kevin as a.d.: retire #3

Retire John Goldsberry’s #3 jersey

Even though this is my last post – if I was UNCW athletic director, retiring #3 would be the first thing I would do.  And frankly, it should have been done three seasons ago after John Goldsberry played his last game at UNCW.  The jersey should have been put away – never to be worn again – with a ceremony several years from now.

I figured this would be a no brainer.  But for the past two seasons, I’ve seen Darion Jeralds wearing #3.  I’ve heard nothing but nice things about Jeralds – he obviously plays hard, he’s always been polite to me, and he’s a nice story having moved from walk-on to regular contributor.

But he should not be wearing #3. 

Maybe its because everyone in power at UNCW wasn’t here when Goldsberry was here (Benny Moss, Kelly Mehrtens, etc..).   Maybe its because he’s so closely linked to Brad Brownell, who’s departure here wasn’t exactly embraced by everyone.  Whatever the reason, I hope John’s accomplishments haven’t been forgotten.

And if they have – here’s a reminder:

2003

• CAA All-Rookie Team
• CAA Tournament Champion
• CAA Regular Season Champion
• NCAA tournament birth
• 8 for 8 in three pointers in NCAA game vs Maryland

2004

• CAA All-Academic Team

2005

• First Team All-CAA
• CAA All-Defensive Team
• CAA All-Academic Team
• CAA Defensive Player of the Year

2006

• Second Team All-CAA
• CAA All-Academic Team
• CAA All-Defensive Team
• CAA All-Tournament Team
• CAA Regular Season Champion
• CAA Tournament Champion
• NCAA Tournament birth
• Dean Ehlers Leadership Award winner

And he’s UNCW’s All-Time leader in assists (530).

But perhaps most importanly – for three straight seasons, John Goldsberry WAS Seahawk basketball.  He was a big reason why fans came out, and it couldn’t be measured on a stat sheet.  John dove, hustled, and out-worked everybody.  He’d find the open man, hit the big shot, and pick up his teammates when they were down.  The best guard on the other team – Goldsberry would shut him down (ex: Jose Juan Berea – now in the NBA).  And you could tell he loved every second of it.

I remember when they won the CAA Tournament his senior year – John’s chin was cut and bandaged from diving on the floor and tangling with opponents.  It was pure Goldsberry – and the perfect end to his CAA career: bloodied, battered, Champion.

John Goldsberry is one of the best players in UNCW history.  Lets give him the honor he so rightfully deserves.  Retire #3.

    kevin

For the entire Kevin as athletic director series – click HERE

kevin as a.d.: join the Southern Conference

Leave the CAA and join the Southern Conference

I don’t understand why UNCW is in the CAA.  The conference has no rivals for them, its an obscene amount of travel, and the CAA has five sports UNCW doesn’t even participate in.  It doesn’t seem like a good fit.

We’re constantly told that UNCW has the lowest athletic budget in the CAA.  So why are we in a conference where teams have to go to Boston?  Long Island?  The closest trip is at least four hours away, so doesn’t that make the travel budget out of whack?  Wouldn’t it make more sense financially to play schools just a few hours away?

And something else along that same thought – wouldn’t more UNCW fans like to go to a road game or two?  I think I’d take a bus trip to Charleston, but I’m certainly not sitting in the car for a game in Atlanta (Georgia St).  Don’t we owe it to the fans to make the road games more accessable?

But my biggest issue is with “who” is in the conference – and its a bunch of schools that no one here cares about.  I wonder if you took a survey of the student body at UNCW – how many of them could tell you what state James Madison is in.  Hofstra?  Old Dominion? Drexel? Towson?  I’ll be honest about that last one – when I did the Towson scoreboard on Saturday night, several WECT employees asked me afterwards, “where’s that?”

And that’s not good.  People might not care about UNCW sports specifically – but there is a certain pride in beating another in-state – or in-region - school.  No one gets excited about beating Towson.

I know the argument is: “The CAA is a better mens basketball conference and they’ve almost become a two-bid league for the NCAA tournament”.  And while that is certainly correct, I don’t think that’s a reason to stay in the league.  I can’t look Mark Scalf and the baseball team in the eyes and say – you have to ride the bus to Boston becuase the mens basketball team might go to the NCAA Tournament.  Sorry Paul Cairney and the womens soccer team – you’re off to Maryland, then Virginia, then New York, then Boston for four straight road games (Oct 10-19 this season), but just think of how good this is for the mens basketball team!

