Has College Basketball Turned into a Boring sport?

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CPTMidnight

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Hate to say it but I am losing interest. I would really like to be into the new phase of College Basketball where everyone is paid. In fact, I have no problem with players getting some sort of cut but in its current state it is, frankly, boring.

What if we lost all our good guys every year and then replaced them with over achievers - the "little engine that could" and we won 8 or 9 games every year with no budget but ended up always getting crushed by the "Yankees" of the Big10/NCAA? ...boring.

What if we replaced Coyle, made some inroads on local business NIL, pulled in 8 decent portal players each year, were surprisingly competitive with the new hired guns, and make the tourney? - nope still boring.

But, what if a rich benefactor sold his interest in the T-wolves so he could setup an annuity that all but guaranteed we had the highest paid roster every year virtually guaranteeing 4 year players and a deep run? I dont know, still sounds kinda boring. I was only a student at the U of M not a hired gun - what do I have in common with those players except the Maroon and Gold we are wearing? Is that how it works? I need to cheer for the guys the school has quasi-hired to represent me on the basketball court?

The only thing that I can see that will fix this is conferences withdrawing from the NCAA and setting up their own rules but there is too much money at stake for that to happen.

I guess I may have less excuses to procrastinate on shoveling snow next winter...
 



CPTMidnight said:
Hate to say it but I am losing interest. I would really like to be into the new phase of College Basketball where everyone is paid. In fact, I have no problem with players getting some sort of cut but in its current state it is, frankly, boring.

What if we lost all our good guys every year and then replaced them with over achievers - the "little engine that could" and we won 8 or 9 games every year with no budget but ended up always getting crushed by the "Yankees" of the Big10/NCAA? ...boring.

What if we replaced Coyle, made some inroads on local business NIL, pulled in 8 decent portal players each year, were surprisingly competitive with the new hired guns, and make the tourney? - nope still boring.

But, what if a rich benefactor sold his interest in the T-wolves so he could setup an annuity that all but guaranteed we had the highest paid roster every year virtually guaranteeing 4 year players and a deep run? I dont know, still sounds kinda boring. I was only a student at the U of M not a hired gun - what do I have in common with those players except the Maroon and Gold we are wearing? Is that how it works? I need to cheer for the guys the school has quasi-hired to represent me on the basketball court?

The only thing that I can see that will fix this is conferences withdrawing from the NCAA and setting up their own rules but there is too much money at stake for that to happen.

I guess I may have less excuses to procrastinate on shoveling snow next winter...
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In the late 80s-mid 90s I was a varsity basketball coach and during that time varsity coaches received (2) complimentary tickets to every regular season home game. You knew about the players, most of the coaching staff, even knew the Polish Eagle.

I still support the Gopher program and players and want them to have success. However, this new reality is like watching a rotisserie chickens cooking at Costco. When I finally figure out who is who, they are gone and a new hatch comes in.
I actually have enjoyed the NBA more than ever before.
 

The NCAA tournament will remain fun because of how it is so unique and you can get into it even if you don't really know much about most of the teams.

But you can see where all this unrestricted free agency and players looking for the highest payday is wearing on people. Countless posters here have expressed frustration over the current mess and it is tough to have a ton of interest in a program that is basically rebuilding the entire roster every year. And that isn't just happening here, that is happening all over the country and would bet those fan bases are having a similar reaction to it.
 


I shouldn't even engage here, but...

Boring it's not. You've just lost hope. Not surprising if you're a fan of a program like MN.

The NBA has been basically the same product for a decade, but locals have just now noticed. Hint: winning breeds interest.
 


I hate where it's heading (because of selfish pigs led by Big Ten & SEC), but I still love it.

When the NCAA Tournament gets violated and starts to include pretty much only major conference schools, that's when I'm walking away.
 

No, college basketball hasn't become boring, not for me anyway. If anything, CBB has become more interesting even while it may have become less satisfying for many. Certainly the offseason is more interesting than it used to be. I agree with the notion that having the players paid directly by the school would be better than what we have now.

