NCAA Hoops Off season 2015

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 12:41 pm

Melo Trimble announces he is staying at Maryland (not really surprising), but good news for Terp fans. Add that to getting Top 10 Center Diamond Stone (Wisconsin fans are not happy about losing a home town kid). Then you get Georgia Tech transfer Robert Carter, and Jake Layman likely staying. Sure Dez Wells graduates, but you get Ivan Bender (young Croatian who is likely to work with the National team this summer), Cekovsky who came around late in the season, and 2nd years from Wiley and Nickens.

I think the Terps move forward from a decent season this year.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 2:16 pm

I believe you guys are linked to Damion Lee of Drexel who is a post-grad. Might step in nicely for Wells.

Post by **Shirley** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 4:31 pm

I'm actually a little surprised Trimble is staying. He had a hell of a year for a freshman, and I have to think he'd have been drafted fairly high.

Bensell · Post by **Bensell** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 5:43 pm

Even though we were talking Texas and Rick Barnes in the tourney thread, this probably belongs here more. A bunch of Longhorn sites are reporting Shaka Smart is close to agreeing to a 5 year deal worth around $14 mil.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 9:14 pm

Shirley wrote:I'm actually a little surprised Trimble is staying. He had a hell of a year for a freshman, and I have to think he'd have been drafted fairly high.

Agreed. He was mentioned right along with D'Angelo Russell from Ohio State most of the season, then eventually how he was being overshadowed by another fantastic freshman guard in his conference.

Chad Ford got asked about Trimble in his chat today and said he was 44th on his big board, but could have snuck into the first round. He has him as a "definite" first rounder next year.

Post by **brian** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 12:10 pm

Bowling Green just fired their coach for getting drunk and acting a fool at an off-campus bar. Gotta love the MAC.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 12:11 pm

Dylan Ennis taking a post-grad transfer out of Villanova made my day.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 2:44 pm

Chris McCullough is leaving Syracuse after 16 games and one torn ACL.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 2:45 pm

Mass exodus!!!

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 3:32 pm

Bensell wrote:Even though we were talking Texas and Rick Barnes in the tourney thread, this probably belongs here more. A bunch of Longhorn sites are reporting Shaka Smart is close to agreeing to a 5 year deal worth around $14 mil.

Folks in Richmond are pulling out all of the stops to keep him.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc- ... s-to-stay/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

howard · Post by **howard** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 3:52 pm

If he can distribute them, could help with recruiting.

Post by **brian** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 3:53 pm

Between the lack of a state income tax in Texas and the fact that it's not Richmond, I don't know how he turns down UT.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 4:09 pm

Because it's not not Texas?

Post by **brian** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 4:12 pm

mister d wrote:Because it's not not Texas?

Austin isn't Texas either.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 4:24 pm

Redacted.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 10:36 pm

Does Shaka need to sit out a year?

rass · Post by **rass** » Fri Apr 03, 2015 6:05 am

brian wrote:Bowling Green just fired their coach for getting drunk and acting a fool at an off-campus bar. Gotta love the MAC.

Details...

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Fri Apr 03, 2015 9:23 am

I saw this on the NCAA official FAQ ...

Why can’t a student-athlete compete immediately after transferring?

Requiring student-athletes to sit out of competition for a year after transferring encourages them to make decisions motivated by academics as well as athletics. Most student-athletes who are not eligible to compete immediately benefit from a year to adjust to their new school and focus on their classes.

Pretty tough to poke a huge, gaping hole in that logic, eh?

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Fri Apr 03, 2015 9:25 am

brian wrote:Bowling Green just fired their coach for getting drunk and acting a fool at an off-campus bar. Gotta love the MAC.

MACtin' a Fool! Saturdays at 1 AM on the MAC Network After Dark!

Post by **Shirley** » Fri Apr 03, 2015 9:58 am

mister d wrote:I saw this on the NCAA official FAQ ...

Why can’t a student-athlete compete immediately after transferring?

Requiring student-athletes to sit out of competition for a year after transferring encourages them to make decisions motivated by academics as well as athletics. Most student-athletes who are not eligible to compete immediately benefit from a year to adjust to their new school and focus on their classes.
Pretty tough to poke a huge, gaping hole in that logic, eh?

The real reason is to avoid active recruiting of currently-active players. They don't want kids hopping around every year like free agents. It's a reasonable concern, actually.

