August 20 will be a new day in Buff basketball...how about new expectations?

[NashBuff]

I'm excited as heck that the new basketball practice center will be opening soon and should be a huge help to the tenants that use the CEC. At the same time, it's a good time to look at what our expectations are for those tenants that use the CEC (volleyball, both basketball programs).

My expectation for basketball (I don't really follow volleyball) is that since the basketball teams are able to practice at the same time and places instead of at different places on campus or even at a local high school, I think it's fair that we can now expect our basketball teams to make post season tourneys and not making one should be intolerable. This isn't the Big 12...this is the Pac-12 and CU should be expected to do better in basketball over the long term.

I also would love to see CU compete for conference championships as well.

Those two expectations shouldn't be too burdensome on the basketball programs.

:gobuffs:

 

[Buffnik]

CU basketball history is a weird one. They've usually been mediocre and rarely a threat to win the conference. But you can go back through the teams all the way from the 1930s and we have always had at least a couple teams every decade that showed in flashes what this program could be if it ever got its act together.

Well, we finally got our act together.

I'm expecting post-season every year and with "post-season" meaning the NCAA nearly every time. I'm expecting a team that's always seen as a threat in the Pac-12 and will be able to make some noise in the Dance. I am looking at us being widely considered a Top 40 program within the next 5 years.

 

[Goose]

I agree with Nik's views and would like to subscribe to his publication.

The year I'm most nervous about in the next five is, strangely enough, the upcoming one. I will admit that I'm starting to drink the Kool Aid for this season, but I'll be happy with an NIT bid right now. After that, with some of the new talent we have coming in, combined with going from arguably the second best basketball conference in the nation to one that is in the middle of the pack, I think we could and should be an NCAA team most years.

 

[BeBe]

A few thoughts on the third occupant of the practice facility .... the volleyball team.

They used to be a regular in the NCAA tournament and not strangers to the top 25. But they have not been good for a number of years now. Unfortunately the move to the PAC has taken the volleyball team from one of the top conferences in the coutry to probably THE top conference. For example ... the pre-season 2011 coaches poll just came out a few days ago and 5 of the top 11 teams are from the PAC 12. And in the 2010 NCAA tournament 4 of the 8 teams in the regional finals were from the PAC as were 2 of the final four with Cal losing to Penn State in the finals.

That said, the new coaching staff is doing a good job with recruiting. This year they have a couple of good freshmen in and for 2012 they have verbals from several players who have the potential to be top 100-150 level players in their HS senior class. So the talent level is improving. Last season they had a few good players but once any one of them went out, even tho there were players on the bench to go in to the game, the talent level dropped off dramatically below the starters.

So we have a team with improving talent moving into a tougher league. For now I think a realistic goal is to try to be competing for the middle of the PAC. Breaking into the top half will be a tall order and probably needs yet more talent and some good coaching to develop the talent that is here or coming next year.

 

[Buffnik]

I think that for women's basketball, the sky's the limit. Here we have shown that we can appear pretty regularly in the Dance and go deep. Better facilities, ties to the Pac, and the overall greater commitment shown (S&C coach & facilities, practice court availability, etc.) can take us as high as we want to go. We can quickly get to the point where we have put a target on Stanford's back and they have reason to worry about getting through us every year to get a #1 seed. Biggest obstacle for getting us to being a Top 10 program is fan support. We need to get that season ticket base up to a few thousand and be able to count on 5k for a big home game... and grow from there as we win.

I know the above is a very optimistic outlook, but I honestly see that as the potential for our WBB program.

As an aside, I'd like to do something through AllBuffs on fan support at games for the 3 programs. A ticket drawing makes sense for MBB given the interest level and the fact that it can be a tough ticket for big games now. But I'm also looking for ideas of where we could donate a bloc of tickets for each to groups who would use and enjoy them.

 

[Fight CU]

my expectations is that MBB, WBB, and VB as a group be a net income unit rather than net deficit unit. I would give them 3 years to accomplish this

 

[sackman]

my expectations is that MBB, WBB, and VB as a group be a net income unit rather than net deficit unit. I would give them 3 years to accomplish this

I think Volleyball and women's basketball have a long way to go in order to turn a profit for the athletic department. That said, I think they can be revenue neutral, which would be a huge step in the right direction. Men's basketball is profitable, but only barely. I think there's a lot of potential with that program.

As was pointed out, the Pac is not as strong in men's basketball as the Big 12 was/is. Last year's team, in the Pac 12, would have finished somewhere between 2-4, IMO.

The future looks very bright for the men's basketball program at CU. While I'm admitedly not a big basketball fan, I like to see them do well. I think we're on the cusp of some great things at CU. It's like being at Arizona when Lute Olsen was hired.

 

[Fight CU]

I think Volleyball and women's basketball have a long way to go in order to turn a profit for the athletic department. That said, I think they can be revenue neutral, which would be a huge step in the right direction. Men's basketball is profitable, but only barely. I think there's a lot of potential with that program.

As was pointed out, the Pac is not as strong in men's basketball as the Big 12 was/is. Last year's team, in the Pac 12, would have finished somewhere between 2-4, IMO.

The future looks very bright for the men's basketball program at CU. While I'm admitedly not a big basketball fan, I like to see them do well. I think we're on the cusp of some great things at CU. It's like being at Arizona when Lute Olsen was hired.

I would want MBB to carry WBB and VB and leave FB to reinvest its own profits

 

[BeBe]

.......(WBB) We can quickly get to the point where we have put a target on Stanford's back and they have reason to worry about getting through us every year to get a #1 seed. ......

Ambitious, yes, but I agree it should be do-able. Won't happen as quickly as I'd like, I'm sure.

As an aside to that topic, the T-shirt I'm wearing as I sit here typing is from the 2002 Women's NCAA Boise regional. That would be where CU upset Stanford in the sweet 16 before losing in the Elite 8 to eventual finalist Oklahoma. And I would like to buy a new one ... so hurry back to the NCAAs ladies.

 

[buffgal]

I was in Missoula in 1993 when CU WBB upset then defending champion Stanford. We then lost to that season's champion Texas Tech in the final. CU WBB can compete in the PAC12 and with Lappe as the coach, I think they will. I'm happy with the recruiting so far, although we are lacking a true center.

There was a day when WBB did support itself. Hope it will in the future.

 

[Buffnik]

I was in Missoula in 1993 when CU WBB upset then defending champion Stanford. We then lost to that season's champion Texas Tech in the final. CU WBB can compete in the PAC12 and with Lappe as the coach, I think they will. I'm happy with the recruiting so far, although we are lacking a true center.

There was a day when WBB did support itself. Hope it will in the future.

That would be tough. With the scholarship and travel costs (team and recruiting) being so high these days, even programs like Tennessee lose money in WBB. If we can get to where we are losing under a million each on WBB and Volleyball, MBB should be able to make our court sports group very profitable.

 

[dyemeduke]

That would be tough. With the scholarship and travel costs (team and recruiting) being so high these days, even programs like Tennessee lose money in WBB. If we can get to where we are losing under a million each on WBB and Volleyball, MBB should be able to make our court sports group very profitable.

I agree with this. I find the comment about WBB once being self-funding as surprising...are you sure about this buffgal? Stats?

In general, women's bb and volleyball (basically, typically any sport aside from football and MBB) do not bring in revenue. If our MBB could start to bring in some money, that'd alone would highly benefit our AD. That's all I'm hoping for.