GG is afraid of competition

[The RUT]

It’s no different than any other professional sport. And yes, this is professional sports. It always has been. Contracts are coming soon. That will prevent a large portion of the movement.

I would be more inclined to donate if two things were happening:

1. Contracts were in place, make it a two year commitment at minimum.
2. I knew where the money was actually going.

NIL Donors Report: Thank you for donating $X,XXX, your contributions you requested to send to the Football team were utilized to retain Kyle Monangai.

Now Kyle Monangai becomes MY guy, I have some connection to his success.

I made a 2 year donation commitment to my high school that I directed I wanted to be used specifically on the lacrosse program. They then gave me a couple options, and I picked one.

The random throwing money into a random collective hoping it’s going to get used properly is stupid and I have no interest in that.

I said this with football too. I painfully watched us struggle with WRs all year long. If you told me THIS is our guy, he’s an elite WR, we want him but he cost this much. I’d be more inclined to donate towards that.

But of course, transparency is never a thing with stuff like this.

 

[needmorecowbell]

I would be more inclined to donate if two things were happening:

1. Contracts were in place, make it a two year commitment at minimum.
2. I knew where the money was actually going.

NIL Donors Report: Thank you for donating $X,XXX, your contributions you requested to send to the Football team were utilized to retain Kyle Monangai.

Now Kyle Monangai becomes MY guy, I have some connection to his success.

I made a 2 year donation commitment to my high school that I directed I wanted to be used specifically on the lacrosse program. They then gave me a couple options, and I picked one.

The random throwing money into a random collective hoping it’s going to get used properly is stupid and I have no interest in that.

I said this with football too. I painfully watched us struggle with WRs all year long. If you told me THIS is our guy, he’s an elite WR, we want him but he cost this much. I’d be more inclined to donate towards that.

But of course, transparency is never a thing with stuff like this.

FYI - you can pick a team or even direct all of your funding to one player if you arrange a deal.

I agree with the contracts. That’s coming eventually.

 

[The RUT]

FYI - you can pick a team or even direct all of your funding to one player if you arrange a deal.

I agree with the contracts. That’s coming eventually.

Yeah but have zero impact on incoming players/decisions.

Obviously I understand that’s unrealistic, but NFL owners fund the paychecks so they make the decisions.

College fans fund the paychecks and make zero decisions.

 

[bac2therac]

I would be more inclined to donate if two things were happening:

1. Contracts were in place, make it a two year commitment at minimum.
2. I knew where the money was actually going.

NIL Donors Report: Thank you for donating $X,XXX, your contributions you requested to send to the Football team were utilized to retain Kyle Monangai.

Now Kyle Monangai becomes MY guy, I have some connection to his success.

I made a 2 year donation commitment to my high school that I directed I wanted to be used specifically on the lacrosse program. They then gave me a couple options, and I picked one.

The random throwing money into a random collective hoping it’s going to get used properly is stupid and I have no interest in that.

I said this with football too. I painfully watched us struggle with WRs all year long. If you told me THIS is our guy, he’s an elite WR, we want him but he cost this much. I’d be more inclined to donate towards that.

But of course, transparency is never a thing with stuff like this.

Ive talked about the idea about knowing what everyone gets but poster so up players ass and their rights that it was called absurd

 

[bac2therac]

that's just the wrong way to see this. Pike was recruiting at a low level until recently. We know that. The reason is because we are Rutgers. We didn't have the bag men - and later the NIL - reputation, or other elements that enable a coach to recruit top players. This is well known. And then more recently we specifically didn't have the NIL. The Star Ledger guys both said that losing Paul and Cam was because we were behind on NIL.

So yes, recruiting has been a problem prior to this year, and Pike has exceeded reasonable expectations over that time. And now he has upgraded recruiting.

This past year we hit a significant problem mostly due to team Rutgers not adjusting to the post NIL/Portal world. We know this. He seems to be on it now.

As to the "sugar rush" that's a pretty unfair characterization. We have a 5 person class coming in. And lot's of portal guys.

So what is this deeper problem that you are alluding to?

