If they do that again I cut out 2024 donations. I do not understand how McP and Masshole have jobs. They must report the weather.
Fire McDevitt
- Thread starter sWiley
- Start date
I'm already there. Since the CRS firing, I have been hedging a bit in my "return" in spite of being predicted to win the league, which I thought was a joke, because nothing I've seen from CNM demonstrated to me he could win this league. Though it appears that fact is lost on this university’s decision makers. There were already some big red flags in the first month of the season (even before the injury to Cam). But if you've been reading my stuff on CNM for the last six years that should be no surprise. So, yeah I hedged and slow rolled a donation I was wanting to make after football was settled.
I said I would come back on the heels of the football situation, but not if they're going to cancel out one good decision by following it up with a dumber one. Well, I waited out this season and this past week or so. It’s indefensible how bad the leadership of this university is. Why anyone would pour hard earned money into an organization that is this bad at pulling the right levers and flippant to its own constituents simultaneously is beyond me. I’ve done all I can to be patient and hang in with this. At this point, I’m starting to think it’s intentional. No rational leaders at any other school would accept this. That said, I just made a large donation to my other alma mater today. This university continues to miss the boat. Good luck y’all. I’ll try to pop in every once in a while.
I know a lot of people said they would begin giving again if Stock was fired but as of today per a good source there have been few if any new donations from previous donors.
Typically the folks that move the needle aren’t on message boards..
The adage that applies here (and of most major athletic department decisions) is that ‘those that mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind’
First, I don't believe this. We've heard from several just on this board who have done so. If this "source" is legit then this is disingenuousness coming out of the university - which would surprise absolutely only those of you who somehow believes what's going on at MT is all normal order of business where all is well. But even if it were true, I wouldn't blame anyone for continuing to be judicious and cautious about funding such a fledgling operation.
Below is what I said most recently about this. I never committed to anything though I certainly believed there was a good chance I would. That said, I have consistently said that I would return to giving on the basis of a culture shift at MT. That's what I'm looking for. Not just one decision that was long overdue. The facts remain that one step forward in the right direction doesn't make up for several in the wrong direction. These aren't debatable decisions. When this fanbase is this unified and they still don't make a change what should we take from that? Hell, there is a groundswell and they don't even acknowledge there's a problem to the fanbase. Not a single comment from the University. But more importantly that shouldn't even be required. If they truly demand excellence and want championships they don't even need to hear from us. They would correctly make the right decisions when it is so f'n obvious. Four out of six losing seasons (and these haven't just been a game under .500 seasons these are seasons where MT is in the 250+ and 300+ in the nation). The degree of consistent bad is mind boggling. Retaining Stockstill was indefensible on the basis of what it was doing to the fanbase and philanthropy. It would be less cut and dry on W/L/performance but the trend was pretty convincing with so much data, so I'm going to say not defensible there either. The only place it was defensible was due to his buyout (but even that is somewhat indefensible because that contract never should have been awarded like that in the first place) - which just demonstrates the malpractice that's going on across campus. The complete picture of the Stockstill tenure demonstrated we had long since past the time to change. They came to the right decision many years too late. So, we applaud them for doing something they should have done a long time ago.
But when you look at MBB, there isn't a single metric that is defensible in retaining this current staff. Why are our decision makers so willing to accept flat out horrific results to mediocre at best? Our closest peer and rival would not do this. In fact, they have proven that point. As a result, you can watch them this afternoon back where they think they belong. The mindset in Bowling Green is so different than here. I guess a couple of tournaments in 30 years is good enough here. McPhee and Massaro talk about championships then often do little to hold the coaches accountable for it when they are light years away from them. And CNM is flipping light years away. I'm not even sure he could ever produce one here. He is way worse than Stockstill was. So, on a personal level I can't defensibly separate myself from my own personal limited resources to support a regime that defies any semblance or rationality, logic, or even common sense by accepting, tolerating, and virtually enabling poor performance. What I wrote below was me wanting to believe a changing of the tides. Was a culture shift finally happening? A moderating back to a mean regression of normalcy? Maybe finally moving dirt over a decade after it was due was a positive sign. Maybe dumping a mediocre tenured coach after it was due was a positive sign? But I was completely wrong. Nothing has changed. This university's decision makers got off the couch and made one easy decision (that was late) and one semi-challenging decision (that also was late) and then sat back to rest again on their laurels. There is no culture shift here. There is no expectation for excellence. MT basketball is back to just existing again.
