godanesgo99

A quick look at verbal commits shows a ton of 2023 recruits being added. The list there is getting long.

Anyone have any new info on the 2022 recruiting? Commits are starting to happen all over.  Any official or unofficial visits? Anything to get excited over?

With Beagle and Davis taking 2 slots and Ketner rumored to have received a scholarship, there are still a few spots left:

Scholarships definite to fill: Cerutti, Champion, Perry, Newman

In the Portal, but could return: Horton and Doles

Outgoing Walk-on: Fizulich, Ketner (rumored Scholarship)

Incoming Scholarship players: Beagle, Davis, Ketner

Incoming Walk-ons: Jackson

This means the team has at minimum 1 scholarship to award if Doles and or Horton stays, and could be 3 if the both move on, unless I am missing something. 

I think that as of now, Davis is the only scholarship that is definitely opening for 2023, With everyone else on the team only being sophomores and freshman right now eligibility wise thanks to COVID extensions, so it's interesting that the 2023 list is starting to look like Bryant's, but the 2022 list seems to have no real movement.

Are the images earlier in this thread new or are they the old renderings? Does anyone see any areas for corporate? Not sure that the school would be able to sell many at the current time, and the arena will be small enough where it may not fit, but I know the school has them in Casey Stadium, I think Stony Brook has for their arena. Just curious if there are plans now or if there is room for future expansion. 

When I went to UA there were a lot of events in the RACC. I saw Dave Matthews, Primus, Green Day, and a bunch of other big shows at the RACC. It's been a long time since I remember hearing about a show on campus. If they plan on using SEFCU for events like that after the renovation in addition to sports, selling corporate boxes that include all sports and all events in the arena can raise a lot of money. 

NM. My wife said it in dark humor and I laughed. It was an inappropriate comment to share.

I'm always thinking about the future and the long term goals. Hypothetically, all goes well over the next 15 years, the college sports world changes and we have the opportunity to become a major type program... Option 1 would be to play at MVP obviously, but anyone know how expensive it would be to raise the roof of SEFCU and add a second deck to get the capacity to the 7k area?

Obviously a dream and wishful thinking, I just fear that the program continuously thinks to small and fails to plan for the future. Obviously a smaller packed arena today is better than an empty larger arena, I just see less seats as an excuse to raise prices.

Two things...

Does that mean this year will be played in the Phys Ed building?

Do the plans have any room for expansion? 3420 seems right for our current attendance numbers, but that is 1,000 less than the current configuration. I know most of you think that the program will never get enough butts in the seats, but we were selling out SEFCU a lot in the 13-16 years and this number of seats is about what we were averaging then, much less the popular games. I was really hoping for the new arena to be able to max out around 6,500-7,500. Well smaller than MVP but more capacity than today. I know we aren't moving up in the next decade, but as a large state school of 17,000 students and a capital region of over a million residents I thought the long term plan was to attempt to move to a FBS type conference and this draw more fans.

Oh well.

Not sure I have ever seen Albany make an offer to a kid that also has an offer from Nebraska of the Big 10, but here we are... 

Also has offers from Bryant (who doesn't) and Denver of the Summit League

Sounds like he has a good head on his shoulders, is focused on building his career, and already has relationships with people on the team.

DIII to D1 is a big jump, but there are some amazing players at that level, and the AE isn't the ACC. Even if he isn't a starter or even a rotation player it sounds like he is committed to being a leader and a team can never have enough motivated leaders. 

Some of the players he mentions playing with regularly should be enough to show he has skills. 

Welcome to the #purplefam

With the apparent end to the investigation, it's now time to turn out attention to recruiting. A bunch of spots to fill...

