Quote from: Zog from Margo on December 09, 2025, 09:47:37 PMCan MU compete with BYU? The LDS is loaded.  Can we expect that 25 schools will have higher payrolls than MU?

Apparently we can't even compete in the top 100.

Just my opinion but I feel like some fans:
1. underestimate the financial resources of MU.
2. underestimate the competitive nature of MU players.
3. think that 'no transfers' is the hill Shaka will die on.

Quote from: Pakuni on December 09, 2025, 08:27:19 PMI think you've got some inaccurate/misleading info baked into this argument here.
These huge donations you're citing aren't a "go buy basketball players" slush fund. The Kansas money, for example, is primarily to pay for football stadium improvements and related facilities enhancements. Of the Michigan State donation, much of it is going to football, with other sports divvying up the rest. The $100 million to Illinois is going almost exclusively to football.

Which leads to the next point ... most of this donation/NIL arms race is all about football. And that's not an arms race Marquette needs to be a part of. MU doesn't need a $400 million donation, or $100 donation, to be competitive at basketball. Marquette actually has an advantage in that it doesn't have divided loyalties among its alumni and donor base. We don't need to support a hockey program (check out with MSU is paying these days for that) or a football team or a baseball team. It's men's basketball and pretty much only men's basketball (sorry, women's hoopers). Yes, we have a smaller base to fundraise from than some of these big state schools, but we also need far less money and have fewer programs to divide that money amongst.

And yes, MU does need money, but there's really no excuse not to be able to go get it. Our basketball program matches and surpasses some of the biggest schools in the country in attendance, we have an extremely loyal and engaged fan base and our alumni/graduates aren't a bunch of paupers. Beyond that, we're one of only three major sports teams in a top 40 media market (sorry, UWM) with a significant commercial/corporate base. The money is out there if MU can go get it! And if Marquette can't go get it, the way other schools across the country are, that's a Marquette problem, not an NIL/college sports problem, and the university needs to put better people in charge.

Look, nobody is suggesting Marquette will, or can, have a $20 million roster. But the reality is we've never competed on an equal field in terms of resources with programs like Kentucky or UNC or Kansas. And we're not going to now. But there's no reason Marquette can't maintain a successful, top 25 basketball program.

It feels very much that you're just trying to find a rationalization/justification for slavish devotion to a strategy that isn't working right now.

Can MU compete with BYU? The LDS is loaded.  Can we expect that 25 schools will have higher payrolls than MU?

Wow, Georgetown plays at quite a pace. They run down and jack up any shot from anywhere in the court, regardless of what chance they actually have of making it. Lots of ugly bricks.

Obsessed.

That playoff win over your heroes way back when really effed you up, eh PW?

Not that you care, but Daniels got hurt late in the game with the Seahawks leading by 600 points. Quinn shouldn't have had him in the game.

Quote from: Elonsmusk on December 09, 2025, 02:52:20 PMSoo...unless Marquette can compete with $20M payrolls at Kentucky, and $400 Million Dollar donations to its athletic department, maybe it's possible the RGV model is really our only way to compete going forward? 

The RGV model is possibly our only real way to compete?!?

#Shaka Slurper

Quote from: panda on December 09, 2025, 09:01:30 PMWhat I get from this is transfer students are criminals

And Shaka's recruits are looking for a guaranteed paycheck.

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. 

What I get from this is transfer students are criminals

Quote from: WhiteTrash on December 09, 2025, 07:13:14 PMHonestly, I think I would question the smarts of a player who is willing to take 50 cents on the dollar to play for Marquette. MU and Shaka have to figure this out.

There'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. 

Asking for a friend - how much would it cost to "not suck?"