|
Post by 1stflooredwards on Nov 21, 2014 21:33:12 GMT -5
By the way, when does the "bitching and moaning" season end. Not sure but I think it typically starts after the first bad game.
|
|
|
Post by jellybean on Nov 21, 2014 21:43:49 GMT -5
Showing my age, when I was a student the games were played at the Palestra. Always good crowds. That included great teams with Durrett and Fields and not good teams with DiCocco and Wilber. Lots of spirit. Recruiting seemed easier then. Haven't been on campus in 38 years. Never been to Gola. Can't imagine it is a selling feature to recruits. Jalon Miller is a good example. I know that TCU is 30 miles from his home, but TCU has a 10,000 seat arena which is being completely renovated. It sits next to a stadium that holds the 5th best football team in the country, in a nice area of Fort Worth. And they are in the Big 12. Would have been shocked if he had picked La Salle. I think an arena would do a lot for the recruiting. it has got to be hard for urban private universities to compete. Miller didn't come because the deck was stacked from the beginning. Why because of a family member's involvement. (Refer back to Russ Smith recruitment.) Recruiting is never easy regardless of the era. I am still upset La Salle lost out to Temple for Ron Wister from St. Joe's of Camden.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2014 22:10:41 GMT -5
Showing my age, when I was a student the games were played at the Palestra. Always good crowds. That included great teams with Durrett and Fields and not good teams with DiCocco and Wilber. Lots of spirit. Recruiting seemed easier then. Haven't been on campus in 38 years. Never been to Gola. Can't imagine it is a selling feature to recruits. Jalon Miller is a good example. I know that TCU is 30 miles from his home, but TCU has a 10,000 seat arena which is being completely renovated. It sits next to a stadium that holds the 5th best football team in the country, in a nice area of Fort Worth. And they are in the Big 12. Would have been shocked if he had picked La Salle. I think an arena would do a lot for the recruiting. it has got to be hard for urban private universities to compete. Miller didn't come because the deck was stacked from the beginning. Why because of a family member's involvement. (Refer back to Russ Smith recruitment.) Recruiting is never easy regardless of the era. I am still upset La Salle lost out to Temple for Ron Wister from St. Joe's of Camden. Maybe that is the case. I'm not close to anyone who would know and I don't follow the recruiting sites. I was just using logic. When I saw that we were competing again TCU. I knew that we weren't going to win.
|
|
MisterD
The Baptist Himself
Voted Most Popular Poster 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023
Posts: 8,502
Likes: 6,391
|
Post by MisterD on Nov 21, 2014 22:15:42 GMT -5
We will certainly see if that holds true this coming season however there was a significant drop in attendance this past season. Well its like a decade old now, I was referring more to the fact that they gained a million fans without improving the team at all. (And even with the mess they are right now, they still haven't fallen back to Vet level attendance, no matter how hard RAJ tries. A venue doesn't make a program, but it can certainly enhance one.)
|
|
|
Post by victoriouslasalle on Nov 22, 2014 9:43:05 GMT -5
I believe I have more faith in the recruting prowess of Coach G to land serviceable or better big men than the previous few coaches we have had. And with Coach G, things may all work out in the end. That said it is obviously a tough get. They are hard to come by, paticulalry for us. In our effort we are often dealing with project and development situations. This is why I found the loss of Jermaine Davis lamentable regardless of circumstances.
|
|
|
Post by explorer88 on Nov 22, 2014 11:51:07 GMT -5
Cali, I couldn't disagree more with your premise. The facility matters 100%.
But hey, to each their own.
|
|
|
Post by theneumann64 on Nov 22, 2014 11:56:23 GMT -5
I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again. We very well could get a new facility and still not improve noticeably as a program. But if we don't get one, we definitely won't.
|
|
|
Post by stlexplorer on Nov 22, 2014 12:21:38 GMT -5
I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again. We very well could get a new facility and still not improve noticeably as a program. But if we don't get one, we definitely won't. Well said
|
|
|
Post by Gnocchi on Nov 22, 2014 12:28:09 GMT -5
When it comes to expectations for a new facility, doveryai no proveryai...
|
|
|
Post by explorer88 on Nov 22, 2014 12:47:31 GMT -5
I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again. We very well could get a new facility and still not improve noticeably as a program. But if we don't get one, we definitely won't. Well said Second.
