The better athletes in professional sports are paid as professionals even at a young age in those countries. It's NIL without calling it so.
I'd argue its even worse over there. A team can easily be bought and controlled by stupidly rich donors. There have been various issues in the premier league relating to oil barons coming in and destroying the culture of a team by throwing money at the system.
@jd24 @rezynezy You are both correct, and I agree with you. But you missed my point. Over there (and almost everywhere else) educational institutions have not succumbed to the US Model — and I tried to cite that as a good thing. You aren’t attracted to Oxford because they have a good rowing team that for one race a year people even hear about. But you follow Aston Villa in football from the time you could walk. And if you are good enough, you rise through that organization — not through your school team (which there really isn’t any). This model puts both education and sport in respective perspective — something that I believe we have lost here in the US.
And @usc4valpo, the cluster we have now in intercollegiate sports could be seen coming a long, long while ago. When FBS schools pay their BB and FB coaches $5 million+ while distinguished professors might make low six figures at best, you know there’s an imbalance. The NCAA didn’t create this mess. The NCAA was originally created to try to control what everyone knew would certainly happen sooner or later. In my opinion, it was in a no-win situation from day one. No one person or organization could stem that tide. And so, it is what it is 😰
All we're really talking about is the source of the payments and does it really matter the source?
Would there be any rooting interest for the Ann Arbor Wolverines, Columbus Buckeyes, Valparaiso Beacons?
Not to any great degree. The entire point of the rooting interest is one of "they're ours"
One of last week's booms has been confirmed.
Brody Whitaker from u Indy (G)
Team needed a veteran guard. I think this guy checks those boxes.
One of last week's booms has been confirmed.
Brody Whitaker from u Indy
Gaurd
33 minutes a game, 14 points, 4.5 rebounds last season at U Indy. Pretty solid, nice pick-up (in my opinion)
Picked up the U Indy Center as well
https://twitter.com/Tucker_Tornatta/status/1919902688378020109
One of last week's booms has been confirmed.
Brody Whitaker from u Indy
Gaurd
33 minutes a game, 14 points, 4.5 rebounds last season at U Indy. Pretty solid, nice pick-up (in my opinion)
My understanding is that he put up those numbers while playing with real injuries all year. If you look at his numbers from Marion the year prior, he averaged almost 20ppg and his shooting numbers were pretty incredible…. 50/40/85. The kid just plays the game the right way.
We still have another scholarship available if we find the right piece.
If last season’s roster were 5-card draw Poker, we only lost 2 winning cards - All and Cooper. All the rest were discards anyway. Hopefully, we’ll draw a winning hand this year. If Drake did it, why not us?
One of last week's booms has been confirmed.
Brody Whitaker from u Indy (G)
Team needed a veteran guard. I think this guy checks those boxes.
40% from the field. 30% from 3.
At Marian the prior year he was 10% better for each. Not an assist guy either.
Tucker was first team all freshmen in the GLVC. Always nice bringing in younger talent that has already played at the college level. This will also add some needed chemistry. Not the most flashy pickups, but pickups that will bring some depth, experience, and chemistry. One scholarship spot left which seemingly might go to Pettigrews brother. Obviously no confirmation.
Very interested in seeing what the frontcourt rotation is going to be next year with much more height this year. I really think Hopoi will play more like a 3 than a 4.
Now that the roster is about done… Who are we getting in non-conference? Illinois? Or OSU again? Annddddd probably a few MAC teams again
Poker analogy good, however....Drake drew Bennett Sturtz. straight flush, his supporting cast a pair of twos at best Imo.
Powell and company have been relentless in building exclusively with the D2, NAIA approach instead of a hotshot gem like Wright. Someone alluded to earlier about Lottich might have been on to something with that approach. Didn't really translate to upper tier success in the MVC. Quentin Green, Nick Edwards, Kevion Taylor. So lets see if Powell has better success with this model. Moot unrelated point, but loosing Thomas Kithier cost them at minimum 4 wins. I Digress.
Lets see how this team comes together in October/November. Anyone have an idea of some of the non con schedule?
No crystal ball but excited for next year, looks like a talented group — and one made up of genuinely good-hearted guys with the kind of edge and hunger you need to compete. Coaching staff has done a great job recruiting without super strong NIL like a state school, players come to play and build a winning team (unfortunately within one year in the current landscape).
Whitaker appears to be an aggressive scorer type which I thought the roster was missing. Profile reads like Tyler Schmidt's. Can get his own shot. Hopefully shoots better than he did last year.
