Pat Kelsey

[MikeUMA]

To those of you who are pissed at Kelsey, you have every right to be. What he did redefines awful. Eventually, we'll calm down, but less than 24 hours in and emotions are still raw.

But remember the bigger picture. We still have to find a new coach.

Kelsey deserves criticism, big criticism, for what he did and when he did it. Anyone will understand that. This is the place to express that. Twitter and/or Facebook is also a place to express that.

But remember the bigger picture. We still have to find a new coach.

Bamford's job just got a lot harder. We have egg on our face, no way around it. Stuff like this happens, but it's still a bad optic. That's another hurdle that has to be cleared. Plus the list of openings keeps changing. Georgetown is open now, and that's a good job, one more school we have to compete with.

D1 college athletics is a big business, and competing for top talent can get rough. False information is out there, some backstabbing will happen as one guy tries to get a leg up on another. It can get a bit nasty behind the scenes, but that's why these guys get paid the big bucks. It's part of the job, they deal with it.

These guys also know that fans will say stuff. Some will stay stuff in public, others will say a lot worse on social media or message boards. Some people here have gotten a bit nasty, a bit too personal. Same on Twitter, etc.

Before you hit Send/Submit/whatever on the next thing you write, pause for a moment. Think about what you're saying and who you're saying it to. And think about how it's going to get interpreted, not only by the person you're talking to, but others as well.

So if you're tempted to get nasty about Kelsey, don't just think about Kelsey. Don't just think about Kelsey's family/friends. Think about the coaching candidate, the next guy. Think about that guy's agent who might see what you wrote, and point it out to the candidate. Think about who else might want to steer the candidate to the next job. Who's going to see your post and tell the candidate: do you really want to go to a place with "fans" like that?

Getting your anger off your chest is totally understandable right now. But remember the bigger picture. We still have to find a new coach.

Before you take the low road and get nasty, think about the next coach. Don't give the next coach reasons do pass on us. Don't give the next coach's people ammunition to steer him away from us. Don't make Bamford's job harder.

We need to get this hire right. And we all have skin in the game.

Think about it.

[eldonabe]

^^^^^^

The irony over your self-righteous bullshit is hard to take. This is for Eldonabe.

Why, because I railed on your precious DK for the last 6 years. For the record I was right 6 years ago. DK was not the right guy for the job. I loved the hire at the time, but after 3 years I had seen enough - I know hindsight is 20/20 but I WAS RIGHT. He should have followed "Vince" right out the door 6 years ago. DK is an alum - yes I get that. But he was hired to do a fucking job, if I don't do my job, I get fired, just like almost anyone else. You cannot have this both ways. I want to watch good and successful basketball at Umass, and the reality of that want is that I don;t care who the coach is as long as that I what I get to pay for and see on the floor. If DK did that, it would have been a huge bonus, but a lot of you want to force that square peg into that round hole in the name of some fucking fairy tale.

Self-righteous - HA - PISS OFF...... There us nothing about my comment that is self righteous - NOTHING.



It is a fact... plain and simple. We all have this high opinion of how Umass is thought of in the Basketball landscape.... oh we can hire almost anyone we want. NO - we cannot. Is there an opportunity - yes absolutely - but we have been a middling (at the very best) basketball program since Bruiser left. A little blip with Ford, and one relevant year with DK.

We need a new coach - should it be a "Umass guy" like Barbee? I don't know - the whole thing is a roulette table IMO. A guy can suck at one place and the same guy can be great at another for a whole host of reasons - I just want whoever that guy is who will make Umass successful now. PK seemed like that guy on paper - but it didn't work out and we will never know - SO MOVE ON.


I am sorry if you don't like my tone or bluntness of my feeling on this. This basketball stuff is business first- feel good puppies and kittens second.

