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“Akron’s playing WHO in a preseason tourney? ALL those teams? In the same year?!”

My take from the JAR Section 2B - Parrish's reasons for leaving? He wasn't a Groce recruit, he was a Dambrot recruit. Sometimes you aren't simpatico with a new staff and philosophy He bought into a program that was a perennial 20 game winner. I'm sure the team he played on last season wasn't at the competitive level he envisioned when he originally signed. He wasn't all that keen on playing defense. He got better at the very end of the year, but performance on the defensive end seemed to rub the coach the wrong way. I liked Parrish, and I think he'll do well wherever he ends up. His departure is a shame because he's a baller who probably just needed to mature a bit. For him, I think the Zips loss will be someone else's gain. Patton - One of Groce's late recruits who had no other offers at the Zips level. He was the best player we could get under the circumstances. And from his standpoint we were the best Program to show an interest in him. Hustler. Good rebounder. Took defense seriously. Good role player. A garbage man under the hoop that otherwise has a really long way to go on the offensive side of the ball. I think the writing was on the wall that his playing time would be limited as the new guys gained eligibility. If he wanted minutes, and to develop his offensive game, he needed a fresh start elsewhere. On the influx of transfers - I think in Division 1 sports today, athletic directors and fans want to win NOW. They don't give a new staff 5 years to recruit freshman and build a program the traditional way. The post-Dambrot Zips program was heavily gutted by transfers & graduations . Thank God for BCS transfer Duvivier. BCS transfers are a way to become competitive quickly. Like Bowden in football, when you inherit a decimated team, you need to win some games to attract recruits. So you need some talented, mature, short term "mercenaries." Once you begin winning, the transfers dwindle. I think this Zips basketball staff has a good pulse on the transfer "waiver wire" and had brought in some solid talent. I'd expect they'll get out of the transfer business soon. Groce doesn't really have a reputation for building his program on transfers. It's just a necessity based upon the situation he inherited. Again - just my opinion from 2B.