But after further consultation with myself and realizing the hope generated with football was fools gold and that a culture shift is not taking place, I'm moving on from this place. It is clear to me until there is leadership change at the top nothing at MT is ever going to move on from the little middle mentality.
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I am not in anyway bashing your source, but what did they expect would happen given:
- They allowed extreme apathy to develop for the program to the point very few care anymore.
- They kept CRS way too long. Up to 11 years too long. In part due to their terrible contract.
- They hire a new football HC that no other program was looking it. Yes CDM has hit all the right buttons so far, but there are legit concerns about the on the field prognosis. We hope it works.
- They allowed CNM stay after the worst 3 year stretch in our program’s history and they have extended/adjusted in secret at least once if not twice.
- They have not addressed the obvious concerns people have about him returning next year.
- Their baseball hires are questionable.
- They ignored fans in their decisions for years (e.g., letting the spring game disappear under Stock).
- Smith wants less transparency over “executive” decisions. There is a clear lack of transparency at the Massaro and above level.
- Massaro and McPhee have both overstayed in their positions and were the “leaders” through all the above.
It’s like a husband that treats his wife like shit for years and then one night takes her out for a nice night meal and gets mad when she’s not in the mood at the end of the night. One night doesn’t make up for years of crap when you haven’t changed and he’s lucky she’s still there. Same analogy for any of MT fans still being here with M&M&S in charge.
I would be real curious what they expected given the situation. Is it lack of awareness?
As MT01 pointed out there is no metric that shows he should be retained.
This one is a head scratcher. Not surprising though. With Suckstill there was a big contract and big (for MT) payout to navigate. From what we understand that is not the case with McDud. Cut him loose!
This one is a head scratcher. Not surprising though. With Suckstill there was a big contract and big (for MT) payout to navigate. From what we understand that is not the case with McDud. Cut him loose!
Nice people don't feel the need to tell people they're nice. Smart people don't feel the need to tell people they're smart. And fit people don't feel the need to tell people they're fit. So, why does Dr. McPhee feel the need to say, "We're not Little Middle," in his press conference if Middle Tennessee isn't Little Middle?
As a Middle Tennessee alumnus, I really wish he hadn't said that because by saying it he just confirms what everyone else believes.
Did anyone else find it odd in the WBB Selection Sunday photos, the President and First Lady of the University were front and center instead of the players??
I noticed that too.
When Auburn and USCe won the SEC tournaments, you didn’t see their president or AD in the mIn team photos, but there was seven wood holding the trophy and fat ass Massaro cheesing like he just got up from the all you can eat buffet at Farmer’s Family.
Yup. I've seen other schools introduce coaches, selection shows, or ceremonies etc and the pres may be there or open the presser, but then step away and essentially be stage left out of sight.
Not here though. They both are front and center often.
I would expect nothing less. MTSU isn't even a second class University at this point.
Clown show.
Our only hope is that we can outlive this group of imbeciles and hope that future leaders for our University are competent.
Sadly, this is the exact same situation with politics and the degradation of America. It's sad and depressing to see the same affliction also ruining my alma mater.
Now a full 20 years into this problem. And TN higher education still a sad joke…
THE SYDNEY MCPHEE PROBLEM
THE SYDNEY MCPHEE PROBLEM
They think they are royalty. I would like for their royal asses to pack up and go back to the Bahamas.
For all we know this could be a McPhee decision. Remember, Massaro wanted someone else as the coach and from what I heard, he was essentially overruled by McPhee.
Except for basketball, football, and baseball, the coaching selections seem sound. I believe that idiots are hindering the first three sports.
Even if this is true, and it absolutely could be, how could any self-respecting person work as the AD if the university president does that?
Massaro is either complicit or willfully emasculated.
When that Nashville Scene article broke, I was in my 2nd semester of grad school and was focused on completing my MBA as quickly as possible. Didn’t really pay much attention to it.
That’s some awful stuff.
That’s some awful stuff.
So, Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhardt tweeted that Calipari is returning next season.
