Money, It Just Means More

GMGGWBG · March 16

The AAC attracts good players, but then loses them all to the power conferences. I really liked our team this year, but no one wanted to play us in the non-con and by the time we made it to conference games, teams had already dropped to the 100-300 range in net rankings.

If UNT was at the middle or bottom of a power conference, they would have racked up so many quad 1 wins. But we don't have the money those teams have and had only 3 opportunities with only Memphis in our conference.

Penny, Hagerty, and Dainja say AAC teams are being disrespected and that there are good teams and players in our conference. I think they are right, but when you lose 90% of your shooting every year, if given a shot at a good non-conference schedule, how can you get your team ready to compete that quickly?

Someone online said that the SEC should change their slogan to the title of this post.

Do you think the portal, nil, and net rankings will make it impossible for UNT to get an at large bid in the AAC?

NorthTexasWeLove · March 16

45 minutes ago, GMGGWBG said:

The AAC attracts good players, but then loses them all to the power conferences. I really liked our team this year, but no one wanted to play us in the non-con and by the time we made it to conference games, teams had already dropped to the 100-300 range in net rankings.

If UNT was at the middle or bottom of a power conference, they would have racked up so many quad 1 wins. But we don't have the money those teams have and had only 3 opportunities with only Memphis in our conference.

Penny, Hagerty, and Dainja say AAC teams are being disrespected and that there are good teams and players in our conference. I think they are right, but when you lose 90% of your shooting every year, if given a shot at a good non-conference schedule, how can you get your team ready to compete that quickly?

Someone online said that the SEC should change their slogan to the title of this post.

Do you think the portal, nil, and net rankings will make it impossible for UNT to get an at large bid in the AAC?

Not necessarily. We have to schedule systemically as a unit. Then go win some of those games. Our best teams will need to rise during league play throughout the year, as was true this year. But we're hurting on a few fronts... Our scheduling and the traditionally good teams just not being very good... WSU, Temple, Tulsa.

GMG_Dallas · March 16

Almost every team in the top 25 has transfers in their starting 5. Rubin Jones started and played 29 minutes for Michigan yesterday. He'll likely start today in the BIG 10 finals. The other 4 starters for Michigan are first year transfer Goldin, first year transfer Wolf, first year transfer Donaldson, and 2nd year transfer Burnett. In other words, all transfers and 4 in their first season with Michigan and a new head coach.

St Johns won the Big East yesterday with two first year transfers starting, one of which is Aaron Scott, and two second year transfers also starting. Two of their bench rotational guys are first year transfers and their 3rd rotational guy transferred in two seasons ago.

I'm not going to excuse poor early season performance because transfers and chemistry and stuff. These highmajor schools make it work. Figure it out.

What kills me is the amount of teams winning with mid-major transfers when those same players couldn't make the big dance as an at-large at their mid-major schools. Why does a player gain more respect the second he puts on a Big East, Big 10, Big 12, or SEC patch? If Florida and Michigan win today, the AAC will have lost transfers who started for the Big 10, Big East, and SEC champions. Maybe the committee should start respecting where those players come from, not just where they've gone to.

Edited March 16 by GMG_Dallas

GMGGWBG · March 16

18 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

Almost every team in the top 25 has transfers in their starting 5. Rubin Jones started and played 29 minutes for Michigan yesterday. He'll likely start today in the BIG 10 finals. The other 4 starters for Michigan are first year transfer Goldin, first year transfer Wolf, first year transfer Donaldson, and 2nd year transfer Burnett. In other words, all transfers and 4 in their first season with Michigan and a new head coach.

St Johns won the Big East yesterday with two first year transfers starting, one of which is Aaron Scott, and two second year transfers also starting. Two of their bench rotational guys are first year transfers and their 3rd rotational guy transferred in two seasons ago.

I'm not going to excuse poor early season performance because transfers and chemistry and stuff. These highmajor schools make it work. Figure it out.

