GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY basketball

[Sladerunningbear]

I think we need an AD with actual on the floor experience. Adunk, this is your time, your town.

#Adunk4AD

Spread it!

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

I know this post will probably ruffle some feathers on here (and be long), but IMO we can complain, e-mail, call, post as much as we want, but nothing is going to change with the current administration.

I have a few reasons why I say that. I went back and found an article from 2013 with athletic department goals that Larry had.

2013
http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/football/indoor-practice-facility-top-item-on-wish-list-for-illinois/article_e4a9b732-2636-11e3-b265-0019bb2963f4.html#comments

Priorities:Indoor Practice Facility, New indoor track, new ticket entrance and hall of fame for Redbird Arena, finish the horseshoe of Hancock Stadium.

Now in 2018:

http://wglt.org/post/indoor-practice-facility-tops-wish-list-isu-athletics#stream/0

http://www.wjbc.com/2018/01/23/redbird-arena-could-get-lower-bowl-facelift/

Priorities: Indoor practice facility, indoor track, new ticket entrance and hall of fame for redbird arena.

So basically in 5 years we haven't moved forward as an athletic department. Everything is still in the planning/hoping stages. Which, if you aren't moving forward as an athletic department you are dying.

I am as anti-football spending as anyone on here (except maybe Quinn). If they really wanted an indoor practice facility the week after they got back from Frisco they could have launched fundraising campaign while everyone was still excited about it. Instead they squandered the opportunity.

Now in Basketball we have the 3rd lowest budget in the league (never thought I'd see the day ISU bball is that low). Plus, we are losing the facilities arms race to Loyola for basketball (https://www.loyolaramblers.com/news/2018/2/5/general-loyola-receives-cornerstone-gift-to-build-athletics-practice-facility.aspx).

And I ask myself are any of these areas better for basketball?
Attendance, Student Attendance, Marketing and Promotions, Game Atmosphere. I would say the answer is no to all of them.

Larry hasn't done anything to hurt the athletic department in 5 years, but hasn't done anything to grow it.

another tough fact is that donations to the athletic department, as reported by ISU, have dropped from nearly $2,000,000 a year to just over a $1,000,000. That occurred during a period of time when ISU went to the "championship" game in football which in theory should have helped donations. IMO, ISU would be best served if Larry retired now vs starting any project as it would be better to have someone with experience from a vibrant and successful athletic department put their touches on the program.

 

[TIMMY]

I know this post will probably ruffle some feathers on here (and be long), but IMO we can complain, e-mail, call, post as much as we want, but nothing is going to change with the current administration.

I have a few reasons why I say that. I went back and found an article from 2013 with athletic department goals that Larry had.

2013
http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/football/indoor-practice-facility-top-item-on-wish-list-for-illinois/article_e4a9b732-2636-11e3-b265-0019bb2963f4.html#comments

Priorities:Indoor Practice Facility, New indoor track, new ticket entrance and hall of fame for Redbird Arena, finish the horseshoe of Hancock Stadium.

Now in 2018:

http://wglt.org/post/indoor-practice-facility-tops-wish-list-isu-athletics#stream/0

http://www.wjbc.com/2018/01/23/redbird-arena-could-get-lower-bowl-facelift/

Priorities: Indoor practice facility, indoor track, new ticket entrance and hall of fame for redbird arena.

So basically in 5 years we haven't moved forward as an athletic department. Everything is still in the planning/hoping stages. Which, if you aren't moving forward as an athletic department you are dying.

I am as anti-football spending as anyone on here (except maybe Quinn). If they really wanted an indoor practice facility the week after they got back from Frisco they could have launched fundraising campaign while everyone was still excited about it. Instead they squandered the opportunity.

Now in Basketball we have the 3rd lowest budget in the league (never thought I'd see the day ISU bball is that low). Plus, we are losing the facilities arms race to Loyola for basketball (https://www.loyolaramblers.com/news/2018/2/5/general-loyola-receives-cornerstone-gift-to-build-athletics-practice-facility.aspx).

And I ask myself are any of these areas better for basketball?
Attendance, Student Attendance, Marketing and Promotions, Game Atmosphere. I would say the answer is no to all of them.

Larry hasn't done anything to hurt the athletic department in 5 years, but hasn't done anything to grow it.

another tough fact is that donations to the athletic department, as reported by ISU, have dropped from nearly $2,000,000 a year to just over a $1,000,000. That occurred during a period of time when ISU went to the "championship" game in football which in theory should have helped donations. IMO, ISU would be best served if Larry retired now vs starting any project as it would be better to have someone with experience from a vibrant and successful athletic department put their touches on the program.

Loyola has an Alum (Alan Norville) who gives back to the school in time and money. Lot's of money. He played basketball for Loyola 60 years ago. This will be the second athletic facility that he's been the cornerstone of. If we have an Alan Norville out there he hasn't stepped up.
Thanks for digging up those articles Rico. They really illustrate the lack of advancement in athletics. When you have a guy in charge who is only interested in protecting his turf, this is what you get. Chi you are right. We need a change in leadership. Someone who attacks the job like his/her ass was on fire. Someone not held back by the politics of the past. Willing to make some LONG overdue changes. Deputy Director is not a lifetime appointment. Know what I mean?

 

[Birdfan 4Life]

Front page of ESPN.com.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/22437323/grand-canyon-only-profit-team-division-is-building-monster-desert

 

[CaliRdBrd]

Front page of ESPN.com.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/22437323/grand-canyon-only-profit-team-division-is-building-monster-desert

Shhhh! I can barely hear the pin dropping in Redbird Arena.

 

[ISUBU]

Front page of ESPN.com.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/22437323/grand-canyon-only-profit-team-division-is-building-monster-desert

Quote within the article: ""We're raising money through online education, and it's very solid and paying for everything that you see without any help from the government," Colangelo said. "

Nonsense. Look a little earlier in the article and you'll find "a school that earns 79 percent of its revenue from federal student financial aid." And slightly more than 10% of their borrowers default on their loans...this is typically a sign that alumni employment is frequently insufficient. Basketball aside, this is a terrible deal for taxpayers and frequently a terrible deal for Grand Canyon students.

 

[Redbirdwarrior]

Having worked for a for profit school, I will tell you that for every 20 students they have, they have a very highly trained inside salesperson ready to sell the shit out of you and your kid to take out tens of thousands in student loans for a program they could get at a quarter of the price elsewhere.

The balls on those guys to say they get no help from the government. If student loans and GI Bill were eliminated for use for for-profit colleges tomorrow, that "4-star" practice facility would be closed by the end of the week.

It is a scam to the highest order.

 

[cpacmel]

Front page of ESPN.com.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/22437323/grand-canyon-only-profit-team-division-is-building-monster-desert

Shhhh! I can barely hear the pin dropping in Redbird Arena.

Nothing stopping you from becoming a fan of someone else.

 

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

Headline on the front page:

It makes more money than WWE and the Cowboys, but what can make Grand Canyon a power?
As the only for-profit Div. I school, Grand Canyon plays by different rules. It also is building a serious basketball program, one that comes with big goals and big controversy.

That one phrase is the only damn thing I care about.

 

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

GCU, NMSU, Murray State and NKU. Go to 14.