GMU, Hewitt part ways

[AlphaMasonPatriot]

I can not take this anymore. Hewitt has got to go ASAP.

 

[Walter]

Again, he negotiated it into his contract. Why? Not petty to fire a guy who essentially said with that clause, "If you are going to fire me, fire me in February."

 

[wijg]

Again, he negotiated it into his contract. Why? Not petty to fire a guy who essentially said with that clause, "If you are going to fire me, fire me in February."

Exactly! I bet he has a time share he has to use the first week in March. We would be doing him a favor to let him go before March 1st.

 

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

I would be extremely surprised if he is not given the tournament.

 

[GMUgemini]

Sorry, I couldn't disagree more. Your logic seems to be backwards. If there was no money involved, then it would be petty. Since it involves money, that makes it good financial management. Mason, in no way, has treated him poorly. Making a bad financial decision does not make us look impressive or strapped for cash. Wasting money would make us look bad, especially when we are a program that is not rolling in money.

No one has yet to answer the question about how contradictory you guys are being, if $85k is no big deal to waste, why is everyone jumping down my throat for saying I'll stop giving my measly $2k?

Is our AD closer to being strapped for cash than being flush with cash? Everyone acts like it in every other discussion, except when it comes to wasting $85k.

It is likely a moot point, as I expect Mason will waste the money and let him finish the season. I just wish they wouldn't. It would give me confidence in our two new guys, that I can trust them to make sound decisions about our basketball program. Instead, they'll do the Mason thing, take the easy way out, follow the established policy of evaluating at the end of the season.

It's petty because there's a contract involved, wijg. You don't just tear up contracts willy-nilly, especially in the middle of the season, especially when it looks like your motivation to do so is to avoid paying $85,000. How many coaches in college athletics get fired in the middle of the season? Not too many. Why do almost all of them get fired mid-season? Scandals.

This isn't at-will employment here. Firing Hewitt now will not make the team better the remainder of the season, will not make the team better next year. There is no one on staff I would think would be considered for the job (the interim coach trialist position, if you will).

So the message you are sending out there into the world is: Mason is cheap. Do you really want to send that message out into the world twice in five years?

 

[Vurbel]

It's petty because there's a contract involved, wijg. You don't just tear up contracts willy-nilly, especially in the middle of the season, especially when it looks like your motivation to do so is to avoid paying $85,000. How many coaches in college athletics get fired in the middle of the season? Not too many. Why do almost all of them get fired mid-season? Scandals.

This isn't at-will employment here. Firing Hewitt now will not make the team better the remainder of the season, will not make the team better next year. There is no one on staff I would think would be considered for the job (the interim coach trialist position, if you will).

So the message you are sending out there into the world is: Mason is cheap. Do you really want to send that message out into the world twice in five years?

The other side of the coin to Mason looking cheap for not paying $85,000. We look fiscally irresponsible to throw an extra $85,000 to a coach we know we don't want.

 

[GMUgemini]

The other side of the coin to Mason looking cheap for not paying $85,000. We look fiscally irresponsible to throw an extra $85,000 to a coach we know we don't want.

Well, for almost all colleges and universities division 1 athletics is fiscally irresponsible anyway. So I don't think that's really an issue.

Also, I would say that most people won't know a thing about the $85,000 longevity bonus unless we fire the guy over it. Then everyone will know about it.

 

[wijg]

It's petty because there's a contract involved, wijg. You don't just tear up contracts willy-nilly, especially in the middle of the season, especially when it looks like your motivation to do so is to avoid paying $85,000. How many coaches in college athletics get fired in the middle of the season? Not too many. Why do almost all of them get fired mid-season? Scandals.

This isn't at-will employment here. Firing Hewitt now will not make the team better the remainder of the season, will not make the team better next year. There is no one on staff I would think would be considered for the job (the interim coach trialist position, if you will).

So the message you are sending out there into the world is: Mason is cheap. Do you really want to send that message out into the world twice in five years?

You had to reignite the debate didn't you...

Your contract knowledge is obviously lacking. This isn't tearing up a contract. This is abiding by the terms of the contract. He or his agent obviously requested that provision. Either party can take advantage of the timing as it best suits them. How you can't understand that is beyond me.

Your comparison to other coaches in the country is absurd as has already been pointed out several times. As far as any of us knows , no other coach in the country earns a longevity bonus before the season ends. There is no financial incentive to fire them as they will be paid the same amount as is the standard for contracts. This is a non-standard provisions and thus would warrant a non-standard termination date.

It isn't being cheap. Not paying someone that is doing a good job the money he deserves is being cheap. Not cutting your losses on someone that is going to be fired a 10 days later is just wasting good money.

 

[wijg]

Well, for almost all colleges and universities division 1 athletics is fiscally irresponsible anyway. So I don't think that's really an issue.

Also, I would say that most people won't know a thing about the $85,000 longevity bonus unless we fire the guy over it. Then everyone will know about it.

