kreed5120

I would have to imagine most of these players who are in for workouts, but didn't participate in the combine are likely viewed as summer league roster fill outs and G-League stashes.

Something like this would probably work best as an early-season MTE. If the top mid-majors can no longer get into tournaments that now only accept high-majors, then mid-majors should create their own versions of events like the Battle 4 Atlantis or the Maui Invitational.

You greatly overestimate how much people care to play YSU or CSU. We played them in the past as part of the Coaches vs Cancer event the 4 NEO schools took part in. Attendance wasn't good. Joe Akron doesn't care about those programs. Hell, CSU hosted a Horizon League tournament game in their home arena in March, which I watched on ESPN+ as I'm a college basketball junkie, and it looked like there were only a few dozen fans in attendance. If CSU "fans" don't even care about CSU basketball why would Akron? Make it make sense. Now you want Akron to play H&H with YSU football? Yeah, no point in continuing this discussion if that's how you really feel.

Because there is clearly a hierarchy outside of the P6 despite you trying to claim one doesn't exist.

I feel part of the problem is with between NIL, freedom of players to move frequently, and realignment there are just fewer top ~75 mid-major programs than there was 5-10 years ago. It makes it challenging to find Q1 match-ups against other mid-majors unless you have a crystal ball to know specifically who will be good.

If that was remotely true then we wouldn't have trouble getting getting programs like Saint Louis, Memphis, Wichita State, Dayton, etc. to come to the JAR.

Exactly, OSU, as a high major, would never agree to a H&H with us since we're a mid-major. It doesn't make sense for us to schedule one with a low major like CSU or YSU.

If they were refinanced and the term was extended it would make sense the annual payment is less than the ~4.5 million it was initially. I would have to imagine the stadium and field house make up the majority of the athletic departments debt.

We already have plenty of regional rivalries with Kent, Ohio, and Toledo. All of which are better programs than YSU or CSU. If you want to establish a OOC rivalry with another mid-major we should target a Wright State, NKU, or maybe renew a rivalry with Marshall. All of which are historically better programs than YSU or CSU.

The MAC going to a rumored 22 conference games means 3 OOC games will already be eliminated. The reason I said 3 instead of 4 is because the NCAA increased the number of games teams are allowed to play by 1 for the upcoming season. My hope would be those would be the games eliminated already. If we can only play 10 OOC games moving forward with 3 of them being an early season tournament and 2 being the SunBelt-MAC challenge, that leaves only 5 other games we can schedule moving forward. Of those 5 one has to think 1-2 would be against a high major. That leaves 3-4 other games.

ChatGPT is saying June 2038 is the payoff so they must have been ~30 year bonds.

I honestly don't know how many years are left on the issued bonds.

These numbers don't factor in the $4.5-$5 million annually that Akron spends financing Infocision. To put it in basic terms the program is essentially house poor. We're spending pretty much the same as other MAC programs, but a huge chunk of that is tied up in facility costs. Other MAC programs are instead able to spend that money on coaches, players, training tables, etc. They're able to get more value out of their dollars because they spent them more efficiently.

Yeah, no interest in scheduling YSU or CSU. Both are generally on par with the cupcakes this board often complains about scheduling. IMO the only Horizon League teams consistently good enough to schedule H&H with are NKU and Wright State. In the past we have bought home games against Detroit Mercy and Oakland. I feel YSU and CSU are historically similar caliber programs.

I'm honestly not opposed to the top 40-50 programs splitting off and forming a professional league. It might be what's best for collegiate athletics as a whole. Perhaps that could help create stability for everyone else. It's evident we'll never get back to what things where 10-20+ years ago.

What date was it supposed to be originally?

BGSU added Jayden Johnson from South Carolina State. It seems like a fairly solid pickup for them. Last season he had a 23 point game against South Carolina and a 25 point game against Tennessee so don't write him off because he played at a low major. https://x.com/i/status/2055365959058084101

That's certainly a better argument than AkronAlumnus was attempting to make. You still listed 2 players who played a combined 7 games last season. Willis will be returning from a broken foot, which he had to get a secondary surgery on after re-injury. That type of injury with a secondary surgery can take up to 3 years for a player to return to 100% per the national institute of health. Sumlin's injury I'm not sure what it was, but it was severe enough that he missed the entire season. Depending on what the injury was it's hard to project what, if any, impact it might have on his game for next season. I would say the injury concerns surrounding both players still leaves questions on how effective both players will be. I will concede there is more certainty there than with the other 2 prior mentioned players that have yet to play.

Akron was a very early adopter of NIL. I've heard jokes about other MAC coaches referring to Bud as the real league MVP. Akron probably still is at or near the top of the MAC in NIL spend, but the gap has certainly shrunk. It's not just in the MAC either. More and more mid-majors are stepping up their spending as well. With more money out there for players to get, Akron isn't going to be able to afford the same caliber roster that it could before. Not unless it doubles or triples it's current spending to restore the same disparity it once had.

I don't find it unreasonable to have lower expectations for next season. I also don't think we'll finish in the top ~60 for NET or go 17-1 in the MAC, like we did this year. I also don't see any team as good as Akron or Miami were last season for this coming season. Akron/Miami really pounded the rest of the league. Kent kind of did too to a lessor degree as I think they only had 1 loss to a MAC team not named Miami or Akron. I expect next year there will be 4-5 teams in the top 100-150 range battling it out for MAC supremacy. I'm not saying Akron will come out on top, but I'm not seeing anything from any of the other MAC schools that leads me to believe we should be written off.

This is a strange comment. We have someone coming in that averaged 17.3 ppg on a .520 eFG%. Are we as good and deep at PG as last year? Most likely not, but at the same time it seems odd to call it a question mark. Steveskie is a proven D1 contributor. In fact, will probably make preseason All-MAC lists (1st or 2nd team). If anything I would say the 2 PG you listed for Kent are the real question mark as neither have played a minute of D1 collegiate basketball. The only thing you can judge either of them on is hype.

There should be some opportunities for Akron athletics to raise some additional money to reduce the deficit. Sponsor patch on jerseys is allowed next year. That should bring in 6-figures. The stadiums naming rights expire within the next 2-3 years so we should be able to seek something there. The college football playoffs will be expanding and even though the P4 hoard most of the money, some of that will trickle down to the G6.

Those highlights certainly exist. Roughly half of his FGA in his collegiate career have been 3s.

We've seen how well that has worked for JB Bickerstaff and the Pistons limiting Mitchell /s

The most years one can be on a two-way contract is 3 years. Assuming he gets a third two-way contract, which is no guarantee, I feel your assumption is correct that it would be a make or break year. Regular G-league salary is around ~$50k. He could likely make at least double that overseas if he fails to make an NBA roster.