Q&A with Coach Hewitt?

[Dawgs99]

Hewitt also addressed having Marquise taking that last shot against St. Louis, said he was convinced they would atleast get a decent shot off with the ball in MM hands vs other options...Im assuming he ment BA or SW. Also said MM is working over time on getting that shot worked out, already progress made according to him.Not sure if we will win more games next season, but I do expect to be a better "team".

 

[Pablo]

Hewitt mentioned Edwards and Marko as next years leaders.

While I respect Corey & Marko as team leaders, I hope that at least 1 likely starter also steps up and becomes a leader (preferably Jalen).

And, I certainly don't want to see another image of a Patriot looking at his cell phone during a game.

 

[Vurbel]

While I respect Corey & Marko as team leaders, I hope that at least 1 likely starter also steps up and becomes a leader (preferably Jalen).

And, I certainly don't want to see another image of a Patriot looking at his cell phone during a game.

Checking stats on my sportscenter app. Will do it next year as well.

 

[wijg]

..which leads me to my biggest concern: how this team practices and prepares for games.

This is it!

He knows basketball. We all know he is smart. We all know he is nice. He seems to connect with the players as well. He seems to recruit pretty well, too. Unfortunately, none of this translates to functioning as a team very well. They seem lost. They don't do the basics very well.

His in-game issues are only minor and only standout because of how bad we are playing.

Practice has to be the issue. Whatever is happening in practice is not working. That is what needs to change. I think if he could look at it from that point of view and figure out what he is doing wrong there, he could actually be very successful. I don't hold out much hope of that happening, though.

 

[Son-of-a-Gunston]

WOW!! Excellent dialogue. These are the details that make for credibility. I understand the "entertainment value" of a message board. I am simply tired of vitriol and vague assesments as opposed to thoughtful insight and insider information. Thanks for the meaningful contributions.

I don't need people chastising me by pointing out the so very obvious recent win-loss record and disturbing downward trend of the team's success. Pulllease! I'm not oblivious. Be more constructive than that. I think that is the crux of what PH was alluding to when he asked that fans should "watch what they post."

 

[Patriotfan49]

WOW!! Excellent dialogue. These are the details that make for credibility. I understand the "entertainment value" of a message board. I am simply tired of vitriol and vague assesments as opposed to thoughtful insight and insider information. Thanks for the meaningful contributions.

I don't need people chastising me by pointing out the so very obvious recent win-loss record and disturbing downward trend of the team's success. Pulllease! I'm not oblivious. Be more constructive than that. I think that is the crux of what PH was alluding to when he asked that fans should "watch what they post."

Not really sure what you are getting at? The same struggles we have had since day one of PH most if not all remain. You go to the games and it becomes glaringly obvious quickly what issues we have. They have been covered over and over again on here.....in depth and to great detail many many times before by many many people. So Im not sure what you are complaining about.

If Hewitt is wanting us to "watch what we post" perhaps he should "watch what he coaches".

 

[A.-Siegfried]

Go back and read the old CAA boards from the day he was hired, to during the first year, etc. How much is the same thing being said by the same people? And are the concerns legit or not? That speaks volumes.

 

[GMUgemini]

Not really sure what you are getting at? The same struggles we have had since day one of PH most if not all remain. You go to the games and it becomes glaringly obvious quickly what issues we have. They have been covered over and over again on here.....in depth and to great detail many many times before by many many people. So Im not sure what you are complaining about.

If Hewitt is wanting us to "watch what we post" perhaps he should "watch what he coaches".

His point is there are better ways to voice displeasure.

The saber rattling and name calling and hyperbolic vitriol just gets old and is counterproductive--both sides get entrenched, threads devolve into pissing matches and poo throwing fiascos etc.

For instance, the calls for TOC's head were blown way out of proportion. Did he make a bad hire in Hewitt? Probably. Could more have been done post-Final Four? maybe.

But as a for instance, I was just looking at the AD budget from 2005 and it has doubled since then, out Patriot Club donations in 2005: 150,000. Yes you see that correctly (and I was complaining we only had 915,000 last year). Things have changed dramatically post-final four and I don't think we appreciate that enough sometimes because our bball team is a disappointment right now.

 

[masonjoe]

But as a for instance, I was just looking at the AD budget from 2005 and it has doubled since then, out Patriot Club donations in 2005: 150,000. Yes you see that correctly (and I was complaining we only had 915,000 last year). Things have changed dramatically post-final four and I don't think we appreciate that enough sometimes because our bball team is a disappointment right now.

Where has that money gone? Hand rails in the PC?

 

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

His point is there are better ways to voice displeasure.

