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Post by thetulsawarrior on Nov 7, 2019 16:56:26 GMT -6
Panther, thank you for the adult, real-world insights. The Nix will be competitive within the Horizon League. Yes, there are limitations among several of the players on the current roster and it should be interesting to see what the workarounds are. Size will be an issue in taking on any of the high majors. The coaching staff seems to be refocusing with the latest round of recruits for 2020 putting an emphasis on athleticism. I think we may see two more additions to the team going into the 20-21 season.
(at the mid-major level sometimes you will see a player lose focus on the game, love interest, maturity issues, or just plain tired of the grind with no pay off in sight...)
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Post by Heartbroken Phoenix Fan on Nov 7, 2019 18:41:42 GMT -6
Here is my concern. Everyone saying “we will be just fine come conference,” look at the comments from the past 2-3 years. They are very similar. Sooner or later we need to accept that Linc might just not be a good coach for the d-1 level and his style of play doesn’t translate for the level of talent he gets
If you look at his first two years with Wardles players somehow his system seemed to work a lot better and I just think that’s because wardle recruited better players. Cohen was great but disappeared in certain games. That should not happen against average competition.
I hope they prove me wrong I really do as I’m a die hard but this just reeks of another 3-5th place finish and that’s not nearly good enough. This is why attendance keeps dropping every year in addition to the shit schedule they have. They struggled against SNC so saying it was just Purdue isn’t an excuse.
I also hate that Linc doesn’t take these buy games seriously. It just screams small time.
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Post by gonix on Nov 7, 2019 22:17:28 GMT -6
Here is my concern. Everyone saying “we will be just fine come conference,” look at the comments from the past 2-3 years. They are very similar. Sooner or later we need to accept that Linc might just not be a good coach for the d-1 level and his style of play doesn’t translate for the level of talent he gets If you look at his first two years with Wardles players somehow his system seemed to work a lot better and I just think that’s because wardle recruited better players. Cohen was great but disappeared in certain games. That should not happen against average competition. I hope they prove me wrong I really do as I’m a die hard but this just reeks of another 3-5th place finish and that’s not nearly good enough. This is why attendance keeps dropping every year in addition to the shit schedule they have. They struggled against SNC so saying it was just Purdue isn’t an excuse. I also hate that Linc doesn’t take these buy games seriously. It just screams small time. lets compare apples to oranges! With some facts! Coach Linc added key pieces to the team when they made a run at the NCAA tournament -All tournament selection Charles Cooper and Jamar Hurdle late in the summer. -Added Warren Jones 6th man of year his second season Would argue that your guy Wardle really got the most of his star guys when it matted in games to advance to NCAA Dance 13/14 Sykes & Brown 7-26 .269 from the floor vs Milwaukee at home (L), 14/15 Sykes 5-15 .333 vs Valpo (L) Schedule (always a hot topic) Lets dig into your boy Wardle last two seasons and his tremendous schedule! All non-conference 14-15: 6 home games, 2 non-D1 opp (opened season vs Ill-Springfield & Minn Duluth), 2 high major paid games 13-14: 9 home games, 3 non-D1 opp (Opened vs N. Michigan, Minn Duluth, St Francis), 2 high major non-paid games at home (Virginia & Wis) **Wardle is playing 1 non-D1 games this year at Bradly "Maryville", they actually have money to pay teams! SIDE NOTE: GB, Cleveland state, & IUPUI only conf teams to open on the road vs D1 opponents, all others opened at home vs Non-D1. People need to get over that fact that GB is playing 2 non-D1 games. Everyone plays those games This season: GB - 5 paid high major games on the road, 5 home games, 2 vs non-D1 Last year: GB - 4 paid high major games, 5 home games (played Belmont, one of the top mid majors in the country) 2 non-D1 games. Crappy schedule the last two years? Season ticket sales: Aspire Group was hired by the Ath Administration to be in charge of season ticket sales. Their head quarters is located in Atlanta, GA Individual Season Ticket Sales vs Corporate Packages? Which one do you think generates more revenue for a large corporate company out of Atlanta?
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Post by gbtruther on Nov 8, 2019 9:06:39 GMT -6
Wardle was awful at getting the most out of his players, but there is no denying he could recruit far better talent. The guy had Keifer Sykes and Alec Brown along with a guy who started in the NBA Finals. He just chose to bring that guy off the bench cause he is clueless. Also, all of this garbage about no bigs at the mid major level for Linc is nonsense. I once witnessed Alec Brown and Greg Mays walk out onto the floor. I also look all around the Horizon League and see almost every other team with a legit big. Instead Linc decides its necessary to have Cody Scwartz playing the 5 at times. On top of that it seems as if Linc has a hard time finding polished basketball players. The year he won, he didn't have his guys and had actual players like Kahlil Small, Jordan Fouse and Carrington Love who all fit his system perfect. Then Linc comes in and recruits Hunter Christ right away. I mean cmon that guy belongs in D3. There is still hope for the season but acting like Linc is some all world coach and this team doesn't have problems is just utter silliness.
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Post by thetulsawarrior on Nov 8, 2019 9:49:28 GMT -6
Hunter was a late fallback recruit when Trev Anderson bailed his teammates late in the recruiting cycle.
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Post by phoenixphan87 on Nov 8, 2019 10:13:00 GMT -6
Hunter was a late fallback recruit when Trev Anderson bailed his teammates late in the recruiting cycle. I look at Hunter Crist as a kid who works hard and appears to be a good teammate. Some programs and coaches given how he was recruited and his role since, may have tried to run him out. Should be a good example for any late recruits to look at. Glad he is still here for those reasons. Watching in 17-18 when GB went 13-20 while barely beating Florida A&M at home and losing to Stetson that year was rock bottom. The talent wasn't there and Crist played 14 minutes a game.