100% Gone scholarship players

Newman, Perry, Champion

Probably Gone, but could return Scholarship players

Cerutti (Supposedly could get a waiver to return), Horton (Transfer Portal), Doles (Transfer Portal)

Incoming Scholarship Players

Beagle

Incoming Walk-ons

Jackson

Existing Walk-ons that could get a scholarship

Fizulich (in Transfer Portal), Ketner

Analysis

There are at least 2 Scholarships available out of a definite 3 available. 3 more are potentially/probably available, and 3 that could be taken by existing or new walk-ons.

I am hoping we start to see some big offers and signings. DK has a reputation as a great recruiter. We will quickly learn if the recent allegations will have any impact on that....

Gonna take more than 5 years for me to catch you. I typically finish middle of the pack in these things due to me always picking the wrong upsets. Got lucky this year. I'll be back to the middle of the pack next year. I'm just like UA: picked to finish 4th every season, and maybe getting lucky in the tournament a few times a decade.

That said in my CBS pool, I'm winning with 66 entries, and would have had a really good score and would have have the full final 4 in tact if UCLA had beaten NC. I have Villanova beating Duke in final in that pool.

24 minutes ago, Eli said:

Even if Brown was let go due to personal issues with Benson (and you are probably spot on about that), Brown's record alone the last few years would have made many D1 programs consider making a change if they had a coach that couldn't win the regular season or conference tournament for 5-6 years. We as an MBB program were stuck in a rut and a changed needed to be made...even if Benson and Brown were BFFs.

Gattuso

Its an April Fool's joke. The truth is UA announced it is following Hartford and going D3

First win for this contest, but the tournament has been so crazy this year I don't view it as a real accomplishment. I just lucked out with a few picks.

Such a great tournament and a testament to why the big schools should not break away to form their own thing. The low and mid majors are what makes this tournament so special.

1 hour ago, Dane96 said:

Good summary but missing an important piece.   By entering the portal, a school has the right to revoke your scholarship.  Moreover, the school is going to recruit thinking you are gone.  So, it is a massive risk. 

Agreed. That's what I meant about determining if they would be welcomed back before entering the portal. A player would say that they enjoyed their time here but are considering transferring if the right opportunity came along... Say a BCS level school. If the right opportunity doesn't pop up would they be welcomed back? Then if the coach was ok with them back he would say sure, but realize we are recruiting for your role, so you need to make sure you have a decision before we fill your spot.

10 minutes ago, Dane96 said:

There was a study i read that over 58 % of players in the portal do not end up either playing ball at the D1 level or sign with a team at all.  It's really a massive risk. Look at Jeff Undercuffler as an example.  A potential draft pick was being discussed to a kid who can't find a team. 

Entering the portal no longer means you are leaving. From my understanding, normal protocol in today's world is an end of season one on one with the player and coaching staff. At this meeting the players status of his scholarship and anticipated role for the following season is discussed along with feedback on what the player needs to work on in the off season of they want to play a bigger role. For some players, this might include if their scholarship is being renewed. If a player wants to test the portal, this is where they would get feedback on of they would be welcomed back if the portal didn't provide the offer they player was looking for.

Maybe DKs suspension has delayed these meetings, and players are still waiting to see if he is returning and to have those meetings before testing the waters.

Horton and Doles probably know they would be welcomed back based on their PT this year so they were willing to take the risk. If Luke was the player with the altercation it may not matter to him.

Anyway, while this whole situation is terrible, at least it is providing stuff to pontificate about and conversation about the team this time of year. 

1 hour ago, MRSGDG said:

He taged the coach not the coaching staff.

And DK's direct boss is Vic. There is no chance Vic was unaware...zero. 

I did not know the coach reported to Vic and not Benson. 

Wouldn't that mean this whole situation is on Vic and Benson has him as a shield if there was a cover up?

As more info comes out, my fantasy of this being an overblown rumor, and much ado about nothing seems to be fading away.

It still makes no sense to me why the only players in the portal so far are grad transfers testing the waters for higher offers and a walk-on that could probably get a ship and playing time at a lower school (yes there are lower conferences lol). 

