mbb 2020 Game #16 (AET 2nd Round): 2/28/21 - 3:00PM vs Harford (Hartford, CT)

[Clickclack]

2 minutes ago, Don Nichols said:

Have to say I think it’s laughable that Coach Brown hasn’t been extended.  The results you get at UAlbany in relationship to the budget, facilities and other factors is beyond measure.  This does not mean from a coaching perspective it can’t be better, there is always room for growth and improvement.  But second guessing a coach is one of the easiest things one can do.  Based on what I know and have experienced, Coach Brown’s results far exceed the circumstances.  He is likely a victim of his own previous successes.  There was an inflection point with the program that the university missed that could have firmly rooted the program as a “Vermont” or similarly positioned low mid major.  Instead the program was left to succeed seemingly on the graces of the coaching staff.    And in today’s world of college athletics,  you simply need more than a good coach to be successful.  The support and commitment from the university and community are as necessary as Xs and Os.  My children have participated in college athletics at four division 1 universities and I have personally been involved with the college selections of at least 50 other kids over the years.  The fact that UAlbany has been closer to Vermont than Binghamton (sorry Mr. Terry) is due to one person; Coach Brown.  You can change coaches and make other changes to properly support the program but why do that when you already have a good coach. Make changes around him to help him compete. 

Benson was billed a program builder, he's done little to improve the lot of this athletic department. Half the AE has new arenas and we play in a dump.

[B9j2j6s]

Anyone else watch when Brown and Gallegher had a longer than normal talk after the game?  CB looked like a man who knows what is coming.  I hope he gets extended as he is the only UA basketball coach I have ever known (my freshman year was 2001).  If it is his time I will hold him in the same light as some of you hold Doc Sauer. 

 

I doubt the grass will be greener on the other side without some considerable investment (renovated arena, private practice arena etc.),  If Benson does move on hope it works or it will be his butt.. 

Edited March 1, 2021 by B9j2j6s

[Clickclack]

9 minutes ago, B9j2j6s said:

Anyone else watch when Brown and Gallegher had a longer than normal talk after the game.  CB looked like a man who knows what is coming.  I hope he gets extended as he is the only UA basketball coach I have ever known (my freshman year was 2001).  If it is his time I will hold him in the same light as some of you hold Doc Sauer. 

 

I doubt the grass will be greener on the other side without some considerable investment (renovated arena, private practice arena etc.),  If Benson does move on hope it works or it will be his butt.. 

What could have been if David and Joe didn't leave. That team was poised to be special. That really seemed to derail the program and it's been 3 painful years since.

This team I felt had nice talent but glaring weakness at PG and one really good Big. Healy and Hutch took huge steps backwards and could never get going.

Edited March 1, 2021 by Clickclack

[Eli]

1 hour ago, Don Nichols said:

You can change coaches and make other changes to properly support the program but why do that when you already have a good coach. Make changes around him to help him compete. 

This is a good point. Can't see for forest for the trees type stuff. Seems like this is my 2nd team to be going through this right now (Jets and Darnold are the first). It's easy to put the blame at one persons feet and make them the scapegoat without realizing that the issue likely far larger and above their pay grade.

Edited March 1, 2021 by Eli

[Dane06grad]

1 hour ago, Clickclack said:

What could have been if David and Joe didn't leave. That team was poised to be special. That really seemed to derail the program and it's been 3 painful years since.

This team I felt had nice talent but glaring weakness at PG and one really good Big. Healy and Hutch took huge steps backwards and could never get going.

I agree with you here and also on your other comment about Benson being insulated from criticism. Brown has been here for 20 years and a guy (Benson) who may only make it 2 more could be the one who runs him out of town. 3 years ago we were loaded with talent that unexpectedly (to me) left and shocked the program. There were some swings and misses on the freshman class I was excited about (Class of Healy, lulka, Rizzutto, Hanks and De Sousa. I would toss JoJo in that mix too) but this years team was talented. Was it frustrating to have a completely new team, sure, but they were good and had talent. Like someone else mentioned, if we didn't get canceled with two bottom feeders this year UA may have been a #3 seed. 

I will be disappointed if they move on from Brown, but I am uneasy about Benson being the one to make the decision. His excuse will be that he couldn't hire his own guys, but sometimes you don't have to. Isn't Lacrosse on the way down under Bensons watch too? So all the sudden these coaches just forgot how to coach and win?? Doubtful. 

Also... Interested to see how Castellana plays into this. Wonder if he has any input or say. What if he doesn't want to move on from Will??

[Dane Pound]

2 hours ago, Clickclack said:

This team I felt had nice talent but glaring weakness at PG and one really good Big. 

I've liked Horton at the PG spot. It was a tough matchup with Carter whose experience won out tonight. He managed the game really well and his steal late in the game was a backbreaker. Also thought not having another big haunted us again Stafl.

[UA'08]

17 hours ago, MRSGDG said:

Exactly. We are a low mid major. Describe what you're looking for in a coach. What resources will you give the coach? 

Where is Pres. Rodriguez on this unless he just trust his Admin Leaders to do the right thing for the university.

I know previous coach contracts actually cared about their student athletes academics. If I remember correctly there were incentives in the coaches contract to get your student athletes on the all academic teams. But I believe the most recent extension did not include that. 

We aren't going to be graduating any NBA players. I think that this is the part of the American East. And I think most teams know it. You get good smart kids who can play ball. And you try your best to get to the NCAA's. And if you don't like it then go root for a blueblood team. Unless Benson is taking this into a completely different route. But again he doesn't have a good record on hiring coaches who can win...

I find it funny how you refer to the program as a MID MAJOR when winning, but when times are tough you’ll now will conveniently refer to the program as just a LOW MID MAJOR. Clearly there are people that have personal ties to WB that goes beyond basketball so it’s understandable.

