The Future of the A10 from a Scheduling Perspective

[Ramaholic]

I think Ed has burned a bridge or 2, but he has built plenty more than he has burned. He also played an important role in everything that has been accomplished for almost a decade. It wasn't all Shaka. And that is not a dig at Shaka. It was a complete effort by staff, players, coaches, fans and community. If there was ever something to be proud of, it would be of what has happened to VCU in the past decade (both Athletic dept and University wide).

 

[peacefulbonnie]

Ask the creator of this thread about Duquesne. They have been a drag on the conference and now Dambrot has almost an entirely new team. Mason just fired their coach because they stink. And that makes two coaches since joining the A10. Their record is so great that they fire coaches.

Dukes haven't made the NCAAs since 1977. I did think Keith Dambrot would turn things around at Duquesne, and he has to an extent, but he seems to run guys out of that program far too fast.

Mason has been pretty average since joining the conference. Their fan support, like Duquesne, seems nonexistent and you rarely see many of their fans at A10s. Hopefully English can get them back on track.

Billy Lange was an odd hire for the Hawks, but he was not left with much to work with. He will almost certainly get one more year past this season, but if they don't see real improvements, he'll be gone.

Like AA, I think SJU will finish better than people think, and perhaps top half of the conference. Saint Joe's has a rich history, good funding and a strong fan base, so I would bet they end up providing more for the conference over the next decade than Duquesne or Mason.

 

[Havoc City]

Nine (9) Game-Changers for the Athletic Dept (in no particular order):
1) Siegel Center opening (on-campus facility)
2) Villa 7 creation
3) Hiring Jeff Capel
4) Hiring Shaka Smart
5) Building the BDC
6) Hiring Norwood Teague
7) Joining the A-10
8) Launching plans (acquiring land) for the Athletic Village
9) Intelligent non-revenue sport hiring (Keyes, Stiffler, Kostin, Ball, Giffard, etc)

The parties responsible for the above deserve a lot of credit, IMO.

I came around these parts after the Villa 7. I know about it, and I know how it helped us, but what I don't know is why it was disbanded. For those of you who know the history, could someone enlighten please?

 

[WillWeaverRVA]

I came around these parts after the Villa 7. I know about it, and I know how it helped us, but what I don't know is why it was disbanded. For those of you who know the history, could someone enlighten please?

Villa 7 went to Minnesota along with Norwood Teague and Mike Ellis. It is now known as TopConnect, is based at ETSU, and is now run by former VCU AD Dick Sander (who is credited with creating it in the first place). Mike Ellis is no longer involved with the program, and Norwood ceased to be involved when he was fired resigned from Minnesota.

TopConnect - Connect. Prepare. Lead.

TopConnect, TopConnect Leaders, College Athletics, Leadership, Professional Development, topconnectleaders.com, Villa 7, College Basketball, College Football, Connect, Prepare, Lead, Top, Connect, Leaders

topconnectleaders.com

 

[N Mollen]

Name someone, in any field, who has successfully led an organization as large, as visible, with as many overlapping and often conflicting constituencies as a D1 athletic department, for nearly a decade, who hasn't burned a bridge or two or ruffled feathers. I don't think you can. You can't succeed in a job like that by trying to make everyone happy. It isn't possible

 

[Havoc City]

Villa 7 went to Minnesota along with Norwood Teague and Mike Ellis. It is now known as TopConnect, is based at ETSU, and is now run by former VCU AD Dick Sander (who is credited with creating it in the first place). Mike Ellis is no longer involved with the program, and Norwood ceased to be involved when he was fired resigned from Minnesota.

TopConnect - Connect. Prepare. Lead.

TopConnect, TopConnect Leaders, College Athletics, Leadership, Professional Development, topconnectleaders.com, Villa 7, College Basketball, College Football, Connect, Prepare, Lead, Top, Connect, Leaders

topconnectleaders.com

Thanks a lot, Will. That was exactly what I was hoping to learn. I appreciate the assist.

 

[83VCU]

Nine (9) Game-Changers for the Athletic Dept (in no particular order):
1) Siegel Center opening (on-campus facility)
2) Villa 7 creation
3) Hiring Jeff Capel
4) Hiring Shaka Smart
5) Building the BDC
6) Hiring Norwood Teague
7) Joining the A-10
8) Launching plans (acquiring land) for the Athletic Village
9) Intelligent non-revenue sport hiring (Keyes, Stiffler, Kostin, Ball, Giffard, etc)

The parties responsible for the above deserve a lot of credit, IMO.

I'd add hiring Grant to that list.

 

[VCU Heel]

I think Ed has burned a bridge or 2, but he has built plenty more than he has burned. He also played an important role in everything that has been accomplished for almost a decade. It wasn't all Shaka. And that is not a dig at Shaka. It was a complete effort by staff, players, coaches, fans and community. If there was ever something to be proud of, it would be of what has happened to VCU in the past decade (both Athletic dept and University wide).

Ed never picks up my tab when I see him out. That bridge is about to be on fire!

