VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, [3], 4 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 09:53:35 03/12/02 Tue
Author: Jon Ralston
Subject: Contract Extensions?

Here is an article from today's Record about Coach Thomason and Coach Murrell and whether they deserve contract extensions. Personally, I think they need to extend both coaches contracts for as much money and for as long as they can. I tend to agree with some of the criticism's of the Thomason detractors, but the simple fact is he has won, his players graduate, and his players are generally good young men. I disagree with those who blame Thomason for not putting people in the seats at the Spanos Center. That is the job of the Athletic Department. Coach T's job is to coach, win, and graduate his players, the Athletic Department needs to effectively market the team and fill the arena given the product. Anyway, it's a good article.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally Published Tuesday, March 12, 2002
------------------------------------------------------------------------

A final go-around?

Pacific coaches prove they deserve commitment

Bob Highfill

The University of the Pacific men's and women's basketball programs are entering an important phase.

Pacific men's coach Bob Thomason and women's coach Sherri Murrell have one year left on their contract. Each feels deserving of an extension and hopes something is worked out before the start of the 2002-03 season.

Athletic director Lynn King and the powers that be have some decisions to make.

Both programs appear strong.

The men just completed their third 20-win season under Thomason, while the women reached the Big West Tournament championship for the first time in seven seasons and finished with at least 17 wins for the third season in a row.

Thomason has many supporters, but his critics say it's time for a change, that new energy is needed to renew interest in the program. Murrell's boosters want to see her stay, but with openings across the country, can Pacific offer her enough incentive?

''I'm just taking it one day at a time,'' Thomason said after the Tigers' 69-65 loss to Utah State on Friday in the Big West Tournament semifinals. ''I wish we'd sit down and see what happens.''

Murrell led Pacific to its best conference record in school history -- 12-4 -- and to its best overall record -- 19-11 -- since 1994-95.

''I hope so,'' Murrell said when asked if she would like to talk with King about an extension. ''We work really hard, and the attitude of the players and the community has gone up. The boosters tell me they've seen more smiles on the kids' faces than ever before.''

King respectfully declined to discuss specifics about either coach's situation and gave no indication he is the least bit dissatisfied with either coach.

''I don't discuss anything that has to do with coach's contracts,'' King said. ''It's a very important and confidential issue.''

Thomason, who just completed his 14th season, is the winningest coach in school history (222-185) and has held the position longer than 18 predecessors. Since 1936, his winning percentage (.545) is second to his former coach at Pacific, Dick Edwards (.701), who was 169-72 in nine years. The Tigers have averaged 18 wins the past six seasons and reached 20 wins this season for the eighth time in school history.

The Tigers participated in the 1997 NCAA Tournament, the 1998 NIT and produced the No. 1 pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, Los Angeles Clippers center Michael Olowokandi.

Thomason's players graduate, stay out of trouble and contribute to the campus and community.

The program clearly is at a higher level than before he came on board. Pacific owned the nation's longest losing streak -- 22 -- in 1987-88, the season before Thomason arrived from Stanislaus State. His longest losing streak -- 12 -- came during his first season. His teams have been competitive and play hard.

It would be difficult justifying a change or not granting an extension based solely on results. But there might be more to it than wins and losses.

Several boosters, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, point to a growing lack of interest in the program based on the hundreds of empty, pre-paid orange seats at Spanos Center every game. The momentum Olowokandi helped generate during those back-to-back postseasons is long gone.

There also were grumblings among some boosters about the men's team not staying in Anaheim to watch the women's team play for the Big West Tournament championship Saturday. Some players were there on their own accord.

''It would have been nice to have had them there,'' Murrell said. ''We're in spring break, but that was Bob's decision, and I'm sure he had a good reason.''

Some said they dislike Thomason's style on and off the court, that he's too quick to yank players for making a mistake, that he breaks their confidence with relentless criticism, that he's criticized players during public speaking appearances, and that he doesn't do enough in the community.

His supporters say he's done a commendable job given the resources at his disposal, that he's an alum and loyal, and for many of the reasons already mentioned.

Murrell is a rising star in the coaching ranks. She has turned the program around in four seasons.

Her players have shown marked improvement under her guidance, especially sophomores Gillian d'Hondt and Nancy Dinges, who were all-conference and all-tournament selections, junior Vanessa Dupont and sophomore Alicia Smith.

Murrell is proactive and visible in the community. She's approachable off the court and savvy when it comes to boosters and media. Her players go door to door to meet people and hand out schedules. Home attendance is up, and records have been set during her tenure.

She's everything Pacific needs in a women's basketball coach.

But Pacific is in a conference that receives zero national respect, as evidenced by snubs from the NCAA and NIT tournament committees. Her budget is small and the academic requirements are high.

''I know there's only one way to get into the NCAA Tournament, and that's winning (the Big West Tournament),'' Murrell said. ''We're doing all the right things as a coaching staff in terms of putting together a tough schedule, and we don't get the respect. It hurts, and if other coaches in our conference don't step up and schedule tougher teams in the preseason, it's going to continue to hurt us.''

After Saturday's loss to UC Santa Barbara in the Big West title game, Murrell said she's happy at Pacific but that she would pick up the phone. Monday, she said she already had been approached by some schools. Openings exist at Maryland, Washington State, San Diego State, Utah State, Iona, Richmond, Butler, Lamar, Colgate, Akron and Idaho State. Indiana needs an assistant coach.

''I've had some calls from other schools,'' Murrell said. ''I'm not saying I'm making a move, but it's in (Pacific's) court.''

The school will have a hard time keeping Murrell unless it steps up and offers her a position within the administration, say, in development, to boost her pay and title.

Whatever Pacific and the coaches decide, this can't wait a year. With jobs opening and people moving around, the time to act one way or the other is now.

Highfill covers University of the Pacific athletics for The Record. Mail: P.O. Box 900, Stockton, CA 95202; Phone: 546-8299; Fax: 547-8187; E-mail: bhighfil@recordnet.com

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

[ Contact Forum Admin ]

Forum timezone: GMT-8
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.