Brandon Rozzell and Jimmy Martelli return to VCU; Ryan Daly, Chris Cole, and Brett Nelson round out coaching staff

VCU Finance 2008 said:
That is a fair take but the four best coaches don't necessarily make the best coaching staff. There has to be trust, synergy, etc. At this point I think he has a pretty good idea if him and his brother will work well together or not. I have always trusted that our head coaches will do what is in their best interest and the best interest of the team when putting together their staff because those two things are aligned. If it weren't for that issue at Rutgers over a decade ago he could be a head coach by now. You could argue that gives us quite a bit of value in having him as an assistant. I certainly thing we got a great deal on him as a DBO years ago although we were taking a bit of a chance as well. Yes the news articles are still out there but now we are recruiting players that hadn't even started school when that happened. I don't think they will give it too much thought.
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In my opinion, true nepotism is a problem when someone is given a position without the credentials and without earning the opportunity (i.e. Bronny James). Jiimmy Martelli has earned numerous assistant coaching opportunities on his own without his brother or father giving it to him. Then throw in the fact that many credit him for setting up our best OOC schedule in recent years during this previous tenure here.

If Jimmy were merely a former teammate from their playing days, nobody would say a word about it. I agree, this is more about relationships, connection to the school and/or trust (which is common in 100% of coaching staff hires). How is this any different than Shaka hiring his buddy Will Wade when he first arrived? From my recollection, they both had a pact to hire each other if one of them ever got a head coaching gig.

Raising this issue was a big nothing burger if you ask me.
 
Both people are right. It is nepotism and it is the norm in college athletics The college athletics field is one giant incestuous/ nepotistic/ who you know swamp. Entire staffs get swapped out every few years when a new AD or coach arrives. College athletic jobs obs are based on who you know more so than how hard you work or merit based (excluding a miraculous performance like SS in 2011). I have personally watched it ruin several livelihoods of people I know that chose college athletics as a career but were on the wrong side of the influence peddlers.
I think one has a better chance at being a professional gambler or social media influencer than having a stable career in college athletics.
 
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Ramaholic said:
Jobs are based on who you know more so than how hard you work or merit based
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I think you are setting up a false dichotomy. When filling a job, I know the following things about a "blind" candidate: what's on his/her resume, what (s)he says in the interview, and what little I can learn from talking to references.

What I know about a candidate I personally know: all of those things plus how they react to stress, how they function when things go poorly, whether they actually work as hard as they claim, how they deal with other people, whether they might be someone I can trust, and likely why the actually left their prior jobs.

To make a great decision, you need great info. Hiring blind of necessity means hiring with less information.

None of which is to suggest that unqualified people are not often hired because of their relationships. But unqualified people are hired all the time in the absence of relationships too.
 
Ramaholic said:
Both people are right. It is nepotism and it is the norm in college athletics The college athletics field is one giant incestuous/ nepotistic/ who you know swamp. Entire staffs get swapped out every few years when a new AD or coach arrives. Jobs are based on who you know more so than how hard you work or merit based (excluding a miraculous performance like SS in 2011). I have personally watched it ruin several livelihoods of people I know that chose college athletics as a career but were on the wrong side of the influence peddlers.
I think one has a better chance at being a professional gambler or social media influencer than having a stable career in college athletics.
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The real issue is this: was he hired ONLY because he's his brother or was he hired because he was qualified and competent, and oh by the way, happens to be his brother (which is a bonus)?

Jimny is more qualified than Brad but nobody cares that Burgess got the gig in large part because he used to play here.

Nepotism is an issue if you're unqualified. Calling him a "Nepo Baby" was disrespectful and dismissive of his credentials.
 
N Mollen said:
I think you are setting up a false dichotomy. When filling a job, I know the following things about a "blind" candidate: what's on his/her resume, what (s)he says in the interview, and what little I can learn from talking to references.

What I know about a candidate I personally know: all of those things plus how they react to stress, how they function when things go poorly, whether they actually work as hard as they claim, how they deal with other people, whether they might be someone I can trust, and likely why the actually left their prior jobs.

To make a great decision, you need great info. Hiring blind of necessity means hiring with less information.

None of which is to suggest that unqualified people are not often hired because of their relationships. But unqualified people are hired all the time in the absence of relationships too.
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I meant to preface that with College athletic jobs I agree with your points.
 
rollins77 said:
You get five now. Three are allowed to recruit on the road.
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Ah, gotcha. That makes sense, then. Welcome (back) aboard, Coach Nelson! (Nelson was VCU's DOBO during Grant's first season.)
 
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N Mollen said:
I don't think this business is any different
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I do. I have known highly qualified people that are removed as soon as a new AD roles in. Entire staffs are nearly removed and friends and colleagues of the new AD/ coach from across the country roll in. It is rare for the former ad/ coaching staff to survive that. In my industry leaders change, but the main players stay (as in 90%+ retention). I have never seen that happen in college athletics. I do not know a single industry that has the near complete churn of staff that happens when a new AD or coach takes over. please provide examples if you have any. I am curious.
 
Ramaholic said:
I do. I have known highly qualified people that are removed as soon as a new AD roles in. Entire staffs are nearly removed and friends and colleagues of the new AD/ coach from across the country roll in. It is rare for the former ad/ coaching staff to survive that. In my industry leaders change, but the main players stay (as in 90%+ retention). I have never seen that happen in college athletics. I do not know a single industry that has the near complete churn of staff that happens when a new AD or coach takes over. please provide examples if you have any. I am curious.
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How much turnover took place when Ed replaced Norwood? I don't know the answer, just asking.
 
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