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McBulls

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  1. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_City_Business_Journals There you go. Each paper caters to the local market of publication, but the patent company is based elsewhere. Lists/rankings including school rankings (other examples- lists of fastest growing companies, data with regards to income growth and population change) are a popular item prepared for and distributed to each of the local markets for publications.
  2. I don't have the answer, but I overheard ButlerAlumDad's vision and it goes a little something like this: 1. Reinstate the UB Athletic Advisory Council with BAD as president. 2. Hire present graduate assistant at Butler as UB's new head coach. Assistants will be selected from Monsignor Martin Athletic Association staff because... 3. We will recruit only MMAC players without other scholarship offers to fill our roster. 4. Do away with Blue Collar gimmick of Coach Oats. Replace by branding ourselves "The Butler of the East." Our formal motto will be: "SUNY Buffalo- New York State's Butler. Serving families of NYC and LI since 1863." Commentators will simply refer to us as "Butler's Butler." 5. At coach's introductory press conference, all questions regarding how to recruit to Buffalo, compete in the MAC, and put on a pair of pants will be answered glibly with: "The Butler Way." 6. Marshawn Lynch will mistake the condescending pretense of "The Butler Way" responses for a principled stand against forced media sessions. He will replace Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas as our most vocal ex-Bill backer and... 7. Be named to the board of the UB Foundation, where he will... 8. Spearhead the sale of Alumni Arena (a poor venue, after all), and... 9. Invest the proceeds along with our endowment to purchase common stock in Dave and Buster's Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ: PLAY, market cap 1.95B), threatening to attempt a hostile takeover unless... 10. The company is renamed Dave and Butler's. 11. Butler's Butler receives a generous donation from Dave and Butler's to build a new arena (The Butler), prompting... 12. Generous donors to come out of the woodwork. 13. Buffalo wins the 2022 National Championship. 14. Kevin writes an article the night of the title win lamenting the poor efficiency rating in the title game win and ponders the potential for a low KenPom rating to begin the 2023 season. 15. Dave and Butler's stock soars, The Butler of the East sells, and using the earnings and publicity from the National Championship win to garner entrance to the Big Ten. 16. Nate Oats and Bryan Hodgson are last seen hosting a 3 a.m. public access program on Alabama basketball. The only caller is an intoxicated Bruce Pearl who hurls insults at the unsuspecting coaches. The show ends as follows: Oats: Thanks for tuning in! And just remember... Hodgson: From Mobile to Tuscaloosa... Together: Alabama is BASKETBALL COUNTRY!
  3. Remember what I said about Godgson having clearly turned in his resignation before taking a job at Alabama? Guess I was wrong in that one. Just seems insane to consider that he is still employed here.
  4. Actually, Squire, BAD is right. He left to serve as an assistant at Butler, through it was under Brandon Miller instead of Brad Stevens. A good example of a coach stepping back to move forward which flies in the face of my concerns with regards to Fife.
  5. BAD- agree, we aren’t VCU, Gonzaga, or Butler. I think we all want to reach that level, however, and need to develop a roadmap toward doing so. The first step is setting that goal and determining how to meet such steep expectations. Nothing great was ever accomplished by lowering expectations. Butler certainly didn’t find themselves in the Big East by saying in 1997: “Boy, we haven’t been to the NCAA tourney in 35 years and we’re in the Horizon. Guess it is time to temper our dreams.”
  6. I think we should all take a deep breath and read the tea leaves. No way Buffalo or Alabama allow someone to walk in limbo and possibly violate NCAA sanctions in the interim. Hodgson was clearly told that he would not be named head coach without a full nationwide search. He resigned and took the offered assistant coaching position with Alabama. He is employed by Alabama, and is recruiting for Alabama. The chance that Alabama would allow him to actively recruit for them while employed by UB is zero. He still wants the UB job, and as such, has yet to alter his social media profile appreciably because of his desire to coach UB. I certainly don’t doubt that he has attempted to leverage his clout with current and committed players to get the UB job. Hodgson is a risk, without question. I use him as an example of someone young, hungry, and tied in. As you state, he has no head coaching experience. Lanier and Fife do. I see no reason, however, that they would experience any greater success than the plethora of MAC coaches who arrived as highly touted major assistants. Owens at Miami, Whitfield at Ball St, Murphy at Eastern, off the top of my head. Light versions, at best, of Painter, Miller, and Boeheim. I would rather throw my lot in with a successful coach of a national high school program, JUCO, or lower level NCAA program, as DC suggested above. Insist that they hire experienced assistants and a recruiting ace.