The saber rattling and name calling and hyperbolic vitriol just gets old and is counterproductive--both sides get entrenched, threads devolve into pissing matches and poo throwing fiascos etc.

For instance, the calls for TOC's head were blown way out of proportion. Did he make a bad hire in Hewitt? Probably. Could more have been done post-Final Four? maybe.

But as a for instance, I was just looking at the AD budget from 2005 and it has doubled since then, out Patriot Club donations in 2005: 150,000. Yes you see that correctly (and I was complaining we only had 915,000 last year). Things have changed dramatically post-final four and I don't think we appreciate that enough sometimes because our bball team is a disappointment right now.

A fantastic post actually putting things in some kind of perspective.

You can see the people calling for TOC's head in posts all the way back when L left as the same people that are the most hyperbolic detractors of Hewitt now.

Of course people are well entitled to their opinion, but I don't think those people have left any doubt what that opinion is in post after post after post after post after post.

God, I'm not a Hewitt fan either and the AD can do a decent better job but...

 

[GSII]

The fact is there is something off in his approach to translating his "deep thinking" into 18 yr old minds. Been his problem for many years. But, I'm sure he'll receive some tutoring from our Philosophy Dept over the summer and will do better starting next year.

 

[Patriotfan49]

His point is there are better ways to voice displeasure.

The saber rattling and name calling and hyperbolic vitriol just gets old and is counterproductive--both sides get entrenched, threads devolve into pissing matches and poo throwing fiascos etc.

For instance, the calls for TOC's head were blown way out of proportion. Did he make a bad hire in Hewitt? Probably. Could more have been done post-Final Four? maybe.

But as a for instance, I was just looking at the AD budget from 2005 and it has doubled since then, out Patriot Club donations in 2005: 150,000. Yes you see that correctly (and I was complaining we only had 915,000 last year). Things have changed dramatically post-final four and I don't think we appreciate that enough sometimes because our bball team is a disappointment right now.

Again.....after 3 years of the same struggles, and going into year 4, you are not going to get a detailed write up. If you want those, go check out game threads and posts from year 1 and 2. At this point its just all the same issues, and people just mention them, and 99.9% of posters follow the point and know they have been covered well in depth. Congrats on son of a gunston being that .1%.

While the TOC "for instance" is nice, and I think its well known that other issues also contributed to the stunting of growth post final 4.....I would ask the same question Joe did. If donations have almost doubled, where exactly has that money been put to good use, to keep us competitive? Lord knows it wasnt a good coach for Bball, nor was it a practice facility that we are constantly pitched about, nor is it a new scoreboard (sorry the mid 90s one doesnt count) nor was it in a baseball facility etc etc. While its 100% logical to understand its not as simple as here is money, now make/build ____....at the same time its not logical to continually ask for more and tout "future projects" and they never even get off the cutting room floor for years.

Plus people are putting way too much stock into a message board. Its a place designed for the shared opinions on Mason bball. So you have alot of people, watching the same games and a good amount of people concluding the same thing. So is it really that much of a shock to see the sammmeeeee ideas beat into the ground by a bunch of people? But everytime people talk about "repetitive posts" or "beating a dead horse". What else is supposed to be shared on a Mason BBall thread, that talks about the coach or performance?

 

[GMUgemini]

The point isn't what's said it's how it's said and when (since we had posts in threads completely unrelated to men's basketball or even Mason athletics at all complaining about the men's basketball team and Hewitt) like the baseball thread "well that's nice bit our basketball team sucks!"

I think the golden rule of criticism is if you don't want to provide solid evidence or want to answer the question "why" for your opinion stay silent.

It's like the complaint about the scoreboard. Why don't we have a video scoreboard? Is it because TOC is the worst AD in the history of the NCAA who has no clue or is it more complicated than that?

 

[Patriotfan49]

The point isn't what's said it's how it's said and when (since we had posts in threads completely unrelated to men's basketball or even Mason athletics at all complaining about the men's basketball team and Hewitt) like the baseball thread "well that's nice bit our basketball team sucks!"

I think the golden rule of criticism is if you don't want to provide solid evidence or want to answer the question "why" for your opinion stay silent.

It's like the complaint about the scoreboard. Why don't we have a video scoreboard? Is it because TOC is the worst AD in the history of the NCAA who has no clue or is it more complicated than that?

I just told you, at this point it has deteriorated to that kinda stuff happening and being said. If you want well thought out criticisms and still a tinge of hopefullness posts, go back to years 1 and 2. At this point, you arent going to get that because its A)visible every single game, B)everybody knows what the problems are, C) its all been said before, D) There is no real light at the end of the tunnel at the moment.

