hoopjunkie
Associate Head Coach
Posts: 12,495
Dislikes:
|
Post by hoopjunkie on Mar 21, 2024 0:05:42 GMT -5
I was wrong with the local alum coach keeping his job for life. I’m surprised but a change was definitely needed. Somebody was reading the board. Or reading the crowds at the last 5 or 6 home games. The ones were Carm said there wa$ 5000 there.
|
|
hoopjunkie
Associate Head Coach
Posts: 12,495
Dislikes:
|
Post by hoopjunkie on Mar 21, 2024 0:09:15 GMT -5
I was wrong with the local alum coach keeping his job for life. I’m surprised but a change was definitely needed. Somebody was reading the board. I'm not sure what's worse: thinking administration reads this board or the administration does in fact read this board and makes decisions based on it You waited 2 years to make this your first post? This board is actually a pretty good way to hear what the REAL fans think. Sure, we may be a little extreme, but the posters out here are pretty knowledgeable and in touch with this program a lot more than most.
|
|
|
Post by hardwood on Mar 21, 2024 2:56:46 GMT -5
I was wrong with the local alum coach keeping his job for life. I’m surprised but a change was definitely needed. Somebody was reading the board. I'm not sure what's worse: thinking administration reads this board or the administration does in fact read this board and makes decisions based on it Of course they read it, I mean who wouldn’t want to know what fans are really thinking? The amount of interest in the stands was also echoed here, long time posters disappeared because of Ca4m, either because he drove the program into the ground or they weren’t up to the accurate critique of his abilities. Many, many longtime Siena fans were turning their back to the program not just because of Ca4m but the horrendous coaching choices since Fran left. If they wanted consistency in a coach they better pick a winner, personally I’d much rather deal with coaches moving up rather than being fired as there’s still a search one way or the other.
|
|
|
Post by MTS on Mar 22, 2024 17:18:50 GMT -5
I think Carm has a bigger ego than Jimmy. The guy flirting with Fordham after two years always rubbed me the wrong way. Looks like Bobby got thrown under the bus.
|
|
hoopjunkie
Associate Head Coach
Posts: 12,495
Dislikes:
|
Post by hoopjunkie on Mar 22, 2024 17:34:23 GMT -5
Wish the article wasnt blocked. Looks like a good read! If you have an iPhone click on the two aA in the top left corner and just click show reader Tried that. "Show reader" is faded, so pretty sure its not an option.
|
|
|
Post by marshotel on Mar 22, 2024 17:42:23 GMT -5
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL: “They didn’t want me anymore” Maciariello on firing from head coach of Siena Saints’ now former head coach shares his side of termination; reflects on what went wrong Author By DREW WEMPLE | dwemple@saratogian.com | dwemple@saratogian.com PUBLISHED: March 22, 2024 at 3:35 p.m. | UPDATED: March 22, 2024 at 3:53 p.m.
CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. — After the Siena College men’s basketball team was eliminated from the Metro Atlantic Conference Tournament with a 67-65, opening-round loss to Niagara University, then head coach Carmen Maciariello was asked by a reporter in his post-game press conference, what he thought he had learned after the program’s record worst 4-28 season?
The Siena head coach’s answer was one of hope and optimism, as after five years at the helm, which included a MAAC regular season and conference tournament championship in year one, and co-share of the regular season crown in year two, and even getting a vote of confidence in the media from Athletic Director/Vice President John D’Argenio midseason of this year’s campaign, Maciariello planned to go forward as normal in the newly arrived offseason.
On Thursday, in an interview with the Troy Record following the official announcement from D’Argenio and the Siena men’s basketball program on Wednesday that there would be a change in leadership via the firing of Maciariello, it felt prudent to revisit the topic.
“One, you have to really keep your circle small. You really can’t let too many people in, especially into decisions. But, you really have to evaluate how you do things. I think you know, my other adjustment next season would have been, I would have went back to the coordinator system; I really think I’m better as, kind of like a CEO, as opposed to having to be the head coach and worry about the offense, worry about the defense, or install this, or install that because I think that’s not how I’m built,” the now former, head coach said.
“I think the biggest thing is, and I’ve learned this, to just always try to always be myself; always be who I am and always be honest and genuine, but I think now, with the lack of loyalty in college athletics and the lack of loyalty in college basketball, especially, it’s building one-year teams… it’s funny, you get kids now, going into end of the year meetings with requests that they need certain things. So, the ability to find thankful and appreciative young men in this society now, that they’re being raised in where everything is about money, is hard.”
“I think that was going to be the next adjustment to, that’s why we were going with the junior college route and we were going to go with some Division II transfers, as well, on top of some, little, power-five conference transfers, but you know, some guys that were maybe in the upper level that were coming from schools where there wasn’t much NIL (name image likeness) money because you don’t want to depend on an NIL to build a roster because it makes sometimes more issues than it is worth.”
