faculty and staff members who were chosen receive the entire basketball experience. They attend a practice the day before the game, watch pre-game prep, sit on the bench during the game, experience the huddles and sit in on a tape viewing.

The Patriot Club better be outside DP office right now asking for one of those home games to be used for a Season Ticket holder lottery, in which everyone can buy tickets.

As-side: are pay your way lotteries ok to do if you have a University owned "booster" program?

http://gmufourthestate.com/2016/02/04/paulsen-brings-sideline-coaching-program-to-mason/

 

[GMUSig03]

So that's who the Bernie Sanders look alike was on the bench against GW