Do recruits and transfers read this forum and does it impact their decision?

[UR80sfan]

The market place for top quality basketball players is highly competitive. Currently we have 2 open spots. I am sure CM is doing his best to convince these top recruits to join our program. Do recruits and transfers read this forum and does it impact their decision?

 

[Spiders05]

I can tell you that I received a DM from an incoming football player Friday night after our loss about some of the things he had seen on the board. I had a basketball verbal once contact me to correct something that was said. Recruits, players, coaches, staff, people affiliated with the Board of Trustees, player family members do read the board.

Does it impact the decision? I doubt it and would hope it doesn't (either way, good or bad).

 

[32counter]

The market place for top quality basketball players is highly competitive. Currently we have 2 open spots. I am sure CM is doing his best to convince these top recruits to join our program. Do recruits and transfers read this forum and does it impact their decision?

Duh.It’s also a good measure of the maturity level of the alumni fan base.

 

[SpiderK]

I can tell you that I received a DM from an incoming football player Friday night after our loss about some of the things he had seen on the board. I had a basketball verbal once contact me to correct something that was said. Recruits, players, coaches, staff, people affiliated with the Board of Trustees, player family members do read the board.

Does it impact the decision? I doubt it and would hope it doesn't (either way, good or bad).

I agree, this board is like every other suggestion box on earth, ignored by management. Not putting down this board or the management of UR, it’s just the way it is.

 

[Octapod]

Time to shut down the basketball board completely. That will:

1. Eliminate the continuous negative posts that some posters think are having a negative impact on the basketball program.

2. Eliminate the continuous positive posts that some posters think are having a negative impact on the basketball program.

3. Give the mods a break.

 

[Spiders05]

 

[ChoppinBroccoli]

I'm a long way from an 18-year old basketball player, but I would think that the lively debates and very active forum suggest a fanbase that is very invested in the program's success. At least we care. With one notable exception (who is currently suspended), everyone here is rooting for our beloved team to win games and sees the potential in these young men. They deserve a shot to play in the NCAA tournament at least once in their 4 year careers.

The crowds at the Robins Center are even more evidence of this. I have no idea what St. Joe's board is like, and I don't really care. But I remember Phil Martelli's comments about our crowd at the end of a lost season. He runs a program which won 2 of the last 4 conference championships, finished 4th this year, and gave the top seed all they could handle in the semifinals. He's been to the NCAA 7 times in his tenure. And we get better, more positive, more engaged crowds.

That should speak more to a recruit about our fans than a "negative" post.
If complete apathy sets in and these boards die down, that's when we should worry about its impact on recruits.

 

[wr70beh]

I hope they wouldn't go to a big school like Tennessee. They have like 6 or 7 very active boards that make this board seem like the back table at McDonald's on a Saturday morning. Their boards get ADs fired! Our boards can't even get hot dogs in the concession stands.

 

[MolivaManiac]

1- This board is not nasty, except for pretty rare instances.
2- Maybe our having concerns about the players and recruits being bothered by social media means we need mentally tougher players and recruits and a real leader in charge of them.

This is just another false flag being raised by Mooney Truthers, plain and simple.

 

[gospidersgo]

My thoughts on this topic:

I hate the discussion of transfers on a message board, especially when nobody has publicly said they are going anywhere. I don't think it's a good look for our community and I don't think any positive comes from it.

At the same time, I also realize that there are previous coaches, current coaches, former teammates, family, etc. in these guys ears 24/7 telling them stay, go, and everything in between. In the grand scheme of things our discussion here has very little impact on these serious decisions.

And this is just one website. These guys are reading things - positive and negative - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and so on.

 

[coach fezz]

Ihold the hand hold the hand I remember those days. I like WHO WANTS TO SIT ? DAYS better. Coach always thought Duinker always wanted to sit and thought Deion Taylor never wanted to sit. Very funny to watch .

But I think now everything is become yhold the hand times. Fear for recruit. Fear for transfer . I think more about small size team is limit for everyday success no matter what system instead of these crazy fears .

