J Batt interviewing for USC(e) AD job

[laoh]

The atmosphere is much better in O'Keefe than McCamish and you get more invested in the games due to it. McCamish could be an insane atmosphere, but it's a chicken & egg problem.

McCamish is way too big for volleyball right now. It's okay to do it once a year like we have been the last several... and we get close to 4000 attending, including many middle and high school girls with lots of hopes and dreams. We've definitely outgrown O'Keefe and they should be playing in a bigger arena but that's what I also love about O'Keefe. The place is very hostile to opposing teams and the bigger programs that show up (like Stanford) get their mojo thrown off. Has anyone wondered about long term hearing damage for the coaches and players? (serious question)

 

[AUFC]

McCamish is way too big for volleyball right now. It's okay to do it once a year like we have been the last several... and we get close to 4000 attending, including many middle and high school girls with lots of hopes and dreams. We've definitely outgrown O'Keefe and they should be playing in a bigger arena but that's what I also love about O'Keefe. The place is very hostile to opposing teams and the bigger programs that show up (like Stanford) get the mojo thrown off. Has anyone wondered about long term hearing damage for the coaches and players? (serious question)

Sorry I was comparing volleyball and basketball with my post to address @Oakland 's question - I agree one game a year in McCamish is the right amount. I think volleyball has made a concerted effort to retain O'Keefe because it gives them a major competitive advantage. I think the program momentum would die very quickly if they moved to McCamish full time at this point. I would definitely go to less games even though the ticket would be easier to get.

 

[apatriot1776]

I really don't want to look at the figures, but when you take a look at men's basketball you got to ask, which sport keeps within budget, men's basketball or women's volleyball? Both get television coverage through the ACCN, both have their own courts, tickets are harder to get to women's volleyball, the men's basketball team maybe had 300 people there for their game against Texas Southern. I think the women's volleyball team either breaks even or makes a small profit. Right now, I think the men's basketball team is a drain. You're right, we need to improve the sports we have now.
Edit: Why are the students staying away from basketball, but go nuts over the volleyball team? Is there some disconnect going on?

In my experience, MBB student attendance has always been horrific until the spring semester starts. My friends were pretty good at going to games later in the season, but for the December games none besides me knew the season had even started. Only exception was Pastner's first year when he was literally going door-to-door in Greek life to garner support.

Just like football, you want to have a good atmosphere you start with the students. I don't know what that takes but there needs to be a more targeted strategy.

 

[AUFC]

In my experience, MBB student attendance has always been horrific until the spring semester starts. My friends were pretty good at going to games later in the season, but for the December games none besides me knew the season had even started. Only exception was Pastner's first year when he was literally going door-to-door in Greek life to garner support.

Just like football, you want to have a good atmosphere you start with the students. I don't know what that takes but there needs to be a more targeted strategy.

The biggest knock on Stoudamire right now is he believes he is above fostering a relationship with the students. I don't know if it's his NBA background or what but he treats the program like an NBA team when it's not an NBA team. Unfortunately it's hampering his ability to do his job now because he's losing blue chip recruits who are citing the poor fan/student support.

Key will go shotgun beers at a frat house on a Thursday night and host his radio show on their front lawn. When he walks off the field after wins, he goes and pumps up the students and band and thanks students for their role in creating a competitive advantage. Haven't seen anything like that from CDS ever.

 

[roadkill]

I believe they use a camera to review whether the person coming in is the same as the person on the ticket.

Having a hard time believing this.
TSA requires a photo ID like a driver's license; if we did this it would greatly impede getting into the stadium, and require that each ticket be associated with each ticket-holder's name. This would also eliminate all resales (or giveaways) including those for legit reasons, like our ticket exchange on this board. Unless I'm missing something.

 

[Randy Carson]

I don't know Stoudamire...never met him...never even listened to a press conference. I might have seen one brief YouTube with him doing some coaching.

BUT he seems...I started to say "cold"...but I'll go with distant or aloof, somehow.

If the players, recruits and money men love him, great. But he seems like a bit of a stiff to me. Am I wrong?

 

[laoh]

Stoudamire caused me to pause during his introductory press conference. He never thanked Cabrera or Batt during the conference and that really rubbed me the wrong way.

 

[4shotB]

I don't know Stoudamire...never met him...never even listened to a press conference. I might have seen one brief YouTube with him doing some coaching.

BUT he seems...I started to say "cold"...but I'll go with distant or aloof, somehow.

If the players, recruits and money men love him, great. But he seems like a bit of a stiff to me. Am I wrong?

The cold, distant, I hate the media and fans, personality works well for coaches who win big. But if you can't or won't, the lack of relationship building will kill you and shortens the length of your tenure. Some coaches don't seem to get that the fans can be their biggest allies if approached correctly.

There was a significant % of people who were aginst Key's hire. But what he has done both on and off the field have most 100% behind him now. And has shut up the ones who are quietly biding their time, waiting for him to stumble, so they can crawl out of their shadows and start the ol' 'I told you so" chant that those types wait for.

 

[stinger78]

I don't get warm fuzzies from CDS, but I don 't need them. Just win.

