Tony Bennett retiring

[djcon57]

Was reading an article on him. Legit forgot he was an NBA caliber player. Played 3 years for the Hornets, 152 career games.

 

[elimunelson]

Yup. Can you imagine if the Knicks were soliciting their fans to contribute money so that they can pay KAT? Well that’s literally how college sports operates now. It’s flipping batspit insane.

There’s a part of me who thinks that some of these mouth breathing boosters are cosplaying as gms and owners now w these contributions

As I’ve always said I’ll never contribute to NIL. It’s a gross thing that many will realize too late. Like investing in a pyramid scheme.

Donate to the school itself, the students and scholarships, and capital programs to make SU a better place. Not to kids who stay for maybe 1 semester. Gross

 

[two3zone]

Yup. Can you imagine if the Knicks were soliciting their fans to contribute money so that they can pay KAT? Well that’s literally how college sports operates now. It’s flipping batspit insane.

I said this in early NIL, it's the same thing and comical.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

So the thing is, college sports is stooooooopid. So stupid that the guys who make millions of dollars a year don't want to participate any more.

Not sure why all the fans who pay thousands of dollars a year aren't catching on as quickly as the SMEs who are bailing on the charade.

Of course, the cynic might say they guys who used to hold all of the power are abdicating now that the players hold the power.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

There's little I can add to what mark79 posted. Until the presser tomorrow, all we can do is guess what his reasons are. Something seriously wrong must have happened to make him quit abruptly like this.

This is my pure guess - I have a feeling some recruits (plural) told him what the price tag was before they'd even talk to him, and told him even if they came to an agreement, there were no guarantees that they wouldn't take a better offer before enrolling.

There has to be more to the story. If what you say is the case, why not announce now that you are retiring at season's end? He put the players, school, and fans in a rough spot. That seems out of character.

 

[mark79]

There has to be more to the story. If what you say is the case, why not announce now that you are retiring at season's end? He put the players, school, and fans in a rough spot. That seems out of character.

My guess (and it’s just that) is that he was trying to tough it out but some very recent events related to NIL pushed him over the edge to the realization that he just didn’t want to play the game any longer. He may have looked in the mirror one morning recently and not liked what the game was doing to him, and said I’m done.

With people who live to mentor and shape young men’s lives, when that is no longer possible because of money, it may be time for a new chapter.

 

[mark79]

Coaches who got into this game to develop players and build a culture of winning, have to hate having to recruit and then re-recruit your players all the time. It’s got to be frustrating to lose guys you worked hard to get and then have them turn around and leave at the first opportunity.

This

 

[OCESIP]

This

College coaches today need a management team supporting
them to deal with the off court financial issues. But even with that,
the unlimited free agency aspect of the portal needs to be
dealt with annually. Ulcer city, especially for mid level programs
like Virginia and SU.

 

[Scooch]

There’s a part of me who thinks that some of these mouth breathing boosters are cosplaying as gms and owners now w these contributions

As I’ve always said I’ll never contribute to NIL. It’s a gross thing that many will realize too late. Like investing in a pyramid scheme.

Donate to the school itself, the students and scholarships, and capital programs to make SU a better place. Not to kids who stay for maybe 1 semester. Gross

It's also unfortunate to see SU pivot hard into encouraging folks to give to NIL funds rather than donate for athletics capital projects.

I get why they've done it -- we're a small fan base, relatively speaking, and the calculus is that it's better to pay players than build facilities when the resources are limited.

But it's just all so friggin' stupid.

Fans paying players while the universities luxuriate in oodles of TV money. Fans are chumps, there's no other way to describe it.

 

[elimunelson]

My guess (and it’s just that) is that he was trying to tough it out but some very recent events related to NIL pushed him over the edge to the realization that he just didn’t want to play the game any longer. He may have looked in the mirror one morning recently and not liked what the game was doing to him, and said I’m done.

With people who live to mentor and shape young men’s lives, when that is no longer possible because of money, it may be time for a new chapter.

