Fire Mooney

[97spiderfan]

1:05:00 is when the interview starts. 3 minutes in and I almost punched my work computer hearing we are at our best when we are aggressive. Bro we got 4 games left and that's the analysis

That's right up there with his "we need to shoot better" critique that was common the past few years. No shit, sherlock. He's now navigating to the "be more aggressive" analysis for this year. 1.5 million a year, 21 years and this is all we can get. Explains why we see the exact same game plan, game after game. That is all he has.

He is a maestro of being the single most boring interview in CBB as well, which I think serves HIM well because he never says anything remotely controversial that would lead to some type of increased scrutiny or interest from anyone at all.

 

[Eight Legger]

Yeah, he just keeps repeating the same stuff but never fixing any of it, so.....accountability, anyone?

 

[brooklyn brownstone]

you know what's not aggressive? The Moonball offensive scheme. It's all about fluidity, not aggression.

We finally ran like 3 pick and rolls last game and they all seemed to work. Robinson got fouled on one of them (missed both FTs), Robinson kicked out for a wide open 3 on another, and then there was the "short roll" play that the awful announcer went on about, bc coaches love minutiae like that. Pick and roll is only the most used offensive play in basketball the last 10-15 years but let's get on it now after 3 A10 finishes outside the top 10 of the league. Visionary.

 

[97spiderfan]

Again, no tough questions for Mooney to answer. We've lost 8 of 9, the season is in the toilet and just some general questions about our last game and our next one coming up, even though both are completely inconsequential in what is another completely lost season. Everyone treats our program like it some YMCA team.

 

[Spider B]

Again, no tough questions for Mooney to answer. We've lost 8 of 9, the season is in the toilet and just some general questions about our last game and our next one coming up, even though both are completely inconsequential in what is another completely lost season. Everyone treats our program like it some YMCA team.

I agree. Zero tough questions ever from local media on the big picture or overall state of the program. Probably has something to do with BB working for the radio station. Very soft interview this morning.

 

[SFspidur]

I knew it was going to be a dud when Fitz introed with how the last four games are all winnable, even before playing the Mooney interview. I mean, technically yes, but that's like the rosiest possible outlook on our situation.

 

[97spiderfan]

I agree. Zero tough questions ever from local media on the big picture or overall state of the program. Probably has something to do with BB working for the radio station. Very soft interview this morning.

I can't remember if it was it was Fitz or another local radio guy but a few weeks back, one of them was apparently getting a lot of texts from UR fans banging on Mooney. His response was to defend Mooney, say he was the basically the best we could hope for, relive 2022, and saying these fans had unrealistic expectations.

Of course, if this was happening at VCU, his response would have been completely different, Mooney level results would be flatly unacceptable at VCU.

VCU and UR play in the same DAMN league, but VCU gets treated like a major program with major expectations whereas UR gets treated like a D3 program that should just be happy to play. The reality is our program leadership has created this mindset with our local sports media, so now no one outside of the fanbase has any type of reasonable expectation for UR basketball. We just play for fun and learning I think in the eyes of local sports media.

 

[RichmondNative]

I can't remember if it was it was Fitz or another local radio guy but a few weeks back, one of them was apparently getting a lot of texts from UR fans banging on Mooney. His response was to defend Mooney, say he was the basically the best we could hope for, relive 2022, and saying these fans had unrealistic expectations.

Of course, if this was happening at VCU, his response would have been completely different, Mooney level results would be flatly unacceptable at VCU.

VCU and UR play in the same DAMN league, but VCU gets treated like a major program with major expectations whereas UR gets treated like a D3 program that should just be happy to play. The reality is our program leadership has created this mindset with our local sports media, so now no one outside of the fanbase has any type of reasonable expectation for UR basketball. We just play for fun and learning I think in the eyes of local sports media.

Great point. UR brought it upon itself and the media has obliged them.

The idea that UR is going to be a premier basketball school is long gone. It hitched its wagon to a coach that they thought was going to deliver greatness and he has delivered meh. Congratulations.

Enjoy the lacrosse season. That is the new shining star for UR sports.

 

[vt4700]

My goodness, what a painful listen that was. Did he wake Mooney up for the interview? Took him awhile to say anything.....well, I guess even after he woke up and got going, he still didn't really say anything. I stopped listening after I heard the word aggressive for the 50th time. I don't think being aggressive has anything to do with our opponents getting so many good looks and easy baskets, and our offense struggling to get good looks.

We have played 27 games, but gosh, if we could just start out a little more aggressive, we would be really good!!!!! Are u freaking kidding me??????

 

[Eight Legger]

I will say to Fitz's credit, he has said a few times this week that he thinks the end of the season is very critical for Mooney's future here and said yesterday or Wednesday (can't recall) that he thinks Mooney has run out of excuses. Would have liked to hear him press more today on some stuff, but he has not been a total homer.

 

[Eight Legger]

I can't remember if it was it was Fitz or another local radio guy but a few weeks back, one of them was apparently getting a lot of texts from UR fans banging on Mooney. His response was to defend Mooney, say he was the basically the best we could hope for, relive 2022, and saying these fans had unrealistic expectations.

Of course, if this was happening at VCU, his response would have been completely different, Mooney level results would be flatly unacceptable at VCU.

VCU and UR play in the same DAMN league, but VCU gets treated like a major program with major expectations whereas UR gets treated like a D3 program that should just be happy to play. The reality is our program leadership has created this mindset with our local sports media, so now no one outside of the fanbase has any type of reasonable expectation for UR basketball. We just play for fun and learning I think in the eyes of local sports media.

This is always what I come back to as well. Why should the expectations be any different for us than for them? The answer is that they shouldn't. You can argue that they have had a lot more NCAA berths and so expectations are naturally higher, which I get, but who exactly has been responsible for us NOT having many? The guy in charge.

