They quit today.....

[BoogerJ 30]

First Extension was in 2016 https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/ncaa/towson-extend-hoops-coach-skerry-through-2020-21

Second Extension was in 2017 https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/college/basketball/mens/bs-sp-towson-skerry-extension-1220-story.html

6 more years before this one is done...  like compound interest 

[BoogerJ 30]

Forgot the first extension by the interim AD back in 2013 https://www.wbaltv.com/article/towson-extends-contract-with-skerry/7082030

Skerry is now on his 4th contract.  Regardless of where you come down on his abilities, there is much to review in why Towson would continually give Skerry a new contract, and likely more money, for a job performance which has not included an NCAA Tournament.  It's a lot easier to make the NCAA FCS Playoffs as 24 of 125 teams make the field, and 44 of those 125 have 2/3 the scholarships that we do.  I'd make the logical argument that Ambrose has done less with more than Skerry, but that both coaches should have been dismissed over lack of progress.  That is incredibly difficult to do at a place like Towson when new and improved contracts are given out like candy.

[TSU88 1,070]

It’s depressing to me that we have SEVEN more years of this; after 8 years of not winning a regular season conference title & having yet to win more than 1 game in any conference tournament during that same time. Why, why, why???

[mat1992 2,231]

People care. Maybe not enough people, but "they" know. Maybe I'll never see another title before I leave this earth. Maybe I'll see another Devin Boyd in my lifetime. But I'll keep having hope that we'll find the talent. Jazz couldn't do it. Hunt couldn't do it. PK couldn't do it even though Neal fell into his lap. PS hasn't found one. It shouldn't take 25 years.

[TuTigers2012 1,061]

19 hours ago, BoogerJ said:

Forgot the first extension by the interim AD back in 2013 https://www.wbaltv.com/article/towson-extends-contract-with-skerry/7082030

Skerry is now on his 4th contract.  Regardless of where you come down on his abilities, there is much to review in why Towson would continually give Skerry a new contract, and likely more money, for a job performance which has not included an NCAA Tournament.  It's a lot easier to make the NCAA FCS Playoffs as 24 of 125 teams make the field, and 44 of those 125 have 2/3 the scholarships that we do.  I'd make the logical argument that Ambrose has done less with more than Skerry, but that both coaches should have been dismissed over lack of progress.  That is incredibly difficult to do at a place like Towson when new and improved contracts are given out like candy.

Post of the Year.

[griggey20 178]

On 3/2/2019 at 9:38 PM, TuTigers2012 said:

It’s division 1 athletics. It’s competitive. You either do well or you don’t and get fired. It’s not different than most jobs sorry, produce or hit the road.

3 teams haven’t played for the title since skerry got here. We are one. Truth hurts. This isn’t the old caa and we aren’t winning consistently on football and hoops despite major advantages. 

He hasn’t been willing to change what will make him now?!

Do or don't and get fired?  What world do you live in that if you're not in the top 20% of your profession every year that you get fired?  I work for a pretty large company with a sales force of over 4,000 reps.  I promise you that the less than 3% leave the company every year and even less are fired, which means 97% of the field remains employed.  It's not like any other profession, its totally different.  

I agree that the staff and team have under-performed since January of 2018.  Something has to change, does it have to be Skerry, maybe.  Maybe its some of the assistants, I am not sure.  But since the 10-1 start last year we are 14-34.  That's PK type sh*t and totally unacceptable.  I do believe PS can turn it around and I also agree that he shouldn't have 6 years left if he does not.  I dont find it to be an all or nothing proposition.   

[Tiger93 299]

I am all for the people that are alarmed by the direction this program has taken since about midway last season. I too am alarmed and I think we do need to start to examine what better options are out there. I think that is a conversation that is based on next year's team's results, not this one. 

Also, can we have a small dose of reality about what Towson basketball has been the last 25 years? My freshman year (1993-94) the Tigers finished in first place in the Big South with a 15-3 record. From the 1994-95 season prior to Skerry's hire (before the 2011-12, which is unfair to judge because of how bad Kennedy was), Towson finished fifth or better in the conference once (from 1994-95 to 2009-10). Since Skerry has taken over, Towson has finished fifth or better five of the nine years and third or better four times. They had one 20-win season in Division I prior to Skerry's arrival and he has had three since taking over. 

I don't particularly like the style that we need to play to succeed under Skerry even when we have been good, I don't like how we play in conference tournaments (2-6 by my count) and I don't like what happened after last season (we can blame the players all we want, but it still is not a good look any way you look at it). However, the guy has been easily the best coach we have had since Terry Truax (I know, not saying much).

We have three legitimately special years in the Skerry era in my estimation. The 2012-13 team might have been the best, most cohesive group that Skerry had and I will still say they would have a chance to make a nice run in the conference tournament (the last quality version of the CAA) if Pat Kennedy had not gotten us ineligible season that year. The next year (2013-14) was the first 20+ win team since my already referred to freshman year. The William & Mary loss in the tournament was the most disappointing of the Skerry era, and was a terrible loss.  The 2016-17 team was about 5-6 minutes away from going to the conference title game. 

I get that we have not made a conference a conference title game in forever, I get that our program needs to have higher standards, and I get the arrow of those program's progression is going the wrong direction, but I will ask two questions. First, if we make a hire do you think we will do any better than Skerry? Second, if we go out and make that hired do you really want this AD to decide who that would be? I don't feel confident that we will get a quality candidate, and I would like someone else to make that hire if and when that day comes. 