Recruiting has been an issue here. 2023 and 2024 failures wave hello. On paper it looks good for 2025 but GG was top 30 player. Jones top 100 as well. Pike centered this year about Derek Simoson and Aundre Hyatt

In the portal world top players will not be attracted to defense first teams if the $$$ isnt there

 

[ru66]

Recruiting has been an issue here. 2023 and 2024 failures wave hello. On paper it looks good for 2025 but GG was top 30 player. Jones top 100 as well. Pike centered this year about Derek Simoson and Aundre Hyatt

In the portal world top players will not be attracted to defense first teams if the $$$ isnt there

No one's listening to your negative mantra--especially not the coaches or RU.

 

[bac2therac]

No one's listening to your negative mantra--especially not the coaches or RU.

Im not posting for them but you cant have it both ways

GG was Pikes top recruit and Rutgers highest ever

 

[ru66]

Im not posting for them but you cant have it both ways

GG was Pikes top recruit and Rutgers highest ever

So what -- nothing's guarrenteed. Besides many would say that when a terrific class is coming in it can scare off current players. That's life but your constant blaming of any and all coaches at RU is tiresome. Only Ru official you never blamed was what's her name AD. I say your take sucks.

 

[needmorecowbell]

Im not posting for them but you cant have it both ways

GG was Pikes top recruit and Rutgers highest ever

Now he’s 3rd

 

[Rufaninga]

Stinks that RUs 3 highest rated players ever will be around for fans to enjoy for a combined 2 seasons.

 

[Eagleton96]

Recruiting has been an issue here. 2023 and 2024 failures wave hello. On paper it looks good for 2025 but GG was top 30 player. Jones top 100 as well. Pike centered this year about Derek Simoson and Aundre Hyatt

In the portal world top players will not be attracted to defense first teams if the $$$ isnt there

I honestly don’t know what you’re trying to say. Pike centered this year around Simpson and Hyatt? I thought this season’s plan was supposed to be about Spencer and Mulcahy. And after that, when everyone, including GG, was sucking hard, Pike centered on trying to find anyone who wasn’t sucking to win some games.

Instead of contributing to a bullshit negative cloud hanging over the program, why don’t you root for a big success next year that could carry some momentum forward.

Isn’t it at least possible that GG left because he played atrociously most of the season, and he scared that Pike is bringing in better players? All you have to do is wait about a month to find out before jumping to conclusions.

 

[bac2therac]

I honestly don’t know what you’re trying to say. Pike centered this year around Simpson and Hyatt? I thought this season’s plan was supposed to be about Spencer and Mulcahy. And after that, when everyone, including GG, was sucking hard, Pike centered on trying to find anyone who wasn’t sucking to win some games.

Instead of contributing to a bullshit negative cloud hanging over the program, why don’t you root for a big success next year that could carry some momentum forward.

Isn’t it at least possible that GG left because atrociously most of the season, and he scared that Pike is bringing in better players? All you have to do is wait about a month to find out before jumping to conclusions.

top 30 recruit who by default took a backseat to Derek and Hyatt...cant have it both ways..who recruited Gavin? Now all of a sudden Gavin sucks yet you want to excuse any blame to Pike, seems odd

Centering a team around Mulchay...doesnt sound like a good plan. Same thin team with lack of depth with NO Caleb on the team and Mag still going to be questionable until December. Hyatt back for another season as a starter why? Noah a 24 year old out of shape off an injury. Plus another transfer in J Will that was likely not to plsy until courts intervened. Sounds like a winning strategy

 

[The RUT]

top 30 recruit who by default took a backseat to Derek and Hyatt...cant have it both ways..who recruited Gavin? Now all of a sudden Gavin sucks yet you want to excuse any blame to Pike, seems odd

Centering a team around Mulchay...doesnt sound like a good plan. Same thin team with lack of depth with NO Caleb on the team and Mag still going to be questionable until December. Hyatt back for another season as a starter why? Noah a 24 year old out of shape off an injury. Plus another transfer in J Will that was likely not to plsy until courts intervened. Sounds like a winning strategy

Last season was such a shit show across the board.

Gavin stuff aside, you have to give Pike credit for cleaning house at least.

 

[bac2therac]

Last season was such a shit show across the board.

Gavin stuff aside, you have to give Pike credit for cleaning house at least.

