https://x.com/paulfritschner/status/1935084067927769263?s=46&t=zqO8Zm6gX0InRQetE3Myew
Paul does a very good job with his interviews.
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Appreciate you all watching and/or listening!
The episode is available now.
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Mowch,
Thanks for the heads up! I try to catch as many of Travisā interviews as I can, but this is by far the best - two guys who love what they do!
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Travis was great as usual, and I thought the interviewer was excellent.
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Great listening to Steele interview, especially about recruiting. In terms of setting and campus life Miami is second to none. Only other MAC schools that offer an overall college experience would be Ohio, with maybe Kent a distant third. Toledo, BG and Akron all have a commuter vibe to them with BG almost a truck stop.
In fact, that might be it for the entire league. EMU is transient. Ball State and Northern seem to be outposts. Buffalo is somewhat unique, but you got to want to be there, if you know what I mean.
Miami has the best of everything, measured against other MAC schools. Steele is the right coach at the right place with the right philosophy.
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Really good quality on the interview. Thanks for going up to Oxford and talking with Coach Steele. Hopefully you can get back in the fall/winter!
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I didnāt know you were on the board. Three or four times you asked a question, and I thought to myself āThatās what I want to know!ā You set the bar high. Keep up the good work.
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The one thing I will take issue with is Steele and Miami scheduling. Herb and Charlie both showed scheduling is about not being shy going on the road against quality competition; not selectively (one or two games) but as a priority (4-5 games).
That said, not having Cincinnati, Xavier and Dayton on the rotation as they did does water down the opportunities. But scheduling teams consistently 50-150 on the NET/Kenpom is not impossible. Those teams are looking for games, too, and canāt find them.
For all the very valid arguments for Miamiās failure to get into the NIT, and as Steele said a ālazy selection processā ā¦ it was lazy because they did exactly what they said they would do before the season began: Pick at-large teams by the NET.
The fact Kent (and several other teams) was significantly higher in the NET - despite Miamiās valid arguments - was due to Kent scheduling teams 50-150 via tournaments or H&H. Miami will get a break in that regard this year as the RedHawks should get two NET 50-150 opponents in the Sun Belt Challenge. Add 2-3 more on the schedule - and win our share - Miami should solidly be NIT worthy no matter what happens in the MAC Tournament.
Good games are out there to be had. You might end up with 21 wins on the season vs. 25, but the end result, NCAA/NIT, is worth it.
Good pointsā¦But the staff is struggling to get 7 more games at this time of yearā¦insane how schools are afraid to schedule Miami because they know Miami will be borderline great and they cannot risk a loss to Miamiā¦just nuts.
Absolutely true. And my recent conversation with Coach Box on the womenās side confirms he has the very same problem. No major schools want to take us on, few if any mid-majors are willing to take the risk, and no one within a dayās bus ride will even consider it. Too many open dates needing to be filled. Gotta be a huge frustration.
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Seems to me if the selection committee uses lack of schedule against you and yet no one will schedule you, well something needs to change. If enough coaches united on this front who were getting hosed, maybe things would. The NET ranking thing feels dubious. Maybe more teams getting into the tournament will help to some degreeā¦
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And itās one more ādistractionā that keeps a coach from coaching in todayās environment.
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I repeat ā¦ āNobody will play us is a cop-out.ā
There are too many teams Net 50-150 in the same boat as the RedHawks. There are games to be had. Just like Top 50 teams say they wonāt play Miami ā¦ Miami is apparently saying it wonāt play Net 50-150 teams.
Canāt have it both ways. Herb and Charlie proved it can be done. And done consistently.
This landscape is not the same as it was 30 years ago, 15 years ago, or even 5 years agoā¦ so what if Herb and Charlie did it.
I donāt think thatās fair. He is saying he will play anyone and isnāt ducking anyone. Scheduling is such a pain in the ass for all parties as itās gotta align to available windows, budgets and travel logistics.
I bet that part of the job absolutely sucks.
Iām just saying it can be done.
For the sake of argument lets say, going forward Miami basketball is consistently a Top 4 program in the MAC. Kent is generally considered a Top 4 program. Auburn and Alabama aside, by name Kentās 2024-25 schedule was pretty blah.
But by number (NET) they played five teams NET 150 or better and another (Cleveland State) at 168. Towson, Cal-Irvine, Kennesaw State, Louisiana* Arkansas State arenāt sexy names. But they are teams like Miami, looking for games. Thatās the kind of teams the RedHawks should be playing.
Canāt play a 2024-25 non-con schedule again, with No. 213 Wright State the best team on the docket (other than 2 Sun Belt Games). The program deserves better and Miami fans deserve better.
*Louisiana was the season opener in Sun Belt Challange, based on previous season NET which was 150.
I think this upcoming year specifically, coming off our highest win total in 25+ years with 85% of our scoring returning, will be particularly hard to schedule. Hell, Iām not sure last yearās Indiana team would have wanted a buy game against this upcoming yearās Miami team.
Travis also specifically mentioned trying to keep travel costs lower so more of the revenue share could go to the players. The NET 150ish schools are probably in a similar boat cost wise (or worse). I would think thatās going to make home and homes with similarly ranked schools much tougher to schedule.