Also FIBA U16 shows all Euros that present talent for all countries . Is easy to watch for them . But more talent in USA easier to see

 

[Eight Legger]

The short answer is that every team in the nation at our level or higher (and at many or most at lower levels) have similar message boards where their fans gripe and praise and do everything in between, just as we do here. Anyone who is swayed by this stuff one way or another would find it nearly impossible to choose a Division I school.

 

[Spiders10]

If these kids are easily rattled by a message board, fan blogs, or a goofy fire the coach social media account, then how can they handle the pressures of major D1 athletics?

 

[UR80sfan]

I think it is a factor. When a high school kid narrows his search to his top 4 teams. Any small thing can be the difference. CM, I assume, gives the recruits a lot of reason to choose U of R and a lot of people on this forum contradict a lot of the things he is telling them.

 

[nathanw19]

I think it is a factor. When a high school kid narrows his search to his top 4 teams. Any small thing can be the difference. CM, I assume, gives the recruits a lot of reason to choose U of R and a lot of people on this forum contradict a lot of the things he is telling them.

Mooney should be able to overcome the basketball gripes this board has. If people on this board are selling his basketball weaknesses better than he is selling his strengths as a coach, I would say that’s on him.

I would hope every recruit already knows we haven’t made the tourney in 7 years, and that it would be natural for fans to not be thrilled about that, and that many would see that as a weakness of the coach. I would also hope the players we are recruiting want to be in the tourney and change that trend, and would be willing to take on that challenge.

As for the university itself, I don’t think there’s anyone here who doesn’t love it. And to be honest, it really speaks for itself, both academically and campus wise.

Do you have specifics on what people would be contradicting Mooney and the coaches on that they would be selling to recruits? I honestly am having a struggle thinking of some (maybe that’s on me).

 

[ur2K]

Here’s a thing to contradict anything we say on here - go to the NCAA tournament.

 

[Spiders10]

Nothing, it's just another attempt at censorship, to shut down opinions that don't toe the company line.

Program is stale, and a last ditch effort is underway to reassure us that all is well.

 

[MrTbone]

I think it is a factor. When a high school kid narrows his search to his top 4 teams. Any small thing can be the difference. CM, I assume, gives the recruits a lot of reason to choose U of R and a lot of people on this forum contradict a lot of the things he is telling them.

I think your supposition is that the only negativity they read is on our chatboard. I think the reality is they read every chatboard and we are no worse off than anyone else, and probably are far better.

 

[MrTbone]

Nothing, it's just another attempt at censorship, to shut down opinions that don't toe the company line.

Program is stale, and a last ditch effort is underway to reassure us that all is well.

I’m trying to figure out what this censorship is of which you speak. There are hundreds of negative posts on here. It’s a pretty open forum for criticism.

 

[AnnapSpider]

I’m trying to figure out what this censorship is of which you speak. There are hundreds of negative posts on here. It’s a pretty open forum for criticism.

I find this board has a strong negative leaning. It's the way some of the posters deal with high expectations not being achieved. Some actually think they know what they are talking about. But I doubt seriously that
a totally positive board would affect recruiting anymore than a negative board. It's all part of
the recruiting process.

 

[MrTbone]

I find this board has a strong negative leaning. It's the way some of the posters deal with high expectations not being achieved. Some actually think they know what they are talking about. But I doubt seriously that
a totally positive board would affect recruiting anymore than a negative board. It's all part of
the recruiting process.

We have an understandably negative board after what can be objectively defined as a dreadful season.

I just don’t see the censorship that’s being bandied about. But I’m also huffing glue and eating skittles so my judgment could be off.

 

[Eight Legger]

I find this board has a strong negative leaning. It's the way some of the posters deal with high expectations not being achieved.

Define "high expectations."

 

[SpiderRick]

This board is VANILLA. We complain about stale popcorn and gas station hot dogs, for christ sakes....

 

[URWilk110]

I’m trying to figure out what this censorship is of which you speak. There are hundreds of negative posts on here. It’s a pretty open forum for criticism.

The ex-moderator asking posters not to post opposing views on an Ulla thread is an attempt at censorship.

 

[gospidersgo]

The ex-moderator asking posters not to post opposing views on an Ulla thread is an attempt at censorship.

