http://www.mlive.com/broncos/index.ssf/2...e_for.html
The quick run-down:
NCAA tournament money will be distributed based on merit. No more equal shares.
“You’re in the NCAA tournament or NIT or CBI or CIT, you pick up units. Nonconference winning percentage at a certain level, you pick up more units. If your RPI is at a certain level, you pick up more units.”
That begins with home games. Each program, Steinbrecher said, must have
a rolling two-year average of 15 home games to receive its full share of NCAA money.
“I think our coaches and institutions have a pretty good understanding as they’re preparing for the next year, probably where they’re going to be, assuming kids stay healthy and so on,” he said. “Are they going to be a top 100 program? Are they going to be fighting for the conference title? Is it a rebuilding year? And I think you schedule accordingly.”
This is also a conference that has its two best teams — Kent State and Akron — playing in the equivalent of run-down high school gyms. And the administration at its most nationally respected program, Kent State, ridiculously under-funds men’s basketball in the name of equity, to the point it just lost its second head coach to a fellow mid-major program offering to double their pay. Kent State ought to be Butler or Gonzaga at this point. That it’s not and is as much a reason for the MAC’s decline as anything.
Similarly, the West Division has been set back by a series of unnecessary coaching changes by self-serving, greedy and simple-minded administrators.
No more suicide schedules for programs that can't handle it. Winning non-conference games is more important than anything else. It helps to win against tougher teams, but that isn't necessary to boost your winning percentage and thus your RPI.
(05-16-2011 12:38 PM)uakronkid Wrote: [ -> ]http://www.mlive.com/broncos/index.ssf/2...e_for.html
This is also a conference that has its two best teams — Kent State and Akron — playing in the equivalent of run-down high school gyms. And the administration at its most nationally respected program, Kent State, ridiculously under-funds men’s basketball in the name of equity, to the point it just lost its second head coach to a fellow mid-major program offering to double their pay. Kent State ought to be Butler or Gonzaga at this point. That it’s not and is as much a reason for the MAC’s decline as anything.
Similarly, the West Division has been set back by a series of unnecessary coaching changes by self-serving, greedy and simple-minded administrators.
Funny how the best program in the MAC is responsible for its decline. That's moronic.
Also, which coaching changes in the West does this guy have a problem with? Patton at NIU?
This guy's opinion gets in the way of a very informative article. He just can't help himself from taking shots at the teams that are carrying the MAC while trying to take a lot of blame off of the teams that are dragging it down.
He shows some serious ignorance about the schools that play D-I basketball. KSU should be Butler or Gonzaga? KSU should become a private liberal arts or religious-affiliated university with enrollment under 10k and no D-I football? That would be quite a transition. I wonder what state U's in mid-major conferences he would have KSU model itself after? Does he just print money when he needs it? Because all the state schools in Ohio can't and are getting funding slashed across the board in Kasich's "Have More Bake Sales" approach to education.
Everyone with a keyboard and internet access is an expert these days.
CAA does something very much like this. They might be the model for the MAC.
The key for the CAA is that they get MUCHO NCAA bucks because of what schools like Mason, VCU, etc. have done in recent years.
They (CAA) have a very big pie to slice up and they absolutely reward success and punish lack of success.
(05-16-2011 01:22 PM)emu steve Wrote: [ -> ]CAA does something very much like this. They might be the model for the MAC.
The key for the CAA is that they get MUCHO NCAA bucks because of what schools like Mason, VCU, etc. have done in recent years.
They (CAA) have a very big pie to slice up and they absolutely reward success and punish lack of success.
We don't have much to slice up, but I think that makes the stakes higher. You must succeed or you risk not getting anything at all.
(05-16-2011 01:18 PM)axeme Wrote: [ -> ]Everyone with a keyboard and internet access is an expert these days.
That's a really unfounded and off-the-mark shot at Graham, who is very good at what he does. I don't agree with everything he said (especially the West Division part), but there's at least a kernel of truth in most of it.
(05-16-2011 12:47 PM)bopol Wrote: [ -> ] (05-16-2011 12:38 PM)uakronkid Wrote: [ -> ]http://www.mlive.com/broncos/index.ssf/2...e_for.html
This is also a conference that has its two best teams — Kent State and Akron — playing in the equivalent of run-down high school gyms. And the administration at its most nationally respected program, Kent State, ridiculously under-funds men’s basketball in the name of equity, to the point it just lost its second head coach to a fellow mid-major program offering to double their pay. Kent State ought to be Butler or Gonzaga at this point. That it’s not and is as much a reason for the MAC’s decline as anything.
