Dykstra in Portal

[MSU01]

Something will have to change. Personally, I think if a player is going to be paid NIL money to play at a school they suddenly are no longer "student-athletes" but they are paid employees and should be required to sign a contract that they cannot leave for three years.

Would you also support holding the schools to the same 3-year commitment, so that they'd have to honor the player's scholarship and NIL money for the full 3 years even if the player wasn't any good? This also seems impossible to enforce for players who receive NIL money from potentially multiple outside sources instead of directly from the school as part of the new revenue sharing agreement.

That was the point I was making about Binford being loyal to Lindsey Hein even though she was unable to play. I don’t suppose there’s any perfect solution. But the damage is taking a toll on the fans. I know it is with me anyway.

Agreed, it will definitely take a toll on fans if this keeps happening year after year after year...I just don't think there's a way to stop it under the current portal rules and year-to-year scholarship system. I'll still show up and cheer for the Bobcats every year even if it's a brand new roster, but I'm certainly not going to be donating any money for NIL when there's zero guarantee that the players who are getting that money won't be gone as soon as their "NIL agent" gets a better offer from somewhere else.

[SACCAT]

Hypothetical question...

A Millionaire / Billionaire comes up the MSU Athletics and says "I am going to donate 10 Million dollars a year to MSU Basketball (5 Million for each program). You can now go and pay 5 of the best 20 players in mens, and the top 5 womens basketball players in the country. You will have to cut at least 5 players that you recruited from each team, and most of these great players will be junior or seniors (so at MOST they are with the program for 2 years). Every year is another 5 best players, but you win National Championships in both.....

You fans OK with that?

[Helcat72]

Something will have to change. Personally, I think if a player is going to be paid NIL money to play at a school they suddenly are no longer "student-athletes" but they are paid employees and should be required to sign a contract that they cannot leave for three years.

Would you also support holding the schools to the same 3-year commitment, so that they'd have to honor the player's scholarship and NIL money for the full 3 years even if the player wasn't any good? This also seems impossible to enforce for players who receive NIL money from potentially multiple outside sources instead of directly from the school as part of the new revenue sharing agreement.

Would you say that an employer should keep an employee who doesn't WORK at their job where their job was given them with the stipulation that they fulfill their potential? I would say that maybe after the second year they are re-assessed and the contract is either renewed for that 3rd year or they are made a free agent. They could stay and try to reach that potential or hit the portal. If there is a contract for three years the 3rd year is at the school's discretion. After all they are getting an education and some NIL. If they become good enough to put themselves on the open market they can do it as a senior or they can be re-recruited and a new contract for a year drawn up with NIL bonuses for POY or all league awards.

[AFCAT]

Hypothetical question...

A Millionaire / Billionaire comes up the MSU Athletics and says "I am going to donate 10 Million dollars a year to MSU Basketball (5 Million for each program). You can now go and pay 5 of the best 20 players in mens, and the top 5 womens basketball players in the country. You will have to cut at least 5 players that you recruited from each team, and most of these great players will be junior or seniors (so at MOST they are with the program for 2 years). Every year is another 5 best players, but you win National Championships in both.....

You fans OK with that?

I don't know, but I'm okay with the Ghost of Cat Thompson to come down and sprinkle magic 1929 Golden Bobcat dust on the Brick that allows for a bunch of 5'9" to 6'2" walk-on players to win the Natty every year. Then the millionaire/billionaire can donate his/her cash to build a new East grandstand at Bobcat Stadium.

[Colter_Nuanez]

Hypothetical question...

A Millionaire / Billionaire comes up the MSU Athletics and says "I am going to donate 10 Million dollars a year to MSU Basketball (5 Million for each program). You can now go and pay 5 of the best 20 players in mens, and the top 5 womens basketball players in the country. You will have to cut at least 5 players that you recruited from each team, and most of these great players will be junior or seniors (so at MOST they are with the program for 2 years). Every year is another 5 best players, but you win National Championships in both.....

You fans OK with that?

Here's what's crazy....$5 million a year wouldn't even come close to helping Montana State's men touch the top 50 programs in the country. National reporters right now are speculating that if you are a men's basketball player who's a sophomore or freshman who averaged more than 10 points per game, the market for those players STARTS at $750,000 a year.

I heard a story from a Big Sky assistant than players are asking for $25-50K just to come on visits! Like earnest money when you buy a house

Most of the top 50 programs in the country in men's hoops will have payrolls of more than $25 million a year. Rumors are that the top 10 will have more like $30-35 million a year. That's basically $3 million PER player....