So, again, your solution is to waste more. That makes a lot of sense.

I guess you missed that there is already an article about it in a nationally read newspaper:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...4bae88-b951-11e4-a200-c008a01a6692_story.html

He basically points out the stupidity of Merten and TOC. The fact that he asked the question about firing Hewitt before he earns it speaks volumes.

 

[Pablo]

While I don't believe that Mason will fire Hewitt before the end of this season, it should be noted that Lamar fired Pat Knight during last season - see http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...-cardinals-fire-coach-pat-knight-third-season:

"Pat Knight said there was talk of coaching the rest of the season and then being relieved, but he chose to leave now for a clean break."

 

[Herndon]

You had to reignite the debate didn't you...

Your contract knowledge is obviously lacking. This isn't tearing up a contract. This is abiding by the terms of the contract. He or his agent obviously requested that provision. Either party can take advantage of the timing as it best suits them. How you can't understand that is beyond me.

Your comparison to other coaches in the country is absurd as has already been pointed out several times. As far as any of us knows , no other coach in the country earns a longevity bonus before the season ends. There is no financial incentive to fire them as they will be paid the same amount as is the standard for contracts. This is a non-standard provisions and thus would warrant a non-standard termination date.

It isn't being cheap. Not paying someone that is doing a good job the money he deserves is being cheap. Not cutting your losses on someone that is going to be fired a 10 days later is just wasting good money.

The thing is, whether it is cheap or not isn't really the issue. The issue is whether it's PERCEIVED as being cheap, and it is. You know this because while you don't think it comes off as cheap, most folks on the board do, and it's OUR board. We have green and gold glasses. If WE think it looks cheap, most outside folks are DEFINITELY going to think it's cheap.

This includes coaching candidates, which are the people that matter, at this point. Coaches don't care whether we're responsible stewards of university money, they want to know that they're going to be put in a position to succeed, and chincing out over 85K says "no".

 

[greenwithenvy]

Why would you even chance jeopardizing your next coaching hire/reputation over $85K?! New on this board but shocked at how badly some people here just don't get the business side of college athletics. Way over-simplified. We finally have a president and AD who are a great combo to change things and some of you can't stop fretting over $85K long enough to look ahead. Hewitt isn't going anywhere until after the A-10 tourney. Period. Moot point to continue that discussion. Move on to the next coach discussion instead and let's support Cabrera and Edwards to get that right! If they don't, THEN we can throw them to the wolves.

 

[wijg]

The thing is, whether it is cheap or not isn't really the issue. The issue is whether it's PERCEIVED as being cheap, and it is. You know this because while you don't think it comes off as cheap, most folks on the board do, and it's OUR board. We have green and gold glasses. If WE think it looks cheap, most outside folks are DEFINITELY going to think it's cheap.

This includes coaching candidates, which are the people that matter, at this point. Coaches don't care whether we're responsible stewards of university money, they want to know that they're going to be put in a position to succeed, and chincing out over 85K says "no".

This is not just in response to you Herndon, but to greenwithenvy and others. I would venture that the die hard Mason fans are a little over sensitive about what looks cheap. What a group of Mason fans thinks looks cheap and the rest of the world thinks looks cheap is probably vastly different. The way I read Goff's article, it points out the folly of TOC and Merten's contract and it would not be viewed as cheap, but more so as being wise. I guess you read it differently. I would not give it a second thought if I was a coaching candidate interested in the Mason job.

It seems clear at this point that Mason is not going to fire him before that to save flushing $85k down the toilet. If they can flush $85k down the toilet, then they are telling me that they don't need (or can't be trusted to handle responsibly) my measly donations.

This all started because I said I would likely stop my donations if they wasted that amount of money. That is my position. I have yet to see an argument that convinces me it is wise. I don't give to organizations that I feel are wasting money. I don't understand the contradiction of why many of you guys are making such a big stink over the disposition of my little donation. It tells me you think the AD needs that little bit of money. If it needs it, maybe it shouldn't waste $85k. If they don't need it, then me stopping my little donation is of little concern and should not be receiving the attention it is.

AC and BE may be the people needed to take our Basketball back to where it was and beyond. There is some evidence pointing that way, but they are unproven yet. The handling of this situation could give me lack of confidence in that. If BE is as good as people think he is, and you guys approve of the longevity bonus issue, he should have no problem getting funds to cover what I stop giving. If they prove to be as good as some of you have confidence in, I am sure they can win back my trust in their ability to manage the program wisely, and thus my donations.

 

[Walter]

I did not give anything last year as a protest. I had been planning on giving extra once Hewitt was fired. I am now likely not giving anything if Hewitt gets longevity bonus.

