Leo Rautins thinks the college game has deteriorated.

[Dave85]

"Leo Rautins: I think the college game has deteriorated. The NBA has gotten young, and in the college game, everybody who's good leaves. I think universities have hurt the college game because of the way they treat coaches. Your job as a coach today, think about it: To tell a kid to stay in college to develop is (crap). My job as a coach is not to develop you. Because if you don't develop, I'm fired. So, if you don't work, I'm playing him. If he doesn't work, I'm playing him. My job is to recruit, win or get fired. Not develop you. How many coaches have gotten fired this year who had good records? The ADs, the universities are killing the game. And nobody can shoot in college. The NBA is younger, no question. But you've got the best players. You've got the best athletes. The athleticism is crazy. And there's more coaching in one quarter of an NBA game than in an entire college game. Between timeouts, illegal defenses, the shot clock, there is so much more going on. I watch college games and think, 'What are they doing?' These are adjustments that are made instantly in NBA games."

Leo Rautins on why Jim Boeheim should keep coaching, Canadian hoops, why NBA beats college

I wish more people had the opinion that the NBA has really hurt CBB. I know many people think the NBA is the most important thing in the World. But I have to tell you, in my opinion, CBB is just so much more fun to watch. March Madness is way too good. I wish the NBA would restrain from taking players until after their Sophomore season. If it's all about the NBA then why not just take the players out of HS. What argument can you make against it? At least with two years coaching will have meaning again at the college level.

 

[Jeremy L.]

Let the kids go straight out of high school (if they want to skip college/believe they're good enough) or force the kids to stay at least two years in college.

 

[Dave85]

Let the kids go straight out of high school (if they want to skip college/believe they're good enough) or force the kids to stay at least two years in college.

Or both. Have the really good kids go straight to the NBA. But if you are in college, you have to stay for 2. That way the CBB game will be more consistent to watch even though CBB may not have the very best talent.

 

[RandygoCuse]

Or both. Have the really good kids go straight to the NBA. But if you are in college, you have to stay for 2. That way the CBB game will be more consistent to watch even though CBB may not have the very best talent.

How do you determine who gets to go? Is there an NBA committee that grants approval to players they deem NBA ready?

 

[Dave85]

How do you determine who gets to go? Is there an NBA committee that grants approval to players they deem NBA ready?

Let them enter the NBA draft without NCAA penalty. After that, they are indentured for 2 years.

 

[jordoo]

I think the 1 year thing has to go. Let the kids go to the NBA right out of highschool and then do something like baseball does. If you opt for NCAA then you have to play at least 2 seasons or whatever before being able to declare for the draft. Then they should have a special combine where no one loses eligibility. It could combine High School grads and anyone who had completed at least their soph seasons in college and was an NBA prospect.

It would give the highschoolers an Idea of what they were up against, give the NBA a good look at everyone and give college teams much more stability.

 

[RandygoCuse]

Let them enter the NBA draft without NCAA penalty. After that, they are indentured for 2 years.

That's a reasonable suggestion. I've seen a lot of people propose this and I'm fine with it, but my guess is it will not just be the kids that are ready who will go. Kids will make the jump when they think they're ready.

 

[Cowtown]

At the end of the day, the NBA just doesn't care. Because there's another new bunch coming in every year, regardless of any eligibility requirements. And from around the world, too! And if every draft pick in a given year fails to make the team that picked them, then so what? Who cares? I don't know, but the NBA most certainly doesn't.

 

[Dave85]

That's a reasonable suggestion. I've seen a lot of people propose this and I'm fine with it, but my guess is it will not just be the kids that are ready who will go. Kids will make the jump when they think they're ready.

Good points. Maybe have NBA daft tryout from HS kids by invite. Or just make it by invite.

 

[Dave85]

At the end of the day, the NBA just doesn't care. Because there's another new bunch coming in every year, regardless of any eligibility requirements. And from around the world, too! And if every draft pick in a given year fails to make the team that picked them, then so what? Who cares? I don't know, but the NBA most certainly doesn't.

I care.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Let them go whenever they want to.

 

[Cowtown]

I care.

All of us pure fans do. But none of us are in a position to do anything about it except one thing: stop watching the NBA. But that's not going to happen, and even if it did, it would take years before they'd change anything.

 

[Millhouse]

i don't think the college game has deteriorated. i think the NBA has gotten incredibly advanced with strategies, practice, knowing where guys flourish. it looks like choreography now. college resources and practice times can't compare and it looks worse in comparison

 

[Newhouser]

And there's more coaching in one quarter of an NBA game than in an entire college game. Between timeouts, illegal defenses, the shot clock, there is so much more going on. I watch college games and think, 'What are they doing?' These are adjustments that are made instantly in NBA games."

This was my favorite quote - the decline of college basketball in my opinion is directly linked to the coaches becoming the show rather than the players. Micromanaging, ego maniacs who think they are the reason we tune in. It seems that Leo is in line with my thinking - standing up, stomping your feet at half court, and yelling is not necessarily coaching.

The NBA gets it - its the players, not the coaches.