Similarly, the West Division has been set back by a series of unnecessary coaching changes by self-serving, greedy and simple-minded administrators.
Funny how the best program in the MAC is responsible for its decline. That's moronic.
Also, which coaching changes in the West does this guy have a problem with? Patton at NIU?
Firing coaches with four consecutive 20 game losing seasons in their four year tenure ought to be worthy of a few "points" in the MAC reward system.
(05-16-2011 02:03 PM)OZoner Wrote: [ -> ] (05-16-2011 01:18 PM)axeme Wrote: [ -> ]Everyone with a keyboard and internet access is an expert these days.
That's a really unfounded and off-the-mark shot at Graham, who is very good at what he does. I don't agree with everything he said (especially the West Division part), but there's at least a kernel of truth in most of it.
Would it be more fair if I included myself and you in that appraisal?
Anyway, I assume his facts are correct, but his interpretation of them just shows ignorance, in my humble internet opinion. To me, it reeks of the trend to hyperbolize everything to attract attention. And the opinions lack the support which I tend to favor in opinions. It's the sports talk host manual approach: take simple, extreme opinions on every issue, no matter how nuanced the situation. It's not as bad as some, but I saw very little merit in the opinion part of the piece. The facts were news, however, and I appreciate that.
Taking the counter argument, I’d say we are optimizing every dollar spent in basketball. Others are overspending and under delivering.
If it was all about facilities, the MAC West would be far superior to the East. And, we all know that’s not true.
(05-16-2011 03:31 PM)FlashFan Wrote: [ -> ]Taking the counter argument, I’d say we are optimizing every dollar spent in basketball. Others are overspending and under delivering.
If it was all about facilities, the MAC West would be far superior to the East. And, we all know that’s not true.
Maybe some day we can get us one of those fancy new arenas instead of our beat up old one. You can't have a top program without one.
Maybe we should get one like Butler has.
(05-16-2011 03:52 PM)axeme Wrote: [ -> ] (05-16-2011 03:31 PM)FlashFan Wrote: [ -> ]Taking the counter argument, I’d say we are optimizing every dollar spent in basketball. Others are overspending and under delivering.
If it was all about facilities, the MAC West would be far superior to the East. And, we all know that’s not true.
Maybe some day we can get us one of those fancy new arenas instead of our beat up old one. You can't have a top program without one.
Maybe we should get one like Butler has.
Wonder if Graham thinks the condition of the Horizon League is Butler’s fault?
So Akron's schedule is weak (Temple, minn, CSU, Miami fl, Dayton...) and they have not been in the title game lately? Also the east hasn't dominated the west. I have been looking at the MAC all wrong.
(05-16-2011 02:03 PM)OZoner Wrote: [ -> ] (05-16-2011 01:18 PM)axeme Wrote: [ -> ]Everyone with a keyboard and internet access is an expert these days.
That's a really unfounded and off-the-mark shot at Graham, who is very good at what he does. I don't agree with everything he said (especially the West Division part), but there's at least a kernel of truth in most of it.
Agreed. Graham has been covering the MAC for the Kalamazoo Gazette (WMU beat writer) for awhile and is about as solid as they come. Disagree with him, but don't for a minute think he is some Internet journalist wannabe.
(05-16-2011 09:43 PM)HuronDave Wrote: [ -> ] (05-16-2011 02:03 PM)OZoner Wrote: [ -> ] (05-16-2011 01:18 PM)axeme Wrote: [ -> ]Everyone with a keyboard and internet access is an expert these days.
That's a really unfounded and off-the-mark shot at Graham, who is very good at what he does. I don't agree with everything he said (especially the West Division part), but there's at least a kernel of truth in most of it.
Agreed. Graham has been covering the MAC for the Kalamazoo Gazette (WMU beat writer) for awhile and is about as solid as they come. Disagree with him, but don't for a minute think he is some Internet journalist wannabe.
I was only reacting to the quality of the piece I read. Perhaps it is not typical of his work.
(05-16-2011 12:47 PM)bopol Wrote: [ -> ] (05-16-2011 12:38 PM)uakronkid Wrote: [ -> ]http://www.mlive.com/broncos/index.ssf/2...e_for.html
This is also a conference that has its two best teams — Kent State and Akron — playing in the equivalent of run-down high school gyms. And the administration at its most nationally respected program, Kent State, ridiculously under-funds men’s basketball in the name of equity, to the point it just lost its second head coach to a fellow mid-major program offering to double their pay. Kent State ought to be Butler or Gonzaga at this point. That it’s not and is as much a reason for the MAC’s decline as anything.
