The Holy Land of Hoops

Article in the DePaul school newspaper, calling for Oliver Purnell to be let go.

http://depauliaonline.com/sports/2015/0 ... r-purnell/

Same issues that we've discussed many times here in many threads...

- - -

On DePaul's fast start in-conference turning into a late season downturn:
"Think of how much of a stark contrast that was to other Big East teams like Marquette and Creighton. While those two finished in the bottom of the conference, they finished the regular season strong and both added another wrinkle to help get them past the first round of the Big East tournament. For Creighton, it was establishing an inside game while Marquette adapted an effective 2-3 zone."

"Meanwhile, Purnell’s team did the opposite. The Blue Demons started the conference with a strong inside-out game, but that changed when teams figured DePaul out. Teams often relied upon a zone defense to disrupt the Demons’ offense, and the sad thing was how predictable it would be each game. It resulted in DePaul passing the ball around the perimeter before hoisting up contested 3-pointers."

"It’s unclear if DePaul Athletic Director Jean Lenti Ponsetto is willing to move on from Purnell after Ponsetto has supported him so strongly in the past. There’s also the question if whether DePaul is willing to eat Purnell’s contract and pay another head coach. A DePaul athletics spokesman said Ponsetto was unavailable to comment after the game."

- - -

Ok, I'm maybe the biggest Big East optimist, and I see no way Purnell can succeed at DePaul. I felt this way 2 years ago, again after their Hawaii disaster, held out a glimmer of hope in early January, but now there's no way I could support him returning. Their fans are amazing and patient, and they have been destroyed over the past 5+ years. But this DePaul situation really affects all of us. Can you imagine what a competent coach could accomplish in Chicago. We're sitting on a gold mine, but nothing will improve until Purnell is replaced.

Keep it simple. Get Brian Wardle. Play some freakin defense. Run actual plays on offense. Get some discipline. Get this done. Don't drag it out, just move on today.

Following up:
The Big East is 2 or 3 years ahead of schedule already.
Of the 30 or so things we as a conference needed to accomplish, I would say that we've succeeded in 25+ of those.

So that leaves just a small handful of items.
These are among the priorities that still require some handling (and each of these is in progress and will happen, except for the Chicago thing at this point unless Purnell is replaced):

1. Get some Final Four appearances. <--- this will happen.
2. Convince AP voters to consistently rank at least half our teams. <--- this will happen.
3. Improve viewership on FS1. <--- this will happen.
4. Straighten out struggling programs. <--- this can happen with some prodding.

- On #4, securing Chicago is very important. Another wasted year without a DePaul coaching change would suck.
- #4 also applies to a much lesser extent to Willard.

billyjack wrote:Following up:
The Big East is 2 or 3 years ahead of schedule already.
Of the 30 or so things we as a conference needed to accomplish, I would say that we've succeeded in 25+ of those.

So that leaves just a small handful of items.
These are among the priorities that still require some handling:

1. Get some Final Four appearances.
2. Convince AP voters to consistently rank at least half our teams.
3. Improve viewership on FS1.
4. Straighten out struggling programs.

On #4, securing Chicago is very important. Another wasted year without a DePaul coaching change would suck.

I don't know if I would even say for #1 get some Final Four appearances. I think getting multiple sweet 16's and at least 1 elite 8 would suffice.

Oh and #1(whichever version yours or mine) would greatly help out #2 and #3...

Just for the sake of curiosity, and DePaul fans please feel free to chime in, is DePaul really this "sleeping giant" we all think? What are their practice facilities like? What is their athletics budget? To get them back on track it will probably take more than coaching change. The new arena helps, but that's really just one facet.

We are in the middle of an arms race. Every program is upgrading facilities. SLU did it with Chaifetz. VCU is doing it with their new practice facility and upgrades to their arena. Richmond just upgraded their arena. Dayton converted an older building into a new gym for athletes. That's just a few of our expansion candidates.

