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Post by JacksonStreetElite on Nov 5, 2021 6:03:57 GMT -6
No one will ever convince me that Darner is not planning a hostile non hostile take over Looking at our schedule, I think a 4-7 non-conference record is likely. Combine that with a possible 1-5 start to the conference season I would think could stir up some coaching change discussions internally. Especially if we are a low scoring team like I feel we will be. We can hope, but anyone with a brain knew this season was a longshot at best and they extended him a few months ago. I dont think results on the court really factor into the decision making here. |
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Post by williamtsherman on Nov 5, 2021 6:32:25 GMT -6
No one will ever convince me that Darner is not planning a hostile non hostile take over Looking at our schedule, I think a 4-7 non-conference record is likely. Combine that with a possible 1-5 start to the conference season I would think could stir up some coaching change discussions internally. Especially if we are a low scoring team like I feel we will be. what has the current administration ever done that would indicate they'd have a problem with that sort of start? You guys continually miss the big picture. The administration is not TRYING to have a winning basketball program. Did you somehow miss the recent Whitford extension? Is that something that an administration that is bothered by losing would do? When the people responsible for making the big decisions about the program aren't even really trying to win, it would have to be a pretty improbable accident for something like a conference championship to ever happen. There are programs in this conference that ARE trying to win, after all, and it's pretty obvious who those are. The administration can always count on the support of the jock-sniffing, bar-lowering, excuse-making "supportive" fans to go along with whatever they do. But it's disappointing when other traditional, want-to-win, sports fans are not able to recognize what's going on. The BSU basketball program in its current state is interesting for the traditional fan only as the source of amusement, and the butt of jokes. |
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Post by cardfan on Nov 5, 2021 7:00:20 GMT -6
Looking at our schedule, I think a 4-7 non-conference record is likely. Combine that with a possible 1-5 start to the conference season I would think could stir up some coaching change discussions internally. Especially if we are a low scoring team like I feel we will be. We can hope, but anyone with a brain knew this season was a longshot at best and they extended him a few months ago. I dont think results on the court really factor into the decision making here. Truth. Mearns is all about perception and "social awareness" type stuff. (whether he actually believes in it or not, it's good PR right now) Mearns will talk a good game about winning and all that, but ultimately it comes down to, does Whitford virtue signal (and I hate that term too, but it's what we have) enough, and he checks that box. I don't think Beth wants to keep Whit, but, an AD answers to the president at BSU. We're not a sports factory where the president reports to the AD. She's tried for other jobs, but while she's at BSU she's gotta keep the prez happy. I'm sure she's voiced her concerns, but, the bottom line for the BSU administration and BOT is, COST CUTTING. The new budget model being used is insane. Football seems immune to the cost cutting though and I'm sure there are some resentments in the athletic dept. Anyway, point being, the basketball job is way less about how things go on the court than we'd like it to be. Culture, and all that...... |
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Post by officerfarva on Nov 5, 2021 7:11:03 GMT -6
Looking at our schedule, I think a 4-7 non-conference record is likely. Combine that with a possible 1-5 start to the conference season I would think could stir up some coaching change discussions internally. Especially if we are a low scoring team like I feel we will be. We can hope, but anyone with a brain knew this season was a longshot at best and they extended him a few months ago. I dont think results on the court really factor into the decision making here. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it an "extension" in name only? I seem to recall that if he's fired after this season, he's not owed any money. If I have that right you have to hand it to Goetz for getting him to sign that, because it's essentially an admission that he has absolutely zero leverage and BSU can (finally) wash it's hands of him with zero dead money owed after this upcoming shit sandwich of a season. |
