Can we please have a poll on mens bball fan confidence?

[Polito]

Nearly every person here, connected or not, long time or new, old or young, has stated 5 years is a fair and appropriate timeframe to assess (because it is).

I think it's time we gather and quantify the sentiment here in regards to the state of the program, confidence in this staff to guide to the NCAAT, etc.

I know it may be clear simply by gauging our posts, but I actually think this is a bit different and important to see. Quantifying is vital.


(I don't have poll creation ability, so need someone to assist)

[Flying Dutchmen]

Why now after perhaps after the most frustrating loss we've had in 5 years, it's not going to be objective.

[stuball888]

Of course not. We are fans and we are emotional

[Polito]

Because it's the conclusion of 5 years. Sure the feelings of this particular loss may level a tad, but the overall failure will remain, and that's what will drive the poll.

But point taken - wait till the summer if that will make everyone feel it's more fair.

Either way, I think it's important to quantify the sentiment at this 5 year juncture on the eve of a new AD. Primary supporting fans can have tremendous impact.

[Wags]

Why now after perhaps after the most frustrating loss we've had in 5 years, it's not going to be objective.

Respectfully disagree. I don't think the timing matters. I think the fans here are very capable of giving credit where it's due and calling out the accountability where it's warranted even right after a loss like this.

[cactus]

Nearly every person here, connected or not, long time or new, old or young, has stated 5 years is a fair and appropriate timeframe to assess (because it is).

I think it's time we gather and quantify the sentiment here in regards to the state of the program, confidence in this staff to guide to the NCAAT, etc.

I know it may be clear simply by gauging our posts, but I actually think this is a bit different and important to see. Quantifying is vital.


(I don't have poll creation ability, so need someone to assist)

have fun, i gave you poll creation ability

[garyg]

Unfortunately JAM is not going anywhere

[stuball888]

No way Rabinowitz buys him out of his contract.

[garyg]

We are stuck with JAM at least two more seasons

[Polito]

We might be, but honestly guys you discount the impact a united front can have.

If this board actually finally unifies for once, makes LOUD PUBLIC noise, and stops the little cash flow and support they have, I guarantee a new AD will make a move.

At the very least, we are forced with 2 more years of this BS and the new AD does not RENEW - that would be a huge victory. Because they could very easily renew for another chunk of years.

But not if the dominant fanbase denies it. There is power in the people, power in numbers, and power in public social media outcry. Believe that. And let's use it.

[HUSID74]

We might be, but honestly guys you discount the impact a united front can have.

If this board actually finally unifies for once, makes LOUD PUBLIC noise, and stops the little cash flow and support they have, I guarantee a new AD will make a move.

At the very least, we are forced with 2 more years of this BS and the new AD does not RENEW - that would be a huge victory. Because they could very easily renew for another chunk of years.

But not if the dominant fanbase denies it. There is power in the people, power in numbers, and power in public social media outcry. Believe that. And let's use it.

Here you go again! There is no united front here...what have you been reading??? NUFF said on this subject...this staff will get and deserves to get at least next year BEFORE anything is even contemplated. You are delusional if you think otherwise.

You know I love your passion, but it might be better directed in something more positive to HELP the program, rather than blow it up

[garyg]

Let's face it guys...the new AD is probably gonna be a YES man to Rabinowitz..we are stuck with JAM 2-3 more years unless the program completely collapses and we finish 8-19 or something like that...unfortunately administration is content with mediocrity

[HUSID74]

Let's face it guys...the new AD is probably gonna be a YES man to Rabinowitz..we are stuck with JAM 2-3 more years unless the program completely collapses and we finish 8-19 or something like that...unfortunately administration is content with mediocrity

I take issue with characterizing this program as mediocre...how do you define mediocre? Third place in a tough League with a POY is NOT mediocre.

[Wags]

Let's face it guys...the new AD is probably gonna be a YES man to Rabinowitz..we are stuck with JAM 2-3 more years unless the program completely collapses and we finish 8-19 or something like that...unfortunately administration is content with mediocrity

I take issue with characterizing this program as mediocre...how do you define mediocre? Third place in a tough League with a POY is NOT mediocre.

