I'm a long time supporter and fan of anything SIU sports. That said, I could not give a flip about most sports in general anymore. The greedy NCAA has ruined college sports. It's over fellers. The glory days will never come back. Money talks and the kids hear dollar signs. And who can blame them?
While I still love to see SIU do good in every sport, the greed has pushed me away from it. There is no loyalty anymore. The coaching staff can find that diamond in the rough, but keeping that athlete going forward is almost impossible. The NCAA has made it a bidding war. Every player in any sport, is a free agent year in and out. And it is only going to get worse before it gets better.
The NCAA, the Big Conference Schools and the athletes are the winners. The Mid Majors and their fan bases, are the losers.
And the NCAA's previous catch phrase of "student/athletes" has been rendered a complete farce. There is no way these guys are getting the credits to transfer from school to school to school to complete graduation requirements.
Way to go NCAA.
You'd be surprised what the best players at SIU made this year. SIU could probably do very low 6 figures for our best player or two next year and still have enough for the rest of the roster. Best way to be competitive for those who care is to give to the NIL collective and SASF.6 figures would be $100,000 to be fair, not in the million range
Random thoughts:
All this with no idea of team makeup next year, but gross (and naïve) assumptions that most will return.
If the "core" group (however you determine who that is) returns, and is healthy next year, SIU should be in a much better place competitively.
New recruits look serviceable and with red shirt JW and maybe Bey, looks positive for the "bigs." Also agree with the recent Moreno assessments, much improved and with more conditioning and practice, could be a force down low. Too often this year Salukis were manhandled in the paint. Rebounding was respectable, but boxing out was a deficiency.
Hoping Davis looks to distribute more and make fellow players better rather than continued "hero ball." Yes, he can create but needs to pass the ball more. And hopefully we have the point guards to help him.
Overall, team needs to be more disciplined to reduce turnovers, fundamentals and yes, free throws. Certainly, having played together now for a year should also improve leadership roles, floor communication and overall toughness.
Coaching staff needs to be more creative on offense and continue to emphasize defense.
Hoping the AD and campus student groups rally to increase Dawg Pound and overall attendance and student/community support. The region is anxious to support a winning program, and we all know it's past time.
Could be way off here, but somewhat optimistic for the upcoming season. More so than I was in January.
Go Dawgs!
March on triumphantly!
I heard 350000
I'm a long time supporter and fan of anything SIU sports. That said, I could not give a flip about most sports in general anymore. The greedy NCAA has ruined college sports. It's over fellers. The glory days will never come back. Money talks and the kids hear dollar signs. And who can blame them?
While I still love to see SIU do good in every sport, the greed has pushed me away from it. There is no loyalty anymore. The coaching staff can find that diamond in the rough, but keeping that athlete going forward is almost impossible. The NCAA has made it a bidding war. Every player in any sport, is a free agent year in and out. And it is only going to get worse before it gets better.
The NCAA, the Big Conference Schools and the athletes are the winners. The Mid Majors and their fan bases, are the losers.
Eh I'd argue the NCAA fought this as much as they could. There was a compromise on the table a few years ago that would have prevented all of this but it was rejected, and the lawsuits went ahead full force.
What really needs to happen is for small schools to band together with the less well off P5 schools and sue on anti-competitive grounds.
This isn't sustainable. Nor was what is happening now the goal of all prior litigation.
Kids aren't even having to do anything to earn money. Schools are paying them and calling it "NIL".
I actually do think this is a genie that can be put back in the bottle in a way.
6 figures would be $100,000 to be fair, not in the million range
I responded too early in the morning. Yes, I was thinking of 1 million.
If it’s around 100K, it’s probably still more than Southern can offer, but I could see them at least putting up a competitive offer.
6 figures would be $100,000 to be fair, not in the million range
I responded too early in the morning. Yes, I was thinking of 1 million.
If it’s around 100K, it’s probably still more than Southern can offer, but I could see them at least putting up a competitive offer.
If 100K is more than Southern can offer for a top player on its roster in this current landscape, they’d be screwed, and it would certainly contradict Tim Leonard’s interview in which he said SIU will compete at/near the top of the Valley in men’s basketball resources.
I don’t think that is the case, though.
When the whole lawsuit thing started with Ed O’Bannon, I was all for the players. The NCAA was raking in hundred of millions in dollars and a player could not have a booster buy them a meal, much less a plane ticket to go home. I did not see what is happening now with NIL being nothing more than paying players to play. The power schools jumped on this immediately and bulldozed the NCAA before they could figure something out. I’d like to say there is hope for reigning in this monster, but I am not sure how that can be done.
A month or so ago, one of the St. Louis Sunday TV sports shows had the Chaiffetz guy on who donates big to St. Louis U, as in Chaiffetz Arena. His message was pretty clear about money and college sports, especially SLU. It was basically we are going to open the coffers and our wallets so SLU basketball and other sports can be successful. There are some SLU backers with deep pockets and wallets. Two of them paid the buyout of Travis Ford. If they want any of our players, and I am sure you know who I am referring to, it will be hard to compete with their offer.
On another subject, but somewhat related to this, there needs to be a major push for a practice facility adjoining Banterra. SLU has made Chaiffetz a major venue for concerts, athletics competitions such as U.S. Gymnastics, and even WWE. They do have a practice facility adjoining Chaiffetz that helps them to be able to do this. I am sure much of the money they make on their events somehow helps their basketball and athletic programs.
I think the portal opens in a couple of weeks. It will be interesting and probably stressful for Saluki fans.
Personally, I will not be stressed by the portal activity.
We lose some players, we gain some players. Won't worry about what I can't control. Hopefully we get some quality players we can afford. If we do, fine. As long as they play hard and smart.
Would love to go back to the dance, but cards are stacked against it. But will always root for David vs. Goliath.
March on triumphantly!
There’s positives and negatives to the portal. Yeah you might lose guys to the high majors but SIU can also pluck Ali Dibba from Abilene Christian or grab a Barret Benson from Northwestern who barely plays but can be a good Big Ten player. SIU has enough resources to compete in the Valley. I just wonder at this point if they can catch up to Bradley or Drake who have a huge advantage of being private schools without a football program to support.
As I said before Southern can offer $100kish to one or two of our top players, have enough left in the NIL collective to fund the rest of the roster and be competitive when adding a good guard and forward from the portal.6 figures would be $100,000 to be fair, not in the million range
I responded too early in the morning. Yes, I was thinking of 1 million.
If it’s around 100K, it’s probably still more than Southern can offer, but I could see them at least putting up a competitive offer.
If 100K is more than Southern can offer for a top player on its roster in this current landscape, they’d be screwed, and it would certainly contradict Tim Leonard’s interview in which he said SIU will compete at/near the top of the Valley in men’s basketball resources.
I don’t think that is the case, though.
