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Is Walters committed?

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Is Walters committed?

According to this blog post, Walters is our man - for some time to come:

March 14, 2007


Question from Justin
Now that the season has passed and you're focused on next year. Like any coach you drop the lines "we haven't reached our potential" "we can be the next Gonzaga, George Mason, etc…" all the stuff the fans want to hear.

What I'm wondering is, are you going to pull a Doherty and talk about all that can be accomplished here and then bail? Or are you going to do it? You seem like an honest man and while this is a business it's more than that to many people, I believe you're one of them.

We took a chance on you and we were right, you're a great coach. But what happens when the next Conference USA school needs a coach? Are you going to remember who gave you a shot?

I'm sure you'll be offered bigger and better jobs over the next year or so but, how many coaches can be looked at as the birth of a program?

If you want some answers go ask some Louisville fans about Schnelly. Coaches come and go but the ones that start the program will always be remembered. I don't know who the 15th president of the US was but I do remember the first.



Response from head coach Rex Walters
Justin,

I really appreciate your passion for FAU Basketball. I am totally committed to getting this program to the highest level. One man can not do it alone. I will demand that my coaching staff and players out work the competition everyday that we put FAU across our chests. We truly need everyone's support to make this thing happen at FAU. A team and a basketball program is a very fragile one. I promise that everyday when I wake up my mind is on doing everything I can to get us there. I am not looking nor will I look to go somewhere else.

Don't be so hard on Matt Doherty. He put so much time and effort into this basketball program. There is no question that he left it better than the way he found it. We were lucky to have him for a year and the program was jump started by the work that he did. Money was far from the only factor that got Coach Doherty to leave for SMU. He is a good man and should be respected for what he did here.

Sincerely,

Rex Walters
Head Basketball Coach
Florida Atlantic University


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Is Walters committed?

Sounds like it to me ;)
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Is Walters committed?

one name………..Nick Saban……..i don't trust anybody anymore

"Sore Loser?!?! Tell you what, show me a Good Loser and I'll SHOW you a LOSER!!!"
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Is Walters committed?

Unless no one else noticed it, Walter said:

"Money was far from the only factor that got Coach Doherty to leave for SMU."

What was the other reasons? He didn't like FAU? He didn't like the facilities? He thought he was in a dead end coaching position?
He didn't think he would have success at FAU? He knew we were moving up to the Sunbelt the next year so he can't use a weak conference as an excuse. I would have felt better if Walters said it just about the money.

I'm glad Walters is comitted to growing the program. I think we got the better coach. Look how much work he puts in off the court trying to keep these guys in class and study hall.

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Is Walters committed?

I doubt that he meant the other reasons had to do with FAU itself. He knew about the budget and facilities when he took the job. Rex probably meant that he had family reasons for making the move….also, isn't SMU's AD a good friend of Doherty? Anyway, when people say that it wasn't about the money, it is always about the money. No one on this board or anywhere else would have turned down a $400,000 raise. He did what was best for himself and his family and FAU ended up getting a really good young coach. Let's just move on already.
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Is Walters committed?

I like Rex and he sounds sincere. However, I also remember talking to Coach Doherty last year after the A-Sun tournament at the athletic dept. mixer at Boston's, and he also sounded sincere about how he was looking forward to next season to help the team grow and mature.

It's no knock on Rex, I'm just always a little apprehensive of losing top young coaches. Especially after the success we had this season. I think Rex can do great things with this program if he sticks around a bit.

President of the No Homers Club. Keepin' it real since 2001.
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Is Walters committed?

I agree with you 44, 100%. I bumped into Doh at a Starbucks one morning, weeks after he took the SMU job, he was back closing on his old house, and he apologized for leaving but said it was just too good of an opportunity to pass up. It would be for me too!
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Is Walters committed?


faualum said

Unless no one else noticed it, Walter said:

"Money was far from the only factor that got Coach Doherty to leave for SMU."

What was the other reasons? He didn't like FAU? He didn't like the facilities? He thought he was in a dead end coaching position?
He didn't think he would have success at FAU? He knew we were moving up to the Sunbelt the next year so he can't use a weak conference as an excuse. I would have felt better if Walters said it just about the money.

I'm glad Walters is comitted to growing the program. I think we got the better coach. Look how much work he puts in off the court trying to keep these guys in class and study hall.

i dont know if anyone has caught this, or even considered it, but even after being completely dissappointed in doherty's leaving, i think i see a bigger, more thought out plan here:

Part of the equation included helping Rex along - doherty eluded to helping his assistants on a number of occassions…what was the frist thing he did - promote Rex to Associate Head Coach…making it easier to "view" him as a candidate for Head Coach…smart move…i think they both saw that major leveraging had takenplace in favor of both of them after the seasons results were in…and that FAU would make a dastardly mistake if they did not hire Rex as head coach - which they defenitely would have…so doherty sees he can move up a notch, Rex can move up a big notch, and they get two for one…they call in the "reference dogs" - Riley, Van Gundy, etc, and the rest is history…

Just a thought, but you have to assume that was definitely considered in the equation…
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Is Walters committed?

I heard from a good source that besides the money, Doherty's wife did not like Boca Raton or at least some of the snobish elements. That was a key factor for him. The money made it a no-brainer.

As far as Rex, I like his character a lot, but realistically, what do we think he is going to say, that he is keeping his eye open for better opportunities? Of course he is going to say he is commited and when he says it, he means it…BUT…that doesn't mean he won't take a better offer. I would not blame him if he left. And I would be thrilled for the time we had him just like I was with Doherty. At least we have Angelos and Brogan going after the best talent available for the budget they have to work with.
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Is Walters committed?


fauowl said

I heard from a good source that besides the money, Doherty's wife did not like Boca Raton or at least some of the snobish elements. That was a key factor for him. The money made it a no-brainer.

As far as Rex, I like his character a lot, but realistically, what do we think he is going to say, that he is keeping his eye open for better opportunities? Of course he is going to say he is commited and when he says it, he means it…BUT…that doesn't mean he won't take a better offer. I would not blame him if he left. And I would be thrilled for the time we had him just like I was with Doherty. At least we have Angelos and Brogan going after the best talent available for the budget they have to work with.

doherty's wife not liking boca and the "snobbish elements" is comparable to someone in a glass house throwing stones… is that made any sense at all… it's like a pig calling their play-pen dirty… that woman put the "snob" in "snobbish"

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