Its time for the UNCW to leave the CAA.  I see no compelling reason to stay in this confernce.  The Southern Conference makes more sense financially, geographically, and fan interest-wise.  Here’s hoping the Southern Conference will take us.

   kevin

For the entire Kevin as athletic director series – click HERE

kevin as a.d.: quick hits

Several things on my ‘to-do’ list didn’t really need an entire post, so here are just some quick hits.

• Improve the band.   I don’t really understand how the UNCW pep band works at basketball games.  It looks like a rag-tag bunch of guys and girls who happen to all play an instrument.  Its not a big deal until you go to the CAA tournament and see VCU’s band or George Mason’s band and realize that the UNCW band isn’t very good.  Lets organize it, get a band leader, and get that group rocking. 
• Permanent seats at the softball field.  I hate those metal bleachers at Boseman Field – looks really cheap and second rate.  Unless its super-expensive (which it might be, I don’t know), lets look into more permanent seating.
• Embrace “UNCW Sports Extra”.  The new television show should be a great vehicle to promote Seahawk sports.  Whatever that show needs – they get.   One immediate change:  Mike Vaccaro is the new host.  If he’s the “voice of the Seahawks” – then he should be the voice on the show.  (sorry Mike…more work for you).
• Fix the Volleyball program without leaving town.  The following local high schools are really good at volleyball:  Hoggard, Pender, Topsail, Laney, New Hanover, Trask…the list goes on and on.  The number of local players on the UNCW team:  One.  How does that happen?  The new coach should have local ties and be able to keep some of the good players here.  Its almost embarrassing that the UNCW volleyball team is so bad with so much talent just a short drive away.
• Don’t change a thing about Trask Coliseum.  This isn’t really a to-do, but more of a ‘don’t-do’.  The trend is obviously to go bigger, badder, louder – but I hope UNCW doesn’t do that with Trask.  The gym is perfect the way it is.  I love how loud it gets.  I love how hot it gets.  I love how the fans – especially the students – are right on top of the action.  As long as I’m A.D. at UNCW, nothing will change about Trask Coliseum.

Two more left – they’ll both run on Friday.  One that will probably never happen, and one that should have happened three years ago.

   kevin

For the entire Kevin as athletic director series – click HERE

kevin as a.d.: national championship

 

Pick a sport: make it the best in the country.

One of the neat things about Boston University is every year our hockey team has a chance to win the National Championship.  My school has a shot to be the best at something.

UNCW does not have this.

I think the trick is to pick a realistic sport.  Hockey works at BU because its in a hockey town and its full of tradition.  Mid-majors like BU and UNCW are never going to win the national championship in basketball or soccer.

So at UNCW, why not go for it with another sport?  Why can’t the UNCW womens golf team be the best in the country?  We’re in a great location for golf, they have the full support of the Landfall community – so there is access to a beautiful course, and how much money is really needed to fund a world-class golf program?  Since UNCW has some budget concerns – wouldn’t a cheaper sport be the one to embrace? 

So whatever Cindy Ho and the womens golf team needs – sign me up.  We’re playing for a National Championship here.

Now…with all that said:  I debated making this post about the baseball team.  Can mid-majors compete in baseball?  At first thought – I doubt it.  Its just like basketball – hard to compete with the big schools. 

But maybe they can.  All they need is two good pitchers and a big bat or two.  Suddenly – a mid-major baseball team can be as good as anyone.  Get lucky in the Regional, two good pitchers can win two games in the Super Regional, and then get hot in Omaha…why not?  I think its hard, but the more I think about it – its certainly possible.  I’m sure someone with the baseball program will let me know what they think.

    kevin

For the entire Kevin as athletic director series – click HERE

kevin as a.d.: my chat with Benny

 

Have a sit down with UNCW mens basketball coach Benny Moss

SCENE:  UNCW Athletic Director Kevin Hull’s office

Hey Benny…come on in, take a seat.  Can I get you something?  Water?  Coffee? Decaf cappuccino?  That’s a Seinfeld joke.  Do you watch that show?  Anyways…

Let me get this right out of the way.  I’m not firing you.  I think you’ve had some bad breaks this year, so I’m going to give you another shot.  But there are some things I think we need to discuss.

First off – and I think you know this – a season like this can’t happen again.  Under 500 is not acceptable at UNCW.  We need to be playing for the CAA championship every year.  That should be your goal.  We don’t rebuild here – we reload.  Translation:  we’re not Towson (zing!).

It all starts with defense.  And whatever you’re doing defensively – its not working.  Whatever your assistants are doing defensively – that’s not working either.  Maybe its time to bring in a defensive specialist as an assistant.  Maybe turn your staff into a football team type atmosphere – hire a defensive coordinator.  The Celtics did that – and they won the NBA Championship.   Something to think about.