[AFCAT]

Hypothetical question...

A Millionaire / Billionaire comes up the MSU Athletics and says "I am going to donate 10 Million dollars a year to MSU Basketball (5 Million for each program). You can now go and pay 5 of the best 20 players in mens, and the top 5 womens basketball players in the country. You will have to cut at least 5 players that you recruited from each team, and most of these great players will be junior or seniors (so at MOST they are with the program for 2 years). Every year is another 5 best players, but you win National Championships in both.....

You fans OK with that?

Here's what's crazy....$5 million a year wouldn't even come close to helping Montana State's men touch the top 50 programs in the country. National reporters right now are speculating that if you are a men's basketball player who's a sophomore or freshman who averaged more than 10 points per game, the market for those players STARTS at $750,000 a year.

I heard a story from a Big Sky assistant than players are asking for $25-50K just to come on visits! Like earnest money when you buy a house

Most of the top 50 programs in the country in men's hoops will have payrolls of more than $25 million a year. Rumors are that the top 10 will have more like $30-35 million a year. That's basically $3 million PER player....

So, should we take that as a no on the millionaire/billionaire offer?

[MSU01]

Something will have to change. Personally, I think if a player is going to be paid NIL money to play at a school they suddenly are no longer "student-athletes" but they are paid employees and should be required to sign a contract that they cannot leave for three years.

Would you also support holding the schools to the same 3-year commitment, so that they'd have to honor the player's scholarship and NIL money for the full 3 years even if the player wasn't any good? This also seems impossible to enforce for players who receive NIL money from potentially multiple outside sources instead of directly from the school as part of the new revenue sharing agreement.

Would you say that an employer should keep an employee who doesn't WORK at their job where their job was given them with the stipulation that they fulfill their potential? I would say that maybe after the second year they are re-assessed and the contract is either renewed for that 3rd year or they are made a free agent. They could stay and try to reach that potential or hit the portal. If there is a contract for three years the 3rd year is at the school's discretion. After all they are getting an education and some NIL. If they become good enough to put themselves on the open market they can do it as a senior or they can be re-recruited and a new contract for a year drawn up with NIL bonuses for POY or all league awards.

If the employer required the employee to sign a binding 3-year agreement at the time of hire, then yes I would expect both sides to honor that commitment. The point I'm trying to make here is that I don't think it's fair to require the employees (players) to have more loyalty than the employers (the schools) are expected to show towards them. As long as the schools continue to get to make year-by-year decisions as to whether a player has earned a scholarship renewal for next year, then players should also have the ability to make their own decision each year. It sucks right now when we're in the "portal taketh away" portion of the calendar, but I doubt anyone will be complaining when the incoming transfers start to be announced.

[SACCAT]

Hypothetical question...

A Millionaire / Billionaire comes up the MSU Athletics and says "I am going to donate 10 Million dollars a year to MSU Basketball (5 Million for each program). You can now go and pay 5 of the best 20 players in mens, and the top 5 womens basketball players in the country. You will have to cut at least 5 players that you recruited from each team, and most of these great players will be junior or seniors (so at MOST they are with the program for 2 years). Every year is another 5 best players, but you win National Championships in both.....

You fans OK with that?

Here's what's crazy....$5 million a year wouldn't even come close to helping Montana State's men touch the top 50 programs in the country. National reporters right now are speculating that if you are a men's basketball player who's a sophomore or freshman who averaged more than 10 points per game, the market for those players STARTS at $750,000 a year.

I heard a story from a Big Sky assistant than players are asking for $25-50K just to come on visits! Like earnest money when you buy a house

Most of the top 50 programs in the country in men's hoops will have payrolls of more than $25 million a year. Rumors are that the top 10 will have more like $30-35 million a year. That's basically $3 million PER player....

Ok, then 40 million a year for each program. My point isn't about that, it's about at some point the "I hate this portal and NIL" from fans changes when winning happens.

[MSU01]

Hypothetical question...

A Millionaire / Billionaire comes up the MSU Athletics and says "I am going to donate 10 Million dollars a year to MSU Basketball (5 Million for each program). You can now go and pay 5 of the best 20 players in mens, and the top 5 womens basketball players in the country. You will have to cut at least 5 players that you recruited from each team, and most of these great players will be junior or seniors (so at MOST they are with the program for 2 years). Every year is another 5 best players, but you win National Championships in both.....

You fans OK with that?