Among our own ranks, Marquette built the Al McGuire Center about ten years past and did a massive renovation this season. We are putting in new athletics training and research facilities. Xavier built Cintas. Butler renovated Hinkle. Creighton built a new training facility. Georgetown is building a new training facility.

Is DePaul committed to keeping up with the Joneses? Do they have the resources to? Because if not, then all the history in the world, all the coaching changes, having the largest enrollment in the league, all that means nothing. I don't want to condemn them to permanent bottom feeder status, but I don't have any evidence that they are making the necessary moves to get out of the basement.

marquette wrote:Just for the sake of curiosity, and DePaul fans please feel free to chime in, is DePaul really this "sleeping giant" we all think? What are their practice facilities like? What is their athletics budget? To get them back on track it will probably take more than coaching change. The new arena helps, but that's really just one facet.

We are in the middle of an arms race. Every program is upgrading facilities. SLU did it with Chaifetz. VCU is doing it with their new practice facility and upgrades to their arena. Richmond just upgraded their arena. Dayton converted an older building into a new gym for athletes. That's just a few of our expansion candidates.

Among our own ranks, Marquette built the Al McGuire Center about ten years past and did a massive renovation this season. We are putting in new athletics training and research facilities. Xavier built Cintas. Butler renovated Hinkle. Creighton built a new training facility. Georgetown is building a new training facility.

Is DePaul committed to keeping up with the Joneses? Do they have the resources to? Because if not, then all the history in the world, all the coaching changes, having the largest enrollment in the league, all that means nothing. I don't want to condemn them to permanent bottom feeder status, but I don't have any evidence that they are making the necessary moves to get out of the basement.

from BB State about DePaul:
by athletic expenses '13- DePaul was #5 at 25.343 million. Nova and Georgetown up at 34 million, Marquette at 29 million, St Johns at 27 million, PC at 23.6 million, SH at 21.7 mil, Butler at 18.7 mil, Creighton at 17.7 mil, and Xavier at 17.6 mil.
by basketball expenses '13- DePaul was #6 at 6.3 mil. #1 Marquette at 10.7 mil, Georgetown 2 at 9.6 mil, Nova 3 at 7.4 mil, SJ 4 at 7.4 mil(separated by 9k), SH 5 at 6.8 mil, PC 7 at 6.1 mil, Creighton 8 at 5.2 mil, X 9 at 4.3 mil and Butler 10 at 4.3mil(they're separated by about 64k).

so by the expenses they're right in the middle- but definitely at the lower end of the spectrum of the C7 group.

marquette wrote:Just for the sake of curiosity, and DePaul fans please feel free to chime in, is DePaul really this "sleeping giant" we all think? What are their practice facilities like? What is their athletics budget? To get them back on track it will probably take more than coaching change. The new arena helps, but that's really just one facet.

We are in the middle of an arms race. Every program is upgrading facilities. SLU did it with Chaifetz. VCU is doing it with their new practice facility and upgrades to their arena. Richmond just upgraded their arena. Dayton converted an older building into a new gym for athletes. That's just a few of our expansion candidates.

Among our own ranks, Marquette built the Al McGuire Center about ten years past and did a massive renovation this season. We are putting in new athletics training and research facilities. Xavier built Cintas. Butler renovated Hinkle. Creighton built a new training facility. Georgetown is building a new training facility.

Is DePaul committed to keeping up with the Joneses? Do they have the resources to? Because if not, then all the history in the world, all the coaching changes, having the largest enrollment in the league, all that means nothing. I don't want to condemn them to permanent bottom feeder status, but I don't have any evidence that they are making the necessary moves to get out of the basement.

