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  • IUPbigINDIANS
    replied
    Originally posted by Chuck Norris View Post
    Virginia certainly justified their spot in the tournament. Oof.
    Embarrassing

    Leave a comment:


  • Chuck Norris
    replied
    Virginia certainly justified their spot in the tournament. Oof.

    Leave a comment:


  • Fightingscot82
    replied
    Originally posted by IUP24 View Post

    The interesting thing is that all of those programs you mentioned, maybe with the exception of Miami, are pretty good basketball schools. And they all have their own followings and fanbases.

    In general, I’ve found since living here that Ohio has a massive appetite for basketball. High school basketball, specifically in northeast Ohio, is huge. They nearly sell out the high school basketball state championships and sell tickets/charge admission for each game separately. You would think that would deter casuals from going to multiple games, or going at all, but they get fantastic attendance.
    I lived in the same town as Miami for 2 years, so 30 minutes north of Cincinnati. Cincy is definitely a basketball town. Probably baseball first, basketball second, football third.

    Leave a comment:


  • IUP24
    replied
    Originally posted by Fightingscot82 View Post

    Northern Kentucky is within 20 minutes of Cincinnati, which is already flooded with UC, Xavier, Dayton, Wright State, and when the next Wally Szerbiak comes along, Miami.
    The interesting thing is that all of those programs you mentioned, maybe with the exception of Miami, are pretty good basketball schools. And they all have their own followings and fanbases.

    In general, I’ve found since living here that Ohio has a massive appetite for basketball. High school basketball, specifically in northeast Ohio, is huge. They nearly sell out the high school basketball state championships and sell tickets/charge admission for each game separately. You would think that would deter casuals from going to multiple games, or going at all, but they get fantastic attendance.

    Leave a comment:


  • Fightingscot82
    replied
    Originally posted by IUPbigINDIANS View Post

    I've never understood Bellarmine. Their home arena is about a 9-iron from the Louisville campus.

    D2 Power to afterthought in their own city.
    Northern Kentucky is within 20 minutes of Cincinnati, which is already flooded with UC, Xavier, Dayton, Wright State, and when the next Wally Szerbiak comes along, Miami.

    Leave a comment:


  • IUPbigINDIANS
    replied
    Originally posted by IUP24 View Post

    You know what's interesting? Over the last few years, it's incredible the number of schools who have made the jump to Division 1 from Division 2. Bellarmine made the jump. Queens, Stonehill, UC San Diego, Lindenwood, Southern Indiana, Texas A&M Commerce. Now Le Moyne is moving up.
    I've never understood Bellarmine. Their home arena is about a 9-iron from the Louisville campus.

    D2 Power to afterthought in their own city.

    Leave a comment:


  • Fightingscot82
    replied
    Originally posted by IUP24 View Post

    You know what's interesting? Over the last few years, it's incredible the number of schools who have made the jump to Division 1 from Division 2. Bellarmine made the jump. Queens, Stonehill, UC San Diego, Lindenwood, Southern Indiana, Texas A&M Commerce. Now Le Moyne is moving up.
    Yes. Most are private and have figured out how to discount the additional scholarship dollars. There may be some graduate increases in other costs like travel and salaries. The public schools surprise me - but they're all in states with growing if not stable populations.

    Leave a comment:


  • IUP24
    replied
    Originally posted by Fightingscot82 View Post

    Yep. Games against Merrimack and Central Connecticut didn't exactly excite their fans, but at least they were familiar with those teams after a few decades in the conference. So new conference schedules against Detroit Mercy and Wisconsin-Milwaukee are somehow a downgrade. Covid didn't help. The first season with the new arena was the year covid cancelled the tournament, and RMU would have gone after winning the NEC. Plus, the increased travel costs probably neutralize the additional revenue. That last president almost put the school on life support. Who the hell increases spending during Covid on things like Athletics???
    You know what's interesting? Over the last few years, it's incredible the number of schools who have made the jump to Division 1 from Division 2. Bellarmine made the jump. Queens, Stonehill, UC San Diego, Lindenwood, Southern Indiana, Texas A&M Commerce. Now Le Moyne is moving up.