That said, our MBB program, being in the crapper most of the last 15+ years, needs the students to be involved and CDS is going to have to go out and connect with them. They bring the base level of excitement. No students will kill any game excitement that may be brought by ticket holders.

 

[Techster]

So if we sign J Batt to a 5 year deal, I think he's here to stay for the long term, esp considering he has young boys now... maybe if UNC comes calling in the future and his boys are right at the transition state going into middle school or something, then maybe he leaves?

I firmly believe GT will be in the B1G before it's all said and done. That means, GT will be one of the better jobs in the country once the GOR expires or someone finds a way out. Given the trajectory of our program (at least the perception that we now "care"), and the leadership of Cabrera, I'm honestly not worried if Batt leaves for UNC if they come calling. TBH, given the way the AD position is going (see: Notre Dame's AD hire, and UNC's perception of themselves), Batt may not even be in the mix once Cunningham is ready to step down at UNC.

Obviously, I'd like to see Batt stay and finish the job he's started, but I think the AD job at GT will be an attractive position. Batt will have definitely left it better than he found it.

 

[slugboy]

I don't know Stoudamire...never met him...never even listened to a press conference. I might have seen one brief YouTube with him doing some coaching.

BUT he seems...I started to say "cold"...but I'll go with distant or aloof, somehow.

If the players, recruits and money men love him, great. But he seems like a bit of a stiff to me. Am I wrong?

I don’t see that. Here he is after Cincinnati (a loss, so he’s not gonna sound happy)



Here he is after Duke last year. Seems pretty relatable


Here he is coaching at a clinic

 

[Techwood Relict]

I don't get warm fuzzies from CDS, but I don 't need them. Just win.

The players will answer whether the coach is good up close and personal. If not, they won't stay. I don't care if CDS likes me. Though I like to think he would, I'm a generally nice guy....

 

[AUFC]

Introverted is how I would describe CDS. On one side of the spectrum you have Dan Hurley who is going to turnaround after a made basket and make eye contact with the crowd behind the bench and ask them to get into the game (similar to what we saw from Kirby Smart in the 3rd quarter on repeated camera shots Friday). He's not afraid to get in officials faces (and his last minute tech actually blew the game for them against Memphis in Maui). On the other side you have Damon Stoudamire who plays it more cool-as-a-cucumber and is more stoic and even-tempered. Not implying the Dan Hurley/Kirby Smart approach is the only way to win back-to-back championships but I think it's a very stark contrast in coaching personalities...two of the most polar opposite coaches in the 364 Division 1 programs.

Players, recruits, and program alumni/boosters 100% love CDS. Dennis Scott rallied Cremins/Hewitt's NBA guys after the hire was made (see below). It seems like the program has a bigger warchest now than they've had since the Hewitt days but it's likely that a lot of folks will start rethinking their investments if he doesn't start winning soon. And recruits/transfers are not going to buy his "he's been where I want to go" shtick if he's not putting any of his current players in the NBA.

 

[stinger78]

The players will answer whether the coach is good up close and personal. If not, they won't stay. I don't care if CDS likes me. Though I like to think he would, I'm a generally nice guy....

 

[GT33]

There was a significant % of people who were aginst Key's hire. But what he has done both on and off the field have most 100% behind him now. And has shut up the ones who are quietly biding their time, waiting for him to stumble, so they can crawl out of their shadows and start the ol' 'I told you so" chant that those types wait for.

I’m not sure it was all of us, but Key was tied to C…. I wasn’t sure who the problem was. Just C…. or him and Pnut or him, Pnut and Thacker or him Pnut, Thacker and Key. I’m glad it worked out, but at the onset it was hard to figure out how far the cancer had spread. Nobody wanted a decade long and possibly unrecoverable blight on our program from successive garbage hires.

 

[ThatGuy]

Volleyball is on a tear since 2019 and as a national trend, volleyball has been on the rise. Go to Lincoln and you'll see just how passionate people are for the sport.

...if you can find a ticket - and can afford one! (Costs a lot more to see the women's volleyball team in Lincoln than it does to grab a seat at Memorial Stadium for football. Crazy and awesome.)

 

[AUFC]

SEC clinched the SEC/ACC men's basketball challenge this evening on Day 1 9-1. I know this is the football forum, but I don't think I've ever been more down about the state of our conference and Batt needs to get us out of this place ASAP. When I was growing up, people debated whether the ACC or Big East was the most elite basketball conference, and now the SEC is winning 90% of our matchups. How does that happen?

 

[jgtengineer]

SEC clinched the SEC/ACC men's basketball challenge this evening on Day 1 9-1. I know this is the football forum, but I don't think I've ever been more down about the state of our conference and Batt needs to get us out of this place ASAP. When I was growing up, people debated whether the ACC or Big East was the most elite basketball conference, and now the SEC is winning 90% of our matchups. How does that happen?

Shaq

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

Winning takes care of lots of ills.

 

[roadkill]

How does that happen?

SEC has viewed MBB as their next revenue sport to conquer. Thus heavy investment in coaching and players. Their success is not an accident. Couple that with some top-tier ACC coaches retiring and you get what you see now.