An open letter to...

[301Lowes]

BG,
I know absolutely nothing about basketball but I do know a little bit about leading an organization. One thing great leaders do well is self evaluate and see the gaps in their capabilities. If one cannot fill in those gaps on your own you hire people to fill in those gaps. BG, you cannot in game coach to save your life. Night in and night out you have your head handed to you by the coach on the other side. Hire others to do the in game coaching. You are a fantastic recruiter and can bring in the talent. You've done the heavy lifting now let someone else bring home the Ws and develop that talent. We are wasting the talent that you fought so hard to bring here.

TW,
You are BGs superior. You are responsible for demanding that he see and accept the gaps in his capabilities. Either demand that he fill in those gaps or hire others to do it for him. Demand better, demand the best.

Those in the 100 section/suites,
You are the ones financially supporting this deal. The way you are voting now it appears you are fine with mediocrity: 20 wins per year and an NCAA appearance every 4-6 yrs. Is that what you want? What I saw on TV tonight was a shell of what I once saw when OP was there or even in the early years of BGs tenure. The arena wasn't energized. The pep band needs a serious makeover. Put the heat on BG and TW.

I could go on about other non-basketball related UD items in tonights ESPNU broadcast but I'll leave it at that. Hopefully this post isn't ripped down.

Sincerely,
Seriously disappointed alumnus

[Piqua Flyer '66]

.....with the NCAA win over WVa and Top 20 preseason ranking last year BG had us near the top of the mountain...............but we have regressed. I keep reading about the great job of recruiting but that has not evolved into being able to put five basketball players on the floor who can play the game.
Yes, very athletic but no hoopsters (or consistent shooters).

We may be trapped with a coach who can win 22+ a year, finish in the middle of the A-10, and get us to the NCAA every 4 years or so.

Do you fire such a coach?

[rollo]

Would Richmond's coach want to come here???

	Richmond UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND Founded in 1830, the private liberal arts university in the Commonwealth boasts 2,800 students in 57 majors within its picturesque 350-acre campus. The Robins School of Business is one of the Top-20 business schools in the country. Nickname is the Spiders and are fellow A10 Conference members.

[Gazoo]

Originally Posted by Piqua Flyer '66 Yes, very athletic but no hoopsters (or consistent shooters).

See my thread on running an offense. IMO we HAVE guys that can shoot. We don't have any way of getting them shots. When you're going man up all night long just trying to beat your guy 1-on-1 you're going to have a few runs where you look great but no consistent offense.

Do you think PW, CJ, JP, MB, and within 10 feet CW can't shoot? Or do you think they're taking hard shots? I think they're taking shots that are not in the flow of the offense or with defenders in their face.

[Buster Goode]

Originally Posted by rollo Would Richmond's coach want to come here???

The crazy part is probably not. I'm pretty sure we have a better program in terms of facilities and support, however, they will have better results in the past few years. I'm sure they will make the tournament this year and we won't. They made it last year and we didn't. That says a lot in my mind and it's disappointing that this is accepted.

More resources, better facilities, greater support.....lower results. If that doesn't cause for serious evaluation, someone's not doing their job.

=Same business-world setting: More expertise, better operations & facilities, greater customer loyalty....lower profitability. That CEO is getting fired, guaranteed.

[Canonball]

Originally Posted by Gazoo See my thread on running an offense. IMO we HAVE guys that can shoot. We don't have any way of getting them shots. When you're going man up all night long just trying to beat your guy 1-on-1 you're going to have a few runs where you look great but no consistent offense. Do you think PW, CJ, JP, MB, and within 10 feet CW can't shoot? Or do you think they're taking hard shots? I think they're taking shots that are not in the flow of the offense or with defenders in their face.

I can't blame the players for this. It doesn't matter who gets plugged into the system, most players, after a year or so here, lose confidence and can't hit the broad side of a barn. BRob is probably the only exception I can think of.

[415 Kiefaber]

While I liked the "open letter" I doubt it will be heard by anyone that needs to hear it. What will be heard is silence, attendance, diminishing interest and displeasure that seems to be growing.

The NIT is not where I wanted to see UD end the season last year, but it provided a good opportunity to build the Flyer brand. Unfortunately, this season has been a blow to the brand, beliefs and spirt of the program. It has been an all too familiar scenario that has left me extremely frustrated. I am starting to feel like a Browns fan again and don't like it!

It is already on to next year for me... waiting to see if a player or group of players will lift the program where it could and should be.

