Hunting Big (?) Game he is

[muskieman]

Like I said osu means nothing to X's schedule and playing them doesn't excite me. They have been successful in recent years with Thad but they are not a basketball power and there are many other schools I would rather see X play and beat any year. Xavier should not be in a position that they need to play a school that for year would not play us because we beat them in the nit ages ago.

As for recruiting go to the elite eight and better on a consistent basis and recruits will find their way to X.

[gundun]

muskieman---
I, too, would rather play a game against a NYC area basketball power (eg, St. John's or Seton Hall) and use it as a recruiting tool. This is especially true with BOOK here. Let's utilize his base to our best advantage.

[muskieman]

NYC yes and SEC land too. Sure we want the local star but the Walkers and Williams were east coast players that helped X as they grew.

Sean has made the US as his stomping grounds in his search for talent. I hope it also bring games from a variety of teams from all over....ASU, Tenn, Duke, etc.

[Xman95]

What's funny is that while Thad was here, I'm sure I was critical of some of his coaching moves and/or results, and most likely MOR and Wise were all over me for not being loyal enough, or supportive enough, and they would be sticking up for our then-coach.

Then Matta commits the "unforgiveable" sin of changing jobs, which Bob, Pete and Skip did as well, and dozens of coaches do every friggin' year, but he admittedly handled it badly. So what? I repeat, so what?

If his 3-year coaching record had been something like 45-53, we could say "good riddance". Or if he brought down NCAA sanctions on X, we could say the same. All he did was win, win big, and move on.

Grow up, little girls. Respect what he did while at X, and enjoy our current success as well. They're not mutually exclusive.

I appreciate the results the program had while he was at X. But for you to try and lump his going to OSU with what guys like Gillen and Skip did...not even close. I'm in your corner on quite a few issues, but not this one. Matta went about his move the wrong way. There was an apparent lack of respect for the Xavier players and the university. That wasn't the case with Pete and Skip. Maybe it's because they cared more for X. Perhaps it's because a parting of the ways was best for all parties when they left. Or maybe they just had more class than Thad. I don't know. But, what I do know, is that he was a worm the way he went about moving up I-71. That's why so many people still love Gillen and Prosser, while so many can't stand Matta.

Should people get over it? Who knows? For some it doesn't matter much and they now view it as a non-issue. Those people are probably already over it. But, for others, it was a bigger deal. It was a family member who seemed to enjoy living with us but, one day, started living in the neighbor's house without even saying goodbye to us. There are some people who will never forgive him for that and, honestly, that's their choice and I don't think they should have to get over it. It was a big deal to them, it hurt them, and everyone's wounds heal at a different pace. Some never heal.

[somebody]

I am with Mr. Neutral on the Matta departure. Yes, he handled it badly; everyone knows that. But did he disrespect the players and the school? Personally I have always thought that was over the top. Yes, he did it badly and if he had it to do over I have a strong feeling he would do it differently. But if people choose to believe otherwise that is their right. As for me, I have long ago moved on and feel it would be nice if all did so, but I guess that will not be the case. Personally, I was embarrassed about the Xavier fans at the tournament game and it did not help that I now live in central Ohio and most of my friends are Buckeye fans.