Coach Orr Pros and Cons

[Globetrotter]

What fascinates me is that Orr was more successful at Seton Hall than he has been at BG. Jim Larranaga was vastly more successful at George Mason then at BG and is now a head coach in the ACC. Now, why is this? Also, the best BG teams that we've seen since the early 80's were coached by DD1. What's more, we have have very few, if any, really terrible seasons. IMHO, all three of these guys are good Division 1 coaches worthy of our respect.

So, we've had three proven coaches come here and fall flat. Is it just them? Could this consistent mediocrity be based in part on the overall university environment? Perhaps the issue is bigger than the coaches themselves? Just a thought.

...Anderson Arena was a complete drag on the program. The last 5 years of Anderson recruits were coming to a dilapidated old building with 1000 people in attendance...good luck recruiting to that.

I'm fine with giving Orr a few more years to see how he can recruit to the Stroh Center.

Anderson Arena was part of a larger overall problem, which includes a marginal supportive university environment, a student culture of blind apathy, antipathy among the BG community, etc. Stroh does improve the situation.

Orr is on contract through thru 2013-14. You're right, maybe we'll see a bump in recruiting over the next few years.

I was hoping for better attendance this year. A brand new arena, a very competitive team, a 15-3 home record and an average attendance of 2,147. The last 3 years at Anderson we averaged about 1,700. I don't consider an increase of 400 to be acceptable.

You have to walk before you can run. That 400 more butts in the seats is actually an increase of about 23 percent. For one year: that's damn good.

The problem at BG for years and years has been one of a culture of apathy that begins with not having the facilities to recruit against rival league schools, and then moves on to getting better recruits in the building, winning more games, building more interest and, after a few years of success, a complete cultural change.

BG basketball now has the money to compete at a much higher level among mid major schools. Right now, I believe they are under achieving, and recruiting and coaching are a big part of that.

There is no reason BG can't bring in a bigger "name" coach and get this turned completely around. With basketball, it can happen in a hurry, as Curt Miller has shown, and it can happen at a place like BG.

Of course, the impetus to get all this moving in the right direction has to come from the athletic director with the support of the Board of Trustees.

If they would truly put forth a plan to upgrade BG's men's basketball, it could be done in a relatively short time. It just takes the right hire.

Get the right man in place, with these facilities and the financial backing the program now has, and there's no reason BG can't get back to the NCAA tourney and get students excited about the program again.

We had all of those things from 98-2003 and we seemed to be able to recruit fine.

I wasn't aware that BG went to the NCAA tournament during that time. In fact, BG never got beyond the first round of the MAC tournament the two years they had decent teams, including winning the East one season.

BG can do better now -- but they have to have an administration willing to take that next step.

Daniels and Mcleods teams were both loaded with talent.

[BleedOrange]

What fascinates me is that Orr was more successful at Seton Hall than he has been at BG. Jim Larranaga was vastly more successful at George Mason then at BG and is now a head coach in the ACC. Now, why is this? Also, the best BG teams that we've seen since the early 80's were coached by DD1. What's more, we have have very few, if any, really terrible seasons. IMHO, all three of these guys are good Division 1 coaches worthy of our respect.

So, we've had three proven coaches come here and fall flat. Is it just them? Could this consistent mediocrity be based in part on the overall university environment? Perhaps the issue is bigger than the coaches themselves? Just a thought.

...Anderson Arena was a complete drag on the program. The last 5 years of Anderson recruits were coming to a dilapidated old building with 1000 people in attendance...good luck recruiting to that.

I'm fine with giving Orr a few more years to see how he can recruit to the Stroh Center.

Anderson Arena was part of a larger overall problem, which includes a marginal supportive university environment, a student culture of blind apathy, antipathy among the BG community, etc. Stroh does improve the situation.

Orr is on contract through thru 2013-14. You're right, maybe we'll see a bump in recruiting over the next few years.

I was hoping for better attendance this year. A brand new arena, a very competitive team, a 15-3 home record and an average attendance of 2,147. The last 3 years at Anderson we averaged about 1,700. I don't consider an increase of 400 to be acceptable.

You have to walk before you can run. That 400 more butts in the seats is actually an increase of about 23 percent. For one year: that's damn good.

The problem at BG for years and years has been one of a culture of apathy that begins with not having the facilities to recruit against rival league schools, and then moves on to getting better recruits in the building, winning more games, building more interest and, after a few years of success, a complete cultural change.

