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Message from Brandon

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G

Greenteam

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Hornet Alumni & Supporters,



The outpouring of support in recent weeks has been truly humbling. On behalf of our coaching staff and my family, THANK YOU. The whirlwind of positive energy and belief that arose from our current team, past alumni (including the signed petition of 50+ recent alums) and countless others who sent emails or took to social media to voice their encouragement has been tremendous. It had the feeling of a program and community that was unified. It felt like ‘The Sac State Way’ had become more than a just catch-phrase… it had a real life to it. A life with principles based on HONESTY, TRUST, LOVE & RESPECT. Unique qualities that would separate us from our competitors and propel us forward in the quest of a Big Sky Championship.



While the recent news reports that Sacramento State is finalizing a deal for their next head coach wasn’t what I was hoping to hear, I do respect the decision and believe that David Patrick is an accomplished professional who will do a good job leading the program. And I’m sure the University will throw their full support behind him as well. I certainly wouldn’t be surprised to see major upgrades to The Nest, a salary framework that allows for a full-time Division 1 staff, as well as a recruiting budget that opens the door for International Recruits. I can’t help but wonder what we could have accomplished if given the same opportunity in recent years?



As the saying goes, when one door closes another one opens. And maybe it’s best that this door closes. After 11 years of service to the community and our University, the very least I would expect in this situation is a phone call and update from our Athletic Director that a decision was being finalized. A courtesy that I would have never thought I would have to ask for considering that we had had a running dialogue regarding this process since the season conclusion in Boise. Instead, I got an email on Friday from our Personnel Analyst asking me to complete my separation agreement with an added note to leave my cell phone and computer in my office. In all honesty, a face-face conversation with a handshake would reflect great professionalism from a University & Department that loves to promote the ‘Hornet Family’ slogan.



Nonetheless, I will walk out with my head held high knowing that we left the program in a much better place than we found it. To all the Hornet OGs who sat on stools in our cramped locker room, practiced in a freezing Nest over Winter Break, had gameday shoot-arounds cancelled because of PE class or were kicked out of gym for Kinesiology, much LOVE & RESPECT. Each of you made me a better coach and a better person. One last thing… remember that you are the foundation that this program has been built on. #THESACSTATEWAY



Brandon Laird
 
Sac State Athletic Director Mark Orr apparently doesn't have Coach Katz' basic professionalism and class.

He had months to prepare, and had years at St. Mary's College.(It's not the President's job.) Dissappointing. The shocking aspect is he isn't respectful or intuitive enough to pass the baton graciously.
 
movielover said:
Sac State Athletic Director Mark Orr apparently doesn't have Coach Katz' basic professionalism and class.

He had months to prepare, and had years at St. Mary's College.(It's not the President's job.) Dissappointing. The shocking aspect is he isn't respectful or intuitive enough to pass the baton graciously.
Click to expand...

Keep in mind Katz threatened lawsuits prior to his last contract extension, so there is no love lost. I would have liked it had Orr had a formal meeting with Laird (and Katz) on their way out, but why risk having something you say in the dismissal meeting used against you in a potential lawsuit. Time for both sides to move on.



If anyone wants to chime in on this issue, do it now. I'll be locking this thread and the other email thread in a few days. It's time to turn the page and close this chapter of Hornet hoops.
 
We should not be surprised that this was handled unprofessionally. Nelson and Orr have gotten it wrong in their handling of Men’s basketball the last four years. Coach Laird and Coach Katz deserved so much better. They did an outstanding job graduating fine young men. I feel bad for those players to see how their coaches were treated. Much kudos to the State Hornet for telling it like it is. If this era had to end it could have been handled so much better.

https://statehornet.com/2022/04/whats-done-is-done-former-interim-sac-state-basketball-coach-calls-out-athletic-director-for-mishandling-of-his-departure-as-head-coach/
 
Disappointed (and honestly, kind of sick) of the narrative from the Katz and Laird camp these past few days.

Opinion: the fact that this group of coaches has had 13+ seasons to build a D1 program but can only produce mediocre on-court results are almost unheard of in today’s day and age. Off the court, they’ve graduated a lot of the players, and that’s great. But this is the D1 athletics business, on-court results matter too. Constantly finishing in the bottom half of the conference for years except for a couple of outlier years matter. This fan base appreciates the effort from the coaching staff this past decade-plus, but it’s time for both sides to move on. This whole stunt the staff is doing shows that they are in fact, the unprofessional party.

Professional Guidelines: Until the individual who was offered the position officially signs the contract, the position is still open. It would be both unethical and unprofessional of Mark Orr and President Nelson to “inform” Laird that he’s out of the running when the position is not officially filled still being. Asking for special treatment when this is a formal search process is unprofessional. Contract terms could always stall out, and David Patrick could always change back out; therefore, Laird was a candidate until the position is officially closed. The “handshake and look in the eye” that Laird believe is owed to him, if granted, should not take place anytime before Monday-Tuesday (when David Patrick finalized his contract with the University.), which was not “soon enough” for Laird.
 
No one was asking for special treatment. If the position was not filled then Human Resources should have been asked not to send out emails to turn in your belongings. It’s just that simple.
 
Greenteam said:
No one was asking for special treatment. If the position was not filled then Human Resources should have been asked not to send out emails to turn in your belongings. It’s just that simple.
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The contracts expired on March 31st (state holiday). They absolutely should have been told to turn in their department owned equipment on their last day by HR. That's basically standard protocol at any place of employment.
 
Most aren't arguing about the coaching change, but how it went down. Face to face is preferred, but Orr could have also called Coach Laird and let him know the decision in a short conversation. Thank him, tell him the next step, and offer support. I thought athletics was supposed to teach leadership and create role models.
 
GreenArmySwarm said:
Disappointed (and honestly, kind of sick) of the narrative from the Katz and Laird camp these past few days.
Click to expand...

+1.

The constant and consistent whining and crying coming from Katz and/or his supporters the past few years is beyond tiring.

I’d argue that the bitching and complaining they’ve done on this or any other forum is unprofessional. So pot meet kettle.

I’m done reading it. Time to move on.
 
So let's look at went on. We had no drama until what? Oh that's right Orr came to Sac St. It was always about his agenda and not doing what was right. I really hope that someday all the facts come out and everyone can see him for what he is. PURE EVIL!
 
Hard to believe that some feel that Sac State was better before Orr was here. I have been following Sac State athletics since 1990 and it is in far better shape overall than anytime in the last 32 years. I guess we would have been better to let a former coach who retired right as the season started, thus giving Orr no choice but to keep Laird on for a trial season make the long term hiring decision. Hell, let's just make Katz the AD.
 
Katz would have been a great choice for AD. Straight shooter, no bs, and cares about people. Need more people like that in college administration, and a lot of walks of life. The few people that actually read and post on this board should have been asking Nelson why he took the big donor Coach Katz brought to the University and directed the 9 million dollars he donated to the science building instead of the Nest. Was shocked when I learned of this. His involvement was the start of the “Power of a Thousand Hornets” to this day those donors have no idea what is happening with their donation. Chances are it was invested in the science building or maybe the upgrade of the football program. Hope we are all still around to banter about Hornet sports when a new facility is built.
https://www.csus.edu/news/articles/2015/10/27/sac-state-receives-$750,000-for-a-new-events-center.shtml
 
Greenteam said:
Katz would have been a great choice for AD. Straight shooter, no bs, and cares about people. Need more people like that in college administration, and a lot of walks of life. The few people that actually read and post on this board should have been asking Nelson why he took the big donor Coach Katz brought to the University and directed the 9 million dollars he donated to the science building instead of the Nest. Was shocked when I learned of this. His involvement was the start of the “Power of a Thousand Hornets” to this day those donors have no idea what is happening with their donation. Chances are it was invested in the science building or maybe the upgrade of the football program. Hope we are all still around to banter about Hornet sports when a new facility is built.
https://www.csus.edu/news/articles/2015/10/27/sac-state-receives-$750,000-for-a-new-events-center.shtml
Click to expand...

*Nelsen

As much as I want to see an events center get built, a new science building is much more important to not only the University, but the community it serves. I'd also say a new/improved building for the STEM labs is more important than an events center as well.

Power of 1000 was the seed money to get the pre-design study done. I'm pretty sure this point was covered in that thread. That said, Orr made a new events center a focal point in his press conference when he was hired and he has failed in getting that done. Good news is he hired two solid hoops coaches which will hopefully renew excitement and energy for that effort when the wins start piling up. I'm excited about the future of both MBB and WBB.
 
The only college in the state capital of the 8th largest economy in the world can't fund a science building w State and Federal funds?

Katz for AD - great idea. I wonder if starting his day at 7 AM, not 4 AM, and less travel, would have made it an OK with his health.
 
movielover said:
The only college in the state capital of the 8th largest economy in the world can't fund a science building w State and Federal funds?

Katz for AD - great idea. I wonder if starting his day at 7 AM, not 4 AM, and less travel, would have made it an OK with his health.
Click to expand...

It all goes the UCFE.
 
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