Its a clean slate. Alot of dead wood shed that didnt belong at this level. Too many complimentary players. Lesson learned so hopefully this portal season produces the needed bounty

 

[PJVegas]

RU66 - the gift that never stops giving. To bad no one’s accepting.

 

[ru66]

RU66 - the gift that never stops giving. To bad no one’s accepting.

Nothing's changed you're still a D bag who is a Shu dope who hates/ envies RU. If you counted the times you've disparaged RU you'd run out of the fingers you use to count. Anyway, your opinions mean nothing to me -- aholes are useless.

 

[Kbee3]

Last season was such a shit show across the board.

Gavin stuff aside, you have to give Pike credit for cleaning house at least.

Some said a house cleaning was needed.
Bring on the 2024 recruiting class. And some talent from the portal.

 

[ru66]

top 30 recruit who by default took a backseat to Derek and Hyatt...cant have it both ways..who recruited Gavin? Now all of a sudden Gavin sucks yet you want to excuse any blame to Pike, seems odd

Centering a team around Mulchay...doesnt sound like a good plan. Same thin team with lack of depth with NO Caleb on the team and Mag still going to be questionable until December. Hyatt back for another season as a starter why? Noah a 24 year old out of shape off an injury. Plus another transfer in J Will that was likely not to plsy until courts intervened. Sounds like a winning strategy

Come on they were counting on Spencer also. Again be it foofball, womens basketball or ANY sport you always find the need to attack coaches. We'd be firing our coaches every 6 months if decisions were made based on your BS.. As I've said your mantra is weak and the easy/ constant blame game .No one would welcome a guy like you into their foxhole.

 

[Hondo77]

Nothing's changed you're still a D bag who is a Shu dope who hates/ envies RU. If you counted the times you've disparaged RU you'd run out of the fingers you use to count. Anyway, your opinions mean nothing to me -- aholes are useless.

This is an example of why I stopped posting on this board. Why did it become so toxic?

 

[Knight Shift]

It will be interesting to see what caliber of program picks him up. I think that will be pretty telling.

No it won't. His performance at his next program will be very telling.

 

[Knight Shift]

It’s so brutal. I won’t be renewing my membership because of all the ridiculous negativity on this board. It’s unbearable to read

It's a Rutgers and NJ thing. Some never see the bright side of anything, except for other teams. Misery is a miserable way to live.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

It's a Rutgers and NJ thing. Some never see the bright side of anything, except for other teams. Misery is a miserable way to live.

I agree. However, Richie’s latest podcast doesn’t sound that great to me in terms of where we are at with things. I hope I’m reading it wrong but the bit about just needing to find a 5 to do the basics and rebound the ball indicates we may not be in as great a spot as I originally thought. That and penciling Marini into a starter slot. It’s not just that he didn’t score much or rebound the ball at a much lower level. He’s also not an elite defender or passer. It seems like we’d be putting a ton into two great games against U Penn.

To be clear - I actually think we could get away with a kid with less glamorous numbers at the 5 - say like a Gettys type. At the 4 - it’s not going to work if we’re also bringing in only a role player at the 5 too. That’s my concern here. We’ll see what we end up with.

 

[Rhuarc]

I agree. However, Richie’s latest podcast doesn’t sound that great to me in terms of where we are at with things. I hope I’m reading it wrong but the bit about just needing to find a 5 to do the basics and rebound the ball indicates we may not be in as great a spot as I originally thought. That and penciling Marini into a starter slot. It’s not just that he didn’t score much or rebound the ball at a much lower level. He’s also not an elite defender or passer. It seems like we’d be putting a ton into two great games against U Penn.

I've said it before, we have the opportunity of a lifetime next season. If our major NIL person/persons who got us the big 2 aren't sitting there waving big money at a big name center, it's probably the stupidest move of all time.

The reality is we will never compete with big time NIL money teams. This is our ONLY chance to do it. We need to get this done ASAP, no excuses. A bunch of 25 dollar monthly donations ain't gonna do it.

 

[NickRU714]

Yeah but have zero impact on incoming players/decisions.

Obviously I understand that’s unrealistic, but NFL owners fund the paychecks so they make the decisions.

College fans fund the paychecks and make zero decisions.

