Both Hands Tied Behind Our Back

[DenverEagle]

Been super happy to have Shaka guiding our program since his arrival and enjoyed the successes along the way. Still rooting for him and our guys and will keep doing so no matter our record. I have been trying to support Shakas strategy with regard to building our program. But it finally dawned on me that it's not 1990. This is a pro sports business. Here's the rub - it's like the Brewers trying to compete against the Yankees but refusing to sign any free agents (bigger programs or equal programs) and also not using any one from minor leagues (smaller programs where guys can continue to play and grow and improve) It's building a roster where the only guys you use come straight to your pro team from the MLB draft. I don't understand how it could ever work when every other program in the country uses all three tools. If you run a graph of wins and transfers on our roster you can see an incredible correlation to where we are and unless we stop working with both hands tied behind our back, I think it unrealistic to expect much more success.

[wadesworld]

Been super happy to have Shaka guiding our program since his arrival and enjoyed the successes along the way. Still rooting for him and our guys and will keep doing so no matter our record. I have been trying to support Shakas strategy with regard to building our program. But it finally dawned on me that it's not 1990. This is a pro sports business. Here's the rub - it's like the Brewers trying to compete against the Yankees but refusing to sign any free agents (bigger programs or equal programs) and also not using any one from minor leagues (smaller programs where guys can continue to play and grow and improve) It's building a roster where the only guys you use come straight to your pro team from the MLB draft. I don't understand how it could ever work when every other program in the country uses all three tools. If you run a graph of wins and transfers on our roster you can see an incredible correlation to where we are and unless we stop working with both hands tied behind our back, I think it unrealistic to expect much more success.

That's a horrible analogy.

Also, we had the same number of transfers on our team last year as we do this year. I feel confident in saying your graph would not show the same number of wins this year as it did last year.

[Daniel]

Maybe we just do not have enough money in the NIL world to compete for great players and Shark's way is the only way we can do it.  Can we really go compete for these top players in the portal?   Maybe we can snag one but not sure.  Shaka way he has to be right 75% of the time on recruitment.  That is tough.  Go Marquette!  I hope we figure it out so it all works out

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Maybe we just do not have enough money in the NIL world to compete for great players and Shark's way is the only way we can do it.  Can we really go compete for these top players in the portal?   Maybe we can snag one but not sure.  Shaka way he has to be right 75% of the time on recruitment.  That is tough.  Go Marquette!  I hope we figure it out so it all works out

I really want Shaka's approach to work.  I like being able to watch guys develop at Marquette over 3 - 4 years.  I was fully supportive of it going into this season and I have not written it off yet. 

However, it's impossible for this season not to open your eyes to the downside.  Shaka's approach does not leave much margin for error and now we've seen what some recruiting misses and less development than expected do to the product on the floor. 

Shaka's approach will also make it extremely difficult for him to pivot quickly.  So assuming this year continues to be a disaster, I'll be fascinated to see what happens in the offseason. 

Also, I have no idea what our NIL budget is.  I get the feeling it's not the amount of money Marquette is able to offer in most cases.  The issue is paying someone who has not been at Marquette at all the same as what Chase is now making in his 4th season.  Shaka has said as much. 

[onepost]

Maybe we just do not have enough money in the NIL world to compete for great players and Shark's way is the only way we can do it.  Can we really go compete for these top players in the portal?  Maybe we can snag one but not sure.  Shaka way he has to be right 75% of the time on recruitment.  That is tough.  Go Marquette!  I hope we figure it out so it all works out

I'm so tired of having to respond to this time and time again: WE HAVE THE MONEY.

[Mu8891]

One - not trying to argue... just curious...

How do you know MU " has the money "?  cuz it sure seems like they don't.

** I don't expect you to give us names, etc, but just some idea **

[MU82]

Both hands tied behind our back? No wonder our shooting sucks!

[Hards Alumni]

One - not trying to argue... just curious...

How do you know MU " has the money "?  cuz it sure seems like they don't.

** I don't expect you to give us names, etc, but just some idea **

Why doesn't it 'seem' like they don't?

[Mu8891]

Because the numbers being floated around on this board ( and others ) of MU's
NIL budget are pretty meager.