Here's what's crazy....$5 million a year wouldn't even come close to helping Montana State's men touch the top 50 programs in the country. National reporters right now are speculating that if you are a men's basketball player who's a sophomore or freshman who averaged more than 10 points per game, the market for those players STARTS at $750,000 a year.

I heard a story from a Big Sky assistant than players are asking for $25-50K just to come on visits! Like earnest money when you buy a house

Most of the top 50 programs in the country in men's hoops will have payrolls of more than $25 million a year. Rumors are that the top 10 will have more like $30-35 million a year. That's basically $3 million PER player....

Ok, then 40 million a year for each program. My point isn't about that, it's about at some point the "I hate this portal and NIL" from fans changes when winning happens.

I think it's entirely possible to dislike the portal/NIL landscape of college athletics today while at the same time cheering and being happy when your favorite team wins. If I had to choose between MSU winning with a team of players that mostly stay for 4/5 years or them winning with a team full of brand new players every year, I'm certainly taking the first option although I'd be happy either way. Seeing players like Dykstra and Picton leave is always going to be frustrating because we know how good they are and how much fun they are to watch and we all really wanted to keep watching them play for the Bobcats.

[Colter_Nuanez]

Hypothetical question...

A Millionaire / Billionaire comes up the MSU Athletics and says "I am going to donate 10 Million dollars a year to MSU Basketball (5 Million for each program). You can now go and pay 5 of the best 20 players in mens, and the top 5 womens basketball players in the country. You will have to cut at least 5 players that you recruited from each team, and most of these great players will be junior or seniors (so at MOST they are with the program for 2 years). Every year is another 5 best players, but you win National Championships in both.....

You fans OK with that?

Here's what's crazy....$5 million a year wouldn't even come close to helping Montana State's men touch the top 50 programs in the country. National reporters right now are speculating that if you are a men's basketball player who's a sophomore or freshman who averaged more than 10 points per game, the market for those players STARTS at $750,000 a year.

I heard a story from a Big Sky assistant than players are asking for $25-50K just to come on visits! Like earnest money when you buy a house

Most of the top 50 programs in the country in men's hoops will have payrolls of more than $25 million a year. Rumors are that the top 10 will have more like $30-35 million a year. That's basically $3 million PER player....

Ok, then 40 million a year for each program. My point isn't about that, it's about at some point the "I hate this portal and NIL" from fans changes when winning happens.

I knew what you meant, Sac Just seemed like a good spot to drop the insane things I've been hearing.

Ok here's a good hypothetical: let's say Montana State literally bought a basketball team and bought a Final Four run or a national championship. It was definitively a team that won ONLY because of the talent acquired via a pay roll. Would you be into a run spurred on exclusively by money?

[saintcat40]

No. I honestly wouldn’t be into that run at all. My favorite part of sports is the human interest aspect. Cheering for the team chemistry of individuals who have overcome failures along the path of winning. One reason why I so greatly enjoyed this past year’s football season so very much. That team was made up of winners regardless of the results of the last game. I also truly enjoyed watching this lady cats basketball team come together and win because of team chemistry to go along with the talent. I wouldn’t enjoy the winning if it was simply paid for. I have friends who were huge Ohio State fans, but they don’t enjoy winning as much when it is simply because you have the highest paid roster. Anyways, that’s my input.

[Bobcat4Ever]

Dykstra was the Cats’ best offensive player in the half court and a talented hooper. But in terms of what the Cats want to do across the board, Addison Harris is a much better fit as a defensive player and rebounder. If Harris takes the next step, she’ll be exactly as good if not better than Dykstra next year…And if the Cats keep Chirrick, Johnson, Harris, Phillips and add the Montana girls they have committed like Madison O’Connor, they’ll be really, really good for years to come.

Binford has had her and the school’s all time greatest team four times in the last 9 years. She knows what she’s doing…

Don’t forget about Erickson. She has a ton of potential. I think she will develop into a solid contributor next season.

Oh, yes. She’s still one of the prized recruits. She has just needed some time to gain strength for the college game. Read her bio to see what Trish thinks of her.

[Joe Bobcat]

Dykstra was the Cats’ best offensive player in the half court and a talented hooper. But in terms of what the Cats want to do across the board, Addison Harris is a much better fit as a defensive player and rebounder. If Harris takes the next step, she’ll be exactly as good if not better than Dykstra next year…And if the Cats keep Chirrick, Johnson, Harris, Phillips and add the Montana girls they have committed like Madison O’Connor, they’ll be really, really good for years to come.