The current system, like most systems, has both good and bad features. We probably wouldn't have kept someone like Jordan Murphy around for four years under the current system but then we might not have been stuck with Gaston, Bakary, and Michael Hurt for four years either under the current system.
 





It's fair to be upset with all of the off-court stuff - portal, NIL, etc.

But I don't think that makes the game itself 'boring.' I can still watch a game and enjoy it for what it is - the athletic ability, strategy, matchups. the NBA has amazing athletes, but at times the NBA game to me becomes - not boring, but repetitious. come down court and shoot a 3 or run the high screen for a pick-and-roll. with college teams, I think you get a little more variety in terms of playing styles.

and with college, you get to 'discover' players - see if the HS hot-shot lives up to their billing, or be surprised by someone you've never heard of. don't get that with the pros - it's all about hyping up the stars.

again, the off-the-court stuff is a mess - but the actual game on the court is still worth watching, IMHO.
 

CPTMidnight said:
Hate to say it but I am losing interest. I would really like to be into the new phase of College Basketball where everyone is paid. In fact, I have no problem with players getting some sort of cut but in its current state it is, frankly, boring.

What if we lost all our good guys every year and then replaced them with over achievers - the "little engine that could" and we won 8 or 9 games every year with no budget but ended up always getting crushed by the "Yankees" of the Big10/NCAA? ...boring.

What if we replaced Coyle, made some inroads on local business NIL, pulled in 8 decent portal players each year, were surprisingly competitive with the new hired guns, and make the tourney? - nope still boring.

But, what if a rich benefactor sold his interest in the T-wolves so he could setup an annuity that all but guaranteed we had the highest paid roster every year virtually guaranteeing 4 year players and a deep run? I dont know, still sounds kinda boring. I was only a student at the U of M not a hired gun - what do I have in common with those players except the Maroon and Gold we are wearing? Is that how it works? I need to cheer for the guys the school has quasi-hired to represent me on the basketball court?

The only thing that I can see that will fix this is conferences withdrawing from the NCAA and setting up their own rules but there is too much money at stake for that to happen.

I guess I may have less excuses to procrastinate on shoveling snow next winter...
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More likely that annuity would stay in Mankato!
 



Exactly. I grew up in Minnesota and attended the U. But I have no connection whatsoever to these players that the U is bringing in for 1 year to be on the team.

Even if we spent millions and brought in some players from Duke or Kansas for a year...who cares. Why should I care about this?
 

Times change...everything is different. The players still have Minnesota on the front of their uniforms. We still have the opportunity to put a team together that out works the opponents.
We still have the opportunity to have a coach who develops players and has tactics or a system that befuddles opponents. Every night is a new matchup and a new opportunity. We can win games.

I'd prefer the rules were different...but it is a level playing field. Every coach would prefer the rules were different. They are not. Next play. Do the best you can with what you have, where you are. Compete.

Schools have had advantages over others for a hundred years. It's just new and different rules off the court. Same opportunity for everybody on the court.
 

60's Guy said:
Times change...everything is different. The players still have Minnesota on the front of their uniforms. We still have the opportunity to put a team together that out works the opponents.
We still have the opportunity to have a coach who develops players and has tactics or a system that befuddles opponents. Every night is a new matchup and a new opportunity. We can win games.

I'd prefer the rules were different...but it is a level playing field. Every coach would prefer the rules were different. They are not. Next play. Do the best you can with what you have, where you are. Compete.

Schools have had advantages over others for a hundred years. It's just new and different rules off the court. Same opportunity for everybody on the court.
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I disagree. I think this stinks.
 

EasyThere Pilgrim said:
Exactly. I grew up in Minnesota and attended the U. But I have no connection whatsoever to these players that the U is bringing in for 1 year to be on the team.

