billikenfan05 Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 5 minutes ago, DeSmetBilliken said: It could just be an attempt to get ahead of things by a few days. Depending on who is driving making the call (boosters vs May/Pestello), it could be a little bit of a repudiation of May. My observation of the SLU athletic department under Chris May is that they view things very optimistically. In the last few years, SLU has salvaged several seasons by winning the A10 Tournament, with women’s team last year, men’s team in 2019, as well as probably a few seasons for men’s and women’s soccer. My theory is that because of these instances, Chris May views winning the tournament as a very real possibility every year now, and therefore won’t consider this season a failure yet, because there was still the chance that they’d catch lightning in a bottle in Brooklyn. Firing Ford before the tournament tells May, “this season was a failure. It’s over now”. Also, don’t forget, I think it was in the lead up to the A10 tournament last year that May got on Cusumano’s radio show and made his idiotic comments in support of Ford. Firing Ford before the A10 tourney would seemingly prevent May from running those comments back. I actually view it the other way given what you said above the bolded. May could view this season as salvageable in the tournament but a Ford coached team isn't going to do that. If the decision is already made, the A10 is a "fresh start". Why get a fresh start with the coach that hasn't done anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speyburn Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 8 minutes ago, ARon said: Travis will still probably coach the team at the A10 tourney. It will be announced that he "not returning" not that he is fired with immediate effect. "not returning" as in, leave him in Brooklyn to find his own way back. TheA_Bomb likes this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrettJollyComedyHour Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 Just now, Speyburn said: "not returning" as in, leave him in Brooklyn to find his own way back. He's got the money lol, I have no sympathy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeSmetBilliken Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 11 minutes ago, billikenfan05 said: I actually view it the other way given what you said above the bolded. May could view this season as salvageable in the tournament but a Ford coached team isn't going to do that. If the decision is already made, the A10 is a "fresh start". Why get a fresh start with the coach that hasn't done anything. I get that mindset as well. If this timing was Chris May’s decision, I have no real idea what his thought process was. My comments were focused on if the boosters are truly driving this process. If that angry exchange between May and Chaifetz, the one where May was supposedly trying to tell Chaifetz “trust the process, it’s getting better, we could still win the conference tournament, etc”, actually took place, he may have tried to say that to other boosters too. It puts a smile on my face to think of boosters telling May “ we have to pay a bunch of money to get out of this contract you gave Ford, so no…we’re not letting you keep the hope that Ford can get out of this with a good few days in Brooklyn. It’s over.” Soderball likes this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crymdg2 Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 I would think if he's gone prior to the conference tournament it is as simple as wanting to avoid any chance of "if we just get hot, we can win this thing." Xavier had a similar situation with Travis Steele. They knew Miller was coming back and they fired Steele in the middle of the NIT run which they actually ended up winning. Don't give him any chance no matter how slim it is. ACE, Soderball, DeSmetBilliken and 1 other like this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 2 hours ago, willie said: I have no idea if it's true or not but I think it makes perfect sense. If you are going to make a change it gets the ball rolling. It allows you to start the coaching search. Allows the players to enter the portal if that is their choice. Maybe a Tate led team wins a game or 2. If true, I agree it does make sense - actually I would do it now. I wonder if they already have had conversations with a potential coach and they want to beat others to the punch. They may want to be able to go as soon as that guy is done with his tourney and not get caught in the coach rush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrettJollyComedyHour Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 4 minutes ago, cheeseman said: If true, I agree it does make sense - actually I would do it now. I wonder if they already have had conversations with a potential coach and they want to beat others to the punch. They may want to be able to go as soon as that guy is done with his tourney and not get caught in the coach rush. If they do it Sunday, that would allow Schertz to finish out the MVC if they're looking to him plus there's a week gap before the NCAA. cheeseman likes this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufan13 Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 I guess it also makes sense to not make Ford answer lame duck questions in actual press conferences after the games in Brooklyn. It's one thing getting it from Stu after the Bonnie's game but save him any negativity from national media. I know they did the opposite with Crews but Crews is different. That was probably an honor for him. Not saying Ford deserves that but if he's gone I don't care if they suck up to him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBand Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 2 hours ago, VeniceMenace said: "I'd rather be playing outdoors in Flippin, Arkansas." Nice reference to Spoon here. VeniceMenace likes this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Valley Sucks Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 3 hours ago, slufan13 said: Honestly don't see the point in firing before Brooklyn so it doesn't make a ton of sense to me but it also seems like thats the trend this year at other schools Can't let Ford win the conference tourney in Brooklyn. Leave no doubt billiken_roy likes this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OkieBilliken Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 6 minutes ago, The Valley Sucks said: Can't let Ford win the conference tourney in Brooklyn. Leave no doubt With our defense we could probably risk it MusicCityBilliken likes this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kshoe Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 1 hour ago, BrettJollyComedyHour said: If they do it Sunday, that would allow Schertz to finish out the MVC if they're looking to him plus there's a week gap before the NCAA. I know we are just grasping at straws on the logic and whatnot, but there is no way that Schertz (or any other coach that will be in the NCAA tournament) is going to announce they are leaving their team for SLU until the NCAA tournament is over. stmdragons, TRN, Soderball