New Blog entry

[Clickclack]

05.10.07:

 

We finished up our 2007 recruiting class with the addition of Josh “SCRAP” Martin from Simon Gratz HS in Philly. Josh is a tough hardnosed city guard who has a great feel for the game. He won a state championship as a junior and lost in the city final as a senior. Simon Gratz has a history of sending players to the Division 1 level. NBA players Aaron McKie and Rasheed Wallace played at Simon Gratz. Josh had offers from several programs and we were fortunate to be the university that he decided to attend.

 

We are excited about the potential of the 2008 Great Danes! It was very important to me that we continued to recruit and sign quality people. The young men in this class will have an impact on our program over the next four years. They will work hard and represent our program and university in a positive manner!

 

Gotta love the message boards! I would be a millionaire if I was given a dollar for every time a person in the media contacted me because they saw something on a message board. It is very comical and annoying!

 

Interesting how he points out that they will have an impact over the next four years. And the last paragraph is OUCH! Although I suspect he's right, I just didn't think the media would go to him with what was posted on a message board. Someone is reading what we talk about here.

[danefan]

Reporters are definitly reading this board.

 

Including some that don't hide their identities or at least their employers...."FOX23Sports" being one.

 

I actually like this. A lot of times people on this board have better and more accurate info than the local media.

[Clickclack]

I actually kind of agree with the coach, I'm sure it's pretty comical and annoying. The media is never or very rarely the first to find out about new recruits or schedule games etc. It's the fans that do the research and yes I'm sure we are wrong very often(some more then others) but hey, we are just shooting the $iena amongst ourselves. It's what we do! I'm sure it gets annoying to have to answer to every rumor that comes up on this or other boards, but it's part of the game.

[purplehaze]

If anyone in the media uses this board as a source, they are at a severe deficit and need to think about going back to school.

 

maybe some of us should have their jobs.

[UA_MA_2000]

If anyone in the media uses this board as a source, they are at a severe deficit and need to think about going back to school.

 

maybe some of us should have their jobs.

 

Media persons actually go to college??? (just kidding!!)

[Dane96]

I actually kind of agree with the coach, I'm sure it's pretty comical and annoying. The media is never or very rarely the first to find out about new recruits or schedule games etc. It's the fans that do the research and yes I'm sure we are wrong very often(some more then others) but hey, we are just shooting the $iena amongst ourselves. It's what we do! I'm sure it gets annoying to have to answer to every rumor that comes up on this or other boards, but it's part of the game.

 

 

Ummmm...unless I am sorely mistaken, it seems Coach is not upset with the media...rather the fans. It goes WAY beyond shooting the $iena sometimes...and frankly, people need to take a moment to read before hitting the "send" button.

 

This is something we have spoken of UMPTEEN times on this board. I have been saying it for nearly a year now; The AE boards and this Board have often taken a nose dive in content and topic.

 

Part of it is new and enthusiastic blood to the board. The other part are people who think anonymity grants them rights they ordinarily do not have and would never dare use in a face to face interaction, particularly the sometimes ridiculous "we are entitled" to know comments.

 

You take the good with the bad. The good is that there is a growth in the fan base. The bad is the growing pains.

 

I suspect, over time, the inane posts will dissipate.

 

Hasn't been said in a long time, but we should all thank DP and Lady DP for giving up their time to start and maintain this board. Though Will (rightfully) is a a bit p.o.'d at the speculation produced here and elsewhere, the boards do serve a deeper purpose in growing our fan base when utilized properly.

 

Thanks DP and Lady DP!!!

[McFan]

I really like Coach Brown and hope he is more annoyed with the media, but if Dane96 is right and he's ticked at a message board and the people that post here, he needs to look at his paycheck and realize being annoyed by overzealot fans is part of why he gets that nice chunk of change every couple of weeks.

 

Sorry if that rubs some the wrong way or sounds insensitive, but its part of the package. You have to deal with the players, the media, the administration, and yes the fans.

[Dane96]

I really like Coach Brown and hope he is more annoyed with the media, but if Dane96 is right and he's ticked at a message board and the people that post here, he needs to look at his paycheck and realize being annoyed by overzealot fans is part of why he gets that nice chunk of change every couple of weeks.

 

Sorry if that rubs some the wrong way or sounds insensitive, but its part of the package. You have to deal with the players, the media, the administration, and yes the fans.

 

 

I dont completely disagree with you, however my point is people often type messages to hear themselves (or prove their "in-ness"). I think my beef, and I will not speak for Coach Brown, is the speculation that is often baseless in nature and would NEVER be said in a personal interaction.

 

Sure, if you are willing to say it out loud...by all means say it on the board. However, much like laxpower.com's rules, you SHOULD USE QUALIFYING WORDS when dealing in speculation, e.g. "it is my opinion" or "I believe, however it is not fact."

 

Sorry, in any medium, you cant just SAY what's on your mind or what you hear without reprecussions. Pro athletes, personally I think they are prepped for bad things and speculation.

 

Kids such a Raffa who are maligned with "a board said he didnt qualify", are not and they should not be subject to such information spewed on boards until we are CLEAR it is the case.

 

My .02.

