2023-2024 College Basketball Thread

[Uncle Rico]

UWM plays for a dance bid tonight.  The school Marquette fears most might force their way in.  Hope the Golden Eagles don’t draw them

[The Lens]

I believe both of the head coaches are former MU assistants as well. Horn and Lundy

And predictably since this game was played in March the Buzz assistant beat the TC assistant.

[FairWeatherEagle]

UWM plays for a dance bid tonight.  The school Marquette fears most might force their way in.  Hope the Golden Eagles don’t draw them

MUvUWM would be the battle for the heart and soul of Milwaukee. EPIC wouldn't even begin to describe it.

[PointWarrior]

UWM plays for a dance bid tonight.  The school Marquette fears most might force their way in.  Hope the Golden Eagles don’t draw them

Playing UWM - the hubris is just waiting to burst out…

[Scoop Snoop]

Scoop, excellent points.  I just have concerns about how this will all shake out.  I grew up in an era when you played on sports teams with your neighbors, then your classmates and community.  Then my kids started out the same, but gradually, kids were "recruited" by other high schools and moved into another district to play on a better team,  Then AAU ball replaced high school ball in terms of where the best players played.  I get it, times change, the game evolves, and college sports are changing.  gain, I'm not sure college basketball is "fine."

Thanks for letting an "old school," old guy vent.

You're welcome, from another "old school" old guy. I appreciated your drawing an analogy between business and coaching. In the first year (or maybe two) of forming my company, I was in the "old school" mode. Didn't work. It was time to retool myself as an employer.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I get the gist of what you are saying, but just as employees who believe that they are not receiving their just due in terms of income, promotion, input/being listened to should be free to leave, players who believe that they are not getting the playing time or are not being used to their best potential should be free to leave.

It took me a while to learn how to do it, but by hiring people who I knew would fit into the culture of my small manufacturing company and keeping them personally invested in many ways, I had long term employees. They were free to leave, but chose to stay. Turnover was not a problem.

Shaka has brought in players who fit his system and has a culture that, although it is still early with this being his third year, seems to be working well. They have chosen to stay.

Pitino bemoans the ease of transferring yet he kept only one player from last year's team. He brought in many transfers from other teams including some from Iona (right?) and he left Iona with years left on his contract. What's the best word to describe Pitino's bitching? Hypocrisy or irony?

This is 100% correct. Build a great culture, show how you can progress within that culture, and add some people as others find its not for them or underperform, is going to be the way people can find success long-term.

And again, college basketball is fine. The product is about what it has always been. The TV numbers will be roughly what they have been since the one-and-done era took the multi-year stars out of the game.

And I don't give a rip about what coaches say about this topic. They have enriched themselves exercising a huge degree of control on student athletes who were clearly under-compensated.  Of course they are going to bemoan an era where they lose some of that control and have to come up with the $$$ for the student athletes.

If Jay Wright or Roy Williams or Rick Pitino don't like it, they can retire or find something else to do. There will be others to take their place.

[Scoop Snoop]

I do get the hand wringing from not just coaches but also fans worrying about transfers. It's just the way it is. Deal with it.

I'm heading out of town shortly for the day, so will not rejoin this discussion for a while.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I do get the hand wringing from not just coaches but also fans worrying about transfers. It's just the way it is. Deal with it.

I'm heading out of town shortly for the day, so will not rejoin this discussion for a while.

Fans hand-wring about absolutely everything...see Muggsy.

[WhiteTrash]

There wouldn't be non-competes. Why would any player sign a contract that binds them to one school?

That is a separate issue and question than the enforceability of non-competes.

I don't think there will be non-competes either. I think the issue will be handled like is has been for decades in pro sports through collective bargaining terms.   

[Dr. Blackheart]

It could be argued the new landscape has led to more parity in college basketball. Low and mid major stars transferring up, high major recruits transferring down or across. Jumping early to the G League is a pay cut with NIL. The extra COVID year is still playing through as well. One doesn't need to look further than the All Big East team or last year's Final 4.

Roy, K, Jay, Boeheim saw their monopolies threatened. They got out like Al did when their landscapes changed.

[MU82]

This is 100% correct. Build a great culture, show how you can progress within that culture, and add some people as others find its not for them or underperform, is going to be the way people can find success long-term.

And again, college basketball is fine. The product is about what it has always been. The TV numbers will be roughly what they have been since the one-and-done era took the multi-year stars out of the game.

And I don't give a rip about what coaches say about this topic. They have enriched themselves exercising a huge degree of control on student athletes who were clearly under-compensated.  Of course they are going to bemoan an era where they lose some of that control and have to come up with the $$$ for the student athletes.

If Jay Wright or Roy Williams or Rick Pitino don't like it, they can retire or find something else to do. There will be others to take their place.

Yep.

I wish I had $10 for every time someone said (insert change or crisis here) would "ruin" (insert sport here).

[WhiteTrash]

Yep.

I wish I had $10 for every time someone said (insert change or crisis here) would "ruin" (insert sport here).

Not saying you're wrong, but boxing and horse racing used to be the top two sports in America. Nothing impossible.

[MU82]

Not saying you're wrong, but boxing and horse racing used to be the top two sports in America. Nothing impossible.

Maybe the Eeyores will be right and college basketball will become boxing. It won't happen in my lifetime, but sure, anything's possible.

[JakeBarnes]

Maybe the Eeyores will be right and college basketball will become boxing. It won't happen in my lifetime, but sure, anything's possible.

Some would argue that when Greyson Allen and Brad Davison played it was boxing.

[MU82]

Some would argue that when Greyson Allen and Brad Davison played it was boxing.

They played something. Not quite boxing, not quite basketball.

[WhiteTrash]

They played something. Not quite boxing, not quite basketball.

[Uncle Rico]

St. Louis taking on Rhode Island today in the A-10 tourney.  Big opportunity to solidify their Big East bona fides.  Expect millions of St. Louis fans to flood Brooklyn for this game

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

St. Louis taking on Rhode Island today in the A-10 tourney.  Big opportunity to solidify their Big East bona fides.  Expect millions of St. Louis fans to flood Brooklyn for this game

You just going to ignore that UWM is playing for a bid tonight?

[Uncle Rico]

You just going to ignore that UWM is playing for a bid tonight?

Already mentioned it.  Huge night for the part of the Marquette fanbase terrified of playing them

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Already mentioned it.  Huge night for the part of the Marquette fanbase terrified of playing them

Must have blacked out...

[Uncle Rico]

Huge win for St. Louis.  Better win for the city of Brooklyn with million of fans remaining in the city

[Newsdreams]

Already mentioned it.  Huge night for the part of the Marquette fanbase terrified of playing them

I can see why MU is scared, UWM makes midrange shots. The big O up 4 at half thankfully

[Uncle Rico]

I can see why MU is scared, UWM makes midrange shots. The big O up 4 at half thankfully

The tension around tonight is palpable.  Marquette fans sweating buckets in fear of UWM going farther in the dance

[Uncle Rico]

Milwaukee tied with Oakland with 8:25  left

[Uncle Rico]

Milwaukee up 4 with 6:00 left.  Insert Ron Paul GIF