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Post by GBPhoenix1 on Nov 8, 2019 10:18:46 GMT -6
The majority of the Horizon League playing two or more non D1 games should have no bearing on what GB is doing. I have only overheard conversation on this topic but most of the people at GB and around the league don't see this as a problem rather they seem to see it as just the way it is. Yet these same people at GB and around the league are presiding over one of the lowest rated period of time for the league and for GB the lowest attendance in 25 years. A refresh of this view would be encouraged from my spot on the couch hiding behind a keyboard.
I know it is easier said than done but here is an idea that might of worked for GB and would have only cost them a loss and no reduction of money to fix this problem. Step one, don't play Michigan Tech in a secret scrimmage. Step two, play Stout as an exhibition game. Sell this as part of the ticket package at the same discounted cost that they charged for SNC. No money is lost so far. Step three, instead of playing a regular season game against Stout play another road game for money. This will likely cost the team a win but a win that nobody cares about. Step four, with the 100k check from the extra road game take 25k for travel expenses and marketing then take the remaining 75k and call every mid major team that is worth playing and offer them some or all of that 75k to come play in GB instead of Concordia Chicago. I think it is possible to get a decent game from that. If (I understand this is a big if) this worked you could conceivably trade a road loss for a home win against a better attended, money generating and NET improving game without having to reach into the pockets for money. Maybe this is a dumb idea. Maybe ideas like this have been vetted and aren't practical. No matter what fans don't want Stout and Concordia on the regular season schedule, no matter what everyone else is doing. I hope the powers that be understand that and exhaust every option to fix this issue even if my idea wouldn't work.
As for Aspire that seems to be more of an expense shifting. I believe the ticket people work for Aspire, hence they are not university employees and likely shift expenses for the athletic department. I believe the trainers are employees are Prevea for example. If they sell more group tickets that is great too but the Aspire relationship looks to be about cost shifting more than anything else to me.
It doesn't matter who the coach is for any program. They won't be given the credit they deserve. Just a year ago a bunch of people on this board thought this was a bottom tier job in the HL. One guy didn't win enough, one guy didn't win with his players. It is always something.
I reread the Creighton, Iowa, and Oregon threads last year. Limited mention from anyone of being fine once they play against their own level.
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Post by gbtruther on Nov 8, 2019 10:26:45 GMT -6
The majority of the Horizon League playing two or more non D1 games should have no bearing on what GB is doing. I have only overheard conversation on this topic but most of the people at GB and around the league don't see this as a problem rather they seem to see it as just the way it is. Yet these same people at GB and around the league are presiding over one of the lowest rated period of time for the league and for GB the lowest attendance in 25 years. A refresh of this view would be encouraged from my spot on the couch hiding behind a keyboard. I know it is easier said than done but here is an idea that might of worked for GB and would have only cost them a loss and no reduction of money to fix this problem. Step one, don't play Michigan Tech in a secret scrimmage. Step two, play Stout as an exhibition game. Sell this as part of the ticket package at the same discounted cost that they charged for SNC. No money is lost so far. Step three, instead of playing a regular season game against Stout play another road game for money. This will likely cost the team a win but a win that nobody cares about. Step four, with the 100k check from the extra road game take 25k for travel expenses and marketing then take the remaining 75k and call every mid major team that is worth playing and offer them some or all of that 75k to come play in GB instead of Concordia Chicago. I think it is possible to get a decent game from that. If (I understand this is a big if) this worked you could conceivably trade a road loss for a home win against a better attended, money generating and NET improving game without having to reach into the pockets for money. Maybe this is a dumb idea. Maybe ideas like this have been vetted and aren't practical. No matter what fans don't want Stout and Concordia on the regular season schedule, no matter what everyone else is doing. I hope the powers that be understand that and exhaust every option to fix this issue even if my idea wouldn't work. As for Aspire that seems to be more of an expense shifting. I believe the ticket people work for Aspire, hence they are not university employees and likely shift expenses for the athletic department. I believe the trainers are employees are Prevea for example. If they sell more group tickets that is great too but the Aspire relationship looks to be about cost shifting more than anything else to me. It doesn't matter who the coach is for any program. They won't be given the credit they deserve. Just a year ago a bunch of people on this board thought this was a bottom tier job in the HL. One guy didn't win enough, one guy didn't win with his players. It is always something. I reread the Creighton, Iowa, and Oregon threads last year. Limited mention from anyone of being fine once they play against their own level. The difference last year is that this team had Sandy who could take over games, and the Oregon game was awfully encouraging considering if it wasn't for Bol Bol we probably win that game. There is definitely still hope, and this team could be just fine in conference but that lack of size and playmakers is definitely a concern. Oh and also that fact that we have to rely on Cody Schwartz to eat up minutes at the five. Hopefully, Amari Davis can build off Wednesday though and turn into a playmaker that is the next great player for the program.
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Post by uscg2012 on Nov 8, 2019 12:12:31 GMT -6
FYI, only three money league games are played. THE MTE, that was signed 3 years ago has been the reason for more high majors. That ends after this year, which is a good thing. Therefore in the future only 2-3 high majors will be played, of the 2-3 i would expect 50-50 buy games like UCF or other teams outside of the top 50 RPI....Also the summit league challenge kicks in next year which adds to quality mid major programs to the schedule, with teams like Montana State, NIU and Eastern Illinois coming to GB for a game.
One last thing, basketball funding does not fund the department, basketball funds its own program like recruiting, locker room updates and etc.
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