BG basketball now has the money to compete at a much higher level among mid major schools. Right now, I believe they are under achieving, and recruiting and coaching are a big part of that.

There is no reason BG can't bring in a bigger "name" coach and get this turned completely around. With basketball, it can happen in a hurry, as Curt Miller has shown, and it can happen at a place like BG.

Of course, the impetus to get all this moving in the right direction has to come from the athletic director with the support of the Board of Trustees.

If they would truly put forth a plan to upgrade BG's men's basketball, it could be done in a relatively short time. It just takes the right hire.

Get the right man in place, with these facilities and the financial backing the program now has, and there's no reason BG can't get back to the NCAA tourney and get students excited about the program again.

I love your optimism, and I'm hoping for what you describe. In fact, I've been for such changes for a long, long, long, long time. I'm going to revisit your post every day just to keep my juices flowing.

In my experience, this culture of apathy has been a quasi-institution and Bowling Green State University. This culture of apathy was clearly dyed into the fabric of student culture when I arrived on campus in 1985. Over the decades, this rich heritage of apathy has been passed across the successive generations of students to the present day. This apathy is seemingly baked into the bricks of our hallowed structures. It's odor emanates from the dormitory walls. Overcoming this apathy will be like take like taking the oxygen out of the campus air.

[Globetrotter]

The student section was packed from 1999-2003.

[Falcon137]

So do people want what Curt Miller has built? That's totally fine with me and I would be happy with that. Still, the only way into the NCAA tournament for BG's women (EVERY YEAR) is to win the MAC tournament, plain and simple.

However, it sounds like a lot of people want BG to become a school like Xavier or Gonzaga. That simply isn't going to happen.

[Globetrotter]

So do people want what Curt Miller has built? That's totally fine with me and I would be happy with that. Still, the only way into the NCAA tournament for BG's women (EVERY YEAR) is to win the MAC tournament, plain and simple.

However, it sounds like a lot of people want BG to become a school like Xavier or Gonzaga. That simply isn't going to happen.

Right now I would settle for BG being a school like Akron or Kent and move up to Xavie and Gonzaga. There is no reason for that not to happen.

[hammb]

So do people want what Curt Miller has built? That's totally fine with me and I would be happy with that. Still, the only way into the NCAA tournament for BG's women (EVERY YEAR) is to win the MAC tournament, plain and simple.

However, it sounds like a lot of people want BG to become a school like Xavier or Gonzaga. That simply isn't going to happen.

Right now I would settle for BG being a school like Akron or Kent and move up to Xavie and Gonzaga. There is no reason for that not to happen.

I don't know if being the next Butler or Gonzaga is doable or not, but I suppose it's conceivable. While I'd love to see that, it's not what I expect.

What I expect is that we should be the premier basketball program in the MAC. We have the best facility, and we recently received the largest gift in MAC history and it was tied specifically to basketball. I know it will take a while to see that money, but it's funding we CAN count on having. I believe we owe it to those that donated that money to make sure we are using it to truly improve the program...not simply maintain the status quo for a really long time.

We have money to not only buy out our current coaching staff, but to finally invest in bringing in a top flight candidate for the position.

And I agree there is a culture of apathy here. I was fortunate enough to be in school during a period where the apathy was not there, and I'm pretty sure I know exactly what drove that apathy away. And it's the biggest of cons in Coach Orr's book, IMO. He doesn't market the program. Clawson has a ways to go in this regard as well. Dakich & Meyer both did a tremendous job drumming up interest in their teams both among the townies and the student population. I firmly believe that is possibly the most important attribute any BG head coach can have...they MUST drum up the support for their program. I know that many will say it shouldn't be part of being a division 1 head coach, and I'd largely agree, but at BG it is simply essential to the position.

Orr may be a decent coach, but he is not right for BG, IMO. We need somebody with charisma and enthusiasm that can bring in the fans, AND put a winning product on the floor. With our facility and our future funding there is no reason to be satisfied with anything less than being the class of the MAC.

[Matty B]

There is no reason BG can't bring in a bigger "name" coach and get this turned completely around. With basketball, it can happen in a hurry, as Curt Miller has shown, and it can happen at a place like BG.

Of course, the impetus to get all this moving in the right direction has to come from the athletic director with the support of the Board of Trustees.

