https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/41868376/uva-tony-bennett-cites-state-game-retirement
As almost all of us know about Virginia's Tony Bennett stepping away, I think it is crucial to note that he is doing it because of the state of the game.
If Sports Betting allowed Longs and Shorts, I would put a Long on someone like Sean Miller and I would have had a Short on Bennett.
The 4 Year Path is almost extinct and in some ways it is sad.
I will miss the appreciation of enjoying a core unit for 3 or 4 years at a time. I think Tommy Lloyd is doing a decent job of finding guys who want to be here and stay here, but he definitely understands that there is a limit to who he can recruit. I know people around here seem to think Tommy has a hard cap on what he allows the players to be paid, but I just don't buy it.
I personally don't enjoy the Mercenary Era as much. "Pay as you go" is just not for me. Some people may like having a new team basically every year. I can respect that.
For example, I think Oumar Ballo is incredulously overpaid to be at Indiana, but he also earned his status. If he could hit 70% of his Free Throws at Indiana then they may easily have the best True Power Forward that plays Center in the Big Ten.
But on the flipside Year 1 guys who are demanding that money just to show up to campus for 6 months or so just doesn't work for me personally.
I do believe the players should get whatever they can while they can, but anyone with a brain has to think that the demands from Freshman coming in especially are already wildly out of control. Whether it is Basketball or Football, it is really already hitting a vertical limit.
I get it though. These days when you are constantly told you are the next Jordan, Lebron, Shaq, etc from Age 12-14 on, you may develop an ego that makes you think you are worth Millions immediately.
Strike while the iron is hot...
"The market will correct itself"
---> I don't think it will in this case. I think we will have to see a change to a pro style structure sooner than later where schools will have to have Salary Caps, Transferring may even have to cost the Player money to buy their way out. Maybe they have to pay the school they are leaving and the NCAA a fee personally (that they will recover from their next school most likely as a workaround), but I think that would help make for a healthier "economy" instead of a "bubble". There are a lot of reforms I can see happening.
However, if you are a Coach nowadays, you have to be a man of many hats and even more of a "salesman". That is not always the most fun thing for people who like total control. Bennett seems like a guy who's approach can't work if his soldiers aren't all fully committed to the program. He needed Full Buy In.
A coach now will have to be prepared to invest time, energy, and effort into coaching a kid their way and understand they are likely going to use them for a launching pad/platform/springboard more than caring about the "basketball education" --- used like a roll of Charmin and flushed, moving on to the next highest bidder.
This can definitely take a toll on a guy like Bennett. Bennett doesn't seem like he wants to kiss anyone's ring, bend the knee, or cow tower to "Handlers/Agents". I can respect that.
What do you all think about the State of the Game?
We'll always be in the same mindset regarding the NIL. It's ridiculous but we're already stepped off the edge of the pool...so there's no "going back".
The market will cool itself off but we'll never see another recruitment from a kid who truly wants to attend their "dream school". It's sadly determined by the difference of another $10K-$100K offer, depending on the level of talent.
College basketball still maintains my interest but if the small schools start to become irrelevant, it'll be hard to watch because I don't want to see Kentucky play UNC for a national title every year, strictly because they're the only two programs that can afford to play for top-tier recruits/transfers.
It's frustrating but I think that Lloyd is handling the situation as best as possible. He brought in kids that love the game of basketball...and want to play under his specific style of offense. Hopefully we can maintain consistency and occasionally throw money at 1-2 high-end recruits every few years. Arizona has "backing" but Tucson doesn't have the same financial situation as the major D-1 universities so it'll be interesting to see how we keep up.
Quote from: KansasCityCats on October 18, 2024, 11:47:48 AMWe'll always be in the same mindset regarding the NIL. It's ridiculous but we're already stepped off the edge of the pool...so there's no "going back".
The market will cool itself off but we'll never see another recruitment from a kid who truly wants to attend their "dream school". It's sadly determined by the difference of another $10K-$100K offer, depending on the level of talent.
College basketball still maintains my interest but if the small schools start to become irrelevant, it'll be hard to watch because I don't want to see Kentucky play UNC for a national title every year, strictly because they're the only two programs that can afford to play for top-tier recruits/transfers.