Similarly, the West Division has been set back by a series of unnecessary coaching changes by self-serving, greedy and simple-minded administrators.
Funny how the best program in the MAC is responsible for its decline. That's moronic.
Also, which coaching changes in the West does this guy have a problem with? Patton at NIU?
I hope he wasn't talking about NIU. Sure, we could have kept Patton around another year to finish his contract but why would not doing so make one self-serving, greedy and simple minded?
(05-16-2011 12:38 PM)uakronkid Wrote: [ -> ]The quick run-down:
NCAA tournament money will be distributed based on merit. No more equal shares.
“You’re in the NCAA tournament or NIT or CBI or CIT, you pick up units. Nonconference winning percentage at a certain level, you pick up more units. If your RPI is at a certain level, you pick up more units.”
That begins with home games. Each program, Steinbrecher said, must have a rolling two-year average of 15 home games to receive its full share of NCAA money.
I'm impressed with the 15 home game requirement. That is the same as 7 non-conference home games. I know we have talked about what the MAC should require as far as non-conference basketball scheduling and the number we had settled on was 6. This requirement out of the MAC front office is then spot on.
Since programs like EMU and NIU are not going to pick up units like NCAA, NIT, CIT or on the basis of a top 100 RPI anyways, the 15 home game requirement should be mandatory to receive any portion of that money.
Please keep in mind we aren't talking a whole lot of money here. 1.68 million split 12 ways is only 140,000 dollars per school. If have of that money is still received to a school and the other half on incentive, MAC schools would pick up anywhere between 70k and 210k, some mild incentive but may not be enough to change the policies of some schools.
Now if you are talking about not picking up any money at all unless the school 1) Makes postseason OR top 100 RPI, 2) averages 15 home games. There would be some real teeth to the 15 home game requirement.
If that was true, and EMU/NIU were as an example effectively giving up their shares Kent/Akron would be receiving 280k+ placing their revenue received on the level of what they would be making in the Missouri Valley Conference as a member there.
The same formula should be worked out in football too. Require a minimum of 3 non-conference home games over a 2 year period. Split the BCS money based on bowl appearances, championships, and Sagarin ratings.
(05-17-2011 07:36 AM)Kit-Cat Wrote: [ -> ] (05-16-2011 12:38 PM)uakronkid Wrote: [ -> ]The quick run-down:
NCAA tournament money will be distributed based on merit. No more equal shares.
“You’re in the NCAA tournament or NIT or CBI or CIT, you pick up units. Nonconference winning percentage at a certain level, you pick up more units. If your RPI is at a certain level, you pick up more units.”
That begins with home games. Each program, Steinbrecher said, must have a rolling two-year average of 15 home games to receive its full share of NCAA money.
I'm impressed with the 15 home game requirement. That is the same as 7 non-conference home games. I know we have talked about what the MAC should require as far as non-conference basketball scheduling and the number we had settled on was 6. This requirement out of the MAC front office is then spot on.
Since programs like EMU and NIU are not going to pick up units like NCAA, NIT, CIT or on the basis of a top 100 RPI anyways, the 15 home game requirement should be mandatory to receive any portion of that money.
Please keep in mind we aren't talking a whole lot of money here. 1.68 million split 12 ways is only 140,000 dollars per school. If have of that money is still received to a school and the other half on incentive, MAC schools would pick up anywhere between 70k and 210k, some mild incentive but may not be enough to change the policies of some schools.
Now if you are talking about not picking up any money at all unless the school 1) Makes postseason OR top 100 RPI, 2) averages 15 home games. There would be some real teeth to the 15 home game requirement.
If that was true, and EMU/NIU were as an example effectively giving up their shares Kent/Akron would be receiving 280k+ placing their revenue received on the level of what they would be making in the Missouri Valley Conference as a member there.
The same formula should be worked out in football too. Require a minimum of 3 non-conference home games over a 2 year period. Split the BCS money based on bowl appearances, championships, and Sagarin ratings.
Wouldn't playing more home games actually hurt the MAC team RPIs more? I guess in theory they should win more games at home...but that is in theory...
(05-16-2011 03:20 PM)niu79 Wrote: [ -> ]Firing coaches with four consecutive 20 game losing seasons in their four year tenure ought to be worthy of a few "points" in the MAC reward system.
So then it appears that Gene Cross was let go prematurely.