Good News for our friends back East

[Shox21]

http://uncw.starnewsonline.com/default.asp?item=2181531

[Hotel Paper]

Smart, smart move. He's basically at the top (or near) of the heap in the CAA and if he went to Providence, he would have more dough, but Jim would've have probably struggled in the Big East considering the top dogs in that league.

[GoGMU]

Thanks for the good vibes. We GMU fans were on pins and needles! We know Coach L was really tempted to go back to his alma mater. Who wouldn't be?

But still, he has now turned down Big East schools twice. How very satisfying for us fans of so-called "mid-majors"! :good:

I posted this on the Providence board a short while ago (many are already bashing him like a spurned lover, predictably):

To those who might suggest that he's not up to the challenge of the Big East ('he's just too comfy") I would disagree. While he certainly has a good situation we know he was really tempted to go back to PC. He is a competitor and I'm sure coaching in the BE was a challenge that he would have liked to take on.

However, he might argue that coaching at the so-called "mid-major" level is an even bigger challenge. The CAA, MVC and others are trying to shake up the way D1 basketball is organized into haves and have-nots. BCS schools won't play us and then argue that our SOS isn't good enough to make the tourney. Coach L has lived and breathed this mindset for many years, and making to the Final Four proved he was right. Davidson almost did it again a week ago.

Sorry for the long-winded post, but my point is that Coach L hopes to complete a legacy that would be even bigger than returning his alma mater to Big East competitiveness: making Mason a Gonzaga or Memphis, a high major type of power without the credentials of a BCS conference.

Anyway, best of luck to you in your coaching search. Hope you're back among the BE's contenders soon.

Go GMU!
Go WSU!

[Snapshot9]

He's put in 11 years there at Mason, and is probably pretty comfortable with the way things are now, especially after their Final Four run they made.

I think he made the right decisison too.

[SubGod22]

I am THRILLED to hear this. When I found out he was thinking about it last night I was actually a little worried for them myself but thought he'd stay at Mason. But going back to your alma mater has got to be tempting.

Now that Coach L is staying at Mason lets get a series going :D

[newshock1234]

its good to know that there are people out there that wont leave for the money and the big time status

[kcshocker11]

Thanks for the good vibes. We GMU fans were on pins and needles! We know Coach L was really tempted to go back to his alma mater. Who wouldn't be?

But still, he has now turned down Big East schools twice. How very satisfying for us fans of so-called "mid-majors"! :good:

I posted this on the Providence board a short while ago (many are already bashing him like a spurned lover, predictably):

To those who might suggest that he's not up to the challenge of the Big East ('he's just too comfy") I would disagree. While he certainly has a good situation we know he was really tempted to go back to PC. He is a competitor and I'm sure coaching in the BE was a challenge that he would have liked to take on.

However, he might argue that coaching at the so-called "mid-major" level is an even bigger challenge. The CAA, MVC and others are trying to shake up the way D1 basketball is organized into haves and have-nots. BCS schools won't play us and then argue that our SOS isn't good enough to make the tourney. Coach L has lived and breathed this mindset for many years, and making to the Final Four proved he was right. Davidson almost did it again a week ago.

Sorry for the long-winded post, but my point is that Coach L hopes to complete a legacy that would be even bigger than returning his alma mater to Big East competitiveness: making Mason a Gonzaga or Memphis, a high major type of power without the credentials of a BCS conference.

Anyway, best of luck to you in your coaching search. Hope you're back among the BE's contenders soon.

Go GMU!
Go WSU!

Can you blame them. If they hired him their fine post season record might be in jeopardy! :D

[HockeyShock]

Glad to hear that good things still happen to good schools.

:clap: :wsu_posters: :yahoo: :clap:

[GarH]

Great news. I love to see that. I'd like to see it happen more often.