Emerging 7-0 Center Considering SMU

[Charleston Pony]

Greg Marshall is going to win a lot of recruiting battles while he is at WSU. He was able to build Winthrop into a consistent NCAA Tourney team and a well known "giant killer". And...whether we care to admit it or not, WSU has a lot more support for their program than SMU...and that matters more than people think.

Doherty and Orsini have both expressed concerns about SMU's lack of support. It may be our biggest challenge, and so many thought that Sasser, Davis & Elsey were going to change that - or maybe it was BHop who was going to change our fortunes

SMU seems to be attracting too many students who either don't care about sports or who grew up UT fans, but weren't admitted there. It would appear that has been the case for nearly 20 years now and the cumulative effect is showing.

Don't look now, but the 1500 is eroding.

They need to do something to get the students more involved. They might, for instance, have a competition for the frats and sororities where a party with a big time band is held at the end of the year for the organization that has the best cumulative attendance for the year. I don't know if this would work or not, but it or something similar could be worth a try.

Sorry...that won't work. It's kind of like Homecoming...a certain number of students who could care less about the game will attend just to see if their sorority sister or fratty bro will make "queen or king" and then they will leave the game. SMU kids are into what's trendy, though...so I do think that if we ever start winning and going to game becomes "the thing to do", attendance will increase. SMU's real challenge is how to attract the casual sports fan in Dallas and somehow get them interested in our product.

[Ponymon]

Strippers at half time and after the game? Free beer?

[Ponymon]

I'm wondering how we can offer a scholarship when we don't really have one to give. This ain't much of a problem in FB because of natural attrition-but in BB it gets a little bit more dicey because of small numbers. What is the story? Is someone projected to graduate early? Not many that could fit that category. Bamba and Spencer are the only non-graduating upperclassmen. Surely, the 7 newcomers project to all be back. The Seniors are graduating. Hmm.

RGV Pony said on the basketball board that he did not see Kwiatkowski on the bench at the game. Is there a possibility that this is the additional scholarship? Is he in school?

[RGV Pony]

I'm wondering how we can offer a scholarship when we don't really have one to give. This ain't much of a problem in FB because of natural attrition-but in BB it gets a little bit more dicey because of small numbers. What is the story? Is someone projected to graduate early? Not many that could fit that category. Bamba and Spencer are the only non-graduating upperclassmen. Surely, the 7 newcomers project to all be back. The Seniors are graduating. Hmm.

RGV Pony said on the basketball board that he did not see Kwiatkowski on the bench at the game. Is there a possibility that this is the additional scholarship? Is he in school?

Correction: he was there. Short haircut threw me. You helped me put things together when you said Ritter wasn't there.

[The XtC]

[quote="papawasamustang"]

Also, I have to believe that the committment from Clarke is soft.
He never has shown up on any of the recruiting services as a committment to SMU.
[/quote]

Friends in Michigan are telling me that Clarke is listening to other offers. I think we've lost him. This is second hand info, but i consider the sources reliable. I guess we will know for certain the day after tomorrow.

[SMUguy]

I've heard the plan is to stash Clarke or a Californian in a prep school.

[SoCal_Pony]

Friends in Michigan are telling me that Clarke is listening to other offers. I think we've lost him. This is second hand info, but i consider the sources reliable. I guess we will know for certain the day after tomorrow.

XtC, do you have sense as to which other schools offered Clarke?

Are we talking a mid-major program...something better or something worse?

[The XtC]

Mid majors, the directional Michigan schools (Central, Western, etc.)

[ponyboy]

Is it true that recruiting coverage for the mid-major level athletes has fallen off substantially this year? There seems to be a bit of confusion out there on all but the creme de la creme type players. What might be the reason for it? And could it be that this is actually a more solid class than the ratings might suggest?

[PonyDoh]

I think Frank Otis is the best player we've signed in the last two classes, including Papa. He's big time, just undersized.