 

[VCU Heel]

I would like to see actual numbers that show SJU spends more on basketball than VCU. Those numbers are likely doctored or have rely on some accounting that’s not 100% reflective of what’s actually happened.

They are a program that seems to have fallen apart over the last 4-5 years, which is a cautionary tale for people that think their program is solid.

 

[WillWeaverRVA]

I would like to see actual numbers that show SJU spends more on basketball than VCU. Those numbers are likely doctored or have rely on some accounting that’s not 100% reflective of what’s actually happened.

They are a program that seems to have fallen apart over the last 4-5 years, which is a cautionary tale for people that think their program is solid.

The most recent numbers I can find are from 2018, and SJU doesn’t spend anywhere close to what VCU does on basketball.

Numbers game: check out DI men's basketball budgets around Virginia and the A-10

Dribble-down economics

richmond.com

1. VCU — $6,100,756
2. Dayton — $5,637,549
3. Saint Louis — $5,590,746
4. Massachusetts — $5,324,089
5. Richmond — $4,878,508
6. Rhode Island — $4,713,547
7. Duquesne — $4,445,910
8. Fordham — $4,436,291
9. Saint Joseph’s — $4,212,082
10. George Mason — $3,515,918
11. St. Bonaventure — $3,449,008
12. La Salle — $3,096,492
13. George Washington — $2,943,015
14. Davidson — $2,638,281

EDIT: never mind, found something more recent and Dayton, SLU, and SJU actually have surpassed VCU:

Fun with Finances: Basketball Budgets — Three-Man-Weave

In the doldrums of the offseason, we pivoted off the basketball court to open up the accounting ledger. Using the most recent Department of Higher Education numbers, here’s a quick look at each team’s spending situation.

www.three-man-weave.com

 

[N Mollen]

I would like to see actual numbers that show SJU spends more on basketball than VCU. Those numbers are likely doctored or have rely on some accounting that’s not 100% reflective of what’s actually happened.

They are a program that seems to have fallen apart over the last 4-5 years, which is a cautionary tale for people that think their program is solid.

I never put much stock in reported AD expenditures or income. There is no assurance that uniform reporting or accounting standards are used. How are expenditures on shared facilities and staff attributed? Just not edifying.

 

[VCU Heel]

The most recent numbers I can find are from 2018, and SJU doesn’t spend anywhere close to what VCU does on basketball.

Numbers game: check out DI men's basketball budgets around Virginia and the A-10

Dribble-down economics

richmond.com

1. VCU — $6,100,756
2. Dayton — $5,637,549
3. Saint Louis — $5,590,746
4. Massachusetts — $5,324,089
5. Richmond — $4,878,508
6. Rhode Island — $4,713,547
7. Duquesne — $4,445,910
8. Fordham — $4,436,291
9. Saint Joseph’s — $4,212,082
10. George Mason — $3,515,918
11. St. Bonaventure — $3,449,008
12. La Salle — $3,096,492
13. George Washington — $2,943,015
14. Davidson — $2,638,281

EDIT: never mind, found something more recent and Dayton, SLU, and SJU actually have surpassed VCU:

Fun with Finances: Basketball Budgets — Three-Man-Weave

In the doldrums of the offseason, we pivoted off the basketball court to open up the accounting ledger. Using the most recent Department of Higher Education numbers, here’s a quick look at each team’s spending situation.

www.three-man-weave.com

So, they might have had a recent 1-2 year expenditure on a project that makes the budget look larger. I’d be willing to be they don’t spend anywhere near as much on average as VCU.

 

[BaNgMyPrOgRaM]

We have all those crappy teams and then we have crappier teams like Furi and Fur and Fumass! I hope SBU can keep up their new winning tradition.

 

[share the ball]

I never put much stock in reported AD expenditures or income. There is no assurance that uniform reporting or accounting standards are used. How are expenditures on shared facilities and staff attributed? Just not edifying.

Bingo! The #s reported to the Dept of Education are not subject to any uniform consistency and as such are partially meaningless

For example at VCU, none of the debt service on the bonds to finance the BDC is allocated among the occupants (men and women's basketball)
(over $14 million of bonds are outstanding on BDC as of July 2021), at VCU none of the fund raising, promotions, marketing or spirit groups expenses (approx $800,000 annually are allocated to individual sports and clearly MBB is the primary beneficiary)
additionally there are over $10 million of expenses for administration and indirect costs that are not allocated to individual sports at VCU
Point simply is using the Dept of Education numbers is meaningless

 

[RamStrut]

A lot of people have this unreasonable hatred for Ed and I can’t understand why. They blame him for every possible issue we may (or don’t) have. Even that guy on Twitter says we should fire Ed because of our injuries, which is wildly nonsensical. He’s probably done more for VCU and all its sports than most previous ADs we’ve had in the past 30 years or so, even that slimeball Norwood.

I mostly like Ed and don’t blame him for Shaka’s departure. He dropped the ball on Ryan and the Peppas though causing the home atmosphere to suffer. He also did have that mishap with volleyball early on.