Slice Sighting

[redken]

Did Slice decide to leave or is he being pushed out? If it is the latter and if Slice had a half-decent lawyer draw up his contract, then the only way he could be terminated "with cause" and not receive what he was entitled to for the next 6 years would basically be if he committed a felony or showed gross misconduct on the job.

That's all been understood. I think the point that has many perplexed is the length and size of the guarantee, even for a first rate assistant, and the lack of a buyout clause.

It has been rumored (by me) that Slice has been playing the same song over and over and over again:

Gotta say, '72, you've really been on a hot streak.

 

[Las Vegan]

There is a certain irony in that many of the same posters now pointing fingers were dancing in the streets when Rohressen was hired. It didn't work out and ties were properly cut expeditiously unlike the Jarvis and Lavin situations which were allowed to fester long after it was apparent the money paid was not commensurate with the effort given. Throw Roberts into that pot if you wish. The deal given Rohressen is absolutely horrible in hindsight but who on this board or the myriad of basketball "insiders" whose insights are offered regulary on this board thought it was anything but a grand slam when first announced? I certainly don't remember any criticism of the hire from anyone on this board or elsewhere. Mullin, AD, President, etc. certainly share in the blame but at the end of the day, it was a good move that just didn't work. A good analogy may be comparing it to almost any Met free agent signing; great on paper, disastrous in reality and hard to knock except in hindsight. I mean what Met fan today wouldn't have rather spent the Cespedes money on Murphy but no one, including me, a huge Murphy guy, would have said so last off-season.

I may have missed it, but I don't think too many would have been happy with the hiring, if the terms of the agreement were known. Who gives another school's second assistant a six year, $400,000+ guaranteed deal?

Who told you he gets $400,000 per annum ?
The amount is considerably higher.

Since I did not know the exact amount, I typed $400,000 +. The amount is not the point. What most of us object to is the manner in which this contract was negotiated. Given all the cronyism and grifting that went on with the previous administration, the buying out professor contracts, and having to pay off every basketball coach since Carnesecca, it's not surprising the school has serious financial problems. Good employees leave, the wrong ones are promoted, and few are ever held accountable.

 

[hnkcolumbia]

In the meantime, lets put him to work watching video and writing scouting reports on every team/player on our 2016/17 schedule.

 

[JohnnyFan]

In the meantime, lets put him to work watching video and writing scouting reports on every team/player on our 2016/17 schedule.

Agree. Assign him responsibilities away from the team. If he refuses, you have insubordination which is likely grounds for dismissal. Of course, I am sure they have thought of this and may have already done it.

 

[bamafan]

Got to be a toxic situation. I wouldn't trust him to sweep the floor.

 

[beast of the east]

Negotiation not over. Reports of sju agreeing to pay full amount untrue

 

[paultzman]

Hear SJU initial settlement offer was rejected. It is a matter of finding the number that works for both parties I sense.

 

[redken]

In the meantime, lets put him to work watching video and writing scouting reports on every team/player on our 2016/17 schedule.

Agree. Assign him responsibilities away from the team. If he refuses, you have insubordination which is likely grounds for dismissal. Of course, I am sure they have thought of this and may have already done it.

Pretty sure Slice's contract would include a detailed job description and the duties thereof. He'd be a fool to sign it otherwise.

 

[Class of 72]

In the meantime, lets put him to work watching video and writing scouting reports on every team/player on our 2016/17 schedule.

Agree. Assign him responsibilities away from the team. If he refuses, you have insubordination which is likely grounds for dismissal. Of course, I am sure they have thought of this and may have already done it.

Pretty sure Slice's contract would include a detailed job description and the duties thereof. He'd be a fool to sign it otherwise.

That's why I always added the following to all JD's I wrote back in the day: "Performs related duties".

 

[beast of the east]

Hear SJU initial settlement offer was rejected. It is a matter of finding the number that works for both parties I sense.

Not clear cut. He wants out and they want him out. Doubt it will be litigated. Imagine that sju would offer 1 year which would seem reasonable. No doubt when settled slice will end up doing pretty well

 

[usguard]

Hear SJU initial settlement offer was rejected. It is a matter of finding the number that works for both parties I sense.