In reality, if Depaul hadn't already been an existing member, it wouldn't be in the current BE. No way the Big East would have chosen them in an expansion move had Depaul been in some other conference a couple of years ago. No way. Depaul is a middle of the pack AAC team at best.

gavitspeaks wrote:

marquette wrote:Just for the sake of curiosity, and DePaul fans please feel free to chime in, is DePaul really this "sleeping giant" we all think? What are their practice facilities like? What is their athletics budget? To get them back on track it will probably take more than coaching change. The new arena helps, but that's really just one facet.

We are in the middle of an arms race. Every program is upgrading facilities. SLU did it with Chaifetz. VCU is doing it with their new practice facility and upgrades to their arena. Richmond just upgraded their arena. Dayton converted an older building into a new gym for athletes. That's just a few of our expansion candidates.

Among our own ranks, Marquette built the Al McGuire Center about ten years past and did a massive renovation this season. We are putting in new athletics training and research facilities. Xavier built Cintas. Butler renovated Hinkle. Creighton built a new training facility. Georgetown is building a new training facility.

Is DePaul committed to keeping up with the Joneses? Do they have the resources to? Because if not, then all the history in the world, all the coaching changes, having the largest enrollment in the league, all that means nothing. I don't want to condemn them to permanent bottom feeder status, but I don't have any evidence that they are making the necessary moves to get out of the basement.

In reality, if Depaul hadn't already been an existing member, it wouldn't be in the current BE. No way the Big East would have chosen them in an expansion move had Depaul been in some other conference a couple of years ago. No way. Depaul is a middle of the pack AAC team at best.

We want a team in Chicago, and DePaul has by far the best history. They're also a historic rival with Marquette. Also, they used to play PC and others each year in the 60s and 70s. They are definitely going to turn things around, but have to first make changes. Their struggles over the last 8 or 9 years are a huge surprise.

I am probably the "biggest" DePaul fan to post on this site. I am 52 year years old and have personally been attending 95% of DePaul's home games since 1968. I sit 3 rows behind the opposing bench and if any of you have attended a game at the Allstate, then you know who I am. I can write all day on this subject but will only hit on some.

DePaul is DEFINITELY a "sleeping giant" and bigger than St. Johns in NY. Chicago and suburbs produces the top basketball players in the country on a consistent basis. We have to find a coach (and administration) that will keep them home and do "whatever" is required to do that. It is a very corrupt area for recruiting. This is the one thing that MOST of you have no idea about.

Purnell is NOT that coach. I would like to see a combination of Ben Howland with assistants Mark Aguirre / Rod Strickland. This is the perfect combination of a solid coach and great past DePaul players who work with bigs and guards. IMO...these are 2 of DePaul's top players of all time with Chicago ties and some coaching experience.

Chicago is the number #1 sports city in this country. If they start winning, then the media everywhere will over-hype them up big-time. Chicago is also a beautiful city for recruits to live. That is more than just about any other program in the Big East can say as I am pretty sure most everyone of you would rather visit Chicago versus where your team is located. Yes, this is a strong statement but true.

On the negative side, DePaul's program has been down for 20 years now...not 8 or 9. That is a long time but there are tons of DPU fans waiting to return. But that can change instantly with a few bigger local recruits......who then follow others. That is the way DePaul has succeeded in the past.

The Allstate Arena is criticized for being a dump. The only negative about the Allstate is that it is 15 miles from campus. Otherwise, it is a very good large venue to watch college basketball when there is 10K+ in attendance. DePaul fans are not attending games most in protest. But if they put a consistent winning product on the court, it will change INSTANTLY. I have been to NCAA Tournament games at Allstate and the place is exciting.

The new stadium will be state-of-the-art and located very close to Lake Michigan in a new future entertainment district. It is a lot further from my home but should be fun.

Need a break.

I might have been a little harsh earlier. If nothing else, it looks like the financial commitment is there. Good luck with your coaching search.

Marquette,

Would you rather have a strong, healthy rival with DePaul each and every game or do you and the rest of the Big East want to kick DePaul's ass every year?

Lets be serious. You want great games.