Not that there should even be a debate about a coach who has won 77% of his career games (the exact opposite of McDevitt's tenure at MT) and has won 71 games in the past three seasons in one of the top 3 hardest leagues in the nation. I get that Kentucky actually demands championships, but it's hard to argue with giving him another season. Those 71 wins are more than McDevitt has won (only counting D1 wins) in twice as many seasons. Yet, at MT not only no change but no comment. Six years winning 37% of his D1 games and nothing but crickets.
I'm not going to list a bunch of basketball examples, but Dan D'Antoni at Marshall - y'all remember him right? He's a Marshall alum with a 177-148 with a 95-81 record in conference play. But he went 13-20 this year. He was 24-8 last year. Fired. The difference in standards in schools that we like to think of ourselves as peers is astonishingly different. How damning and telling is that?
Let's look at leadership. The athletic director at St. Bonaventure was forced to resign because he unilaterally decided to not accept an NIT bid. Think about that. One somewhat significant mistake. Gone. How many worse mistakes have been made at MT with not a single person held accountable?
At Colorado State, they fired the athletic director a couple of months ago, because of the direction of the football program.
At the University of Tennessee a few years ago due to mismanagement of athletics as well as problems running the university, the first female chancellor there was fired.
At Utah State, reports of a toxic football culture forced the President at the University to resign.
At MT, the examples of mismanagement and malfeasance are too significant to even keep up with at this point, yet there is never anything to see here. Move along and give us your money.
There's a reason why we went from the school that the Sun Belt had to have to make that conference work over 20 years ago to a school no one but the MAC wants. It starts at the top. The fiefdoms clung to are detrimental to the health of the institution. I have drawn a red line in the sand, and I'm tired of talking about it. Tired of being disappointed. And tired of caring. So, it's time to stop doing all those things. So, I think this is the last thing I will say about the direction of our programs, leadership, etc. At some point it becomes absurdly redundant. And a waste of life.
Not that there should even be a debate about a coach who has won 77% of his career games (the exact opposite of McDevitt's tenure at MT) and has won 71 games in the past three seasons in one of the top 3 hardest leagues in the nation. I get that Kentucky actually demands championships, but it's hard to argue with giving him another season. Those 71 wins are more than McDevitt has won (only counting D1 wins) in twice as many seasons. Yet, at MT not only no change but no comment. Six years winning 37% of his D1 games and nothing but crickets.
I'm not going to list a bunch of basketball examples, but Dan D'Antoni at Marshall - y'all remember him right? He's a Marshall alum with a 177-148 with a 95-81 record in conference play. But he went 13-20 this year. He was 24-8 last year. Fired. The difference in standards in schools that we like to think of ourselves as peers is astonishingly different. How damning and telling is that?
Let's look at leadership. The athletic director at St. Bonaventure was forced to resign because he unilaterally decided to not accept an NIT bid. Think about that. One somewhat significant mistake. Gone. How many worse mistakes have been made at MT with not a single person held accountable?
At Colorado State, they fired the athletic director a couple of months ago, because of the direction of the football program.
At the University of Tennessee a few years ago due to mismanagement of athletics as well as problems running the university, the first female chancellor there was fired.
At Utah State, reports of a toxic football culture forced the President at the University to resign.
At MT, the examples of mismanagement and malfeasance are too significant to even keep up with at this point, yet there is never anything to see here. Move along and give us your money.
There's a reason why we went from the school that the Sun Belt had to have to make that conference work over 20 years ago to a school no one but the MAC wants. It starts at the top. The fiefdoms clung to are detrimental to the health of the institution. I have drawn a red line in the sand, and I'm tired of talking about it. Tired of being disappointed. And tired of caring. So, it's time to stop doing all those things. So, I think this is the last thing I will say about the direction of our programs, leadership, etc. At some point it becomes absurdly redundant. And a waste of life.
Pretty good summary and lots of good examples. The future of MT, it's alumni, fanbase, the area, etc. have all been hurt by this acceptance of mediocre results as a banner of success. There is literally no expectations to be above .500 in any sport. It's truly mind boggling and really could be an ESPN 30 for 30 or some documentary. But - nobody would watch a show about a loser with low expectations.
The silver lining is that the McFlea and Messaro have to be getting close to retirement just by default. How much longer? Five years tops? The problem is that in five years we will have ZERO chance of moving the program forward. The current state of athletics demands change and a move forward now or we will be lost forever. I fear it's probably already happened.