What kills me is the amount of teams winning with mid-major transfers when those same players couldn't make the big dance as an at-large at their mid-major schools. Why does a player gain more respect the second he puts on a Big East, Big 10, Big 12, or SEC patch? If Florida and Michigan win today, the AAC will have lost transfers who started for the Big 10, Big East, and SEC champions. Maybe the committee should start respecting where those players come from, not just where they've gone to.

Money is the difference. They have 5 top talent players and the AAC teams might have two or three. Gary Parrish said players don't understand the metrics and that Memphis just says the AAC has good players and teams as an excuse.

Imagine bagging up against Sissoko for 40 minutes and not knowing if he is a good player or not

Thank you to Sissoko and Rubin Jones for sticking with the Mean Green for so long. They we will be missed. GMG

BleedingGreen · March 16

Money separates the top 5 conferences from the rest. I wonder how the ESPN contract helps the AAC teams money wise ? Or not much due to buy in by the AAC?

GMG_Dallas · March 16

25 minutes ago, GMGGWBG said:

Money is the difference. They have 5 top talent players and the AAC teams might have two or three. Gary Parrish said players don't understand the metrics and that Memphis just says the AAC has good players and teams as an excuse.

Imagine bagging up against Sissoko for 40 minutes and not knowing if he is a good player or not

Thank you to Sissoko and Rubin Jones for sticking with the Mean Green for so long. They we will be missed. GMG

It's up the columnists and committees to realize metrics don't paint the whole picture. North Texas won 19 games last season and was not an at-large candidate for the NCAA tourney. That team included Edwards who's 7th in the SEC in ppg this season, Rubin Jones who's an elite defender on the potential BIG 10 champions, Aaron Scott who's an elite defender and started almost every game for the Big East champions, and CJ Noland who's averaging 20+ minutes per game for MW regular season champs and expected at-large New Mexico. No respect for them in Denton, though. It's bull and there's no way of defending it.

MrAlien · March 16

The numbers don't lie, UNT finished exactly where the metrics said they would. Could this team have won a quad 1 game? I honestly think no, there was nothing in their metrics that suggest they would.

UNTFan23 · March 16

If we want to try to "recruit" more talented players to try to elevate the program and win championships, we need to up the amounts our NIL programs are pulling in to give that money out to players. It is rumored that Memphis plucked Haggerty from Tulsa (last year's FOTY) for something like $700k to maybe even as much a $1mm. We can either work to elevate our programs or sit on the sidelines and just complain about it. L

I do monthly donations to the Mean Green Collective since they are focused on basketball with the long term goal (hope?) that someday we'll be getting those more elite players to help get us to regular championships and tournament bids.

Edited March 16 by UNTFan23

emmitt01 · March 16

1 hour ago, UNTFan23 said:

If we want to try to "recruit" more talented players to try to elevate the program and win championships, we need to up the amounts our NIL programs are pulling in to give that money out to players. It is rumored that Memphis plucked Haggerty from Tulsa (last year's FOTY) for something like $700k to maybe even as much a $1mm. We can either work to elevate our programs or sit on the sidelines and just complain about it. L

I do monthly donations to the Mean Green Collective since they are focused on basketball with the long term goal (hope?) that someday we'll be getting those more elite players to help get us to regular championships and tournament bids.

And who knows how much they paid for Tyrese Hunter

GMGGWBG · March 16

2 hours ago, MrAlien said:

The numbers don't lie, UNT finished exactly where the metrics said they would. Could this team have won a quad 1 game? I honestly think no, there was nothing in their metrics that suggest they would.

It wasn't long ago that statisticians said that a player couldn't get hot and that being in the zone was a myth. We don't live in the matrix and humans are not as predictable as they seem. And it seems odd that a team that is often considered a quad 1 game is incapable of a quad 1 win.

