Congrats PSU Men's Basketball!

[KirkHerbstreit]

I didn't attend Penn State, so I don't have a vested interest in all teams at the school. I hope they do well, but it's not like I follow the programs. I have an issue with college basketball. I like the process of building teams and kids spending more than a year at a university. It's different at Pitt because you can watch a team grow, but look at Kentucky. You can be a average team, get a new coach, 5 top notch recruits, and have a great team in a year, then have all those kids leave for the nba the next year. It's tough to get attached to kids using it as a one year stepping stone to the NBA, see John Wall.

[El-Moldo]

Well, like you just said, when it comes to PSU basketball, at least under this topic you "won't get a reaction about PSU basketball because you doubt nobody really cares". So I don't expect many comments from you in the future about PSU B-Ball.

[The Ancient Enemy]

I agree with Kirk on the "progression" thing, completely.

[El-Moldo]

Do you think the avearge Pitt or Penn state fan follows the "progression" of their team in any sport? I mean "we" might. After all we're on a sports site. But the average fan?

[The Ancient Enemy]

Well, let me answer like this: If you told me I had to choose between taking a chance on the guy at Cornell or hiring Calipari, I would take the chance on the Cornell guy. I don't want a quick fix. I want smart people who adapt and overcome.

[El-Moldo]

But isn't that what PSU did when the hired DeChellis? He was a Penn State guy to begin with. He inturn hired a Penn State guy in Danny Earl as an assistant. His Director of Basketball Operations, Jon Perry, was a player for him at East Tennessee State ( class of '02 ) and was PSU's "video coordinator" before becoming the DPO. He is responsible for Penn State scheduling, team travel, PLAYER development, camps, etc. You also have Kurt Kanaskie who was head coach at Lock Haven and IUP, and Lewis Preston who was a walk-on at VMI. PSU NEEDS a quick fix. You need to wipe them all out and start over FAST. The natives are restless. Plus it's costing Penn State a fortune in wieners. This building from the ground up just isn't working for them.

[The Ancient Enemy]

Taking the "build from the ground up approach" doesn't necessarily guarantee winning any more than hiring Bobby Knight. Knight can get them to the NIT every season at the very least. Just because they took the "progression" approach w/ Eddie and it didn't work doesn't mean it won't EVER work.

The natives are definitely restless. I think the NIT win just got everyone's hopes up and now everyone is just flat-out pissed off. Everyone I have talked to or read posts from all want him fired. They're in a tough spot now because he won that NIT and won B10 coach of the year honors.

I knew 2009-10 would be a step back, but what worries me is that they lose games consistently in the same fashion. And I'm annoyed that they try to sell this, year after year, as a rebuilding effort. Without Battle, does this team win 1 game this season? I'm being serious, would they have literally lost every single game?

The roster, to me, is too mismatched. That should not be the case for a program who never sends guys to the NBA early and who has had the same coach for 7 seasons. There's obviously a problem here.

I just think that Curley firing Sunderland to get serious about wrestling, which is a non-revenue sport, could be a good sign. Basketball is the only other revenue sport besides football.

See, people don't get the big picture sometimes. They see the PSU non-conference football schedule and they b!tch and moan and point fingers. The reality is that Penn State's football program is what is funding these non-rev sports, and that the athletics department is self-sufficient from university funding. As much as it pains me to say this to a bunch of borderline violent Pitt fans, Penn State can't afford (literally) to go 7-5 in football and lose income. They have to schedule garbage teams that guarantee wins. There is way too much pressure on that football program.

There has to be a reason that Curley threw all that money at the wrestling facilities and Cael Sanderson. From a business standpoint... who the hell cares about wrestling? It doesn't make money, there's never national TV coverage, and do ppl even go to those matches? So... why bother upgrading? Why bother throwing money at the basketball program, which they did, if you aren't going to get a little more serious?

I'm not sure what Ed's buyout is, but it can't be that much. Maybe that extension was only to save face b/c he won the NIT and coach of the year. Who knows. All I can do is look at all the pieces and try to put it together. But the fact remains that DeChellis isn't getting it done, the few fans who DO care are very pissed off right now, and it is understandably so. As moronic as this sounds, the people who complain about the football non-conference slate should maybe be complaining and writing letters about getting more serious about basketball.

The PSU athletic department has got to make the decision after this season. They are facing Paterno's retirement soon and lord knows what will happen to the football revenue. Basketball needs more attention. There's a lot of guys in the Lion's Den who seriously want Bobby Knight. I dont know, maybe a quick fix is the right way to go. Either way, something's gotta give very soon or else they are going to push away the 17 ppl who still care.

[deliverance]

That's some of TAE's best work in awhile above.

[The Ancient Enemy]

I just pick my battles a little better nowadays. haha

[El-Moldo]

So the football team has to schedule garbage teams Coastal Carolina, Youngstown State and Eastern Illinois to save the basketball program??? I like it. Hey Mikey!!!!!!!