From Sha

[Halldan1]

Pirate Nation —

I hope that you and your loved ones are doing well. I wanted to take some time to check in with you, our Onward Setonia supporters, and to send my appreciation.

Last season had ups and downs, but I hope it brought you joy and everlasting memories. As we continue to push forward, my goal continues to be building a championship program at Seton Hall. After we beat Indiana State to win the NIT, I told the team in the locker room that they had no idea what they had just done. We not only brought a trophy back to New Jersey, but we laid the foundation for what future Seton Hall teams will look and play like. Whenever there is an opportunity to compete and represent Seton Hall, we will give it everything we have. We will always play with my mantra: DESIRE. DEDICATION. DISCIPLINE.

I hope that comes across to you all, our Onward Setonia supporters. Your generosity not only provides name, image and likeness opportunities for student-athletes, it also plays a critical role in the future of our program. A phrase I kept repeating last season was “step by step.” Each victory was a step. The NIT championship was a step. Your unwavering support for Seton Hall men’s basketball is perhaps the most important step in bringing championships to South Orange.

I look forward to seeing you all soon.

Coach Holloway

Onward Setonia
www.onwardsetonia.com

 

[Hall Is Life]

Did he just say this now? Times are tough.

 

[HallGuy23]

Did he just say this now? Times are tough.

Odd timing, speaking mostly about last seasons team, of which 95% is no longer here. No recruits to mention either. Bizzare message.

 

[Hall Is Life]

Odd timing, speaking mostly about last seasons team, of which 95% is no longer here. No recruits to mention either. Bizzare message.

“Hey guys. I hope you’ve all been in a coma since this season started. Last year was fun, right? Please donate so we can have fun again.”

 

[shupat08]

"Hi, let me talk to you about stuff from 10 months ago..."

 

[doctorcb12]

Not to be negative but if this is the pitch from the coach to get donations this is not it. He needs to be more direct.

This season has not gone as planned and I’m disappointed in our performance and I hold the program to a higher standard. My goal is to compete for championships and make the tournament.The portal opens in March. In order to be successful I need to retain our core players as other teams are looking to take them. I also need to attract talent from the portal. My staff and I will do our jobs to recruit the best student athletes that fit our vision but we can’t compete at the level I know we can without your financial contributions. I appreciate any help you can give to make our team competitive.

That simple.

 

[HallGuy23]

“Hey guys. I hope you’ve all been in a coma since this season started. Last year was fun, right? Please donate so we can have fun again.”

lol, Basically. Trying to trick fans into thinking this season isn’t happening.

 

[bornApirate]

Please tell me this is old. If this was just put out by Onward Setonia the entire leadership team needs to step down. Talk about being late to the party.

 

[Piratz]

What, is this current? Lol

He’s right though. The only way out of the woods is to increase the money. We’re not going to be able to do that without contributions. It sucks, I agree, but this is the new world order. We’re getting poached constantly.

 

[HallGuy23]

Please tell me this is old. If this was just put out by Onward Setonia the entire leadership team needs to step down. Talk about being late to the party.

Maybe this statement is what Mike McBride has been hard at work at the last 10 months. He started it after we won the NIT and just finished it now for final release. Good thing we pay him.

 

[HallX2]

Ugh.

 

[SPK145]

Shut up and donate.

 

[williaza01]

Has the school mentioned or talked at all about the revenue sharing model?

 

[HallBall02]

get ahead of it…talk about merging pirate blue, onward setonian and revenue from school to pay players directly.

 

[sami]

"Hi, let me talk to you about stuff from 10 months ago..."

Why wouldn’t he? Half the posters on this board still credit the Elite 8 that has zero to do with us.

 

[bornApirate]

Why wouldn’t he? Half the posters on this board still credit the Elite 8 that has zero to do with us.

I have no issue with what he wrote . If Sha did write this he was most likely asked to write a positive message. There is nothing positive about this season so he chose to write about last season.

My issue is the fact that it took nearly a year to get a message out. This should have been released immediately after the NIT. The fact that Onward Setonia released this message in the middle of a horrible season shows the awful job they are doing.

I am sick of people saying we don’t have the donors. Never going to get donors with people running NIL clearly asleep at the wheel.

 

[shu09]

lol, Basically. Trying to trick fans into thinking this season isn’t happening.

This, and a desperate attempt to milk the same people who will keep defending him to no end.

 

[batts]

Shut up and donate.

Most of the morons who post on this thread can never say anything positive about Shaheen or the program. It’s always attack and criticize.

It is all about the money! Of course, they won’t echo this because they’re the last people to donate.

 

[shu09]

"Each victory was a step. The NIT Championship was a step."

Narrator: "alas, the current season is five steps backward."

 

[Hall Is Life]

Most of the morons who post on this thread can never say anything positive about Shaheen or the program. It’s always attack and criticize.

It is all about the money! Of course, they won’t echo this because they’re the last people to donate.

Dude before you continue to attack the “morons”, did you read what he wrote?? I would like an honest assessment once you’re done, pretty please.

 

[SHUSA]

does seton hall not have a PR person or fan engagement person??? i really think they don't

 

[SPK145]

Most of the morons who post on this thread can never say anything positive about Shaheen or the program. It’s always attack and criticize.

