Since I had to address your ardent defenders first, I will know turn my attention back to the financial discussions. The Athletics Initiative for 2020 was started in Jan 2018, and Colllins was hired in Dec 2018, this suggest that these funds are not set in stone. As per the slush funds comment, clearly how these funds are distributed are more fluid than they appear. The maintenance costs of which you speak (overhead etc) is already covered in the $12 million dollar budget. The excess $14 million may have gone to football quite literally as a "slush fund" for the new hire and staff. My point is we found the money for football. Why can't we find the money for basketball? The "bells and whistles" are at least partially accounted for in this budget by the pledged $3.5 million to the basketball locker room.
Back to the idea that we need $25-40MM for the next regime. You cited Chris Mack at 21MM over 7 years. So he's making ~$1MM more than Pastner per season...It's a long term contract. So we don't need to conjure up $25-40MM out of thin air. My point is this program has enough money to not have to be in the cellar of the ACC.
The $25MM-$40MM is a commitment. How much are we (the GTAA, its sponsors, its fans, etc.) willing to commit day one over the course of multiple years? The head coach's contract is part of that commitment. If we have to pay a coach similar to Mack, a proven winner, you've now committed $21MM. $4MM more and you hit the bottom of my range. How much is it gonna cost you to get real recruiters in here?
We found the money for football because football has been, currently, is, and will always be, the financial priority. Also, we got off light, not having to pay much for Paul Johnson's contract buyout.
A $4.5MM locker room has bells & whistles, but what about additional staff (recruiting, scouting, social media, etc.), private jets for recruiting, better nutrition, mental health on staff, strength & conditioning quality & equipment, better technology and data analytics. All of these things cost a lot of money and quality coaches now demand them to help them win.
I'm glad you agree Pastner has to go, and that it isn't a financially insurmountable task. The real question is how much money are we going to save by one lame duck season vs. the hit in recruiting, revenue and general support of the program? Is our program going to be drastically better off financially in one year? What about players transferring out of the program...
The hit in recruiting and players transferring out? We've done a pretty good job developing kids, but in all seriousness, I like the 2020 recruits we have coming in, but our recruiting should be better, hit already taken. Who are you really worried about leaving the program? I can count the number on 1 finger, Michael Devoe. I really like the potential of Moore & Price. Jose, Usher, Moses, Cole, & Bubba - all seniors next year, so unlikely to leave unless they graduate early and there is that possibility.
General support of the program? I'm literally not worried about it. Our fans are comparable to Atlanta fans as a whole. Start winning and they come back in droves. If the worst next season might be is on par with Hewitt or BG's last season, I'm not worried about it at all.
Between tickets to secondary market sellers and the opposing fan bases that already invade us during ACC season, I'm not really worried about a final year revenue hit, if it saves us $2MM we'd have to double dip on by paying CJP plus a new coach. More, if any assistants are under contract.
Net, net - It all comes back to the money and setting up the cost structure. We've never shown the desire to spend it because we haven't had the right leadership to support hoops since Homer Rice. I think we have that leader now in Todd Stansbury and I think when the finances align to make a major investment in GT Men's Hoops, we'll see the right moves.
Until then, we'll just have to numb the pain and suck it up. Many on here are avid bourbon drinkers that might be able to make a quality suggestion for that.
