Game 9: GMU (5-3 / 1-1) vs vcu (8-2 / 1-0) on Wednesday, January 6, at 7:00 PM.

[Jack Strop]

This board has already done the work and has coalesced around Tony Skinn for head coach. If you want me to draft up a proposal about why he is the best candidate to succeed Paulsen (who should be fired after this season), I'm down to do it...I'll send it right over to the AD.

Be my guest...

 

[Jack Strop]

Delusion huh? Look in the mirror.

"Go talk to the team" "Volunteer to help".. wtf are you talking about?

I don't agree with heckling the coach during the game at all, but any fan who buys the product, and isn't satisfied, reserves the right to criticize the product. We are critical because this means something to us. We do want something better. For the vast majority of fans/donors, this basketball program isn't a charity, there is expectation that comes with a time/financial commitment. This isn't the YMCA youth league, it's a business where the score matters.

And with your idiotic logic, I guess you have never ever showed displeasure with a referee? Because you aren't a basketball officiating expert?

Then stop buying he product!

 

[tblack33]

Then stop buying he product!

That’s what we need! Less donors! Less ticket sales! That’ll help out!!!

 

[Patriot8]

Then stop buying he product!

Deal. 199 left.

 

[Jack Strop]

Delusion huh? Look in the mirror.

"Go talk to the team" "Volunteer to help".. wtf are you talking about?

I don't agree with heckling the coach during the game at all, but any fan who buys the product, and isn't satisfied, reserves the right to criticize the product. We are critical because this means something to us. We do want something better. For the vast majority of fans/donors, this basketball program isn't a charity, there is expectation that comes with a time/financial commitment. This isn't the YMCA youth league, it's a business where the score matters.

And with your idiotic logic, I guess you have never ever showed displeasure with a referee? Because you aren't a basketball officiating expert?

My thought to you is to go ask them why they play the game? Why they are athletes coaches, and support staff. The answer may surprise you. And I'll tell you, it is not "to make you happy".

 

[Jack Strop]

Deal. 199 left.

Good riddance!

 

[sleeperpick]

My thought to you is to go ask them why they play the game? Why they are athletes coaches, and support staff. The answer may surprise you. And I'll tell you, it is not "to make you happy".

Nobody is talking about the athletes.. assume some of their answers would be love of the game, free college, better life etc.
Coaches should absolutely be coaching to make the people that help fund their cushy jobs happy. With no fans or folks paying money college athletics would become an absolute joke. Mason already is one in comparison to more than half of A10 teams.
Support staff plainly would not have jobs if it wasn't for "fans" All 20 ticket people and Patriot Club staff won't have jobs if nobody donates or buys tickets.

 

[sleeperpick]

Good riddance! You're easily replaced.

by who?!?! average age of fans is probably about 65. Where are you getting the new folks?!?

 

[tblack33]

This board has already done the work and has coalesced around Tony Skinn for head coach. If you want me to draft up a proposal about why he is the best candidate to succeed Paulsen (who should be fired after this season), I'm down to do it...I'll send it right over to the AD.

I’m of the opinion that every little bit helps, I think it’s a good idea. Would love to read it.

 

[mkaufman1]

Holy shit guys. I did not expect this to become a shitshow, but I guess I should know by now.

Look, we are all fans here. But nobody should tell anyone else how to fan.

We are all upset with the state of the program. I don't care how much you like the team trying hard or think they should be cheered regardless. Thats great. But if people want to voice displeasure, then so be it. If I was able to go to games I would be yelling fire paulsen too because I want my point to get across. I'm not happy.

Also, the folks who voice displeasure have directly gone to the AD and had conversations with why they are displeased. Bitching and moaning on a message board doesn't do much, I've always said that. I wrote my letter and I am talking to Zack Bolno tomorrow on the phone, explaining to him my displeasure and that I can very easily be disengaged if the program is not committed to winning. I doubt thats not the case, but I want to make it clear that trying hard and close games isn't winning, and I dont' care about Covid or no covid, I care about wins or losses. Being politically aware is great, but I care about wins and losses and I'm tired of losing.