Yeah, 19-12, third-place (picked fourth), out in the quarterfinals, POY, Third Team & Rookie Team awards is good, but not great.
A team like Towson, 18-14 (picked second), fifth-place, out in the quarterfinals, one award (Martin on the Second Team) is mediocre.

But it's just how it goes with the judgment placed on teams by tournament results. In the end, the frustration is that Hofstra (which should've gone a step further) and Towson end up in the same place, both with their NCAAT hopes ending in the CAA quarters. But it's not fair to judge an entire season on one game, even if it's by far, the most important game. Whole body of work, Towson should be judged as being mediocre, Hofstra as good but not great. It's easier to take the next step to great when you're already past mediocre and on to being good.

[garyg]

Let's face it guys...the new AD is probably gonna be a YES man to Rabinowitz..we are stuck with JAM 2-3 more years unless the program completely collapses and we finish 8-19 or something like that...unfortunately administration is content with mediocrity

I take issue with characterizing this program as mediocre...how do you define mediocre? Third place in a tough League with a POY is NOT mediocre.

Administration is content finishing in 3rd place and losing in first round of tournament and they will not make coaching change that could put this program over the top...they are satisfied where they are at meaning if they finish 3rd again next season that is ok with them...if they lose in first round again that is acceptable...meaning we are stuck with JAM another 2-3 seasons

[HUSID74]

Let's face it guys...the new AD is probably gonna be a YES man to Rabinowitz..we are stuck with JAM 2-3 more years unless the program completely collapses and we finish 8-19 or something like that...unfortunately administration is content with mediocrity

I take issue with characterizing this program as mediocre...how do you define mediocre? Third place in a tough League with a POY is NOT mediocre.

Administration is content finishing in 3rd place and losing in first round of tournament and they will not make coaching change that could put this program over the top...they are satisfied where they are at meaning if they finish 3rd again next season that is ok with them...if they lose in first round again that is acceptable...meaning we are stuck with JAM another 2-3 seasons

Ok so who would you hire???? Easy to say hire a new coach...did you think that if we change coaches most of the players would leave...look at what happened to UNCW last year.
This coaching staff has stabilized this program, bought us our ONLY CAA regular season championship, an NIT berth and maybe three 20 win seasons in five years.

Easy for many of you to FORGET the disaster Hofstra basketball was after Pecora left leaving us with Welsh and then an ill prepared Cassara.

I for one will take this staff vs. any change for the next couple of years.

[Dooku25]

Ok so who would you hire???? Easy to say hire a new coach...did you think that if we change coaches most of the players would leave...look at what happened to UNCW last year.
This coaching staff has stabilized this program, bought us our ONLY CAA regular season championship, an NIT berth and maybe three 20 win seasons in five years.

Easy for many of you to FORGET the disaster Hofstra basketball was after Pecora left leaving us with Welsh and then an ill prepared Cassara.

I for one will take this staff vs. any change for the next couple of years.

Good point about who to hire. Alot of frustration after the UNCW loss, and rightly so. But if we were to change the coach, it would need to be a significant upgrade. I don't want to change the coach just for the sake of change. I'd still give Joe next year unless there was an opportunity for HU to grab a better coach in the offseason, in which case I think the players would stay. No idea who that coach would be.

The most likely scenario though will be Joe stays next year, we don't win the CAA again, and the new AD makes the change at that time.

[HUSID74]

Ok so who would you hire???? Easy to say hire a new coach...did you think that if we change coaches most of the players would leave...look at what happened to UNCW last year.
This coaching staff has stabilized this program, bought us our ONLY CAA regular season championship, an NIT berth and maybe three 20 win seasons in five years.

Easy for many of you to FORGET the disaster Hofstra basketball was after Pecora left leaving us with Welsh and then an ill prepared Cassara.

I for one will take this staff vs. any change for the next couple of years.

Good point about who to hire. Alot of frustration after the UNCW loss, and rightly so. But if we were to change the coach, it would need to be a significant upgrade. I don't want to change the coach just for the sake of change. I'd still give Joe next year unless there was an opportunity for HU to grab a better coach in the offseason, in which case I think the players would stay. No idea who that coach would be.