And you're right, our leadership has bought into the same mindset that we should have different (lower) expectations. It's weak as hell.

 

[Eight Legger]

My goodness, what a painful listen that was. Did he wake Mooney up for the interview? Took him awhile to say anything.....well, I guess even after he woke up and got going, he still didn't really say anything. I stopped listening after I heard the word aggressive for the 50th time. I don't think being aggressive has anything to do with our opponents getting so many good looks and easy baskets, and our offense struggling to get good looks.

We have played 27 games, but gosh, if we could just start out a little more aggressive, we would be really good!!!!! Are u freaking kidding me??????

We need Johnston to shoot his threes MORE AGGRESSIVELY, dammit! Get angry at the ball and fire it like a missile toward the rim!!

 

[Spider B]

I will say to Fitz's credit, he has said a few times this week that he thinks the end of the season is very critical for Mooney's future here and said yesterday or Wednesday (can't recall) that he thinks Mooney has run out of excuses. Would have liked to hear him press more today on some stuff, but he has not been a total homer.

Espn Richmond local programs will not state the CM record. All of the stats below are factual and the local hosts will not say them on air: 1 for 20 A10 regular season titles, 2 for 20 A10 tournament titles, 3 for 20 NCAA appearances, 1 NCAA appearance in last 14 years, bottom 4 of A10 2 of past 3 years (soon to be 3 of 4), 9-29 vs arch rival. Facts. I know they have seen these numbers and they refuse to read them on air.

 

[vt4700]

We need Johnston to shoot his threes MORE AGGRESSIVELY, dammit! Get angry at the ball and fire it like a missile toward the rim!!

And I guess when we continue to struggle down the stretch of nearly every game we play, it is because we just aren't being aggressive enough. So, we aren't aggressive in the 1st half of games...then, we decide to be aggressive and make a nice 2nd half run, but then the final 5 minutes or so, we decide to not be aggressive again. Interesting.

 

[brooklyn brownstone]

run the weave aggressively!

it's frustrating that when we do move the ball well within a halfcourt set, only to see non-3 point-shooters like Tanner or AP be the guy who is wide open and who get the ball. I feel like I see minimum once a game where Tanner gets an open look and then pauses before he passes up a 3, while the entire defense recovers and being a good Moonball disciple, passes back up top, where we have to start a fresh set at the 10 second mark on the shot clock. Drives me nuts. If you're not going to shoot open looks at least don't pretend you are and let the defense recover.

 

[Eight Legger]

And I guess when we continue to struggle down the stretch of nearly every game we play, it is because we just aren't being aggressive enough. So, we aren't aggressive in the 1st half of games...then, we decide to be aggressive and make a nice 2nd half run, but then the final 5 minutes or so, we decide to not be aggressive again. Interesting.

That's Mooney's patented "passive-aggressive" offense...

 

[Spiderguy]

Espn Richmond local programs will not state the CM record. All of the stats below are factual and the local hosts will not say them on air: 1 for 20 A10 regular season titles, 2 for 20 A10 tournament titles, 3 for 20 NCAA appearances, 1 NCAA appearance in last 14 years, bottom 4 of A10 2 of past 3 years (soon to be 3 of 4), 9-29 vs arch rival. Facts. I know they have seen these numbers and they refuse to read them on air.

The most vocal people who speak and care about those numbers are your posting pals on this site. The admin & media wouldn't dare go there. It would pop the narrative balloon.

 

[MDSpider8]

Mooney's press conference today was infuriating to watch. First, JOC asked what Mooney's blueprint is for getting back to being competitive in the A10. Mooney provides no semblance of a plan, just laments on how much basketball is won on the margins, winning is about repetition and culture, the coaches need to instill it, etc. Basically a non-response.

Then, JOC implies that we'll be a young team next season and with 3 incoming freshman and a handful of young returners, and asks him to look in the crystal ball for what we might look like next season. Mooney straight up refuses to answer the question. JOC then reframes about conversations he's had with young players about the future, and of course Mooney then laments "You have no idea who is going to be on what team," "the offseason is a bear," "it's hard to predict how one domino will affect the next."

Surprised JOC actually asked a few of these questions, and so frustrating that he won't give anything concrete after two disaster seasons. Even something generic about how we'll be active in the portal and looking to improve upon our weaknesses this year would have been sufficient, but he won't even offer that. It soudns to me like a guy who has no grasp on how to handle roster management, player retention, $$$ management in this new era and instead just complains to those who will listen.

 

[vt4700]

I stopped listening after he mentioned basketball is a game of close margins. We have lost 2 games by 25, and other games by 16, 14, and 11.

 

[RichmondNative]

Mooney's press conference today was infuriating to watch. First, JOC asked what Mooney's blueprint is for getting back to being competitive in the A10.

Mooney confirmed what we already know. There is NO PLAN. Roussell always talks about the blueprint, Mooney thinks those are only for buildings.

Then, JOC implies that we'll be a young team next season and with 3 incoming freshman and a handful of young returners, and asks him to look in the crystal ball for what we might look like next season.

Mooney said that the crystal ball is opaque.
He did say something like he and the staff talk. Bet those meetings are riveting.

JOC then reframes about conversations he's had with young players about the future, and of course Mooney then laments "You have no idea who is going to be on what team," "the offseason is a bear," "it's hard to predict how one domino will affect the next."

I would have thought the answer here would be we don’t have such conversations until after the season has concluded. Since he didn’t say that, I am actually more concerned.

Surprised JOC actually asked a few of these questions,

Yes! Thanks JOC for actually asking questions that should be asked. I guess the season is winding down so getting the silent treatment at this point won’t be an issue. Plus, maybe JOC will be retiring soon.