Sources: Brown Offered Bonnies Job

[haggyland]

I have remained quiet on this topic while I have waited to see how it plays out. However, if I was in the administration's position, I would try to never renegotiate. I would offer coaches the opportunity to honor the original terms of the contract, or to break their contracts if they feel there is a better opportunity elsewhere.

 

While it could easily be argued that Coach Brown deserves some sort of merit pay for his tremendous contribution to UAlbany, he willingly signed a contract that he thought was fair less than one year ago. If his team had injuries or under-performed, UAlbany would still have honored the contract, and both parties would have remained satisfied.

 

With success comes new offers, but the administration should not be liable for these successes. Renegotiations do not guarantee loyalty in the instances of future success, and all involved parties know this.

 

UAlbany is in a much better position than it was a few years ago, but it is still not a final coaching destination. That said, if Coach Brown decides that any other school provides a better opportunity, it is his choice whether or not to leave. If he leaves, I will follow his career and wish him success, but additional money being thrown at uncertainty is not the answer now. UAlbany has received enough national exposure in recent years that finding qualified individuals to coach will not be difficult.

 

Please note that this is a personal viewpoint, and that although it will definitely be met with opposition, it is unlikely to change.

[danefan]

When we do board awards can we have an award for "Best Opinion Disclaimer"?

 

Haggy gets my vote:

 

Please note that this is a personal viewpoint, and that although it will definitely be met with opposition, it is unlikely to change.

[UA_MA_2000]

If he takes the St. Bona job---he will be looking for another one in 4 to 5 years, Not a good move, even if for the perceived step up. All of those who said no thanks to St. Bona are the smart ones. let's hope Coach Brown is one of them. If he does move on for the $$ and perceived step up, he needs to say---"Thank You, Jamar!" Brown will never be as hot as he is now.

 

IMHO, St. B (enrollment of 2,200) belongs in the MAAC. It's a good profile fit for the MAAC, etc.

 

As far as the events of this week go, until Coach has actually accepted an offer, I view everything that is going on as simple negotiating. I have no doubt that our AD would love to give him a raise (and probably should given the salaries of other SUNY schools in the conference), but Dr. McElroy doesn't write the checks or have the final say on the raise as far as I know (is this true?). That being said, it makes good business sense, and is just practical, for our AD to wait until an offer from St. B. has been actually extended (and I mean an actual offer from the school out there; not reports of an offer from Buffalo media outlets). Dr. M would then, I would imagine, go to the "powers that be" on campus (i.e., whoever has the final say on the raise) with the terms of the St. B. offer made to Coach and simply request the permission to make a counter-offer to Coach, with the "powers that be" outlining the applicable terms of the counter-offer. Isn't this how it normally works? I see no need for alarm!

 

In my view, I would generally not renegotiate contracts absent actual and firm offers from other schools, as it may provide a practice, or perception of a practice, of allowing faculty and/or coaches to renegotiate their contracts at will (no pun intended). Then again, I'm not administration, so what do I know! But from a fan's perspective, so far, everything that has gone on is pretty close to how I thought it would play out. The trip out there yesterday was something that I didn't expect, but then again, if Coach didn't have an offer yet, that trip was necessary IMHO. I'm anxiously awaiting an actual offer from St. B so that we can make a counter-offer and wrap this thing up!

[reeder]

I have remained quiet on this topic while I have waited to see how it plays out. However, if I was in the administration's position, I would try to never renegotiate. I would offer coaches the opportunity to honor the original terms of the contract, or to break their contracts if they feel there is a better opportunity elsewhere.

 

While it could easily be argued that Coach Brown deserves some sort of merit pay for his tremendous contribution to UAlbany, he willingly signed a contract that he thought was fair less than one year ago. If his team had injuries or under-performed, UAlbany would still have honored the contract, and both parties would have remained satisfied.

 

With success comes new offers, but the administration should not be liable for these successes. Renegotiations do not guarantee loyalty in the instances of future success, and all involved parties know this.