Even if we spent millions and brought in some players from Duke or Kansas for a year...who cares. Why should I care about this?
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at best in non-covid times, players stay on a team for 4 years. I'm old enough to remember when Freshmen were not eligible to play on Varsity and they only had 3 years. (some claim the rule was adopted in part because of Lew Alcindor - later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar).

one of the greatest Gophers of my lifetime - Bobby Jackson - only played 2 seasons with the Gophers because he came from a Junior College. I think Gopher fans were able to form a connection with him.

that is the nature of college sports - it is transitory. players come and go. in the end, I am a fan of the program.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
at best in non-covid times, players stay on a team for 4 years. I'm old enough to remember when Freshmen were not eligible to play on Varsity and they only had 3 years. (some claim the rule was adopted in part because of Lew Alcindor - later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar).

one of the greatest Gophers of my lifetime - Bobby Jackson - only played 2 seasons with the Gophers because he came from a Junior College. I think Gopher fans were able to form a connection with him.

that is the nature of college sports - it is transitory. players come and go. in the end, I am a fan of the program.
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It's fine if you or anyone chooses to pass the time by watching some Gopher basketball games.

I choose not to anymore. There's no longer a chance to build a team...which used to make watching young players during losing seasons interesting. And there's no longer a chance to compete at a high level.

Plus I find it despicable what they've done to 'college' basketball.
 

I'm as frustrated with the current environment as anybody, but I think that sentiment is almost universal and will ultimately lead to change. Players getting paid by the schools is probably inevitable at this point and will hopefully replace this NIL collective nonsense. College basketball just needs to get past this painful Wild Wild West era.

In the meantime, I would say two things:

1. Ultimately players getting paid will likely lead to a better talent pool in college basketball. We might see players that currently bypass college altogether find a niche in college basketball. We almost assuredly will see players stay longer in college that might have jumped ship prior to their eligibility expiring (i.e. Dawson Garcia). For those that complain about the quality of college basketball, this is a good thing.

2. The Gophers and other teams have always been in a talent deficit relative to other teams for any number of reasons (facilities/tradition/coaching/NBA placement/money/weather/etc.). You also don't get to draft your way out of the basement as you do in pro sports. The NIL deficit is no different. If success was linearly correlated with NIL spending, I guess we can look forward to Indiana and Louisville in the Final Four. That's where coaching, defense, cohesion, scheme, etc all still matter and shouldn't be ignored.

Although I would still vote for the prior college basketball landscape, it's not the death knell for me. Yet.
 

I still enjoy it more than the NBA overall. The tournament has something to do with that but not the only reason.

I think it's a bit less enjoyable from the sense of you don't really "get to know" players or get to see them develop nearly as much. I used to know most of the contributors on Big Ten teams but now it's so hard. It's February or March and I now find myself saying "who the hell is that?" a lot when watching a game.

For a casual fan, you can tune in to a Wolves or Vikings game and you'd probably recognize some of the players. In college, especially basketball, that may not be the case as we can see almost complete roster turnover in just one year.
 

It’s hard to care much about a game that resembles pickup hoops. Noon ball, choose up sides and go. No continuity. No familiarity. No growth and development as a team. A new season means a whole new roster. It’s ludicrous that the college game now requires extraordinary investment (especially financially) from fans at the same time that it erodes any motivation to do so. All of the reasons I strongly preferred college basketball over the NBA have disappeared. The college game is now worse than the NBA, because there isn’t a salary cap or any rules enforced to ensure competitive balance. College is now the worst of the NBA mixed with the worst of MLB.
 

formerlybis said:
I shouldn't even engage here, but...

Boring it's not. You've just lost hope. Not surprising if you're a fan of a program like MN.

The NBA has been basically the same product for a decade, but locals have just now noticed. Hint: winning breeds interest.
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I honestly would still not enjoy it if the Gophers benefited. Winning doesn't make a bad situation better.

The Timberwolves being good doesn't mean the NBA game is better, it just makes it easier to stomach watching the home team play.
 

Dave H said:
I honestly would still not enjoy it if the Gophers benefited. Winning doesn't make a bad situation better.

The Timberwolves being good doesn't mean the NBA game is better, it just makes it easier to stomach watching the home team play.
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College basketball regular season has now dipped below NBA regular season in terms of intrigue and competition. NBA playoffs are underrated imo, the level of play, execution, competitiveness, and strategy is on full display for months. It’s dangerously close to surpassing March madness in my sports hierarchy.
 

