When Niko was hired he said he believed in playing a very challenging schedule. We now know that was total BS. He loaded up on bible colleges and D-1 bottom feeders. Major colleges pack their non-conference schedules with mid-majors so scheduling them is not an issue but we'll have to play them away. As far as Clemson and Carolina I'm aware of efforts to schedule home and home games with them which is absolutely ridiculous. There's no way they're going to agree to it. Best case we play our "home game" against them in the downtown arena. Perhaps we could even put together something similar to the old North South doubleheader: Furman-Clemson, Wofford-USC on Saturday. Furman-USC, Wofford- Clemson Sunday or maybe even bring in an out of area major conference school as the 4th team like the Big 5 used to do in Phillie. It would take some negotiating skills but I'm sure our hot shot AD is more than capable of pulling it off if he so desires.CharlieFU wrote: ↑Fri Sep 07, 2018 9:59 amHow many of you have asked Bob Richey or Niko before him about how they come up with the schedule and their philosophy in doing so? How many of you are aware of the financial considerations for OOC games? How many "money" games do we have to play? How many of you have been on the "inside" for scheduling games with the big schools? Or Clemson or Carolina? Who of you is aware of the efforts we have made to schedule Clemson or USC recently?
Rhetorical questions. As you can guess, I totally fine with the schedule overall. Is it perfect? No. Playing Nova and Loyola AT THIS TIME is an excellent opportunity for us.
Two for one or even three for one deals are a great option for playing nationally well known mid-majors and perhaps even a major might agree to it. Otherwise it's definitely an uphill battle to get these schools to come to Greenville.affirm wrote: ↑Fri Sep 07, 2018 9:15 pmGood comments, edwards555. However, I still do not see why we couldn’t get a 2-yr “one year home and the other away” with schools that I’ve mentioned like Army, Air Force, Navy (like we did recently), W&M, Columbia, Harvard, Yale, Penn, Richmond - nationally well-known schools. Not even 1 or 2 of those in place of 1 or 2 from the group of very local schools on our OOC schedule (BJU, NGU, SWU, Upstate, GWebb). I know that scheduling is hard and complicated, with various components about which I’m not knowledgeable. Still, I state my opinion, state my hope for a better OOC schedule next year, and state my hope for outstandingly good results this 2018-2019 season.edwards555 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 07, 2018 4:31 pmTwo things have changed which effect our ability to schedule home and home out of conference games. The first is that many conference schedules in the major conferences are now 20 plus games. This is to correct schedule imbalance when the number of conference members such as in the ACC made it impossible for each team to play the same conference opponents thus making it difficult to rank teams within the conference for seeding purposes. The second is the use of Team Quadrants for selection in the tournament. Because we finished as a top 90 school this year we begin as tier 2 team. Many major conference teams are also tier 2 team schools. A loss to us home or away lowers both their team and overall conference rating, no way they schedule us unless they are a Villanova or an LSU(top ten recruiting class) who will be 10-15 point favorites against us. People know that we came close in the last 2 years at Georgia, Michigan, and Tennessee. Why take the chance?
Wofford is playing the schedule it is because they want to feature Fletcher McGee for the NBA Draft. If the go 3-2 in those games and don't win the conference they will not get an at large bid unless they have 3 or 4 total loses and then they would be a bubble team probably being passed over for a 15-15 Syracuse team. Power 5 wants the money and they control the committee. They believe too many slots go to the smaller confernces, thus our best play their best in the first round. God forbid a Loyola or Witchita State wins more than one game and takes "their money". Not fair but it is still the best deal we can get and better than having no teams in the NCAA. We just have to win the Conference tournament and who we schedule matters not.
We've had an extremely young team for 19 of the past 20 years ! LOL. Last year when we had that experienced team we've all be waiting for we dropped the ball by only scheduling two majors. Had we scheduled a couple more I'm certain we could have had that signature win we've all been waiting for but we chickened out and went back with the home games against two bible colleges.furpep wrote: ↑Fri Sep 07, 2018 11:47 amWell now, I could rant and rave about our home schedule but I am not going to to do. Why? Well we have a very tough away OOC schedule and this is going to be an Extremely Young Team! Therefore we need some of these games in order to keep the confidence up. This is not a year for us to have unrealistic expectations about the team (as many did last season), and so I support this scheduling. I expect the home schedules to get tougher as the team matures.