The most likely scenario though will be Joe stays next year, we don't win the CAA again, and the new AD makes the change at that time.

So your only criteria for a head coach is to win the CAA....nothing else???? Tough to find somebody to take that on and I guess 9 out of 10 coaches in the CAA lose their job every year...LOL

[Dooku25]

So your only criteria for a head coach is to win the CAA....nothing else???? Tough to find somebody to take that on and I guess 9 out of 10 coaches in the CAA lose their job every year...LOL

Yes that's correct. Isn't that why Joe is coaching? Doesn't he want to cut down the nets? I thought that was the point.

And let's be realistic about your 9 out 10 coaches comment. Obviously that's not the case. I don't expect a title every year, c'mon that's ridiculous. But if you are given 5 years and clearly have the talent and can't get over the hump, then I think we are within reason to turn up the heat on the coach.

Do you think I'd be complaining today had the '16 team won the championship? HELL NO. But guess what? We blew a 12 point 2nd half lead in that title game, and UNCW cut down the nets...what else is new?

[Wags]

So your only criteria for a head coach is to win the CAA....nothing else???? Tough to find somebody to take that on and I guess 9 out of 10 coaches in the CAA lose their job every year...LOL

Yes that's correct. Isn't that why Joe is coaching? Doesn't he want to cut down the nets? I thought that was the point.

And let's be realistic about your 9 out 10 coaches comment. Obviously that's not the case. I don't expect a title every year, c'mon that's ridiculous. But if you are given 5 years and clearly have the talent and can't get over the hump, then I think we are within reason to turn up the heat on the coach.

Do you think I'd be complaining today had the '16 team won the championship? HELL NO. But guess what? We blew a 12 point 2nd half lead in that title game, and UNCW cut down the nets...what else is new?

Does HU "clearly have the talent" to win though? Talent isn't just offensive talent. You need players who have the ABILITY to guard. No argument, the staff has done a poor job instilling a defensive mindset or in helping players to learn how to be better defenders. But a lot of that is on the players and what that staff is working with to begin with. When we say this staff "has had the talent and can't win with it" it's almost always looked at from a purely offensive standpoint. Have they had problems scoring? Did they not score enough when they put up 88 points on Sunday night? Talent can't be on one side of the floor. Hofstra lacks defensive talent. They lack basic instincts and the ability to keep opponents in front of them, to communicate effectively on defense and lateral quickness (amonng other things). The schemes haven't been great and maybe at times confusing for the players, and the staff has failed to help the players become better than they started defensively. All true. But defensively, the talent, especially with our small guards, starts with recruitment. You have to recruit two-way, not one-way, players.

And you can't have it both ways. We complain the staff doesn't do enough in helping the defense (true), and then in the same breath complain when Joe benches someone early after missing a defensive assignment or two during a game, to send a message. So which is it?

We need to step back and gain some realistic perspective here. No one, I assure you, even Rabinowitz himself, is happy with third place and no NCAA berth. Everyone wants to win. But we also talk about this like it's so easy to accomplish. Since joining the CAA, how many NCAA tourneys has Towson made? Or Drexel? Or Delaware? Have those programs even attained the other levels of measurable success (short of an NCAA tourney) on par with Hofstra? Has William & Mary, who had about a two-decade head start on all of those teams and Hofstra in the CAA made its first NCAA tourney yet? Anyone calling for Shaver's job in Williamsburg?

Should HU strive to be Northeastern? Of course. But guess what. As great a coach as the current CAA COY Bill Coen is today, he was about to be fired after his 6th year at NU, after four losing seasons and one NIT. Then he made the NIT again, then an 11-21 season (his 5th losing season in 8 years), before finally taking NU to the NCAA tourney in his NINTH year. Then he had consecutive 6th-place seasons including his 5th losing season before now having a shot at his second NCAA tourney in his 12th year, in large part because he got lucky and ended up with Pusica, who only became available to NU after a coaching change in San Diego.

I realize everyone is anxious to win (and should be, and should torelate nothing less). But the knee-jerk reactions vs. reality are a little much.