Jim Merritt - new associate AD for basketball development

[Eight Legger]

At some point, you would hope that some of the people in charge at our fine institution would recall, or possibly be introduced (perhaps by an economics professor) for the first time ever to, the concept of opportunity cost.

It might cost us some money to fire Mooney. But how much are we costing ourselves by keeping him? How many people like me have not only stopped attending games and buying tickets but also generally checked out completely on this program?

How much money would an NCAA trip every four years mean to the program? How much is the exposure of playing and maybe beating a P5 team worth?

How many more people might donate to the NIL fund or buy tickets if our coach was more engaging on social media or generally? Etc.

 

[Long Time UR Fan]

Jim isn’t really in a GM-type role based on my conversations with him. It’s more of the lead fundraiser/development position supporting both the women’s and men’s programs. Glad to see him back.

If a GM were hired down the road, I’d expect Jim’s role to remain in place.

If Jim's primary role is the lead fundraiser for the basketball programs, he has a very challenging job. The mens basketball program is a disaster while the women's program is better than its ever been. Unfortunately, the support/interest for the women's team has not and is not currently equal to the support/interest in the mens team even as bad as the mens team is, as evidenced by home game attendence.

My most recent donations to the basketball programs at UR have been designated to go solely to the womens team, and will continue to be so designated until a change is made in the mens program. I don't see Jim getting increased donations, and more likely losing donations, for the mens basketball program based on the overwhelming condemnation of the mens program on this forum.

 

[MrTbone]

At some point, you would hope that some of the people in charge at our fine institution would recall, or possibly be introduced (perhaps by an economics professor) for the first time ever to, the concept of opportunity cost.

It might cost us some money to fire Mooney. But how much are we costing ourselves by keeping him? How many people like me have not only stopped attending games and buying tickets but also generally checked out completely on this program?

How much money would an NCAA trip every four years mean to the program? How much is the exposure of playing and maybe beating a P5 team worth?

How many more people might donate to the NIL fund or buy tickets if our coach was more engaging on social media or generally? Etc.

Too much math.

 

[MrTbone]

If Jim's primary role is the lead fundraiser for the basketball programs, he has a very challenging job. The mens basketball program is a disaster while the women's program is better than its ever been. Unfortunately, the support/interest for the women's team has not and is not currently equal to the support/interest in the mens team even as bad as the mens team is, as evidenced by home game attendence.

My most recent donations to the basketball programs at UR have been designated to go solely to the womens team, and will continue to be so designated until a change is made in the mens program. I don't see Jim getting increased donations, and more likely losing donations, for the mens basketball program based on the overwhelming condemnation of the mens program on this forum.

I’d love to know if Jim is aware of the board or reads it.

 

[Spiderguy]

At some point, you would hope that some of the people in charge at our fine institution would recall, or possibly be introduced (perhaps by an economics professor) for the first time ever to, the concept of opportunity cost.

It might cost us some money to fire Mooney. But how much are we costing ourselves by keeping him? How many people like me have not only stopped attending games and buying tickets but also generally checked out completely on this program?

How much money would an NCAA trip every four years mean to the program? How much is the exposure of playing and maybe beating a P5 team worth?

How many more people might donate to the NIL fund or buy tickets if our coach was more engaging on social media or generally? Etc.

I've said before that there is nothing in the men's bb program that operates along the lines of what we were taught in the UR Business School. I guess what we learned was just text book theory, and the real world operates in the bb program & the RC.

 

[sman]

I just saw where a former Princeton player was just signed by a p5, timing being he sat out hurt and then the ivy 4 year rule so essentially a free agent. Now we probably wouldn't have beat out the power team. But there could be similar we are missing out on by having freaking Mooney as the de facto GM. It's a 365 days a year job. We treat like D3.

it's not like everyone didn't know about Caden Pierce. he wanted to cash in on big NIL money but still get his Princeton degree. so he sat out senior year. it wasn't because he was injued. sure he got banged up, but he never missed a game.

I get it. he's not likely an NBA player and this is his shot at a big payday. but he left his teammates and coached empty handed, while staying at the school he probably only got into because he would play for them. point is, nobody needed a GM to know about Pierce ... and he was never coming to the UR level for UR NIL.