I would think that there would be a mass exodus of names into the portal. Even if they don't leave, you'd think uncertainty about the next coach would at least make them explore. This is what makes no sense to me, and why I still have hope it's overblown and the school will find a way to retain him.

Clarification: if he really did "assault" a player he should be gone. If Benson knew and covered it up for more than 48 hours, he should be gone as well.

1 hour ago, MRSGDG said:

If DK was supposed to be on administrative leave for allegedly assaulting a player during this time frame (3/17/22) why would his boss Vic tweet that he has the best staff in the country?

How could anyone think that an internal athletic investigation would not be partial if the administrative staff were publicly stating how great their coach was after what they knew was alleged. No one says you have to tweet things. It means he went out of his way to state this publicly while he was supposedly knew his employee was on administrative leave.🤦‍♀️

Umm he was talking about DK's staff that did the driving, not about DK in that tweet. Also, for all we know Vic didn't know about an investigation. Many of these things are kept to a "need to know" basis.

20 minutes ago, UA'08 said:

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CWq5KDrDeE2/?utm_medium=copy_link
 

Nice little slam here by Luke after the EIU game. Wanted no part of the celebration. This makes for a nice low budget movie.

Have you ever been in the huddle when someone dumps Gatorade? That mess is disgustingly sticky as it dries. I'd want no part of it either if it wasn't being directly dumped on my head.

If true, this throws my hypothetical thought experiment out the window. Promising a scholarship to cover it up would mean an immediate dismissal for anyone involved in the cover up. Unless of course the coach was working for UVM, then of course nothing happens.

If the scholarship offer then wasn't honored it would be even worse. I mean I don't know the severity of the incident, and if it was minor like my hypothetical, then I could see a way to keep everyone through explanation, apology, and honoring the deal, but as soon as the coverup happened, and potentially offers not kept, then everyone involved needs to be gone as soon as the investigation is complete.

If it was Luke, that's sad. I mean the kid followed DK here from Marquette. There had to be some form of a good relationship there before.

15 minutes ago, Eli said:

Where do you draw the line? Is it okay for me to push my boss back if he/she gets in my face for not doing my job correctly? Just because it's in sports doesn't make it okay. It has nothing to do with wussification (trust me, I'm as anti-PC as they come but have to bite my tongue 99% of the time). No one should be touching anyone. Only contact should be on the court, between two opposing teams, with zebra's all around officiating.

Obviously, someone in a leadership role can not initiate contact in an angry way, but thats not what I said. In my FAKE MADE UP EXAMPLE I said the player got in his face and DK pushed him off harder than expected causing the kid to fall accidentally. Again completely fictitious scenario. 

Here is another one... While running a pre-game practice DK doesn't think the kid is boxing out hard enough. Coach gets on the floor and overexaggerates a box out example, causing him to hit the kid and the kid falls. Kid takes it personally at first because the coach yelled at him. 

I am just spitballing scenarios that would explain why we haven't seen a mass exodus over the last 2 weeks. 

1 minute ago, Dane96 said:

Stop right there.  In today's age, you cannot push a kid.  Agree with that statement or not, that's the way the world works today.   

I disagree with this if it's in context. Coaches need to be tough with the kids. If a kid is dogging it and not pushing himself or being a team players I want a coach to get in the kids face. If the kid pushes back and argues, I can see a chest bump. If the kid initiates contact, the coach should push him off. The BS that adults (18+) can't have contact as long as it's in context is one of the biggest problems with the wussification of our youth. I know that's not politically correct, but the millennial give me everything mindset is rampant because there are no consequences. 

Again, the situation I posted is completely hypothetical. I'd support DK if my FAKE and COMPLETELY made up situation was the actual case.

1 minute ago, UA'08 said:

Every player who enters the portal now will be scrutinized. Doles has entered. He’s probably 26 years old at this point. Let me know when these free covid years are done because it’s ridiculous. 