  7. Look, Fife clearly comes highly regarded. I will readily admit he stepped into a difficult situation and at least laid a foundation. He has spent seasons learning under one of the games legends. I'm sure he would win some games here. But if we really want to build "the Gonzaga of the East" we can't just put up some 20 wins seasons and compete for the MAC most years. We need to absolutely dominate for the foreseeable future. Does it not bother anybody else that he walked away from a head coaching position to take an assistant role? The first and most important trait I want my coach to have is a near pathologic desire to compete and a steadfast belief in their own abilities. A coach who walks away from a head coaching gig doesn't sound like my guy. I also want an arrogance to match that competitiveness. Nate Oats left because: A) He was offered a lot of money. B) He wants to win championships and C) He believed himself worthy of that job. He may have traveled to Izzo's practices to learn from him, and gleaned any knowledge he could in speaking with and watching other coaches, but he doesn't at heart believe any other coaches are better than him. Think about how he taunted Calipari before that round of 32 matchup. He instilled the same belief in his players. That's the fire that makes coaches, players, and institutions great. They have a vision. They have a dream that seems insurmountable in scale. They institute a system and culture to ensure they can achieve these goals, regardless of how massive. Because we're a mid-major, they leave because they can accomplish these goals elsewhere faster. I have no qualms with that. Know thyself. In the meantime they force us to re-assess what we think is possible, to up our expectations. I'll admit- Hodgson's power plays don't bother me in the least. He wants to be our coach. He is willing to leverage everything he has to get that job. That's the hunger I look for in a hire, manners be damned. So if Fife is the best choice to represent our university, please tell me why you think he will stir the masses and inspire recruits that Buffalo is the institution and team to place their faith in.
  8. Except that they have been, relatively speaking. They’ve been to four postseasons in the past five years. They won a Summit league regular season title. The coach between Fife and the current staff had a 24 win season. Argue that Fife laud the groundwork? Fine. But he didn’t light the world on fire and walked off the job for a lesser position.
  9. He may be a great choice. But in his “best season” his team had an RPI in the 180s and beat just one team with an RPI under 212. Again- tenure was fine, just not mind blowing. At days end I guess I find Fife a little bland. I’m sure he would be fine- I don’t want fine. It turns me off that he walked away from his head coaching position to become an assistant again. There are 350 or so D1 coaching jobs- if you have one, why give that up for the world? This is your opportunity to showcase your skills. If you are a leader, this is your opportunity to lead, to mold a program as you wish. What kind of coach with big dreams gives that up? I think we all loved Nate Oats for his take-all-comers approach. He was confident that he and his team were prepared for any foe. Do you want a coach who stepped away from a head coaching job after his most successful season?
  10. I guess. The two coaches that followed him had greater success at IPFW. I recognize the program was in its infancy when he was there originally. But I wouldn’t call it a smashing success, by any stretch.
  11. Have to assume that Hodgson accepted the assistant coaching offer at Alabama, is no longer employed at Buffalo, and interviewed for the UB job. I’ll bet he still wants that job. I would still consider, as long as he brings on experienced assistants. No different than any other candidate, quite frankly. If you don’t think Lanier, for instance, is all Tennessee all the time (until and unless he is hired away)... That said, looking increasingly unlikely that Hodgson is the hire. Which also worries me that we will have another top to bottom rebuild. Interesting that almost all the names mentioned (Fife, Lanier, even Whitesell) have failed prior head coaching tenures.
  12. Graham had a good season there- Second in scoring in the PAC-12. O’Field never really panned out. Still, Buffalo teams accomplished more than Arizona St in that timeframe, and Evans wound up ultimately in the same place he would have by finishing at UB- playing professionally overseas.
  13. I think the calm these young men are showing is every bit as impressive as the season they just had. In this era teams are as quick to disassemble as form. Our returning players, at least publicly, seem to be patiently waiting out the coaching search. Need some bigs, but next years roster looks pretty darn good otherwise and should still compete for a MAC title if left intact. Hell hath no fury like a Bulls athlete scorned.
  14. There is a difference between an extra 6 figures (or are you implying extra $300k/year?) and money that will provide guaranteed financial security for your family for life. Over 5 years. Guaranteed. For the same job and workload. In fact, if he coaches as most of us think he can, he may make money to support his family for a few generations before all is said and done. Beyond that, you are supporting my assertion. You discuss opportunities with your wife. You, together, make decisions that you feel are best for your family. Not your employer. Not your potential employer. Not your fans. And you do that because you are most loyal to, accountable to, and responsible for your family. It’s not about the dollar amount alone, or even the direction of salary change. Example: you clearly value your time with family. An opportunity arises to make 6 figures less yearly but allows you to work fewer hours and exclusively from home. Now imagine you decline said offer and explain to your wife that Jim in accounting loves your presence in meetings, looks to you as a mentor, and would be gutted- betrayed, really- if you took the offer. Your wife would feel understandably upset that you put the needs of a stranger ahead of her own. My frustration is the implication that Nate Oats (or you) should consider the desires of anyone (ie Bulls fans) outside of immediate family when making a career choice of this magnitude.
