State of men’s basketball

[nova75]

If Hiram is considered a "big" game then that tells you all you need to know

[YsuPride]

Losing this many players is not due to players being homesick, playing time, etc.  It's more than that.  I hear from a few students close to the players that none of them like Slocum.  I also hear Bobby Hain may be leaving as well.  If anyone has a brain on this forum site how in gods name can you support a coach who has made a complete freaking mess of the program.   If you thought this year was bad wait until next year with 5 wins and a loss to a Div 2 team.    YSU men's basketball is the worst in Div 1.

[gbs20]

The larger question is what are the goals for the mens basketball program and how can those goals be achieved.  If the goal is status quo, then YSU should keep doing what its doing. If the goal is to be in the upper half of the Horizon League and be in a position to compete for a post season tournament then YSU needs to do things differently.  The Covelli Center may not be feasible but it is an option that should be explored along with other changes.  I understand that this year may have been expected and that Slocom was extended partly for that reason but also out of respect for his career and his work at YSU.  He could have a successful season next year. If he retires, then what? Facilities, game environment, etc mean nothing without the right coach to lead the program.  If YSU is serious about the program, spending at least the league average on the next coach seems necessary. That will also require at some point spending an equal amount on the womens coach and further require upgrades to the salaries of assistants, travel budgets etc. Part of this can be covered by requiring more money games and this could be a condition of the new coach's hire.  An ambitious coach would not shy away from this.  It would require a substantial investment of new money in the program on the hope that it would pay off in new revenue.  By the way YSU alum Joe Lombardy just reached the D2 finals at IUP.   

[ysufan0505]

Losing this many players is not due to players being homesick, playing time, etc.  It's more than that.  I hear from a few students close to the players that none of them like Slocum.  I also hear Bobby Hain may be leaving as well.  If anyone has a brain on this forum site how in gods name can you support a coach who has made a complete freaking mess of the program.   If you thought this year was bad wait until next year with 5 wins and a loss to a Div 2 team.    YSU men's basketball is the worst in Div 1.

+1

[IAA Fan]

1AA Fan, I disagree with what you are saying about the Covelli Centre.  First of all, once chair-back seats are put in Beeghly, the capacity will go down to probably 5,500-5,800 (educated guess).  The Covelli Centre can hold 6,000 for basketball, which includes lodges and has the potential to earn the Covelli Centre/YSU even more money; Secondly, the Covelli Centre is doing a tremendous job, bringing in national acts and has only gained in popularity over the years vs. losing it's flair.  People are obviously attending events at the Covelli, as it has earned a lot of money for the city; Third, the Covelli Centre and downtown is very safe, if people are afraid to go downtown then they mind as well never leave their house or just stay in suburbia.  YSU was supposed to play one big game at the Covelli Centre every year (the 2012 game was against Hiram but there were big plans for the future but I guess it fizzled - read Warren Tribune article below:
http://www.tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/577752/YSU-to-play-Hiram-in-first-event-at-Covelli-Centre.html?nav=5024

I see where you are coming from Nick, but a lot of what you say is coming from your heart. The reality is this ...no major act plays in a venue that holds less than 12k to 15k and most major venues hold up to 20k. There is a lot of ground between 6k and 20k. A Journey without Steve Perry plays Covelli (6k). Steve Perry without Journey plays at a local night club (1.2k). A relevant Journey (with Steve Perry) played Blossom or the Richfield Coliseum (25k+).

[jbags]

we went from fixing mens basketball to Steve Perry...unless Steve Perry is Kendrick's cousin and at least as good then who really cares where we play our games if no one comes. Youngstown College used to play their games at the downtown YMCA and might return there if someone doesnt fix the problem

[ELPENGUIN]

Guess I have no brain.  I support coach Slocum and his staff 100%.  "It is what it is"!

[IAA Fan]

Thought that I would bring up the fact that Wichita State's (in the MVC a mid-major conference that we profess to be equal to) head coach is re-negotiating his 1.75 million dollar contract, in an effort to ward-off Tennessee's courtship.

