It's a good article by Carlson. Really like hearing from Dusty May. Even a behemoth like Michigan was scraping pennies to pay players last year. He didn't start with a massive warchest. He is a great coach who found the right players.
I am not saying we do not need to pay. We do. But we also need a coach who can get identify players, get the best out of them, show success, and then, as with May, greater funding will become available.
Our c. $8m this year was more than enough to be competitive. Again, look at the B12. Great coaching, mediocre resources. We all know Autry was woefully ill equipped for this job. I hope if we can provide a modest step up from $8m next year, and identify the right coach who knows what this program can and should be, that we can be off to the races once again.
There has been so much doom and gloom not only on this board, but from the talking heads, particularly after the latest Hodgson news. I still want to remain somewhat optimistic that the admin has a plan and that they are talking to the right people who remember Cuse as a premier destination (it was not that long ago), and believe in it's potential to get back to the bigtime.
I don't want this to sound like sour grapes because it isn't. But if Hodgson, or any other coach for that matter wants to go to Providence over Syracuse, that's quite weak in my opinion. May got minimal funding but he knew what Michigan represents and its potential. He had the confidence he needed and now they are rolling. And I don't see a scenario where SU has 'one of the lowest NIL budgets in the country', as May claimed last year. Likely not top tier, but sufficient for the right coach to do his thing. And the hope and expectation is success begets success.
No more excuses. Find the right coach for this job. The one who knows what we have been and where should in the basketball hierarchy, has belief in himself, and let's roll.