Binford has had her and the school’s all time greatest team four times in the last 9 years. She knows what she’s doing…

Don’t forget about Erickson. She has a ton of potential. I think she will develop into a solid contributor next season.

Oh, yes. She’s still one of the prized recruits. She has just needed some time to gain strength for the college game. Read her bio to see what Trish thinks of her.

I have huge hopes and expectations for Erickson's next 3 years. I was a little surprised that she didn't show out a bit better this year but have no doubt that she will be awesome going forward. I think she can do all of the same type of things for the Cats as Wadington did for the Griz this year and more.

[lutecat]

When Kola and Darian portaled out to use their covid year Coach Bin liked their Instagram posts announcing it. She hasn't liked these players posts. My guess is this is a surprise to her.

This is very different. Kola (fave player ever) and Darian came in as regular four-year recruits. They played their four and were outstanding. In the middle covid had added an unexpected year. Kola decided to play hers near her home and family. Darian wanted to try bigger and went to Nebraska where ex-cat assistant Julian Assibe is on the staff. Kind of an in-house move. Both of them were gifted their fifth year after they had planned to be done in four. It wasn’t a surprise to anyone, coaches or fans alike.

This situation is not at all the same. Neither have played four years. Neither has been gifted a year, and a decision to make. I suspect Marah’s decision might have something to do with her schedule and playing with the Canadian team. Does she move closer to Toronto? I’m going to hazard a guess that Natalie heads not for greener, but for warmer pastures. Like most guesses, it’s most likely wrong.

Exactly. That's what I was trying to get at. Bin supported using that extra year to go do something more. They put in their time.

Like someone said, I too have a hard time thinking these two showed anything in the NCAA's to warrant a huge NIL payday. In no way am I knocking them down or diminishing them. I was excited about them coming back but it's not like they were the dominant stars on our team where they were both dominating every game more than every other player. Natalie wasn't a starter and though we know why that was as a disruptor coming off the bench with Taylee's and I'm devastated by her leaving, to someone not paying more casual attention they wouldn't know that.

I know this is the wrong thing to say because it diminishes their skills as athletes but I do wonder a little if this is about marketabliity. Let's call it what it is, Natalie is pretty easy on the eyes. Livvy Dunne has the following that she does because she's beautiful and good at gymnastics. Women's sports has shown with Livvy and the Cavender twins, that you market yourself in the right way, you have a lot of money out there for the taking. But you can get that at MSU if you want. There's a kicker from UM that has a ton of followers though harsly any of us know his name from the field. Natalie is super active in her Instagram. And it's mostly posting stuff about her teammates and team but she definately has an aptitude for social media. Now I want to be clear. I don't think Natalie's just a pretty face. That girl impressed the F out of me in her interview after the loss to OSU. She showed real poise and leadership and man was I freaking excited for her to be back. She made a leap in abilities between last and this year. She just looked more...controlled. I think by the time she was a senior here, her only weakness would've been her height.

And let's make the point that it could have nothing to do with money either. Boyfriend, closer to family, the whole Canada/US thing happening. But you go back and listen to the presser where they talk about being bought in on the hashtag #allforone and you just don't know what's happening.

After a week or two, my hurt will fade a little and I'll be cheering her on wherever she goes. But she's been my favorite for two years and I was excited for next year for her here. Honestly going back through and proofreading this whole long post I feel like it's been....I don't know therapeutic? I started off still hurt and by the time I got to the last paragraph I'd come to terms with it.

If any of you players read the comments on this thread just realize there's hurt from the fanbase which sometimes leads to comments where that hurt comes out. You don't normally see where a huge part of your fanbase knows the story of EVERY SINGLE player on the team. Not just the starters but the end of the bench just as much as Esme. Bobcat Nation was invested in you like you don't normally see. We shared your joy every game you won and when you lost to Sac St, we shared your hurt and disappointment in a depth that you don't normally see. I got over the loss in the National Championship in football in 5 minutes. I needed a couple days to get over the loss to Sac St. Maybe it's the Caitlin Clark effect where we follow women's basketball like never before. But I think it's more than just we had a historic season. This last uear felt magical in a way. I'm appreciative to each one of you and I will be one of your biggest champions no matter where you go. True leadership sometimes means watching someone special to you move on to something more. It hurts badly but if you want the best for them when they're on your team, you'll want the best for them if they move on to a new challenge. Because at the end of the day, growth comes from challenge and only you can decide where that challenge comes from. So I bid the three fo you adieu...I mean Natalie is from French Canada right? So we ought to use a little French here and there.