When did Doles enter? Again as a grad student, it makes sense for him to check his options.

At this point, is there a chance that the situation is being blown out of proportion?

I mean what's your opinion if the whole thing was something like this EXAMPLE situation:

Kid mouths off at practice. DK gets in his face. Kid doesn't back down. DK pushes him. Kid falls down. DK didn't mean to really push him, it's a normal heated interaction that happens between adult men in tense situations, and the end result of the kid falling was an accident. Player and coach make up and come to an understanding. Player changes his attitude and moves on having gained respect for coach. "Everyone gets a trophy generation" parents get wind of the story and get angry. Maybe they were mad because their child didn't get enough playing time. Brings their concern to UA leadership. Kid didn't want it, and hasn't entered the Portal. Parents back down, but the damage is done. Investigation is mandatory after any reports happen, but it's mostly a formality after interviews, school plans to support him. Anti-athletics professor at the school (there are plenty of them) is part of the investigation, discovers they aren't going to fire DK and leaks info to put egg on athletics departments face and potentially force their hand after negative press.

I'm not saying that the above situation happened, or even if it is plausible, I'm just stating that none of us actually know what happened at this point and all the speculation on firing or who it was is pure speculation at this moment.

I keep coming back to the fact that the only players to enter the portal so far are ones that really make sense... A grad student who just won awards and might be able to test his skills at a higher level and walk-on that played well in limited time and might want to get a scholarship or more playing time. If I was on the team and I thought the coach was out of line and was not a good leader and someone who might be violent... I'd enter the portal even if it wasn't me. If I thought my coach was about to get fired, I'd enter the portal to see my options and to get my name out there, fully knowing that I might like the new coach and decide to stay.

Only two players in the portal while the coach is under investigation and they all know about it because of the interviews is really strange, unless the players are united in sticking by their coach. The way the portal is going this year, I'd expect 5 or more players in the portal by now without a scandal. Half of the America East is already in the portal. 

Well this is an interesting thing to walk into. I clicked on the last page thinking it was an old thread. 8 pages of stuff.

The way I see it:

If it was bad, and DK lost the respect of the team, you'd think more would have entered the portal by now.

If DK was going to be fired, or at least the team thought he was gone, more would have entered the portal by now.

Fizulich entering the portal makes sense. He was a walk on that played decently well in his time and is probably exploring the potential to get a scholarship where he could get more time elsewhere. He had a great relationship with DK or he wouldn't have followed him to Albany from Marquette.

Horton entering the portal makes sense. He was second team AE and the DPOY in the league. Entering the portal doesn't mean you are leaving, but with 1 year of eligibility left, it makes sense to investigate your options. He has a resume now that could land him on a top 25 type team. If a BCS team doesn't come calling, he could always stay put.

Something smells funny with this whole situation. The fact that, at this moment, there are only two in the portal, both with strong reasons to be there, tells me that this situation may be being blown out of proportion. The only scary part is the story of DK being on leave. That means there is smoke, and where there is smoke there is fire.

At first glance, it appears the players all support him and want to stay here with him if they can. That's why none have entered the portal except the two that, as stated, have real reason to be there.

My guess is that UA is being ultra careful, got wind and started an investigation as they don't want the same type of egg on their face that UVM has with their rape situation, and the players are holding out hope that he is exonerated. At least that's what it looks like to me.

Also, pure speculation at this point: but remember back in November we were told that both Amica and Drumgoole could be back this season. Drumgoole was supposed to be back by conference play. Shafer got hurt back in November as well. Incident could have been with one of them as well.

I thought he earned a scholarship with his play this year. Not a bad role player to have on the bench. Probably never be a star, but not a waste of a ship either.  Ultimately he could definitely get a ton of time in a lower conference or in D2, and I'm sure he wants to play regularly. Good for him. I hope he finds a spot that fits him, and if there is nothing, I'd be happy to keep him on the squad.