New hire will tell all

[Aja]

I'm not going to bother reading through the myriad posts out there....

But as an outsider looking in, the new hire will tell you all you need to know about the direction of the athletic program in general.

More important question now, WHEN (not if) does Hayes bolt? The choice (or table scraps) for a new hoops coach will be extremely interesting.... lack of commitment from the administration, probable departure of the athletic director.... who's choice will the new coach really be?

Very, very interesting. The demise of Hofstra athletics, unfolding right before your very eyes.

[Dutchmen88]

I really hope you're wrong.

Although I am extremely happy to see Pecora go, it does leave one to assess the state of Hofstra sports. For a guy whose been with the program nearly 16 years to pick up and leave after a great finish to a season as well as the potential for next season, shows what HU's support for athletics has really become.

I really hope that the ***** known as Stu Rabinowitz will see this as a real wake up call, and will allow the Athletics department to get the best that they can.

I'd like to close by saying that although this leaves Hofstra fans wondering what the future is, let's try to stop the thrashing of HU athletics and try and show a little more support. A lot of people on this forum should start showing words of encouragement instead of just dwelling on the past and criticizing the future. We don't know anything yet. Until we do, let's just hope for the best and support the players and the university.

[Jojogunne]

Dutchmen, you are a voice crying in the wilderness.

This board has too many Hofstra-haters, Rabinowitz-haters, Pecora-haters ... call them what you will. They are consumed with venting their spleen against anything Dutch.

If the members of the men's basketball team (or any other Hofstra athletes) read this board (and I would have to think at least some of the players do), they must be wondering, are these people on the same planet as us? And I can only imagine what prospective recruits think when they read this board. Where is the "school spirit"?

Interestingly, most of the journalists writing about Coach Pecora's appointment at Fordham have a positive view of his time at Hofstra. "Pecora leaves a Hofstra program that he helped turn into a solid mid-major outfit," says the Daily News:

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/co...om_pecora.html

Sure, we'd all love to see Hofstra in the NCAA or NIT every year, but that's just not going to happen. Basketball is a 30-game season, give or take a few games. Watch them and enjoy them. They are two hours of affordable entertainment. Don't crucify the coaches, the players, the water attendants for not making it to the Big Dance. Few teams do.

[Vander Poel Hall]

You know our water attendants aren't any good b/c they don't use clipboards.

[Proud Pride Fan]

Dutchmen, you are a voice crying in the wilderness.

This board has too many Hofstra-haters, Rabinowitz-haters, Pecora-haters ... call them what you will. They are consumed with venting their spleen against anything Dutch.

If the members of the men's basketball team (or any other Hofstra athletes) read this board (and I would have to think at least some of the players do), they must be wondering, are these people on the same planet as us? And I can only imagine what prospective recruits think when they read this board. Where is the "school spirit"?

Interestingly, most of the journalists writing about Coach Pecora's appointment at Fordham have a positive view of his time at Hofstra. "Pecora leaves a Hofstra program that he helped turn into a solid mid-major outfit," says the Daily News:

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/co...om_pecora.html

Sure, we'd all love to see Hofstra in the NCAA or NIT every year, but that's just not going to happen. Basketball is a 30-game season, give or take a few games. Watch them and enjoy them. They are two hours of affordable entertainment. Don't crucify the coaches, the players, the water attendants for not making it to the Big Dance. Few teams do.

You make some good points, Jojo, especially the last paragraph above.

And, you're right about going overboard on the hate. But, when it comes to Rabinowitz only, I can understand it, for the way he duped the BOT and dropped a 72-year-old institution behind a veil of a fake two-year study and lame excuses, without so much as lifting a finger to try to save or improve the football program for years.

And, keep in mind, the same guy who you quote above also told us yesterday: relax, everyone, don't believe all of the internet chatter, Pecora and Fordham have yet to speak.

As for the school spirit, you're definitely right. We have a lot of room for improvement with that on this board. However, it's all about winning. We did see a lot of positive spirit here during the late season run and leading up to and during our stay in the CAA tourney this year. I think that any players, coaches, potential recruits who might read the comments realize that's how it is in NY. No different with any of the pro teams who play here, no different with Hofstra basketball. It's what makes it the best place to play or coach when you win and the worst when you lose. If you don't like that or you can't handle that, there are plenty of other places in the country to play or coach. And, that's coming from someone who often thinks it's ridiculous how people often overreact one way or the other to the performance of all NYC area teams.