[lutecat]

Hypothetical question...

A Millionaire / Billionaire comes up the MSU Athletics and says "I am going to donate 10 Million dollars a year to MSU Basketball (5 Million for each program). You can now go and pay 5 of the best 20 players in mens, and the top 5 womens basketball players in the country. You will have to cut at least 5 players that you recruited from each team, and most of these great players will be junior or seniors (so at MOST they are with the program for 2 years). Every year is another 5 best players, but you win National Championships in both.....

You fans OK with that?

Here's what's crazy....$5 million a year wouldn't even come close to helping Montana State's men touch the top 50 programs in the country. National reporters right now are speculating that if you are a men's basketball player who's a sophomore or freshman who averaged more than 10 points per game, the market for those players STARTS at $750,000 a year.

I heard a story from a Big Sky assistant than players are asking for $25-50K just to come on visits! Like earnest money when you buy a house

Most of the top 50 programs in the country in men's hoops will have payrolls of more than $25 million a year. Rumors are that the top 10 will have more like $30-35 million a year. That's basically $3 million PER player....

Ok, then 40 million a year for each program. My point isn't about that, it's about at some point the "I hate this portal and NIL" from fans changes when winning happens.

I knew what you meant, Sac Just seemed like a good spot to drop the insane things I've been hearing.

Ok here's a good hypothetical: let's say Montana State literally bought a basketball team and bought a Final Four run or a national championship. It was definitively a team that won ONLY because of the talent acquired via a pay roll. Would you be into a run spurred on exclusively by money?

This is a good thought exercise. At first I wanted to say Sac is absolutely right. We would all take it. We would be sad to see players go that we dropped but then if we had the 5 best players in the sport would we get to know the end of the bench like we do this team? But then there was the comment by Saintcat and i thought no i wouldn't have the kind of depth of focus on the team in that case because winning would be easy and it wouldn't be as special. But then I went, wait, I'm a Dodgers fan and I pay more attention now than ever and know all the players from the staters to the utility players more than ever and we all know the Dodgers don't suck!!!

[aucat]

I had season tickets to both the men and women but I found myself enjoying the women's games so much more and I think it was because of the makeup of the players on the team, not just the fact that they were winning. The team chemistry always appeared to really be good. I guess we forget that both Marah and Natlie are from Canada. It will be interesting to see where they end up. Obviously, we would have loved to see them stay and graduate from Montana State. Wonder what their long term goals are? Do they want to return to Canada? If so, perhaps it makes sense for them to leave. Or are they leaving just because some team offered them some money?? It's hard for me to believe that would be their reason for leaving. Time will tell. But yes, as fans, we do get emotionally attached to the players, especially the group that we had this year. On the other hand, when you have a team, say the men, and you just have a whole bunch of guys transfer in and put on the MSU jersey, it's not the same level of interest. At least for me.

[MSU01]

I had season tickets to both the men and women but I found myself enjoying the women's games so much more and I think it was because of the makeup of the players on the team, not just the fact that they were winning. The team chemistry always appeared to really be good. I guess we forget that both Marah and Natlie are from Canada. It will be interesting to see where they end up. Obviously, we would have loved to see them stay and graduate from Montana State. Wonder what their long term goals are? Do they want to return to Canada? If so, perhaps it makes sense for them to leave. Or are they leaving just because some team offered them some money?? It's hard for me to believe that would be their reason for leaving. Time will tell. But yes, as fans, we do get emotionally attached to the players, especially the group that we had this year. On the other hand, when you have a team, say the men, and you just have a whole bunch of guys transfer in and put on the MSU jersey, it's not the same level of interest. At least for me.

It's always going to be a "gut punch" feeling when popular players first announce they're leaving. Especially when as you say, there was something special about this year's women's basketball team that led to a lot of us following them more closely and becoming more emotionally invested in the team's success than maybe we have with other teams and in other seasons. I'll also be interested to see where Marah and Natalie go and accept that we'll never know the full set of reasons behind the decisions they made. The uncertainty of it all sucks too, when you don't know if these are the only players who will leave or if there will be more to come in the next few days and weeks. It's definitely an adjustment from the old system in which good players rarely transferred out to the current one in which it's a complete free-for-all and the decision of a player like Patrick McMahon to stay at MSU for his last year is something that needs to be announced instead of just being assumed to be the case.

