Did we out-wait III?

[StPetersburgHoya (Inactive)]

All major NBA and College Coaching jobs have been taken. III is still at Gtown - he had a relatively small buy out and wasn't getting paid much and was in the final four - despite this there wasn't a single confirmed report of III talking to another team - does Gtown have the leverage in negotiating a deal or has a deal been close enough to being done that III didn't see the need to talk to others?

[Bay99]

Here's a thought:

Would it shock you to find out, now or whenever, that GU had extended JTIII and just never cared to announce it? ie JTIII is already under a new deal, but for whatever reason(s), it's not being announced as a PR event?

I ask because you're right--if you look at the coaching landscape, there aren't many attractive options. The coaching carousel -- at least in terms of attractive/lucrative options -- stopped fairly quickly once Donovan stayed put and Kentucky hired Gillespie.

And GU is certainly not prone to "big announcements" in the AD.

Then tack on: recruiting (Sims), staff hires (two new assistants) and Hibbert ... do any of these things, let alone all three, happen if JTIII's near future is even somewhat in question?

Just throwing it out there. Sure, it would be nice to see/hear an actual announcement...but there seem to be no public signs that JTIII won't be our coach for a long time.

(I have zero inside info, rumor or otherwise -- just fueling the hot stove.)

[SoCalHoya]

I've thought for the past month or so that the deal was done already. We won't be able to tell, really, until tax time I guess.

[HoyaSinceBirth]

I don't know about that. I'm pretty sure they would have made an announcement. I mean first of all every other school i know announces this kind of thing. I mean how many announcements did we read about this off season about other coaches getting extended. And second with all talk about it on this talk board, in several media sources, and emails sent to degoia i would think they'd be happy to announce this to save a little face for having not done this sooner.

[The Stig]

If the Athletic department has any sense they would have announced an extension if they have one, just because some potential donors might be waiting to see an extension before they write their checks. Then again, as far as I can tell our AD has never been terribly PR savvy, so it's certainly possible that they've signed one and not said a word.

[Deleted]

Why does there even HAVE to be an extension? Would it be that much of a shock to learn III decided to honor the original contract he signed a few years ago? You know, the one he BOUND himself to coach the team for five years with?

Don't get me wrong, I hope we hear he signs a 20-year extension at some point in the coming months, and I understand the value of the University capitalizing on last season to lock up III, generate greater interest in the program, etc...

... but is it possible III is a man of his word and just wants to coach the remainder of his current contract and re-evaluate his options in the spring of '09?

[HoyaSinceBirth]

Well it's just the fact that most coaches resign contracts with at worst two years left on their contract. It's pretty unheard of to wait till a contract runs out. Doing so would sound like bad news.

[jacko]

buffalohoya said:

Why does there even HAVE to be an extension? Would it be that much of a shock to learn III decided to honor the original contract he signed a few years ago? You know, the one he BOUND himself to coach the team for five years with?

Don't get me wrong, I hope we hear he signs a 20-year extension at some point in the coming months, and I understand the value of the University capitalizing on last season to lock up III, generate greater interest in the program, etc...

... but is it possible III is a man of his word and just wants to coach the remainder of his current contract and re-evaluate his options in the spring of '09?

Bite your tongue, Buffalo... How could you SAY such a thing?

PAY THE MAN

[RDF]

I think it's important to see that fans are focused on making sure III is taken care of--but I also think this was all fueled by Pops and his big blowhole. III has often referred to the fact he wouldn't have left Princeton for just "any job" and that he was excited to return to DC or "home" as he put it. This is a job III wanted and loves--and I think when III talks about his uncertainty about the future--it's just him being honest--and he's a short term--as in day to day focused person--look how he reacts to big victories--then you have Pops spouting off more as a dad then anything. Pops has to make sure we don't forget about him so he'll spew some crap out there to stir it up. As I said below--some of the things Pops was adamant about at the Celebration of 100 years of Hoya Basketball--he was reason it is an issue now.

As long as the program continues to be run like it is and the School is going to do all it can to make sure III is taken care of--the money will eventually come--you can't make up for the Pops years in 3 years--and the steps are being taken and the donations will come a lot easier as we move away from the isolated years of Pops, the irrelevant years of Esh, and actually have a Georgetown "community" where everyone matters and feels pride/responsible for getting the program back to an elite level.

[jacko]

Yeah, I understand the desire to keep III taken care of, but what knowledge on our end suggests that an immediate extension is as high on the priority list of coach and the AD as we hoyatalkers think it should be?