Andrew · March 16

Well UT and UNC just made the last four in and neither was deserving. Xavier as well and they said UNC and Cavier were something like 2-20 against quad 1 teams? UT lost more than won more against quad 2. Yeah it’s all a joke… It won’t get better until real leaders step up and end it.

Billy Clyde · March 17

3 hours ago, emmitt01 said:

And who knows how much they paid for Tyrese Hunter

Drug money goes a long way.

Meangreen Fight · March 17

6 hours ago, MrAlien said:

The numbers don't lie, UNT finished exactly where the metrics said they would. Could this team have won a quad 1 game? I honestly think no, there was nothing in their metrics that suggest they would.

I am just looking at the MWC with 4 teams in and I say BS. Throw SMU jerseys on this team playing the exact same schedule and all the sudden they would magically earn at large birth. This is why I don’t watch regular season G5 basketball. If you don’t win the regular season title or conference tournament it boils down to money and brand recognition of your program.

Edited March 17 by Meangreen Fight

Meangreen Fight · March 17

3 hours ago, Andrew said:

Well UT and UNC just made the last four in and neither was deserving. Xavier as well and they said UNC and Cavier were something like 2-20 against quad 1 teams? UT lost more than won more against quad 2. Yeah it’s all a joke… It won’t get better until real leaders step up and end it.

Are you serious? No way a UNC team with over 20 wins and an appearance in the semifinals of the ACC tournament is going to be left out of the NCAA tournament. And the “real leaders” you are talking about just want eyeballs on the games and the money that comes with it.

GMGGWBG · March 17

And here we go. Now we go to the NIT without a single team that will increase our exposure. At least we get to do all the legwork for the power 5 again next year. No one knows who we are except the recruiters for P5. Maybe the AAC will get better, but I don't see 5 seed Memphis sticking around much longer. $25m to get out might be worth it for them.

Sorry to be so negative. I am proud of our basketball programs.

Meangreen Fight · Monday at 09:11 PM

On 3/16/2025 at 10:37 AM, GMGGWBG said:

The AAC attracts good players, but then loses them all to the power conferences. I really liked our team this year, but no one wanted to play us in the non-con and by the time we made it to conference games, teams had already dropped to the 100-300 range in net rankings.

If UNT was at the middle or bottom of a power conference, they would have racked up so many quad 1 wins. But we don't have the money those teams have and had only 3 opportunities with only Memphis in our conference.

Penny, Hagerty, and Dainja say AAC teams are being disrespected and that there are good teams and players in our conference. I think they are right, but when you lose 90% of your shooting every year, if given a shot at a good non-conference schedule, how can you get your team ready to compete that quickly?

Someone online said that the SEC should change their slogan to the title of this post.

Do you think the portal, nil, and net rankings will make it impossible for UNT to get an at large bid in the AAC?

It is all about the money now with no pretense. I don't know how healthy your overall product if 90% of teams just don't have the money to compete. That is the way the revenue college sports are going now. They are catering the product for causal fans of big revenue programs. Is there going to be a rollback in coaches, adminstators, and NIL salaries for most of the 90%? 🤷🏽‍♂️. Would a market correction do anything to improve the fan experience?

I haven't watched 5 minutes of actual playtime of the NCAA tournament. Has no revelance to my program because we really can't fairly compete.

TIgreen01 · 2025-04-01T17:48:46Z

Mid-Majors for years competed and showed well in the NCAA tourney BECAUSE we kept teams together when P5s were going after lottery pick guys who constantly left early, leaving them in rebuild mode every year. With unlimited transfers and NIL, every team is in rebuild mode every season, but now the P5 can always ensure they have the absolute top, experienced, talent.

They've shot the golden goose. Media is all over this final four, but I am struggling. I'm looking forward to a potential Flagg vs Brohme final matchup, but seriously worried over the future of the sport. I do not care about an NCAA tourney that only ever rewards the top spending teams.

