GMU, Hewitt part ways

[gmutom]

If the fan base is not active, and the AD is not held responsible or made to feel pressure, then we can battle Fordham each year for the cellar and call it a day.

KA, as a former pro athlete, I'm sure Edwards knows you can't expect the fan base to be active when the product on the floor is crap. You need to activate them by building a winning program and giving them something to embrace. Look how many of our fans came out of the woodwork after we went to the Final 4. Same thing with vcu. Build it, and they will come.

And for those questioning whether Cabrera believes in basketball or is even a fan, who gives a shit? As long as he understands business, he'll see it as the revenue-producing source it can be if we are consistently winning. I realize it's a huge leap of faith, but we have no choice as fans but to hope these two men get it right.

 

[GSII]

Moving to the a10 was a good move to AC b/c it brought us TV money we didn't get before. New revenue streams give AD's and Presidents hard ons. Who knows if he really cares about winning, although I don't believe this to be the case. If we do something, might was well be the best at it, is what I think his attitude is.

 

[wijg]

KA, as a former pro athlete, I'm sure Edwards knows you can't expect the fan base to be active when the product on the floor is crap. You need to activate them by building a winning program and giving them something to embrace. Look how many of our fans came out of the woodwork after we went to the Final 4. Same thing with vcu. Build it, and they will come.

And for those questioning whether Cabrera believes in basketball or is even a fan, who gives a shit? As long as he understands business, he'll see it as the revenue-producing source it can be if we are consistently winning. I realize it's a huge leap of faith, but we have no choice as fans but to hope these two men get it right.

I think you may be using active different than KA and I are using it. We are talking about a fan base that gets in touch with the AD and holds them accountable when things aren't right, not just whether they show up to games or not.

I don't recall anyone discussing (recently) if AC is a fan of basketball. I agree, it only matters if he cares about it from a business type perspective.

It is your last sentence that goes to my big point. Maybe it is just the wording, but what I hear from that sentence is (and it might not have been your intent), we should sit by idly, wait and see, and hope they get it right.

Regardless of what you meant, aside from a few, we seem to be a sit on our hands fan-base as a whole. You would think those of us on here would be the most passionate about it and be the ones most likely to lead an action, but that does not seem to be the case.

I want a fan base that demands the AD gets it right, so they have very little leeway to get it wrong. If all of us on here agree on one thing right now, that is Hewitt needs to go. I would love an active fan base that is full of people like Chank, Walter, Brian and the guy who did the go fund me campaign, and even the others that will take their tickets and donations hostage, those that take action to get the ADs attention, unite the fan base on a purpose and take action to hold the AD accountable to take the right action. Instead of encouraging those people and championing them, the posters on here deride them, tell them they are not patient enough, criticize every nuance of how they are going about things, etc. Instead, shouldn't we be joining them, helping them get it right so we can be a force the AD has to reckon with if they are not taking basketball in the right direction?

 

[KAOriginal]

Wijg hits on the head in what I meant about active fans.

Take donations to the PC. DO NOT STOP donating! But make darn sure...that you just dont fill out the form and send in a check.

Thats really what our last AD head honcho thrived on. Loved the money when we were winning, but still acted like that some money was owed when things went south. Or just wrote up the decline to "oh well."

You call, write, show in person....and tell the AD that your are still writing the check....but you darn well better see some change or it will stop. When my yacht detailer does a shitty job...I dont stop taking it to him....I show up in person to pay him before I float back off and discuss how sh*t needs to change.

Thats what an active fan base does!

 

[gmutom]

wijg, it's presumptuous for you to assume that just because people hope things turn out well with the new regime that they are just standing pat. I might not threaten to pick up my ball and go home like you or Brian, but I have made my opinion on the current state of the program very clear to Andy, Max, Adam and anybody else at the school who will listen.

They are all well aware that people are not happy, but KA is absolutely right that they need to hear from more people. Trust me, Max has the hardest job at Mason right now, because he has to try to squeeze money out of a very unhappy fan base. He'd have better luck trying to sell a fur coat at a PETA conference.

 

[Pablo]

To follow up on Tom's comments, I and other season ticket holders that I've spoken to have expressed to AD employees (including AD Edwards) how we feel about this situation. I did so before the opening game this season. And, those who have spoken directly to Edwards have all been very positive about his responses to their concerns.

 

[GSII]

I don't normaly act like I own College BBAll programs, but when I do, its the GMU program I own the best.

 

[wijg]

wijg, it's presumptuous for you to assume that just because people hope things turn out well with the new regime that they are just standing pat. I might not threaten to pick up my ball and go home like you or Brian, but I have made my opinion on the current state of the program very clear to Andy, Max, Adam and anybody else at the school who will listen.

They are all well aware that people are not happy, but KA is absolutely right that they need to hear from more people. Trust me, Max has the hardest job at Mason right now, because he has to try to squeeze money out of a very unhappy fan base. He'd have better luck trying to sell a fur coat at a PETA conference.