I think that's probably it assuming it isn't something health related. He was forced into a corner and wasn't playing the game anymore.

The other part of this is the salaries for top tier coaches is so high that the exit ramp is immediate for coaches who are not going to dance like a monkey anymore. Tony is probably set for life and will figure out his next gig not beholden to a Rick Pitino dancing monkey salary move.

 

[elimunelson]

It's also unfortunate to see SU pivot hard into encouraging folks to give to NIL funds rather than donate for athletics capital projects.

I get why they've done it -- we're a small fan base, relatively speaking, and the calculus is that it's better to pay players than build facilities when the resources are limited.

But it's just all so friggin' stupid.

Fans paying players while the universities luxuriate in oodles of TV money. Fans are chumps, there's no other way to describe it.

SU has made a deal with the devil like every single program running big time sports. It's their perogative to do so. A guy like Red needs to get paid a few years and will grin and bear the disgusting way college sports is played now. I don't blame him swallowing his pride like Fran is doing to genuflect to 17 year olds with contracts to come to a school and not learn but be professional. The whole thing is failing when it drives Tony Bennetts from the sport. Of course no one cares in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Consigliere]

There’s a part of me who thinks that some of these mouth breathing boosters are cosplaying as gms and owners now w these contributions

As I’ve always said I’ll never contribute to NIL. It’s a gross thing that many will realize too late. Like investing in a pyramid scheme.

Donate to the school itself, the students and scholarships, and capital programs to make SU a better place. Not to kids who stay for maybe 1 semester. Gross

Abuse of NIL is the issue. NIL as it was supposedly intended is nothing but a positive. We certainly don’t offer life changing money through the SyraCRUZ Tailgate NIL Initiative, but the 33 student athletes that we have supported have been outstanding representatives of our university and have shown true appreciation for our efforts.
The down side is the two or three that have told us $500 to spend a couple of hours as a tailgate guest is not worth their time to review.

If you heard some of the stories about the uses the few hundred to thousand dollars have been put to you might feel differently.

 

[Scooch]

SU has made a deal with the devil like every single program running big time sports. It's their perogative to do so. A guy like Red needs to get paid a few years and will grin and bear the disgusting way college sports is played now. I don't blame him swallowing his pride like Fran is doing to genuflect to 17 year olds with contracts to come to a school and not learn but be professional. The whole thing is failing when it drives Tony Bennetts from the sport. Of course no one cares in the grand scheme of things.

In one sense, I'd much rather see the players get money directly than the last 20 years of school's building obscenely opulent facilities. Nothing says "student athlete" like an XBox One at every locker and a water slide in the weight room.

But of course since the NCAA is toothless thanks to its member institutions making it so, we're now left with the wild wild west.

 

[Consigliere]

It's also unfortunate to see SU pivot hard into encouraging folks to give to NIL funds rather than donate for athletics capital projects.

I get why they've done it -- we're a small fan base, relatively speaking, and the calculus is that it's better to pay players than build facilities when the resources are limited.

But it's just all so friggin' stupid.

Fans paying players while the universities luxuriate in oodles of TV money. Fans are chumps, there's no other way to describe it.

You do realize the “oodles of tv money” from football is used to fund the entire athletic program that supports over 600 student athletes at Syracuse, a school with a very small portfolio of competitive sports. Have you seen the SUAD balance sheet or been privy to the department finances? Those who have understand the fallacy of your perspective.

 

[Hopkins16]

College football and basketball are just too big and the money involved on the coaches, networks and business side has for years led to resentment from the student athletes who are involved. We knew that the day would come when the NCAA would have this NIL issue because they really never got in front of it and figured out a way to make it work fairly for the players and the schools. An open portal from year to year and highest bidder NIL is what we have with the NCAA at the helm.

While I understand the frustration that coaches now have to deal with in constructing a new roster each year, I also understand the mentality of the athletes who want some control over their NIL. There isn't loyalty from players because there also isn't loyalty from the schools. The system has always been corrupt and now it's just totally out of control.

