Brown's contract status

[reeder]

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story...sdate=4/28/2005

 

Interesting section of the article about recruits this past year:

 

They don't express concern because two of UAlbany's five 2004-05 basketball recruits dropped out of school

 

Brandon Perry was one, any guesses for who the second recruit was?

 

 

Also, I would certainly understand if Brown signed the one year extension, won the AE next year and walked away. McElroy can't go around slamming him like this all the time. Even if he has flaws, you have to publicly support him.

[alum73]

I would say Dyson.

[McFan]

Never one to admit a mistake. I too am troubled by some of these statements. I have previously stated that maybe it was all negotiations, and maybe Brown was using his success to hold the University's feet to the fire. While all this my still be true. McElroy can not speak like this about the coach that has turned this program around.

 

Another first round exit in America East, then you can be concerned, but not yet. And, as Etkin points out, to even mention the career record is just wrong. Taking over for the mess that Beeten (was he a McElroy hire?) left behind. Faced with injuries and just a lack of bodies the team battled and Coach Brown can't take the hit for that.

 

Two players leaving I wouldn't think is a huge issue (or even issue). Again, maybe if it happens on a repeated basis (with his recruits), then Brown has to answer.

 

Here is the real pickle if the one year extension is true. McElroy seems to want a playoff victory. If this team wins the regular season and makes it to the finals of America East (win or lose). Where does Coach Brown end up the following year? Will he hold it against the University? Will the University then open the wallet and long term the deal?

[McFan]

Brain just hit another gear.

 

Does McElroy consider a one year extension a two-year extension based on the September date and the 6 month clause?

 

That would make me feel a little better.

[DaneFan2k3]

I'm not sure I follow that logic; assuming he signs the one-year extention before Sept. of 2005, the one-year extention would cover up until Sept. 2006. And the six-month window would then go beyond the 2006-07 season. So that is just a one year deal no matter how you look at it (he's going to coach 2005-06 no matter what, so the 2006-07 season being tacked on would be one extra year).

 

That article is awesome. And by awesome I mean spot-on. Terrible pub for the department. But it's the truth, and that's what I like to see.

 

When you're basically saying you "made" someone (he wasn't D-I material but we gave him a shot = we made him), then you also have to take some of the heat: you might not be 32-72 over his tenure if you had conducted a national search.

 

(In fact, you might be worse).

 

Potato Potatoe. You can't have the credit for the rejuvination of the program without taking the heat for putting it in the dogcrap in the first place. They go hand in hand.

 

I am shocked that UAlbany has 32 wins over that time. Kiki Picard. It just makes me laugh to think about how bad that program was when Will took over. You had a coach at the time who was fighting to get a kid into school who to my knowledge doesn't even play D-I basketball now (the PF from downstate who got us blasted on 60 Minutes). Seriously??

 

Where do all the egos sit, do they get their own offices?

 

Apparantly the AD doesn't share the fans and alumni optimism that the program has turned a corner and is headed upward. It appears what he is saying is that we are average at best, if not poor. That's a great message to send!

[McFan]

The logic is tough to follow due to the fact that the premise is not logical. But I'll try anyway.

 

My understanding from TU articles only is that right now Browns contract ends 9/05 + 6-months = 3/06 covering the 05-06 season.

 

A one-year extension would run through 9/06 + 6-months = 3/07 covering the 06-07 season.

 

Wishful thinking?

 

Did McElroy hire Beeten?

[DaneFan2k3]

Right, but that is only a one-year extention. He is coaching through the 2005-06 season. So adding 2006-07 is just one year added on. I believe you stated he was looking at it like a two-year extention. At this point you can't really say that since the supposition is that Will will be here through 2005-06, since we haven't heard otherwise.

 

Edit: stand corrected, McElroy hired Beeten about a month after he got there looking at their dates.

Edited April 29, 2005 by DaneFan2k3

[McFan]

Now I'm with you.

[Scooby]

Beeten was hired by McElroy. It was his first hire as AD.

[statefan]

I still can't help being skeptical when the source is a leak to Ettkin. Why would a smart guy like Dr. McElroy give some of those direct quotes. I may be totally wrong, but something here doesn't smell right to me, and I still don't trust or like Ettkin.

 

Also, if the recruits signed and the contract was done two weeks ago, why no press release?

 

I also want to comment on Coach Brown's W-L record being held against him in contract negotiations, if that is actually the case. And I understand the point that we could and IMO should have had a winning record last year. One of Coach Brown's qualities that I find the most admirable is that during the entirety of Coach Brown's tenure, he has repeatedly put the long term best interests of the program ahead of his personal W-L record, by spending scholarships on players who had to sit out a year when he could have taken players who could contribute immediately and by allowing injured (star) players the full opportunity to heal and miss a current season rathar than having them rush back to play part of a season for the sake of a few more Ws that particular year. I think this fact alone is worth something in negotiations.

 

I also believe there are off-the-court issues involved in the administration of the program that enter these negotiations and Coach Brown is being given a message that he has to pay more attention to them to be a well rounded head coach. I believe this will come with experience. The inconsistency I see here is that he has never had a full and experienced staff and winds up doing much, if not all, the significant recruiting because he couldn't leave it to an assistant. He certainly has never had the benefit of a Jesse Agel type assistant.

 

Anyway, let's hope things run a little smoother so the staff can begin the recruiting process of replacing soon-to-be seniors (Jordan, Levine, Zoellner & Knotts).

[alum73]

Can you expand on "off court" issues? What are you referring to?

[Oldtimer]

The TU article and the ongoing "issue" has to be very discomforting to those who have supported the team for the last several years. It is hard to believe Dr. McElroy(or the shmoozer as my wife refers to him) would ever make the statements in Ettkinds column. There is no way he is going to open a liable issue between a B- or C+. That being said, I would have to admit the negotiations of a coaches contract(and I have negotiated many of them) is very, very difficult. Coaches are competitive(AD's included) and they are bred to win. They always want to do better than the other guy. I really hope this is the case at UA. Being a bench coach--to win those close games--is not as easy as the spectator or AD would like. It is a learning process for players and coaches. We are going in the right direction---BE PATIENT!!! We still don't have the horses--we need a couple more wide bodies.

[alum73]

Nice post Oldtimer. I am in complete agreement.

[Dane96]

Ok...i am back...and havent read too much yet however let me say this: MR. ETKIN SHOULD HIRE HIMSELF A REAL GOOD LAWYER.

 

I read that article twice and this is the comment that strikes me odd: "McElroy declined to comment." Etkin then goes on to make numerous quotations he says came from McElroy....hmmmmmm.

 

It is my opinon he is picking and choosing past quotes and adding them to his unnamed sources. THAT IS POOR JOURNALISM and borderline libel.

 

I wouldnt wipe my ass with that article.

[statefan]

Welcome back. Are you back in Boston? It probably won't shock anyone to know that I agree with your post regarding Ettkin.