If they would truly put forth a plan to upgrade BG's men's basketball, it could be done in a relatively short time. It just takes the right hire.

Get the right man in place, with these facilities and the financial backing the program now has, and there's no reason BG can't get back to the NCAA tourney and get students excited about the program again.

Oh really? A bigger "name" coach? We need someone you've heard of in order to be considered "qualified" for this job? How much bigger of a "name" can we get to BG? Since Orr is a former BIG EAST coach of the year, and we clearly "need" to be shooting for a bigger "name" we should be targeting current Big East Coach of the Year candidates like Notre Dame's Mike Brey or Marquette's Buzz Williams. Either of those would surely be chomping at the bit for the BG job. MAC schools generally don't bring in big names, but rather produce them. (i.e. Laranagga, Waters, Heath, etc and in football Meyer, Kelly, Hoke, etc), Gee whiz, this is almost as bad as NFL fans being upset at their team for not bringing in a "big name" offensive lineman in free agency.

As for Coach Orr, he's had four full recruiting seasons now, and only 1 of those were recruiting to the Stroh, and he's got BG competing closely with the top teams in the conference. We had an exciting season, a great home record, and the feeling that we can beat any team in the conference going into the tournament. That's all you can ask for from the coach. It's up to the players from there. I think Coach Orr has done a great job of putting these kids in a position to win, and I expect to see that continue this week and hopefully seasons to come.

[hammb]

There is no reason BG can't bring in a bigger "name" coach and get this turned completely around. With basketball, it can happen in a hurry, as Curt Miller has shown, and it can happen at a place like BG.

Of course, the impetus to get all this moving in the right direction has to come from the athletic director with the support of the Board of Trustees.

If they would truly put forth a plan to upgrade BG's men's basketball, it could be done in a relatively short time. It just takes the right hire.

Get the right man in place, with these facilities and the financial backing the program now has, and there's no reason BG can't get back to the NCAA tourney and get students excited about the program again.

Oh really? A bigger "name" coach? We need someone you've heard of in order to be considered "qualified" for this job? How much bigger of a "name" can we get to BG? Since Orr is a former BIG EAST coach of the year, and we clearly "need" to be shooting for a bigger "name" we should be targeting current Big East Coach of the Year candidates like Notre Dame's Mike Brey or Marquette's Buzz Williams. Either of those would surely be chomping at the bit for the BG job. MAC schools generally don't bring in big names, but rather produce them. (i.e. Laranagga, Waters, Heath, etc and in football Meyer, Kelly, Hoke, etc), Gee whiz, this is almost as bad as NFL fans being upset at their team for not bringing in a "big name" offensive lineman in free agency.

As for Coach Orr, he's had four full recruiting seasons now, and only 1 of those were recruiting to the Stroh, and he's got BG competing closely with the top teams in the conference. We had an exciting season, a great home record, and the feeling that we can beat any team in the conference going into the tournament. That's all you can ask for from the coach. It's up to the players from there. I think Coach Orr has done a great job of putting these kids in a position to win, and I expect to see that continue this week and hopefully seasons to come.

Sorry, but I don't agree.

I expect my coach to help players develop during their college career and that doesn't happen here. Our seniors are no better today than they were as sophomores. Our Juniors were pretty static this year as well. Orr has not shown any ability whatsoever to turn these kids into better basketball players than what they are when they first step foot on the BG campus.

And he hasn't recruited a single guard that would start on a good MAC team and he's had 5 years to do so.

[Globetrotter]

There is no reason BG can't bring in a bigger "name" coach and get this turned completely around. With basketball, it can happen in a hurry, as Curt Miller has shown, and it can happen at a place like BG.

Of course, the impetus to get all this moving in the right direction has to come from the athletic director with the support of the Board of Trustees.

If they would truly put forth a plan to upgrade BG's men's basketball, it could be done in a relatively short time. It just takes the right hire.

Get the right man in place, with these facilities and the financial backing the program now has, and there's no reason BG can't get back to the NCAA tourney and get students excited about the program again.

