Quote from: Viper on Today at 09:56:05 AM100%. Hit some shots and we're 8-2. The freak-out factor would be chill

Miss some shots and we're 3-7, with losses to Central Michigan and Valpo.

Speaking of RGV, a not-so-flattering item about Shaka in Busting Brackets yesterday:

No. 2: Shaka Smart's approach to the transfer portal.

Marquette is bad and, right now, projects to be one of the worst teams in the Big East and, subsequently, one of the worst power-conference teams in the country, and it could all have been avoided.  The Golden Eagles had a loaded roster last season that won a ton of games under head coach Shaka Smart; the only problem was that those players were seniors and out of eligibility.  Well, coach Smart did what every other coach did: adapted to the rules and used the transfer portal with NIL to build a roster, right?

No, in fact, Coach Smart has made it clear how much he thinks the transfer portal is killing the game and how much he loathes it.  If that were not enough, Coach Smart flat-out refuses to talk to any agents. I understand that agents can be frustrating to deal with, especially when trying to get the most money for their players, but that is the way of the college basketball world, especially for players that Marquette is going to be after.

As a result of the refusal of both of these key roster-building principles in the age of NIL, this Marquette team.  It is one thing to stand on your principles, but when everyone else is playing within the rules and building a roster through the transfer portal, it's going to be either adapt or lose your job.  If coach Smart doesn't start using the portal, Marquette might turn into DePaul, and then coach Smart will be out of a job, like it or not. This is how the game is building rosters.

https://bustingbrackets.com/shaka-smart-and-potential-tournament-in-dubai-lead-the-week-of-bad-beats-basketball

Quote from: Zog from Margo on December 09, 2025, 11:47:02 PMBut was MU competing with BYU or Utah for top players 50 years ago or 10 years ago? Is MU a top 25 payroll?

What's with the BYU obsession? That's one program, and a unique one at that.

Like everyone else here, I don't have access to MU's books or know exactly how much money the athletic department has to spend on roster construction. But based on everything I've already written in this thread, I believe MU has the ability to acquire the resources needed to field a consistent winner on the basketball court. If they don't, it's not because the resources don't exist. It's because the program isn't capturing them.

Quote from: SonOfWarrior on December 09, 2025, 08:45:41 PMThere's two sides to every coin. Say a kid gets a big NIL deal and he has a few bad games. He gets some pressure on the twitter and starts tanking hard. His money is gone next year and he's banished to DIII.

On the Marquette model you avoid the lightning in a bottle kid who is going to basically use Marquette until a true blue blood comes along or go to the NBA. Shaka is trying to have a stable roster with good timing across scholarship classes. Does that model look great right now? Sure doesn't. But this is a long term strategy. There is going to be growing pains. Is the RGV thing tacky? Sure it is. But look at the mission statement of Marquette.  The BOT are focused on a balanced team.  NO headlines in the Chicago Tribune about rape.  Remember Buzz and the sexual assaults? You don't get a chance to really vet a player, meet his family, do the homework on the character of a player.  If Winning was everything you get into the portal. If building a winning culture was everything you start at home and double down on development. Kids who come from families that value being a balanced and good human being will continue to choose Marquette.  The trick is that they need to be 40% from the three point line. 

100%. Hit some shots and we're 8-2. The freak-out factor would be chill

Quote from: wadesworld on Today at 08:56:06 AMI'm 100% on board with a salary floor, and that would be necessary with any change to revenue sharing or adding a salary cap.  Have never argued otherwise.

But cool.  The Brewers could shoot for putting all but 1 penny of their profit back into their roster and they'll almost catch the Dodgers in payroll.  They only fall $388MM shy of the Dodgers if you add the $24MM profit the Brewers made all back into their payroll.  That'd get them all the way to 29% of the Dodgers payroll!  So close!

Think of how absolutely absurd the system is that the Brewers could spend every penny of profit that they make and still only be able to get to 29% of what the Dodgers spend on their payroll.

The issue here is all of the uses of the word "could."  Any argument in favor of a salary cap is in bad faith until clubs prioritize winning over clearing >$25 million / year.

Quote from: 1SE on December 09, 2025, 10:16:08 PMJayzus, these aren't 5th graders who need participation trophies, they are adult professional athletes who are paid to put a ball through a hoop. Saying something like "we aren't executing like we need to make our offensive scheme work. That's on me and if we aren't able to start executing I'll need to rethink my offensive scheme or my roster construction" is all it takes - and maybe lights a fire under guys to do their JOB or else they'll be shown the door. The price of getting paid like a big boy is you have to take accountability for your performance like a big boy.

Otherwise might as well dish out some NIL to mugsy who can put 80%+ through the nerf hoop.

Nothing Shaka says at a press conference is going to "light a fire" under anyone.  To think so, as well as this line of conversation, is ludicrous. 

Quote from: Pakuni on December 09, 2025, 05:21:29 PMSo what you're saying is that Wojo was an elite recruiter.

Wojo could definitely recruit. If his coaching matched his recruiting, he'd probably still be here.

Quote from: Viper on Today at 09:41:12 AMdumb? Please explain. As a healthy male with no underlying health issues, I made a choice I absolutely do not regret. And, I've not had Covid.

My friend's unvaxxed brother also had no underlying conditions, but he died from COVID at age 36. But good for you, I guess.

Let's keep it clean in here boys. Other places to discuss this nonsense

Quote from: TSmith34, Inc. on December 09, 2025, 10:46:31 AMMorons are gonna moron

bold from the basement. Regardless, you do you.