Edited March 1, 2021 by UA'08

[Eli]

20 minutes ago, UA'08 said:

I find it funny how you refer to the program as a MID MAJOR when winning, but when times are tough you’ll now will conveniently refer to the program as just a LOW MAJOR. Clearly there are people that have personal ties to WB that goes beyond basketball so it’s understandable.

To be fair, she called it a low mid major. Which is what we are. If we are low major, we are high low major lol.

[dslyank]

17 hours ago, MRSGDG said:

Benson had his specific coaches he hasn't liked since he began and he has been vocal about it internally....again those coaches wouldn't be drinking buddies and get all friendly buddy buddy with him (which shouldn't be a job requirement)..or bend recruiting rules.

If he actually wanted to get rid of him for not winning that would be one thing...

Has Benson hired any winning coaches that took their teams to the NCAA? Asking because I actually don't know the answer.

 

 

After serving the last four seasons as the Great Danes’ associate head coach, Pickard was elevated to head coach in 2019 and led UAlbany to its first America East Championship title since 2011, beating Hartford in a five-set thriller. 

Eventually lost to #2 Texas in NCAA. Not sure if Benson can be credited with the hire. Josh elevated after Benson and Coach Eggstrom mysteriously parted ways {i.e non-favorite fired imho{

[UA'08]

8 minutes ago, Eli said:

To be fair, she called it a low mid major. Which is what we are. If we are low major, we are high low major lol.

Lol yes that was what I meant. We have always been a low mid major. Typo.

[dslyank]

Getting back to yesterdays game for a moment; Here is a copy I texted to a non-blog friend after the game yesterday:

Not to make excuses. Hartford was the better team today. But consider Hartford played 6 out of conference games to UAs 2. 14 in conference to UAs 12. Got home court because of the un-balanced schedule. 3 of their wins vs bingo & Maine; 9th & 10th in conference. UA never got the opportunity to fatten up on either. UA had 3+ COVID pauses to Hartford’s one or none. So team that should have won today did. Everything was in their favor.

ps . If you don't think home court even without fans is important: Hartford @ home 8-1; 4-7 on road. Stats prior to yesterdays game.

[MRSGDG]

53 minutes ago, UA'08 said:

I find it funny how you refer to the program as a MID MAJOR when winning, but when times are tough you’ll now will conveniently refer to the program as just a LOW MID MAJOR. Clearly there are people that have personal ties to WB that goes beyond basketball so it’s understandable.

LOL.. thats what you're focusing on today. If you are talking about hiring a coach ... there is a difference when you hire a coach for a low mid major school vs a mid major school. That is why I was delineating the difference..as in who are you going to hire?

And yes I do have personal ties to the school as an alumni and program as a season ticket holder who mingles with the same fans, players and coaches family's because I travel to games, and support this team. That's how an alum becomes personal with a team. Which  is why it burns me that Bensons BS of personal dislike is what lead to a firing vs actually being about the job. That is what ruffles my feathers. If this reallllly was about job performance that's one thing but it wasn't. 

[UA'08]

12 minutes ago, dslyank said:

Getting back to yesterdays game for a moment; Here is a copy I texted to a non-blog friend after the game yesterday:

Not to make excuses. Hartford was the better team today. But consider Hartford played 6 out of conference games to UAs 2. 14 in conference to UAs 12. Got home court because of the un-balanced schedule. 3 of their wins vs bingo & Maine; 9th & 10th in conference. UA never got the opportunity to fatten up on either. UA had 3+ COVID pauses to Hartford’s one or none. So team that should have won today did. Everything was in their favor.

ps . If you don't think home court even without fans is important: Hartford @ home 8-1; 4-7 on road. Stats prior to yesterdays game.

Excuses. Albany had them on the ropes with two of Hartford’s best players with 4 fouls and 10 plus min left in the game. Huge missed front end of a 1 on 1 and a terrible turnover with Horton looking lost on the biggest possession of the game.

[UA'08]

2 minutes ago, MRSGDG said:

LOL.. thats what you're focusing on today. If you are talking about hiring a coach ... there is a difference when you hire a coach for a low mid major school vs a mid major school. That is why I was delineating the difference..as in who are you going to hire?

And yes I do have personal ties to the school as an alumni and program as a season ticket holder who mingles with the same fans, players and coaches family's because I travel to games, and support this team. That's how an alum becomes personal with a team. Which  is why it burns me that Bensons BS of personal dislike is what lead to a firing vs actually being about the job. That is what ruffles my feathers. If this reallllly was about job performance that's one thing but it wasn't. 

Everyone that posts here has personal ties to the school. I said for some there are personal ties directly to WB. There’s a difference between being fired/axed than letting contract expire and not be retained. WB will be ok and Albany basketball will be ok.

[MRSGDG]

10 minutes ago, UA'08 said:

Everyone that posts here has personal ties to the school. I said for some there are personal ties directly to WB. There’s a difference between being fired/axed than letting contract expire and not be retained. WB will be ok and Albany basketball will be ok.

I don't doubt CB will find a job some place, just sucks his family has ties here, ppl grew up here, have to move because of Benson and his personal dislike for them.

Benson is a bulldozer who has zero ties to the area... I have zero faith in any direction he has taken our programs nor that he will stay the long haul.

Fan experience pre-covid was all time worse at events, do we have to talk about parking, football seat debacle, kicking people out of stands at bball.. I mean this guy, no bueno. As an alumn I want to be able to cheer on my Great Danes, I do.. I just don't see this going in any positive direction based on him and his personality and how he runs the Department. Again that is where my extra gripe is.  I hope I am wrong.