I think this team actually has some decent parts (as it has shown being in virtually every game recently until the season finale). Personally, I think Skerry should get one more season and we can assess from there. Just one fan's opinion and I respect and understand there are a lot of ways to look at this. 

[TSU88 1,070]

Tiger93, that is a lucid, intelligent, well-thought out analysis. I tend to vent when I’m still in the emotional throes of the most recent loss, but I’m willing to concede that this year was a lost season before it even started, with the transfer of ZM & Gorham. I will have no such patience if PS doesn’t bring in impact recruits this off-season, but the immutable reality is PS isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, which ties into your point about we would even want the current AD to be charged with choosing a new coach

[TuTigers2012 1,061]

34 minutes ago, Tiger93 said:

I am all for the people that are alarmed by the direction this program has taken since about midway last season. I too am alarmed and I think we do need to start to examine what better options are out there. I think that is a conversation that is based on next year's team's results, not this one. 

Also, can we have a small dose of reality about what Towson basketball has been the last 25 years? My freshman year (1993-94) the Tigers finished in first place in the Big South with a 15-3 record. From the 1994-95 season prior to Skerry's hire (before the 2011-12, which is unfair to judge because of how bad Kennedy was), Towson finished fifth or better in the conference once (from 1994-95 to 2009-10). Since Skerry has taken over, Towson has finished fifth or better five of the nine years and third or better four times. They had one 20-win season in Division I prior to Skerry's arrival and he has had three since taking over. 

I don't particularly like the style that we need to play to succeed under Skerry even when we have been good, I don't like how we play in conference tournaments (2-6 by my count) and I don't like what happened after last season (we can blame the players all we want, but it still is not a good look any way you look at it). However, the guy has been easily the best coach we have had since Terry Truax (I know, not saying much).

We have three legitimately special years in the Skerry era in my estimation. The 2012-13 team might have been the best, most cohesive group that Skerry had and I will still say they would have a chance to make a nice run in the conference tournament (the last quality version of the CAA) if Pat Kennedy had not gotten us ineligible season that year. The next year (2013-14) was the first 20+ win team since my already referred to freshman year. The William & Mary loss in the tournament was the most disappointing of the Skerry era, and was a terrible loss.  The 2016-17 team was about 5-6 minutes away from going to the conference title game. 

I get that we have not made a conference a conference title game in forever, I get that our program needs to have higher standards, and I get the arrow of those program's progression is going the wrong direction, but I will ask two questions. First, if we make a hire do you think we will do any better than Skerry? Second, if we go out and make that hired do you really want this AD to decide who that would be? I don't feel confident that we will get a quality candidate, and I would like someone else to make that hire if and when that day comes. 

I think this team actually has some decent parts (as it has shown being in virtually every game recently until the season finale). Personally, I think Skerry should get one more season and we can assess from there. Just one fan's opinion and I respect and understand there are a lot of ways to look at this. 

Just because the program has been bad for a while, doesn't mean we should accept mediocrity... that the SOT mindset a lot of you still have.

We are in games because of the ridiculously slow pace we play with. And that we do not play any real good teams and the CAA is not what it was pre-skerry.

Don't know if the change we will be better in a year or two, but in the long run, yes, as we most likely won't be stagnant and stuck in neutral with coach who is reluctant to make changes.

No, you are right, no one would want leonard making the decision. He is part of the problem. 

[Tiger93 299]

1 hour ago, TuTigers2012 said:

Just because the program has been bad for a while, doesn't mean we should accept mediocrity... that the SOT mindset a lot of you still have.

We are in games because of the ridiculously slow pace we play with. And that we do not play any real good teams and the CAA is not what it was pre-skerry.

Don't know if the change we will be better in a year or two, but in the long run, yes, as we most likely won't be stagnant and stuck in neutral with coach who is reluctant to make changes.

No, you are right, no one would want leonard making the decision. He is part of the problem. 

I agree with you if you are talking about what has happened the last year and a half.

However, I would argue with you that up until conference season started last year (17-18) we were not accepting mediocrity. From the 2012-13 season to the 2016-17 season Skerry led the Tigers to a 53-35 record in CAA Play. That was the best record of any of the teams in the CAA during that five-year stretch. Here is the list during that stretch:

Towson 55-35 (.611), William & Mary 50-38 (.568), Northeastern 50-38 (.568), UNC-W 49-39 (.557), James Madison 47-41 (.534), Delaware 43-45 (.489), Hofstra 40-48 (.455), College of Charleston (joined league in 13-14) - 31-39 (.443), Drexel 32-56 (.363). 

I would say is unfair to count Skerry's first year in any of this since Pat Kennedy left the worst mess of a program I can imagine. Last year, Towson started 11-1 so that was not mediocre.

The base of all of your complaints lies in three areas, and I would not disagree with any of them. The last year and a half has been a mess (true). Postseason futility, Skerry I believe is 2-6 in the CAA Tourney (true). The last part is somewhat subjective, but I tend to agree that Skerry's style of play is not my favorite to watch and might not be a good recipe for one-and-done tournament format games or success of modern-day recruits (true).

My overall point is I am very frustrated with the last 51 games of Towson basketball (17-34, that is not mediocre that is bad), but I don't believe you are giving Skerry enough credit for what he has done in conference play for the bulk of his tenure. There is definitely validity in the criticisms, but I don't think it is fair to say we are accepting mediocrity by keeping Skerry for one more year. I will definitely agree that I don't like the direction we are going in right now. Just two different ways to look at this I guess.