Fanta quotes unnamed high major coach on the portal

[boog204]

This is the issue. Any suggested change just forces kids back into bad situations. Your suggestion would have that "diamond in the rough" not make any money and be forced to stay at his school or sit out a full season.

You don't have to like the portal, and there are certain parts about it that aren't ideal for sure, but it's 100% better for the kids overall. This coach doesn't have to be happy but based on Fanta's description of him he also makes millions of dollars every year. The only reason he makes those millions is because of the product the kids put out there.

I get it... It's definitely better for the players and deservedly so. They were $$-making entities for years and saw little to no profit. I guess I'd like to see the transfer year off return unless there's a coaching change or a major life-event circumstance return. But I also want the "old" CBB back so get off my lawn.

 

[dennismenace]

Alabama is coming off their best season ever. They have one of the best coaches in the country. They have a large and rabid fan base. They were, by far, our toughest test. And they've had five enter the portal to get more $$ elsewhere. Three of those, I think, were freshmen. That absolutely sucks.

That's their culture so thats what they should expect. Uconn has a different culture built on excellence in basketball.

 

[Rico444]

You nailed the crux. That's the thing here:
It IS better for the players, but pretty much only the players.
Do millions watch cbb solely because they want to see talented kids succeed? Clearly not our motivation, or else we'd watch ivy league kids get recruited by major companies as a sport. We watch for the product. The portal waters down our beloved product. i don't want to see kids fail, but selfishly I don't watch cbb to see kids make money, neither does anybody else.

In what way is the product watered down? I get why it's more frustrating for coaches, and fans of mid-majors when their favorite players move on, but the product on the court has been fantastic.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

In what way is the product watered down? I get why it's more frustrating for coaches, and fans of mid-majors when their favorite players move on, but the product on the court has been fantastic.

It waters down the mid-major ranks for sure because it consolidates talent at the high major level. For the average fan that watches only high major games until tourney time, it’s pretty clearly a better product.

 

[Irvine]

ultimately you need to just pay the players (revenue sharing) and have a buyout if they choose to transfer. Buyout should be a multiple of their annual salary. You can forego the buyout if the player sits out a year so that no player is "trapped" at a certain school.

 

[Jaydumo20]

In what way is the product watered down? I get why it's more frustrating for coaches, and fans of mid-majors when their favorite players move on, but the product on the court has been fantastic.

Like @boog204 said, it gets rid of one of the best things about college sports: watching kids develop within a program and progress. I like when kids are identified with certain schools. It also makes HS recruiting less impactful. Of course the players don't lose ability and the games are played at a high level, but there's no identity.

- I imagine a baseball game where both teams decide to trade jerseys before the game: so now, the blue Jay's have the Yankees players and vice versa: you still get the same game and level of play.... but it ain't the same for a fan

 

[uconnfan68]

I don't think the NCAA has any options. Any "rules" someone just sues them or passes a state law against it.

Surely they can do something retroactively. It’s not like they haven’t done that before.

 

[SellersElbow]

I understand how the constant movement of players is exhausting for a coaching staff to stay on top of. And coaches at schools with low NIL budgets are getting shafted.

That said, it makes checking team message boards much more exciting. So there's that.

And I'm thankful we have a coaching staff that lives to work, and an NIL budget.

 

[Rico444]

It waters down the mid-major ranks for sure because it consolidates talent at the high major level. For the average fan that watches only high major games until tourney time, it’s pretty clearly a better product.

I understand the theory, but I don't necessarily buy it. Sure, it's easier for a really good player at a mid-major to transfer, but it's not like those players didn't transfer before. And there are also talented players that are getting recruited over at bigger schools that trickle down to those lower programs and end up developing into really good players.

Maybe it hurts them a little, but overall I don't think the impact is big enough to say the overall product is watered down.

 

[Rico444]

Like @boog204 said, it gets rid of one of the best things about college sports: watching kids develop within a program and progress. I like when kids are identified with certain schools. It also makes HS recruiting less impactful. Of course the players don't lose ability and the games are played at a high level, but there's no identity.

- I imagine a baseball game where both teams decide to trade jerseys before the game: so now, the blue Jay's have the Yankees players and vice versa: you still get the same game and level of play.... but it ain't the same for a fan

If that's what you're into, I get that it can be disappointing. That being said, it's not fair to wish it would go back to how it was just for your own enjoyment.

