Best Way to Support the Program?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Consider donating to the Be the Difference collective. For better or worse, NIL is the new norm in college basketball. Marquette found a way to address this reality while still staying in line with it's Jesuit mission and values. The collective is a 501(C)(3) plays players for their work in the community with various non-profits such as the Boys and Girls Club, Sharp Literacy, All in Milwaukee and others.

https://www.bethedifferencenil.org/

Donations of any size help. The reality is, whenever this magical season ends (likely on a Monday in April), the portal is going to open and there's going to be a lot of money being thrown out our guys. Memphis will send three or four brinks trucks to Kam. Oso, Jop, and Stevie are all going to be getting calls from around the country. Donating helps give back to community while also ensuring that we will continue to be the dominant team in the BEast.

[Shooter McGavin]

Consider donating to the Be the Difference collective. For better or worse, NIL is the new norm in college basketball. Marquette found a way to address this reality while still staying in line with it's Jesuit mission and values. The collective is a 501(C)(3) plays players for their work in the community with various non-profits such as the Boys and Girls Club, Sharp Literacy, All in Milwaukee and others.

https://www.bethedifferencenil.org/

Donations of any size help. The reality is, whenever this magical season ends (likely on a Monday in April), the portal is going to open and there's going to be a lot of money being thrown out our guys. Memphis will send three or four brinks trucks to Kam. Oso, Jop, and Stevie are all going to be getting calls from around the country. Donating helps give back to community while also ensuring that we will continue to be the dominant team in the BEast.

I agree with this wholeheartedly.  Time to put up or shut up.  Any little bit helps.

[i71_dawg]

I donated to this NIL collective last night. 

And I'm headed to the game on Friday in Columbus.

WE ARE MARQUETTE!

[1SE]

What's the link to Tyler's site again? Horrible shirts, but nice to put a little skrilla in his pocket.

[muwarrior69]

Consider donating to the Be the Difference collective. For better or worse, NIL is the new norm in college basketball. Marquette found a way to address this reality while still staying in line with it's Jesuit mission and values. The collective is a 501(C)(3) plays players for their work in the community with various non-profits such as the Boys and Girls Club, Sharp Literacy, All in Milwaukee and others.

https://www.bethedifferencenil.org/

Donations of any size help. The reality is, whenever this magical season ends (likely on a Monday in April), the portal is going to open and there's going to be a lot of money being thrown out our guys. Memphis will send three or four brinks trucks to Kam. Oso, Jop, and Stevie are all going to be getting calls from around the country. Donating helps give back to community while also ensuring that we will continue to be the dominant team in the BEast.

So is Shaka blowing a lot of hot air about relationships or is it the money? So schools will be trying to poach our players, but our money is there only to keep what we have. I am not sure I like this new reality or MU's strategy in this brave new world of college athletics. I do hope it is about relationships because if any of our guys leave for the money they are not going to find what they have here, elsewhere. I am not sure how donating to "Be the Difference" to give back to the community can compete with 4 brink trucks to just one of our players from a school like Memphis. Just wait until the big spenders come calling. However, if it is about relationships the money won't matter.

[wadesworld]

Outside of Nigel Pack, how many high major starters left for another high major program this past offseason?

If we can't keep the key players happy and they're leaving for other D1 basketball programs after the season we've had, we're in a world of hurt going forward.

[brewcity77]

Anonymous Eagle is hosting a Twitter Space tonight to talk brackets and support Be the Difference:

https://www.anonymouseagle.com/marquette-basketball/2023/3/12/23636555/ncaa-basketball-tournament-bracket-analysis-be-the-difference-nil-fundraiser

I know he's working on getting at least one former player on the discussion. Good way to kick off the first week of Madness.

[Oldgym]

So is Shaka blowing a lot of hot air about relationships or is it the money? So schools will be trying to poach our players, but our money is there only to keep what we have. I am not sure I like this new reality or MU's strategy in this brave new world of college athletics. I do hope it is about relationships because if any of our guys leave for the money they are not going to find what they have here, elsewhere. I am not sure how donating to "Be the Difference" to give back to the community can compete with 4 brink trucks to just one of our players from a school like Memphis. Just wait until the big spenders come calling. However, if it is about relationships the money won't matter.

