Its not necessarily sad, this is a normal occurrence in all programs.
Not to this extent. According to that website Hawk just linked, we've had 8 players leave the program in just 2 years. That's a LOT of turnover, you don't see that much unless something is going wrong.
The something going wrong is that the team has not had the success it desired. So they are trying to correct the problem. Hopefully it will be corrected and the turnover in roster will be much less in future years.
You posters, saying that this is so sad, get a clue. What would be sad is if we did nothing after winning 7 games. It is one thing to have talent, it is another to not bust your ass to improve.
Granted, this is probably what needed to be done. However, once Sydney utters the phrase "we are young and we need time", FU should pull the plug. Jenkins could have worked hard and become a reliable upper class-man. Now we are left with a bunch of unproven newbies. They better be good or bye-Bye Sydney!!!
The egg is thick on Gene's face. What a circus. The only way I accept Sydney another year is if another coach gets fired now...whoever did the most on talent evaluation. Let SJ throw one of his own under the bus instead of these unfortunate well-meaning kids. SJ has huge target on his back next year.
I don't like seeing this happen but the fact of the matter is, a player is given $50k+ a year in scholarships. Their "job" is not simply to show up. It is to work hard, get better, and contribute.
If these young men were working hard, listening to their coaches, and holding up their end of the bargain, both on the court and in the classroom, then this result is disappointing. If they were not, then no one owes them anything. They are not entitled to a free education.
The reality in today's world is that players transfer, or are pushed out, all the time. The days when a player transferred out once in a blue moon are long gone. Let's not act like this result is a rare occasion in this day and age.
I don't like seeing this happen but the fact of the matter is, a player is given $50k+ a year in scholarships. Their "job" is not simply to show up. It is to work hard, get better, and contribute.
If these young men were working hard, listening to their coaches, and holding up their end of the bargain, both on the court and in the classroom, then this result is disappointing. If they were not, then no one owes them anything. They are not entitled to a free education.
The reality in today's world is that players transfer, or are pushed out, all the time. The days when a player transferred out once in a blue moon are long gone. Let's not act like this result is a rare occasion in this day and age.
It's a two way street - half the blame here is on the athlete, half on the coach. SJ needed to bring in players that would grow and improve over 4 years - he didn't bring in the right players - he failed as an evaluator.
The coach certainly can have something to do with this. But the game has changed a lot. Players now leave when they want to, and it seems coaches are more likely to gently push kids out if they are not performing.
Let'snot forget that Cooley "lost" a bunch of kids too (Jamal Turner, Roi Buchbinder, Richard Flemming, Shimeek Johnson, Devin Johnson). I don't remember anyone crying when those players left.
STOP comparing Sydney's MAJOR underachievement to Cooley's hiccups. This stuff happens, but Sydney should have handled this whole thing better. The lack of forthcoming communication from him throughout all of this player movement reeks more with each passing day. I would never let my kid be ruined by playing for him. These are kids by the way. Don't leave them out to dry. He picked them, he owes them more from a public relation standpoint than anything else...
tmaac: not being facetious, what exactly would you want SJ to say about Grennan and Davis. I can think of a dozen things that could be behind their "lack of focus" and "commitment" that a coach would rather just not say. Not awful violations, but things that would only hurt either kid looking to land somewhere else. I think most coaches handle this the way SJ has by speaking in euphemisms.
As for JJ, I think we can all script what SJ said to him, we saw it happening.
That said, it can be tough for any kid, athlete or not, to have to transfer to a different college. And JJ deserves credit, as sobro noted, for being one of the few kids in NY PSAL to even qualify as a senior. I wish him and the others the best and hope all get their degrees.
Put a positive spin out there about them. Good kids, etc. You guys are just lost with this coach. Can't believe you guys continue to back him the way you do. It's crazy to me, but I guess that is life as a Stag fan. Keep expectations low...
And you TMAAC, you don't know anything on the situation of any of these kids. You can always assume the worst as is your right, but there are a thousand stories in the naked city, these kids can have some of them.
I'm disappointed by all the movement. It seems talent was both not evaluated and under utilized and mismanaged all at the same time. It just makes me wonder what future can Sydney's regime have. What big time recruit will look at Fairfield after this season when they know Sydney will be on the hook? And how can we possibly improve much next year to justify keeping the coaching personnel in place for the foreseeable future for what is basically a rebuilding project?
It seems like if the administration intends to keep Sydney for the long haul, they would need to do something public (ie CT Post article on the program etc.) to show support so recruits know there is stability. Do more players/recruits start bolting if next year is another down year? After all, they extended his contract after a year, so why not stand by your man? Otherwise this player carousel and downward program momentum will continue.
Last Edit: Apr 1, 2014 19:06:23 GMT -5 by stagthomas