 

UAlbany is in a much better position than it was a few years ago, but it is still not a final coaching destination. That said, if Coach Brown decides that any other school provides a better opportunity, it is his choice whether or not to leave. If he leaves, I will follow his career and wish him success, but additional money being thrown at uncertainty is not the answer now. UAlbany has received enough national exposure in recent years that finding qualified individuals to coach will not be difficult.

 

Please note that this is a personal viewpoint, and that although it will definitely be met with opposition, it is unlikely to change.

 

FWIW, I agree with you in general. I do think that the administration should be sure that they have offered the best and final contract (I would hope that was done last year). Once that is done, if Coach still wants to leave then I wish him the best. He seems very intent on leaving - according to the media, he has expressed interest in St. Bonaventure, Iona and Quinnipiac (I believe these are the only 3 mid major openings in the northeast). If he doesn't leave now, it will be next year or the year after.

I don't think this is necessarily about the money - I think it's about a career and I think that Coach Brown thinks it's best for his career if he moved on.

 

If I were McElroy, I would make the final offer and then wish Coach the best - this is becoming a distraction. I would then pick up the phone and try to get some candidates lined up to interview at the final four.

 

I have met Coach Brown three times and exchanged e-mails with him a couple of times. He is a nice, personable guy - he has a right to move on in his career. I certainly understand and respect that right. That said, the program at UA needs to move on as well.

[KingDane]

I don't consider this a distraction, but if I was a player recruited by Coach Brown I'd be somewhat distracted.

 

Frankly, I wish Coach Brown the best wherever he goes. He is ambitious and of course he should be. He's done a great job, become visible on a national stage, and given us a great ride.

 

I do believe, however, that accepting an opportunity to coach in Olean would demonstrate that he might not be as smart and savvy as I've always considered him to be. the A-10 is a conference in decline, and St. Boneventure is at the bottom of that declining conference. There is very little upside. I'm quite familiar with Cattaraugus County. It's an impoverished edge of NYS with few academic or cultural outlets - too far from Buffalo to be considered a suburb. The agricultural is in a bad way, and the county survives on a few ski resorts. It those who follow St. Bonaventure basketball quickly steer the conversation to Bob Lanier.

 

Coach Brown is too smart to take this job.

[haggyland]

I'm quite familiar with Cattaraugus County. It's an impoverished edge of NYS with few academic or cultural outlets - too far from Buffalo to be considered a suburb. The agricultural is in a bad way, and the county survives on a few ski resorts.

 

I spent the night in Olean in October while I was driving back to the Capital Region from Chicago, and I could easily see how it could be a tough sell for a young family. Although there was not much to see or do in Olean, the chicken parmesan sub that I ordered at their pizza shop on the main strip was one of the largest and best I have ever had.

 

If Coach Brown leaves UAlbany, and leaves for the Bonnies, I will plan one road trip out there just to order another sandwich....

[UA_MA_2000]

I'm quite familiar with Cattaraugus County. It's an impoverished edge of NYS with few academic or cultural outlets - too far from Buffalo to be considered a suburb. The agricultural is in a bad way, and the county survives on a few ski resorts.

 

I spent the night in Olean in October while I was driving back to the Capital Region from Chicago, and I could easily see how it could be a tough sell for a young family. Although there was not much to see or do in Olean, the chicken parmesan sub that I ordered at their pizza shop on the main strip was one of the largest and best I have ever had.

 

If Coach Brown leaves UAlbany, and leaves for the Bonnies, I will plan one road trip out there just to order another sandwich....

 

On the topic of Olean, here is the website for those like myself who were curious: http://www.cityofolean.com/

 

(Note the announcement that its City Clerk's Office now acccepts Visa and Mastercard! I found this funny at least ... .)

 

There are some pictures under the "Scrapbook" link for those interested. In all seriousness, while that type of town and culture may not be for me and some of us here, some people really enjoy the quiet of a small town, so I guess it really is "to each his/her own." I'm sure it's a very nice place with it's own unique things to offer (like huge chicken subs!).

[scrabbleship]

There is very little upside. I'm quite familiar with Cattaraugus County. It's an impoverished edge of NYS with few academic or cultural outlets - too far from Buffalo to be considered a suburb. The agricultural is in a bad way, and the county survives on a few ski resorts.

