The Official Dave Paulsen and Brad Edwards Speculation Thread

[Patriot8]

I have nothing to add to this circular debate, just wanted to mention the hilarity of tagging an internet message board thread with SPECULATION. You think so, doctor?

Petey id be interested to hear your speculative thoughts on a Tony Skinn marriage, if you would be so kind.

 

[Petey Buckets]

Petey id be interested to hear your speculative thoughts on a Tony Skinn marriage, if you would be so kind.

Sign me up in a cocaine heartbeat. There are some legitimate questions (like is this the job for a first-time head coach) but they pale in comparison to the upside. He would connect the program's present to the past in a meaningful way, he's connected all over the DC-NY corridor that Larrañaga used to crush, and he's been paying his dues as a top assistant. Maybe it would work and maybe it wouldn't, but it would breathe life back into a program that desperately needs it.

If we move on from Dave, Skinn and Konkol are my top two by far.

 

[Old Man]

Not really...almost all of the women's teams have been pretty bad for at least 20 years (exception for women's Lacrosse, which competes decently well). I'd say the women's Basketball team used to be much worse in the late 90s/early 2000s than they are right now. Men's volleyball is about where it's always been, some years better than others. Men's swimming and diving won the A-10 championship in 2020.

I would just as soon get rid of Tennis and golf so I really don't care what they're doing.

Wrestling hasn't done all that much lately, but they seem to have a ton of support and now that ODU and a few other schools eliminated the sport, maybe they'll reap some benefit?

Men's soccer just got a new coach, who is fairly legendary in college. We'll see if he still wants to actually compete at the D1 level.

Women's (and Men's, fwiw) Track and Field won the A10 Championship in 2019. So, the women's track team is pretty good, too!

 

[gmutom]

Women's (and Men's, fwiw) Track and Field won the A10 Championship in 2019. So, the women's track team is pretty good, too!

You tell 'em, Dad! #proudpapa

 

[Falco]

So I was wrong. It appears BE knew football was never an option at Mason. But he talks about basketball being the flagship program and wants to compete at the highest level. Obviously that vision has not been achieved. Time to make changes.

View: https://youtu.be/-n03B8PK2N8

 

[Masonfan3]

I am onboard for Skinn as well. Always thought he was a great guy and a quite, but effective leader from our time serving together on the Student Athletic Advisory Committee at Mason. He is well connected in the major basketball markets on the East Coast and is someone that can relate to the players of today. The biggest gripe I have heard from former players who have been around DP and the program is that he tries to run the program like a Patriot or Ivy league school. Not saying that is a bad thing, but it won't work in the A10 and the players/some of our top recruits aren't going to buy into that style of coaching.

 

[mkaufman1]

Sign me up in a cocaine heartbeat. There are some legitimate questions (like is this the job for a first-time head coach) but they pale in comparison to the upside. He would connect the program's present to the past in a meaningful way, he's connected all over the DC-NY corridor that Larrañaga used to crush, and he's been paying his dues as a top assistant. Maybe it would work and maybe it wouldn't, but it would breathe life back into a program that desperately needs it.

If we move on from Dave, Skinn and Konkol are my top two by far.

Completely agree with the assessment. Chances are because we don't get nice things when it comes to Mason Athletics, they probably wouldn't get Skinn or Konkol.

It also depends on who is doing the hiring.

For now we sit and wait (and complain).

 

[Patriot8]

I am onboard for Skinn as well. Always thought he was a great guy and a quite, but effective leader from our time serving together on the Student Athletic Advisory Committee at Mason. He is well connected in the major basketball markets on the East Coast and is someone that can relate to the players of today. The biggest gripe I have heard from former players who have been around DP and the program is that he tries to run the program like a Patriot or Ivy league school. Not saying that is a bad thing, but it won't work in the A10 and the players/some of our top recruits aren't going to buy into that style of coaching.

Paulsen had success in the Patriot League, and he can go find it again in that league, or at a similar level. He has elevated the floor of our program, and he should be commended for that. I think he's a good guy, who runs a clean program, and he's been a positive ambassador for the University. At the end of the day, Dave Paulsen is a National Championship winning coach. Some guys just fit better at certain levels, and his level seems to be at a smaller, more academically-focused program, whether that be in the Patriot League, or at D3-school. He 100% deserved the chance he has received at Mason, it just hasn't worked out.

 

[tblack33]

Sign me up in a cocaine heartbeat. There are some legitimate questions (like is this the job for a first-time head coach) but they pale in comparison to the upside. He would connect the program's present to the past in a meaningful way, he's connected all over the DC-NY corridor that Larrañaga used to crush, and he's been paying his dues as a top assistant. Maybe it would work and maybe it wouldn't, but it would breathe life back into a program that desperately needs it.

