MrTbone
Starter
I think that’s a bit hyperbolic. He certainly has loyalty to UR and a deep connection here. I think it’s part of why he hasn’t hung it up.
Leaving a Legacy
- Thread starter Spider17
- Start date
Spider17
All A-10 player
Fair point, I’m sure he’s developed some connection to this university being here so long, but it is absolutely predicated by the fact he continues to be employed here. And frankly I don’t blame him. It’s a job at the end of the day and while he may have built relationships with people here, there’s no obligation that he needs to continue “caring” in the same way if he is no longer employed here.
I’m just saying compare that to many spider fans who have followed this team for 60+ years. To the spider fans where the love for this university was formed more organicallly and not contractual obligations. How many fans who have had an emotional investment without receiving anything in return. I would just hope the university heavily considers the students and alums when thinking about actions they take in the university’s best interest.
So you’re right, I don’t mean to imply that Mooney does not care about this university or feel some sense of loyalty. I’m sure he does. It’s just that outside his responsibility as a basketball coach, there’s really no reason for him to remain involved, stay connected in the same capacity, or maintain that same level of caring/loyalty.
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Mooney should just resign at this point. Cause this team isn’t going anywhere this year. The future isn’t bright either with the NIL money coming in. The funding seems a bit low. Why are funds so low in the athletics funds? Cause we aren’t interested in winning basketball games anywhere. We aren’t focused on the revenue sports anymore. Certain sports making money at this university. And if those other sports like (football, basketball, baseball) etc. You kinda are struggling if those sports don’t produce.
I was with you for most of your post. Good stuff. However, I do expect something in return. I expect a long term winning basketball program that shows improvement over time and a team that is in NCAA Tournament much more than 1 time ever 7 years.
Spider17
All A-10 player
This might be semantics but I think there is a difference between “expect” and “want”. You typically expect things from someone or something when there’s some sort of understanding of fulfilling a predetermined obligation. So I’d say if a basketball team hires a coach and pays him $1.5 million they would expect X, Y, Z results in return of the financial compensation he was given.
Want is a desire irrespective of whether it’s fulfilled or not. At the end of the day, many of us give our time, our emotions, sometimes our donations simply for the love of our university and we don’t get anything in return from them. We’re all spending our time on this forum because we want to be here, not because we have to. We may want our university to have aspirations and goals, but there’s no obligation the university has to us if those goals aren’t met. So our continued support comes from our volition.
The sad part is I don’t know if the university really cares about the fans who want our university to strive for greatness. In fact, Bob Black said they’ll just get new fans. Now the admin has a dilemma because there’s a disconnect between what us fans want and what the program is producing. You would think that when the admin is faced with the choice of either sticking with a guy whose only here because he’s paid to be versus sticking with the fans/alums who have unconditionally loved and supported this program their whole lives, that the actions the admin would then take would be with the the best interest in mind of the fans/alums.
Hence by keeping him employed here, it showcases their loyalty to Mooney more than the fans who follow the program and quite frankly at the expense of what’s in the best interest for this basketball program as a whole.
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Gkiller
Bench player
Agree. I also disagree that u can’t have a deeper connection to a school if u didn’t go there, tho it helps for sure. This loyalty connection thing is a problem on the other side too. For keeping Moon. The malpractice contracts r part of it. But UR admin afraid to get their hands dirty. It makes no sense. It’s really antithetical to what u say u r as a top tier school of higher learning. We have a top ranked B School…is this what they teach…to never have a new guy in charge & keep running it back after 21 years?
Spider17
All A-10 player
I could be wrong at the end of the day, I’ve certainly admitted to those in the past and I’m not trying to make a mountain out of a molehill here. I unequivocally believe Mooney does care and has some sense of loyalty to this university. However, until otherwise proven, I also believe that the underlying extent in which he primarily cares about this program is predicated on his continued employment status. In other words the main reason he cares about this place is because he’s paid to care and to preserve his job. If he were to retire/get fired would he still go to the home games, never miss a game on tv, following the recruiting and scheduling, be upset if the new coach is underperforming? Maybe, I don’t know. I will say as someone who’s had different jobs, I certainly don’t give much thought to my former employer after I left. Still, I get that Mooney’s situation is different due to being here so long where relationships are built more naturally and he may not take another basketball head coaching job once he’s done here. Still, compare that to fans, many on this forum, who have been spider fans before Mooney, during Mooney’s tenure, and will remain fans after his tenure.
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MrTbone
Starter
I of course understand your point, I’m one of those people who remember the good times.
I do think a major part of the problem is that we have leadership who probably doesn’t understand the excitement and value that having a good team brings. I like Hallock but neither he nor Hardt have had much of a taste of that at UR, and I’d argue haven’t at their prior institutions.
And to your point, there is something stern about it being your Alma mater, not just your employer.
SpiderRick
Bench player
Mooneys legacy "losingest coach in Richmond history"
SpiderWill
Bench player
Everyone thinks they can turn it around. To be a good coach you need some degree of self confidence.
"Give me a few more years, and i'll go on top"
Results have been damning last few years but I can promise you he's not just cashing a paycheck.
SpiderWill
Bench player
The people he's met and relationships he's built. There are quite a few stories on things he's done for people at the University that aren't your stars on the team.
I'd argue he was more vested than some random alumness.
How can you promise? What's your relationship to CM?
And trying doesn't cut it. It's about results. You even say the results are "damning." So I'm sure you can understand its time for a change, rght?
carolinaspider
Bench player
I don’t think anybody has questioned the fact he is a good person and liked, but the question here is his coaching ability. CM’s personality is one of staying out of the spotlight yet having his door open for most. He is a Philly guy
and has instilled in him some fire that we have hoped to see a lot more of. Honestly much changed after the heart
issues.
SpiderWill
Bench player
No personal relationship. As previously reported my folks live near U or R and I frequently walk/run through campus--he's there a lot.
You can also hear many press conferences after games he's defeated and sounds deflated.
Family in tears after they won in DC. Doesn't sound like someone that has mailed it in. I think you can have candid discussions about why we are struggling--are we not physical/tough enough, do we not recruit right etc. but to say he's just mailing it in i disagree.
SpiderWill
Bench player
I don't disagree with this statement.
Eight Legger
Starter
Great, he cares. So what? His team sucks and has sucked for three of the past four seasons. That's what WE care about. When the results are getting worse the longer you are in a job, that's a pretty clear indicator that it's no longer working. Cut the cord.
Trending in the wrong direction. When basically everyone transfers out. The talent we do have keeping AA is pivotal to success. With the lack of NIL money and the lack of success here drives everything away from it.
He might not be mailing it in, but his record looks like one that’s been mailed in. Aren’t you defending what can no longer be defended? Good for you willing to go down with the ship, but many of us have seen enough. Your loyalty to Moon is I guess some sort of nice, but IMHO it’s misplaced. We deserve better from our basketball program.
*23*
Assistant coach
His public speaking and interviews inspire no confidence. So sounding defeated constantly is supposed to be a positive trait for a leader and the schools highest paid employee. Come the eff on!. It's just crazy world at Richmond. Most attributes that are thought of as negative, at Richmond they are twisted to positive to protect Mooney. Just wild. I'll give Bob Black 1k if the next 20 times he say Richmonds winningest coach to say and also losingest.
Spiders4ever
Starter
He's done.