It's frustrating but I think that Lloyd is handling the situation as best as possible. He brought in kids that love the game of basketball...and want to play under his specific style of offense. Hopefully we can maintain consistency and occasionally throw money at 1-2 high-end recruits every few years. Arizona has "backing" but Tucson doesn't have the same financial situation as the major D-1 universities so it'll be interesting to see how we keep up.
1 Thing I have noticed since all of this has really taken off is the fundamental teams have been successful in March Madness. I think we will see that trend fade a bit, but all the 15 seeds and the recent 16 seed type wins are coming from units of players that are definitely not paid or at least anything remotely remarkable.
So the Big Dance seems to be a place for a 3rd element now.
1. Small Schools to beat the cocky Top Programs who are "content" from being well paid and just focusing on their individual stocks as opposed to a team goal
2. Top Programs still dominating like you said. The thought of always seeing "Kansas" and "Duke" around the Final Four and such is annoying, but it is only our own fault why we aren't in that ilk.
3. Individual Players for ALL Programs showcasing their talents in an effort to get that "look" needed to garner a "pay day" via the transfer portal or a ransom to stay. Especially Grad Transfers who aren't going to be NBA players, but could really benefit from the money and the extra free school.
I always think about the Tyler Hansborough's who didn't get officially paid, but they would have probably made many millions in college. More than a 1st round pick is worth after like Pick 20-25. 2nd Round picks aren't guaranteed money either.
So I also think the NBA will benefit from this in the sense that "Good Teams" can stay good by drafting NBA Ready talent that used 4 or 5 years, got their first $5 million+ so they are more comfortable coming in via the 2nd round and playing to contribute immediately if they can.
I see Adem Bona with the Sixers having an opportunity that Drew Timme doesn't really have at the moment, but they can all still go abroad if they want. Ballo is a Million Dollar Man though technically. The prevailing difference is these types of players won't be at the mercy of anything since they could feasibly be retired or semi retired by Age 21-23 from the money they are making unless the reforms come in swiftly. Right now NIL and influencing is as insane as any market whether it be real estate, stocks, or crypto. Even Angel Reese is openly rubbing it in everyone's face that "the WNBA doesn't even cover her bills and she lives beyond her means".
It will be interesting to see how many people are smart about their wealth and how many "burn out" early and find themselves without opportunities in their mid to late 20's. It is almost as if there is an agenda to purposely not teach anyone about personal finance in lower education... maybe that changes soon too.
Too long. Too many words.
Might read later tho idk.
BTFD.
I really dislike NIL and the complete lack of restrictions on transferring. As others have said, there is no putting the genie back in the bottle when it comes to NIL (Maybe a salary cap). However, I think transferring should be addressed. I don't think we need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to correcting this. Just make players sit out a year if they transfer unless their head coach leaves.
Quote from: Paper_Bag on October 18, 2024, 03:27:25 PMI really dislike NIL and the complete lack of restrictions on transferring. As others have said, there is no putting the genie back in the bottle when it comes to NIL (Maybe a salary cap). However, I think transferring should be addressed. I don't think we need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to correcting this. Just make players sit out a year if they transfer unless their head coach leaves.
I think if a school gains a transfer they should lose a scholarship at minimum.
I also think any student-athlete earning over $100,000 should have to pay their own tuition costs. Maybe not housing, food, trainers, and transportation, but at least the base cost of tuition. There's absolutely no point in letting them be part of Academia for free while earning the money and taking away opportunity from real full time students.
I also think that the player transferring should have to post a fee to the school they are leaving in the form of a % of their paycheck for leaving. 25% sounds fair. Get 1mil? Pay 250k to get out. Helps the prior school be able to pay the next kid. Like a looped process economy. Money enters in from various sources like schools, boosters, sponsors, but never really fully leaves with the kids. The players get a more than generous cut, but the idea of Amateurism still exists even from the grave as the players have the power, but not 100% of it like they do now.
It may make players hesitant to leave and schools hesitant to poach.
Just some of the many ideas I have in passing.