No, I am done waiting for the players. It is time the basketball program to make more of a difference: a difference that is seen in player development and continuous improvement of the basketball operations, a difference marked by an unrelenting desire for excellence, a difference that is reflected in victories on the court to performance the classroom and everything in between. Yes, the pep band uniforms too! It is not just the head coach that needs to be looked at we need quality assistant coaches that know how to develop talent, knowledgable about game strategies that are heard by the head coach. When was the last assistant coach at UD that was considered for a head coaching position at another school?

Maybe I am wrong, but the school president seems content with the way things are... I hope I am wrong!

[Flyers1010]

Originally Posted by Canonball I can't blame the players for this. It doesn't matter who gets plugged into the system, most players, after a year or so here, lose confidence and can't hit the broad side of a barn. BRob is probably the only exception I can think of.

Not to oversimplify, but the above statement pretty much sums things up. Who's fault? I believe it's a combination. BG doesn't breed confidence is part of it. Do you guys think he brings out the best in our players? We all know how important confidence is in hoops. Luke is just oozing with confidence right now. How many flat-out-give-the-ball-to-me-in-crunch-time-and-I'll-carry-this-team players have we had in 8 years?

And the other thing, this is total speculation, but I'd be willing to bet the majority of our players spend virtually the entire off season playing pick up games. And NOT hours upon hours working on fundamental things like, umm FTs or jumpers until their fingers are bleeding, or footwork. Did anyone else see CW airball a jumper from 16 ft last night? I'd bet Brob did those things. Don't ask why, but someone else sticks out in my head. The coaches kid from RI, Baron? I'm sure you all remember him. What do you think he did in the off season?

[Figgie123]

Originally Posted by 301Lowes Those in the 100 section/suites, You are the ones financially supporting this deal. The way you are voting now it appears you are fine with mediocrity: 20 wins per year and an NCAA appearance every 4-6 yrs. Is that what you want? What I saw on TV tonight was a shell of what I once saw when OP was there or even in the early years of BGs tenure. The arena wasn't energized. The pep band needs a serious makeover. Put the heat on BG and TW.

The only thing that I can say here, is that if you give up your season tickets in the 100-section, the chances of you getting them back anytime soon is close to 0. So, I'm not sure you are going to see many people in the 100 and 200 section not renew their tickets. In the 300 and 400 sections, yes, you may see them not come back next year. As well, how many of the tickets in the 100 and 200 sections are bought by companies? I don't see companies bailing from those either as it allows them to call themselves out as supporters of the Dayton Flyers.

I agree that it would be nice to have the 100/200 sections talk with the almighty dollar by walking away from their seats, but I'm thinking that there will be other people snatching them up so that they can sit closer (and in the light) and enjoy the basketball game. (Now, or in the future, whatever holds their fancy.)

[301Lowes]

Originally Posted by Figgie123 The only thing that I can say here, is that if you give up your season tickets in the 100-section, the chances of you getting them back anytime soon is close to 0. So, I'm not sure you are going to see many people in the 100 and 200 section not renew their tickets. In the 300 and 400 sections, yes, you may see them not come back next year. As well, how many of the tickets in the 100 and 200 sections are bought by companies? I don't see companies bailing from those either as it allows them to call themselves out as supporters of the Dayton Flyers. I agree that it would be nice to have the 100/200 sections talk with the almighty dollar by walking away from their seats, but I'm thinking that there will be other people snatching them up so that they can sit closer (and in the light) and enjoy the basketball game. (Now, or in the future, whatever holds their fancy.)

I wasn't actually advocating giving up the seats. What I am saying is that these are the people with influence over the program(perhaps not to the level of that guy at UConn) but these are the people that have the ear of Wabler and Curran. They have to demand better or this program will be mired in mediocrity. If they don't speak up what you saw last night will be repeated over and over for the next few years(or until 2018). Think about it...we have Gregory locked up for the next 7 years. Do we really want to keep seeing this for the next seven years?

	Tim Wabler TIM WABLER Current Director of Athletics for the University of Dayton. Took over for Ted Kissell on Jan. 1, 2009, and brings considerable experience and leadership in athletics. Assistant AD for many years and a former standout baseball player for the Flyers, Wabler has Dayton roots and understands the unique paradigm that makes Flyer athletics and the city of Dayton a tremendous relationship.

	Brian Gregory BRIAN GREGORY UD Men's Basketball Head Coach since 2004. Groomed by the likes of Judd Heathcoate and Tom Izzo at Michigan State, as well as Kevin O'Neill and others, Gregory's defensive-minded leadership has led Dayton to NCAA and multiple NIT appearances. A good recruiter, BG has elevated the athleticism of the squad in recent years and kept top area talent at home. Still looking for that breakthrough season with his own players that catapult him to the NCAA tourney. Graduated from Oakland University.