Maciariello had left Atlantic City following the loss, still with two years left on his latest contract extension, hot on the recruiting trail to build next season’s roster, already having one commit in his pocket, in Cedar Park, Texas, combo-guard JoJo Moore, another soon on the way, in Brooklyn guard Jakai Sanders, and the NCAA’s Transfer Portal set to open this past Monday, with a team exodus not unexpected after the sluggish campaign.
Recruiting wasn’t the only plan Maciariello was putting in place.
“I had one game left to schedule and it wasn’t going to be a road game to be, it was to be able to get another home game back; we had talked about having a exhibition game at home against like Union (College), or like a Skidmore (College) – a Division III school to get these guys acclimated to the (MVP) arena. I had talked to Fr. Mark Reamer about actually doing a ritual, or some sort of prayer, like a baptismal washing of the MVP Arena, so we could get all of this season out of us. So yeah, I was moving forward with everything: how I was going to build the roster, I was gonna make some staff adjustments, and John (D’Argenio) and I actually had a plan in place, just moving forward for 2024-25, of how we could be better.
“There was going to be a meet-and-greet, or like a open forum for season ticket holders to come and ask me questions and ask John (D’Argenio) questions, where I could own what happened this year as it being on me, as the head coach, regardless of injuries or external forces. I still have to win games and I was going to own that and then there was going to be a way to get some ticket sales…why am I doing all that if I’m going to be let go?”
“I was just working and I had no idea. I had not gotten any word from the President (Chuck Seifert), John (D’Argenio) had not spoken to my advisor, who had reached out just to touch base and he hadn’t heard back, so, I’m thinking everything’s fine, right? You don’t just let somebody work and spend money and set up official visits and get kids signed and all that stuff.”
On Wednesday morning, the former Siena coach sat in the office of the women’s basketball teams’ assistant coach Terry Primm, as he recalls, “just catching up and talking about the college landscape.” He had seen the school’s Assistant A.D. and Director of Communications walk past without a normal hello and knew something was up. By the time Maciariello had returned to his office, he had a message from a separate Assistant A.D. waiting on his phone to meet with D’Argenio and knew the time had come.
“I get that text, I called my wife and was like, ‘Hey, I don’t think this is going to be good,” Maciariello said. “There was no anger or animosity. John D’Argenio just started by saying, ‘These are always tough conversations,’ and I kind of cut him off and I said, ‘John, I get it.'”
“I said, ‘We didn’t win enough this year; that’s on me. I appreciate the opportunity,’ and I said, ‘I hope you know how much of my heart and soul and my family’s life we have put into this program, and to always run it the right way and with class, honor, and integrity, and that’s all you can do, is do things the right way. Maybe, I was a little naive and trusted some people that I probably shouldn’t have, or relied on people that I probably shouldn’t have, but, it’s a learning lesson, right?”
“Siena expects to win every year and that’s what makes it so special. For me, as a first-time head coach at Siena, that’s a pretty hard job with the expectations and I thought I did a good job in my first four years managing it and then there was just some things outside of my control this season that I really couldn’t control and it’s unfortunate, but you learn from it, you move on and my wife and I are thankful, our kids are happy and healthy, and now I get to spend a little more time with them to figure out the next step.”
D’Argenio spoke to the media on Wednesday afternoon, following a written press release that had made the firing official, after reports had surfaced that morning on social media. D’Argenio said he had to wait until the school’s women’s basketball team finished its MAAC Tournament slate and then return home from Atlantic City to meet with President Chuck Seifert, to deliberate the program’s future.
As for his earlier vote of confidence, D’Argenio said “We ran out of time,” in regards to a turnaround from the point in which the season had started, denoting the firing came down heavily to this season’s final record, and last year’s finish, of six consecutive losses.
“The fact that we were able to build and flip a roster, year in and year out, means that they didn’t want me anymore. It’s not difficult to see, right? That what it comes down to and you could say it’s a business decision, they’re worried about attendance at the arena, and Siena depends so much on its basketball program to be a pillar of the community. Well, that’s all I’ve ever been was a pillar in the community,” said Maciariello.
Siena will have to flip its roster again this year. Nine players on last season’s roster have entered the NCAA Transfer portal since its opening on Monday, including six since the news of Maciariello’s firing. Neither sophomore guards Michael Eley, whose entrance to the portal was announced Monday, nor Mason Courtney, who entered Wednesday, responded to the Troy Record’s request for comment on the decisions.
As for the two prior commits, Maciariello said he spoke with both after hearing of his terminated future as head coach.
