New names for the coaching search

[bcmurph]

Someone mentioned Mark Schmidt in one of the other threads...Realizing the drawbacks and the whole Bonnies ---> BC karma thing, his Bio on the ST. Bonaventure site sounds like it came straight from Gene's Presser...

-With his blue collar work ethic now installed in the program, third-year head coach Mark Schmidt will continue his revival of St. Bonaventure basketball in 2009-10

-In just two short years, Schmidt and the Bonnies have re-energized the Bona faithful and basketball-passionate Western New York community.

-Key to the quick turnaround in 2008-09 was the team’s ability to buy into Schmidt’s emphasis on playing hard for 40 minutes.

-Schmidt’s intense personality rubbed off on everyone involved with the program in his first season....

-....Schmidt spent seven seasons as an assistant coach at Xavier University under head coach Skip Prosser. Schmidt served as the program's top recruiter, landing future NBA players Torraye Braggs (Houston Rockets), Lionel Chalmers (Minnesota Timberwolves), James Posey (Miami Heat), Romain Sato (San Antonio Spurs) and David West (New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets). With most of his coaching responsibilities centered around the post players, Schmidt helped develop West into a three-time Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and the National Player of the Year in 2003.

I really don't know anything else about him, but absent of getting a Pearl, I'd just as soon see a BC guy get a shot as taking a crap shoot on a Donahue or some of the other names going around

[auggiebc]

All that being said, Donahue is not an exciting hire, and it's far from a sure thing that he can compete in the ACC. I don't see how he would pull Top 100 recruits with his background and contacts.

This. Competing in the IVY league vs compteing in the ACC is Mars and Venus.

[talon]

This thread on a Cornell board makes it sound like Donahue doesn't even recruit at Cornell:

http://cornellbball.proboards.com/index ... 561&page=2

[bignick33]

This thread on a Cornell board makes it sound like Donahue doesn't even recruit at Cornell:

http://cornellbball.proboards.com/index ... 561&page=2

Who wants to take over the Cornell boards?!

Just kidding. Not even I'm that bored.

[eepstein0]

All that being said, Donahue is not an exciting hire, and it's far from a sure thing that he can compete in the ACC. I don't see how he would pull Top 100 recruits with his background and contacts.

This. Competing in the IVY league vs compteing in the ACC is Mars and Venus.

They're both planets right? Or did they get the Pluto treatment?

My major concern on Donahue is the recruiting.

[pick6pedro]

Keno Davis

[bignick33]

Keno Davis

Why do you love Keno Davis so much?

[Art Vandelay]

All that being said, Donahue is not an exciting hire, and it's far from a sure thing that he can compete in the ACC. I don't see how he would pull Top 100 recruits with his background and contacts.

This. Competing in the IVY league vs compteing in the ACC is Mars and Venus.

They're both planets right? Or did they get the Pluto treatment?

My major concern on Donahue is the recruiting.

I've heard he has a reputation as a solid recruiter and was in charge of recruiting as an assistant at Penn. Kind of a different ballgame coming to the ACC and being able to actually offer scholarships.

[pick6pedro]

Keno Davis

Why do you love Keno Davis so much?

I don't. Stop picturing me on the other end of a Betardo-Moneypenny 69 with Keno Davis.

[bignick33]

Keno Davis

Why do you love Keno Davis so much?

I don't. Stop picturing me arm in arm with Keno Davis.

Then stop talking about Keno Davis.

[pick6pedro]

Keno Davis

Why do you love Keno Davis so much?

I don't. Stop picturing me arm in arm with Keno Davis.

Then stop talking about Keno Davis.

I didn't realize you could hear me. What am I talking about now?

[bignick33]

Keno Davis

Why do you love Keno Davis so much?

I don't. Stop picturing me arm in arm with Keno Davis.

Then stop talking about Keno Davis.

I didn't realize you could hear me. What am I talking about now?

[eepstein0]

All that being said, Donahue is not an exciting hire, and it's far from a sure thing that he can compete in the ACC. I don't see how he would pull Top 100 recruits with his background and contacts.

This. Competing in the IVY league vs compteing in the ACC is Mars and Venus.

They're both planets right? Or did they get the Pluto treatment?

My major concern on Donahue is the recruiting.

I've heard he has a reputation as a solid recruiter and was in charge of recruiting as an assistant at Penn. Kind of a different ballgame coming to the ACC and being able to actually offer scholarships.

He has a strong presence in the Philadelphia area, plenty of good basketball talent there.

[pick6pedro]

Keno Davis

Why do you love Keno Davis so much?

I don't. Stop picturing me arm in arm with Keno Davis.

Then stop talking about Keno Davis.

I didn't realize you could hear me. What am I talking about now?

I knew my friggin' office was bugged.

[auggiebc]

He has a strong presence in the Philadelphia area, plenty of good basketball talent there.

define "strong presence". Is he recruiting agasint Villanova, G-Town, and Temple? Or has he been recruting against Penn and Wagner?

And if we're hiring him based on his recruiting skills, then why not just get Coen in here. He's a proven recruiter..at the ACC level.

[pick6pedro]

Need a new name? How about a fresh beer instead?

[eagle9903]

He has a strong presence in the Philadelphia area, plenty of good basketball talent there.

define "strong presence". Is he recruiting agasint Villanova, G-Town, and Temple? Or has he been recruting against Penn and Wagner?

