The Sweet 16 is NOT a pipedream

[Hammer]

When Wayne Hogan mentioned the Griz making the Sweet 16 a few years ago, he was laughed at by many and told "impossible". Well, tonight I think all Griz fans will agree that it isn't a pipedream any longer and a real possibility in the next few years with the talent we have coming back.

BC is a final four contender and only lost to Duke by 2 in their conference championship. They aren't that much better than us. Lets face it, if the shots would have fallen in the 2nd half it would have been a very close game. I really hope Gonzaga is on our schedule next year!

 

[Potomac Griz]

When Wayne Hogan mentioned the Griz making the Sweet 16 a few years ago, he was laughed at by many and told "impossible". Well, tonight I think all Griz fans will agree that it isn't a pipedream any longer and a real possibility in the next few years with the talent we have coming back.

BC is a final four contender and only lost to Duke by 2 in their conference championship. They aren't that much better than us. Lets face it, if the shots would have fallen in the 2nd half it would have been a very close game. I really hope Gonzaga is on our schedule next year!

Great post. Many did criticize Hogan for thinking the Griz could be a sweet 16 team, and said it was impossible.. We saw with this team, this year that it is Not impossible. The Griz beat a very good Nevada team, who was ranked in the top 25 in the country, and a 5 seed...and had one of the best post players in the country. Unfortunately in the 2nd round they ran into a team that probably should've been a 3....

BC is a very good team and probably is a final four contender. As you said, they lost to duke only by 2 points. And the Griz stayed with them for the first half (and led quite a few times). Had the Griz not had a huge shooting slump in the 2nd half..who knows what would have happened?

The Sweet 16 for Montana isn't just a pipedream...and I have a feeling Montana will be making some noise in the tournament again real soon (hopefully next year)!

 

[Turd Ferguson]

I wouldn't say that BC isn't much better than us. Our problem was not that our shots weren't falling, it's that we couldn't rebound. Besides the fact that they are bigger and stronger, we weren't even attempting to rebound most of the time. We were way too passive rebounding, and that's been a problem of this team all season. Hopefully Van Vliet and Vanderjagt can help improve that.

Remember that their shots weren't really dropping today either, with the exception of Rice in the 2nd half. It's just that they had 3 times the chances that we did. Both teams didn't play their best.

 

[Silvertip]

The game was won in the paint and Smith & Company owned it like they were Sherwin Williams. Their hot outside game only added insult to injury. Griz were okay but minus a big body to police under the basket.

 

[Swillbury]

I wouldn't say that BC isn't much better than us. Our problem was not that our shots weren't falling, it's that we couldn't rebound. Besides the fact that they are bigger and stronger, we weren't even attempting to rebound most of the time. We were way too passive rebounding, and that's been a problem of this team all season. Hopefully Van Vliet and Vanderjagt can help improve that.

Remember that their shots weren't really dropping today either, with the exception of Rice in the 2nd half. It's just that they had 3 times the chances that we did. Both teams didn't play their best.

I think the Griz played as well as they are going to against a ACC opponent like BC. There was just nothing they could do against BC's athletes. The Eagles were amazing downlow and that is why they are top10 in the country. We couldnt get a rebound and it was obvious that we were outclassed. Not a big deal though because now we have a set a president that will hopefully be matched next year with more wins and a better seed in the tournament. I knew I was going to have a to say this sooner or later.....Montana football is on!

 

[FootballGuru]

I wouldn't say that BC isn't much better than us. Our problem was not that our shots weren't falling, it's that we couldn't rebound. Besides the fact that they are bigger and stronger, we weren't even attempting to rebound most of the time. We were way too passive rebounding, and that's been a problem of this team all season. Hopefully Van Vliet and Vanderjagt can help improve that.

Remember that their shots weren't really dropping today either, with the exception of Rice in the 2nd half. It's just that they had 3 times the chances that we did. Both teams didn't play their best.

I think the Griz played as well as they are going to against a ACC opponent like BC. There was just nothing they could do against BC's athletes. The Eagles were amazing downlow and that is why they are top10 in the country. We couldnt get a rebound and it was obvious that we were outclassed. Not a big deal though because now we have a set a president that will hopefully be matched next year with more wins and a better seed in the tournament. I knew I was going to have a to say this sooner or later.....Montana football is on!

Would that be a Bill Clinton or a George Bush? :laugh: I think you meant "precedent".

 

[Sonny]

I'll be the first to admit that I was one of the naysayers about Hogan's comment, though I acknowledged that getting there once was possible (and had Pacific been able to hold on to a 7 pt lead in OT against BC it would've been quite possible).

For as close as the Griz were this year, the sad thing is that they have to go through the paces to have a chance to get back--have to win the conference tourney, draw a fair seed, and pull an upset in round 1.

Things have to fall in line for the Griz to get there, but I for one believe it's possible now. If anything, the Griz success in this tourney should help them. Big Sky teams have always had to muddle with the 16,15,14 seeds, get the benefit of a 12 this year, and proved they were worthy.

Just don't let Krysko leave.

 

[Shakermaker]

If we can get another year out of Krysto, along with his recruiting, I think we would fair much better in a years time. And it is my understanding that Montana was kind of the adopted favorite at the tournament.

 

[GK19]

Who needs to be hassled to get a nice contract for K? How bout the multiple year contract...who's inbox needs to be filled?

 

[EverettGriz]

To highlight how accurate it is that the Sweet 16 is no longer just a dream, ask yourself this question: right now, would you be disappointed if the Griz don't make at least the 2nd round of the tourny? I think most people would say yes, and that speaks volumes of how far this program has come, and how close we are to achieving the Sweet 16 goal.