“I talked to Jakai and his coach and his assistant coach, yesterday, and Jakai was upset. He said he really wanted to play for me and I told him I’d still be able to help and help guide him, so he’s going to de-commit, and then I was texting with Jojo Moore, from Texas, who probably, most likely, will get out of his National Letter of Intent,” said Maciariello, “then I had to tell a bunch of different kids that we had lined up for official visits, ‘thank you for believing in us, but I was just let go.”
Neither Moore, nor Sanders responded to messages left by The Record, but it had been reported Wednesday by the Times Union, Sanders’ status, who is only a verbal commit, was to, “be determined,” and Moore, “had to talk things over with his family.”
After his torrid, first two seasons to start his tenure as head coach of the Saints, winning 32 of his first 56 games along with two regular season titles and one conference tournament trophy, the ship could never quite be righted in the post-COVID era for Maciariello, finishing with a 68-72, overall mark across his five years as lead.
As years of eligibility, NIL money, and transfer notifications reached never-before-seen highs in the college basketball world, Maciariello and the Saints came back down to Earth, going just 15-14 in year three and 17-15 in year four. In that 2022-23 season, the Saints had started 17-9 before its end-of-season, downward spiral, and this past year, the rest was history.
“Anthony Gaines, blows his knee out, the last play of the last, regular season game. He’s an All-conference guard. So now, you have two days to get ready to go play in the conference tournament, without arguably your most versatile and best defender, player…the alpha of your team. So, I that that year (2022) was fine; I thought that was a good team and then you also had Colby Rogers there, who was really good. But, then you go to the next year (2023) and you peak early after you beat Florida State, Seton Hall, and play Ole Miss tough, and they’re all on National TV. I mean, it’s the same, obviously the players change, the roster was mine, and maybe that was the issue with this year’s team- I didn’t recruit enough competition. I thought guys were going to be able to really grow and hold themselves accountable and understand what an honor and privilege it was to play and to have the ability to play, but they weren’t mature enough and there was no alpha,” said Maciariello.
“This sophomore class had (Jackson) Stormo, and (Andrew) Platek, and Jayce (Johnson), and (Michael) Baer, and had those guys as seniors or graduates to help them when they were freshmen. There was no one to help the freshmen or the sophomores because they weren’t ready yet and that’s on me for not recruiting an older guy or veteran leader, and usually, that has to be your point guard. A veteran point guard was what we’re trying to find and we couldn’t find a veteran point guard that we wanted and that wanted to come to Siena as well.”
While the Siena program will look to replace the alum and Shenendehowa graduate with what will be a National search, Maciariello plans to search for a next move himself. Although, his name may not be resurfacing in candidate pools immediately, on his own accord.
“I’m gonna take some time and my wife and I will sit down and think about what our next move is. Obviously, this is a community that I grew up in and I was raised in and I’ve been here a long time and I’ve done so many different things to help this community, in terms of Play it Foreward 518 (nonprofit) and the, you know, the United Way of the Greater Capital Region (social services organization) and Coaches vs. Cancer and different Arthritis Foundations; just so many different things,” Maciariello said. “So, we’ll sit down and we’ll figure out the next step and it’ll be a family decision, but, the goal is to learn from these mistakes and I should have some opportunities out there, whether it’s to be an assistant, or a head coach, depending on what happens in certain situations. But, for me, it’s- you learn and you move on.”
“I don’t really hold on to things and I think I’m a little different than my wife; I have the ability to kind of just keep going we’re just just trying to make sure she’s good too because no one talks about the wives or the families that are affected, and I wouldn’t be here without my wife and my wonderful kids and my mom and dad and my sister and my brother in law and all my friends.”
|
|
siena77
Sophomore
Posts: 616
Dislikes:
|
Post by siena77 on Mar 22, 2024 18:22:16 GMT -5
Thank you for posting this.
In business you sometimes receive long emails from employees that are so complex, so filled with misperceptions and half-truths, the best thing to do is to let them go unanswered so you don't get into a pissing contest. Suffice to say Carm is gone, good luck to him and his family, and let's move forward.
|
|
james
Junior
Posts: 812
Dislikes:
|
Post by james on Mar 22, 2024 19:03:38 GMT -5
Wow, He finally got everyone, Bobby and coaches, Talked to Jakai and told him he would still be able to help and help guide him! So in the end throws the Saints under the bus by talking to recruits not to tell them how special Siena is but to help Jakai and guide him and whatever else he told Jo Jo. GO SAINTS!!
|
|
|
Post by MTS on Mar 22, 2024 19:31:06 GMT -5
Gentlemen, you won’t have Maciarellio to kick around anymore.
This sounds a lot like Richard Nixon’s press conference in 1962 after he lost the governor‘s race in California.
Good news for Carm, Nixon was elected president six years later.
|
|