And while we’re thinking about things – who the heck made this schedule?  Wake Forest? Texas A&M?  Richmond?  Look at ECU’s schedule – they play 3 division two teams and I think they played Wellesley.  DO THAT!!  Play Campbell, UNCA, Winthrop…get some WINS on the schedule. 

And while the on-court stuff needs some work – don’t change anything off-court.  You’re a great guy – everyone thinks so.  You’re a wonderful representative of this University.  Lets just win some games, huh?

   kevin

For the entire Kevin as athletic director series – click HERE

kevin as a.d.: no football. ever.

 

There won’t be football at UNCW as long as I’m in charge.

I’m sick of the constant “why doesn’t UNCW have football” question that lingers around the program.  The answer is always, ‘right now its not fiscally possible’.   That’s not enough.  Quit giving fans false hope.

Someone needs to come out and say – “As long as I’m in charge, there will never be football at UNCW.  If a donor gives 10 million dollars, all our current sports will get it.  Not a penny of it will go towards creating a football team.”

Two main reasons why: No one would go and the current sports need to be fully funded first. 

So if I was A.D. – it would be very clear.  No football. 

   kevin

For the entire Kevin as athletic director series – click HERE

Kevin as A.D.: free womens basketball tickets

 

Give away 1000’s of tickets for each womens basketball game.

The above photo is from a womens basketball game at UNCW on 1/22/09.  The UNCW sign in front of press row is center court.  Look at all the empty seats at center court!  Why aren’t people sitting there?  Why aren’t people anywhere?

Let’s fix that.

If I was UNCW Athletic Director, I’d give away thousands of tickets to school aged kids for every womens game. 

And if this sounds familiar – it is.  The idea is totally stolen from the Hammerheads.  For all the Hammers faults – and there are a lot – this “free ticket” thing is something they’ve gotten right.  They give a season pass to any kid that wants one.  The kid then has a ticket – in hand – and drags mom and dad to the game.   And because of that – the Hammerheads have huge crowds full of screaming kids.

So lets do that for the UNCW womens basketball team.  Give the tickets to the kids.  Don’t make it – “free when you get there.”  You have to put the tickets in their hands.  Go to schools – have Sahsha Taylor, Brittany Blackwell and the rest of the team hand them out at local elementary/middle schools along with a schedule.

The best womens game of the year is always Girl Scout day because the place is full of screaming kids.  Why not make that every game?

UNCW might lose some money on ticket sales, but how much money are they really making off these games?  Wouldn’t we rather have a full house instead of a couple extra hundred bucks?  I would.

   kevin

For the entire Kevin as athletic director series – click HERE

what if I was the UNCW A.D….

I think everyone has followed a team/school closely and wondered – why do they do that?  Why do they choose to do certain things – and not other things?

So – for entertainment purposes only - what if I was the UNCW Athletic Director?  What would I do?

You’re about to find out.  I’ve been thinking about it – and I’ve come with several thing I would do if I was in charge at “The Dub”.  I’ll run them all this week – let me know what you think.

    kevin

DISCLAIMER:  This is in NO WAY a slap at Kelly Mehrtens and the job she’s doing at UNCW.  I think she’s doing just fine, to be honest.  Its not like its her fault the mens basketball team isn’t any good.  There are just some things that strike me every now and then when I’m covering UNCW – and I thought I’d throw them out there.  Heck, maybe she’ll even steal one of my ideas.

kiss of death….

Johnnymets nailed it in the comments of my last post about how good I think Wake Forest is.   Is it with the same confidence I had with the Panthers?  You bet.  Of course – we had the same result.

I say how great I think the Panthers are – they lose
I call Wake Forest  unbeatable – they get beat.

Maybe I should keep my mouth (keyboard?) shut.  I should start talking about how much I really like teams I actually hate.  The ol’ reverse jinx.

Whatever it is – don’t expect a “The Red Sox are winning the World Series” post anytime soon.

    kevin

filling out my bracket…already…

Its about two months early, but I’m ready to fill out my NCAA bracket.  And it doesn’t matter who plays who, or who plays where. 

I’ll take Wake Forest.

I don’t see a weakness on this Deamon Deacon team.  They’re loaded from top to bottom, have depth at almost every position, and Jeff Teague is looking like one of the best players in the country.

It appears as if the season has played out perfectly for them.  Wake has key road wins (at BYU &  at Clemson) and a big-time confidence building win (vs UNC).  A freshman (Al-Farouq Aminu) is providing depth and playing like a future star – although he might already be a star.

I guess a lot could change between now and the Final Four, but it will take something dramatic for me to pick a different champion before then. 

   kevin