(09-26-2017 11:18 AM)ksigtigerdood Wrote: (09-26-2017 10:47 AM)Tigx Wrote: Pete Thamel Verified account @PeteThamel 3m3 minutes ago
Former NCAA official told me today this could end up as the biggest college sports story of our lifetime. "It's also the least surprising."
Yep. Much more to come on this. Athletic programs may crumble in response to this. NCAA basketball may not be the same after this.
We've all known this for a while. Shoe companies and AAU have destroyed college basketball.
Sonny Vaccaro's ABCD 'camp' started in 1984. I don't think the shoe companies destroyed college BB, the one-and-dones killed college BB.
Let's put it this way: if you took away the shoe companies and you took away the AAU, would college BB's 'image' and popularity somehow grow?
When Patrick Ewing played against (H)Akeem Olajuwon both players had been around at least 2 years and were 21 years old. Now, if we are lucky we get to see freshmen go head-to-head when their skill set is much less developed (especially for big men).
In 1984, there were 23 basketball teams in the NBA with only 11 roster spots or 253 'NBA jobs'.
In 2017, there are 30 basketball teams in the NBA with 15 roster spots...or 450 'NBA jobs'. The # of NBA jobs has exploded, so has the # of good jobs in Europe and China that didn't really exist in 1984 AND there is the rookie salary cap...which really makes good players want to leave college early. When Glen Robinson hit it big in the NBA draft, the NBA installed a rookie salary cap AND the # of jobs has exploded.
Point is, college BB's primary drawing cards were (a) effort and (b) talented, returning players. Both draws were ruined by the NBA and the # of good paying jobs overseas.
In 1984, Sonny Vacarro was still around pimping players out. In 1984, you could make the argument that college BB was at its highest point relative to other sports.