So, I'm in SC today for a huge bball tourney. There must be at least 125 colleges represented here. I had a chance to talk with Coach Brady. I had never spoken to him before. Great guy and I really enjoyed him being so willing to just talk about everything basketball related. I could easily hang out with him.

Then......

Then......................

Then.................................

I got to spend a few minutes with Coach Rowe.

Wow...just wow. JMU basketball is about to have a Shaka (or Capel/Grant depending on your perspective) moment. I also had a few minutes to talk with Coach Smart.

Anyhow, I'm now very excited about JMU basketball. I'll also likely at least pay attention to Lasalle for a year or two.

(Side note - spent about 10 minutes with Coach Bennett/UVa and that guy is fantastic).

If you know me, you can see some pictures of my oldest with several of these guys on Instagram - @Upwardstarcenter

(07-08-2016 06:15 PM)olderduke Wrote:  Wow...just wow. JMU basketball is about to have a Shaka (or Capel/Grant depending on your perspective) moment. I also had a few minutes to talk with Coach Smart.

That's a very bold statement. I really hope you are right. I was one of the vocal ones very unhappy about the hire at first. The more I hear about him, the more I like him.

Could you elaborate at all about what he said/did that made you feel so strong about the program under Rowe.

If he is able to even do half of what Smart did for VCU, I'll be thrilled.

(07-08-2016 06:15 PM)olderduke Wrote:  So, I'm in SC today for a huge bball tourney. There must be at least 125 colleges represented here. I had a chance to talk with Coach Brady. I had never spoken to him before. Great guy and I really enjoyed him being so willing to just talk about everything basketball related. I could easily hang out with him.

Then......

Then......................

Then.................................

I got to spend a few minutes with Coach Rowe.

Wow...just wow. JMU basketball is about to have a Shaka (or Capel/Grant depending on your perspective) moment. I also had a few minutes to talk with Coach Smart.

Anyhow, I'm now very excited about JMU basketball. I'll also likely at least pay attention to Lasalle for a year or two.

(Side note - spent about 10 minutes with Coach Bennett/UVa and that guy is fantastic).

If you know me, you can see some pictures of my oldest with several of these guys on Instagram - @Upwardstarcenter

I hope your son gets an opportunity to play for any of the above mentioned coaches. Matt is the only one I know personally, but they all seem like really great guys

(07-09-2016 02:03 AM)johnjmu98 Wrote:  

(07-08-2016 06:15 PM)olderduke Wrote:  So, I'm in SC today for a huge bball tourney. There must be at least 125 colleges represented here. I had a chance to talk with Coach Brady. I had never spoken to him before. Great guy and I really enjoyed him being so willing to just talk about everything basketball related. I could easily hang out with him.

Then......

Then......................

Then.................................

I got to spend a few minutes with Coach Rowe.

Wow...just wow. JMU basketball is about to have a Shaka (or Capel/Grant depending on your perspective) moment. I also had a few minutes to talk with Coach Smart.

Anyhow, I'm now very excited about JMU basketball. I'll also likely at least pay attention to Lasalle for a year or two.

(Side note - spent about 10 minutes with Coach Bennett/UVa and that guy is fantastic).

If you know me, you can see some pictures of my oldest with several of these guys on Instagram - @Upwardstarcenter

I hope your son gets an opportunity to play for any of the above mentioned coaches. Matt is the only one I know personally, but they all seem like really great guys

To clarify, my son interns at the facility where the games were being played. The guy who runs the facility is a family friend so I just came down for the weekend. That's what allowed me to talk with some of the coaches - it's a dead period right now for recruiting so I could go where the parents of recruits couldnt.

I think the thing I was most excited about with JMU's new staff was the enthusiasm about the future of the program. It was "Shaka-like". I guess I'm of the mindset that of you approach leadership in a "lead by example" as opposed to "lead by demand", today's kid will respond with more passion. My take from yesterday is that Coach Rowe and staff will lead by example.

My $.02

Good to hear this.....I ve known Brady since his Marist days, one of the nicest guys you ll ever meet. Still keep in touch with him and hes very excited about Lasalles team this year and wishes JMU nothing but the best.

As for JMU anyone have summer workout info. How are the new guys looking?

Last year Lasalle looked like a random collection of guys playing pick-up ball.

"Turrible" - C. Barkley

Lasalle had a down year. They also had 3 transfers sitting out who are now ready to go. Also, got a point guard who is immediately eligible from Arizona St., so they should be much improved.

Tough league though.

(07-10-2016 11:08 AM)nyduke Wrote:  Lasalle had a down year. They also had 3 transfers sitting out who are now ready to go. Also, got a point guard who is immediately eligible from Arizona St., so they should be much improved.

Tough league though.

I think the Arizona State guy as of last check was TBD- It was reported that he left school soon after arriving. Some of those guys while talented have had some off court issues I believe.

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/sport...dman-.html

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nca.../82212452/

Lasalle head coach seems desperate to keep his job- could be a short term landing spot for Brady if they don't make the NCAAs this year.

(07-10-2016 11:39 AM)NJDuke97 Wrote:  

(07-10-2016 11:08 AM)nyduke Wrote:  Lasalle had a down year. They also had 3 transfers sitting out who are now ready to go. Also, got a point guard who is immediately eligible from Arizona St., so they should be much improved.