If we move on from Dave, Skinn and Konkol are my top two by far.

I think the question of is Mason in a situation that would allow a first time head coach to be successful is a very fair question that honestly I hadn't thought of. Are there any other examples of A10 programs with first time head coaches? I know that Mojo fits that bill from his time at GW, but I think that was a unique situation in terms of how he got the position.

In terms of things I think of first time head coaches struggling with (discipline issues, academic issues, building a coaching staff to complement their own weaknesses) we aren't in bad shape. We don't need a full overhaul on off the court issues like we probably did 5 years ago.

 

[sleeperpick]

I think the question of is Mason in a situation that would allow a first time head coach to be successful is a very fair question that honestly I hadn't thought of. Are there any other examples of A10 programs with first time head coaches? I know that Mojo fits that bill from his time at GW, but I think that was a unique situation in terms of how he got the position.

In terms of things I think of first time head coaches struggling with (discipline issues, academic issues, building a coaching staff to complement their own weaknesses) we aren't in bad shape. We don't need a full overhaul on off the court issues like we probably did 5 years ago.

Billy Lange, Ashley Howard, David Cox are three I know of.... I think all 3 will turn out to be successful

 

[Petey Buckets]

Billy Lange, Ashley Howard, David Cox are three I know of.... I think all 3 will turn out to be successful

Don't forget Bob McKillop

 

[gmujim92]

Billy Lange, Ashley Howard, David Cox are three I know of.... I think all 3 will turn out to be successful

Lange isn’t a first-timer. He was a HC for 7 years at Navy with a .449 winning %

 

[sleeperpick]

Lange isn’t a first-timer. He was a HC for 7 years at Navy with a .449 winning %

thank you Jimbo... I will switch to Cox, Howard and McKillop (final answer)

 

[Mason2005]

We don't need a full overhaul on off the court issues like we probably did 5 years ago.

I 100% agree with this. DP came here and did what he could do. He cleaned up our program but is capped out now. He was a bump stop piece we needed to get. The program is in much better shape than after the virus. I don't see why we can't find a higher calibur coach after DP.

 

[mkaufman1]

I 100% agree with this. DP came here and did what he could do. He cleaned up our program but is capped out now. He was a bump stop piece we needed to get. The program is in much better shape than after the virus. I don't see why we can't find a higher calibur coach after DP.

yeah I concur with this assessment as well. My worry is that I’m not sure the administration feels the same way we do. It all goes back to that I feel they are happy with nice kids who graduate, serve the community and sometimes win.

hopefully dr Washington is interested in winning like we all are.

 

[Falco]

I’m sure Skinn would be a great coach. But I would prefer Mason to move on from
everything connected to the Final 4.

this list is a pretty good place to start looking.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.es...young-coaches-college-basketball?platform=amp

 

[gmujim92]

I’m sure Skinn would be a great coach. But I would prefer Mason to move on from
everything connected to the Final 4.

I’m sure you have some rationale for why you’d want to purposely distance the program from its crowning achievement, but I couldn’t disagree more.

As Mason’s coach, Tony could (and hopefully would) tell recruits with a straight face that it’s possible to make a Final 4 here.

Not sure how that’s a bad thing but here we are...

 

[Patriotsince81]

I’m sure Skinn would be a great coach. But I would prefer Mason to move on from
everything connected to the Final 4.

this list is a pretty good place to start looking.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/29157808/40-40-rank-best-young-coaches-college-basketball?platform=amp

Thanks for the link. Most belong on the list while others clearly do not. I cringed at the thought of Will Wade.

 

[mkaufman1]

I’m sure Skinn would be a great coach. But I would prefer Mason to move on from
everything connected to the Final 4.

this list is a pretty good place to start looking.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/29157808/40-40-rank-best-young-coaches-college-basketball?platform=amp

Good list- funny how Andy Toole is still on the list. He was rumored to be in the running for a lot of other jobs back in 2015 (I think he toured Fordham), but eventually Robert Morris invested more into basketball and he re-upped with them.

He certainly would be someone I'd be interested in. I thought he'd be a good choice for Mason back in 2015.

 

[Falco]

I’m sure you have some rationale for why you’d want to purposely distance the program from its crowning achievement, but I couldn’t disagree more.

As Mason’s coach, Tony could (and hopefully would) tell recruits with a straight face that it’s possible to make a Final 4 here.

Not sure how that’s a bad thing but here we are...

I'm very proud of Mason making it to the final 4. It is one of the reasons why I choose Mason over vcu and ODU (only VA schools who accepted me, shocker!! ha-ha).

That said, I think it’s time to move on from that achievement. Continuing to gloat over a decade-old achievement is like a thirty-year-old still wearing his high school varsity jacket.

Edit**- You make a good point about recruiting though.