UNCG is a unique situation because they play their home games in a huge downtown arena and can get major schools to play them at home. I remember Furman fans mocking them for playing in front of a few thousand fans in a 15,000 seat arena. Who's laughing now ? As far as the money goes you make a good point. I think we'd all agree Furman's program is greatly underfunded. With schools like Coastal, Wofford and Elon building new arenas our program is being left behind. Unfortunately it's a "big money" problem. Small donations are just a band aid. We need a big money benefactor to really make a difference. Generous donations by a Furman alumni took a dormant track/cross country program to one of the best in the country in a few short years. Furman has a lot to offer but we need big bucks for coaches and national recruiting in order to stay competitive in this huge college basketball arms race.CharlieFU wrote: ↑Sat Sep 08, 2018 4:56 pmFirst , consider UNCG schedule. They have 3 non D1 games if you count N Alabama who just transitioned to D 1.
Second, UNCG plays Prairie View, Coppin State, and NC A & T, each of which will cost them 50-70k to get them to come play. We do not have the money in our budget to “buy” home games like that. The only ones we can get are the non D1 games which are a minimal cost.
Third, extremely difficult for us to get home games this year given our recent success. Everybody wants to schedule a “win”.
Other mid major schools are upping the ante by building new facilities and putting big dollars into their programs. We have not. We have raised a good bit since Niko. Raised initial 1 million when he was hired. That’s gone. So we have to rebuild it again. And I know significant money was raised this year for new video boards and to hire a strength coach just for basketball program.
You can send your check to Furman c/o Robbie Giles and designate for the men’s program. Join the RoundBall Club. Buy season tickets AND go to the games.
What are you talking about? UNCG didn't have any "major conference" home games last year and they won't next season either. UNC-Asheville was their top rated non-conference home game last year and Radford is the highest rated (based on last season) team for this coming year.UNCG is a unique situation because they play their home games in a huge downtown arena and can get major schools to play them at home. I remember Furman fans mocking them for playing in front of a few thousand fans in a 15,000 seat arena. Who's laughing now ?
They are in a major conference. They don't need to schedule tough ooc games. All they have to do is schedule wins and go .500in their league and they are in the NCAA. totally different scenario. Clempson ooc schedule is just as bad.cavedweller2 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 08, 2018 1:17 pmColumbia gamecocks are playing usc upstate , Norfolk state, and North Greenville.
Edward, with all due respect your arguments don't make much sense. WC has had more success in recent years than we have and if indeed they have a future NBA player and they actually won a big game last year, not just come close why would major teams want to schedule them? Again the major conferences have not changed the amount of conference games they play either. I agree it's all about the major conferences and I am sure they hated the Loyola run last year and Villanova winning it all.edwards555 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 07, 2018 4:31 pmTwo things have changed which effect our ability to schedule home and home out of conference games. The first is that many conference schedules in the major conferences are now 20 plus games. This is to correct schedule imbalance when the number of conference members such as in the ACC made it impossible for each team to play the same conference opponents thus making it difficult to rank teams within the conference for seeding purposes. The second is the use of Team Quadrants for selection in the tournament. Because we finished as a top 90 school this year we begin as tier 2 team. Many major conference teams are also tier 2 team schools. A loss to us home or away lowers both their team and overall conference rating, no way they schedule us unless they are a Villanova or an LSU(top ten recruiting class) who will be 10-15 point favorites against us. People know that we came close in the last 2 years at Georgia, Michigan, and Tennessee. Why take the chance?
Wofford is playing the schedule it is because they want to feature Fletcher McGee for the NBA Draft. If the go 3-2 in those games and don't win the conference they will not get an at large bid unless they have 3 or 4 total loses and then they would be a bubble team probably being passed over for a 15-15 Syracuse team. Power 5 wants the money and they control the committee. They believe too many slots go to the smaller confernces, thus our best play their best in the first round. God forbid a Loyola or Witchita State wins more than one game and takes "their money". Not fair but it is still the best deal we can get and better than having no teams in the NCAA. We just have to win the Conference tournament and who we schedule matters not.
AMEN!paladinfan12 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 13, 2018 2:19 pmAnd with that, let the annual bitch fest about our schedule come to an end.
