There is no PR win until the hatchet is buried.

If the hatchet is not buried, and Tony appears, the display of affection for Tony ...

If the hatchet is not buried, and Tony decides not to attend for the reason above, ...

The hatchet needs to be buried pronto so that the program can move ahead full speed without a “deployed anchor” hindering its progress.

No matter how hard some folks try to put lipstick on this, things are not back to normal, and won’t be, until Tony is part of the Tribe family again.

(07-05-2019 09:56 AM)nj alum Wrote:  The hatchet needs to be buried pronto so that the program can move ahead full speed without a “deployed anchor” hindering its progress.

How do you propose they bury the hatchet? Nothing public in the immediate future will do. Anything that diverts the attention away from the current coach and what he is trying to build is an unnecessary distraction. I think the only things that can be done to heal the fan base & Tony is time and Fischer success. I think the only way Shaver is a distraction at a ceremony for Marcus is if the program is struggling. It is a celebration of Marcus and Shaver won't make it about himself--the fans will. If the Tribe is winning, Tony may get an ovation, but it won't be at the expense of the current coaches. At least, IMO.

I didn't say deny a big number retirement event at a basketball game in the future when Thornton can get back during a season (doubtful now for this year since that he'll be in France)...but what's the harm about quietly putting it up now?

Somebody said it's easy for him to go back and forth from France for a retirement event this year...but it's surely not easy!
You're talking about at least three days to do it (one day to fly here, one day for the event, one day to fly back) and probably an additional day to get reacclimated. Plus it's most likely impossible to find three or four days in both W&M and his French team's long and busy game schedule to even fit in an event.

And remember also...today's students and recent grads never saw Marcus play and it won't mean as much to them.

So hang it now and then celebrate his career at a Tribe home game in future years. It'll be just as big then.

I have suggested this to the athletic department.

There is no chance the Marcus will be home during a weekend while he's playing professionally over seas. The seasons just overlap too much and every team plays on the weekend. You could do it at a home football game (Homecoming?). You could also wait until he's eligible for HOF and do it at that point when he gets the award.

(07-05-2019 11:26 AM)mrjoolius Wrote:  

(07-05-2019 09:56 AM)nj alum Wrote:  The hatchet needs to be buried pronto so that the program can move ahead full speed without a “deployed anchor” hindering its progress.

How do you propose they bury the hatchet? Nothing public in the immediate future will do. Anything that diverts the attention away from the current coach and what he is trying to build is an unnecessary distraction. I think the only things that can be done to heal the fan base & Tony is time and Fischer success. I think the only way Shaver is a distraction at a ceremony for Marcus is if the program is struggling. It is a celebration of Marcus and Shaver won't make it about himself--the fans will. If the Tribe is winning, Tony may get an ovation, but it won't be at the expense of the current coaches. At least, IMO.

This is the issue (BTW Giacomin never won the Cup):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jJeXbfEHVR8

So, set an early season game to honor Tony at halftime with as many of his past players and assistants on the court as you can get there. The ODU game, if it's on Saturday, would be a fitting day. The honor has to be sincerely and gratiously extended and hopefully Tony will accept and receive the deserved closure and important reinforcement as always a loved member of the Tribe family. Include a highlight video of memorable game moments and individual tributes to him from players, coaches and staff.

Then find a subsequent date for Marcus' honor with Tony being a key part of the ceremony.

(07-05-2019 12:51 PM)Tribeheart Wrote:  So, set an early season game to honor Tony at halftime with as many of his past players and assistants on the court as you can get there. The ODU game, if it's on Saturday, would be a fitting day. The honor has to be sincerely and gratiously extended and hopefully Tony will accept and receive the deserved closure and important reinforcement as always a loved member of the Tribe family. Include a highlight video of memorable game moments and individual tributes to him from players, coaches and staff.

Then find a subsequent date for Marcus' honor with Tony being a key part of the ceremony.