[Patch]

Gotta love the message boards! I would be a millionaire if I was given a dollar for every time a person in the media contacted me because they saw something on a message board. It is very comical and annoying! - Coach's Blog

 

I hate to disagree with D96 but I think Coach Brown understands our site and the fans desire to know what's going on and how we constantly speculate and guess.

 

It seems to me that he's annoyed that the intelligent media people are on board and trying to decipher what's happening by reading into the posts from fans on this site and probably every other site they can find.

 

I believe Coach Brown enjoys the concept that the fan base is active year round. I'm sure he remembers taking over and having a handfull of people in the stands, in fact we probably have more active members on this site then there were in the stands 5 or so years ago.

 

Where I totally agree with D96 is on his thoughts about the tremendous job and service DP and Lady DP do for the fans of UA Athletics!!!!

 

Thank You very much Lady DP and DP!!!!

[Clickclack]

FWIW, I read into his comment as he is playfully intrigued or finds it comical what the boards talk about. Him saying that it's annoying means nothing more then having to answer all the media questions that they pick up on this and other boards, it detracts him from his every day activity in running the program. I didn't get the sense that he's pissed at anyone, I think he completely understands that this is part of the game.

 

I think in that last paragraph he's talking about the Raffa controversy and people picking something up of some obscure message board (maybe even me to a certain extent) and running with it. And once we picked it up here, I'm sure he's been getting phone calls for clarification by the local media.

 

I think he's on board, he knows what he is dealing with and playfully controls the info that he release when he's good and ready. He's shrude, I don't think anyone would disagree. It's simply a pain in the ass to have to answer questions thats are not based on facts but rather only on rumors and innuendos. Just my .02

[B9j2j6s]

We should be careful what we post on this board, many of us know that the players do come on this and other sites to read what people are thinking. (Even though they shouldn't)

 

On another note I enjoy this site since a few summers ago when GD 84 showed me this site I've been reading it daily for updates, it is IMHO a good source of information when taken with a grain of salt. Thank you DP and Lady DP for creating this site.

[McFan]

I really like Coach Brown and hope he is more annoyed with the media, but if Dane96 is right and he's ticked at a message board and the people that post here, he needs to look at his paycheck and realize being annoyed by overzealot fans is part of why he gets that nice chunk of change every couple of weeks.

 

Sorry if that rubs some the wrong way or sounds insensitive, but its part of the package. You have to deal with the players, the media, the administration, and yes the fans.

 

 

I dont completely disagree with you, however my point is people often type messages to hear themselves (or prove their "in-ness"). I think my beef, and I will not speak for Coach Brown, is the speculation that is often baseless in nature and would NEVER be said in a personal interaction.

 

Sure, if you are willing to say it out loud...by all means say it on the board. However, much like laxpower.com's rules, you SHOULD USE QUALIFYING WORDS when dealing in speculation, e.g. "it is my opinion" or "I believe, however it is not fact."

 

Sorry, in any medium, you cant just SAY what's on your mind or what you hear without reprecussions. Pro athletes, personally I think they are prepped for bad things and speculation.

 

Kids such a Raffa who are maligned with "a board said he didnt qualify", are not and they should not be subject to such information spewed on boards until we are CLEAR it is the case.

 

My .02.

 

I could not agree more on the Raffa statements that were made. Off base and out of bounds. That said to speculate on the scholarship situation is fair game in my opinion. To the untrained eye, we have too many.

 

The media and fans should question that. Its the medias job and it shows that the fans care.

[UAalum72]

It was my impression that Will was annoyed and amused by the media - as in 'why don't these clowns do some research before asking me about every crackpot rumor on the web' , and now Mark Singelais' blog makes sure Will knows that he shouldn't take a shot at the media like that (like MS has been sooooo supportive in the past)

 

"On his Web site, UAlbany coach Will Brown announced today he has completed his recruiting class for next season with the signing of Simon Gratz High School point guard Josh Martin.

 

That gives UAlbany a six-man recruiting class for the 2007-08 season. Right now, UAlbany projects to have 14 players on its roster next year, including seven returnees and guard Tim Ambrose, who was an academic non-qualifier last season. There is a limit of 13 players allowed on scholarship in Division I.

 

(Brown called Tuesday night to confirm the Martin signing and add that fall signee Anthony Raffa, also a point guard, is still coming to UAlbany, despite Internet rumors to the contrary.)

Brown concludes his blog entry by taking a shot either at a) fan message boards; b ) the media; or c) both. It must be tough having people interested in your program. I’m sure it was much more fun when the team was 5-23 and hardly anyone cared."

[danefan]

Message boards are today's equivalent to the local coffee shop or barber shop. People talk and speculate. It gives us something to do. I think it's interesting to sit back and observe the brewing relationship between UA fans, coaches and the ever increasing local media attention. We are still in our infancy and everyone is still sort of feeling it out. Right now the local media is not all that involved and to an extent need us for stories. In a few years I believe the balance of power will shift to us needing the local media for tips.

 

Just me $.015. I don't get the full $.02 yet...still a pup.

[Clickclack]

Good to hear that Raffa is infect coming.....anyone else sense Mark is getting his panties in a bunch? No doubt he perceived CB's blog entry as a knock on him and other media types. The last two sentences are indeed comical. I love it!