and 1 other like this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeSmetBilliken Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 11 minutes ago, kshoe said: I know we are just grasping at straws on the logic and whatnot, but there is no way that Schertz (or any other coach that will be in the NCAA tournament) is going to announce they are leaving their team for SLU until the NCAA tournament is over. Exactly. If we got our ducks in a row, it could be a deal where the news officially broke that a coach was coming to the day after their team got eliminated, but that’s the earliest it would be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shempie Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 15 minutes ago, kshoe said: I know we are just grasping at straws on the logic and whatnot, but there is no way that Schertz (or any other coach that will be in the NCAA tournament) is going to announce they are leaving their team for SLU until the NCAA tournament is over. But a coach probably wouldn't stick around to coach an NIT game. Which is where (insert midmajor conference regular season winner/tournament loser) could end up. Then you are ready to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianstl Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 20 minutes ago, kshoe said: I know we are just grasping at straws on the logic and whatnot, but there is no way that Schertz (or any other coach that will be in the NCAA tournament) is going to announce they are leaving their team for SLU until the NCAA tournament is over. Getting it done early does let you find out if someone that isn't coaching right now is serious about wanting the job or if he is just using you to raise his price elsewhere. If that guy is your first choice or choice 1A, finding that out now let's you move on sooner to offering the job to your next choice. He can't claim he can't make a commitment until the job officially opens out of respect to the current coach anymore. TheA_Bomb likes this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufan13 Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 Everyone is getting it done early in seems. Washington now too. I don't know the logic but it's how schools are operating this year I guess. I think it'll give us time to find a coach and probably gives Ford a chance too. Gives the kids a chance to enter the portal as well. But yeah of Schertz is the guy you won't get him until Indiana St's season is over Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendelprof Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 Hate to be lawyerly, but I assume the contract language has a lot to do with the earliest date SLU can make the decision, assuming they are leaning towards terminating the contract. Assuming the buy-out drops each year, the key is when "the year" ends. I assume it ends after "the last game." The last game of the conference season or the last game of the season, including the conference tournament? What's the contract say? Assuming the buy-out amount drops with each passing year, there could be quite a bit of money riding on these last few days. If a million dollars or more is riding on the extra few days, at this point my guess is the school would wait the extra few days. Again, all this depends on the language in the contract, a document that none of us has seen. It really is unfair to criticize the school without knowing the exact language and terms in the contract. Bay Area Billiken, NextYearBill, Adman and 2 others like this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny karate Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 If happens gets folks talking about dismissal of coach during a10 tournament and seeing the players. Sounds like good marketing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old guy Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 3 hours ago, BrettJollyComedyHour said: He's got the money lol, I have no sympathy. You have no way of knowing that. He should have the money but whether or not he actually has it depends on how much he spends. we all know the income portion of the equation is more than adequate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old guy Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 2 hours ago, The Valley Sucks said: Can't let Ford win the conference tourney in Brooklyn. Leave no doubt You are way too optimistic about Ford. I honestly think he has absolutely no chance of winning the tournament. I will be very surprised if the Bills manage to win one or two games at the A10 tournament this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeSmetBilliken Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 1 minute ago, Old guy said: You are way too optimistic about Ford. I honestly think he has absolutely no chance of winning the tournament. I will be very surprised if the Bills manage to win one or two games at the A10 tournament this year. I agree with you, but if the decision has been made that Ford is gone no matter what happens in Brooklyn, no need to put yourself in a position to look silly for canning your coach after he just got you in the NCAA tournament, however minuscule that chance is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old guy Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 Minuscule chance or not, it comes to the probability and the risk associated with the decision of Ford's termination. If the contract stipulates a major reduction of the money that must be paid to Ford after a specific date, then this is the road you take. If it does not, then you may start calculating the infinitesimal probability level for Ford to win the A10 tournament. So the decision to take the risk he will win the tournament or not does not have to be exercised if there is a certain contract stipulated termination date that significantly decreases the payment going to Ford after his termination. Lord Elrond likes this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soderball Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 or he just gets fired Sunday and we all party and get ready for HargroveFest in Brooklyn. Dr. Holly Hills and DeSmetBilliken like this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soderball Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 Seriously that would be great. The board could finally get over this handwringing and angst and this place will just be one happy camp hoping for the Billikens to pull some stuff out for our guys. A win in the PIG would be a good sendoff for THJ. Who knows maybe win more why not. Lando Griffin likes this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrettJollyComedyHour Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 1 hour ago, Old guy said: You have no way of knowing that. He should have the money but whether or not he actually has it depends on how much he spends. we all know the income portion of the equation is more than adequate. I do because he's able to afford a large house that is valued at a high amount. Coaches who have multimillion dollar contracts have money. They are not hurting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.