Third off, we should all be appreciative of the fans we have. Post L, many fans left. Most fans left by year 3 of Hewitt and haven't come back. Either they have gotten over what Mason does with athletics or they found other things to worry about like taking care of their family. I'm having my first child and like I said to Max Baker in 2015 when I was getting married, I'm too old to root for my alma mater to be less than mediocre and not even competitive on occasion. I'll always be a fan, but I'm not going to put the same level of energy if there is no commitment. I can sit at home when the tournament is in Brooklyn and maybe come to a game a year but I don't need to go out of my way. I have the same thing now with my first child around the corner. I don't care about 2006 anymore, I don't care about 2011. I care about now. We shouldnt' be telling one another we are replacable, because right now nobody is going to give a shit about Mason basketball. As it was yesterday felt blah.

Finally, don't call each other idiots or attack one another and say you can be replaceable. Fact is, we need everyone to be on the same page that we are not happy where the program is and that we care. If we don't speak up, then they truly will do whatever the f**k they want which will only increase apathy.

/rant.

Keep this conversation civil, because I get why we are angry, but we should be uniting in hopes that the program can succeed.

 

[Jack Strop]

Nobody is talking about the athletes.. assume some of their answers would be love of the game, free college, better life etc.
Coaches should absolutely be coaching to make the people that help fund their cushy jobs happy. With no fans or folks paying money college athletics would become an absolute joke. Mason already is one in comparison to more than half of A10 teams.
Support staff plainly would not have jobs if it wasn't for "fans" All 20 ticket people and Patriot Club staff won't have jobs if nobody donates or buys tickets.

I agree wholeheartedly.

But, again, whether it's direct or indirect, the players hear it and it weighs on their confidence, both collective and individual. They are kids, no one below 23 years of age. All I ask is to use a little discretion and direct your energy to build them up.

The coaches, etc. know what they're responsibilities are to the ones who are the source of their incomes. Part of their responsibility is to protect their team from outside distractions and absorb our dissatisfaction. I'm diss
satisfied. There's always a better coach out there. There's always a better player out there.

My contention is that when you make your dissatisfaction clearly perceptible to the players on the court, the ones that you as fans are supposed to be supporting, then your tear them down. That is not the way to gain a better product on the court.

 

[gmubrian]

Somebody call the cops, I think swimmom or Ms. Hicks have evidently kidnapped Jack Strop and taken over his MasonHoops.com account.

 

[Falco]

Notes on tonight's vcu game:

• Just go to the basket—stop waiting for another player to do it
  
• There was only one vcu fan at the game—he was the only attendee who went home happy
  
• The officiating was abosulutely HORRIBLE—especially watching the refs looking at each other awaiting for one of them to blow his whistle as AJ gets clobbered
  
• To the two d¡ckheads in section 102 or maybe 103 who shouted, "Fire Paulsen!" during the middle of a comeback attempt: you contemptable Mason fans—that particular moment is NOT the time to express your opinion on the future employment of Mason's coach... IDIOTS!!

Disagree. Now is the perfect time to do it. Maybe BE will actually hear it

 

[mkaufman1]

I agree wholeheartedly.

But, again, whether it's direct or indirect, the players hear it and it weighs on their confidence, both collective and individual. They are kids, no one below 23 years of age. All I ask is to use a little discretion and direct your energy to build them up.

The coaches, etc. know what they're responsibilities are to the ones who are the source of their incomes. Part of their responsibility is to protect their team from outside distractions and absorb our dissatisfaction. I'm diss
satisfied. There's always a better coach out there. There's always a better player out there.

My contention is that when you make your dissatisfaction clearly perceptible to the players on the court, the ones that you as fans are supposed to be supporting, then your tear them down. That is not the way to gain a better product on the court.

Give me a break dude. Did anyone ever say that they yell at the players their dissatisfaction? Yelling you want the coach gone has nothing to do with the players, it's that you aren't happy about how the players are being directed.

