Full Court Press

Well.. he is the last Hoosier ..They'll never be another small school win it all in Indiana.....man..I hate class BBall in IN....unless they came to their senses and changed it back...I haven't checked

NW Indiana had some good teams back in those days......doggonit..I knew I was gonna start crying...screw you, Roman..

Indiana HS March Madness was more important than colleges for me growing up

So..as you can see...who leads the Hoosiers...is a little bit important....and Myles Brand is a Homo

Skiles would be in his element at the college level, where authoritarian control freaks usually fare much better than they do in the NBA.

Something else I'd like to address is the "One And Done" student athletes that bolt for the pros after their freshman year.

I know it's a free country, but these institutions offer a stage upon which NBA hopefuls can audition in front of a national audience. Sure, they don't get paid, but I still think that a two year commitment would not be too much to ask, and should be a minimum requirement for admission.

One thing about college prima donna's though Roman, they don't get paid more than the coach and still need to prove they belong in the NBA. How many #1 picks have faded into oblivion or had just average NBA careers?

Last time I checked Hitman they hadn't changed it back. What bothered me though was when they consolidated EC Washington(where i went to school) and EC Roosevelt into EC Central and killed one of the biggest rivalries in the state.

Skiles would be in his element at the college level, where authoritarian control freaks usually fare much better than they do in the NBA.

Something else I'd like to address is the "One And Done" student athletes that bolt for the pros after their freshman year.
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Sounds like Mr. Skiles should still be coaching in the NBA by your two sentences. (but we know you meant it differently) No need for rebuttal.

Good!! He will be working again and you guys can come off the ledge. AND he will be coaching against my Illinois teams so that will be a bonus. We all win!

Villano | March 19, 2008 10:34 AM - NO! How about PAYING THEM and keeping them 4 years. Can even be creative with splitting half of the proceeds with the players. There are some players who have entertained us through the years and NEVER got a pro contract.

"NO! How about PAYING THEM and keeping them 4 years"

UGHH...maybe if they'd realize that 99% of them won't play in the NBA, they would take advantage of an education worth $150K+ over 4 years.

Nah...too practical.

FYI originally March Madness was coined by an old IL BOYS HS BBALL Referee for the state tourny!

I played hoops in HS with his grandson...Trust Me...he told us about it every year!!

Yeah, I'd love to see Skiles coaching at Indiana. Being an indigenous Hoosier, anyway (Plymouth H.S. Class of '82), he certainly understands "Hoosier Hysteria," as the March basketball madness in our state is so aptly called, and he seems to be the type who could relate just fine with the college boys. Go for it!

Skiles would be a great college coach. He works hard, he knows how to teach the game and he can be the real control freak that he is in college. Indiana basketball deserves someone like him. Hell, Illinois should let go of Bruce "recruiting challenged" Weber and get Skiles. No, seriously I think Skiles would be great in college.

Tommy | March 19, 2008 04:17 PM - Players are not vested and while these fine institutions are having money fights, they get to play for let me get this straight....FUN, or as you have so eloquently stated A CHANCE to get an "education worth $150K+ over 4 years". Keep in mind not all of the athletes are there on scholarship, so they get to PAY for the same education the non-athletes get. And the scholarship players get pimped like Chris Webber and the Fab 5 were. They made so much money off Chris Webber's Jersey it was almost a joke to see that man get investigated. And what did the fab 5 get - nothing but risk. One injury and bye bye NBA and hoop dreams. Ask Ronnie Fields about that...he had to settle for your dream education prize.

The NBA is a mess right now (look at the East Conf) because of non-college grads swarming the ranks. You can't pay the athlete's because it transforms the NCAA. It goes from a body governing student athlete's to a sports entertainment franchise with all the headaches that come with that: bidding wars, free agency, unions, etc.

There is an alternative.

Students can come & go in the NCAA right now because scholarships are not guaranteed. Injuries/academics/behavior can all threaten them. The NCAA should relax this. Allow the schools to offer guaranteed 4 yr scholarship contracts that provide tuition, room & board, & opportunity for employment. A player would then have to negotiate an end to their contract to opt for the NBA.

I realize there is potential for alumni abuse in "opportunity for employment" but that can't be helped. All students have the right to work while attending school & athletes should be no different. The EEOC rules would help reign in the alumni some with this.

Skiles would be perfect for IU, but I agree he's likely to be an NBA coach next yr. Again look at the East Conf.

Villano:

"I know it's a free country, but"

How could you put a "but" after freedom? Colleges make a lot of money by luring in the NBA, and if the kids can't jump, they'll just drop (out) and join the pros anyway.

First off, I don't think anyone is naive enough to think that the top HS players in bball or football aren't getting their own sort of "stipends" from boosters. And for the non-scholarship athletes - is someone putting a gun to their head?

Secondly, I love how you trivialize an education - unfortunately you're not the only one. And since you brought up Ronnie, based on his academic reception by DePaul, I don't think he had any education prize in his future.

Tommy - Keith is right. The money the Fab 5 made from alums was WAY more than $150K.

I support the trooops....BUT

ooops...didnt mean to go there!

The Fab Five were paid like minor league baseball players. Most top athletes take a little from the agents and boosters around the neighborhood. I can guarantee you that Calipari had to pay a good amount to pry Derrick Rose away from North Carolina or maybe even Illinois. Think about it. How many great NBA players have come out of Memphis State? There isn't a great NBA profile attached to that school. With his ultimate goal being the NBA, why wouldn't he have gone to an ACC or Big Ten school which is always on TV and have their own networks. Calipari dropped that cheese.

No doubt about it Ernest...I'm sure Memphis St has some boosters with real $. Back to the Fab 5, I bet we know only about 20% of what they actually got. Michigan also had some VERY lean years before they got there. I'm not saying they got Reggie Bush $ and bennies, but as I recall, Webber was getting money since 8th grade!!

But should they have to get paid in back-alley? They arent playing ball in the back-alley. Here is another solution. Why not let the boosters pay them? Look all i'm saying is let them get what the SCHOOLS are getting. Is that so wrong. And I am saying cut all of the team a check across the board. Profitsharing works in the business world.

"And I am saying cut all of the team a check across the board. Profitsharing works in the business world."

Good point, Keith.

I too believe that they should partake of the riches that their talent and labor generate. Perhaps then, they might be able to affford to stick around an extra year or two.