He was Big East coach of the year and then dismised shortly after. Seems like more of an anomoly to me.
Oh really? A bigger "name" coach? We need someone you've heard of in order to be considered "qualified" for this job? How much bigger of a "name" can we get to BG? Since Orr is a former BIG EAST coach of the year, and we clearly "need" to be shooting for a bigger "name" we should be targeting current Big East Coach of the Year candidates like Notre Dame's Mike Brey or Marquette's Buzz Williams. Either of those would surely be chomping at the bit for the BG job. MAC schools generally don't bring in big names, but rather produce them. (i.e. Laranagga, Waters, Heath, etc and in football Meyer, Kelly, Hoke, etc), Gee whiz, this is almost as bad as NFL fans being upset at their team for not bringing in a "big name" offensive lineman in free agency.

As for Coach Orr, he's had four full recruiting seasons now, and only 1 of those were recruiting to the Stroh, and he's got BG competing closely with the top teams in the conference. We had an exciting season, a great home record, and the feeling that we can beat any team in the conference going into the tournament. That's all you can ask for from the coach. It's up to the players from there. I think Coach Orr has done a great job of putting these kids in a position to win, and I expect to see that continue this week and hopefully seasons to come.

I dont mind his recruiting so much. Its player development, offense, game management and community involvement where I think we could improve.

[BleedOrange]

The student section was packed from 1999-2003.

Globe, hammbone, you guys were student around 1999-2003, correct?

We had a good student section then, yeah. However, how representative was this for the campus as a whole? Did the student as a whole seem aware of the basketball team? Or, was the student section composed of a relative handful of maniacs who actually paid attention?

Those student sections went from 60 to 0 in no time flat.

[Globetrotter]

The student section was packed from 1999-2003.

Globe, hammbone, you guys were student around 1999-2003, correct?

We had a good student section then, yeah. However, how representative was this for the campus as a whole? Did the student as a whole seem aware of the basketball team? Or, was the student section composed of a relative handful of maniacs who actually paid attention?

Those student sections went from 60 to 0 in no time flat.

We were spoiled. That was the last time we were really good at either sport. (FWIW I just looked up the hockey records over the past 12 years.....bad. 1 winning season. Thats awful. )

[Rollo83]

There is no reason BG can't bring in a bigger "name" coach and get this turned completely around. With basketball, it can happen in a hurry, as Curt Miller has shown, and it can happen at a place like BG.

Of course, the impetus to get all this moving in the right direction has to come from the athletic director with the support of the Board of Trustees.

If they would truly put forth a plan to upgrade BG's men's basketball, it could be done in a relatively short time. It just takes the right hire.

Get the right man in place, with these facilities and the financial backing the program now has, and there's no reason BG can't get back to the NCAA tourney and get students excited about the program again.

Oh really? A bigger "name" coach? We need someone you've heard of in order to be considered "qualified" for this job? How much bigger of a "name" can we get to BG? Since Orr is a former BIG EAST coach of the year, and we clearly "need" to be shooting for a bigger "name" we should be targeting current Big East Coach of the Year candidates like Notre Dame's Mike Brey or Marquette's Buzz Williams. Either of those would surely be chomping at the bit for the BG job. MAC schools generally don't bring in big names, but rather produce them. (i.e. Laranagga, Waters, Heath, etc and in football Meyer, Kelly, Hoke, etc), Gee whiz, this is almost as bad as NFL fans being upset at their team for not bringing in a "big name" offensive lineman in free agency.

As for Coach Orr, he's had four full recruiting seasons now, and only 1 of those were recruiting to the Stroh, and he's got BG competing closely with the top teams in the conference. We had an exciting season, a great home record, and the feeling that we can beat any team in the conference going into the tournament. That's all you can ask for from the coach. It's up to the players from there. I think Coach Orr has done a great job of putting these kids in a position to win, and I expect to see that continue this week and hopefully seasons to come.

Sorry, but I don't agree.

I expect my coach to help players develop during their college career and that doesn't happen here. Our seniors are no better today than they were as sophomores. Our Juniors were pretty static this year as well. Orr has not shown any ability whatsoever to turn these kids into better basketball players than what they are when they first step foot on the BG campus.

And he hasn't recruited a single guard that would start on a good MAC team and he's had 5 years to do so.

+1

[Globetrotter]

Con, play lazy on offense and defense and lose to a crappy team to end the season. 16-15=NOT GOOD ENOUGH

[Falcon137]

Con, play lazy on offense and defense and lose to a crappy team to end the season. 16-15=NOT GOOD ENOUGH

+1

[gmartin]

After poor coaching decisions against UB and not having this team prepared and failing to win against an #11 seed I think he just sealed his fate.