I feel like I can hear him speaking. Picture is worth 1000 wordsSpatola is both good and bad borderline irritating at times. I like ex-Poke Bryndon Manzer for his knowledgeable, objective, low-key (me) commentary.
The last week in Morgantown = trouble
- Thread starter JP4CY
- Start date
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First post on the thread had him on video saying we need his toughness. Not sure if that was unrelated though?
WVU fires men's basketball associate head coach Larry Harrison after 16 seasons
Jan. 12—MORGANTOWN — Larry Harrison's tenure as WVU's top basketball assistant coach is over. The school announced it had parted ways with Harrison, who has been on staff since Bob Huggins was hired in 2007 and was the lead recruiter and scout for many of WVU's hoops recruits. Harrison, 67, has...
WVU fires men's basketball associate head coach Larry Harrison after 16 seasons
Jan. 12—MORGANTOWN — Larry Harrison's tenure as WVU's top basketball assistant coach is over. The school announced it had parted ways with Harrison, who has been on staff since Bob Huggins was hired in 2007 and was the lead recruiter and scout for many of WVU's hoops recruits. Harrison, 67, has...news.yahoo.com
Woah... "Over the past five seasons, WVU is 28-47 during the regular season in Big 12 play with just one winning record in conference play during that time." I'm surprised it wasn't Huggins who was clipped.
What a weird timing/firing. Maybe he and Huggy were just ready for a divorce after all this time? Maybe arguing over the obnoxious kid - "if he goes then I go too". Maybe if he was covering something up, or paying some kid on the side or something. IDK, very strange.
It feels like when a football team has a bad year, you fire the OC or DC in the offseason because you aren't ready to give up on the head coach yet. But this is not usual in bball, and not usual in either sport midyear.
I watched Bob coach from his stool and many times defer the tactical, in-game stuff to Harrison, or perhaps Harrison just took it, IDK? But given that, I was surprised to see this happen. It was perhaps a personality conflict of some sort. Boys being boys. Or more likely something outside the program, not coaching.
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From coach Harrison.
Thank you to the numerous players, boosters, media, alumni, coaches, friends and fans that have reached out to me over these past days. I wish I had an explanation to share with you in regards to my unforeseen dismissal but I do not. However I can assure you that I am not the subject of any NCAA, criminal or other investigations or violation. I read the university's statement that the decision was made in the best interest of Mountaineer basketball. I can only assume that some important people believe that to be true.
To Mountaineer Nation. Thank you for your loyalty, support and friendship over the last 15 1/2 years. We had some great times! Remember our first year, 2007, when we advanced to the Sweet Sixteen with wins over Arizona and Duke; taking over the city of Indianapolis at the Final Four or my personal favorite, winning the Big East Tournament! I will always cherish the years of "Press Virginia." Thank you for the cheers and being the loudest house in the conference!
To the players, both past and present, remember I'm a phone call away and like always, 'Coach Harry got your back.' You have my continued love, loyalty and support.
Once a Mountaineer, Always a Mountaineer.
Thank you to the numerous players, boosters, media, alumni, coaches, friends and fans that have reached out to me over these past days. I wish I had an explanation to share with you in regards to my unforeseen dismissal but I do not. However I can assure you that I am not the subject of any NCAA, criminal or other investigations or violation. I read the university's statement that the decision was made in the best interest of Mountaineer basketball. I can only assume that some important people believe that to be true.
To Mountaineer Nation. Thank you for your loyalty, support and friendship over the last 15 1/2 years. We had some great times! Remember our first year, 2007, when we advanced to the Sweet Sixteen with wins over Arizona and Duke; taking over the city of Indianapolis at the Final Four or my personal favorite, winning the Big East Tournament! I will always cherish the years of "Press Virginia." Thank you for the cheers and being the loudest house in the conference!
To the players, both past and present, remember I'm a phone call away and like always, 'Coach Harry got your back.' You have my continued love, loyalty and support.
Once a Mountaineer, Always a Mountaineer.
Larry Harrison makes first public statement since being fired from WVU's men's hoops program
Jan. 17—MORGANTOWN — Former WVU men's basketball associate head coach Larry Harrison made his first public statement Tuesday morning about his firing last week from the program. In it, he calls the dismissal "unforeseen " and that he read the university's statement about the decision was made in...
Spatola just needs to quit trying to find catch phrases and odd voices and just call the game. When he does, he is pretty good. The exit to commercial is almost always a string of nonsense from him.Spatola is both good and bad borderline irritating at times. I like ex-Poke Bryndon Manzer for his knowledgeable, objective, low-key (me) commentary.
WVU needs to move on from Huggins. I've thought that now for awhile too. Modern college basketball doesn't really fit Huggins or his style. Guy is a HOF so WVU is in a tough spot.
This is a mental trap for WVU. It's like watching the final years for Bill Snyder. We believe our emotional ties to the glorious past are truth today. They are not. This gets exacerbated when the legend refuses to face the brutal facts, it's over.
For Snyder it was complicated by thinking his son, Sean, should be the successor. Very ugly to watch play out. Hopefully, Bob steps down and isn't canned as happened to 'the Wizard.'
The other major reason they are struggling? They have missed 56 free throws in 5 Big 12 games! That is while they have lost their Big 12 games:
- in OT,
- by 7,
- by 14,
- by 5,
- by 1
Averaging 11+ missed FTs a game can be a big difference when you are in that many close games. If they are hitting some free throws they could easily have won 2 of those games and possibly as many as 4 of them.
They are taking the second most free throws a game in Big 12 play and are hitting them at the worst clip - .608. That's a bad combination since it is a lot of extra empty possessions.
That's really a classy statement for an odd situation.Larry Harrison makes first public statement since being fired from WVU's men's hoops program
Jan. 17—MORGANTOWN — Former WVU men's basketball associate head coach Larry Harrison made his first public statement Tuesday morning about his firing last week from the program. In it, he calls the dismissal "unforeseen " and that he read the university's statement about the decision was made in...
Huggy Bear was one of my favorite coaches and is in the classic needs to be told to gracefully retire mode. Unlike Snyder, in addition he has close ties to WVU and could have taken better opportunities but came home. The statement by his assistant spells out the success that he has had at Morgantown. Don’t see long tenured coaches as much anymore. Ferentz at Iowa is also stressing out long term fans who want a change but don’t want to see his feelings hurt.