It is all about the money! Of course, they won’t echo this because they’re the last people to donate.

I won't donate a dime to buy players, it's just not that important to me. Plus what I could donate wouldn't move the needle one iota. So much better things in the world today to donate to.

Where was this screed by Sha posted?

 

[batts]

I won't donate a dime to buy players, it's just not that important to me. Plus what I could donate wouldn't move the needle one iota. So much better things in the world today to donate to.

Where was this screed by Sha posted?

I definitely get that Steve. There are in fact so many worthy causes one can donate to. A lot of us are just trying to hang on to Seton Hall basketball and hope that it could succeed in this mess. Unfortunately, unless something significant happens in terms of the influx of monies, it may be all over for us.

I don’t know the answer to your question.

 

[hallgrad80]

There are coaches who have the ability to energize a fan base even when the coach and his team are having a poor season and that’s what we’re not seeing with this message from Sha. In a well run athletic dept the message would be reviewed by senior department managers and in collaboration with the coach the message would be presented in its best light which didn’t happen here.

 

[Jerry1992]

Talking about nit is fine but the message must also acknowledge this year has not gone well but need donor commitment to help turn it around. Just my thoughts but I am no expert on this stuff. It just appears to be hiding the past couple of months disaster. A bit insulting to those that have followed the mess this year.

 

[JoePeppitone2012]

Another example of late to the party with this message. This would have been great 9 months ago to message the need for better NIL prior to this year. What’s the point of saying this now?

I love Sha as our coach he needs the payroll but the other side of being the head of a basketball program in a power conference is to be better with communication to the fans and media

 

[Piratz]

I definitely get that Steve. There are in fact so many worthy causes one can donate to. A lot of us are just trying to hang on to Seton Hall basketball and hope that it could succeed in this mess. Unfortunately, unless something significant happens in terms of the influx of monies, it may be all over for us.

I don’t know the answer to your question.

The most concise expression of this circus. You're not going to be able to keep up in NIL with standard crowdfunding either. Most people don't have tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to be dropping either; there is a massive amount of disposable incomes out there at the top of the food chain they need to identify and access.

 

[lloyde dobler]

I really don’t care about the message, but it’s a classic no-win (no pun intended) situation for the school.

They put something out using Holloway’s name and it’s ridiculed. They don’t put something out and they are non-communicative.

 

[Piratz]

Is it really so complicated to do something like, "While 6-14 is not where any of us want to be, we appreciate your continued support and need it to assist us as we are working daily, doing all we can to improve...." and so forth.

Can even use Sha to say, "Given what this program means to me, the outcome this year so far is not what anyone wanted and we are working hard to get back to where we should be...."

 

[HALL85]

Is it really so complicated to do something like, "While 6-14 is not where any of us want to be, we appreciate your continued support and with that know that we are working daily. doing all we can to improve...." and so forth.

Can even use Sha to say, "Given what this program means to me, the outcome this year so far is not what anyone wanted and we are working hard to get back to where we should be...."

Sha really needs a course in public relations. No access; vague and cryptic statements; what happened to the SPU darling?

 

[lloyde dobler]

Sha really needs a course in public relations. No access; vague and cryptic statements; what happened to the SPU darling?

Do you think he wrote that?

 

[Piratz]

Sha really needs a course in public relations. No access; vague and cryptic statements; what happened to the SPU darling?

Whomever is organizing these things is the issue. Or Sha should be on top of it to such an extent he dictates it, like Pitino.

 

[Gohall129]

This is pathetic. Trying to say the NIT was the foundation for teams moving forward as we sit in last place?

Just be straight up and say “our program needs your help to not repeat another season like this”

 

[Hall Is Life]

Do you think he wrote that?

Assuming Sha approved it, he should have known better and shut it down.

 

[Hall Is Life]

I definitely get that Steve. There are in fact so many worthy causes one can donate to. A lot of us are just trying to hang on to Seton Hall basketball and hope that it could succeed in this mess. Unfortunately, unless something significant happens in terms of the influx of monies, it may be all over for us.

I don’t know the answer to your question.

Did you just pivot off of the moron comment? 😂

 

[Mrpiratee]

I mean, the same people are handling PR for the Riley situation....

 

[HallGuy23]

Interesting this statement saying your generosity helps with NIL, etc comes right after Coleman sits out…. Hmmm

 

[HallLine69]

No argument with the basic message, although it's not exactly inspiring. Clearly the PR folks wrote this for Sha because it sounds nothing like him. But since it's in his name it's logical to assume he had the ability to edit or at least want edits.

 

[SHUHitman]

Comes across as disconnected from reality to me. May have presented better if it acknowledged this season's struggles but that they need support now more than ever to course correct going forward.

 

[Fishjam]

They should be setting up a meeting in the new Practice Facility free to all fans to have a tour of the building but more importantly, a candid discussion on the status of SH Basketball.

Straight talk on where we stand heading into the new rules in June and what we need to win during the Portal season in March/April. Our leaders need to be real with the fambase. Don't shelter us from the facts. If you need our help, show us the respect and be specific on what it will take.

The Portal opens 8 weeks from today and is more important than any of our remaining games. Are we prepared? This could/should have been scheduled during our last bye week between Feb 8th and 15th. Can do it after the season in March but that's cutting it too close to the opening of the Portal.