[stuball888]

Again it is not bashing so much as real fans that frustrated by Rabinowitz. If we werent fans this board would not be as busy as it is now. Apathy would take over. You dont see apathy now. I have never seen the board as busy as it is now. If you remember my thread about one month ago it read 'the state of Hofstra athletics". I took some heat from some board members here and some administratitve people from Hofstra. I predicted that some long time coaches will get frustrated and leave. Case in point one Tom Pecora. More will come if this ship is not righted. Big East has started Lax for both men and womens coming soon. Target one Seth Tierney, Joe Amplo and Abby Morgan. More Big east schools commited to soccer. Target Rich Nuthall and Simon Riddenhough.

[stuball888]

Two people I feel sorry for is Jack Hayes and Danny McCabe. They did not sign up for this. In a three month period they saw the football program cut and their Mens basketball coach leave for a school with a total commitment to their sports program. Jack Hayes has been the front man and like Aja said it is not if but when he will leave. As bad as the Seton Hall situation is it will look very attractive to Jack Hayes.

[Aja]

Two people I feel sorry for is Jack Hayes and Danny McCabe. They did not sign up for this. In a three month period they saw the football program cut and their Mens basketball coach leave for a school with a total commitment to their sports program. Jack Hayes has been the front man and like Aja said it is not if but when he will leave. As bad as the Seton Hall situation is it will look very attractive to Jack Hayes.

You capture the essence of my point. PPF as well, mentioning that Hofstra fans / students / alum watched in horror as the football team was 86'ed. Your hoops coach and your football team gone in a matter of months. Not good signs for the future, sorry. And I don't think this is a wake-up call for Rabinowitz so much as a blessing in disguise for him and him only. Your two most identifiable sports programs just faced major changes in a matter of four months. Lax and wrestling are major for Hofstra, but for a D-I program not as visible as hoops and football.

Look, the reality is he's not a "sports guy". And if Hayes hasn't been searching around yet, he certainly will be now. I told a few of you after the football debacle, Hayes was going to be relatively short on time here. A non-sports guy like Rabinowitz isn't really concerned who they hire for the hardwood. He's thinking how can they save some money with this situation, and I don't care WHAT he said about aspiring to be a final-four team.

From this point forward, I'm only monitoring the actions taken. Words spoken by Rabinowitz (for all obvious reasons) mean nothing.... as for Hayes, well, his job is to follow the company line (understandably) up until the point he realizes his post as the AD at Hofstra is like the proverbial Captain of the Titanic. I truly believe the next man coaching will be an obvious indication of the direction Rabinowitz points the athletics program as a whole.

Doomsayers? Whatever. This is a board, it's about opinions. Leave the cheering for the stands, Jojo. Players, coaches and families need to remember sites like this are not preferred reading. Nobody's being slammed (at least in this thread) but Rabinowitz.

[JoeCoolHofstra]

Two people I feel sorry for is Jack Hayes and Danny McCabe. They did not sign up for this. In a three month period they saw the football program cut and their Mens basketball coach leave for a school with a total commitment to their sports program. Jack Hayes has been the front man and like Aja said it is not if but when he will leave. As bad as the Seton Hall situation is it will look very attractive to Jack Hayes.

Rabinowitz is not committed to sports. The state of Hofstra atheltics is poor and that is putting it mildly. Football is cut. TP leaves for Fordham which raises questions abut what is going on at Hofstra. Jack Hayes never thought Rabinowitz would cut football and cut budgets. The next hire will be a young
Assistant who will use the Hofstra job as a stepping stone. Rabinowitz will pay him significantly less than TP. Rabinowitz is all about money. As a Hofstra grad, it is disgraceful that Rabinowitz has destroyed all the progress and developing of Hofstra's athletic programs that President Shuart accomplished. Rabinowitz is a disgrace.

[Jack]

Interestingly, most of the journalists writing about Coach Pecora's appointment at Fordham have a positive view of his time at Hofstra. "Pecora leaves a Hofstra program that he helped turn into a solid mid-major outfit," says the Daily News:

I was never anything more than lukewarm toward our former coach, and even I would not have a problem writing that sentence, Jojo. A "solid mid-major outfit" is not exactly profuse in its praise.

I also want to disagree with something PPF wrote. I think Hofstra University is absolutely one of the EASIEST places in the country to lose. I understand his point about NYC as a whole, but it doesn't apply to Hofstra. We've had some terrible seasons, and when have we ever fired a coach? How many deep-pocketed, impatient boosters do we have?

Relatively speaking, coaching (and losing) at Hofstra is a piece of cake.