I'm furious. My first career was in child protection. I used to get the nastiest emails and voicemails you can imagine. My policy was to wait 24 hours to respond in an effort to take at least some of the emotion out of it. Now is a fine time to practice that restraint.

Thank you, Tony. I saw you at every game I attended...football, baseball, soccer...and you were amazingly friendly and genuine. You tossed the little nerf football with my boys. You spent more time than you should talking with me about all sorts of topics. I honestly think the world of you and I will pull for you wherever you end up.

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Seems like a whole lot of changes at all once. I certainly remember the Basketball team being pretty darn good while I was a student. If this was done because he didn't make the tournament, that means this came down to a last second 3-pointer a few years back...

I don't know if there is any fear of players transferring, but between a coaching change and a bad season, I hope not.

(03-13-2019 03:42 PM)Tribeheart Wrote:  With the release stating Tony was "not retained", it implies his contract was up at the end of this year. Anybody know if that was the case?

100% negative reaction across twitter.

I think there are several years left. This is being worked out. Maybe it had been already?

Just look at what she's done and don't give me a bunch of BS about how things are going to be better. She fired John Daley. She fired Jimmye (let him retire) and didn't extend Shaver.

These are the three coaches with the most wins for their program in William and Mary history. All three may have been in the way on her way up. Let that sink in and then decide what we are dealing with.

I want to hear Katherine Rowe's support of this move. If so, at least I know what I'm dealing with.

I may be completely off base in my reaction, but I have nothing to think otherwise.

(03-13-2019 06:00 PM)2017WithPep Wrote:  Seems like a whole lot of changes at all once. I certainly remember the Basketball team being pretty darn good while I was a student. If this was done because he didn't make the tournament, that means this came down to a last second 3-pointer a few years back...

I don't know if there is any fear of players transferring, but between a coaching change and a bad season, I hope not.

At least the administration at The Citadel, West Point, and VMI recognize that a good coach in those circumstances is one that can compete. Not necessarily win. Coaches get fired at those schools when they can't even begin to compete. Seems our AD has forgotten the company we keep in terms of NCAA appearances, and the company we kept before Shaver was hired. When Boyages left, all we wanted was a coach to make us something other than a laughingstock.

I remember watching a game against UVA during Tony's first year, with the roster Boyages left - UVA was far below its current level under Leitao, but the W&M roster was so badly outmanned that our players were tripping all over the floor. It was like watching a D3 team. In fact, I think some of Tony's HSC teams (which I saw play) would have wiped the floor with his first W&M squad. The only reason Huge can even credibly discuss making the NCAA tournament is Tony's hard work.

Since Huge seems to prioritize winning, perhaps she can place a call to Will Wade. he will be available pretty shortly.

Would not surprise me at all to see kids leave. Not sure if Chris Collins has a scholarship available, but Nathan Knight would look pretty good in a Northwestern uniform.

(03-13-2019 06:13 PM)Tribe32 Wrote:  All three may have been in the way on her way up. Let that sink in and then decide what we are dealing with.

This. Times ten.

Ambition is not a dirty word or a dark attribute. No doubt Ms Huge has plenty of it and that’s a good thing. Let’s hope Tony’s successor shares that trait. Wm and Mary is a stop in a career, not an endpoint.

Just sincere thanks to Tony for many exciting years. We were close couple time. I was hoping for next year, but Huge said otherwise.

(03-13-2019 06:25 PM)SoCal Frank Wrote:  Ambition is not a dirty word or a dark attribute. No doubt Ms Huge has plenty of it and that’s a good thing. Let’s hope Tony’s successor shares that trait. Wm and Mary is a stop in a career, not an endpoint.

Ambition? Yes. Judgment, intellect, competence? Different answer. The possession of the former, absent the latter, makes for trouble.

(03-13-2019 06:13 PM)Tribe32 Wrote:  Just look at what she's done and don't give me a bunch of BS about how things are going to be better. She fired John Daley. She fired Jimmye (let him retire) and didn't extend Shaver.

These are the three coaches with the most wins for their program in William and Mary history. All three may have been in the way on her way up. Let that sink in and then decide what we are dealing with.

I want to hear Katherine Rowe's support of this move. If so, at least I know what I'm dealing with.

I may be completely off base in my reaction, but I have nothing to think otherwise.