The same happens when you "donate" to the AD.
Fans fund the AD and make zero decisions.
Never seems to have been a problem for fans before.

 

[jakeknight]

Being realistic, Gavin doesn’t start next year, he has a lot of work to do to start on a good P5 Team, he played like a freshman who wasn’t physically or mentally ready. He made progress throughout the year but he wasn’t a starter in 2924-25, he was coming offf the bench and getting 12-18 minutes a game. His starting was a year away with a lot of work and improvement. He finds another P5 team nothing changes for him, his future is his Jr and sr year.
He still needs to learn to play decent defense, get stronger, become a better rebounder and develop his overall game

 

[jakeknight]

Portal problem, you only have starter minutes available at the 4 and 5, and at a minimum your need to get Summerville 10-15 minutes a game. You only have guard starting minutes if you start 3 guards and then you don’t have starting minutes available at the 4, it not easy to attract top quality portal guys without starting minutes. It wil be interesting to see how this plays out, if you go three guard offense you need a bid shooting guard and you need a good big rebounding rim protector and an experienced 4 willing to come off the bench

 

[Jerseylegends]

I agree. However, Richie’s latest podcast doesn’t sound that great to me in terms of where we are at with things. I hope I’m reading it wrong but the bit about just needing to find a 5 to do the basics and rebound the ball indicates we may not be in as great a spot as I originally thought. That and penciling Marini into a starter slot. It’s not just that he didn’t score much or rebound the ball at a much lower level. He’s also not an elite defender or passer. It seems like we’d be putting a ton into two great games against U Penn.

To be clear - I actually think we could get away with a kid with less glamorous numbers at the 5 - say like a Gettys type. At the 4 - it’s not going to work if we’re also bringing in only a role player at the 5 too. That’s my concern here. We’ll see what we end up with.

From what I've seen of the current targets I'm anticipating the coaches going with 3 guards in the starting line up. Jwill, Harper and a transfer like Maddox or alocco. Ace at the 4 and a rebounding/defensive 5. At that point you can bring in guys like martini for depth and veteran minutes..

 

[RedTeam1994]

Both 6 ft 7
Grady 195
Gavin 185
Both 8 ranked SF *gavin better shooter
Grady 22 nationally
Gavin 44 nationally

Not a huge difference except one picked a better player development coach.

I hate posters like you. People who have an agenda - only make statements that just support your agenda/ ignore comments that refute your agenda

You clearly have an anti-pike agenda.

Maybe Grady was just more prepared coming in? Maybe Grady had the mental toughness to succeed and Gavin isn’t there yet. Gavin played like a deer in the headlights. Come on man.

What about Geo and RHJ ? They both instantly outplayed their rankings in their first seasons. did Pike “develop” them in year one and then just a few years later forget how to “develop” Gavin in his first year?

Or maybe their games/ mental toughness allowed them to hit the ground running (like Grady).

Maybe the “blame” rests with Gavin and maybe he was just waaaaaaay over-rated coming out of hs. Just maybe.

We have seen other players under pike come in and FAR outperform Gavin in year 1 despite having much lower recruiting rankings.

So is the difference Pike (same coach) or the kids themselves 🤔

 

[fluoxetine]

top 30 recruit who by default took a backseat to Derek and Hyatt...cant have it both ways..who recruited Gavin? Now all of a sudden Gavin sucks yet you want to excuse any blame to Pike, seems odd

Centering a team around Mulchay...doesnt sound like a good plan. Same thin team with lack of depth with NO Caleb on the team and Mag still going to be questionable until December. Hyatt back for another season as a starter why? Noah a 24 year old out of shape off an injury. Plus another transfer in J Will that was likely not to plsy until courts intervened. Sounds like a winning strategy

Did you leave off Spencer intentionally? This team plus Mulcahy and Spencer is solidly a tournament team.

 

[bac2therac]

Did you leave off Spencer intentionally? This team plus Mulcahy and Spencer is solidly a tournament team.

Without a fully healthy or willing Mag its the same team that failed the year prior WITHOUT Caleb McConnell so no imo

In addition Paul was shaky last year i would be careful in throwing certainties with him if he stayed

 

[Jerseylegends]

Did you leave off Spencer intentionally? This team plus Mulcahy and Spencer is solidly a tournament team.

