Point is, I think we all want to be at that level. But there's no realistic path toward getting there.
I'm sure they thought that at Butler, Xavier, VCU and Gonzaga. Before somebody says anything about football try on Utah, Boise St., and TCU. There is a mix of state and private schools. All of these programs have advanced past the fan's wildest dreams. Many of them kept or is keeping coaches way longer then they were suppose too.
Will we ever get there probably not but to say never and to give up is just a crappy way to live. I'm sure the Optimist would agree with me. Were you like this before the Regional Semi-Final in 2012?
Those schools you mention are 100% committed to the program that brings the dollars in. Butler, Xavier, VCU and Gonzaga are 100% committed to building a legit powerhouse basketball program. And it shows. They sell out almost every game, get the recruits then want and have the intangibles to succeed at that level. Utah, Boise State and TCU are the same way for football. They know what drives their bus and they pump the money into that gas tank like no other. If TCU was a destination basketball job, which it's not, JC never leaves Fort Worth. He saw the writing on the wall once they moved to the Big 12. TCU is a football school, without question. 100%.
Ohio invests 50/50 in football and basketball. Being where we are now in the MAC, it's simply not possible to achieve what we all want. Another reason to be interested in all the conference shifting is to see where Ohio lands in football. That will determine the long term future of Ohio basketball. Until then, as long as we're spending money the way we do in both sports, it's a pipe dream. One that we all share, but still a dream.
Unless Ohio is thrown millions of dollars a la T. Boone Pickens at Oklahoma State. But even then, where does it go? Football? Basketball? Both?
I am glad you brought Utah back up. There is a program in the 15 years before they received their bid to the PAC 12. They won two BCS games including one against Alabama. They also played for the National Championship in basketball. I don't think all of their money went to football. Salt Lake City is a bigger market than Athens but I have a feeling their 90 minute/2 hour market is similar. We have issues in our state getting a large portion of the media attention, I have a feeling they dealt with same situation with another institution in their own state. Utah has a slightly larger enrolment and a notably larger endowment.
Since people have asked how would you do it? I would look at Utah's fund raising, scheduling, and coaching salaries dating as far back as 1980. Somebody at Utah had a vision and it was achieved. I don't have a degree in Sports Administration but that's where I would start. The critical part is to have charismatic leadership and change the old way of thinking.
Here is another kicker not every great college athletic program is based in a large market. There are small market programs made the jump to be with the elite in my lifetime (34 years). There are schools that weren't even playing FBS football 30 years ago and winning BCS games or earning #2 rankings in the BCS.
My first live Ohio athletic experience was the 5-0 Utah St. game almost 20 years ago. Look how far Ohio athletics has come in 20 years! Why be satisfied?
I am super excited about the start to the basketball season. I wish we'd found away to win a least one of the ones we lost but we did steal a couple on the road. Opening MAC play with a win on the road is great. Going to 5 straight bowl games is great. This a great time to be a Bobcat but why look at it as the peak when might only be the beginning. Sorry if that's not a realistic enough view for some people.
JSF nothing is impossible somethings in life might take more breaks than others.
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