So I’ve touched on the financial aspect many times, and I’m gonna KEEP doing it. As well as the recruiting, eval, roster construction etc. This is good stuff. I got a couple firstperson nuggets in here that if you don’t find interesting, you don’t have a pulse lol.
First off, Santa Clara is live here.
2nd of all, CKS infamously called UH poor lol. We have the Bradley Dybantsa injured Toppin debate. And I keep putting my foot in my mouth because I advocate proudly for context. I’m gonna keep doing that here, because how could I not? I’m very proud to be a Cyclone today. Hopefully it will only get more so in the coming weeks. Hopefully.
CONTEXT
UK spent approximately 22 million dollars on this roster this year alone for Mr. Pope. ISU spent a little more than 6, well under 7 million. Probably like 6 and a quarter million when all said and done. The key between TJ and our AD is this is guaranteed to be SUSTAINABLE. Not a dime of it is borrowed, nor taken away from other projects. TJ knows this is what he will have to spend proportionally going foward (adjusted for inflation and salary cap changes, etc). We have a plan, it is repeatable.
It can only go up, it can’t go down. TJ likes this sustainability. He also likes the freedom he has to absolutely beat these guys down in June and July to see what they’re made of. He has full authority to show them the door if they don’t respond. They make good money, not great. No egos allowed, nobody can be bigger than the whole.
This is not the case for 7 seed UK. Pope has ppl constantly meddling with his rotations and dealing with angry boosters wanting their specific envisioned return on their pet investments. He isn’t allowed to do anything without running it by handfuls of other cooks in the kitchen pulling the broth this way and that.
Santa Clara MAAAAAYBE spent 1 million on their roster? It will be basically a toss up. UK is on the short list of top jobs right? Maybe if you can’t coach it is. Tang would do better there than KSU Iol, obviously.
Kentucky BETTER beat Santa Clara and ISU here. That’s the minimum or he’s gonna have a bad time this offseason.
Here’s OUR stat of the day. There are ONLY TWO PROGRAMS in the entire county that have been a top 3 seed in the NCAA tournament the last 3 years in a row. Not Kentucky, not UConn, Not Michigan, Not Arizona, Not Duke…
Two. Do you know who they are? We don’t have to look far:
