Awaka to the portal

The problem with NIL isn't its existence, but the complete abdication of any reasonable regulations and guidelines by the NCAA. They thought they could create this small opening in kids making some money and rejected any sort of common sense solution based upon the clear direction this thing was heading. As such, we got more of the current free for all we're experiencing. The NCAA is a collection of absolute arrogant morons dedicated to keeping outdated ideas in place.
 
Last night’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship showed what a PF is expected to do.

Where on our roster is that PF that can shoot the ball and play Barnes style D?

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Every core member of the team has an offer somewhere else of more money and more minutes. We are not handling either aspect well this year. While NIL has changed things, it has never been like this, and we aren’t ready.
wtf… and who are the core members ?
 
The problem with NIL isn't its existence, but the complete abdication of any reasonable regulations and guidelines by the NCAA. They thought they could create this small opening in kids making some money and rejected any sort of common sense solution based upon the clear direction this thing was heading. As such, we got more of the current free for all we're experiencing. The NCAA is a collection of absolute arrogant morons dedicated to keeping outdated ideas in place.
You think the ncaa having the ability to regulate NIL? The idea of that thinking is ridiculous in my mind.

So what that we don’t want to pay Awaka what he thinks he is worth…that’s a double edged sword of thinking in todays climate because the trasfer portal allows us the ability to possibly upgrade the position with a better scoring threat or to use those resources on another position based on the growth of Estrella or Phillips. Awaka is limited sadly simply based on his height for the position.

I wish nothing but the best for Awaka on his endeavor but I’d rather the ncaa have no power over NIL.
 
You will be missed.
Serious question.
Is this 💩 fun for you?
If I want to watch mercenaries, with zero allegiance, play for pay, I’ll watch the NFL or NBA.
So you have absolutely zero problem with the path that “college” athletics has taken?
We are to the point where a 3 year starting, all conference player, just transfers to play his final year at another school, even though he was all but guaranteed to retain his starting spot.
We are now to the point that you can’t have 2 big men, nope, only room for 1.
I just read a post that said, now we’ll see if Barnes can recruit a big man from the portal...
That’s comical, he had a big man. I guess he should’ve wined and dined and begged him to stay, maybe thrown a little more money his way.
😂
Make it make sense.
 
Basically we had what I to believe are 2x all-SEC caliber big men.

Aidoo got the minutes to actually achieve that award. But Awaka was good enough to get it had he gotten more minutes.

selfishly I’d love to have them both. But I can’t earnestly say retaining them both is what’s best for both of these young men.

Awaka will go somewhere, play big minutes and win some awards assuming he can stay out of foul trouble. I’ll be rooting for him.

Just reading between the lines a bit, I think maybe Awaka was not as coachable as others. Now, I'm not saying he is a bad kid or anything of that nature, just that he did not pick up plays as well as others. Remember when Vescovi was spotted coaching on the sideline, using the white board? The person he was coaching was Awaka, because he was not running the play correctly.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but who would you rather have on the team, someone who picks up the plays or someone who is lost out there?

I wish the best for Awaka. I hope he finds the situation he is looking for.
 
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You think the ncaa having the ability to regulate NIL? The idea of that thinking is ridiculous in my mind.

So what that we don’t want to pay Awaka what he thinks he is worth…that’s a double edged sword of thinking in todays climate because the trasfer portal allows us the ability to possibly upgrade the position with a better scoring threat or to use those resources on another position based on the growth of Estrella or Phillips. Awaka is limited sadly simply based on his height for the position.

I wish nothing but the best for Awaka on his endeavor but I’d rather the ncaa have no power over NIL.

To facilitate some kind of collective agreement among colleges, like a cap or something? Yeah, it could've been done by a more effective and capable organization.
 
Every core member of the team has an offer somewhere else of more money and more minutes. We are not handling either aspect well this year. While NIL has changed things, it has never been like this, and we aren’t ready.

Doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence in the future of the program, not just under Barnes but once Barnes retires either.
 
