GP1

I still don't get it. Is there any evidence that this consulting company has taken a program from one division to a lower one in athletics as part of a strategic plan? If they have, I could see it. If not and that's the plan, seems like it could be money poorly spent. Huron was hired by Toledo when they had budget deficits around level of Akron's in 2022, but Toledo is still around. Their plan seems to have worked. The President hired people to boost revenue to support the current athletic department. It seems like he is looking for a way to make that work and not gut the program.

I can't see the entire article. Based upon what is in your post, I don't see the same conclusion.

I know a guy who had a completely unremarkable 7 year NFL career. His key to longevity was his professionalism. He showed up to work on time, kept his mouth shut and always did what he was asked to do. Enrique could be a guy like that. He's not the type of talent that's sets the NBA on fire, but not everyone needs to be a superstar either. Sometimes you just need some people to show up to work and do their job. I'm sure he'd be happy to play 7 NBA seasons playing only 2-3 minutes a night.

Enrique has to make a splash quickly. The average NBA career lasts around 4.5 years. He is two years into his professional career. G League careers last around 2.5 years on average. Next year could be a make it break period for his NBA career. He's a smart guy. I'm sure he knows this. He could still make a very good living internationally.

I think this is pretty common. It's probably a timing thing. Like most schools, Akron probably uses a marketing company to develop campaigns and having one ready directly after the season probably isn't enough time. In addition, it's hard to know who you are going to market if the coach leaves and half of the players.

Wake Forest single game sales started today. One other thing. Do NOT buy tickets on the Akron side. The game will start in the early evening when the sun stays out longer. The seats are black and get sun all day. It is brutally hot on the visitors side. I sit in section 6. Even high up seats are a very good view. Edit: Further warning about the heat. If you look up a map of Wake parking options, there is a place called "Construction Zone" which traded large parts of the Blue and Orange lots for a mixed use development. This change has left fans with few options that include shade. It's going to be really hot on the asphalt parking lots. If you want any chance at shade and want to buy a parking pass, what's left of the Blue and Orange lots offer some shade. If you don't do well in the heat, go have dinner and drinks somewhere before going to the game. There is very little traffic so don't worry about spending a long time in traffic.

Eliminate conference tournaments. Regular season winners get automatic bids. Let AI decide who gets in after that. Watching AI decide will be about as exciting as watching the P4 tournaments.

They love college sports. It is allowing them to get rich at the cost of destroying their employers institutions. It's not what they hate, it's who they hate. They hate fans of college athletics. They have made what used to be a simple trip to a game an all day affair that is way too expensive and time consuming.

They love college sports. It is allowing them to get rich at the cost of destroying their employers institutions. It's not what they hate, it's who they hate. They hate fans of college athletics. They have made what used to be a simple trip to a game an all day affair that is way too expensive and time consuming.

Gross

My charitable giving is an investment in people and I want nothing in return except for a young person from my home town to get the same, great education I did. My personal financial investments are an investment in things and I want money in return.

I donate every year and have a named scholarship in my parents name. I expect nothing in return. It's not an investment. It's a charity.

I guess if you want to bring in students who think bouncy houses are cool, Kent is your place.

What if the children only care about the bouncy house and not the football?

I'm all for involving the community as long as the community benefits. How does the community benefit from bad football?

It looked almost completely empty. Spring games are bad football. I don't see how exposing people to bad football will make them want to come back for more.

They are saving some of you from yourselves. Find something more interesting to do. It shouldn't be hard.

I once took a whiz next to Kobe Bryant in the Ritz Carlton in uptown Charlotte.

Politicians talk about the NCAA, I guess we have to talk about it. God, I hate doing this, but here it goes. First, executive orders like this aren't small government Republicanism. It's the government sticking it's nose in where it doesn't belong. Executive Orders are pure laziness. It's more of the same buffoonery Americans have been watching for around 11 years. Most are exhausted with him and the polls show it. Like building a wall, staying out of foreign wars, releasing the Epstein Files, and any of the large number of things he said he would do, he won't do it. He won't do it because he can't do it by himself and is not willing to put in the work to get things done. He's not an authoritarian. He's not a small government Republican. He's not a Nazi. He's not a Fascist. All of those things take hard work. He's just a lazy, buffoonish, reality TV star sitting around putting together Truth Social posts. I don't really worry about him because I don't think he has the will to actually do anything. I do laugh AT him. He's a silly old man. I was born in 1969. I can't believe in my life the Republicans have gone from a competent giant surrounded by other competent people in Reagan, to a buffoonish clown surrounded by Fox News personalities, nihilists, conspiracy theorists and general crackpots. Here is your daily dose of an example. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/us/fema-gregg-phillips-waffle-house-teleportation.html. The only thing that could make the NCAA worse is this group of clowns trying to solve a problem they don't really want to or are willing to put the work into solving.

Just when you think it couldn't get any worse than being the coach at Kent.

The arena is squeezed into an existing block and the entrance is almost at the sidewalk. If you didn't know it was a basketball arena, you might not know what you are standing outside of. One has to go in, show your ticket then go up to the concourse then down to your seat. There is a small club level at the top. Most of Charleston did not exist in revolutionary times and was mostly swamped so you can't really dig down to build because it's mostly fill and the cost of waterproofing alone would send the project skyrocketing. That's why the court is on sidewalk level. An expensive problem in downtown Charleston is getting your design through the historical society's review board. Akron wouldn't have that problem. Akron could save money by putting some of the arena below ground and not having to use products that blend into a city that is a museum. CofC has a nice arena. I wasn't awestruck, but did appreciate it. I just don't know how Akron pulls anything off in the next decade or two given their finances.

Because there would be no athletic department.

Charleston is an extremely trendy place. There are loads of people looking to impress and be impressed. I'd bet it is part of the driving force. Compound that with a great game day experience and there is the success.

The CoC discussion is interesting. I didn't know their attendance was so successful until today so I'm learning along with everyone. I live in SC and go there about once a month. The people I know don't talk about going, but it's a big area and it doesn't take many people to fill their arena, which is a takeaway for Akron. Everyone in NE Ohio can't go to every game. They just need more people who are interested and willing to go. CoC does get a big student crowd, which doesn't strike me as unusual because they tend to live on campus and going to the beach isn't an option during basketball season. The students also take a lot of pride in going there. I've always heard that their baseball team gets good crowds. They play over by the aircraft carrier at Patriot Point in Mt. Pleasant, I think and it's a convenient place to go. What they have executed on is the goose that laid the golden egg in sports attendance. The key to success is selling as many season tickets as possible. CoC has three consecutive seasons of sell out season tickets. That's amazing. If people buy tickets, they tend to go or give them to someone who will. The downtown area of Charleston is slow in the winter and there are far fewer activities because their organized activities tend to be outside and it does get cold there in January and February. CoC allows a high quality indoor event separate from the cold so that has to be attractive. Moreover, it's cold but there are not several inches of snow on the road. The parking situation isn't the greatest, but with fewer tourists in the winter, it's manageable. I don't know. Call me crazy, but maybe making their athletic department benefit the athletes students alumni fans and general community around the school pays off.

Akron is in a great spot to be aggressive, or not. The website shows Ford as the Head Coach. Akron is the gold standard for MAC basketball and I'm not sure a career assistant is the right person.