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Guins vs. UIC

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Penguin Nation:
Excellent analysis by Let's Talk.  I vote that we make Let's talk the AD (not kidding either).

OOC scheduling has been misguided under Strollo in both FB and MBB.  Recruitment, the budget, and fan interest would all improve with a more robust OOC schedule.  Scalzo wrote about Kent ST paying significant $$ for FB to an FCS school.

IAA Fan:
Good stuff Let's talk. A couple of things to consider though. Local financial support and required public awareness stuff is tied to the number of home games. Also, national accounts (i.e. Coke or Pepsi) also have game stipulations. That is part of how we obtained the new video boards. Not that we cannot increase the number of money games, but we need to be careful. Also. the MVC has two participants advancing in the Men's NCAA tourney on a regular basis. Not that long ago they had 4 selections. Stupid move by the NCAA or not, it is far, far , far more revenue that the Horizon is going to get and share with their members.

These are also schools that draw far more from the general fund (for athletic endeavors) than YSU. We are a unionized state-school, that is not going to allow us to dig too deep into funds earmarked for academics. Also, SIU in the largest school in the state of Illinois. In fact, the largest school in all I-AA/FCS ...about 3-times our size. They even have their own medical school and hospital system. We cannot even come close to the money (donor base) they can draw from. I would also point out that MSU (I could have the wrong MVC school here) has made the final in the women's NCAA. Look how much our women's attendance has increased this year because of the increase in level of play. We would be selling out Beeghly if the Lady Pens went that far. Additionally, for both men's and women's basketball in the MVC ...most all of the teams can and do attract big-6 conference teams as visitors to their arenas ...something that can guarantee or eliminate the need for an away money game ...and also something YSU will never see in my lifetime. It took Butler year's to get get one power-team home game in the Horizon. Now they have many each season, but had to move to the former Big East to get it.

Not being a downer here ...simply stating a few colors that are not on our pallete.

Lets_Talk:
Local financial support for games against Kenyon, Oberlin, Geneva, Thiel....etc. Why not play less home games, but play teams that will actually draw 2,000-3,000 people? Then do a better job of promoting/marketing, especially to students, and you might have 3,500-4,000. There was a time in the 80's when students actually went to games. It was a time when there was ONE dorm on campus(Kilcawley), and that dorm was almost all athletes, with one floor of International Students and students in NEOUCOM. Even during my 5 seasons in school, 86-91, when YSU basketball went off the deep end, we still had a decent amount of students attend games. Crowds were not great, but not bad either. Yes, there were non D1 opponents, but part of that was due to YSU being Independent from 88-89 until joining the Mid-Con. YSU also played OU, CMU, CSU, Toledo, Akron and other similar schools at home. One year, Northwestern played to Beeghly. Another year, Air Force.

With the added money games, that would give YSU money to pay a higher guarantee for decent OOC opponents. Or, how about home-home with 3 or 4 teams from the MAC? YSU already does home-home with RMU and KENT. So, add 3-4 other schools into the mix. Schools with alums in the Ytown area and that people consider legitimate D1 programs. Could also try and get home-home with Duquesne, JMU, Delaware, Canisius, EKU, UNI, Marshall, WKU, Hofstra, LaSalle, Richmond

To me, it is about WANTING TOO. For a school in the HL, the OOC schedule ought to be about getting the team ready for the HL, trying to play 3-4 "money games" to help increase the revenue stream, and then focus on getting the best teams possible to play at Beeghly. People will go to see schools with which they are familiar, or that are known for playing quality basketball. And, that means more people seeing the signage and other advertising in Beeghly. More people getting the programs, and other things with adds. Also makes for an all around better experience, which is a positive for the players and fans.

If YSU were finishing in the top 3-4 in the HL on a regular basis, wining 18-20+ games per year, making deep runs in the HL Tournament, that would be one thing. But, for YSU to win ONE game in the HL Tournament is an accomplishment. Having a winning record typically requires counting the wins over non D1 teams. So, the current model is NOT WORKING. And, the excuses get old. People who live close enough to attend games show their disapproval of the way the program is run by staying home from games. And, it's hard to blame them. Tickets are not cheap, parking is $5. The games can be watched live on the internet.

People are tired of EXCUSES. And, the people tired of EXCUSES get tired of hearing they are not "real fans", or "we don't need you" and other things that are said to the people who have gotten to a point of saying ENOUGH. There has to be a WANT to be a quality mid-major program. YSU can me a quality mid-major program. It will take some creativity and doing things differently, but it is possible. Think about this for a minute. Slocum has the same top 2 assistant coaches he had his 1st year. How many schools would allow the HC to keep the same assistant coaches, when having the lack of success YSU has had in basketball? Would that be allowed at YSU in football? The answer is NO. So, why is it allowed in men's basketball?

And, in fairness to Slocum, I do not know that there is 100% commitment from the school as a whole(this goes higher than Ron Strollo) to doing the things it takes to have a quality mid-major program. Ron Strollo needs approval from people higher up than himself to increase the budget for basketball. I know for a fact from talking to Ron that he would like to increase the budget. That he wants men's basketball to be successful. I also know he has run into difficulties when going to the Board of Trustees, and also with Cynthia Anderson. And, this limits his ability to try and attract a new HC. Slocum runs a clean program. Kids graduate. Not a ton of issues of the floor. YSU has had some of their best seasons since Mike Rice with Slocum. The team plays hard. And, at least 3-4 years ago, President Anderson was very happy with Slocum, as were the Board of Trustees. That pretty much ties the hands of the AD.

Spiderlegs:

--- Quote from: Lets_Talk on January 06, 2015, 07:18:14 PM ---
And, in fairness to Slocum, I do not know that there is 100% commitment from the school as a whole(this goes higher than Ron Strollo) to doing the things it takes to have a quality mid-major program. Ron Strollo needs approval from people higher up than himself to increase the budget for basketball. I know for a fact from talking to Ron that he would like to increase the budget. That he wants men's basketball to be successful. I also know he has run into difficulties when going to the Board of Trustees, and also with Cynthia Anderson. And, this limits his ability to try and attract a new HC. Slocum runs a clean program. Kids graduate. Not a ton of issues of the floor. YSU has had some of their best seasons since Mike Rice with Slocum. The team plays hard. And, at least 3-4 years ago, President Anderson was very happy with Slocum, as were the Board of Trustees. That pretty much ties the hands of the AD.

--- End quote ---

YSU sports have seen a lot of success since then. Strollo can't increase the athletic budget due to university finances generally, but I think he has a lot more clout now on personnel matters given how well some of his other choices have turned out. Besides, if the MBB team lays an egg in Horizon competition (which is my prediction), I wouldn't be surprised if Tressel and the BOT start clamoring for a change. Strollo seems to be able to find good people who can live with the constraints of the YSU budget.

IAA Fan:
Yes and I like the way Strollo handles things with coaches performance. He respects the coach, allows them to lay out a plan for maybe 1, 2 or 3 years, depending on how much time is left in the contract. If Strollo (and I am sure other members of the staff and committees) agree with the plan ...he holds the coach accountable.

Wolf agreed to the post-season and did not make it in the first-term, but Strollo offered the extension to get that large recruiting class installed. Heacock told Strollo he would change to the spread and see the post-season in two-years. He had the injury issue, took an extra year. He told Strollo if he could not get the play-off in one-more year he was resign. He did not make it.

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