Personally, this wouldn't bother me, but I don't see how this goes over well with an unproven new head coach standing by while we honor a former coach that 75% or more of the fan base wanted to still see as coach. It isn't meant as an insult to Fischer, but I could see how it could be awkward. Only way you can do this, IMO, is once Dane is established as a legit HC. That takes time and wins.

History has shown that successor coaches who embraced their embedded predecessors fair much better in their own successes. Dane extended that olive branch during his intro ceremony. Otherwise, the elephant in the room will continue to interfere with everyone, including Dane. He deserves better, also.

Let’s remember the topic of this thread- time to retire Marcus’ number.

IMO, the Shaver issue complicates doing it in the near future unless the hatchet is buried.

That’s my only point ... and if 75% of the fan base wanted to retain Tony, it’s a valid point.

(07-05-2019 12:51 PM)Tribeheart Wrote:  So, set an early season game to honor Tony at halftime with as many of his past players and assistants on the court as you can get there. The ODU game, if it's on Saturday, would be a fitting day. The honor has to be sincerely and gratiously extended and hopefully Tony will accept and receive the deserved closure and important reinforcement as always a loved member of the Tribe family. Include a highlight video of memorable game moments and individual tributes to him from players, coaches and staff.

Then find a subsequent date for Marcus' honor with Tony being a key part of the ceremony.

Perfect ... I’m on board with this idea.

(07-05-2019 11:26 AM)mrjoolius Wrote:  

(07-05-2019 09:56 AM)nj alum Wrote:  The hatchet needs to be buried pronto so that the program can move ahead full speed without a “deployed anchor” hindering its progress.

How do you propose they bury the hatchet? Nothing public in the immediate future will do. Anything that diverts the attention away from the current coach and what he is trying to build is an unnecessary distraction. I think the only things that can be done to heal the fan base & Tony is time and Fischer success. I think the only way Shaver is a distraction at a ceremony for Marcus is if the program is struggling. It is a celebration of Marcus and Shaver won't make it about himself--the fans will. If the Tribe is winning, Tony may get an ovation, but it won't be at the expense of the current coaches. At least, IMO.

Put the hatchet underneath some instructional tapes on coaching defense. Shaver will never find it.

Going forward, the athletic dept should consider retiring the number of the player at his last home game(Nathan Knight). Pretty sure that’s how Cieplicki’s number was retired.

A lot of people evidently feel the same about certain defense attorneys

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(07-05-2019 01:35 PM)Rocco Wrote:  

(07-05-2019 11:26 AM)mrjoolius Wrote:  

(07-05-2019 09:56 AM)nj alum Wrote:  The hatchet needs to be buried pronto so that the program can move ahead full speed without a “deployed anchor” hindering its progress.

How do you propose they bury the hatchet? Nothing public in the immediate future will do. Anything that diverts the attention away from the current coach and what he is trying to build is an unnecessary distraction. I think the only things that can be done to heal the fan base & Tony is time and Fischer success. I think the only way Shaver is a distraction at a ceremony for Marcus is if the program is struggling. It is a celebration of Marcus and Shaver won't make it about himself--the fans will. If the Tribe is winning, Tony may get an ovation, but it won't be at the expense of the current coaches. At least, IMO.

Put the hatchet underneath some instructional tapes on coaching defense. Shaver will never find it.

If the hatchet is put under instructional tapes on how to properly treat the winningest coach in Tribe MBB history, the school will never find it.

https://static.tribeathletics.com/custom...aching.pdf

Wow. Tony isn't top 10 in conference wins? That's surprising.

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I think you meant conference winning percentage .... he’s #1 in conference wins.

Cue the longevity crowd.

How about this- the 32 year CAA conference record:

In 16 years pre-Shaver, W&M won 94 conference games.

In the 16 years of the Shaver era, W&M won 124 conference games.

How about this- the all-time conference winning percentage leaders ... #1 through #9 ... all compiled their records prior to the current 32 year CAA run.

I thought this thread was about Marcus Thornton? Aren't there about 573 threads on the unfairness of firing a coach with a losing record?