Welcome Darius Maddox

[FlPatriot]

Future definitely feeling bright, so happy with the hire and hoping the AD does their part to keep TS here until I’m long gone…

 

[GMU79]

Stunningly if Tony lands both Hall and Cornish, which would be incredible, that means that he lands the 5 dawgs this staff seemed to really want and is a 5/5 on visits. That would be something crazy, this staff is electric (and these assistants... whoooo boy these assistants. Love em so far)

I don't think KE and staff could ever have done this in their first year (or two).
Oh wait, they didn't.

 

[GMU79]

Maybe it’s the less time on social media self promoting and more time working and grinding approach.

Tony is all about his alma mater. Kim is all about rising through the ranks.

 

[masonhoops1984]

Tony is all about his alma mater. Kim is all about rising through the ranks.

Both want to win, the difference as you can tell when talking to both. One cares about the name on the jersey the other cares about his own name. Everyone kept saying Tony isn’t polished and rough around the edges. I say good! I don’t care if a coach can put on a show in a press conference, I care if kids want to play for him and if he cares more about his team than himself. Tony was a slam dunk hire! We’re going to see hard nose play that hasn’t been relevant in a decade plus!

 

[psyclone]

I get the enthusiasm over the recruiting successes of the past few days and the bitterness over KE's departure and taking some key guys with him. The new staff easily passes the test of getting guys to come to Mason. Recruiting appears to be a strength of theirs (not that much of a surprise, given Tony's reputation in that area).

The next step will be getting them to play together in an organized fashion and installing a system that takes advantage of the personnel we have. This is an area that we know less about as we don't know much about how their past roles have focused on team development.

So far, so good! But much more needs to happen before we know that the coaching change will work out for the best.

 

[Patriotsince81]

Christmas in April! Welcome Mr. Maddox!!!!!!

Former coach = talker & BS artist
Skinn = Doer

 

[gmujim92]

I get the enthusiasm over the recruiting successes of the past few days and the bitterness over KE's departure and taking some key guys with him. The new staff easily passes the test of getting guys to come to Mason. Recruiting appears to be a strength of theirs (not that much of a surprise, given Tony's reputation in that area).

The next step will be getting them to play together in an organized fashion and installing a system that takes advantage of the personnel we have. This is an area that we know less about as we don't know much about how their past roles have focused on team development.

So far, so good! But much more needs to happen before we know that the coaching change will work out for the best.

I get what you’re saying, but it’s not like we accomplished much of anything with KE or his two predecessors — and honestly it was hard to see an obvious pathway to being significantly improved the next couple years given the roster construction.

@Petey Buckets said something interesting on the 3BidLeague podcast, that he thought KE was having a hard time adjusting to recruiting at our level after spending most of his time as an assistant chasing blue chippers. Pretty insightful comment and looking back, it was spot on.

I think he’s gonna do pretty well at Providence because you can get 5* in the Big East, but this situation has already worked out for the best for Mason because we finally have a coach who understands how to win here.

 

[Mason32]

Am I reading it right that he sat out the last 14 games of last year because of family/personal reasons?

 

[JPgmuswim]

Am I reading it right that he sat out the last 14 games of last year because of family/personal reasons?

Yes, his first year was better than his second and from what i heard he ended up going home midway through the season due to some family stuff back home in MD.
Hopefully everything is better now and he’s found a spot much closer to home which may help.

 

[hoopsjunkie75]

So I take it he gets the Covid year and we have a possibility of 2 years with him, or did he start one year too late to get the extension?

 

[GMUgemini]

So I take it he gets the Covid year and we have a possibility of 2 years with him, or did he start one year too late to get the extension?

He’s part of the same class as Polite and Henry, so he gets a COVID season. Would be awesome if all three stayed here for it and l, along with Billups, Skinn can start to build classes around them.

 

[p8triotfan4life]

Ronny P and D Maddox in same backcourt? deadly.

 

[Patriot Lawdog]

I get what you’re saying, but it’s not like we accomplished much of anything with KE or his two predecessors — and honestly it was hard to see an obvious pathway to being significantly improved the next couple years given the roster construction.

@Petey Buckets said something interesting on the 3BidLeague podcast, that he thought KE was having a hard time adjusting to recruiting at our level after spending most of his time as an assistant chasing blue chippers. Pretty insightful comment and looking back, it was spot on.

I think he’s gonna do pretty well at Providence because you can get 5* in the Big East, but this situation has already worked out for the best for Mason because we finally have a coach who understands how to win here.

Agreed… Great point by Petey on that podcast. KE never played or coached at any level other than P5.

 

[JPgmuswim]

Agreed… Great point by Petey on that podcast. KE never played or coached at any level other than P5.

He started as an assistant at Tulsa for 2 years, but most of his playing and coaching was with P5 programs.

 

[GSII]

Tony has been doing the same thing except for LA Tech. And for longer.

 

[FlPatriot]

Tony can give a pitch like no other coach: I know what it takes to get to the final four at a mid-major school and I’m going to do it again as a coach…would you like to join me on the quest.

I think I’d join the journey…definitely have as a fan.

 

[Where's the party?]

Definitely happy to see players starting to commit to Mason. So happy we gave the job to Tony and have been very happy with the assistant coaches work recruiting. Still need to land a few more bodies - hopefully another shooter or two.
Hey Coach Skinn - do us a favor and have your assistants go back to working the white-board and explaining game strategy in the Gold Room. KE's staff acted like they didn't want to even be there. We need to get back to the Assistants connecting with the folks in the gold room like the old days.

 

[Five Two]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1648850250411515905

View: https://twitter.com/A10Vault/status/1648850250411515905

 

[GSII]

signed 3 of 4 reported recruits. guess we are waiting on hall or torrey. how many more slot need to be filled?

 

[GMU79]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1648850250411515905

View: https://twitter.com/A10Vault/status/1648850250411515905

Catch and shoot. LOVE IT!!!