In Game: at St. Joe's

[Acorn]

I am really worried that some of the lame excuses I’m reading on here are coming from the staff, who need to be owning the last two seasons and not whining about the world they live/work in or—especially—throwing their players under the bus.

I worry about my memory as old age approaches (or has already arrived). But I believe I was unaware of (or forgot) that the staff has been whiny or that they've been throwing their players under the bus. In fact, I find it hard to believe. Examples?

I said I’m worried that the whining and under-the-bus throwing I’m seeing posted on here (examples of which abound) comes from the coaches. I say that because a lot of things the coaches say make their way onto here.

[stevelee]

My whining here is generally about the comments here, more than about the team or staff.

[Dr. Bliss]

I am really worried that some of the lame excuses I’m reading on here are coming from the staff, who need to be owning the last two seasons and not whining about the world they live/work in or—especially—throwing their players under the bus.

I worry about my memory as old age approaches (or has already arrived). But I believe I was unaware of (or forgot) that the staff has been whiny or that they've been throwing their players under the bus. In fact, I find it hard to believe. Examples?

I said I’m worried that the whining and under-the-bus throwing I’m seeing posted on here (examples of which abound) comes from the coaches. I say that because a lot of things the coaches say make their way onto here.

That seems a bit of a stretch, IMO.

[Acorn]

I am really worried that some of the lame excuses I’m reading on here are coming from the staff, who need to be owning the last two seasons and not whining about the world they live/work in or—especially—throwing their players under the bus.

I worry about my memory as old age approaches (or has already arrived). But I believe I was unaware of (or forgot) that the staff has been whiny or that they've been throwing their players under the bus. In fact, I find it hard to believe. Examples?

I said I’m worried that the whining and under-the-bus throwing I’m seeing posted on here (examples of which abound) comes from the coaches. I say that because a lot of things the coaches say make their way onto here.

That seems a bit of a stretch, IMO.

“We’ve improved our shooting” and “we’re very deep” were comments from the coaches that got posted here. Among many, many others over the years. There are posters who are fairly consistent conduits of the staff’s talking points.

[i77cat]

I don't judge coaches on crazy confidence about their players. I've heard things from Bob and members of his staff that were more crazy than claims that the 2023-24 Wildcats were good shooters.

[Dr. Bliss]

I am really worried that some of the lame excuses I’m reading on here are coming from the staff, who need to be owning the last two seasons and not whining about the world they live/work in or—especially—throwing their players under the bus.

I worry about my memory as old age approaches (or has already arrived). But I believe I was unaware of (or forgot) that the staff has been whiny or that they've been throwing their players under the bus. In fact, I find it hard to believe. Examples?

I said I’m worried that the whining and under-the-bus throwing I’m seeing posted on here (examples of which abound) comes from the coaches. I say that because a lot of things the coaches say make their way onto here.

That seems a bit of a stretch, IMO.

“We’ve improved our shooting” and “we’re very deep” were comments from the coaches that got posted here. Among many, many others over the years. There are posters who are fairly consistent conduits of the staff’s talking points.

I could be wrong about this, but I thought those comments were from pre-season pressers, etc. Public information, in other words.

I’m still confused about the implication that coaches have somehow “thrown players under the bus. “

[Dr. Bliss]

I am really worried that some of the lame excuses I’m reading on here are coming from the staff, who need to be owning the last two seasons and not whining about the world they live/work in or—especially—throwing their players under the bus.

I worry about my memory as old age approaches (or has already arrived). But I believe I was unaware of (or forgot) that the staff has been whiny or that they've been throwing their players under the bus. In fact, I find it hard to believe. Examples?

I said I’m worried that the whining and under-the-bus throwing I’m seeing posted on here (examples of which abound) comes from the coaches. I say that because a lot of things the coaches say make their way onto here.

That seems a bit of a stretch, IMO.

“We’ve improved our shooting” and “we’re very deep” were comments from the coaches that got posted here. Among many, many others over the years. There are posters who are fairly consistent conduits of the staff’s talking points.