Serious question.
Is this 💩 fun for you?
If I want to watch mercenaries, with zero allegiance, play for pay, I’ll watch the NFL or NBA.
So you have absolutely zero problem with the path that “college” athletics has taken?
We are to the point where a 3 year starting, all conference player, just transfers to play his final year at another school, even though he was all but guaranteed to retain his starting spot.
We are now to the point that you can’t have 2 big men, nope, only room for 1.
I just read a post that said, now we’ll see if Barnes can recruit a big man from the portal...
That’s comical, he had a big man. I guess he should’ve wined and dined and begged him to stay, maybe thrown a little more money his way.
😂
Make it make sense.
I must admit that I had major concerns about NIL, but overall I am happy that it has happened. I think it evens the playing field for places like Tennessee, where we really want to do it the right way.

I do agree about the play for pay aspect though. At least we can now go out and find his replacement, and dream that it will be another homerun hit, like Knecht was.
 
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Every core member of the team has an offer somewhere else of more money and more minutes. We are not handling either aspect well this year. While NIL has changed things, it has never been like this, and we aren’t ready.
No offense but why are you making stuff up to fit some narrative that Rick doesn’t use NIL? First off coaches have no say over the collective they might offer them input but anything else is against the rules as we know.

Second this is a false narrative the staff has interviews with each player prior to them entering the portal. There is a lot of variables at play especially when there is a set budget, but when you have young guys like Estrella and Phillips waiting for their turn and you have a guy who is undersized at the position and who is still limited on the offensive end outside of 5 feet tough decisions have to be made for both parties.

To say we are not ready when have put team after team into the NCAA Tournament a long with sec championships during the NIL era is simply false on all accounts

The roster is nowhere near set for next year, can you not wait till after summer before spreading false information about our NIL?
 
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Serious question.
Is this 💩 fun for you?
If I want to watch mercenaries, with zero allegiance, play for pay, I’ll watch the NFL or NBA.
So you have absolutely zero problem with the path that “college” athletics has taken?
We are to the point where a 3 year starting, all conference player, just transfers to play his final year at another school, even though he was all but guaranteed to retain his starting spot.
We are now to the point that you can’t have 2 big men, nope, only room for 1.
I just read a post that said, now we’ll see if Barnes can recruit a big man from the portal...
That’s comical, he had a big man. I guess he should’ve wined and dined and begged him to stay, maybe thrown a little more money his way.
😂
Make it make sense.
I was being serious. I was saying you will be missed if you’re leaving the board, as ak tbh ought you were indicating
 
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I think this upcoming season will be Barnes last year. You can just feel it.
I’ll bet a lot of coaches are getting tired of this and you’ll see more hang it up. Especially those close to or at retirement age. (See Nick Saban.) Not only do you have to spend the requisite time recruiting high school athletes, you have to work the transfer portal and re-recruit the players on your team every year. There is no time off and it has to be getting tedious. Hard to even enjoy a successful season and then immediately worry about who’s leaving.

There are reasons why Jay Wright and Billy Donovan don’t appear to be anxious to get back into the college game and why assistant football coaches are clamoring to get into the NFL. Don’t have to worry about any of this mess.
 
I think Aidoo is very capable of being a dominate center. Needs to put on a little weight so he isn't pushed around on the floor, and find an aggressive mindset. He has the height, just needs the weight, and time in the strength and conditioning program.
 
It’s happening in the Girl Scouts too. My neighbors bought all the thin mints before I even had a chance to order. Two boxes per household! That’s the rule.
I laughed, but blech - thin mints. You've got to get busy in the cookie transfer portal. There's way more talent out there just waiting for the right suitor to come along.
 
I’ll bet a lot of coaches are getting tired of this and you’ll see more hang it up. Especially those close to or at retirement age. (See Nick Saban.) Not only do you have to spend the requisite time recruiting high school athletes, you have to work the transfer portal and re-recruit the players on your team every year. There is no time off and it has to be getting tedious. Hard to even enjoy a successful season and then immediately worry about who’s leaving.

There are reasons why Jay Wright and Billy Donovan don’t appear to be anxious to get back into the college game and why assistant football coaches are clamoring to get into the NFL. Don’t have to worry about any of this mess.
This happened all the time prior to NIL too it’s just social media keeps trying to amplify the “reasons” why to justify some argument against NIL…don’t succumb to that narrative
 

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