[fenway617]

What was odd from the get go is by accounts the first time Kelsey visited Umass during this process was Tuesday. Bamford posted a picture on Twitter of them walking through the Champions Center with the caption that he was seeing the CC for the first time. It's hard to fathom any person would accept a job in another state without first visiting the area, seeing the facilities etc... esp when it involves moving an entire family 1,000 miles.It was odd when I first viewed that picture and still doesn't make sense. Bamford interviewed Kelsey in Atlanta. I don't think he bailed because Winthrop gave him a huge raise, their budget for the entire basketball program is just over $1M total (Umass is $4.1) so there is only so much they could have done money wise. Winthrop already said he was returning so if he bails out again next week to take the Xavier job then Winthrop is just a sucker. I think the reason he bolted Umass is one of these reasons:

- He got cold feet, after spending a few days he realized the moment would be too big for him and he was afraid to fail. A classic choke job. He knew so much would be expected and he was afraid he couldn't deliver so he went back to his comfort zone where he was a big fish in a small pond.
- Something popped up in the background check on a personal level that he didn't want to make public.
- His family had second thoughts and/or were not fully on board with the move and put pressure on him.
- Or something personal happened within his family that meant he had to stay in Rock Hill.
-- It was all a false flag to get UMass $1M to help offset Kellogg's buyout.

[TheChamp]

^ Fuck off, ignore my posts if you don't like them.

My sources are telling me you're a dope.

[umassfan.com]

^^ Or he didn't like something here. We shouldn't leave stuff off the table of a full list. We have no idea is the reality, so if we are making a full list make a full list. Maybe it was the first time he met the Chancellor and didn't like him, maybe he didn't like Amherst, maybe he didn't like the cold, maybe He didn't like the administrative staff, maybe some of the players, who knows... Probably only him and his family. Maybe Bamford. No need to speculate on why the guy left.

He donated 1million to UMass Basketball.

If Bamford doesn't go for the 1million that is a huge mistake and will greatly impact my choice of donating. Why should fans come out of pocket if the administration is going to leave a free 1mil on the table.

[78]

Eldonabe, you are dumber than I thought. I have wanted DK gone for years. You can ask my good friend (and no, I am not kidding) Swampy about this. Swampy and I have had numerous arguments about DK.

[Swampy]

C'mon relax. Look the fact that he waited until 11:59:45 to make that call sucks. But I would rather know now than in 12 months, that is much worse IMO.

Don't let a bruised ego get in the way of the facts. The guy is a good coach and while he looked like the kind of guy we wanted/needed it was not quite right. Put away the Holloway jokes and stop with the insults, you sound like a bunch of jilted spoiled brats.

Go over to the candidates thread and stay with constructive conversations, we need a new coach.

The next thing you'll be telling us is that we're all "bad fans!"

[78]

^^^^^

Excellent post, my friend. Excellent.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Why, because I railed on your precious DK for the last 6 years.

LOL

Yeah, 78 wanted DK gone pretty much just as much as you did. That's a fact.

[eldonabe]

C'mon relax. Look the fact that he waited until 11:59:45 to make that call sucks. But I would rather know now than in 12 months, that is much worse IMO.

Don't let a bruised ego get in the way of the facts. The guy is a good coach and while he looked like the kind of guy we wanted/needed it was not quite right. Put away the Holloway jokes and stop with the insults, you sound like a bunch of jilted spoiled brats.

Go over to the candidates thread and stay with constructive conversations, we need a new coach.

The next thing you'll be telling us is that we're all "bad fans!"

No, that is your [self anointed] job asshole..... Just stick to what you do best champ.

[Plano Minuteman]

I couldn't give 2 sh!ts about Kelsey. Who are the top candidates now? Thanks.

[minutefanjsf]

Sorry for the shitstorm by trying to make an off color joke. To me the parallels were just too convenient. I truly hope that PK's reason(s) for leaving are something that are not life or death and that they are the result of him being either a jackass, overwhelmed or something trivial. I also hope UMass gets someone who will really want to be here and gets the chance to face off in some tournament against Winthrop or whatever team Kelsey ends up at. I also hope the current players are the ones who get to play against his team, and will be able to stay composed while they throttle them.

[eldonabe]

Eldonabe, you are dumber than I thought. I have wanted DK gone for years. You can ask my good friend (and no, I am not kidding) Swampy about this. Swampy and I have had numerous arguments about DK.

Calling me self-righteous was simply wrong, I do not think I am above any of this when it comes to what I think as a Umass basketball fan. I am aware of your position on the former coach - the "your precious" comment was metaphorical. Your buddy is the poster child for self righteous posting on this board.

[eldonabe]

Reading this thread is like watching a circlejerk with razorblades.

Wait - you have seen that before?

I am done now..... On to the next coach.

[umassfan.com]

Holy shit you lot are insufferable. Get over yourselves already, all of you.

Reading this thread is like watching a circlejerk with razorblades.