Willen All Rookie Team

carney2 · Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 1174

Is Fran just sitting back and coasting to retirement city? Has he lost the spark?

or

Did he catch lightning in a bottle with those first couple classes (Ciosici, Ehlers, et al.), and just isn't that good?

I've been a big Fran supporter thru his tenure on the Hill, but of late I catch myself thinking that maybe, just maybe, we would have all been better off if he'd gone to Philadelphia to try to breath life into the myth that Tom Gola never got old and LaSalle really is a big time hoops school.

Kiltedpard · Joined: 28 Feb 2007 Posts: 293 Location: Bethlehem, PA

Carney, I agree with what you say here. He came in and ressurrected the program, raising everyone's expectations. But, as is true in all sports (and life for that matter) it's "what have you done for me lately?"

Lafalum · Joined: 06 Mar 2007 Posts: 843

I tire of endless excuses, " I need scholarships" that was legitimate and a lot of people put themselves out without a whole lot of help from Fran in public. Now its a new arena, or its too hard to recruit kids with good grads ( that does frost me), . We need some energy but thanks to the long term contract there is no incentive except pride. I am hoping that kicks in soon. Coaching at the Div 1 level takes organization and hard work, I hope we start to see evidence of that soon!!

The Maroon · Joined: 23 Feb 2007 Posts: 459 Location: Bethlehem, PA

1) We aren't going to get anywhere until the assistant situation is stabilized. Pat Brogan was Fran's number 1 when things were going well. He was not only a great recruiter but he was a capable coach (IE, things were no less intense if he ran practice). That situation we had a couple of years ago where we essentially had 3 grad-assistants for assistant coaches was asinine. Fran can be a hard guy to play for--and there's NOTHING wrong with that---but you need a strong assistant to keep things from falling apart when things crack.

2) That La Salle endaround still steams me. I can't believe Bruce took the bait--hook, line and sinker. "Hey!!! I just went on a job interview! Yeah....I'm big-time...La SALLE BABY...yes...the same LaSalle we beat by 30 last season but it's "BIG FIVE"...How about taking care of me until retirement huh?"

3) Does anyone know of a single case where we've lost a kid because of Kirby? By that token Bucknell should get every single prize recruit and the rest of us should all give up....By my experience, true basketball players just want to make sure the rim is 10 feet off the ground.

4) We did have some good luck early on (Ciosici came because Penn no longer had a place for him, Ehlers was way better than anyone knew because of an undiagnosed medical condition, Burke got turned down by both Cornell and Princeton...) but let's not totally overlook some superb coaching that Fran has done over the years. Even this season...is there any team in the league you would want to swap personnel with?

5) I'll say it even though nobody wants to: We can only get so good if we aren't brining in black players. Tavani was able to diversify the football team in a big way, Fran needs to as well.
_________________
I bleed Maroon

Andy · Joined: 23 Feb 2007 Posts: 859

And how has the Administration helped Fran climb out of this hole they dug for him:

1) granted him less scholarships than others in the league

2) wasted a year by allowing scholarships beginning in April of that year

3) being tight fisted w/ aid money (recall the 7 footer from Australia whom Asst Coach Oconnor had lined up for us and who would go on to play in the NCAA final for Georgia Tech)

4) admissions rejecting players that Fran wanted who go on to beat us as members of league foes (Torey Thomas, Carrington, and the current BU freshman, according to Xbo).

5) revolving door of assts I assume due to low wages

During the ESPNU telecast the other day, John Feinstein relayed a story: Fran told him of a kid who Fran was recruiting but having trouble getting through admissions. The kid said to Fran, "Coach, I'm a little confused, I've already been admitted to Harvard." It could be the 6'5" guard who Amaker just signed.

We dont need huge compromise, just what our PL brethren are doing for their Div. 1 programs. The elusive level playing field. Please.

Kiltedpard · Joined: 28 Feb 2007 Posts: 293 Location: Bethlehem, PA

During the ESPNU telecast the other day, John Feinstein relayed a story: Fran told him of a kid who Fran was recruiting but having trouble getting through admissions. The kid said to Fran, "Coach, I'm a little confused, I've already been admitted to Harvard." It could be the 6'5" guard who Amaker just signed.

We dont need huge compromise, just what our PL brethren are doing for their Div. 1 programs. The elusive level playing field. Please.[/quote]

This is the kind of stuff I guess I just don't understand. Why can't Fran or Tammy or Frank go to admissions and say, I need to make this happen for this kid? Are we talking GPA or SAT's? Is it that stringent? I'll bet we admit legacies if the requirements aren't there!

Lafalum · Joined: 06 Mar 2007 Posts: 843

carney2 · Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 1174

I'm taking the hints - and that's all that someone with my total lack of contacts can get - that Frank and Fran and Tammy are getting lukewarm cooperation from admissions and financial aid as a very bad sign, and more signals that the entire athletic situation is spiraling downward. Fran and Tammy seem to be taking up permanent residence at the bottom of the Patriot League pile - undoubtedly, much of it their own creation. Frank, on the other hand, gives every indication that he wants to be king of the hill. If you really look around however, there are signs - the last two recruiting classes being significant in this regard - that he's going to have a very difficult time getting out of the middle of the pack after this year.

TheRock90 · Joined: 06 Aug 2007 Posts: 216 Location: Easton

The Maroon · Joined: 23 Feb 2007 Posts: 459 Location: Bethlehem, PA