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Post by sweep on Nov 5, 2021 7:18:52 GMT -6
We can hope, but anyone with a brain knew this season was a longshot at best and they extended him a few months ago. I dont think results on the court really factor into the decision making here. Truth. Mearns is all about perception and "social awareness" type stuff. (whether he actually believes in it or not, it's good PR right now) Mearns will talk a good game about winning and all that, but ultimately it comes down to, does Whitford virtue signal (and I hate that term too, but it's what we have) enough, and he checks that box. I don't think Beth wants to keep Whit, but, an AD answers to the president at BSU. We're not a sports factory where the president reports to the AD. She's tried for other jobs, but while she's at BSU she's gotta keep the prez happy. I'm sure she's voiced her concerns, but, the bottom line for the BSU administration and BOT is, COST CUTTING. The new budget model being used is insane. Football seems immune to the cost cutting though and I'm sure there are some resentments in the athletic dept. Anyway, point being, the basketball job is way less about how things go on the court than we'd like it to be. Culture, and all that...... Yeah but the thing is, Whitford is all talk and no actual follow through. He isn't concerned about "good kids" or "culture", no coach who cared those things that would have brought in KJ Walton. Let's not even get started on how lazy Whitford is. |
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Post by sweep on Nov 5, 2021 7:23:04 GMT -6
We can hope, but anyone with a brain knew this season was a longshot at best and they extended him a few months ago. I dont think results on the court really factor into the decision making here. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it an "extension" in name only? I seem to recall that if he's fired after this season, he's not owed any money. If I have that right you have to hand it to Goetz for getting him to sign that, because it's essentially an admission that he has absolutely zero leverage and BSU can (finally) wash it's hands of him with zero dead money owed after this upcoming shit sandwich of a season. It think there is an after date of like July 1 on that. So if we get rid of him we are pretty much going to have to go with Darner. This is just a shitty unprofessional way of doing things, but exactly what I would expect a guy like Mearns to do. |
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Post by cardfan on Nov 5, 2021 8:24:30 GMT -6
I do think the extension was in years only, no money, and some benchmarks for success were included. It was more of a “can’t have a lame duck coach” type deal.
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Post by 00hmh on Nov 5, 2021 10:37:01 GMT -6
No one will ever convince me that Darner is not planning a hostile non hostile take over Looking at our schedule, I think a 4-7 non-conference record is likely. Combine that with a possible 1-5 start to the conference season I would think could stir up some coaching change discussions internally. Especially if we are a low scoring team like I feel we will be. I can't tell much about how it will go from these two observations.
In the exhibition we shot pretty well, and Michigan Tech was very good at slowing the game pace, and we shot badly. I would make no bet about the scoring but don't see the shooting that bad going forward, and we can score with average shooting at a faster game pace. No defense played in the exhibition, Michigan Tech showed plus and minus on that count. Inside guys defense has to improve, but the rest played fairly well.
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Post by 00hmh on Nov 5, 2021 10:43:36 GMT -6
I do think the extension was in years only, no money, and some benchmarks for success were included. It was more of a “can’t have a lame duck coach” type deal. I don't think anybody expected a search this last year, and despite contrary opinion here Whitford always had this year and a chance to show what he does with the new guys he recruited.
Darner is an assistant coach who would be a good candidate, if it doesn't work out well. What his motivation for coming here is and whether he would want the job are not as clear to me as to others.
The other comment above about FB being immune from budget cuts was going to be true this year, I'm not so sure that is a longer term certainty. I really doubt we go into any coaching search in any sport in the next few years with commitment to spend what it would take to get a real difference making coach and call it an investment in winning. We'll see.