It's still a great product. And there are plenty of teams that don't bring in a bunch of kids every year and develop great players. The plan with our team is still to do that with Stewart, Solo, and Samson.

 

[REB1094]

The coach was probably Rick Pitino, right before telling Kadary Richmond to enter the portal because he could pay him more than Shaheen can

(Just kidding)
(Kind of)

 

[WhereistheDove?]

I understand the theory, but I don't necessarily buy it. Sure, it's easier for a really good player at a mid-major to transfer, but it's not like those players didn't transfer before. And there are also talented players that are getting recruited over at bigger schools that trickle down to those lower programs and end up developing into really good players.

Maybe it hurts them a little, but overall I don't think the impact is big enough to say the overall product is watered down.

There’s definitely a two-way flow of talent, but by and large the guys going from mid to high major are better than the guys going the other way. That’s why it’s happening that way.

 

[Ha Who]

It is just a reflection of the same issues that have destroyed college athletics and led to the P2 cartel.

 

[gtcam]

The NCAA screws up virtually everything they touch.
One of the worst managed organizations on the planet.
Time to blow it up and find a better alternative that will consider all the schools at all levels rather than a handful.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The coach is right, but the NCAA is afraid that any action that has the potential impact of limiting NIL or access to NIL, will be subject to an immediate legal action under the Supreme Court precedent. This is why Charlie Baker asked Congress to act, because the NCAA can't do this otherwise.

 

[uh-no]

LOL. Yes, they do have options. When you run an important business you live with being sued and regulated. You have to focus on what you can win. And if you don’t think there is more that can be done than is being done, ask yourself why NBA players aren’t leaving their club after any year in which they got better.

NBA = professional employees.

The colleges are trying to avoid that.

You don't see the big difference?

Couldn't have said it better.

The NCAA has lost pretty much every suit thrown at them, and the concurrent opinion of the supreme court was pretty much "the ncaa is a restraint on trade. please sue them."

The NCAA cannot override California, and now Virginia law. Any restraint on this they try to make, they'll simply get sued and lose because of the supreme court precedent.

 

[CL82]

I don't think the NCAA has any options. Any "rules" someone just sues them or passes a state law against it.

State law doesn't govern NCAA member rules absent it violating fundamental protections like discrimination against a protected class.

As I've posted on occasion, this entire thing could have gone away had the NCAA stepped up and formulated rules prior to the de facto agency that we have now.

 

[mets1090]

At the end of the day, if a product can only exist the way you want it by exploiting the people who make it, then the product shouldn't exist. The fact that probably a few hundred million dollars are flowing to players per year across football and basketball shows how imbalanced the old way was. I think the flaws with the new system are obvious, but the good it does for the players outweighs them.

I think if there were basically any restrictions put in place (ability to commit to multi year contracts, etc) we would be able to land in a happy middle ground. Obviously the legality of any restrictions will be challenged and I have no idea what a realistic solution might look like, but hopefully we get something eventually.

 

[BRS24]

If the NCAA had spent half the time on the NIL issue years ago, instead of penalizing schools for the most arcane things, while ignoring the larger issues, then perhaps it would be different. Emmett screwed everything up, went for the easy low hanging fruit, and left Baker fixing the messes as best as he can, with the DOJ hanging around.

 

[JMick]

This is the issue. Any suggested change just forces kids back into bad situations. Your suggestion would have that "diamond in the rough" not make any money and be forced to stay at his school or sit out a full season.

But the player is compensated in the form of a scholarship, coaching, facilities, travel, etc. you can't just take those things out of the equation. It's still college athletics. There needs to be a middle ground or an overall "salary" cap

 

[UC0NN]

NFL MLB NBA have salary caps, max contracts, or luxury caps to regulate the playing field. College basketball and football will eventually too if the #s get too big. It will happen, but no idea when. If Kentucky offers you 10mil and Uconn offers 1mil, you go to Kentucky every single time. 1 mil vs 500K, maybe not.

You see what has happened to golf, $ buys many great players.

 

[B1GEast]

Hard to argue with whoever that coach is. The NCAA as a whole is dysfunctional. Look at the state of college football

 

[Deleted at users request]

This is the issue. Any suggested change just forces kids back into bad situations. Your suggestion would have that "diamond in the rough" not make any money and be forced to stay at his school or sit out a full season.

