The Official Fire Dave Paulsen Thread

[Herndon]

Honestly, having a coach like Larranaga and having so much success in a mostly dogshit league like the CAA covered for the fact that neither Mason’s former administration nor its donor base had made any of the investments necessary to compete consistently in a league where most of the schools are actively trying to win.

We jumped to one of the best basketball-only leagues in America because we knew the chance probably wasn’t coming again, but the truth is we were nowhere near ready. We were spoiled by being a big dog in the CAA, but we are still playing catch-up in the A-10.

This was a gut punch of truth.

 

[Jack Strop]

This was a gut punch of truth.

Yeah? So, get yourself back up, dust yourself off, put up your dukes, and start swingin'?

 

[Falco]

Mason has the largest enrollment among A10 schools. Mason should be able to outspend all these schools.

Time to buyout DP and move on.

According to Wiki
UniversityEnrollment
Davidson College- 1756
St. Bonaventure University- 2406
University of Richmond- 4249
La Salle University- 6176
Saint Joseph's University- 7900
Duquesne University- 10106
University of Dayton- 10920
Fordham University- 14667
University of Rhode Island- 16243
Saint Louis University- 16500
George Washington University- 25116
University of Massachusetts- 26359
Virginia Commonwealth University- 32303
George Mason University- 33917

- I know most of these schools are private, but Mason's enrollment is 1790% larger than Davidson's. Mason should crush these little schools in the arms race.

 

[GMUSig03]

Mason's enrollment is 1790% larger than Davidson's. Mason should crush these little schools in the arms race.

Great idea - let's fire DP and hire a high school coach that is a future hall of famer and will stick around for 30 years, why didn't anyone else think of that?!

 

[MasonSAE4]

Honestly, having a coach like Larranaga and having so much success in a mostly dogshit league like the CAA covered for the fact that neither Mason’s former administration nor its donor base had made any of the investments necessary to compete consistently in a league where most of the schools are actively trying to win.

We jumped to one of the best basketball-only leagues in America because we knew the chance probably wasn’t coming again, but the truth is we were nowhere near ready. We were spoiled by being a big dog in the CAA, but we are still playing catch-up in the A-10.

I don't necessarily disagree, but what are the next steps? We've made upgrades to the program like a practice facility, improved gameday atmosphere (or at least the things that improve it without relying on increased attendance.) Increased money at this point would seemingly pay for either higher pay for coaching (which seemingly would mean DP isn't in charge anymore) or some other smaller things that I can't think of. Seems like we've hit the point where getting to the next level is going to come down to winning alone.

 

[mkaufman1]

I don't necessarily disagree, but what are the next steps? We've made upgrades to the program like a practice facility, improved gameday atmosphere (or at least the things that improve it without relying on increased attendance.) Increased money at this point would seemingly pay for either higher pay for coaching (which seemingly would mean DP isn't in charge anymore) or some other smaller things that I can't think of. Seems like we've hit the point where getting to the next level is going to come down to winning alone.

More buy games inc those that are more expensive, more chartered flights, enhancements to the practice facility (phase 2), which is supposed to have training rooms, video review rooms etc. Thats just to name a few.

But I do agree, the product on the court has to improve too, but there are always things that can help improve the existing items that Mason has.

 

[GSII]

Mason has the largest enrollment among A10 schools. Mason should be able to outspend all these schools.

Time to buyout DP and move on.

According to Wiki
UniversityEnrollment
Davidson College- 1756
St. Bonaventure University- 2406
University of Richmond- 4249
La Salle University- 6176
Saint Joseph's University- 7900
Duquesne University- 10106
University of Dayton- 10920
Fordham University- 14667
University of Rhode Island- 16243
Saint Louis University- 16500
George Washington University- 25116
University of Massachusetts- 26359
Virginia Commonwealth University- 32303
George Mason University- 33917

- I know most of these schools are private, but Mason's enrollment is 1790% larger than Davidson's. Mason should crush these little schools in the arms race.

We should cut a few sports to fund bball better. Which ones would allow a few million to flow into bball when cut?

 

[MasonSAE4]

More buy games inc those that are more expensive, more chartered flights, enhancements to the practice facility (phase 2), which is supposed to have training rooms, video review rooms etc. Thats just to name a few.

But I do agree, the product on the court has to improve too, but there are always things that can help improve the existing items that Mason has.

But are those things that we truly lack relative to other A10 programs? I know a few that have the top of the line practice facility, but I feel like we're now at a point where it's tough to point to lack of program infrastructure as a large factor.

