Game 29: GMU (18-10 / 7-8) vs Duquesne (17-11 / 7-8) on Saturday, March 2, at 2:00 PM.

[tblack33]

I would start by dealing with it in the same way Archie Miller dealt with the Brayon Freeman situation. If someone wants to quit on the team before the season is over, they shouldn’t be in practice or in the locker room being a toxic presence to the rest of the team.

This 100%, if this is true we should show some backbone and show Hall the door, I don’t want to see him on the bench.

 

[Patriot Lawdog]

Everyone can have their opinion, but I will never support quitting on your teammates. I don’t feel bad for coaches because they jump ship all the time, but walking out on teammates is just a character flaw. If the rumors are true then good riddance.

 

[mkaufman1]

I’m with you guys. I’d be very surprised if Hall is on the bench the rest of the season. And he really shouldn’t be if this is all true. I wouldn’t allow it if I were Tony.

 

[GSII]

Something still doesn't add up with Hall. The players were at practice so they know if he really got hurt and to what degree. They can sense if he is faking and must be pissed he quit on them. There is also video as im sure they record practice. Assuming all are truthful, is Hall deciding not to play bc of a twisted ankle or is it something more severe? Or has he been poached and hiding behind a fake injury and listening to his new coach? Deciding not to play at this point of the season is bizarre unless its medical. I cant imagine getting THAT much more money to behave like a puppet. Shame on him.

I cant wait to see which scum bag is behind this.

 

[gmutom]

Or has he been poached and hiding behind a fake injury and listening to his new coach?

Deep breath, Gus. I think we are all wondering what is going on with Hall, but you keep getting outraged by a rumor you are starting. I’m sure Hall knows he has dozens of suitors he can choose from, but right now you are creating a fake boogeyman to take your frustration out on.

That said, I am in agreement with those who say he shouldn’t be on the bench if he’s using the injury excuse to not play again. I know it’s common in college football for high NFL prospects to sit out bowl games to avoid losing out on a big payday, but it still rubs me the wrong way if Hall is turning his back on a program that gave him a shot to be in this position to cash in.

 

[illayin]

I was going to post something similar earlier, but didn't want to talk too harshly...but since people are letting fly...

All of the rest of this post is assuming rumors are true: I don't blame him if he's trying to get a bag... you never know what happens next in your athletic career and, if a massive NIL deal comes your way, it's probably often wise to accept it -- especially as a borderline NBA prospect. That is not his fault -- it's the nature of the current NIL system. And if part of that NIL deal is that they don't risk injury by continuing to play, I understand him complying with that. It may feel shitty as a teammate or a fan and it may be bad optics, but no one is waiting back home to hand KH a check if he tears his achilles tomorrow. All of that being said, if it's just for a transfer without a big NIL deal, I would just laugh. I'm not going to break it down into deal why but I don't think that would be a wise decision.

 

[psyclone]

Deep breath, Gus. I think we are all wondering what is going on with Hall, but you keep getting outraged by a rumor you are starting. I’m sure Hall knows he has dozens of suitors he can choose from, but right now you are creating a fake boogeyman to take your frustration out on.

That said, I am in agreement with those who say he shouldn’t be on the bench if he’s using the injury excuse to not play again. I know it’s common in college football for high NFL prospects to sit out bowl games to avoid losing out on a big payday, but it still rubs me the wrong way if Hall is turning his back on a program that gave him a shot to be in this position to cash in.

I understand the reluctance to risk injury. But if he were to continue to play well in big games held in major media markets (i.e. Brooklyn, A10 tournament) he would only enhance his position both in terms of number of suitors and potentially the size of the NIL deal.

 

[JimP]

I was going to post something similar earlier, but didn't want to talk too harshly...but since people are letting fly...

All of the rest of this post is assuming rumors are true: I don't blame him if he's trying to get a bag... you never know what happens next in your athletic career and, if a massive NIL deal comes your way, it's probably often wise to accept it -- especially as a borderline NBA prospect. That is not his fault -- it's the nature of the current NIL system. And if part of that NIL deal is that they don't risk injury by continuing to play, I understand him complying with that. It may feel shitty as a teammate or a fan and it may be bad optics, but no one is waiting back home to hand KH a check if he tears his achilles tomorrow. All of that being said, if it's just for a transfer without a big NIL deal, I would just laugh. I'm not going to break it down into deal why but I don't think that would be a wise decision.

Why be college basketball fan, especially at the midmajor level, if this becomes the norm? It's always been tough for the Mason's of the world to make the tourney. Now we're supposed to be ok with P5's telling our best guys to forget about our team and take the bag of cash that awaits them? What a wonderful development...

 

[psyclone]

Why be college basketball fan, especially at the midmajor level, if this becomes the norm? It's always been tough for the Mason's of the world to make the tourney. Now we're supposed to be ok with P5's telling our best guys to forget about our team and take the bag of cash that awaits them? What a wonderful development...

