Illini Zip Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 On 3/22/2025 at 5:03 PM, Zippy87 said: What, specifically, should the conference leadership do? This is happening all over college basketball, not just the MAC. Expand This is above my pay grade. But I would consider contract language that limit a player’s mobility once they sign with a MAC school. It will definitely discourage some players at first, but retention will eventually lead to a much stronger league in the long run. And second, we are getting closer each year to a monopoly scenario with the Power 6 (Eventually we could be down to just the Big 10 and SEC) The Commissioners of the lesser conferences should be joining forces and considering legal action. It’s my opinion that Akron lost to Arizona in the board room long before we lost on the court. Everything from NIL, the portal, transfer rules and now increased roster size has increased the gap between the haves and have-nots. It sure would have been nice having Bandaogo out there rim protecting. You think we are demoralized after getting dominated? How do you think the MAC players we just beat this season felt watching us get crushed? That’s a problem leadership had better be addressing now before it gets any worse or the recent parity that has made March Madness special will be gone forever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDZip Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 They just mentioned on the March Madness telecast that there have been far fewer upsets in the tournament the last 2 years, which happens to coincide exactly with the NIL era combined with the transfer portal. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kreed5120 Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 On 3/22/2025 at 4:51 PM, Illini Zip said: The MAC needs new leadership. This is ridiculous. Have some pride man. Or are you being compensated for letting the MAC become a farm system for the power conferences? Inquiring minds want to know. Expand The MAC office can't force boosters to spend money. Nothing can really change until university presidents decide they want them to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Illini Zip Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 (edited) On 3/22/2025 at 7:24 PM, kreed5120 said: The MAC office can't force boosters to spend money. Nothing can really change until university presidents decide they want them to. Expand I agree with that, but doing nothing is not an option either. The smaller conferences are losing badly in this arrangement and I sense no push back. If a university is going to be used as a farm system, that farm system needs to somehow be compensated. As an example, something should be in a players contract that if he leaves and accepts another deal, the original school is reimbursed for services rendered unless a player has been simply dismissed. I should make clear that I despise all of this. I don’t mind players having some mobility and getting some compensation, but college sports is off the rails. Edited March 22 by Illini Zip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Kangaroo Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 On 3/22/2025 at 8:04 PM, Illini Zip said: I should make clear that I despise all of this. I don’t mine players having some mobility and getting some compensation, but college sports is off the rails. Expand Well said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkwgriswold Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 I naively envisioned NIL to handle situations like a Nate Johnson sitting at a table at a card show or car dealership promotional event and signing photos to make a couple hundred bucks, not open bidding from outsiders for players. Schools need not only administrations to commit funding, they need wealthy alums to step up (like Bud). It's those alums and their businesses that can really drive the NIL funding and put money towards facilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippy87 Posted March 23 Author Report Share Posted March 23 On 3/22/2025 at 8:25 PM, clarkwgriswold said: I naively envisioned NIL to handle situations like a Nate Johnson sitting at a table at a card show or car dealership promotional event and signing photos to make a couple hundred bucks, not open bidding from outsiders for players. Schools need not only administrations to commit funding, they need wealthy alums to step up (like Bud). It's those alums and their businesses that can really drive the NIL funding and put money towards facilities. Expand This is exactly where college sports is now. It was not lost on me that Bud sat with the team and next to Ford at the Selection Show Watch Party. Not that I have an issue with that - I don't- but I don't think that's something you would have seen 5 years ago. These wealthy alums are semi-formal parts of the program now. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippy87 Posted March 23 Author Report Share Posted March 23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopper Posted March 23 Report Share Posted March 23 On 3/23/2025 at 1:14 AM, Zippy87 said: This is exactly where college sports is now. It was not lost on me that Bud sat with the team and next to Ford at the Selection Show Watch Party. Not that I have an issue with that - I don't- but I don't think that's something you would have seen 5 years ago. These wealthy alums are semi-formal parts of the program now. Expand Bud Wentz is the de-facto GM of the team. He does way more than just contribute money. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippy87 Posted March 23 Author Report Share Posted March 23 On 3/23/2025 at 3:09 PM, Hilltopper said: Bud Wentz is the de-facto GM of the team. He does way more than just contribute money. Expand I don't doubt it. I'm just saying, that wasn't the norm in college basketball 5 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWAkron Posted March 23 Report Share Posted March 23 On 3/23/2025 at 3:09 PM, Hilltopper said: Bud Wentz is the de-facto GM of the team. He does way more than just contribute money. Expand and he's not some jerk Tech Bro. He wants sustained success. 3 MAC championships in 4 years is a good building block. What will McNeese State look like next year? Im sure their coach was on the first private jet out of Lake Charles along with that goofy assistant water boy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let'sGoZips94 Posted March 23 Report Share Posted March 23 On 3/23/2025 at 4:43 PM, NWAkron said: and he's not some jerk Tech Bro. He wants sustained success. 3 MAC championships in 4 years is a good building block. What will McNeese State look like next year? Im sure their coach was on the first private jet out of Lake Charles along with that goofy assistant water boy. Expand Did you see the interview with Wade where he said his recruiting pitch prior to the season was that a P4 job next year was the goal and the players can come with him? Scumbag. Glad we have Groce & Wentz. Now let's go get those final pieces to break the glass ceiling. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LZIp Posted March 23 Report Share Posted March 23 (edited) On 3/23/2025 at 4:43 PM, NWAkron said: and he's not some jerk Tech Bro. Expand What do tech bros have to do with anything? lol. Disclaimer- am not a tech bro. Edited March 23 by LZIp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippy87 Posted March 23 Author Report Share Posted March 23 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippy87 Posted March 23 Author Report Share Posted March 23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippy87 Posted March 24 Author Report Share Posted March 24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippy87 Posted March 24 Author Report Share Posted March 24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippy87 Posted March 24 Author Report Share Posted March 24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippy87 Posted March 24 Author Report Share Posted March 24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZippyRulz Posted March 24 Report Share Posted March 24 Would it be easier to just list the MAC players who are not entering the TP? 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy5 Posted March 24 Report Share Posted March 24 Probably not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippy87 Posted March 24 Author Report Share Posted March 24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Illini Zip Posted March 24 Report Share Posted March 24 Strange, no official word on JoJo Harris either way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippy87 Posted March 24 Author Report Share Posted March 24 (edited) On 3/24/2025 at 4:35 PM, Illini Zip said: Strange, no official word on JoJo Harris either way? Expand He posted an Instagram story yesterday that looked like he was at a mall in Columbus. No activity otherwise on his socials. Edited March 24 by Zippy87 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWAkron Posted March 24 Report Share Posted March 24 On 3/24/2025 at 4:35 PM, Illini Zip said: Strange, no official word on JoJo Harris either way? Expand If he's cut, they are likely looking for a place for him to land safely. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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