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Post by efg72 on Jan 16, 2022 19:50:59 GMT -5
Since there has been no strategic thinking by the athletic department in a few years for hoops let me offer an option
immediately put $5 million into the program and replace all of the coaches with an upgraded OOC schedule to include a Top 50 schedule and watch recruiting be transformed
hire an established head coach that is proven yet young enough to relate to players-salary range of $800k with incentives -do the same salary for Chesney and football and move in that direction for WBB
we have the money, but are willing to make the investment?
it is time for an overhaul so we can find our place in athletics for the future
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Post by alum on Jan 17, 2022 7:43:32 GMT -5
I’m not sure that TPTB would agree they have $5 million lying around to do this but I like your thinking.
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Post by sader1970 on Jan 17, 2022 7:57:36 GMT -5
Pretty sure the Administration would prefer to direct any $5 million towards financial aid rather than increasing coaches’ salaries.
Only way this could ever happen if some well-heeled donor(s) direct that amount for those purposes.
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Post by timholycross on Jan 17, 2022 8:06:12 GMT -5
What's feasible when you are talking about 10-12 games out of the league*? Yeah, I know, "leave the league", but I don't feel like polishing off the "dead horse" meme at this time of day.
Wouldn't end up Top 50, but there's potential for a significant upgrade.
*I'd rather the league was two divisions of 5 each or 6 (who wants to join?) each. Then the league schedule is 14 or 16 games and the options for other scheduling are greater.
None of the above costs anything. It's the coaching and recruiting budgets that increase, unless I'm missing something.
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Post by HC92 on Jan 17, 2022 9:04:36 GMT -5
Pretty sure the Administration would prefer to direct any $5 million towards financial aid rather than increasing coaches’ salaries. Only way this could ever happen if some well-heeled donor(s) direct that amount for those purposes. I’m sure that’s true but the school has been stagnating (at best) for the last 30 years. We provide a massive amount of need-based financial aid. Doesn’t move the needle for us for some reason. Time for some new ideas and bold leadership atop Mt. St. James. |
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Post by Tom on Jan 17, 2022 9:46:09 GMT -5
an upgraded OOC schedule to include a Top 50 schedule and watch recruiting be transformed A top 50 OOC schedule is easier to achieve than a top 50 overall schedule. Our conference slate would bring us down while everyone in the Big 10 etc would move past us. A top 50 OOC schedule would likely be almost exclusively on the road. Doable, but not sure if anyone has the stomach for almost zero OOC home games. Heck, HC was so desperate for OOC at Hart this season, they scheduled two D-III games |
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Post by efg72 on Jan 17, 2022 9:48:00 GMT -5
The number of $5m could be anywhere between 2-6
It is the mindset shift and meaningful commitment I am putting out there. If you want sports to be an equal party in the Holy Cross experience of mind, body, and soul it requires an emotional, intellectual and financial switch.
This is not necessarily about conference choice, but sustainable excellence. To transform the hoops program under the current approach will take many years and to be honest I think as the older generation moves on the history and richness of the tradition may well be forgotten.
If we are to get this right, and again this is not about changing our conference, but making Holy Cross athletics important to the institution, the community, and the city of Worcester.
Will we do it? I don’t know, but if we want to increase the total image and reputation of the school with future students and influence national rankings, this is a move that can accelerate change.
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Post by efg72 on Jan 17, 2022 9:54:29 GMT -5
Tom I agree with the OOC scheduling but if we divide the current PL to north and south we can get a 13 game schedule
With respect to OOC you can add 8 games against top 50 teams on the road, pay games, and ten against teams in the NE 5 away and 5 home( teams from DC north)
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Post by sader1970 on Jan 17, 2022 9:58:44 GMT -5
I wonder if Kit has any ideas?
I also wonder whether once he’s settled in to his office if he would have a Zoom for interested fans for his initial thoughts and, more importantly, answer questions. That would be a forum for efg72 to throw out his idea and see what kind of reaction to it.
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Post by efg72 on Jan 17, 2022 10:13:12 GMT -5
The eight pay games at say a net of $200k-- could be more, but that raises $1.6 million - if football has one at $350 - you get close to the $2m straight away which might work
Naturally you could be paid more and make the budgeted net, get your exposure and experience and then reduce the top 50 games to 5 and pick up 3 other national games that might give you a 2-1 or home and home. It just requires some creative thinking and working the PL to accept that scheduling change to reduce travel time etc.
Anyway, just a thought that can help us improve and make it sustainable
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Post by longsuffering on Jan 17, 2022 10:19:03 GMT -5
"We've got the money." True, but as I recall from Professor Phreek's Tutorials we can only spend 4.5% of it each year, which funds the status quo and maybe a little growth. What are your thoughts on that obstacle?