[withoutbias]

One - not trying to argue... just curious...

How do you know MU " has the money "?  cuz it sure seems like they don't.

** I don't expect you to give us names, etc, but just some idea **

Because he's on Discord and everything shared there is accurate.  He's a true insider.

[muwarrior69]

Sultan stated in another thread that:
There really isn't much reason for a private university to have their athletic department become an LLC. I would like to know why.

I have no idea how much financial resources Marquette has for athletics. Some say we have the money while others say we don't or are not sure. If we are spending the money, this years team is not giving us the bang for the buck and adjustments need to be made. If we are not spending on levels we need to compete for a Natty then this team may be the result of that.

However, Kentucky's athletic department which is now an LLC is not limited to the 20 million dollar cap agreed to in the NCAA settlement. They can now raise as much money as they can.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2025/05/20/privatization-of-collegiate-athletics-begins-kentucky-announces-champions-blue-llc/

It will be interesting to see if this model succeeds. Who knows. they might even become a football power in the SEC. It appears that they are serious about raising the funds necessary to compete in acquiring the best talent.

As for Marquette we can only speculate, unless someone can produce the receipts.

[Jay Bee]

Sultan stated in another thread that:
There really isn't much reason for a private university to have their athletic department become an LLC. I would like to know why.

I have no idea how much financial resources Marquette has for athletics. Some say we have the money while others say we don't or are not sure. If we are spending the money, this years team is not giving us the bang for the buck and adjustments need to be made. If we are not spending on levels we need to compete for a Natty then this team may be the result of that.

However, Kentucky's athletic department which is now an LLC is not limited to the 20 million dollar cap agreed to in the NCAA settlement. They can now raise as much money as they can.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2025/05/20/privatization-of-collegiate-athletics-begins-kentucky-announces-champions-blue-llc/

It will be interesting to see if this model succeeds. Who knows. they might even become a football power in the SEC. It appears that they are serious about raising the funds necessary to compete in acquiring the best talent.

As for Marquette we can only speculate, unless someone can produce the receipts.

#FakeNews #Lies

[Hards Alumni]

Sultan stated in another thread that:
There really isn't much reason for a private university to have their athletic department become an LLC. I would like to know why.

I have no idea how much financial resources Marquette has for athletics. Some say we have the money while others say we don't or are not sure. If we are spending the money, this years team is not giving us the bang for the buck and adjustments need to be made. If we are not spending on levels we need to compete for a Natty then this team may be the result of that.

However, Kentucky's athletic department which is now an LLC is not limited to the 20 million dollar cap agreed to in the NCAA settlement. They can now raise as much money as they can.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2025/05/20/privatization-of-collegiate-athletics-begins-kentucky-announces-champions-blue-llc/

It will be interesting to see if this model succeeds. Who knows. they might even become a football power in the SEC. It appears that they are serious about raising the funds necessary to compete in acquiring the best talent.

As for Marquette we can only speculate, unless someone can produce the receipts.

[The Sultan]

Sultan stated in another thread that:
There really isn't much reason for a private university to have their athletic department become an LLC. I would like to know why.

Because an LLC can raise money without being subject to open records requests. Its the same reason public universities have foundations raise money on their behalf.

[muwarrior69]

Because an LLC can raise money without being subject to open records requests. Its the same reason public universities have foundations raise money on their behalf.

So we can find out how much money is going to Marquette's Athletic Department and how the athletes are being reimbursed through the NCAA settlement agreement by asking for an open records request?

[The Sultan]

So we can find out how much money is going to Marquette's Athletic Department and how the athletes are being reimbursed through the NCAA settlement agreement by asking for an open records request?

<sigh>

No. Marquette is a private university and not subject to open records.

[Jay Bee]

<sigh>

No. Marquette is a private university and not subject to open records.

#FakeNews #Lies

[DenverEagle]

Safe to say we don't know exactly what the NIL total is but we do know it's not zero. My thing is that I think we literally chose to tie our hands behind our backs if we don't utilize all the sources available to us to add quality players.

[The Sultan]

#FakeNews #Lies

Nope.