Not clear cut. He wants out and they want him out. Doubt it will be litigated. Imagine that sju would offer 1 year which would seem reasonable. No doubt when settled slice will end up doing pretty well

So before all this transpired, what did he do or actually accomplish for the program. He had time and connections.
Who did he recruit. Matt has seems to have shine. It is very different recruiting at UK than at a school like SJU Dare say harder. He will collect a nice check

 

[beast of the east]

Hear SJU initial settlement offer was rejected. It is a matter of finding the number that works for both parties I sense.

Not clear cut. He wants out and they want him out. Doubt it will be litigated. Imagine that sju would offer 1 year which would seem reasonable. No doubt when settled slice will end up doing pretty well

So before all this transpired, what did he do or actually accomplish for the program. He had time and connections.
Who did he recruit. Matt has seems to have shine. It is very different recruiting at UK than at a school like SJU Dare say harder. He will collect a nice check

He did come highly regarded and was successful recruiting for Cal at Pitt, so it isn't only Kentucky. Mullin (and the rest of us) thought it was a coup to SJU to woo him over, and there was near delirium on here at the rapid fire moves including prying Slice away from Kentucky.

Looking back, Cal probably told him that if SJU was crazy enough to offer him that kind of a deal that he would be even crazier not to take it. Funny, but you wonder if he didn't have a guaranteed contract for 5 or 6 years if he would have been more cooperative with the rest of the staff and not push the envelope in helping to make this an impossible situation. Most people making that kind of money that ISN'T guaranteed will try to work things out when things go bad lest they get fired. Slice could be an ass knowing he had a guaranteed deal.

 

[frank61]

I don't think we will ever really know what really caused this breakup. For Mullin and the school to be that excited and determined to get him, and then for it all fall apart in such a short time is cataclysmic. The real truth will never be known, I don't think!

 

[stjohnschris]

I don't think we will ever really know what really caused this breakup. For Mullin and the school to be that excited and determined to get him, and then for it all fall apart in such a short time is cataclysmic. The real truth will never be known, I don't think!

I think several replies to this thread sum up the likely cause:
Two guys on staff that essentially are doing the same job.
Younger guy landing more recruits than the older guy.
Older guy realizes that it's not the situation he thought it would be

I don't see it as cataclysmic, just a reality of how things panned out in (basically) one exact year. I think it's best for everyone, Slice included, that he moves on to the next chapter. The part I don't like is how long it is taking to negotiate his buyout. This shouldn't be dragging like it is.

 

[Class of 72]

I don't think we will ever really know what really caused this breakup. For Mullin and the school to be that excited and determined to get him, and then for it all fall apart in such a short time is cataclysmic. The real truth will never be known, I don't think!

I think several replies to this thread sum up the likely cause:
Two guys on staff that essentially are doing the same job.
Younger guy landing more recruits than the older guy.
Older guy realizes that it's not the situation he thought it would be

I don't see it as cataclysmic, just a reality of how things panned out in (basically) one exact year. I think it's best for everyone, Slice included, that he moves on to the next chapter. The part I don't like is how long it is taking to negotiate his buyout. This shouldn't be dragging like it is.

EVERYTHING is a long drawn out affair at St. John's. The AD "search process" is an adventure. The payments to former coaches is a long term financial liability. The only certainty is that ticket prices will not decrease and that our ever vigilant athletic department will replace a missing "S" in time for the home opener.

 

[JohnnyFan]

Hear SJU initial settlement offer was rejected. It is a matter of finding the number that works for both parties I sense.

Not clear cut. He wants out and they want him out. Doubt it will be litigated. Imagine that sju would offer 1 year which would seem reasonable. No doubt when settled slice will end up doing pretty well

So before all this transpired, what did he do or actually accomplish for the program. He had time and connections.
Who did he recruit. Matt has seems to have shine. It is very different recruiting at UK than at a school like SJU Dare say harder. He will collect a nice check

He did come highly regarded and was successful recruiting for Cal at Pitt, so it isn't only Kentucky. Mullin (and the rest of us) thought it was a coup to SJU to woo him over, and there was near delirium on here at the rapid fire moves including prying Slice away from Kentucky.