[SirSaxa]

buffalohoya said:

Why does there even HAVE to be an extension? Would it be that much of a shock to learn III decided to honor the original contract he signed a few years ago? You know, the one he BOUND himself to coach the team for five years with?

Don't get me wrong, I hope we hear he signs a 20-year extension at some point in the coming months, and I understand the value of the University capitalizing on last season to lock up III, generate greater interest in the program, etc...

... but is it possible III is a man of his word and just wants to coach the remainder of his current contract and re-evaluate his options in the spring of '09?

JT3 never threatened to leave his contract unfulfilled. He is a man of his word and has more than lived up to his end of the deal.

But in addition to the written word of the contract, there are also industry norms that you and everyone else are well aware of. This leads to at least two reasons why an extension should be executed immediately.

1. It is normal business practice in this -- and many other industries -- to reward someone for a job extremely well done by giving them a significant raise and a longer term deal. essentially, tear up that contract and sign a new one that reflects the current situation.

2. In order to lessen the chance that JT3 will entertain other offers, it would be in the University's own self-interest to negotiate a new deal right now. It's a lot easier to get a new deal done when GU is the only one who can talk to him since he is already under contract. The longer we wait, the higher the price goes and the more risk someone else will come in and steal him.


GU did announce that extension the previous coach signed, and everyone knows an extension or JT3 is a BIG issue --on campus, with alumni, with potential recruits and everyone involved. So yes, there is a very compelling reason to announce the extension when it is completed.

[HoyaSinceBirth]

even if it's not the coaches top priority I can't imagine that if the school came to three and said we want to give you a new contract and pay you more money that he'd say i don't want to deal with that right now. I could understand it before with him wanting to finish the recruiting season and hire new assistants but now that that's all done I don't think there are any more reasons to not get this deal done. If three is the one delaying this process and doesn't want to sign a new contract that definetly sounds bad like he wants to have the option to leave when this contract is up. that doesn't sound like 3 to me.

[SoCalHoya]

Another thought: perhaps III and GU reinked a new deal, but that full confidentiality was one of the terms? Perhaps even at III's insistence?

III is a pretty understated guy, and the University is pretty secretive...so it is possible.

[FromTheBeginning]

I guess we can eliminate RDF as a candidate for president of the JT Fan Club.

[StPetersburgHoya (Inactive)]

I'd hope that's not the case SoCal - that'd be a not-so-fun way of doing business from a selfish fan perspective.

[SirSaxa]

socalhoya said:

Another thought: perhaps III and GU reinked a new deal, but that full confidentiality was one of the terms? Perhaps even at III's insistence?

III is a pretty understated guy, and the University is pretty secretive...so it is possible.

Full confidentiality about the terms would not be surprising, although they would normally give the number of years. But it doesn't seem like it would serve the best interests of the University nor JT3 to keep a renewal secret. A new deal would be a positive for recruiting and certainly for alumni relations and donations.

But you are right about GU being secretive. My guess is they are still working on it..... and maybe it does include some kind of commitment regarding facilities.

[RDF]

fromthebeginning said:

I guess we can eliminate RDF as a candidate for president of the JT Fan Club.

Pops as a Basketball Coach was a hero of mine.

Pops and what he stands for in terms of social equality is a hero of mine.

Pops as a public relations spokesperson is a hypocrite and preaching things he never did.

Pops letting the program drop due to being lazy on recruiting trail hurt the program on the court, and Pops attitude towards the GU community hurt financial support--there is nothing more that can be said about him. He was responsible for building the program to a great standard and for that I'm always going to hold him in high regard--but I don't like his mouth spewing things out that he never did a damn thing to help. He likes to shoot off now because his son was running things--but as much as Esherick was a disaster of a coach-he was making the steps to try and do things that Pops should've and never did--and now Pops is pleading for financial support and giving back and making threats. PLEASE.

[TigerHoya]

In college sports, the extension thing for recruiting purposes can be a pretty big deal (i.e. you have to have at least 4-5 years when recruiting a senior so you can say you're there for their playing career.

[voltahoya]

I think it is naive to think we "out-waited" III.

All III has to do is "wait" another year and he can get a HUGE contract from someone else.

Everything comes full circle.

The administration should be ashamed of itself for not resolving this long long ago. It is embarassing and pathetic.

[Deleted]

Agree with volta. To suggest "we" somehow defeated III is ludicrous. I find it comical to think Georgetown somehow has the upper-hand with III.

The guy saved G'Town hoops. He can walk for a higher paying job - a job where he'll have every resource he could ever want - at any time. If anyone can afford to wait, its III... not G'Town.