Do we know that or is it just speculation?

For other perspectives, check out the thread on the UNCW board.

I doubt this was a decision made in a vacuum without concurrence from our President, Board members and biggest basketball donors. We don't know what pressure/persuasion may have been directed toward Huge, from other sources, to make the move.

I posted below on UNCW board, thought it belonged here as an opinion.

W&M has been transitioning away from the Old Guard way of management for over a year now. Tony is just the latest to take a hit.

Post: #28RE: Tony Shaver out at William & Mary
(Today 04:01 PM)solohawks Wrote:
An AD comes in a runs off a successful coach...stop me if.youve heard this before

I really like Shaver and have been pleased with his leadership at W&M. Class guy with class players, fun to watch, never any problems. Fan base overall content.

New AD sees a coach who has been there 16 years, has an overall losing record and a program that hasn't been able to get in the tourney.

I think it's the difference on how people define success.

(03-13-2019 07:05 PM)Tribeheart Wrote:  I doubt this was a decision made in a vacuum without concurrence from our President, Board members and biggest basketball donors. We don't know what pressure/persuasion may have been directed toward Huge, from other sources, to make the move.

Do we know any big donors who might be able to shed some light? (It ain’t me, unfortunately.)

(03-13-2019 07:08 PM)Sitting bull Wrote:  I posted below on UNCW board, thought it belonged here as an opinion.

W&M has been transitioning away from the Old Guard way of management for over a year now. Tony is just the latest to take a hit.

Post: #28RE: Tony Shaver out at William & Mary
(Today 04:01 PM)solohawks Wrote:
An AD comes in a runs off a successful coach...stop me if.youve heard this before

I really like Shaver and have been pleased with his leadership at W&M. Class guy with class players, fun to watch, never any problems. Fan base overall content.

New AD sees a coach who has been there 16 years, has an overall losing record and a program that hasn't been able to get in the tourney.

I think it's the difference on how people define success.

If sourcing the UNCW board please also note their comments on their resources v. our resources relative to basketball.

Ah, tough to see Coach Shaver go. From my standpoint, I loved the budding Hofstra/W&M rivalry, and the great games that were played the last 5 years.

I think he did an objectively great job at W&M, did more with less, and had a top tier team coming back next season. Tough to cite performance when W&M was over .500 in CAA play each of the past 6 seasons.

Ran into Shaver a few times when the tournament was in Richmond, and he was a class guy. Good luck to him, hope he stays in the coaching realm.

In my view, Shaver was at worst the 3rd best coach in this league before getting fired. You guys were bound to make the NCAA Tournament under his guidance eventually, and he should have been given every opportunity to get that first appearance.

(03-13-2019 07:10 PM)Blow Gym rat Wrote:  

(03-13-2019 07:05 PM)Tribeheart Wrote:  I doubt this was a decision made in a vacuum without concurrence from our President, Board members and biggest basketball donors. We don't know what pressure/persuasion may have been directed toward Huge, from other sources, to make the move.

Do we know any big donors who might be able to shed some light? (It ain’t me, unfortunately.)

It ain't me either.

Huge's biggest responsibility as AD is successfully financing the athletic department, from fund-raising and revenue generation. Beyond just our desire for a solid, high character basketball program and to finally break into the tournament for the first time, making the NCAA tournament on a periodic basis has a major impact with significant, guaranteed income received as a participant, and, consequently, any AD's ability to fulfill their financial responsibilities. VCU's tournament success has carried their AD budget. It's a gift that keeps on giving beyond the year a team makes it. For financially strapped athletic departments, NCAA basketball tournament participation is a significant potential cash source. Unless an athletic department has a daddy with unlimited deep pockets, other monetary sources take on priority out of necessity.
On the surface of a business decision, it's easy to just project an AD's personal ambition or not being loyal to a deserving employee, but the devil may be in the details regarding fiscal responsibilities and needs.

With all the changes happening and now the decision to let Shaver go, any chance this could be the first step in moving funds into the basketball program and out of football, with football being the next domino to fall?

I will never give another dime to W&M athletics.

Tony is the reason I gave a few grand to the Basketball program for the overseas trip and the summer school program.

Huge made a "huge" mistake.

Next year could have been a big one for Tribe hoops.

I hope JMU hires Tony.

What an awful decision by W&M.