That's not censorship, that's a moderator trying to keep the threads organized and focused on the topic they we're created for.

If they wanted to censor negative viewpoints on this board, 90% of this season's threads would have been deleted. That didn't happen and I trust it won't happen.

 

[urfan1]

Thanks go, I had taken my own advice and not posted my original thoughts, your's were right on point

 

[spider fan]

Wow - if the perspective players are that sensitive that some unverified comments on a message board are going to affect them......well the "softness" in our country is at epidemic levels.............no wonder the Pentagon recently said that 71 percent of America's 34 million 17-24 year old population would fail to qualify for military enlistment. And maybe we are competing with the Pentagon for the same small sliver of the less than 1% of the qualifying 29% that have any interest?

 

[nathanw19]

Wow - if the perspective players are that sensitive that some unverified comments on a message board are going to affect them......well the "softness" in our country is at epidemic levels.............no wonder the Pentagon recently said that 71 percent of America's 34 million 17-24 year old population would fail to qualify for military enlistment. And maybe we are competing with the Pentagon for the same small sliver of the less than 1% of the qualifying 29% that have any interest?

Found the article you were referencing:
https://www.google.com/amp/amp.timeinc.net/time/2938158/youth-fail-to-qualify-military-service

The 71% is a bit of a misnomer though. That number includes people who would be rejected for “physical appearance,” which seems to include “certain tattoos and ear gauges.” The 71% also includes people using ADHD drugs, which is a whole different argument with the “rise” of ADHD and it’s over medication (point being that the people being rejected for this now wouldn’t have been in the past).

The 1% of eligible and willing people in that age group is definitely interesting though. Military service is definitely not considered as much in that age range as a viable career/life choice as it was in previous generations. I’m not sure the “softness” of America is quite the reason however.

 

[spiderman]

I think most message board stuff has no affect. kids believe they'll be great and they'll help the team be great. if the current guys aren't getting it done, that's on them.

but as a recruit or the parent of a recruit, I think the #1 fear in choosing a school is coaching instability. when Bryce committed to Stallings, you can bet he felt confident Stallings would be there all 4 of his years. you're supposed to commit to a school but you're clearly committing to a coach that you've built a relationship with. you believe in the guy and he believes in you.

so whether it's a message board or radio show or any other medium, if a recruit senses a coach may be in trouble I do think it can affect his decision.

 

[spider fan]

Found the article you were referencing:
https://www.google.com/amp/amp.timeinc.net/time/2938158/youth-fail-to-qualify-military-service

The 71% is a bit of a misnomer though. That number includes people who would be rejected for “physical appearance,” which seems to include “certain tattoos and ear gauges.” The 71% also includes people using ADHD drugs, which is a whole different argument with the “rise” of ADHD and it’s over medication (point being that the people being rejected for this now wouldn’t have been in the past).

The 1% of eligible and willing people in that age group is definitely interesting though. Military service is definitely not considered as much in that age range as a viable career/life choice as it was in previous generations. I’m not sure the “softness” of America is quite the reason however.

Physical requirements and obesity are the main disqualifiers which do reflect "softness" in more ways than one. The items you mentioned constitute a small portion of those unfit with the tattoo restrictions greatly eased over what they were. The 71% ineligible for whatever reason is a level not previously seen in our country. Since this thread is about the influence of social media on young people particularly this message board begs the question of why social media has so much influence over people? Maybe more physical exercise and wasting less time on social media (like admittedly I am doing right now) could change "softness"? What do you think?

 

[nathanw19]

I don’t see where the points I mentioned only make up a small portion (I didn’t see the disqualifications broken down in percentages), though I agree I would imagine tattoos would (hopefully) only keep a very small portion out.

As for your broader question on social media and its influence on people, that’s a lot to tackle and I don’t think I can do it justice in a post here. I’m not a big social media person myself (though I do enjoy Instagram in limited doses), and may be the wrong person to ask.

As for your idea of “softness” being created or perpetuated by social media, I’m not sure I completely buy into this. I think every generation looks at subsequent generations as “soft” or “having it easy” for a myriad of reasons, including because technology continues to advance to solve in many ways the struggles previous generations had to deal with compared to the ones that face subsequent generations. I don’t buy into this making people “soft”, but instead shifting the struggles and types of struggles generations face.