|
|
|
Post by virginia61 on Nov 23, 2014 15:23:09 GMT -5
Unfortunately, recruiting has not been a strong suit for some time, particularly coming out of HS. Tyreek Duren was an exception. Most everyone else has been low-to-mid level talent for the A10 - more low than mid. Helped by impact transfers, program caught lightning in a bottle two years ago with the NCAA trip and had a pretty good campaign the prior year. I have no doubt the coach is working hard but he has generally not been successful on this front. I think a .500 season this year would be a pretty good result, helped by a weak OOC schedule. Next year looks to be even more of a struggle. Not trying to trash the program, team or coach at all. I think that's just reality. We need to squeak past the Colgates and Quinnipiacs of the college b-ball world. Wins certainly better than losses, of course. But we're not attracting the players needed to compete for an NCAA tourney spot, at least every couple years. Are we talking about the same coach G? Aaric Murray-Top 5 Center Sam Mills and Duren- La Salle and Duke were only team with 2 top 50 PGs in that class Jerrell Wright- Chose La Salle over Gtown and Rutgers Steve Zack- top 10 in the COUNTRY in double doubles Rodney Green Yves Mekongo ...there have been some pretty good guys he's gotten out of High school.
|
|
|
Post by virginia61 on Nov 23, 2014 15:40:11 GMT -5
Exploring15 - there were a few decent players but that's very few in 10 years. And again, you are referring to his highest level recruits over that period and most of those - the best of the group, mind you - are mid-level A10 players. That means most of our players have been low A10 or not even A10 level at all. The statistic you throw out on Zack is totally irrelevant. Are you going to say that because of that he's a high major player? I hope not. Like I said, I have no doubt the coach works hard. But he's not been able to recruit many good players and the quality of the program, outside of a fun NCAA run 2 years ago, reflects that. And maybe that's the best La Salle can do in this era. We need to at least do better in the Phila area.
Unrelated: unless a new arena is totally funded by donations - and maybe even if it is - building one would be the most financially irresponsible thing the administration and Board could do given the University's financial position. And given the other challenges facing small private colleges going forward. Except on rare occasions, the program can't even sell out the facility it has
|
|
|
Post by JoeFedorowicz on Nov 23, 2014 17:37:14 GMT -5
Unrelated: unless a new arena is totally funded by donations - and maybe even if it is - building one would be the most financially irresponsible thing the administration and Board could do given the University's financial position. Please tell us more. Seems their enrollment has been fine.
|
|
|
Post by lasalle69bestever on Nov 23, 2014 17:40:48 GMT -5
Exploring15 - there were a few decent players but that's very few in 10 years. And again, you are referring to his highest level recruits over that period and most of those - the best of the group, mind you - are mid-level A10 players. That means most of our players have been low A10 or not even A10 level at all. The statistic you throw out on Zack is totally irrelevant. Are you going to say that because of that he's a high major player? I hope not. Like I said, I have no doubt the coach works hard. But he's not been able to recruit many good players and the quality of the program, outside of a fun NCAA run 2 years ago, reflects that. And maybe that's the best La Salle can do in this era. We need to at least do better in the Phila area. Unrelated: unless a new arena is totally funded by donations - and maybe even if it is - building one would be the most financially irresponsible thing the administration and Board could do given the University's financial position. And given the other challenges facing small private colleges going forward. Except on rare occasions, the program can't even sell out the facility it has Regarding Unrelated: I tend to agree with those who posted (long ago) that La Salle's administration did not take advantage of offers to assist with a quality redo of Hayman Hall. Rotating the court and stuff. I think that was the biggest mistake and will haunt the program for years because, as you say, building a brand spanking new facility is a great deal of money with La Salle's operating budget I would think.
|
|
|
Post by virginia61 on Nov 25, 2014 22:47:18 GMT -5
Unrelated: unless a new arena is totally funded by donations - and maybe even if it is - building one would be the most financially irresponsible thing the administration and Board could do given the University's financial position. Please tell us more. Seems their enrollment has been fine. It's not just a matter of enrollment. It's a matter of how much of the tuition is subsidized through scholarships and financial aid. Smaller private schools have needed to give more and more away in order to maintain that level of enrollment. The endowment isn't strong enough to support much more debt and not adversely impact the university's bond rating. That's why this is a difficult situation. Colleges are in an arms race to improve facilities as a form of marketing to prospective students but schools like La Salle are bringing knives to a gunfight as compared to state-supported facilities.
|
|