Post by **brian** » Fri Apr 03, 2015 10:10 am

Once, coaches have to sit out a year after moving to a new school then I'll share your concerns.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 12:34 pm

So the way too early top 5s are out Terps, UVA, and UNC consensus top 5 picks. Kentucky really depends on NBA/recruits

Yahoo

1. Virginia
2. North Carolina
3. Kentucky
4. Iowa State
5. Maryland

NBC

Rob Dauster says he might bump the Cavaliers to No. 2 if Justin Anderson returns to school.

1. North Carolina
2. Iowa State
3. Maryland
4. Kentucky
5. Virginia

USA Today

1. North Carolina
2. Kentucky
3. Virginia
4. Iowa State
5. Maryland

SB Nation

1. North Carolina
2. Virginia
3. Iowa State
4. Kansas
5. Maryland

The Sporting News

1. Virginia
2. Arizona
3. Maryland
4. North Carolina
5. Kentucky

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 12:46 pm

Shirley wrote:The real reason is to avoid active recruiting of currently-active players. They don't want kids hopping around every year like free agents. It's a reasonable concern, actually.

1. [wanking motion]

2. If that's the "real reason", how about someone propose each player gets one free transfer to allow for correction of a mistake but avoid all out free agency and see if the NCAA is ok with that.

3. Why is free agency bad? Because its too tough on the poor coaches or because it exposes college basketball for the profit sport it is?

DC47 · Post by **DC47** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 1:08 pm

mister d wrote:2. If that's the "real reason", how about someone propose each player gets one free transfer to allow for correction of a mistake but avoid all out free agency and see if the NCAA is ok with that.

First truly good proposal I've ever seen on this issue.

DC47 · Post by **DC47** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 1:16 pm

wlu_lax6 wrote:So the way too early top 5s are out Terps, UVA, and UNC consensus top 5 picks. Kentucky really depends on NBA/recruits

Ah, so it's official. Calipari is going to start recruiting actual NBA players. Presumably only among benchwarmers who think they left college too soon and could use a do-over.

It will be sort of like virginity restoration surgery. I imagine that they will have to go through some kind of identity alteration process before they actually play, to deal with that pesky amateur status thing. Or perhaps you could repay 50% of your total pro salary to the college you sign with, to cover administrative overhead, the women's crew team, and several scholarships for low-income youth. That would provide political cover.

"Michael? Michael Beasely, is that you?"

"No man. Dan Smith. Or Dave Smith, I forget."

Post by **Shirley** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 1:34 pm

mister d wrote:3. Why is free agency bad? Because its too tough on the poor coaches or because it exposes college basketball for the profit sport it is?

Would you be cool with pro sports if there were no contracts and players could change teams whenever they wanted?

BTW, I think I'm fine with the one free pass rule. Just keep in mind this rule would make life even harder for smaller programs. Every time they unearth a better-than-expected player, he would immediately be recruited by the big boys. Hell, one free pass would make that strategy optimal for the big programs - you could stock up on kids who had already proven themselves at places like La Salle, but they couldn't then transfer away from you.

DC47 · Post by **DC47** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 1:40 pm

Offer binding, non-revokable (even if they quit the team, but not if they transfer) 5 year scholarships to student-athlete recruits who would agree to the current NCAA transfer rules. Though this thing where the current school has to approve the school a player transfers to must end. That's crazy. Just a protection for coaches.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 1:51 pm

If you look at the A-10's transfer history with major conferences, its going to be an a lot to 1 ratio in terms of gaining versus losing. I'm not sure why more kids would be willing to transfer up without the sit year but not willing to transfer down.

howard · Post by **howard** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 2:18 pm

Stupid NCAA wouldn't let me transfer up, from d2 Davis to d1 UCSB, w/o waiting the year. Plus, because I played one jv game against a junior college my freshman year in a different fucking sport (baseball), they started the clock with my frosh year. By the time I was eligible, hoops coach had been fired, new coach didn't even let the scholarship guys try out. So I've hated the NCAA ever since.

Today must be retell old stories day I haven't regaled in the swamp for a few years.

DC47 · Post by **DC47** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 3:27 pm

howard wrote:Today must be retell old stories day I haven't regaled in the swamp for a few years.

Okay, okay. Let's hear the one about you and the Reichstag fire again. Just leave out the Austrian economics bit this time though.

Post by **Shirley** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 3:53 pm

mister d wrote:If you look at the A-10's transfer history with major conferences, its going to be an a lot to 1 ratio in terms of gaining versus losing. I'm not sure why more kids would be willing to transfer up without the sit year but not willing to transfer down.