 

[illayin]

Why be college basketball fan, especially at the midmajor level, if this becomes the norm? It's always been tough for the Mason's of the world to make the tourney. Now we're supposed to be ok with P5's telling our best guys to forget about our team and take the bag of cash that awaits them? What a wonderful development...

Yeah don't get me wrong... I absolutely agree with you. I just don't think KH is to blame for not turning down a big offer if that's what this is about. However, I am not prepared to continue to buy season tickets for a glorified prep school team if that's what this is coming to.

edit: forgot an important word

 

[gmujim92]

Anyone who thought Key was coming back next season was in a river of denial — he’s had reps from other programs in his ear since he blew up and started getting national pub back in November, and the scuttling of the multi-time transfer rule sealed that deal. A judge said he can go get paid by somebody else and nothing we can do about that.

I’m just pissed that he apparently doesn’t give enough of a shit to finish out this season. What good is giving somebody a very lucrative NIL deal by Mason’s standards if there’s nothing stopping the player from checking out right before the most important part of the schedule?

If I was a big NIL donor I’d seriously be reconsidering if that’s the best place to invest my money.

 

[GSII]

Deep breath, Gus. I think we are all wondering what is going on with Hall, but you keep getting outraged by a rumor you are starting. I’m sure Hall knows he has dozens of suitors he can choose from, but right now you are creating a fake boogeyman to take your frustration out on.

That said, I am in agreement with those who say he shouldn’t be on the bench if he’s using the injury excuse to not play again. I know it’s common in college football for high NFL prospects to sit out bowl games to avoid losing out on a big payday, but it still rubs me the wrong way if Hall is turning his back on a program that gave him a shot to be in this position to cash in.

There isnt much to rumor about when its already been posted/reported that he isnt playing for Mason again and he hurt his ankle in practice.

 

[GMUgemini]

I hate to keep bringing it back to soccer, but they really do have a model for selling and buying teams to make developing players worth it…

But I say the only thing you can do is work with the other mid-major collectives to put a clause in any deal that if a player transfers to another program with a bigger NIL deal they have to kick back 10% to the collective. That way, any investment in a player that blows up gets recycled back to the next generation of players…if this happens repeatedly, your collective war chest might get quite large.

Start with the other A10 collectives and then work your way out from there—MVC, AAC, MAC, CAA, WCC, WAC, MWC, etc. The P4+1 want to come poaching? They’ll be donating to our collective to do it.

 

[GMU79]

Oh for the days when freshmen were ineligible for varsity and everyone stayed four years and you knew the names of all the players.

 

[mkaufman1]

I hate to keep bringing it back to soccer, but they really do have a model for selling and buying teams to make developing players worth it…

But I say the only thing you can do is work with the other mid-major collectives to put a clause in any deal that if a player transfers to another program with a bigger NIL deal they have to kick back 10% to the collective. That way, any investment in a player that blows up gets recycled back to the next generation of players…if this happens repeatedly, your collective war chest might get quite large.

Start with the other A10 collectives and then work your way out from there—MVC, AAC, MAC, CAA, WCC, WAC, MWC, etc. The P4+1 want to come poaching? They’ll be donating to our collective to do it.

Thats an interesting point -but I'm not sure if that would even fly with potential recruits. Interested to hear @gmubrian have a take on this point.

 

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

Not too pleased with Polite right now either....

I guess this is the part of the Patrick Holloway-esque play where I turn on him.

Side note: I love just going up to people at work and saying "A lot of rumors going around," and then just walking away. Drives people nuts.

Am I the only one who does this? I don't think I'll ever get tired of it.

 

[JimP]

Yeah don't get me wrong... I absolutely agree with you. I just don't think KH is to blame for turning down a big offer if that's what this is about. However, I am not prepared to continue to buy season tickets for a glorified prep school team if that's what this is coming to.

Yeah - they just shouldn't allow kids to bail on the team they belong to. Why would anyone even buy tix in advance to conference tourneys now. Forget a losing streak, now we gotta worry our star is gonna bail just before the tourney...

 

[GMUgemini]

Thats an interesting point -but I'm not sure if that would even fly with potential recruits. Interested to hear @gmubrian have a take on this point.

If you were the only one to do it, yeah, I seriously doubt it, but if you got 60+ schools on board they might have a harder time saying no.

It might also be impossible to enact since all these deals are year to year…

 

[Patriot Lawdog]

Let's just stop all the nonsense. Might as well be employment contracts at this point.

 

[mkaufman1]

If you were the only one to do it, yeah, I seriously doubt it, but if you got 60+ schools on board they might have a harder time saying no.

It might also be impossible to enact since all these deals are year to year…

I hear you. At some point schools may band together (or conferences even) to protect themselves. Much like a coach has a buyout (or is required to give a home and home or a buyout in vcu's case), this protects the program in an age of jumping around happening so much. Let the next school have to pony up 10% more.

No idea how practical it is- but its definitely an interesting idea. I have to think the midmajor and low major programs have to do something to help themselves a little bit.