 

Not to mention the prisons and the Seneca reservation (with cheap gas/cigarettes and the casino overlooking I-86 in Salamanca). Oh, you mean surviving on things that actually bring in much needed revenue to the non-reservation parts of the county.

 

Just about everyone I know from that general area (albeit the northern part of Cattaraugus/southern part of Erie, the exurbs of Buffalo) either left the area as soon as college ended or stuck around and saw their lives decline. Good food though, from subs to wings to (closer to Buffalo) beef on weck to the fact that (the far superior) Tim Horton's is as ubiquitous (in their terms) there as Dunkin' Donuts is here.

 

The St. Bonaventure coaching job and its woes reflect the woes of its home region. I hope Brown stays and gets the raise he deserves, if he leaves my faith in McElroy will be lessened.

[UAalum72]

I hope Brown stays and gets the raise he deserves, if he leaves my faith in McElroy will be lessened.

Will that be more or less faith than you didn't have in Brown only 3 1/2 weeks ago?

[Dane Pound]

I like the job McElroy has done for UA and he's saying the right things regarding this as far as I'm concerned. It's a negotiation between two parties so I don't think we'll know what's actually going on until it's over (if then). This could all just be a faint memory by the time the season starts in November.

[UA_MA_2000]

There is very little upside. I'm quite familiar with Cattaraugus County. It's an impoverished edge of NYS with few academic or cultural outlets - too far from Buffalo to be considered a suburb. The agricultural is in a bad way, and the county survives on a few ski resorts.

 

Not to mention the prisons and the Seneca reservation (with cheap gas/cigarettes and the casino overlooking I-86 in Salamanca). Oh, you mean surviving on things that actually bring in much needed revenue to the non-reservation parts of the county.

 

Just about everyone I know from that general area (albeit the northern part of Cattaraugus/southern part of Erie, the exurbs of Buffalo) either left the area as soon as college ended or stuck around and saw their lives decline. Good food though, from subs to wings to (closer to Buffalo) beef on weck to the fact that (the far superior) Tim Horton's is as ubiquitous (in their terms) there as Dunkin' Donuts is here.

 

The St. Bonaventure coaching job and its woes reflect the woes of its home region. I hope Brown stays and gets the raise he deserves, if he leaves my faith in McElroy will be lessened.

 

I think Dr. M. has done, and will continue to do, everything in his power to keep Coach here. If Coach leaves, I think it will be for reasons outside of Dr. M's control. Just my relatively uninformed $.02. But I think Coach will stay, and I believe that everything that has transpired this week is simply part of the requisite and pro forma process for obtaining a pay raise at a state institution. At this point, I have nothing but positive things to say about Dr. M and the great job he's doing, and I'm very glad he's with us!

[UA_MA_2000]

I like the job McElroy has done for UA and he's saying the right things regarding this as far as I'm concerned. It's a negotiation between two parties so I don't think we'll know what's actually going on until it's over (if then). This could all just be a faint memory by the time the season starts in November.

 

 

I completely agree. I imagine there is a lot being said and done that the general public (me) has no idea about. I would imagine that this gets wrapped up sometime next week. I would guess that the counter-offer will be made before Brown goes to the Final Four (perhaps Thursday) but not accepted (if accepted) until after the Final Four trip.

[Clickclack]

Would it be factually correct to state that coach Brown as of right now DOES NOT have an offer from SB?

[UA_MA_2000]

Would it be factually correct to state that coach Brown as of right now DOES NOT have an offer from SB?

 

As far as what is public knowledge, I think that is correct in that there is no formal, public offer made to Coach Brown. But I only know what what I read on here and what I hear through media outlets!

[Clickclack]

Would it be factually correct to state that coach Brown as of right now DOES NOT have an offer from SB?

 

As far as what is public knowledge, I think that is correct in that there is no formal, public offer made to Coach Brown. But I only know what what I read on here and what I hear through media outlets!

 

Thanks UA, I thought so but wasn't 100% sure that no offer has been made, at least publicly.