    Leave a comment:


  • Fightingscot82
    replied
    Originally posted by IUP24 View Post

    I think Andy Toole is a good coach. He had opportunities to leave previously for greener pastures and never did. I remember for a while he was everybody's top choice any time an Ivy League job came open.
    He's a good guy. You may not see that from his on court persona. But he's clearly smart enough to be worthy of his Ivy League degree. I wouldn't be surprised if he stays at RMU for the long haul, but things will have to improve before the natives become too restless to support the guy. He's also pretty firmly planted in Pittsburgh. He and his wife live in Mount Lebanon and his wife has a pretty good executive job with Dicks Sporting Goods corporate headquarters. Moving to Duquesne acknowledges his ability and doesn't change anything for his family. Just not sure his win/loss record will sit well with Duquesne folks not as familiar with him.

    Leave a comment:


  • Fightingscot82
    replied
    Originally posted by IUP24 View Post

    Their move to the Horizon League may have netted them a few extra bucks, but from a competition standpoint, they are so overmatched in that league. Leaving the NEC was a bad move for that reason. Men's basketball was their most competitive program and was the flagship of their athletic department, especially with that new venue.
    Yep. Games against Merrimack and Central Connecticut didn't exactly excite their fans, but at least they were familiar with those teams after a few decades in the conference. So new conference schedules against Detroit Mercy and Wisconsin-Milwaukee are somehow a downgrade. Covid didn't help. The first season with the new arena was the year covid cancelled the tournament, and RMU would have gone after winning the NEC. Plus, the increased travel costs probably neutralize the additional revenue. That last president almost put the school on life support. Who the hell increases spending during Covid on things like Athletics???

    Leave a comment:


  • Chuck Norris
    replied
    Originally posted by Fightingscot82 View Post

    I believe I read somewhere that his wife is ill. I imagine if true that's a huge factor. He seems like a good guy.
    Yeah, when they showed her on camera during the A10 tournament she was wearing a baseball cap and what could be seen of her hair looked very short. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but seeing you say that makes me guess she’s undergoing or has undergone chemotherapy .

    I hope they can send him out with at least one win. I’m bummed because I have a half day Friday so the only time I hoped they wouldn’t play was early on Thursday, and of course they are playing at 12:40 on Thursday.

    Leave a comment:


  • IUP24
    replied
    Originally posted by Fightingscot82 View Post

    She seems like a decent hire. I'm curious about her connections to their recruiting core territory but I'll assume they went for a lower cost. She was making about $90k at Mason so probably something similar last season at UCF. I wonder if any familiar names interviewed.

    You also have to wonder if Duquesne will talk to Andy Toole. Fast and cheap hire.
    I think Andy Toole is a good coach. He had opportunities to leave previously for greener pastures and never did. I remember for a while he was everybody's top choice any time an Ivy League job came open.

    Leave a comment:


  • IUP24
    replied
    Originally posted by IUPbigINDIANS View Post
    Andy Toole cleaned house at Robert Morris today - letting go two long-time assistants.

    This was their fourth bad year in a row. Firing assistants is usually the last step before getting fired yourself. I'd guess his seat is getting a little warm for the first time.
    Their move to the Horizon League may have netted them a few extra bucks, but from a competition standpoint, they are so overmatched in that league. Leaving the NEC was a bad move for that reason. Men's basketball was their most competitive program and was the flagship of their athletic department, especially with that new venue.

    Leave a comment:


  • Fightingscot82
    replied
    Originally posted by IUPbigINDIANS View Post
    The Robert Morris women's team hired an assistant from UCF. It will be her first HC job.
    She seems like a decent hire. I'm curious about her connections to their recruiting core territory but I'll assume they went for a lower cost. She was making about $90k at Mason so probably something similar last season at UCF. I wonder if any familiar names interviewed.

    You also have to wonder if Duquesne will talk to Andy Toole. Fast and cheap hire.

    Leave a comment:


  • Ship69
    replied
    Originally posted by Scrub View Post

    The devil's advocate position is this: in sports, we like to see things decided on the playing field (and on the scoreboard), not on paper. There is no doubt left once the buzzer sounds--the scoreboard says what the scoreboard says. No gray area. The conference tournaments allow us to decide things on the scoreboard, not with greater responsibility given to committees in board rooms with spreadsheets. [shrug]
    The problem with that is you've already spent several months deciding the top team in the conference on the court, and then you have a week-long tournament where you basically start things all over again. What the tournaments are for the bigger leagues is a way to make more money; it has very little to do with competitive concerns. The ACC started the whole circus with its tournament. I remember when the ACC-centric announcers such as Packer and Vitale blamed Big 10 failures in the NCAAs on the conference's lack of a league tournament. So then the B1G got a tournament and since then they've won fewer titles than they did before.

    Leave a comment:

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