I have no doubt that almost everyone on here is talking to the AD in some manner. It can't just be talk forever, though. At some point, there has to be action behind the talk or else the talk just becomes background noise, especially with our ADs track record. And if you promise action, you have to take it. If the AD has no fear of losing your donations or ticket sales, they have that much less incentive do anything.

And you did it again, going to my point. You insult anyone that does not take action that you approve of. You say that I, and Brian (and by implication others like Jim, Fro and Smurf and I am sure there are others that have done the same or announced they will be) are taking our ball and going home, which is, by convention, a derogatory phrasing. I say Kudos to those that have promised they would go away and have. They are making the promises from people like me that are promising to do so after this year that much more effective. I applaud anyone that is taking any action or promising to take action if Hewitt is not relieved of his duties.

Since we are the "taking our ball and going home" crowd, I'll refer to those that just complain about Hewitt but never take any action the "All talk and no action" crowd. Different from, but overlapping with, the "do nothing" crowd that criticizes any and every possible action another fan takes to get the message across to the AD.

I apologize ahead of time if you have a relative that has lost their voice recently and you find the phrase "all talk" offensive.

 

[gmutom]

And you did it again, going to my point. You insult anyone that does not take action that you approve of.

Boo hoo! God forbid people disagree on a sports message board. I have said over and over people are entitled to protest how they want, but it doesn't mean I have to agree with it.

I have stated my opinion that I don't think people should stop donating, and KA said the same thing. You brought up Brian, who is a friend of mine. I have told him many times I disagreed with him walking away, but I also texted him last week that he better come back after Hewitt is fired. We had a lot of fun road trips together, so I hope he does.

If you do stop donating — which is certainly your prerogative — you can donate your money to St. Jude's. PM me if you want details on an account I already have set up.

http://www.stjude.org/stjude/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=7b22b46b476a7410VgnVCM100000290115acRCRD

 

[wijg]

So, I have asked this before and there was zero response. What do people like Tom and Pablo approve of or suggest fans do beyond just talk?

 

[Washingtonian]

Correct me if I am wrong, but all the donations that people make for season tickets for hoops, or people that donate to the PC for whatever reason, all goes into the same pot and goes toward ALL student athletes, not just one sport, unless one dictates it as such.

 

[wijg]

Correct me if I am wrong, but all the donations that people make for season tickets for hoops, or people that donate to the PC for whatever reason, all goes into the same pot and goes toward ALL student athletes, not just one sport, unless one dictates it as such.

That is correct, except I don't believe it toward student athletes, it is more broadly to the sports

 

[Washingtonian]

That is correct.

Then why would people decide not to donate because of one sport (granted, the biggest sport for the university) which effects all student athletes?

 

[Dawgs99]

I agree with Tom here, people are entitled to "protest" in what ever manner they see fit. Those that continue to go to games and pay their money to the Pat Club shouldn't be made to feel as if they are part of the problem. Conversely, people who have pulled the plug and their money should not be made to feel like they are "quitting" on the team/program. I've had season tix since the early 80's, I'm not going to dump all my priority points and great seats just to make a point. I really have a good feeling about BE and the direction of the program after PH gets the axe. BE made it clear in that Washington Post article....we have to be good in mens basketball.

 

[GSII]

b/c the school doesn't want everyone to think they "own" them. Now if you're Alabama its okay. They will whore out.

 

[wijg]

Then why would people decide not to donate because of one sport (granted, the biggest sport for the university) which effects all student athletes?

I disagree with the way they handle that in the first place. It is one of the things I hope BE changes. It is part of the TOC way of doing things. So all the more reason to stop donating, not less reason.

 

[wijg]

I agree with Tom here, people are entitled to "protest" in what ever manner they see fit. Those that continue to go to games and pay their money to the Pat Club shouldn't be made to feel as if they are part of the problem. Conversely, people who have pulled the plug and their money should not be made to feel like they are "quitting" on the team/program. I've had season tix since the early 80's, I'm not going to dump all my priority points and great seats just to make a point. I really have a good feeling about BE and the direction of the program after PH gets the axe. BE made it clear in that Washington Post article....we have to be good in mens basketball.

What if PH does not get the ax?

 

[Dawgs99]

PH is getting the axe...of this I have no doubt. Will we hire the right guy...that is really the question.

 

[wijg]

PH is getting the axe...of this I have no doubt. Will we hire the right guy...that is really the question.

I hope you are right, because I don't want to have to stop going to games, etc.

BUT, I doubt there is zero chance he comes back next year (otherwise they have already made up there minds and paying the longevity bonus makes no sense), so what do you do if Hewitt is back next year?

 

[gmutom]

Everybody here including wijg knows Hewitt's getting the axe, which makes all this in-fighting and macho talk about pulling donations kind of silly. For the sake of everybody's sanity, we should probably table some of this until a final decision is made in the next few weeks.

In the meantime, I just printed out a picture of Hewitt that I am going to take a dump on and mail to Brad Edwards. How dare anybody accuse me of being "all talk."