For your "golden rule" the answer why, it can simply be found by tuning in for 10 minutes of one of our games. Yeah, thats where we are at currently. Every shred of criticism that has been posted here, can be found game in and game out.

As for the scoreboard, most reasonable people would understand (like I said in my last post) its not as simple as "get money install/build ____". But at the same time, after years start to go by, we continually get the same story. Yes the roof needs reinforced were told (makes sense)......but what is being done to start that process? How close are we to that? How many years are we going to be told it needs X, but X never seems to start?

Personally Im of the type, I totally understand there are politics to play in every office, there is money contraints and all things on those level. Thats fine, thats pretty much anywhere you go. As are issues that arise when you look into building, or construction etc. However, after a certain point of inaction it becomes irrelevant to me because I dont see the initiative to resolve said issues. At the same time, I also find it disengenious (sp?) to continue market these projects as if they are within reach, to donors.....when in fact they may be 5-10 years or more away. As a donor, where is my money going exactly? Scholarships, travel, projects, the school etc etc? What is being improved in the Athletic Department and teams, coming from donor money for the AD specifically? I dont feel that is unreasonable to know. Add that, to the history of decisions of the AD over the past 10 years I feel concern is warranted in some of those areas.

 

[gmujim92]

Like 49, I'd love to know what Mason's admin has done with the supposedly tremendous increases in athletics funding we've seen since 2006.

It's obviously not going into facilities -- see the lousy excuse for a stadium that houses our NCAA-qualifier baseball program.

So where has it all gone? Inquiring minds want to know...

 

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

You can actually get the budget/expenditures anytime you want from the University.

As Siegfried has said, there isn't exactly money lying around. That's just fact. And I don't know too much the University has blown the cash on recklessly. They do spend a bunch of it doing things like flying the basketball team around a helluva lot more than they did 10 years ago, I know that.

Are you thinking TOC is lying when he says he really wanted to fund the baseball improvements as one of his bigger regrets? That he had the cash all along?

When your donations just now get up to barely 900K level it should be pretty self-explanatory why we don't have some of the things we have. Now can they do a better job getting donations? Absolutely. But at least they are making progress.

 

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

I just gave Pat Club three grand today, which equates about to leasing a Kia per year.

When I am a top 50 Pat Club donor, what does that tell you about where we are?

 

[GMUgemini]

The roof of the Pat Dome is slated to be replaced in 2016 and will cost roughly 8.6 million.

As Jollay said, if you are really curious you can go to budget.gmu.edu and do a little sleuthing. Anything you don't find online can be requested and the forms are on the website.

 

[Patriotfan49]

So the rest of the questions/points......they just slip through the cracks? Simply go to budget.gmu.edu and thats the answer to all the concerns of people? TOC regrets not doing more to get the baseball facilities upgraded, so thats the end all be all? Either way, its still not done and doesnt appear to be getting done anytime soon....still. So where does that regret exactly get us?

Its well understood there are cash limitations, and red tape limitations......but when you see peers finding a way to start, complete similar projects...kinda makes it a little more on the excuse side to me.

Also curious, how the school itself can continually seem to fund immediate multi million dollar renovations, or dorm builds that are started and completed in no time.....yet cant even manage some smaller scale projects for the athletic teams. While I understand the difference of the AD and the school itself.....perhaps some of that money can be put toward some long outstanding athletic projects?

 

[GMUgemini]

So the rest of the questions/points......they just slip through the cracks? Simply go to budget.gmu.edu and thats the answer to all the concerns of people? TOC regrets not doing more to get the baseball facilities upgraded, so thats the end all be all? Either way, its still not done and doesnt appear to be getting done anytime soon....still. So where does that regret exactly get us?

Its well understood there are cash limitations, and red tape limitations......but when you see peers finding a way to start, complete similar projects...kinda makes it a little more touchy of a subject.

Also curious, how the school itself can continually seem to fund immediate multi million dollar renovations, or dorm builds that are started and completed in no time.....yet cant even manage some smaller scale projects for the athletic teams. While I understand the difference of the AD and the school itself.....perhaps some of that money can be put toward some long outstanding athletic projects?

They are getting done...slowly but they are getting down: field house, RAC, aquatics facility, Pat Dome, Soccer stadium/track (2016), etc. How much do you want them to invest in athletics? By my count they've done about 50 to 60 million since 2007 with plans for about 15 million more planned in the next two years (not counting the baseball stadium).

Those academic and residential building upgrades were also long outstanding it's not like they just turned around and designed and built those things in a matter of a few months, they were years in the making and in many cases like Volgenau and the telescope, were financed by large private donations. If a baseball alumnus wants to come and fund a sweet new stadium, I'm sure we'd find a way to accommodate them.