You'd for sure see a huge increase in transfers both directions. I think it would be ugly. It's not so much that I begrudge a guy who just wants to go somewhere where he's more likely to get minutes, but if transfers were made easier (and I'm not counting the bullshit cases that DC mentioned where schools don't grant releases), there would be constant recruiting of active players by other schools. That would be a clusterfuck.

OK, if we're going to open up the whole thing to reform debate, I like the following ideas:

1) Guaranteed 5-year scholarships for freshmen. Four years of eligibility, but you have five years of school if you want it, regardless of whether or not you stay on the team. Don't allow coaches (like Saban) to over-recruit and then just revoke scholarships.

2) Allow kids to declare for the draft and then come back later. At any point. Hell, I don't care if they play a few years of pro ball and fizzle out. Let them come back and go to school and play, just like so many other college students do. Maybe cap the age or length of time between starting as a freshman and finishing up. If you leave and return though, it has to be the same school.

3) Transfer any time you like, but you have to sit out a half season (and lose that eligibility) or sit out a whole year and keep that eligibility.

4) Get rid of all - or nearly all - of the stupid recruiting restrictions. Simplify things. Instead, the NCAA should focus on academic fraud. Do what you can to make sure these kids are actually getting the educations you claim they are being compensated with.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 4:12 pm

Isn't it a rule that coaches can't recruit players in other programs? If so, it seems really weird to punish the kids for it, right?

DC47 · Post by **DC47** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 4:39 pm

No, it's like with those young women who go to frat parties in revealing clothing. Burqa-less even.

All those point guards and power forwards, just a waltzing by. You can't hardly expect a coach to help himself now, can you?

Post by **Shirley** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 4:40 pm

mister d wrote:Isn't it a rule that coaches can't recruit players in other programs? If so, it seems really weird to punish the kids for it, right?

It may be, but I think it's mostly dampened because it costs a year. You hear rumors of it happening anyway with kids that are perceived to be disgruntled enough to consider it.

I agree that it punishes the kids and that's not cool, but I just haven't heard a good alternative. I really think completely free transfers would be a disaster. Think of all of the complaining about One and Done kids with how they upset the continuity of programs and that's like 5-8 players a year. With free transfers, it would be hundreds of players a year coming and going.

DC47 · Post by **DC47** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 4:45 pm

I guess I just don't value college basketball enough as a business to believe that young people should be controlled by the NCAA in ways that most of us would find extremely offensive in our professional worlds.

Many student-athletes' lives are highly disrupted by what the colleges and coaches are doing for their own benefit. But, oh, can't be disrupting their lucrative little world.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 6:49 pm

The better alternative is punishing the coaches and programs committing the infractions versus the kids receiving the overtures. And I don't care at all about one and done players (and neither does the NCAA) or the "harm" caused by increasing transfers; that's just a continuance of the bullshit justifications Flood fought decades ago. Until kids recruited are guaranteed minutes as upperclassmen, think about what you're advocating. "Oh fuck, roster building might get tougher for the guys who routinely break promises and recruit over kids they know are loathe to walk away and not play for a year of their lives."

DC47 · Post by **DC47** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 7:12 pm

Since the NCAA can use their monopoly power to make arbitrary rules so that things aren't too disruptive on their hallowed hardcourts, how about limiting coaching salaries to no more than some fixed limit. Like the pay for a Supreme Court Justice. And then limiting their subordinates' pay to some fraction of that.

Yes, it would be disruptive. Coaches would leave more quickly to the pro leagues. I don't see this as a major negative for colleges. Not even for college sports, which is not the same thing.

Yes, it would somewhat diminish the mystique (boo hoo, no more Coach K's) that provides value to some college sports fans. In theory, the quality of coaching would slightly diminish. But would have considerable publicity value to colleges that are coming under increased scrutiny for enriching their upper class (not only coaches) by paying them like corporate execs. And it would be more consistent with the alleged balance between academics and athletics.

howard · Post by **howard** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 7:13 pm

But…but…

THE FREE MARKET!!!!

DC47 · Post by **DC47** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 7:19 pm

Not many of those exist in actual practice, of course. Could even NCAA shills utter the words without breaking into laughter? Maybe if they practiced in front of a mirror.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 5:57 pm

Ex-Drexel guard Damion Lee considering these 5 schools: Maryland, Arizona, Gonzaga, Louisville and Marquette
He will graduate this spring and as a result be eligible right away. He is from Baltimore (Calvert Hall).