 

[HOFCeluck]

If I was being completely honest, if I wasnt born and raised in Syracuse I would probably be like 99% of the population and not give a sh about college basketball until March.

 

[cuseguy]

If I was being completely honest, if I wasnt born and raised in Syracuse I would probably be like 99% of the population and not give a sh about college basketball until March.

I live in Connecticut and never watch pro basketball anymore. Interest has just faded over the years.

I don't understand why Rautins is criticizing college hoops. The sport has no control over players leaving early. His thinking makes no sense.

 

[HOFCeluck]

I live in Connecticut and never watch pro basketball anymore. Interest has just faded over the years.

I don't understand why Rautins is criticizing college hoops. The sport has no control over players leaving early. His thinking makes no sense.

College basketball is basically at the mercy of the NBAs collective bargaining agreement and I don't think a lot of people get that

 

[jordoo]

College basketball is basically at the mercy of the NBAs collective bargaining agreement and I don't think a lot of people get that

Yep and the NBA teams have less risk if they see a player for a season of NCAABB than taking them right out of highschool. Then they can leave after a year so the NBA gets them young or gets them undervalued late in the draft and can stash them. The whole thing is skewed in the NBA's best interest right now.

 

[Dave85]

And there's more coaching in one quarter of an NBA game than in an entire college game. Between timeouts, illegal defenses, the shot clock, there is so much more going on. I watch college games and think, 'What are they doing?' These are adjustments that are made instantly in NBA games."

This was my favorite quote - the decline of college basketball in my opinion is directly linked to the coaches becoming the show rather than the players. Micromanaging, ego maniacs who think they are the reason we tune in. It seems that Leo is in line with my thinking - standing up, stomping your feet at half court, and yelling is not necessarily coaching.

The NBA gets it - its the players, not the coaches.

So saying anything at all is stomping your feet and yelling? It seems there are two sides to this conversation. One side says CBB would be better if players stayed for 2 years. The other side is saying who cares what you think it doesn't matter. I think a lot people think CBB can be improved. And a lot people think 1-and-done has not helped. I am not alone. I'm not stomping and I'm not yelling. My attitude is more like I just can't believe people are so indifferent or prefer the way it is now.

 

[RandygoCuse]

Good points. Maybe have NBA daft tryout from HS kids by invite. Or just make it by invite.

I think the NBA does care. I also think that the league is stronger when kids are a year (or two) more developed when they enter the NBA. Now, this is a different question than the whether or not the it is fair for the NBA to restrict when kids can come into the league. But if you ask Comm. Silver whether the age restriction is good for the NBA, I'd bet he would be sincere when he said yes.

 

[richard levy]

Let the kids go straight out of high school (if they want to skip college/believe they're good enough) or force the kids to stay at least two years in college.

Use the college baseball rule, pro right out of HS, or three years of college

 

[HOFCeluck]

So saying anything at all is stomping your feet and yelling? It seems there are two sides to this conversation. One side says CBB would be better if players stayed for 2 years. The other side is saying who cares what you think it doesn't matter. I think a lot people think CBB can be improved. And a lot people think 1-and-done has not helped. I am not alone. I'm not stomping and I'm not yelling. My attitude is more like I just can't believe people are so indifferent or prefer the way it is now.

I think just about everyone agrees that college basketball is poor quality and that the OAD rule is pretty terrible (for college). I'd prefer to keep kids who don't want to be in college out of college. So get rid of the rule, and institute a 2-3 year mandatory stay for kids who go to school. If going to Syracuse means a multi-year commitment, then the Malis of the world might think long and hard what's best for their professional basketball career.

 

[Dave85]

I think just about everyone agrees that college basketball is poor quality and that the OAD rule is pretty terrible (for college). I'd prefer to keep kids who don't want to be in college out of college. So get rid of the rule, and institute a 2-3 year mandatory stay for kids who go to school. If going to Syracuse means a multi-year commitment, then the Malis of the world might think long and hard what's best for their professional basketball career.

So we will not get the top 20 players playing in CBB every year. But having the 21 through 100 play for 2 years would be a HUGE improvement over what we have now.

I think the problem is the people in positions of power capable of changing the status quo simply do not care about the quality CBB one way or the other.

 

[RF2044]

I think the 1 year thing has to go. Let the kids go to the NBA right out of highschool and then do something like baseball does. If you opt for NCAA then you have to play at least 2 seasons or whatever before being able to declare for the draft. Then they should have a special combine where no one loses eligibility. It could combine High School grads and anyone who had completed at least their soph seasons in college and was an NBA prospect.

It would give the highschoolers an Idea of what they were up against, give the NBA a good look at everyone and give college teams much more stability.

Obviously, that makes a lot of sense--and it is the system that is already in place / working for baseball.

My question for the board lawyers is: would that somehow violate Spencer Haywood v. NBA, in terms of sports law?

 

[Dave85]

Obviously, that makes a lot of sense--and it is the system that is already in place / working for baseball.

My question for the board lawyers is: would that somehow violate Spencer Haywood v. NBA, in terms of sports law?

Spencer who?