Shaka is definitely not blowing hot air. "Culture" and "relationships" are trite and so much a part of coachspeak that we barely notice. Until you get something like this year's MU team and you can actually see it in play, hear it in their voices, and witness the results.  So I believe him when he talks about it in pressers. But at some point it's out of his control. He's created a hell of a culture AND is well paid. The players? They can both love the program they're in and want to get paid.  TAMU is betting that one or two will simply get offers they can't refuse, unless MU boosters are ready to counter.

Outside of Nigel Pack, how many high major starters left for another high major program this past offseason?

Great question.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

So is Shaka blowing a lot of hot air about relationships or is it the money? So schools will be trying to poach our players, but our money is there only to keep what we have. I am not sure I like this new reality or MU's strategy in this brave new world of college athletics. I do hope it is about relationships because if any of our guys leave for the money they are not going to find what they have here, elsewhere. I am not sure how donating to "Be the Difference" to give back to the community can compete with 4 brink trucks to just one of our players from a school like Memphis. Just wait until the big spenders come calling. However, if it is about relationships the money won't matter.

So did Chones have a bad relationship with Al when he left for the ABA? After all if it is about relationships the money won't matter.

Relationships matter. Money matters. To pretend otherwise is naïve.

[SaveOD238]

Outside of Nigel Pack, how many high major starters left for another high major program this past offseason?

If we can't keep the key players happy and they're leaving for other D1 basketball programs after the season we've had, we're in a world of hurt going forward.

Nijel Pack, Tyrese Hunter, Kevin McCullar, Matthew Mayer, Trevon Brazile among others

https://247sports.com/Season/2022-Basketball/TransferPortalTop/

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Outside of Nigel Pack, how many high major starters left for another high major program this past offseason?

Off the top of my head

Kevin McCullar
Noah Locke
Devin Carter
Tyrese Hunter
Manny Bates
Brandon Murray
Dre Davis
Al-Amir Dawes
Eric Hunter Jr
Qudus Wahab
Andre Curbelo
Jalen Bridges
Courtney Ramey
Terrance Shannon Jr
Matthew Mayer
Pete Nance
Efton Feid
Tre Mitchell
Isaiah Cottrell
Devion Harmon
Dawson Garcia (obviously some other issues going on there)

If we can't keep the key players happy and they're leaving for other D1 basketball programs after the season we've had, we're in a world of hurt going forward.

True. That's why the collective is important.

[brewcity77]

If we can't keep the key players happy and they're leaving for other D1 basketball programs after the season we've had, we're in a world of hurt going forward.

This is a great point that illustrates exactly why Marquette fans should support BTD.

[panda]

FWIW - Memphis is going to back up the brinks truck for Kam this off season. They need someone to replace Kendrick and want to bring back the home town kid. Donate, donate, donate !

[Goose]

Reality is you can have relationships and guys can make money. I said this past summer that Shaka retaining the core of the team might be his greatest recruiting season ever. I can't fault young guys for bieng tempted by money and MU should remain competitive in this area moving forward. There is no doubt in my mind that MU, and every school, will not be able to retain every guy season after season. IMO, if a guy left for an extra $50-100k, it might not be the end of the world, provided MU make competitive offer.

[panda]

Reality is you can have relationships and guys can make money. I said this past summer that Shaka retaining the core of the team might be his greatest recruiting season ever. I can't fault young guys for bieng tempted by money and MU should remain competitive in this area moving forward. There is no doubt in my mind that MU, and every school, will not be able to retain every guy season after season. IMO, if a guy left for an extra $50-100k, it might not be the end of the world, provided MU make competitive offer.

Goose - I've been assured that we will be competitive with 99% of offers coming in from other schools.

[Goose]

panda

I have zero concern about MU being competitive, but appreciate your feedback. Like I said, if MU can pay some X and the leave for addition $50 or #100k, I am not going to lose sleep over it. Also, if someone wants to pay a crazy amount to kid, I am 100% in favor of the kid chasing the cash. Plus, while I do not insane roster turnover, I'll take my chances that Shaka can get replacement players.

[panda]

panda

I have zero concern about MU being competitive, but appreciate your feedback. Like I said, if MU can pay some X and the leave for addition $50 or #100k, I am not going to lose sleep over it. Also, if someone wants to pay a crazy amount to kid, I am 100% in favor of the kid chasing the cash. Plus, while I do not insane roster turnover, I'll take my chances that Shaka can get replacement players.

