State of the program

[TheOFFSeason]

I don’t think expressing concern about a longtime head coach coming in as an assistant with three of his players to join a staff that has no holdovers and is coming off a really down year is anywhere close to saying the sky is falling or conjuring up anything out of thin air. Could it be nothing? Sure. Does it keep me up at night? Nope. Is it a huge concern? Not really.

I think it’s the right move to make - especially considering the alternatives (mainly not doing anything) - and I think it probably will work out. The talent upgrade sounds like it will be substantial and Bergeron has posted some impressive records as a head coach so it seems like he knows what he is doing.

Yea, it’s a discussion board and many have been discussing a possibility...nothing more in my eyes.
There is certainly a couple things that could happen...TB is used to running his own show...he has come in with some more clout than a normal assistant comes in with...they are both very different etc
I’m looking forward to seeing it unfold

[LS71]

^ I’m looking forward to that as well.

The “off season” was looking bleak. Time will tell if the collaboration works but these developments make next season worth looking forward to.

I know this very premature question, but do you think TB’s Springfield roots factor into making coaching at UMass particularly desirable for him?

[UMassHoops]

Fair enough obviously we can discuss any possibilities here it is a message board. But I think it's a pretty remote concern at this point. It ranks up there with concern that maybe the 3 incoming guys, who play together and are friends might freeze out their other teammates. We can speculate on many things but don't have any real indications at this point.

Let's put it this way, if Matt McCall isn't a strong enough leader to take control of the relationship with TB and move this program forward as the clear cut leader of these young men, then he probably isn't the right guy to be head coach here anyway.

So if it plays out that way so be it, MM will be gone and we weren't going to have a good season without TB and these recruits anyway.

Maybe replace #RefuseToLose with #NothingToLose going into this season.

[TheOFFSeason]

^ I’m looking forward to that as well.

The “off season” was looking bleak. Time will tell if the collaboration works but these developments make next season worth looking forward to.

I know this very premature question, but do you think TB’s Springfield roots factor into making coaching at UMass particularly desirable for him?

100%

[NilesGold]

I’ll just add that there are quite a few former D1 head coaches serving as assistant coaches right now.

[Jackson96]

Yeah I’m sure there are plenty of examples where situations like this have worked. Just like I’m sure there are examples where it didn’t work. The thing is every situation is actually different because it involves personalities.

If they are comfortable with it, then it should work just fine.

[Floyd]

Hope the team is watching the hockey program. Just shows how hard work and a close team can turn things around quickly. Fans will come back strong if they can turn it around like hockey has

[Juice Stand]

^I believe McCall mentioned he was headed to Manchester to watch last night's game. It would have been cool if he organized a trip up with his players. Maybe he did, who knows.

[McKinney]

For me this seems really concerning. Pipkins talking about how players weren't happy with the program and blaming McCall for a lot of empty promises.

Players didn't get along with the coaches, coaches didn't get along with the coaches. A lot of disorganization going around.

Players felt disrespected and they weren't happy.

He was asked whether he thought this was something about college in general or just UMass. He said UMass.

Where do you see this program going forward?

I don't give a damn. I ain't gonna be here no more.

On another note, publically defaming your former coach & program really rubs me the wrong way and is not something I expected out of Pipkins.

Wow.

https://twitter.com/SayLessSports/statu ... 7081530374
https://anchor.fm/say-less-pod/episodes ... ins-e3miuc

[UMassfan_19]

This is really concerning. Pipkins talking about how players weren't happy with the program and blaming McCall for empty promises.

On another note, publically defaming your former coach really rubs me the wrong way and is not something I expected out of Pipkins.

https://twitter.com/SayLessSports/statu ... 7081530374
https://anchor.fm/say-less-pod/episodes ... ins-e3miuc

will listen to it fully but the clip really makes the players come off soft. If you let a few empty promises affect your play that much I'm glad you are leaving. Sure empty promises are bad but you should still play hard for your self if not anyone else

[69MG]

I only listened to about 7 minutes and couldn't take any more. This scares the hell out of me.

[McKinney]

So elaborating on these "empty promises":

Playing time, these shots are going to be yours, these plays are going to be ran for you. This would go on in-season too. In practice, he'd draw up a play for somebody like we're gonna run this play, and he'd never run that play during the rest of the season. Then that player would be like, alright man I'm not touching the rock enough. All goes back to players not being happy.

[FightMass19]

From the brief segments I've listened to this podcast, it comes off to me as a lot of players that are mostly concerned about their own numbers/success rather than the team success. Maybe that stems from having so many transfers coming in, I don't know.

[FightMass19]

Also while I have a slight issue with airing out a lot of internal issues to the public, I have nothing but respect for Luwane. I wish his senior year went the way we all hoped it would.

[UMassfan_19]

In a way some of these quotes makes me happy how this offseason is going. Need more guys on the same page with a we before me mindset