  15. Hi John- I'm sorry to hear about your wife. Cancer is a terrible disease, and I can't imagine what I would do if I lost my wife. I hope that your family members in counseling have worked through whatever troubled them, and I hope that your family passion for UB basketball offered a ray of sunshine as they did. UB basketball is a shared love for my family as well. While I disagree with your stance on Nate Oats's character in handling this situation, I love your passion for UB athletics and your core values. I only meant to point out that it can be tricky to balance loyalty, responsibility, and accountability when choosing between doing right by your loved ones versus your school/employer. You can't always serve both masters at once. I also hope that your return to posting on this site. Keep voicing your opinion. We may not agree on each subject (and you've seen that I'll tell you when I disagree) but I'll always share your mantra: Go Bulls!
  16. John, I'm sorry, but I am at a loss for words. Please re-read what I wrote. If you read my post, it posits a hypothetical situation/thought experiment in which you have just turned down a life-changing career opportunity that would benefit your family. This is the exact situation Oats was in. I am not suggesting that your or your wife should be in counseling in real life. I am saying that if you acted in the manner you suggest Oats should have, your family would justifiably be irate with you for your decision for putting the feelings and wants of random fans you had never met ahead of the wants and needs of your own family. Nate Oats acted as any reasonable human being with a wife and children would. Your suggestion that he somehow owes loyalty to our program and school at their expense is laughable. And for the record- I think most people posting here do still enjoy sports. I have had the time of my life following Buffalo basketball since the start of my time at UB, and those include some absolutely awful seasons. This year, and the rest of Nate's run, was magical. Nate left. I loved having him as coach. I'm bummed, but not bitter, emotional, or distraught. I'm not even angry with him. Our school, and the basketball program, still has the plethora of positive attributes that made us fans in the first place. I didn't start following UB with Nate as coach, and I certainly won't stop following. I think our program is in the best shape it ever has been during a coaching search. Our roster, if maintained, still should compete for a MAC title and tourney birth next year. I'm just saying stop, take a breath, recognize that Nate is gone and acted just as you would have in the same situation, and get back to enjoying the coaches and players that represent UB.
  17. It's fair to say he left for multiple reasons. Most major life decisions are multi-factorial. More money- great, but as scrabukes suggested above, once you hit a certain threshold it probably doesn't result in as great a change in lifestyle as those initial salary increases. The opportunity to compete for Final Four appearances and National Championships is a seeming long shot at either 'Bama or Buffalo, but likely a more reasonable expectation at a place like 'Bama, with all the resources it possesses.
  18. Tough to comment. He didn't play much on the AAU circuit but was behind some massive names signed to big time schools. He certainly moves well and possesses outstanding athleticism for a man his size. I think he would do well here. Like most freshman, would probably take at least a year even at this level to acclimate, learn to play without fouling, etc. I doubt Oats and Hodgson would offer without the feeling that he could contribute down the line at Alabama.
  19. John, if you and your family got your hopes up after the extension was signed you have nobody to blame but yourself. Oats signed a well deserved contract extension with a pay upgrade. He acknowledged, as he did last year, that he would consider dream job offers. Apparently a $10 million guarantee over 5 years at a school with more money devoted to basketball than UB could dream of devoting, and playing in a conference where top schools DO compete for national championships fit the bill. Loyalty? Guess what. Schools aren't "loyal" to coaches, either. This is a two way transaction. Schools terminate contracts routinely before completion. It doesn't matter what the circumstances are for the coach- injuries, transfers, competing against schools paying for recruits, etc. Lastly, John, please indulge me in an exercise. This week, please return home from work and announce to your wife and family that you have received a 25% raise. Happy days are here! You are understandably grateful to your employer, so much so that you make plans to further your career with this company. Wait two weeks. Return to your wife, and announce that you received an offer to perform the same job with the same title at another company which would pay you three times even your new salary! They would provide you with two company cars. Further, they have resources that would allow you to perform your duties to a higher level than you ever imagined. Now, explain to your wife that you have declined the latest offer. You see, John, you possess loyalty and integrity. Not to your wife and children. Heavens, no. They will suffer for your public display of honor. You are the hero in your own Frank Capra movie. It seems that someone who contracts with your current employer really admires your work. You've never met him, but he has watched you from afar. He and his family have become enamored with you. You simply couldn't walk away and break his heart. Your wife will understand, as will your children. I'm sorry we won't be hearing from you for a while. It sounds as though you and your wife will be busy in counseling attempting to repair your marriage after your latest folly. Best of luck, John. No good deed goes unpunished.