Our views align.

[muwarrior69]

So did Chones have a bad relationship with Al when he left for the ABA? After all if it is about relationships the money won't matter.

Relationships matter. Money matters. To pretend otherwise is naïve.

...and to pretend that Be the Difference is going make a difference to keep players like Kam here at MU when some Memphis booster with Brink trucks of cash who could care less about serving the community comes calling is also naive. I'm sure the money is going to come from "other sources" to compensate and retain our players. Paying our players to do "charitable work" to serve the community seems quite disingenuous to me, when we are actually paying them to stay at MU.

[lawdog77]

Off the top of my head

Kevin McCullar
Noah Locke
Devin Carter
Tyrese Hunter
Manny Bates
Brandon Murray
Dre Davis
Al-Amir Dawes
Eric Hunter Jr
Qudus Wahab
Andre Curbelo
Jalen Bridges
Courtney Ramey
Terrance Shannon Jr
Matthew Mayer
Pete Nance
Efton Feid
Tre Mitchell
Isaiah Cottrell
Devion Harmon
Dawson Garcia (obviously some other issues going on there)

True. That's why the collective is important.

Thanks, Rainman.

That's quite the list. I can't even remember that many family members some days.

[MU82]

...and to pretend that Be the Difference is going make a difference to keep players like Kam here at MU when some Memphis booster with Brink trucks of cash who could care less about serving the community comes calling is also naive. I'm sure the money is going to come from "other sources" to compensate and retain our players. Paying our players to do "charitable work" to serve the community seems quite disingenuous to me, when we are actually paying them to stay at MU.

It's not disingenuous at all. Those running the collective, and Marquette athletes who benefit from it, can be 100% sincere about doing good works while also helping athletes get paid. It's about freakin' time that the college athletes who make the entire system work are getting paid legally.

It's life in college sports in the 2020s. If it bothers you too much, you might want to find other passions and/or pastimes.

[IrwinFletcher]

Marcus Lemonis was sitting courtside in MSG with prominent MU administration officials.  I am sure there are things going on behind the scenes to ensure we can support our SA's in order to keep them at MU.

[rocky_warrior]

It's life in college sports in the 2020s. If it bothers you too much, you might want to find other passions and/or pastimes.

Complaining about it CAN be a pastime.

[muwarrior69]

It's not disingenuous at all. Those running the collective, and Marquette athletes who benefit from it, can be 100% sincere about doing good works while also helping athletes get paid. It's about freakin' time that the college athletes who make the entire system work are getting paid legally.

It's life in college sports in the 2020s. If it bothers you too much, you might want to find other passions and/or pastimes.

This has nothing to do with a college athlete getting paid. I went to all four Be the Difference partners websites and they each have their own DONATE button. I am just troubled that donating money to Be the Difference is money that could be going to that particular charity itself.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

...and to pretend that Be the Difference is going make a difference to keep players like Kam here at MU when some Memphis booster with Brink trucks of cash who could care less about serving the community comes calling is also naive. I'm sure the money is going to come from "other sources" to compensate and retain our players. Paying our players to do "charitable work" to serve the community seems quite disingenuous to me, when we are actually paying them to stay at MU.

In my experience, giving a good employee a nice bump in compensation often prevents them from looking at other alternatives. IOW, show Kam some love, and we may not need to match some hypothetical brinks offer from Memphis.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

...and to pretend that Be the Difference is going make a difference to keep players like Kam here at MU when some Memphis booster with Brink trucks of cash who could care less about serving the community comes calling is also naive.

Why is it naïve? The collective isn't just for small donations, it's also for large donors.

I'm sure the money is going to come from "other sources" to compensate and retain our players.

No it's not. It all goes through the collective. I mean players can negotiate their own NIL deals outside the collective if they want but otherwise it all goes through the Collective.

Paying our players to do "charitable work" to serve the community seems quite disingenuous to me, when we are actually paying them to stay at MU.

Well first, not all of the money goes to the players so you are incorrect.

Second, the players are getting paid whether you like it or not. They can paid and not have to do charity work or they can get paid and have to do charity work. Are you off the opinion that the option that doesn't benefit the community is the better one?