Looking back, Cal probably told him that if SJU was crazy enough to offer him that kind of a deal that he would be even crazier not to take it. Funny, but you wonder if he didn't have a guaranteed contract for 5 or 6 years if he would have been more cooperative with the rest of the staff and not push the envelope in helping to make this an impossible situation. Most people making that kind of money that ISN'T guaranteed will try to work things out when things go bad lest they get fired. Slice could be an ass knowing he had a guaranteed deal.

Great point about the guaranteed money impacting his attitude.

 

[frank61]

I don't think we will ever really know what really caused this breakup. For Mullin and the school to be that excited and determined to get him, and then for it all fall apart in such a short time is cataclysmic. The real truth will never be known, I don't think!

I think several replies to this thread sum up the likely cause:
Two guys on staff that essentially are doing the same job.
Younger guy landing more recruits than the older guy.
Older guy realizes that it's not the situation he thought it would be

I don't see it as cataclysmic, just a reality of how things panned out in (basically) one exact year. I think it's best for everyone, Slice included, that he moves on to the next chapter. The part I don't like is how long it is taking to negotiate his buyout. This shouldn't be dragging like it is.

I do find it cataclysmic when you consider the tight money situation at the University. The school is going to have to pay out a boat load of money to an employee that they got zero productivity from. I think cataclysmic is a good word.

 

[Class of 72]

Hear SJU initial settlement offer was rejected. It is a matter of finding the number that works for both parties I sense.

Not clear cut. He wants out and they want him out. Doubt it will be litigated. Imagine that sju would offer 1 year which would seem reasonable. No doubt when settled slice will end up doing pretty well

So before all this transpired, what did he do or actually accomplish for the program. He had time and connections.
Who did he recruit. Matt has seems to have shine. It is very different recruiting at UK than at a school like SJU Dare say harder. He will collect a nice check

He did come highly regarded and was successful recruiting for Cal at Pitt, so it isn't only Kentucky. Mullin (and the rest of us) thought it was a coup to SJU to woo him over, and there was near delirium on here at the rapid fire moves including prying Slice away from Kentucky.

Looking back, Cal probably told him that if SJU was crazy enough to offer him that kind of a deal that he would be even crazier not to take it. Funny, but you wonder if he didn't have a guaranteed contract for 5 or 6 years if he would have been more cooperative with the rest of the staff and not push the envelope in helping to make this an impossible situation. Most people making that kind of money that ISN'T guaranteed will try to work things out when things go bad lest they get fired. Slice could be an ass knowing he had a guaranteed deal.

Great point about the guaranteed money impacting his attitude.

[/quote]

 

[redken]

I don't think we will ever really know what really caused this breakup. For Mullin and the school to be that excited and determined to get him, and then for it all fall apart in such a short time is cataclysmic. The real truth will never be known, I don't think!

I think several replies to this thread sum up the likely cause:
Two guys on staff that essentially are doing the same job.
Younger guy landing more recruits than the older guy. ...

And don't underestimate the friction caused by the older, "senior" assistant coach having to take the backseat to the 20-something Greg St. Jean with regard to the x's and o's and strategic input.

 

[beast of the east]

I don't think we will ever really know what really caused this breakup. For Mullin and the school to be that excited and determined to get him, and then for it all fall apart in such a short time is cataclysmic. The real truth will never be known, I don't think!

I think several replies to this thread sum up the likely cause:
Two guys on staff that essentially are doing the same job.
Younger guy landing more recruits than the older guy. ...

And don't underestimate the friction caused by the older, "senior" assistant coach having to take the backseat to the 20-something Greg St. Jean with regard to the x's and o's and strategic input.

To me, this could very well be a "management problem". You hire an associate head coach to be your presumable right hand man, and then hand off the huddle to your youngest coach. Maybe you begin listening to the instincts of your 27 year old assistant who is a top recruiter, on who to go after. Clearly, Slice wasn't happy about his position, so yea, if Mullin had Matt in his ear, it would make sense that they'd go hard after Matt's guys and be closing more of them.

Every disagreement has 2 sides to it for certain, but it was up to Mullin to manage his staff, especially since he took on role role of delegator of authorities. We probably won't hear Slice's side of it, at least until there is a settlement. It's more likely he takes his $$ and keeps quiet lest he give himself a black eye for future employment. In the end, who knows, maybe this is all on Slice and Mullin did precisiely what he should have, which is banish him at all costs.