This was my fear. I remember banging that drum. We saw how Duke and UNC handled the transition away from their coaching legends and failed to take into account that our new coach wouldn't be starting from the same place as them.Continuity hires make sense when things are going well, and the AD / fanbase wants to maintain a steady level of success. It makes zero sense to make a continuity hire when a program is struggling.
I remember well that you argued against a continuity hire in the years leading up to JB’s forced retirement and at that time of him getting pushed out as well. But when the time came, I think a lot of people on here accepted that Wildhack had to hire Red or Gmac, one of JB’s guys, in order to force JB out without too much drama. And we all just wanted JB gone by any means necessary because he had hijacked the program for so long. We can debate if Wildhack should have done the more difficult thing and gone with the outside hire then, but some insiders on here have suggested he might not have even had that choice. I wanted a proven outside hire but was hopeful that Red had the chops.When JB was relieved of duty by ADJW, we were teetering on the precipice. The program was at what seemed like the nadir of bottoming out [oops] at that point, and making the right replacement hire was either going to help the program right the ship, or cause the program to fall of the cliff.
Setting aside whichever approach individuals supported / advocated for at the time, hiring an unproven coach and emphasizing ties to the program instead of legitimate evaluative criteria was a really bad, dumb approach.
Continuity hires make sense when things are going well, and the AD / fanbase wants to maintain a steady level of success. It makes zero sense to make a continuity hire when a program is struggling.
And here we are.
I remember well that you argued against a continuity hire in the years leading up to JB’s forced retirement and at that time of him getting pushed out as well. But I think a lot of people on here accepted that Wildhack had to hire Red or Gmac, one of JB’s guys, in order to force JB out without too much drama. And we all just wanted JB gone by any means necessary because he had hijacked the program for so long. We can debate if Wildhack should have done the more difficult thing and gone with the outside hire then, but some insiders on here have suggested he might not have even had that choice. I wanted a proven outside hire but was hopeful that Red had the chops.
Exactly. With a continuity or alumni hire, you have to act fast if it doesn’t work out (see: Louisville). I think if it wasn’t for Kiyan and the Melo family coming in next season (and perhaps to some extent JB’s influence), Wildhack would likely be pulling the plug after this season. I think the Melo factor (and Red’s recruiting abilities) throws a wrench into that. Is there proven head coach Wildhack could hire that would keep Kiyan, Melo and family committed to Cuse?In a perfect world, we should have gone outside the program for the hire. However, if we had done that, JB would have gone scorched earth.
Because of that, I understand trying legacy a hire to see if we can make it work.
But make no mistake, legacy hires are always a gamble and even more so when they are handed the baton when the program is in rough shape.
What we are seeing is an eventuality that was NOT a low-probability scenario.
The probability it wouldn't work was fairly high.
We knew that going in.
Now that we know it isn't working, we're not prepared act?? We can't afford Red's buyout??
There was no contingency plan??
How many compounding mistakes will be piled on top of this situation?
No doubt -- he would have.In a perfect world, we should have gone outside the program for the hire. However, if we had done that, JB would have gone scorched earth.
Because of that, I understand trying legacy a hire to see if we can make it work.
But make no mistake, legacy hires are always a gamble and even more so when they are handed the baton when the program is in rough shape.
What we are seeing is an eventuality that was NOT a low-probability scenario.
The probability it wouldn't work was fairly high.
We knew that going in.
Now that we know it isn't working, we're not prepared act?? We can't afford Red's buyout??
There was no contingency plan??
How many compounding mistakes will be piled on top of this situation?
Exactly. With a continuity or alumni hire, you have to act fast if it doesn’t work out (see: Louisville). I think if it wasn’t for Kiyan and the Melo family coming in next season (and perhaps to some extent JB’s influence), Wildhack would likely be pulling the plug after this season. I think the Melo factor (and Red’s recruiting abilities) throws a wrench into that. Is there proven head coach Wildhack could hire that would keep Kiyan, Melo and family committed to Cuse?
The Louisville game really was like two ships passing in the night. Kelsey turned over their whole roster in his first month, has weathered some injury problems and now they haven't lost in six weeks. The schedule in that time hasn't been the toughest in that they haven't played Duke and they got Clemson at home, but they also have five road wins in that stretch.
Somebody stunk up the bathroom on our ship and clogged the toilet.I'll take that analogy one step further.
Their ship has weathered the storm and sailed through difficulties, and is cruising.
We started taking on water in the first game, against Le Moyne, and we're sinking / already underwater.
Somebody stunk up the bathroom on our ship and clogged the toilet.
Unfortunately, I listened to my heart and not my head last night. Stayed up until midnight (Central time) to watch that debacle. Early in the game (when it was 25-2) I joked that I was going to be able to go to bed early/on time. But being the glutton for punishment I am.....I stayed up to just be disappointed (yet again)....the least-watched conference game in SU Basketball history?
Can't imagine many folks stayed up to watch that debacle, and I'm even more sure that those that did turned it off after 17-0.
Embarrassing how far we've fallen.
I'm surprised your heart is even telling you to watch. I'm completely apathetic to whatever this program has become.Unfortunately, I listened to my heart and not my head last night. Stayed up until midnight (Central time) to watch that debacle. Early in the game (when it was 25-2) I joked that I was going to be able to go to bed early/on time. But being the glutton for punishment I am...I stayed up to just be disappointed (yet again).
That's discriminatory against Big Fellas.Was it Lumpkin?? Had to be Lumpkin?
I'm surprised your heart is even telling you to watch. I'm completely apathetic to whatever this program has become.
I get it, though -- because fans love their team.
I stayed up, too, even knowing / expecting that we were going to get pasted. We are coming up on a very difficult portion of the schedule, and we're not very good.
People were excited about beating Notre Dame -- when we were down 17 in the first half -- just so we could stay out of the bottom 3 and not miss the ACC tournament.
Expectations have changed. Which is sad.
I don’t quite understand the “JB scorched earth” thing.In a perfect world, we should have gone outside the program for the hire. However, if we had done that, JB would have gone scorched earth.
Because of that, I understand trying legacy a hire to see if we can make it work.
But make no mistake, legacy hires are always a gamble and even more so when they are handed the baton when the program is in rough shape.
What we are seeing is an eventuality that was NOT a low-probability scenario.
The probability it wouldn't work was fairly high.
We knew that going in.
Now that we know it isn't working, we're not prepared act?? We can't afford Red's buyout??
There was no contingency plan??
How many compounding mistakes will be piled on top of this situation?
I didn't even know we were playing. I just don't care enough to keep up with the schedule like I used to....the least-watched conference game in SU Basketball history?
Can't imagine many folks stayed up to watch that debacle, and I'm even more sure that those that did turned it off after 17-0.
Embarrassing how far we've fallen.
I don’t quite understand the “JB scorched earth” thing.
But how does JB’s ire have anything to do with it? They should have given JB a bonus package, receipt contingent upon his good grace in the aftermath.
Where are they now?He has whale donors that would stop donating on his direction.
Where are they now?
This is way worse than any team JB fielded in his 40 something years as a head coach at our program. We were nationally known until he put us on the national level. Hell he is a game winner away from having 2 national championships....the least-watched conference game in SU Basketball history?
Can't imagine many folks stayed up to watch that debacle, and I'm even more sure that those that did turned it off after 17-0.
Embarrassing how far we've fallen.