 

[*23*]

Sman, again u are missing the point. I said as much he wasn't coming here. I would just guarantee , not having a GM, we are missing out on other guys because moon apparently does not have enough time to do the bare minimum, let alone the full time job of a GM. And obviously in season u would want your coach concentrating on the season. Bit we dont have such a person.

 

[Spiderguy]

Sman, again u are missing the point. I said as much he wasn't coming here. I would just guarantee , not having a GM, we are missing out on other guys because moon apparently does not have enough time to do the bare minimum, let alone the full time job of a GM. And obviously in season u would want your coach concentrating on the season. Bit we dont have such a person.

Keep in mind it takes extensive time to teach passing the ball around the perimeter, looking for one more pass, & holding until last second shot in this "complicated offense" that supposedly takes a good amt of time to learn. Beyond that, there's little time for anything else. And the results verify that.

Right now we are in basement below Fordham. Think about that. Only above powerhouses St Bon, La S, and Ill Chi. That's some bad company to hang out with.

 

[ur2K]

I’d love to know if Jim is aware of the board or reads it.

Since this little dark corner of the internet is the only place where people talk about UR sports, I’m sure they read it (hi!). Well, here and the old ladies that love our program on Facebook

 

[MrTbone]

I've said before that there is nothing in the men's bb program that operates along the lines of what we were taught in the UR Business School. I guess what we learned was just text book theory, and the real world operates in the bb program & the RC.

To be fair, I think UR doesn’t view sports through a purely fiscal lens, it’s additive to the collegiate experience. So I don’t imagine applying a P&L mentality is top priority.

 

[Spiderguy]

To be fair, I think UR doesn’t view sports through a purely fiscal lens, it’s additive to the collegiate experience. So I don’t imagine applying a P&L mentality is top priority.

Maybe if they did operate more in a quasi P&L mode vs gifting a reasonably big salary that has proven poor return on investment we would be in a much better position.

 

[MrTbone]

Maybe if they did operate more in a quasi P&L mode vs gifting a reasonably big salary that has proven poor return on investment we would be in a much better position.

I don’t disagree, but I think you can admit that’s never really been how UR operates.

 

[Spiderguy]

I don’t disagree, but I think you can admit that’s never really been how UR operates.

You are right. It’s not a winning proposition. In the case of basketball, that model and personnel choice will always make us the runner up in RVa in a competition of two. I hope it makes them happy. It’s like the decision makers are playing a game that is complacent and willing to settle for less than optimal results. So be it for them. You reap what you sow.

 

[MrTbone]

You are right. It’s not a winning proposition. In the case of basketball, that model and personnel choice will always make us the runner up in RVa in a competition of two. I hope it makes them happy. It’s like the decision makers are playing a game that is complacent and willing to settle for less than optimal results. So be it for them. You reap what you sow.

I sadly agree. I don’t necessarily feel like we have to run it as a business but we can also treat it as something other than just a feel good exercise where we’re satisfied just to compete.

 

[Arachnid]

I don’t know, I sadly agree. I don’t necessarily feel like we have to run it as a business but we can also treat it as something other than just a feel good exercise where we’re satisfied just to compete.

I’m not sure but seems the bar has been lowered from “just to compete.” I wonder what how a reasonably prudent man as an outside observer would view the program?

 

[SpiderRick]

So now Hardt has a guy to help him write those "begging for money" emails. Good.

 

[sman]

Sman, again u are missing the point. I said as much he wasn't coming here. I would just guarantee , not having a GM, we are missing out on other guys because moon apparently does not have enough time to do the bare minimum, let alone the full time job of a GM. And obviously in season u would want your coach concentrating on the season. Bit we dont have such a person.

lol, no I didn't miss your point. just disagreeing with you.
I don't believe not having a GM is causing us or anyone else to miss out on anyone. especially not anyone good. it's really easy to know who's entered the portal.

but sure ... I'm onboard with hiring a full time GM because I don't think the guys under CM do a great job with a lot of the admisitrative things that a GM should force to get right.

 

[Gallipoli]

When we enter contracts with these players, do they sign multi-year agreements? Or are the agreements for only one year?

 

[sman]

When we enter contracts with these players, do they sign multi-year agreements? Or are the agreements for only one year?

one year.

 

[Eight Legger]

Time to start signing coaches to the same length contracts.