 

[GSII]

You are all lost. GMU didn't pay OCM, his assistants, nor come thru on the promises of investing in the program. AND NOW YOU THINK WE HAVE A "CHEAP IMAGE" PROBLEM. WAKE UP!! THIS IS WHAT A NEW COACH IS GOING TO BE MOST WORRIED ABOUT. NOT HEWITTS MEASLY 85K.!!!!

 

[smccart5]

You are all lost. GMU didn't pay OCM, his assistants, nor come thru on the promises of investing in the program. AND NOW YOU THINK WE HAVE A "CHEAP IMAGE" PROBLEM. WAKE UP!! THIS IS WHAT A NEW COACH IS GOING TO BE MOST WORRIED ABOUT. NOT HEWITTS MEASLY 85K.!!!!

Yes all you have to do is look at what we spend vs colleges who want a competitive program.

 

[psyclone]

From a URI message board (http://keaneyblue.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2673), 2013 numbers:

Men’s Basketball Expenses
Virginia Commonwealth $5,052,379
Richmond $4,162,532
Dayton $3,985,079
Duquesne $3,551,737
Saint Joseph’s $3,379,619
Saint Louis $3,309,395
Massachusetts $3,266,120
Fordham $3,146,736
George Washington $3,107,005
George Mason $3,010,170
Rhode Island $2,784,810
La Salle $2,782,264
Saint Bonaventure $2,495,445

For Total Athletics Expenses, here is how the A10 stacks up in FY2013. Schools with Football are obviously dominating here.

Grand Total Expenses
Massachusetts $28,659,514
Fordham $26,940,340
Virginia Commonwealth $25,749,624
George Washington $25,092,602
Richmond $23,728,002
Rhode Island $21,966,891
Dayton $21,303,312
George Mason $19,704,197
Saint Joseph’s $17,732,229
Duquesne $16,498,821
Saint Louis $14,660,219
La Salle $12,993,783
Saint Bonaventure $9,355,566

 

[GSII]

Yes all you have to do is look at what we spend vs colleges who want a competitive program.

We did not want to invest in our program. That is the cold hard fact of why we are where we are..ie cellar f**king dweller. Period. End of Story. All this jazz about donations and supporting the student athletes is bs. Merten dicked his boy over and he left for the U. Did Merten ask Alumni to help boost the program or instruct TOC to do so? Nope!.....So when you ask why we suck, its b/c of Merten and Merten alone. TOC knew what he had to do, but was on a leash. bball = not priority then. Is it now? Seems like it b/c of all the renovations and improvements/conference upgrade. God help us.

 

[patriotchild]

I am glad the 85k issue is in the WaPo, however, we aren't a huge national program so it won't get a lot of buzz. As an alumni I am sickened by this contract. the 85k is icing on a really shitty cake that we've been forced to eat for the last four years. As GSII mentioned we couldn't shell out money to keep a coaching staff that was likely going to push us over the top.

This doesn't make me angry at AC or BE, they've been put in a bad situation, it makes me infuriated with TOC and AM.

The 85k issue is really something that should be discussed widely on campus because it not only plays into athletics, but also the fiscal outlook of a public university that has been strapped for cash over the last few years. In an ideal world, the school should recoup the 85k from TOC and Merten.

If we know we are going to get rid of Hewitt I am all for saving some dough that could be used elsewhere on campus.

Although its not a lot in the grand scheme of things, as a public university with a small endowment, we should not become comfortable blowing 85k. In the likely event we get rid of him after March 1, I would appreciate an explanation from the administration as to why we waited.

 

[wijg]

From a URI message board (http://keaneyblue.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2673), 2013 numbers:

Men’s Basketball Expenses
Virginia Commonwealth $5,052,379
Richmond $4,162,532
Dayton $3,985,079
Duquesne $3,551,737
Saint Joseph’s $3,379,619
Saint Louis $3,309,395
Massachusetts $3,266,120
Fordham $3,146,736
George Washington $3,107,005
George Mason $3,010,170
Rhode Island $2,784,810
La Salle $2,782,264
Saint Bonaventure $2,495,445

For Total Athletics Expenses, here is how the A10 stacks up in FY2013. Schools with Football are obviously dominating here.

Grand Total Expenses
Massachusetts $28,659,514
Fordham $26,940,340
Virginia Commonwealth $25,749,624
George Washington $25,092,602
Richmond $23,728,002
Rhode Island $21,966,891
Dayton $21,303,312
George Mason $19,704,197
Saint Joseph’s $17,732,229
Duquesne $16,498,821
Saint Louis $14,660,219
La Salle $12,993,783
Saint Bonaventure $9,355,566

I am assuming you are saying that Rhode Island isn't spending but succeeding, but I don't think you can look at one year and make a conclusion. Rhody has not been an A10 powerhouse year in and out. If you look at the above spending on basketball, it matches pretty close to how those teams are performing over the last several years. The one that stands out the most as an anomaly is Duquesne. Their fans should be appalled.

Now Rhode Island is definitely getting their money's worth. I bet they don't waste money unnecessarily...