Jay Wright and Tony Bennett have been paid very very well in the broken system. They are teachers of the game and run programs that rely on continuity and consistency from year to year in order to be successful. The current way of the game will not help them and so I understand why they wanted out. But, they are neither saints or bad people, but were part of a system that made a lot of money off of the laughable amateur player status and rules of what in reality is a professionally run league.

If things remain as they currently exists, all coaches that can't adapt will soon quit and those that remain or become new coaches will have to build programs and systems that do not rely on teams growing together for an extended period of time to win.

I hated the Big East expansion to include schools outside of the region, hated the move of SU to the ACC, hate NIL and what college basketball has become, but I understand and just trying to hang in there and still support college sports.

 

[Scooch]

Abuse of NIL is the issue. NIL as it was supposedly intended is nothing but a positive. We certainly don’t offer life changing money through the SyraCRUZ Tailgate NIL Initiative, but the 33 student athletes that we have supported have been outstanding representatives of our university and have shown true appreciation for our efforts.
The down side is the two or three that have told us $500 to spend a couple of hours as a tailgate guest is not worth their time to review.

If you heard some of the stories about the uses the few hundred to thousand dollars have been put to you might feel differently.

It's not NIL in and of itself, it's that a system that is awash in cash is having its fans pay the players who generate said cash.

Again, it's precisely as if my Celtics said "Hey Scooch, we really need to retain Jaylen Brown, can you spare $10,000 a year for that? If we get 3,700 people to do it he'll stay with us! Oh yeah, pay no attention to the 11 year, $76 billion TV deal we just signed as a league. That's not for the players."

 

[Scooch]

You do realize the “oodles of tv money” from football is used to fund the entire athletic program that supports over 600 student athletes at Syracuse, a school with a very small portfolio of competitive sports. Have you seen the SUAD balance sheet or been privy to the department finances? Those who have understand the fallacy of your perspective.

Yeah man, I kinda do realize that. Since I was part of the network that gave all that money to the ACC.

Look, rationalize it however you want. But it's ridiculous that we now have a system where player salaries are literally paid by fan donations.

 

[Scooch]

By the way, Consigliere, I respect what you do with the tailgate NIL. Sincerely. I just believe the entire system is ludicrous.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[BigNastyJon]

Assuming it’s because he got sick of all the bullchit - Good for Tony Bennett.

He’s young, seemingly healthy, and rich. Guys got years of good life ahead of him and gets to do whatever the heII he wants to.

I liked him before, and I kinda like him even more now.

 

[rrlbees]

He’ll be doing TV.

 

[kirbivore]

This is horrible for the program. I really hope he and everyone in his family is OK, I can't think of anything else other than bad stuff. Hate to be morbid, but the chances of this not being awful are very low.

Great for our program

 

[two3zone]

He’ll be doing TV.

If it's sitcom staring him and Jay Wright as roommates with Jim Boeheim playing the cranky neighbor, sign me up.

 

[Entropic]

I can understand why.

It was a stressful profession to begin with. Now, on top of that, imagine having to re-recruit every player o your team every year, not being able to build year-over-year depth [which a program like Bennett's relies on] because guys are free to bail at intervals multiple times per year. And on top of that, having to deal with NIL related-considerations, both in terms of your existing roster and with recruits.

That's not what a lot of these coaches signed up for. I mean, under the OLD system -- recruiting never slept. Imagine that times 1000%, and that's the pressure these coaches face today. Sure, the money is great, but it just seems like a non-stop, year-round hassle under current rules.

His specific talent was taking the sort of under recruited or that lower high tier talent and develop it. The portal has removed that entirely. Kids that don't play will leave and the lesser known kids that show up big during the year (Maliq Brown) immediately bounce for more money.

 

[atlanticuse]

If it's sitcom staring him and Jay Wright as roommates with Jim Boeheim playing the cranky neighbor, sign me up.

Three's Company