  20. Disagree with regard to Hodgson. For the record, I’d like him to be our next coach. He is young, tied in to high school, AAU, and JUCO coaches, and close with the players. I would demand of him what White did of Oats- here an experienced staff to make up for lack of college head coaching experience. That said, the man needs a job next year. He has a golden opportunity with Oats at Alabama. The school hasn’t shown him any commitment- Whitesell is Interim HC and they are clearly looking at other candidates. If he was the choice I expect it would be done already. He owes the school the same loyalty as it shows him, which right now seems like zip. This isn’t a one way street. Alnutt better make a great hire, because if he looks elsewhere and his choice flips it should cost him his job.
  21. 1. Butler lost a series of coaches who experienced success there to bigger schools/leagues (Stevens NBA). Davidson, again, has advanced to the round of 32 fewer times in 30 years than we have in the last two. Wichita St is funded by Koch brother money. Where is our donor of that magnitude? 2. Gonzaga is stand alone unique. Difficult to emulate an N=1. Stability is nice, but we haven’t reached a point whereby we can expect it yet. More to build first.
  22. Bobby Hurley and Nate Oats had tremendous success at Buffalo (Oats far greater, of course). This success, in my opinion, was driven in part by the same ambition that resulted in the departure of these coaches. We shouldn't be upset- that ambition first carried our program to greater heights than it had every seen. Instead of praying for four days in Cleveland each year we dare to take on the powers of the sport, seemingly any time and any place. We've taken our lumps, but dealt some out as well. The program is in greater shape now than ever before as a result of the results delivered over the prior 6 years. That attitude was part of the allure of these coaches. They were outsiders who expected more from the players they recruited. The demanded more from the administration. Each left to pursue greater resources offered at larger institutions in bigger conferences while getting paid a salary that we can't match. Each used us to advance his career; each left us in a better position than they inherited and built the Buffalo brand. The perfect transactional relationship, one of mutual benefit. I'd like our next coach to match this level of ambition. I don't want someone who is just happy to be in Buffalo. I don't give a damn about stability, and I certainly don't care if our next coach is from Buffalo. Why limit our possibilities? I don't want anyone who might settle for mediocrity. I want someone who is hungry. I want a coach who wants to compete for championships. Because the only way this program continues to move forward is if the coach demands improvement and wills success into existence. I want a builder, and I don't care if they don't finish the job or instead hand over the reigns again in 3-4 years. Next man up. Recruit your players, implement your system, impose your will. Defense like Chris Beard? Great. Offensive juggernaut like Oats? Fine. I don't care. Win basketball games, and do it clean. Onwards and upwards. As an aside, someone on this board suggested that Bob McKillop was a shining example of loyalty with the implication that he is the type of coach we should aspire for. He has advanced beyond the round of 64 once in 30 years at Davidson. Davidson is an outstanding program, but no thank you if you wish that as our ceiling. I loved Reggie Witherspoon. He was a Buffalo guy, ran a clean program, recruited the region. I was happy competing for MAC titles and hoping we might break through for a tournament appearance at some point. I was devastated when he was fired. I was wrong. Credit to AD DW for having the stones to expect more. As Buffalonians we sometimes forget- we don't have to settle.
  23. Antigua has an impressive history as an assistant coach... and a dreadful head coaching history. Sorry, but no thanks. If he is our next coach I will be massively disappointed.
  24. List above shows the Gonzaga path is easier said than done. Also, add one: SIU 01-02 through 06-07. 155-46 (77.1%) NCAA Appearances: 6 NCAA Record: 5-6 Coaches: Bruce Weber (2 years), Matt Painter (1 year), Chris Lowery (3 years). Over the ensuing 12 years they went 183-200 (47.8%). Lowery was fired after 11-12 and Barry Hinson resigned after this season. Save for Butler, nobody from that list has made the leap from Mid-Major to the big leagues. How do we ensure we do so? What makes us the special case?
  25. My guess? Supporting out our recruit James Rojas in post-season action just outside of Wichita. Rojas and Hutchinson played Coffeyville Community (#3 ranked JUCO team) and won behind a line from Rojas of 30 pts/8 boards/3 assists/1 block/2 steals. He hit threes, was good from the line, and led his team to a big upset. Congrats James, and can't wait to see you in blue next year!
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