 

[gmujim92]

I don't necessarily disagree, but what are the next steps? We've made upgrades to the program like a practice facility, improved gameday atmosphere (or at least the things that improve it without relying on increased attendance.) Increased money at this point would seemingly pay for either higher pay for coaching (which seemingly would mean DP isn't in charge anymore) or some other smaller things that I can't think of. Seems like we've hit the point where getting to the next level is going to come down to winning alone.

All the stuff that has been done so far is just catching up to other top-half A-10 teams. And it’s going to take a while before we start seeing tangible dividends from those investments.

Our men’s basketball budget is still either 9th or 10th in the A-10. That has to improve. We can do more with less but only within reason.

 

[MasonSAE4]

All the stuff that has been done so far is just catching up to other top-half A-10 teams. And it’s going to take a while before we start seeing tangible dividends from those investments.

Our men’s basketball budget is still either 9th or 10th in the A-10. That has to improve. We can do more with less but only within reason.

Right but that's my question. Exactly what would an increase in donations/revenue go towards? I would assume those operating with more money are paying their coach more. Are we really that far behind in terms of buy games and charter flights?

 

[gmujim92]

Right but that's my question. Exactly what would an increase in donations/revenue go towards? I would assume those operating with more money are paying their coach more. Are we really that far behind in terms of buy games and charter flights?

Not as far as we used to be before Brad got here, but yes.

 

[GMUgemini]

As far as I remember, a lot of the difference is in facilities maintenance costs. We used to charge $0 in our balance sheet for facilities maintenance when it was just EBA. It’ll be interesting to see the budget now that the practice facility opened.

And, yes, more charter flights (although oddly just like the CAA we are in a great geographic position for travel in the A10. Lots of schools are close) and a bigger recruiting budget are two things we could use.

 

[Jack Strop]

Where does vcu stand in budget? I know they're higher than us. However, how much of their budget is allocated and spent on marketing? I haven't been to Richmond in a while, but that billboard on I95 that vcu leased, as well as many other outdoor advertising spaces, TV commercials, and any other marketing channels that I'm missing, cost a pretty shiny dime.

 

[NewPatriot]

Where does vcu stand in budget? I know they're higher than us. However, how much of their budget is allocated and spent on marketing? I haven't been to Richmond in a while, but that billboard on I95 that vcu leased, as well as many other outdoor advertising spaces, TV commercials, and any other marketing channels that I'm missing, cost a pretty shiny dime.

According to an April 2018 in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, vcu spends approximately 6.1 million while Mason spends 3.5 million on Men's Basketball.

As a point of reference, tech spends 9.8 million and uva spends 8.5 million on basketball.

Mason ranks 10th in the A10 for Bball budgets. St. Joe's is 9th with 4.2 million.
Davidson is last in the A10 at 2.6 million.

 

[Five Two]

We should cut a few sports to fund bball better. Which ones would allow a few million to flow into bball when cut?

I have been saying this for years. There is no need for Mason to have more sports than the minimum required by the NCAA to be a Division I school. We used to be classified as a Division I-AAA school (meaning, DI without any football). Not sure if that classification still exists today but I believe the minim for a I-AAA school was to have 14 sports and be Title IX compliant.

 

[GSII]

So which sports do we cut?

 

[gmujim92]

So which sports do we cut?

If we have to have at least 14 to remain in Division I, I would keep basketball (M&W), soccer (M&W), volleyball (M&W), track (M&W), swim and dive (M&W), baseball, softball, wrestling and women’s lacrosse.

Not sure how much we’d save by cutting tennis, golf, rowing and cross country, though. Probably not enough to make a significant upgrade to the men’s basketball budget.

 

[GMUgemini]

If we have to have at least 14 to remain in Division I, I would keep basketball (M&W), soccer (M&W), volleyball (M&W), track (M&W), swim and dive (M&W), baseball, softball, wrestling and women’s lacrosse.

Not sure how much we’d save by cutting tennis, golf, rowing and cross country, though. Probably not enough to make a significant upgrade to the men’s basketball budget.

Probably wouldn’t move the needle as much as people would want.

We need to focus on what we can control — attending games and donatations. And also understand that budget outlays don’t necessarily correlate to results. I want our budget to be competitive, but we don’t need to overspend.

 

[Falco]

Great idea - let's fire DP and hire a high school coach that is a future hall of famer and will stick around for 30 years, why didn't anyone else think of that?!

Why is a high school coach the alternative?

 

[GMUSig03]

Why is a high school coach the alternative?

Why is the sky blue?