If division 1 athletes can't handle people yelling shit in the crowd at GEORGE MASON maybe they also shouldn't be division 1 athletes.

Give me a break.

 

[mkaufman1]

The Mets are getting Francisco Lindor so part of me might just say screw this and give them my money, haha

 

[Falco]

All I can say is, find another team to support. Stop wasting your and Mason's time.

Why do you attend games if you loathe the coach, hate the product on the floor, and heckle your own team? You all make no sense. You're not in it for Mason, you're in it for your own selfish egos.

I know what you're gonna say, "We want something better." "We can't accept mediocrity." Yadda, yadda, yadda... You want something better? Then go build it. Go talk to the team, and the coach, and the AD and volunteer to help. Put up or get lost.

"Oh, but I give Mason my money." Yeah.. ghe easiest thing to contribute. Any one can write a check. Why not put some effort into your support—if that's what you whiny wannabes want to call it.

Give me a break

 

[sleeperpick]

I agree wholeheartedly.

But, again, whether it's direct or indirect, the players hear it and it weighs on their confidence, both collective and individual. They are kids, no one below 23 years of age. All I ask is to use a little discretion and direct your energy to build them up.

The coaches, etc. know what they're responsibilities are to the ones who are the source of their incomes. Part of their responsibility is to protect their team from outside distractions and absorb our dissatisfaction. I'm diss
satisfied. There's always a better coach out there. There's always a better player out there.

My contention is that when you make your dissatisfaction clearly perceptible to the players on the court, the ones that you as fans are supposed to be supporting, then your tear them down. That is not the way to gain a better product on the court.

Javons mom and AJs parents constantly take shots at the coach on Twitter... I don't think this is the first time any of them have heard that their beloved (I think a lot of them hate him) DP is a coach that kinda sucks.

 

[hoops10]

[I too believe that Paulson has had plenty of time to get this program back to winning ways. Has he done it? No., So i say move on, lets go find a coach who knows how to recruit the kind of player that can compete at the A10 level. Which leads to my basic flaw with Paulson, he is not a good recruiter, doesn't have what he needs to recruit (finances) or he is not good at his profession. In any event, to me the coach's most critical job is recruiting. Trying to take 2 star players and turn them in to great competitive A10 players is just foolish. It is the coachs responsibility to teach a kid how to shoot free throws, teach how to dribble , become court savvy, sink three pointers. I say No. those are the traits that players should have before they are even thought of as good candidates for Mason. My point is if you can't be competitive from a recruiting point of view than whats the point. Hope he can develop low level talent into great players. I dont see it. Maybe the university ought to determine what their goal is. So for me its either be competitive or go to a lower division. Time for them to make some serious decisions.

 

[PoorManProfit]

Everyone relax. This isn’t new. The men’s program has been dead for years and we all know it. Bad coach and no real good basketball players. On top of that, the school is throwing up all over itself being the “voice” of social justice. They are an embarrassment on multiple levels. My hopes are that my boys have other options when it’s time for college because my $ ain’t going there.

 

[Jack Strop]

Give me a break dude. Did anyone ever say that they yell at the players their dissatisfaction? Yelling you want the coach gone has nothing to do with the players, it's that you aren't happy about how the players are being directed.

If division 1 athletes can't handle people yelling shit in the crowd at GEORGE MASON maybe they also shouldn't be division 1 athletes.

Give me a break.

Give ME a break. We have heard time and time and time again on MasonHoops how the players are not all that thick-skinned.

Not long ago, I was formally asked to not talk about a player's adademic struggles on this forum because it bothered that player. And, now you say players who are thin skinned should not be playing D1 sports?

"...nothing to do with the players..."? Players are supposed to have confidence in their coaches. If they don't then the whole system breaks down. When fans, a player's life's blood, undermine that confidence by expressing their opinions out loud and in ear-shot of the players then such fans are actively contributing to that breakdown. The only thing to be gained is making the team worse. Is that what you want?

I urge you to ask this same same question to a professional player and see what answer you get. Ask Brad. Ask Darryl Green. They are often available to many who participate in this forum.