College basketball in 2024 is just the NBA with extra steps. Hard to invest yourself in the players or build any loyalty to a school now that it's all so blatantly mercenary.
 

For me, yes, absolutely.

Before March Madness I watched zero minutes of college basketball that the Gophers weren't involved in.

Even with the Gophers, they are no longer must watch TV. I will watch them when convenient but no longer plan my day around game time like I used to.

Next year is a perfect example of why.

I was excited for all the returning players, after watching them for a year I finally felt like I was starting to know them. Now, next year outside of a couple of players I need to learn a whole new team. It just isn't fun anymore when you only watch a kid for 3-4 months and they drift off to a different school. Call me old fashioned, but at least I know when I watch the NBA the players will be on a certain team for 3-4 years until their contract expires.
 
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bc2211 said:
College basketball regular season has now dipped below NBA regular season in terms of intrigue and competition. NBA playoffs are underrated imo, the level of play, execution, competitiveness, and strategy is on full display for months. It’s dangerously close to surpassing March madness in my sports hierarchy.
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Agree - The skill in the NBA is unbelievable. I noticed it in Game 6 when the Wolves won by 40+ points and the both MN and Denver played their reserves for the majority of the 4th quarter. The difference between the top 6-7 and the bottom 6-7 is noticable.

I can't even say I zone in on March Madness like I used to. It is fun when you have the Oakland player going off making 3 after 3, but once the first weekend or two are completed there isn't much to continue to suck me in. Again, it isn't like the old days where you could name nearly the entire starting lineup for both teams... I still remember Rose, King, Webber, Jackson, Howard vs. Hurley, T. Hill, G. Hill, Laettner - not sure who the other starter was but that game was over 30 years ago.
 

Not boring but if I'm going to watch pay for play I would just as soon watch the NBA where there is semi-control over the money and rosters and not just the f'd up mess that has become the NCAA.
 

MNfootballfan said:
Agree - The skill in the NBA is unbelievable. I noticed it in Game 6 when the Wolves won by 40+ points and the both MN and Denver played their reserves for the majority of the 4th quarter. The difference between the top 6-7 and the bottom 6-7 is noticable.

I can't even say I zone in on March Madness like I used to. It is fun when you have the Oakland player going off making 3 after 3, but once the first weekend or two are completed there isn't much to continue to suck me in. Again, it isn't like the old days where you could name nearly the entire starting lineup for both teams... I still remember Rose, King, Webber, Jackson, Howard vs. Hurley, T. Hill, G. Hill, Laettner - not sure who the other starter was but that game was over 30 years ago.
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I grew up watching the slow growth of Bo Ryan teams year over year, and I learned to love the “wow he couldn’t do that last year” and the “he obviously worked on that in practice” moments. Those moments are fewer in this version of college basketball.
 

I've been a wolves and gophers fan through thick and thin for decades. I love the NBA and I used to love college ball. Unfortunately, I've grown bored by the college game (not just the gophers) for many of the reasons stated by other posters and one additional reason. The refs won't let college players play the modern game. (It's even worse in women's college basketball.) The teams have no continuity and the games have no flow. If you include fouls, TV timeouts and team timeouts, it's not unusual for there to be 70-80 stoppages in play in a forty minute game. That's crazy. The NBA has a lot of stops too, but it's not as bad.

I was a gopher season ticket holder for decades. I gave my seats up two years ago for personal reasons and supply and demand. I go when I feel like it and sit where I want for peanuts. The atmosphere at Williams is beyond stale. Coyle should be fired for that alone. I'm still hopeful for CBJ and I think he has the chops to be a good HC at a D1 school, though it may not work out here. As for the sport in general, the NCAA was foolish and greedy forever and now its paying for it. I watched an hour of the NCAA tournament and thought the play was molasses.

As for the NBA, it has never been better.
 

How is the NCAA power 5 settlement going to change everything. May be good may be bad but it is going to change things significantly. Sounds like % of the tv revenue is going to go directly to the athletes. Pay for play without any chance of mislabling or it's application.

My thing is it should go to the athletes that generate it. Not womens hockey or men's golf etc..
 

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