Raffa Rumor

[ATL_DANE]

This is disappointing. I was really thinking we would be in a strong position with Siena next year. Ambrose and Raffa would have another year of experience and they'd be losing Hasbrouk. I was counting on that swing.

 

I guess I'll console myself with a winning football team.

[DanesRGood]

Interesting comment on the TU blog posted by an "araffa" stating, ""I know for a fact he has his release, we will fax it over if you want." Most likely someone playing a game but......

[Clickclack]

Latest update from the TU....

The father of UAlbany freshman guard Anthony Raffa confirmed this afternoon that Raffa is transferring to another school.

 

“I don’t think he’s happy with the program up there,” Andrew Raffa said. “I don’t like to say a lot of things. I want to leave well enough alone. I don’t think they handled him very good … I liked it up there. I’m sorry he’s going to be leaving. It’s a shame.”

 

Andrew Raffa also said his son received a letter of release on Monday from UAlbany. The father said that UAlbany will not grant permission for Raffa to talk to any America East, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, or Northeast Conference schools.

 

Andrew Raffa said it was unclear where his son will transfer. Anthony Raffa is still enrolled in classes and will finish the semester, according to his father.

 

No AE, MAAC or NEC schools? Is this common? I can see the AE but no MAAC or NEC? Something doesn't smell right here....

[UA_MA_2000]

Latest update from the TU....

The father of UAlbany freshman guard Anthony Raffa confirmed this afternoon that Raffa is transferring to another school.

 

“I don’t think he’s happy with the program up there,” Andrew Raffa said. “I don’t like to say a lot of things. I want to leave well enough alone. I don’t think they handled him very good … I liked it up there. I’m sorry he’s going to be leaving. It’s a shame.”

 

Andrew Raffa also said his son received a letter of release on Monday from UAlbany. The father said that UAlbany will not grant permission for Raffa to talk to any America East, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, or Northeast Conference schools.

 

Andrew Raffa said it was unclear where his son will transfer. Anthony Raffa is still enrolled in classes and will finish the semester, according to his father.

 

No AE, MAAC or NEC schools? Is this common? I can see the AE but no MAAC or NEC? Something doesn't smell right here....

 

We often play MAAC and NEC schools; is that why?

[Clickclack]

Latest update from the TU....

The father of UAlbany freshman guard Anthony Raffa confirmed this afternoon that Raffa is transferring to another school.

 

“I don’t think he’s happy with the program up there,” Andrew Raffa said. “I don’t like to say a lot of things. I want to leave well enough alone. I don’t think they handled him very good … I liked it up there. I’m sorry he’s going to be leaving. It’s a shame.”

 

Andrew Raffa also said his son received a letter of release on Monday from UAlbany. The father said that UAlbany will not grant permission for Raffa to talk to any America East, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, or Northeast Conference schools.

 

Andrew Raffa said it was unclear where his son will transfer. Anthony Raffa is still enrolled in classes and will finish the semester, according to his father.

 

No AE, MAAC or NEC schools? Is this common? I can see the AE but no MAAC or NEC? Something doesn't smell right here....

 

We often play MAAC and NEC schools; is that why?

 

I have no clue but no NEC or MAAC will limit his options, if he want's to stay close to home or the NE.

[I rock(ed) the Cape]

Interesting that Brian says no letter has been granted, and yet Daddy Raff says otherwise....this whole situation seems very shady

[danefan]

Sounds like Depasquale should have said "no comment."

[Clickclack]

Sounds like Depasquale should have said "no comment."

 

Yeh this is kind of like that....we didn't put Canisius on our top five (last years Bracket busters) only to have Dr. M say....uuhhhh, yeh we did.

 

People gotta get on the same page here!

[soup]

Sounds like Depasquale should have said "no comment."

 

Yeh this is kind of like that....we didn't put Canisius on our top five (last years Bracket busters) only to have Dr. M say....uuhhhh, yeh we did.

 

People gotta get on the same page here!

 

 

 

 

Why does it always seem the UA basketball program is getting caught off guard by the media? They should know by now that Singelais and Iorizzo have nothing better to do that track down nonsense like this - and I'm glad they do - it's great info for the fans.

 

UA is coming out in the press saying, "There is nothing to see here." While the kid and his father are on record saying the kid already has a release - which the dad read from, verbatim. High comedy.

 

Sounds like Raffa went about this on his own - seems like Dad is pretty hands off. I wouldn't be shocked if UA snuck one by Raffa and handed him a release to sign without him reading it - "If you want a release, fine, here it is. Sign it and you're all set." - and they included the other two leagues he would have legitimate options playing in. Very odd that the MAAC and NEC are included - unless CB and his staff became aware of Raffa reaching out to schools in those conferences or vice versa. Siena put the clamps on Kojo - he could go anywhere he wanted to go except a MAAC school and Duquesne - Siena knew there was nonsense going on with Duquesne, so they called Mensah's bluff.

 

When you are not granted a release - you can still attend any school you want - but you can not receive a scholarship for the following year. Mensah went to Duquesne but had to pay the freight the year he sat out.

