Raffa Rumor

[Clickclack]

I don't know what Raffa could be that pissed about...the guy played almost 30 minutes a game took 3rd most shots on the team as a freshmen.

[statefan]

Do you guys not see an instituational problem here though?

 

Regardless of the on-court ramifications of this. Look beyond that. Do you see a problem?

 

2005-2006: The first tourney team graduated all of its players (albeit Bauman graduated early.)

 

2006-2007: Four players on the team (Ross, Yocum, Anderson, Knight) did not graduate. (Walk-On James is ignored.) Gifford is the only player left that can graduate.

 

2007-2008: Four players on the team (Martin, Turley, Anderson (again), Moores) did not graduate. Gifford, Ambrose, and Allen are the only players left that can graduate.

 

2008-2009: One player (so far) will not be graduating. With McCrae and Barraza rumors circulating, the number may grow.

 

With 1/3 of the roster turning over each year (in recent years), yes, I do see a problem.

 

Haggy - I'm not sure (and I'm way too lazy to look it up) , but wasn't Kiel Graham in the recruiting class with Covington, Connelly and Siggers, which would have been the first tourney team?

[DanesRGood]

A friend of mine has always said he didn't like the way Coach Brown handled his players like Ambrose and Raffa. This tough love attitude and yanking players after a single mistake hurts the player and the team by not having that player on the court or in the game. Some players respond really well to being benched, it motivates them to get better but for some it causes resentment and anger. I really think that combined with the talk of moving him to SG next year is the reason here but that is pure speculation. I hope we find out the real story but doubt we will.

[haggyland]

Haggy - I'm not sure (and I'm way too lazy to look it up) , but wasn't Kiel Graham in the recruiting class with Covington, Connelly and Siggers, which would have been the first tourney team?

2005-2006 Nov04 Brian Connelly F 6'8" 225 NJ HS

May05 Jimmie Covington F/C 6'7" 235 IL HS

Kiel Graham F/C 6'9" 215 WI JC

Jason Siggers G/F 6'4" 195 TX JC

 

 

Looking at my notes, it looks like it was an oversight on my part.

Good eye.

[purplehaze]

Rumor that Raffa is possibly headed to Monmouth.

[bleedpurple101]

bring back carl ross

[danefan]

Rumor that Raffa is possibly headed to Monmouth.

 

 

That's what I expected. A pretty good NEC team that is in the process of building a new bball arena and is 3 hours closer to Cape May.

[Classof72/74]

Why would he transfer it doesn't make sense to me. He started as a freshman, he was willing to hold his committment for two years I would be shocked if this happens. But hey its D1 athletics these things happen. Maybe he feels like he will get less playing time next year at PG.

 

 

It might also be that players are transferring out because they're finding UA academics (too) challenging when combined with the time committments for sports. Depends are what their priorities are.

[danefan]

Why would he transfer it doesn't make sense to me. He started as a freshman, he was willing to hold his committment for two years I would be shocked if this happens. But hey its D1 athletics these things happen. Maybe he feels like he will get less playing time next year at PG.

 

 

It might also be that players are transferring out because they're finding UA academics (too) challenging when combined with the time committments for sports. Depends are what their priorities are.

 

If that is the case, which we don't know if it is or not, then is Brown recruiting the wrong kids? Or is he having trouble attracting the kids that can handle the academics?

 

This is all interesting to me. The last thing we want as alumns and fans is to see any athletic program at UA travel down the path of Bing (sacrificing academics to be a 15 seed). I'm not saying Brown is doing that, because if he was these kids that couldn't handle the academics would still be on the team anyway. I'm just trying to figure out why 1/3 of the team would transfer out every year.

[Clickclack]

Not for nothing but the basketball team has won the last two academic titles....the kids that are on this team are obviously performing very well in the classroom, the problem is keeping them here.

[Clickclack]

Wildwood Leader reports that Raffa's transfer had nothing to do with academics as his GPA was 3.0+ according to his family!

[UA_MA_2000]

Fellow fans, it's tough to lose someone who we expected to start for us next year, but so it goes. Kids transfer for all kinds of reasons, many of which can have nothing to do with the school, team, classmates, teammates, etc.

 

I myself attended 6 different universities during my college career. Each decision to go to the next institution was never a negative reflection of the institution (or its faculty or students) that I was leaving.

[Clickclack]

Found this on the TU blogs....Link!

 

Update: While head coach Will Brown didn’t respond to an e-mail, UAlbany sports information director Brian DePasquale said news of Raffa leaving “is still speculation at this point.”

 

What tha.....????????????????

[Classof72/74]

Found this on the TU blogs....Link!

 

Update: While head coach Will Brown didn’t respond to an e-mail, UAlbany sports information director Brian DePasquale said news of Raffa leaving “is still speculation at this point.”

 

What tha.....????????????????

 

Please, not another E.J.Gallup saga

 

[Clickclack]

Update to an update....

 

Update: While head coach Will Brown didn’t respond to an e-mail, UAlbany sports information director Brian DePasquale said news of Raffa leaving “is still speculation at this point.” DePasquale also indicated that, contrary to the newspaper report, Raffa had yet to receive his letter of release from UAlbany. “If that was the case, then it would no longer be speculation,” DePasquale wrote via e-mail.