Edited yesterday at 05:49 PM by TIgreen01

GMGGWBG · 2025-04-01T17:59:06Z

6 minutes ago, TIgreen01 said:

Mid-Majors for years competed and showed well in the NCAA tourney BECAUSE we kept teams together when P5s were going after lottery pick guys who constantly left early, leaving them in rebuild mode every year. With unlimited transfers and NIL, every team is in rebuild mode every season, but now the P5 can always ensure they have the absolute top, experienced, talent.

They've shot the golden goose. Media is all over this final four, but I am struggling. I'm looking forward to a potential Flagg vs Brohme final matchup, but seriously worried over the future of the sport. I do not care about an NCAA tourney that only ever rewards the top spending teams.

All #1 seeds in the final 4? It is just ridiculous. I hope it will be fun to watch. This year, Arkansas was the Cinderella story!

We just won't even be playing the same sport after a while. Maybe the NIT will actually earn us a Mid-Major Championship like DII and JUCO get to win.

CMJ · 2025-04-01T18:36:42Z

All one seeds did make the F4 once before ('08...almost 20 years ago) and there have been several years where three of four did. But we've also had years where no 1 seeds did (just two years ago!). I'm not ready to say this is a trend yet.

NT80 · 2025-04-01T18:50:34Z

51 minutes ago, GMGGWBG said:

All #1 seeds in the final 4? It is just ridiculous. I hope it will be fun to watch. This year, Arkansas was the Cinderella story!

We just won't even be playing the same sport after a while. Maybe the NIT will actually earn us a Mid-Major Championship like DII and JUCO get to win.

= Boring

Censored by Laurie · 2025-04-01T19:10:50Z

one year does not a pattern make.

it's the first year since '08 all four 1-seeds have made the final and contained in that 17-year gap are 2 16-seed wins, 7 15-seeds including 3 Sweet Sixteen and 1 Elite Eight, and Final Four appearances from schools like FAU, Wichita State, Loyola-Chicago and Virginia Commonwealth

I know things are going to be getting more top-heavy, but in no way do I feel the "Cinderella" is going away from college basketball.

BigWillie · 2025-04-01T19:18:41Z

7 minutes ago, Censored by Laurie said:

one year does not a pattern make.

it's the first year since '08 all four 1-seeds have made the final and contained in that 17-year gap are 2 16-seed wins, 7 15-seeds including 3 Sweet Sixteen and 1 Elite Eight, and Final Four appearances from schools like FAU, Wichita State, Loyola-Chicago and Virginia Commonwealth

I know things are going to be getting more top-heavy, but in no way do I feel the "Cinderella" is going away from college basketball.

I agree with this, there is way more talent than spots to play. With NIL, it does create more playing time as guys are trying to show their skills to get paid!

untjim1995 · 2025-04-01T19:35:41Z

43 minutes ago, NT80 said:

= Boring

Its basically what the CFB playoffs have become--a bunch of power schools that have all of the advantages.

Look at the NIT--this is what a Cinderella Tournament would look like if was the NCAA Tournament

CMJ · 2025-04-01T19:57:32Z

I don't think most people really want either all the 1 seeds advancing, or a chaotic free for all like two years ago (even if we may have enjoyed that). I think they want one Cinderella (of sorts) mixed with three powers.

In the last twenty years the 2010 Duke/Butler title game was the 2nd highest rated. Butler wasn't really a Cinderella (going into the tourney they were something like #10 or 11 in the country), but they were enough of one to count to most people who didn't recognize their name, or follow the season and only saw their 5 seed.

Edited yesterday at 07:59 PM by CMJ

greenminer · 2025-04-01T20:20:31Z

22 minutes ago, CMJ said:

I don't think most people really want either all the 1 seeds advancing, or a chaotic free for all like two years ago (even if we may have enjoyed that). I think they want one Cinderella (of sorts) mixed with three powers.

How else are we going to have a chance to beat Duke?!