Tough league though.

I think the Arizona State guy as of last check was TBD- It was reported that he left school soon after arriving. Some of those guys while talented have had some off court issues I believe.

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/sport...dman-.html

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nca.../82212452/

Lasalle head coach seems desperate to keep his job- could be a short term landing spot for Brady if they don't make the NCAAs this year.

Or MB becomes the new HC (if they cut the current guy loose).

That seems unlikely to me but i dont know the admin there (Brady getting the Lasalle job if this year is a failure.)

(07-10-2016 03:31 PM)UofRfan Wrote:  That seems unlikely to me but i dont know the admin there (Brady getting the Lasalle job if this year is a failure.)

Me neither but I'd hope they'd be wise enough to never put anyone in a position to try to recruit over 5 scholarship players in the last year of a contract with no extension. That's still inexplicable and lead to Matt's demise.

(07-10-2016 03:31 PM)UofRfan Wrote:  That seems unlikely to me but i dont know the admin there (Brady getting the Lasalle job if this year is a failure.)

No doubt it would be a long shot, but "IF" the current head guy gets the boot, and MB connects with the right folks at LaSalle (meaning he impresses in his supporting role), he's in a prime spot to get a serious look. MB does have the right pedigree for the job, and eventually he'll be a HC again.

I hope/think Lou is going to do really well at JMU, but there's no question Matt Brady was served a **** sandwich by the administration and had to sit there and eat it in front of them. Lou's personality seems to me that he won't let anything like that happen.

Agree 100%, Lou really impressed me at the coaches caravan. But, this thread is not off topic haha!

(07-11-2016 07:43 AM)DirtyDukes Wrote:  Agree 100%, Lou really impressed me at the coaches caravan. But, this thread is not off topic haha!

Never got a chance to speak with him, but everyone I saw around him was genuinely engaged and enjoying all the convos.

To deflect from just the MBB coaches... JMU has a great stable of coaches right now.

WBB: Losing KB sucked. Coach O has some big shoes to fill but the man is awesome. One NCAA win and this guy is going to be on a pedestal.
Softball: I shared a story this morning about MD on the Softball 2016 thread. The guy is quickly reaching the legendary status.
Football: Houston has had success everywhere in the past on multiple levels. He went the opposite of EW and took a lower salary to pay assistants more. Same source I referenced for MD spoke extremely highly of Houston. He mentioned in two years he spoke to EW on a handful of occasions (always through Streicher) but has talked to Houston on an almost daily basis, most work talk but that he is also very personable. Seems to be winning in the off season so far so lets hope in continues intot the fall.
Golf: I really don't have any insight but posters seem to love Forbes.
Womens Sports: Again I don't have much insight but we seem to have continued success in swimming and diving, women's soccer, field hockey, lacrosse so the coaches must be doing something right.

JB has often said that he is okay with our coaches to move up to larger program (esp in the more popular sports), it shows that we have had success and made great hires early. It sucks to be that stepping stone in our larger programs but the current crop of coaches seems* to really be top notch.

*Seems bc the on the field/court success is still TBD for a few of these programs.

(07-11-2016 10:20 AM)DoubleDogDare Wrote:  To deflect from just the MBB coaches... JMU has a great stable of coaches right now.

WBB: Losing KB sucked. Coach O has some big shoes to fill but the man is awesome. One NCAA win and this guy is going to be on a pedestal.
Softball: I shared a story this morning about MD on the Softball 2016 thread. The guy is quickly reaching the legendary status.
Football: Houston has had success everywhere in the past on multiple levels. He went the opposite of EW and took a lower salary to pay assistants more. Same source I referenced for MD spoke extremely highly of Houston. He mentioned in two years he spoke to EW on a handful of occasions (always through Streicher) but has talked to Houston on an almost daily basis, most work talk but that he is also very personable. Seems to be winning in the off season so far so lets hope in continues intot the fall.
Golf: I really don't have any insight but posters seem to love Forbes.
Womens Sports: Again I don't have much insight but we seem to have continued success in swimming and diving, women's soccer, field hockey, lacrosse so the coaches must be doing something right.

JB has often said that he is okay with our coaches to move up to larger program (esp in the more popular sports), it shows that we have had success and made great hires early. It sucks to be that stepping stone in our larger programs but the current crop of coaches seems* to really be top notch.

*Seems bc the on the field/court success is still TBD for a few of these programs.

Totally agree.....but don't leave out 'Ike' for baseball. This guy is much like Rowe.....he knows baseball and is well respected in the state. 'Ike' and his staff much like Rowe are constantly on the road recruiting the travel ball circuit. Much better days are ahead for baseball too.

I like Ike too! The 2016-2017 year has the potential to be among the best years in JMU sports history.

(07-11-2016 10:56 AM)ShadyP Wrote:  Totally agree.....but don't leave out 'Ike' for baseball. This guy is much like Rowe.....he knows baseball and is well respected in the state. 'Ike' and his staff much like Rowe are constantly on the road recruiting the travel ball circuit. Much better days are ahead for baseball too.

Agreed. Leaving out Ike was simply an oversight of writing that post a little at a time while also knocking out some quick to-dos at work.