I could be wrong about this, but I thought those comments were from pre-season pressers, etc. Public information, in other words.

I’m still confused about the implication that coaches have somehow “thrown players under the bus. “

If you’d rather, feel free to pm me about the under the bus comment.

[MLC67]

So confident that no Cats coach would ever throw a player under the bus, I will refrain from posting here for a full year should proof on such shoving be posted here. Not gonna happen.

[Acorn]

No one else could get more out of this young group of student athletes.

You’re probably defining “throwing the players under the bus” differently than I am. For example, I consider the statement above to be an example considering the team just posted a losing record. Essentially “we posted a bad result because the players were bad.”

[Steve Rodgers]

We hashed out the nepotism question two years ago on this board when Matt was hired. Time to move on from trying to bring it up again.

In my view, the biggest threat to our storied men's basketball program is the NIL phenomenon. It seemingly sprang up out of nowhere on the college sports landscape and is morphing and mutating at a dizzying rate. I don't pretend to fully understand how it works, but what worries me is my complete lack of knowledge about what the Davidson administration and the athletic department are doing about it. If there is any institutional inertia at work here and nothing of consequence has been done, we are headed down the road to irrelevance in D1 basketball. On the other hand, if the powers that be are actively working to raise an NIL war chest, the process seems so secretive that I am left to worry that we aren't doing enough. The NIL problem may bite us very soon this spring, as soon as the transfer portal opens and other teams try to tempt our best payers with filthy lucre.

Can someone enlighten me and ease my fears? Or tell me that I realistically have something to worry about?

I'm with Raptor on these issues. What worries me is that I have not heard a plan to keep DU competitive in the A10 as college basketball transitions in the transfer portal NIL era. The College President, the AD and the coach should have a plan and be explaining it to the Alumni, the students and the fans. The fact that this is not happening is very concerning.

[MLC67]

Well now Acorn, I guess I will have to keep posting here. At no time have I considered this year’s record to be bad. Our student athletes played every game with dedication, TCC and great competitive spirit, while excelling in the class room. We may recruit real students who don’t seek tens of thousands in NIL cash, but I for one prefer rooting for lads pursuing humane lives of leadership and service than ones chasing top dollar. No bus included in honoring a competitive team like ours that is assembled consistent with our School’s fundamental values.

[Acorn]

https://davidsonwildcats.com/news/2023/ ... r-athletes

https://davidsonwildcats.com/news/2023/ ... r-athletes

https://exit30collective.org/

https://www.lakenormanpublications.com/ ... trictions/

https://www.davidson.edu/news/2023/05/0 ... e-wildcats

https://davidsonwildcats.com/staff-dire ... buntz/1429

https://athletesthread.com/products/dav ... jersey-red

[2008wildcat]

I agree with the quicksand comment. How is anyone really supposed to compete if your team can get invited to this Players Era tournament in Vegas, where each team participating gets $1 million, with another million to the winner? https://frontofficesports.com/new-mens- ... ament-nil/

Also, a purely rhetorical question, for those who are giving NIL money, what exactly do you get out of it? It seems that many NIL collectives do not qualify for tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3), so as the giver of money, you can't tax the tax deduction. I mean, I understand that it would let the school/team/coaches attract certain talent to the school/sport (with an eye toward championships) and build a stronger "brand" for the school, but what is the benefit beyond that?

[quickcat]

Maybe someone with more direct experience with big sports boosters (stan?) can correct me, but my years of reading about them and now NIL donors indicates that a lot of their motivation is pretty simple: they want to be chatting with their pals and say "I gave $1 million so that Jimmy Joe would play here and we made the Final Four. LOOK AT ME I'M THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON YOU KNOW."

A million dollars is an unfathomable amount to an 18 year old, but a drop in the bucket to a billionaire. Especially if that billion is mostly fraud:

https://nypost.com/2023/07/30/top-miami ... stigation/

[85Wildcatsky]

Does anyone know what the Ivies are doing about NIL and might it be worthwhile to follow their lead.