Dr. Cornelius Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 ORU is now 2 games back of Western Illinois so making the Summit League tournament is an extreme longshot. The only remaining question is IF this will end up being the worst finish in school history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlue82 Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 And will the coaching staff survive? Something has to change NOW. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 TheEagleman would be surprised if Scott Sutton isn't back next season and doubtful that the two new guys can assigned any blame....but what about Sean Sutton? Just guessing that he makes a lot of coin and maybe earns as much or more than some other HEAD coaches in the Summit League...Does Sean have to fall on his sword?....I am not calling for that because I have no idea of the dynamics on the coaching staff but....just asking the question.....ORU has not done well since Sean joined the staff....maybe just a coincidence?....maybe not..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbl78 Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 11 hours ago, TrueBlue82 said: And will the coaching staff survive? Something has to change NOW. I am all in on the change NOW - however, I am not sure getting rid of Scott & Co. is the problem. It was ten short years ago when Scott was being considered for NATIONAL Coach of the Year. (The other three finalists were John Thompson III from Georgetown, Bo Ryan from Wisconsin, and Tony Bennett from Washington State. - Bennett won) That was also the year when we were hoping/praying that he would not leave us for Wichita State. Wichita State invested in their program and have flourished. ORU in recent years has strangled their basketball program, and you now see the results. Scott's winning percentage under Richard was 59%. Under Rutland it was 63%. It has dropped to 46% under Wilson. It is my strong opinion that Scott and Mike Carter are absolutely committed to winning, and want to win more than anyone of us on this board, however, their hands are being tied by those on the hill, who lack the vision of what a great basketball program has done, and can do, for our school. It is my strong opinion that the present administration does not have an understanding of what made ORU great, and how to continue that greatness. Maybe this will put this in perspective for the administration lurkers - I live about thirty miles from The University of Kansas, and I have been trying to recall the name of the University President. I just cannot remember who it is. Everyone reading this knows the name of the University of Kansas basketball coach. The Kansas basketball coach makes more money than the Kansas University President. Is that a bad thing for Kansas University? I am sure that they would tell you that the publicity that is gained from their basketball program more than offsets the cost of the coach. If it were up to me and the choice was to fire Wilson or Sutton, it is a no brainer. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUalum Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 i'm skeptical any changes will be made. i really wonder if the current administration has the desire or commitment to fielding winning teams. mediocrity is now accepted. we are down to 1 team (baseball) that can legitimately compete for league championships year in and year out. it seems every team in the department has been in decline at least the last 3 or 4 years if not longer. money? recruiting restrictions? too comfortable because of long tenures? i certainly don't know what the underlying issues are. i just wish there was a sense that something was being done to turn things around. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 +1 for DBL78....maybe Billy Wilson IS the problem?....if the administration isn't committed to funding a top notch athletic program then we have no shot at succeeding....Oral always understood the importance of ORU being mentioned in the national sports pages....you can't buy that kind of publicity and I have a lot of friends and have had people I have met over the years mention that they know ORU from the basketball team and March Madness.....winning sports teams are a major way that ORU can get positive national press.....but the key is WINNING....and we will have to spend a little more to do that.....I know that we don't have a bunch of wealthy alums including TheEagleman to help fund this....but we need to go ALL IN or then just forget it.....Mr. Wilson doesn't seem to be a big backer of ORU Sports but honestly I don't really have the answer to that....if it were up to me it would be bye bye Billy!!....Hire a former ORU Alum who gets it..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 I would be truly shocked if there would be a change now, for a variety of reasons that EVERY school must consider at times like this: • You have a head coach who is universally liked, has enjoyed previous success, has shown incredible loyalty, and who has multiple years (Two? Three? More?) left on a contact that reportedly pays between $400-500K per season. Who's gonna pay that buyout if you fire him? Think he's going to agree to a settlement for less if he's forced out? I wouldn't; I doubt any of you would either. • You have an AD who is fiercely loyal to both the head coach and the coach's family, who will not make a move unless the university president forces him to (and, in that case, remember point No. 1 above). • Even IF the president is successful in forcing the AD to make the move AND comes up with the buyout money, your AD is in the twilight of his career and no doubt has an exit plan of his own for retirement some day soon, and one of the first rules of coaching at the college level is NEVER take a head coaching job from an AD that might leave or retire during your initial contract. Professional suicide, because the AD's replacement may not have your back, since you weren't "his guy". So, what kind of coach can the school expect to hire with that lame-duck AD doing the search? You would need a new AD to head up the search for the leader of your flagship sport. So, in my mind, the first domino to fall for any kind of change in a situation like this would be the AD retiring. Then, a new AD is brought in with the assignment of evaluating the men's basketball program, and making the tough choices (if things have not improved on the court and at the turnstiles). And, by that time, the head coach's contract would be more manageable from a financial standpoint (perhaps even a year-to-year situation by then). In other words: a change ain't happening any time soon, UNLESS the AD retires, and even then I would think the head coach would get at least 1-2 more years to straighten things out. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
titansforever Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 How many players do you think might transfer out after this season? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 Hopefully most of them.........seriously, TheEagleman would prefer to see more of Martin and McDaniel along with White, Miller and of course, Albert....the guys who redshirted should return....is Harris a senior?... just guessing that we will be seeing at least 4 or 5 new faces on the bench next season.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsSmith Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 Albert graduates. Any chance he will transfer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUJason Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 My impression of Billy Wilson, the current ORU President, is very positive. I am not familiar with anything specific that Billy Wilson has done to show a lack of commitment to athletics. Every university president has to make budgetary decisions that affect many different departments including athletics, so it is possible there have been some small budgetary limitations, but I do not believe he has put any major budgetary restrictions on the athletics department. The best thing for athletics and the university as a whole is that enrollment is now over 4000 students when 10 years ago it was about 3100 students. That trend has continued under Billy Wilson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORob1 Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 Rock bottom, since returning from NAIA. I know it won't happen under Carter but let's bring back the flame and go back to being the Titans...Bring back the glory days! Rob 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oruvoice Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 I'm with Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleManiac Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 Agree with Jason. I haven't heard or seen anything about Billy abandoning athletics. I think our coaches have the same tools to win that they did before he arrived on campus. Cant blame this season on anyone but Scott and the coaching staff. I'm not quite ready to see him go yet, but if he can't turn it around next year it's time to go. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUalum Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 17 minutes ago, ORob1 said: Rock bottom, since returning from NAIA. I know it won't happen under Carter but let's bring back the flame and go back to being the Titans...Bring back the glory days! Rob ......and bring back the true ORU fight song! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 We changed the fight song?.....that's blasphemy!!!!.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oruvoice Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 I'm with Alum, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUJason Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 I am also a fan of the original fight song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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