You don't have to like the portal, and there are certain parts about it that aren't ideal for sure, but it's 100% better for the kids overall. This coach doesn't have to be happy but based on Fanta's description of him he also makes millions of dollars every year. The only reason he makes those millions is because of the product the kids put out there.

My question is, why was it a bad thing for those diamond in the rough kids to have to stay at those schools outside of money? Which if you are that diamond in the rough, like the kid from Oakland, the money will find you.

If you are good you do not need to go to a high major for the NBA to find you. Ask Steph, CJ McCollum, Dame Lillard, Ja Morant, etc.

Jimmie would’ve been a millionaire at BYU with NIL. They do not need to go to high majors for much except for a slightly better chance to win. But did Seth even make it farther in the NCAA tourney than Steph?

 

[Smp7598]

At some point will some or all players come across as being greedy?

 

[UC0NN]

You are basically adding a month of intense and compact recruiting etc to the calendar every year on top of an already very demanding schedule

 

[Rico444]

There needs to be a middle ground or an overall "salary" cap

I guess we're just going to have to agree to disagree. I don't believe there's a need.

 

[ctchamps]

I’m fine with them getting paid and being able to transfer but just like everyone else, if they get paid they should have a contract for a period of time and not be able to move without financial consequences.

I’m pondering this. Not against it. But won’t this create its own problem? Players and universities disputing a contested contract, the resultant arbitration or court case that results, the interval of time before a resolution and the inability to do anything until the situation is resolved.

So five kids under contract decide to “sandbag” a losing season, blame the coach for mismanagement, the coach blames the players, this now has to go through the legal system, and meanwhile five slots are in limbo.

Won’t this create its own form of havoc?

 

[storrsroars]

I agree with a number of the coach’s sentiments, but to complain that the coaches are working too hard & don’t have enough time off while making millions is hard to take. I guarantee a number of us work harder & put more time into our career while making a fraction of the amount- that doesn’t go over well with everyday people who have multiple jobs & are non stop to provide for their families & to just keep above ground.

The current scenario is not what these coaches signed up for. It's as if their job description now carries 2x the duties with no increase in pay and half the job satisfaction (inability to develop kids, form lasting relationships). I have zero issue with them complaining.

Also, regardless of how much money one makes, humans are not machines that can run forever uninterrupted. Humans need downtime.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Like @boog204 said, it gets rid of one of the best things about college sports: watching kids develop within a program and progress. I like when kids are identified with certain schools. It also makes HS recruiting less impactful. Of course the players don't lose ability and the games are played at a high level, but there's no identity.

- I imagine a baseball game where both teams decide to trade jerseys before the game: so now, the blue Jay's have the Yankees players and vice versa: you still get the same game and level of play.... but it ain't the same for a fan

Some of these stories are cool of having mid majors make it on the big stage, especially here, but I agree it does water down the overall product which is why most casuals don’t watch today and the women’s game seems to surpass the men’s game.

Mid majors get recruited there for a reason a lot of times. These days it’s hard for a coach to genuinely develop the guys they get out of high school because

1. It’s easy to bring in ready made guys over them to not focus on their development
2. It’s easy for those players to leave at any moment for benign reasons

Actual development and coaching is at an all time low. It’s just about building the best roster nowadays. Which yes, does water down the sport to the point where we aren’t seeing fully developed highly talented players anymore.

May be part of the reason Europe continues to pass us as well talent wise. Guys aren’t getting coached in America. They’re getting paid.

 

[Verne]

Spare me with this BS. It's telling that it's anonymous. Name the coach so we can find his salary and laugh at him complaining about not having a day off while he's paid $3-5 mil to be a basketball coach.

I can't fathom coaches who want to be lauded praise for different things they've innovated within their respective sport.

Pitino is credited with finding the value in the 3 point shot 30 years ago. Other coaches are credited with offenses they've designed or defenses they've created. Guys are being put in the hall of fame for being great, for innovating and for adjusting over the course of long careers. Why can't they adjust now?

But now... Now we draw the line at paying the players or players being allowed to openly go where the highest compensation is? This is what we were complaining about? Oh let the athletes get paid? Yes. That's where the quote should have ended.

Welcome to the free market and capitalism. It only took decades to finally be a level playing field and fair to the players.

God forbid a coach be asked to adjust and innovate in a new world.

All these quotes of old coaches are telling on themselves.