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Post by sader1970 on Jan 17, 2022 10:31:24 GMT -5
I love the creative thinking and hate to be a wet blanket, efg, but absolutely no way we'd get 8 pay games in one season?!! We'd be lucky to get 2, possibly 3, if all the stars lined up. Tell me 8 opponents willing to hire the same patsy in the same year or even over the course of 2-3 seasons? They have their pride as well. And if they knew we're an easy target, don't you think once the word got out after the first 2-3 games that any remaining possible schools would low-ball knowing we're desperate? And there are so many other schools willing to play pay games that what makes you think that we'd be more of an incentive than some other school. I recognize that you are just spit-balling here and probably 8 pay game is your opening bid for negotiations.  |
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Post by efg72 on Jan 17, 2022 10:36:51 GMT -5
A general statement, and at the risk of being proven incorrect--
A move in this direction might help the Board and the Administration to be more strategic in the future and make the investments that will give you a short term ROI, and what I call a midterm/long term Equity After the Investment-- it is a gift that keeps giving, or some will call it a sustainable long term impact on the Holy Cross Balance Sheet.
Schools that have committed athletics- not conference selection- see a significant increase in applications and contributions/donations/grants, And with some good fortune, an increase in attendance and participation.
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Post by efg72 on Jan 17, 2022 10:44:37 GMT -5
I love the creative thinking and hate to be a wet blanket, efg, but absolutely no way we'd get 8 pay games in one season?!! We'd be lucky to get 2, possibly 3, if all the stars lined up. Tell me 8 opponents willing to hire the same patsy in the same year or even over the course of 2-3 seasons? They have their pride as well. And if they knew we're an easy target, don't you think once the word got out after the first 2-3 games that any remaining possible schools would low-ball knowing we're desperate? And there are so many other schools willing to play pay games that what makes you think that we'd be more of an incentive than some other school. I recognize that you are just spit-balling here and probably 8 pay game is your opening bid for negotiations.  Sader I think of it as a starting point to think what is possible. I think you can get a few of the Southern and midwestern programs to sign up- maybe right now we could get a St Mary's and Georgetown on the schedule. I would play the games with or without a pay guarantee, and if I start with 3 or 4 so be it. It also requires the PL to adjust scheduling which is anything but automatic. But as you said let's talk about what we might think is possible and try and get there or somewhere close to it. My concern about the current situation is if it goes on much longer, without some major changes, we won't get the program back and it will continue on a straight path to an unfortunate death. |
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Post by trimster on Jan 17, 2022 11:33:02 GMT -5
You have a very legitimate concern. I think it is fair to say, athletics is what put Holy Cross on the map many years ago. If done the right way, why couldn’t it again.
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Post by trimster on Jan 17, 2022 11:33:32 GMT -5
You have a very legitimate concern. I think it is fair to say, athletics is what put Holy Cross on the map many years ago. If done the right way, why couldn’t it again.
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Jan 17, 2022 12:25:34 GMT -5
A general statement, and at the risk of being proven incorrect-- A move in this direction might help the Board and the Administration to be more strategic in the future and make the investments that will give you a short term ROI, and what I call a midterm/long term Equity After the Investment-- it is a gift that keeps giving, or some will call it a sustainable long term impact on the Holy Cross Balance Sheet. Schools that have committed athletics- not conference selection- see a significant increase in applications and contributions/donations/grants, And with some good fortune, an increase in attendance and participation. We've discussed this so many. many times. Do you have any studies you can cite? From my POV. the "Flutie Effect" is not sufficient proof of the theorem. |
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Post by bfoley82 on Jan 17, 2022 12:27:39 GMT -5
A general statement, and at the risk of being proven incorrect-- A move in this direction might help the Board and the Administration to be more strategic in the future and make the investments that will give you a short term ROI, and what I call a midterm/long term Equity After the Investment-- it is a gift that keeps giving, or some will call it a sustainable long term impact on the Holy Cross Balance Sheet. Schools that have committed athletics- not conference selection- see a significant increase in applications and contributions/donations/grants, And with some good fortune, an increase in attendance and participation. You are talking about the Flutie Effect. Gonzaga probably is the latest to have that happen. |
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Post by efg72 on Jan 17, 2022 12:39:37 GMT -5
A general statement, and at the risk of being proven incorrect-- A move in this direction might help the Board and the Administration to be more strategic in the future and make the investments that will give you a short term ROI, and what I call a midterm/long term Equity After the Investment-- it is a gift that keeps giving, or some will call it a sustainable long term impact on the Holy Cross Balance Sheet. Schools that have committed athletics- not conference selection- see a significant increase in applications and contributions/donations/grants, And with some good fortune, an increase in attendance and participation. We've discussed this so many. many times. Do you have any studies you can cite? From my POV. the "Flutie Effect" is not sufficient proof of the theorem. Georgetown, Davidson, Nova, Gonzaga, St Mary's, to name a few come to mind- will try and pull the data from when they made their move and how it changed things within a few years and then became sustainable |
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Post by HC92 on Jan 17, 2022 13:03:19 GMT -5
Look at Villanova now being a far more desirable destination for high schoolers and harder to get into than HC. It was a safety school for HC students 30 years ago. The change ain’t because they hired better professors or bought new computers.
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