[ValleyTalk]

Thought that I would bring up the fact that Wichita State's (in the MVC a mid-major conference that we profess to be equal to) head coach is re-negotiating his 1.75 million dollar contract, in an effort to ward-off Tennessee's courtship.

Tennessee hired former Texas head coach Rick Barnes.

[popsicle]

Great comparison 1AA. You're comparing a coach who wins 30 games a year, sells 15000 tickets 15 times a year, ranks in the top 20 each year and competes for his conference title annually.....to a guy who has never won 30 games in a year( or two years combined), sells 1500 tickets max, won't even play top 20 teams, and hasn't sniffed the semifinals in his conference tourney! Stick to your Rock band comparisons you made on the other thread, that way I won't know if you know what you are talking about.

[chezmustache]

     Slocum lost three underclassmen to transfer at the conclusion of 2013 - 2014 (Weber, Steward and Beamon).  In February he dismissed Fletcher Larson from the team after almost five years in the program.  In the past three weeks the media reported four more underclassmen announced or indicated they will transfer.  The running count is eight of thirteen scholarships were vacated in the past twelve months, seven voluntarily.  This is not by accident or coincidence.  There is a cause.  It is management's job to identify the cause and address it.  That is the path any responsible business would follow.   

     Additionally, it was offered earlier in this thread Slocum's career record at YSU is something like 118 - 190.  If you discount games against teams the Penguins had no business playing (as RPI and Sagarin do), the record is closer to 95 - 190.  How can anyone mischaracterize a .333 winning percentage over a ten year time period as mediocre?         

[IAA Fan]

Great comparison 1AA. You're comparing a coach who wins 30 games a year, sells 15000 tickets 15 times a year, ranks in the top 20 each year and competes for his conference title annually.....to a guy who has never won 30 games in a year( or two years combined), sells 1500 tickets max, won't even play top 20 teams, and hasn't sniffed the semifinals in his conference tourney! Stick to your Rock band comparisons you made on the other thread, that way I won't know if you know what you are talking about.

It was a comment Popsicle. Meant to show the changing landscape of college basketball. The difference between the have's and have not's, etc. If I was intending to show that YSU needs to do this, then I would have said so. Then you can lock me up.

Secondly, I have never said I am happy with the state of affairs with YSU basketball. One thing that I will want to see, well before any talk about changing coaches, is the commitment from YSU. At that point I still feel that Slocum can lead this team in the those conditions. Quite frankly, as I mentioned previously, there are hirer priorities for YSU athletics and have been since about 1993 ...and I agree. If you want to talk specifics it has to be it's own topic without all the "fire Slocum" or "fire Strollo" crowd taking over.

[ValleyTalk]

I also hear Bobby Hain may be leaving as well.

Someone appears to be stirring the pot with baseless rumors.

[jbags]

I dont understand your comment about YSU's commitment to mens basketball...what do you truly want them to do? Do you think there was no commitment to basketball when the entire lobby to our facility was upgraded to a D1 level? The basketball weightroom? The media center and film room? And previously the locker room? Those are top notch dollars commited to upgrade the program. Perhaps you are talking about coach salaries and recruiting budgets..well we seem to have the dollars to recruit players from Florida, Kansas, Texas, Louisiana, and Indiana, not to mention Michigan. So it must be salaries. Granted, our head coach doesnt make nearly the money it takes to offer someone with "name" recognition, so we have to find someone with a good record that wants a chance at the D1 level (ie Slocum..Peters) or some asst. at a higher profile school that wants to run their own D1 program (ie Robic, Cleamons). I think the commitment is there but our choices havent always worked out. The fact that we now employ a lame duck HC that surely has one year left and a staff that seems to lack the juice to take over added to the fact that we have had an inordinate amount of defections lately paints a pretty bleak picture. What do you want administration to do to prove it has a commitment to our basketball program? Anybody? What's the answer?

[Bob Rooney]

I attended many games with JBags and his point is very valid. Going to a men's hoops game was an event. Now I can't even be bothered to watch the replay on TV. His offense is the same stale thing with the big guys out front passing the ball. They may as well since there is no post game to speak of anyhow. It was the best of times in Div.2, it is the worst of times in Div. 1.