 

[Copper King]

Who needs to be hassled to get a nice contract for K? How bout the multiple year contract...who's inbox needs to be filled?

That would be the Montana taxpayer, the students at UM and fans who buy tickets to UM games. Coaches are state employees and, while they might get a small amount of money from shoe contracts or local TV appearances, the bulk of their income comes from state appropriations, tuition and gate revenue. Unfortunately, UM is still paying for Wayne Hogan's inability to understand that basic formula and therefore it will still be at least another year or two before there's any extra money to throw in the direction of a successful coach. But then maybe you know a sugar daddy out there?

 

[AllWeatherFan]

The only reasonable goal for UM basketball is to win the Big Sky tournament and advance to the NCAA tourney. Anything after that is icing on the cake. Anybody who think we'll consistently be in the Sweet 16 is an idiot.

 

[TrueGriz]

Who needs to be hassled to get a nice contract for K? How bout the multiple year contract...who's inbox needs to be filled?

That would be the Montana taxpayer, the students at UM and fans who buy tickets to UM games. Coaches are state employees and, while they might get a small amount of money from shoe contracts or local TV appearances, the bulk of their income comes from state appropriations, tuition and gate revenue. Unfortunately, UM is still paying for Wayne Hogan's inability to understand that basic formula and therefore it will still be at least another year or two before there's any extra money to throw in the direction of a successful coach. But then maybe you know a sugar daddy out there?

But, IF the Griz made it to the sweet 16, they would have earned enough money to pretty much pay off the debt because of all the money that goes to teams that made the sweet 16 from CBS TV contract with the NCAA. The win against Nevada has earned the Griz a pretty good slice of the CBS tv money as it is.

Thus, winning games in the NCAA can help pay a coach more money.

 

[Copper King]

Who needs to be hassled to get a nice contract for K? How bout the multiple year contract...who's inbox needs to be filled?

That would be the Montana taxpayer, the students at UM and fans who buy tickets to UM games. Coaches are state employees and, while they might get a small amount of money from shoe contracts or local TV appearances, the bulk of their income comes from state appropriations, tuition and gate revenue. Unfortunately, UM is still paying for Wayne Hogan's inability to understand that basic formula and therefore it will still be at least another year or two before there's any extra money to throw in the direction of a successful coach. But then maybe you know a sugar daddy out there?

But, IF the Griz made it to the sweet 16, they would have earned enough money to pretty much pay off the debt because of all the money that goes to teams that made the sweet 16 from CBS TV contract with the NCAA. The win against Nevada has earned the Griz a pretty good slice of the CBS tv money as it is.

Thus, winning games in the NCAA can help pay a coach more money.

It's the Big Sky Conference that gets the "pretty good slice" of the CBS TV money. Here's a story out of yesterdays's Pocatello newspaper celebrating the BSC's good fortune:

Montana making money for Big Sky with NCAA run

By Kellis Robinett - Journal Sports Writer
POCATELLO - Montana's upset of Nevada in the first round of the NCAA tournament earned the Big Sky Conference national recognition - and money.

For Idaho State University, too. Thanks to the Big Sky's revenue sharing policy, Idaho State will get a piece of the action.

Each year, the Big Sky receives close to $1 million for the team it sends to the NCAA Tournament. For every win that team has in the big dance, the conference gets an extra $1.08 million paid out over a six-year period, said Big Sky Commissioner Doug Fullerton.

So, instead of earning the minimum $1 million for each of the next six years, the Big Sky will get closer to $1.2 million annually.

If Montana keeps winning, the money will keep rolling in.

The extra money came as good news to Fullerton.


Weber State is the only other Big Sky school to win a game in the NCAA Tournament, but because that came back in 1999 the conference was no longer getting bonus money.

With Montana's victory, the Big Sky will now get at least $1.2 million annually until 2011.

Divided among all eight Big Sky teams, each school should get close to $150,000 each year.

The Big Sky, unlike other conferences, doesn't add extra money to the team that wins the NCAA Tournament games.


“We're very socialistic to our approach,” Fullerton said. “We spread it out equally because we're only as good as our weakest team.”

 

[EverettGriz]

The only reasonable goal for UM basketball is to win the Big Sky tournament and advance to the NCAA tourney. Anything after that is icing on the cake. Anybody who think we'll consistently be in the Sweet 16 is an idiot.

I agree with AllWF that that should be the goal every year. But in special years, like next year and the year after could easily be, the goal HAS to be higher. It's not reasonable, as you point out, to assume that a BSC will consistently be a Sweet 16 team. But I'd argue you're an idiot if you don't think it could happen periodically in special years.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

How about that for an incentive based pay raise. Give the $150,000 straight to the coaches that earned it for the school. That'll keep the staff happier for six more years and be a bonus incentive for winning tournament games. K could divide it amongst all the coaches on the staff, since he has said before that they are underpaid.

 

[argh!!]

whethermon, withermon, weather...man... yeah, and ten years ago anybody who thought gonzaga would consistantly be a top team in the country was an idiot.... and whoever thought 5 years ago that criswell kid would make the griz was an idiot... and whoever thought last year that chavez would play again was an idiot... and on and on.... which reminds me of a quote, whethermon - "you can tell a man is a genius when the dunces are in confederacy against him..." (all apologies if that was a paraphrase rather than a quote)

and anyways whetherwhichman, since when did you start putting people down just like l'il greenie? idiots everywhere wanna know....

 

[AllWeatherFan]

arghie, me boy, the only one I'm puttin' down is Wayne Hogan.

It's one thing to dream big and think longingly of that Sweet 16 - it's another thing to fire your coach for not making that dream come true.