And mag who only played a couple of games, also Williams but idk if he was expected to play this year anyway.

 

[Jerseylegends]

Without a fully healthy or willing Mag its the same team that failed the year prior WITHOUT Caleb McConnell so no imo

Yeah but mag was expected to be ready to go..didn't work out that way, that's 3 starters...plus a miss on Fernandes and Griffiths..5 guys expected to be key contributors were either transfers or couldn't be counted on due to lack of skill or injury..

 

[bac2therac]

Yeah but mag was expected to be ready to go..didn't work out that way, that's 3 starters...plus a miss on Fernandes and Griffiths..5 guys expected to be key contributors were either transfers or couldn't be counted on due to lack of skill or injury..

A guy coming off an acl can take 9-12 months to come back. Foolish if you rely on him...great if he could come back but Pike needed to portal a replacement instead he felt Hyatt was his best option

 

[fluoxetine]

Without a fully healthy or willing Mag its the same team that failed the year prior WITHOUT Caleb McConnell so no imo

In addition Paul was shaky last year i would be careful in throwing certainties with him if he stayed

2022-23 Rutgers was a solid if not spectacular tournament level team that had a lot of bad luck. That team plus a year of experience makes the tournament more often than not.

This year’s team plus last year’s Cam Spencer numbers would put us in the bubble out area with Seton Hall type teams and adding Mulcahy puts us right back at #40ish.

Mulcahy doesn’t need to be great; the shaky Mulcahy from last season is still an upgrade over what we actually had and would have improved Cliff as well.

 

[Zak57]

This is an example of why I stopped posting on this board. Why did it become so toxic?

Are you not entertained?

 

[bac2therac]

2022-23 Rutgers was a solid if not spectacular tournament level team that had a lot of bad luck. That team plus a year of experience makes the tournament more often than not.

This year’s team plus last year’s Cam Spencer numbers would put us in the bubble out area with Seton Hall type teams and adding Mulcahy puts us right back at #40ish.

Mulcahy doesn’t need to be great; the shaky Mulcahy from last season is still an upgrade over what we actually had and would have improved Cliff as well.

Alot of assumptions considering our success was thread the needle in 2022-23 and fell apart without Mag. What were we adding besides another year for everyone? Do you think Pike should have recruited someone over Hyatt/Mag. Imagine a Yeboah in that stop. Thats what we needed

 

[BIGRUBIGDBIGredmachine]

I thought '23-24 was supposed to be the Fernandes-Cliff-GG-Mag(when recovered) show. Fernandes was the big miss and left Cliff on an island , especially when GG turned out to be a brick machine that couldn't defend.

 

[BIGRUBIGDBIGredmachine]

Alot of assumptions considering our success was thread the needle in 2022-23 and fell apart without Mag. What were we adding besides another year for everyone? Do you think Pike should have recruited someone over Hyatt/Mag. Imagine a Yeboah in that stop. Thats what we needed

We definitely needed portal help at the 4, Hyatt was not going to be the answer and Mag was risky.

 

[DennisHajekRC84]

This is an example of why I stopped posting on this board. Why did it become so toxic?

He's a tough read for sure.

 

[Eagleton96]

I hate posters like you. People who have an agenda - only make statements that just support your agenda/ ignore comments that refute your agenda

You clearly have an anti-pike agenda.

Maybe Grady was just more prepared coming in? Maybe Grady had the mental toughness to succeed and Gavin isn’t there yet. Gavin played like a deer in the headlights. Come on man.

What about Geo and RHJ ? They both instantly outplayed their rankings in their first seasons. did Pike “develop” them in year one and then just a few years later forget how to “develop” Gavin in his first year?

Or maybe their games/ mental toughness allowed them to hit the ground running (like Grady).

Maybe the “blame” rests with Gavin and maybe he was just waaaaaaay over-rated coming out of hs. Just maybe.

We have seen other players under pike come in and FAR outperform Gavin in year 1 despite having much lower recruiting rankings.

So is the difference Pike (same coach) or the kids themselves 🤔

His name is RUDivision. Is his purpose to come here and sow division?