And if we're hiring him based on his recruiting skills, then why not just get Coen in here. He's a proven recruiter..at the ACC level.

Penn doesn't really recruit Philly( i assume, maybe wrongly, your talking about when Donahue was a Dunphy asst), as the Philadelphia Public league, the good Catholic league teams, and the storefront degree mills taught by janitor/coaches(yes we have these for high school basketball for some reason) probably have a talented player who could meet Penn's admissions standards once a decade. Now that said, he may have decent connections even if he was rarely able to convert them into recruits.

Dunphy made the transition form Penn to the A10 and has recruited decently at Temple, but one of his top players is from Argentina(pepe sanchez connection) and I don't know if Lavoy Allen was his doing or if Chaney laid the groundwork before retiring.

[eepstein0]

He has a strong presence in the Philadelphia area, plenty of good basketball talent there.

define "strong presence". Is he recruiting agasint Villanova, G-Town, and Temple? Or has he been recruting against Penn and Wagner?

And if we're hiring him based on his recruiting skills, then why not just get Coen in here. He's a proven recruiter..at the ACC level.

Valid point. I just really don't want someone within the Skinner regime.

Plus, I still believe the motion offense is so superior to the flex it's not even a competition. For those who defend the flex, please try to defend it understanding that it's an offense where the center generally pass to the PF across (horizontally) the paint in a completely predictable fashion while all the other players are below the free throw line. It's like a god damn layup line for the opposite team off steals.

Yea fine if you have Craig Smith and Jared Dudley it works fine, but so wouldn't motion or any other offense you draw up.

[buconvict]

After the Spaz/Tranq hires, I'm inclined to think GDF is looking into Bobby Cremins' availability.

Pearl or bust.

[Art Vandelay]

He has a strong presence in the Philadelphia area, plenty of good basketball talent there.

define "strong presence". Is he recruiting agasint Villanova, G-Town, and Temple? Or has he been recruting against Penn and Wagner?

And if we're hiring him based on his recruiting skills, then why not just get Coen in here. He's a proven recruiter..at the ACC level.

Valid point. I just really don't want someone within the Skinner regime.

Plus, I still believe the motion offense is so superior to the flex it's not even a competition. For those who defend the flex, please try to defend it understanding that it's an offense where the center generally pass to the PF across (horizontally) the paint in a completely predictable fashion while all the other players are below the free throw line. It's like a god damn layup line for the opposite team off steals.

Yea fine if you have Craig Smith and Jared Dudley it works fine, but so wouldn't motion or any other offense you draw up.

Well said. I keep hearing people defend the flex saying its a legitimate offense. I don't disagree that its legitimate, but it does not work without the right people and one could argue that Smith, Dudley etc would have been sucessful whatever offense you ran.

[LawyersGunsnMoney]

After the Spaz/Tranq hires, I'm inclined to think GDF is looking into Bobby Cremins' availability.

Pearl or bust.

Or even worse.....Rick Majerus

[Pookie84]

For those who defend the flex, please try to defend it understanding that it's an offense where the center generally pass to the PF across (horizontally) the paint in a completely predictable fashion while all the other players are below the free throw line. It's like a god damn layup line for the opposite team off steals.

This blanket criticism of the flex offense is becoming a really annoying meme among BC fans.

There is nothing wrong with the flex offense, it can be really effective, and it doesn't have to be rigid or boring to watch. Al's teams have been boring because:

1. They run a ridiculously compacted version of the flex, with no spacing and so less open movement
2. They walk the ball up the court every possession
3. They never press, they always let the other team dictate the offensive pace
4. When they do get fast breaks, they execute both the break and the secondary break poorly

[apbc12]

He has a strong presence in the Philadelphia area, plenty of good basketball talent there.

define "strong presence". Is he recruiting agasint Villanova, G-Town, and Temple? Or has he been recruting against Penn and Wagner?

And if we're hiring him based on his recruiting skills, then why not just get Coen in here. He's a proven recruiter..at the ACC level.

Valid point. I just really don't want someone within the Skinner regime.

Plus, I still believe the motion offense is so superior to the flex it's not even a competition. For those who defend the flex, please try to defend it understanding that it's an offense where the center generally pass to the PF across (horizontally) the paint in a completely predictable fashion while all the other players are below the free throw line. It's like a god damn layup line for the opposite team off steals.

Yea fine if you have Craig Smith and Jared Dudley it works fine, but so wouldn't motion or any other offense you draw up.

On a more abstract scale, running the flex allows a forward-heavy team to dictate the pace of play.

More specifically, the flex is a very good offense for a team like the '05-'06 squad, which had a glut of guys in the 6'4"-6'7" range who were good passers and clever scorers near the basket. It's a great way to isolate a guy like Craig Smith on the block and keep the weakside double from coming. It's a great way for a strong guard like Sean Marshall to exploit a mismatch against a smaller defender. It's a great way to make a guy like Nate Doornekamp (useless in the post, but a surprisingly good passer and midrange shooter) a player who needs to be paid attention by a defense. The constant movement away from the ball and constant screens lead to a lot of isolations, layups, and open jumpers from 15-18 feet.

There. That's your defense for running the flex with the right personnel. This year's team was not a flex team, and neither was last year's. I don't know why Al decided to not only continue running it, but to also tighten the space between the players. That was not a good decision on his part.