 

I would figure Raffa was destined for Monmouth. With the NEC and MAAC out - does he latch on to a CAA team? Maybe a Hofstra?

 

I don't think this is a huge loss for UAlbany from a team perspective, but I think Brown is going to be answering some questions this offseason and his seat will be a little warm going forward.

[scrabbleship]

I don't think this is a huge loss for UAlbany from a team perspective, but I think Brown is going to be answering some questions this offseason and his seat will be a little warm going forward.

 

I hate to speak ill of Coach Brown, but I think that if there is another mass exodus or this repeats after next season, it might seriously be time to reevaluate the situation. Not that he's a bad coach, but his plans seem to be backfiring big time.

 

This is just a rhetorical question, but might administration and commitment to athletics play a role in a coach's performance? Seeing how Siena turned .500 Fran into March Madness McCaffery and how Brown's been in decline while we go presidentless just has me wondering...

[danefan]

I don't think this is a huge loss for UAlbany from a team perspective, but I think Brown is going to be answering some questions this offseason and his seat will be a little warm going forward.

 

I hate to speak ill of Coach Brown, but I think that if there is another mass exodus or this repeats after next season, it might seriously be time to reevaluate the situation. Not that he's a bad coach, but his plans seem to be backfiring big time.

 

This is just a rhetorical question, but might administration and commitment to athletics play a role in a coach's performance? Seeing how Siena turned .500 Fran into March Madness McCaffery and how Brown's been in decline while we go presidentless just has me wondering...

 

The administrations committment to athletics is definitely related to success. But its hard to say that UA doesn't have a committment to basketball.

 

UA Basketball expenses in 2008 - $1,179,165

Vermont - $1,306,166

UMBC - $1,012,098

Maine -$895,308

BU - $1,016,935

Bing - $1,533,989

SBU - $1,230,422

UNH - $1,154,574

Hartford - $1,414,161

 

Other Mid Majors

Siena - $1,835,834

Butler - $1,803,345

Niagra - $1,285,006

Monmouth - $1,156,887

Wagner - $987,996

 

The financial committment is on par with other AEast teams.

And not too far off other mid-majors.

 

http://ope.ed.gov/athletics/Index.aspx

[Clickclack]

Per TU, as of 4pm SID still insisting that Raffa does NOT have his release....this whole thing is beyond bizarre!

[Patch]

Now we're learning more FACTS about the situation from a reliable source.....

 

 

UAlbany’s Raffa looking at Friday deadlineMarch 18, 2009

at 8:10 pm by Mark Singelais, Staff writer

 

The former prep school coach of UAlbany freshman guard Anthony Raffa said the player is facing a deadline of Friday to change his mind about transferring.

 

Michael Byrnes, coach of The Winchendon School, said he spoke to Raffa and UAlbany coach Will Brown on Tuesday night.

 

“Coach Brown said he doesn’t want the kid to leave and doesn’t understand why the kid wants to leave, but he doesn’t want kids in his program who aren’t happy and don’t want to be there,” Byrnes said. “He’s given (Raffa) until Friday, hoping the kid will change his mind. If not, he’ll go to that next step and we’ll try to find him another home.”

 

Byrnes said he doesn’t understand why Raffa wants to transfer. Byrnes said that before Thursday, the last time they’d spoken was a couple of hours before the game at Boston University on Feb. 5 and Raffa seemed perfectly happy.

 

“I really don’t know what changed and why he wants to leave,” Byrnes said. “It really doesn’t make sense. He just wants to find another situation.”

 

Byrnes said Raffa is doing well in school with a grade-point average above 3.0.

 

“I asked him, `What are you looking for,?’ ” Byrnes said. “He said, `A good education and somewhere I can play.’ I said, `Isn’t that what you have now?’ He said he just wanted to look elsewhere. A lot of these kids are young and make foolish decisions, but that was the wording he gave me.”

 

Byrnes said Brown told him Raffa would receive an “unconditional release,” which suggests that perhaps Raffa won’t be restricted as far as where he can transfer. However, if Raffa were to go to another America East school, he would have to sit out two years under league rules rather than the usual one year required of a Division I transfer.

 

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Bosi - learn to read in Singelais blog

Update: UAlbany sports information director Brian DePasquale insisted at 4 p.m. that Raffa still doesn’t have an official release.

 

He may have a copy for his personal use but officially it's not done and signed until Friday.

[I rock(ed) the Cape]

The latest Raffa update as per the TU Blog has CB giving Raffa until Friday to change his mind about transferring...

 

http://blogs.timesunion.com/collegesports/?cat=6

[Clickclack]

This is one of the strangest things I've ever heard off. Hopefully Anthony makes the best decision for himself...if he decides to come back I believe all of us will welcome him back.

 

He's a good kid who seems a bit unsure of what he wants at this point in his life. If what he wants isn't here then we'll wish him the best of luck....if he choses to stay...I'll cheer my a$$ off for him every time he takes the court.