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Post by 00hmh on Nov 5, 2021 10:45:51 GMT -6
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it an "extension" in name only? I seem to recall that if he's fired after this season, he's not owed any money. If I have that right you have to hand it to Goetz for getting him to sign that, because it's essentially an admission that he has absolutely zero leverage and BSU can (finally) wash it's hands of him with zero dead money owed after this upcoming shit sandwich of a season. It think there is an after date of like July 1 on that. So if we get rid of him we are pretty much going to have to go with Darner. This is ...exactly what I would expect a guy like Mearns to do. What kind of guy is that? He's like every President except JAG, he answers to the trustees. JAG charmed the legislature and got away with more independence. Not unequivocally a great result in all cases, I think you would agree. |
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Post by mattg on Nov 5, 2021 14:22:03 GMT -6
Looking at our schedule, I think a 4-7 non-conference record is likely. Combine that with a possible 1-5 start to the conference season I would think could stir up some coaching change discussions internally. Especially if we are a low scoring team like I feel we will be. what has the current administration ever done that would indicate they'd have a problem with that sort of start? You guys continually miss the big picture. The administration is not TRYING to have a winning basketball program. Did you somehow miss the recent Whitford extension? Is that something that an administration that is bothered by losing would do? When the people responsible for making the big decisions about the program aren't even really trying to win, it would have to be a pretty improbable accident for something like a conference championship to ever happen. There are programs in this conference that ARE trying to win, after all, and it's pretty obvious who those are. The administration can always count on the support of the jock-sniffing, bar-lowering, excuse-making "supportive" fans to go along with whatever they do. But it's disappointing when other traditional, want-to-win, sports fans are not able to recognize what's going on. The BSU basketball program in its current state is interesting for the traditional fan only as the source of amusement, and the butt of jokes. I agree with you 100%. I just have a gut feeling that our administration could feel ok making a mid-season change to Darner since he has head coaching experience. That might make them “feel better” about making such a change. Under Whitford have we had an assistant coach with D1 head coaching experience besides Billy Wright (which was short lived). I wonder if my hypothesis affected Grunk’s decision to leave? |
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Post by williamtsherman on Nov 5, 2021 16:57:40 GMT -6
There is absolutely no way in the world that BSU fires Whitford mid-season. No way. Forget about that.
That would require both boldness and an impatience with losing. There hasn't been the tiniest spec of either of these things around Ball State for 20 years.
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Post by lmills72 on Nov 5, 2021 20:10:16 GMT -6
Truth. Mearns is all about perception and "social awareness" type stuff. (whether he actually believes in it or not, it's good PR right now) Mearns will talk a good game about winning and all that, but ultimately it comes down to, does Whitford virtue signal (and I hate that term too, but it's what we have) enough, and he checks that box. So I'm not on or around campus a lot and I'm just wondering what is it that Whitford does in terms of things like "virtue signaling" that Mearns likes? From the somewhat disinterested distance that I view him, I don't recognize him as an activist or even proponent of any social or moral cause. I certainly don't see him as a leader on any issue. So he got the team through the Hollywood situation, he supported Moses with his challenges, he supported El-Amin and his BLM event ... Is he still active in any of those areas? or other areas? He might be, but I don't hear about it. |
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Post by 00hmh on Nov 5, 2021 20:31:06 GMT -6
Truth. Mearns is all about perception and "social awareness" type stuff. (whether he actually believes in it or not, it's good PR right now) Mearns will talk a good game about winning and all that, but ultimately it comes down to, does Whitford virtue signal (and I hate that term too, but it's what we have) enough, and he checks that box. So I'm not on or around campus a lot and I'm just wondering what is it that Whitford does in terms of things like "virtue signaling" that Mearns likes? From the somewhat disinterested distance that I view him, I don't recognize him as an activist or even proponent of any social or moral cause. I certainly don't see him as a leader on any issue. So he got the team through the Hollywood situation, he supported Moses with his challenges, he supported El-Amin and his BLM event ... Is he still active in any of those areas? or other areas? He might be, but I don't hear about it. Every President in America at a University is about "perception and social awareness."
I am on campus and you are right about Whitford not being an activist generally or a leader in any social movement. He did support Ish and the other players and athletes who were engaged in BLM and it was not driven by "perception" or activism but rather was supportive coaching, being a good human being, for which both he deserves credit in helping Moses and the rest of the team through the trials they faced. We saw a coach before him face a far less serious set of similar emotional challenges with a team that lost it completely and collapsed. Most give him some credit for that.
If he gets some credit from the administration for that, and for the relatively good academics of his team that is part of the job. If that is virtue signalling it's OK with me.
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Post by prestonp on Nov 5, 2021 20:45:07 GMT -6
Whit is virtually worthless.
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