[Joe Bobcat]

Concerning Colter's question " Would you be into a run spurred on exclusively by money?"
I think that winning draws in almost everyone but to a different degree for each individual. For me and what others seem to be saying, our interest in college sports and specifically Bobcat sports is based as much or more in the human story of the development of players and teams as it is in being the best in the nation. Obviously, most Cat fan have the expectation that teams will be highly competitive, ethically run and have players of good character.
I can't help but think that NIL and the portal create new challenges to the human story side and the competitive side of athletics for all Bobcat teams.

For me it kind of comes down to a respect for and an interest in the process of how players and their team gets to be highly competitive. I'll give an example from a different angle.

Imagine 2 people each bring the same model and year of restored classic car to a car show. They're both personable great guys and it's great to look at both cars. One of them did all or nearly all of the restoration himself and did a good quality job but not a wow over the top restoration, while the second guy paid big bucks for his car already restored or hired out nearly every step of the restoration and his car is really top-notch wow in every way imaginable. I might tell the second guy "that is the best restoration I've ever seen" and ogle over the car for quite some time. But with the other guy I'm likely to actually talk with him easily as long and really get into the whole process of how he did things and how much time he put into it and on and on and on. In this case the human story and the process of creating a good piece is far more interesting than the shiniest greatest piece that was simply bought. Both are going to grab attention and be appreciated for what they are but one is going to build a greater level of respect and lead to developing a deeper and more lasting relationship.

For me the same is true when it comes to interest in following college sports.

[BobcatDel]

Hypothetical question...

A Millionaire / Billionaire comes up the MSU Athletics and says "I am going to donate 10 Million dollars a year to MSU Basketball (5 Million for each program). You can now go and pay 5 of the best 20 players in mens, and the top 5 womens basketball players in the country. You will have to cut at least 5 players that you recruited from each team, and most of these great players will be junior or seniors (so at MOST they are with the program for 2 years). Every year is another 5 best players, but you win National Championships in both.....

You fans OK with that?

Here's what's crazy....$5 million a year wouldn't even come close to helping Montana State's men touch the top 50 programs in the country. National reporters right now are speculating that if you are a men's basketball player who's a sophomore or freshman who averaged more than 10 points per game, the market for those players STARTS at $750,000 a year.

I heard a story from a Big Sky assistant than players are asking for $25-50K just to come on visits! Like earnest money when you buy a house

Most of the top 50 programs in the country in men's hoops will have payrolls of more than $25 million a year. Rumors are that the top 10 will have more like $30-35 million a year. That's basically $3 million PER player....

Ok, then 40 million a year for each program. My point isn't about that, it's about at some point the "I hate this portal and NIL" from fans changes when winning happens.

Nope. Call me old school but I still enjoy college sports as “student athletes”. You’re perhaps asking me if I would enjoy the paid mercenary scenario.

I enjoy seeing the kids come in as students, watching them grow from that raw raw high school kid into a solid contributor, I enjoy the coaches bringing in the new recruit crop from around the region and bantering as they step on the court for the first time and guessing if they can make it, I enjoy watching the bench sitter who gets in and scores ten points and the fans and teammates are going crazy loving that she got the chance and had a career night, I enjoy getting to know them and their parents personally, watching them put on clinics for small aspiring tykes and players in the community, having a presence around the town-college-neighboring communities…to support the college and make MSU proud, I enjoy watching a coach that cares enough to help a kid get back on the court through a disabling injuries rather than throwing them in the gutter and cutting em so you can bring in another high paid 20 year old that doesn’t give a crap about the school except to get the money, I enjoy watching athletes like Blair did one night coming off the floor….getting down on her knees to greet that small lady that wouldn’t let go of mom’s legs…and getting her to come over for a photo a hug and a poster, I enjoy our team behaviors and see them growing to be quality young adults in areas other than just sports. I live and suffer through their losses just like they do and I get disappointed in finishing second or third but I enjoy their journey with the highs and lows of the season…the agonies of injuries and close losses, the excitement of knowing who is coming back and the excitement of the chance for a championship next year….and realizing they each grew up a little…life is like that…you grow through losing and winning.

As Coach K said…their is love in winning but there is love in losing too. And there is the love of the game when you are vested in the players and team.

Yep…I’m too old school for most people on the board. If I wanted to go watch paid farm teams play I’d go watch them just like watching farm team baseball. And I do go watch them in Great Falls and Billings from time to time. But I am not personally invested in those teams. That’s just not what I want in college sports.

[gocats77]

AMEN BobcatDel.