As for the topic at hand, as I previously posted, I find it hard to believe that this or any message board has any influence on players coming. However, if it does, I don’t think that makes them “soft.” Players today are far more accessible to critics than they ever have been. In the past, if you didn’t like what was going on, the only way a player would hear it was you boo’ing at a game or a letter being written to them. Today, that sort of negativity is far more prevalent because of social media, a 24 hour sports news cycle, and the internet. The world is smaller, which gives everyone more access to each other than ever before. Some players handle it well, some struggle, but the fact they hear it is because it’s actually there now when it wasn’t before, and I’m inclined to believe that many players in previous generations would’ve struggled to handle such negativity as well had it been as easily accessible.

 

[spider fan]

My point about "soft" applies to the concept that criticism would deter one from a goal. Would not matter the source.

 

[Eight Legger]

David West is soft. Someone should ask him.

 

[fan2011]

If a recruit reads this board the content and tone of what they read will 100% affect their thought process regarding Richmond. That is just how the brain works. Unless a recruit somehow manages to completely forget what they have read on both a conscious and subconscious level, it will be there when they think about the school. Considering what is posted on this board, either consciously or subconsciously, is not in and of itself a sign of mental weakness. It is how the brain works.

The question is not if the effect exists, it is how large is the effect and how does it compare to the effect of other schools' message boards. I would guess that the overall effect is very small compared to other non-board factors, but it certainly exists. I would guess that the content of this board has never swayed a recruit one way or the other, but who knows for sure. It still has an effect though, and it certainly is not a positive one right now.

 

[SpiderK]

It’s obviously effected a few parents.

 

[keefusb]

If a recruit reads this board the content and tone of what they read will 100% affect their thought process regarding Richmond.

The variable you don't take into account is that recruits who are reading this forum will be reading the forums from other schools as well, most of which are much more negative and virulent than ours. With respect to Mooney and coaching stability, any recruit who sees this season's results and recent history and doesn't consider the possibility of a coaching change in the near future probably needs a big dose of reality.

At the end of the day, recruits may read our posts, and they may have an impact, but given the noise of other school's boards and the noise of social media in general, I think the issue is practically moot.

 

[fan2011]

The variable you don't take into account is that recruits who are reading this forum will be reading the forums from other schools as well, most of which are much more negative and virulent than ours. With respect to Mooney and coaching stability, any recruit who sees this season's results and recent history and doesn't consider the possibility of a coaching change in the near future probably needs a big dose of reality.

At the end of the day, recruits may read our posts, and they may have an impact, but given the noise of other school's boards and the noise of social media in general, I think the issue is practically moot.

If you read the rest of my post you will find I did take that into account. The relevant section:

The question is not if the effect exists, it is how large is the effect and how does it compare to the effect of other schools' message boards.

 

[keefusb]

If you read the rest of my post you will find I did take that into account. The relevant section:

Yes, but my other point was that even in the absence of basketball forums and other forms of social media, the team's performance (W/L, etc.) speaks volumes about whether or not a coach will likely be there by the time a recruit steps onto campus (or before said recruit graduates).

If I was a class of 2019 or 2020 HS grad looking at Richmond for basketball, I wouldn't be so sure, social media or not.

 

[fan2011]

Yes, but my other point was that even in the absence of basketball forums and other forms of social media, the team's performance (W/L, etc.) speaks volumes about whether or not a coach will likely be there by the time a recruit steps onto campus (or before said recruit graduates).

If I was a class of 2019 or 2020 HS grad looking at Richmond for basketball, I wouldn't be so sure, social media or not.

Yes, if you read my post further you will find I cover that as well, and even agree with you!

I would guess that the overall effect is very small compared to other non-board factors, but it certainly exists. I would guess that the content of this board has never swayed a recruit one way or the other, but who knows for sure.

 

[keefusb]

So we really shouldn't be concerned about what the Mooney Truthers/Unicorns and Rainbows folks say about being nice in our posts, because what we say here matters little in the big scheme of things, especially since we are one of the more "polite" basketball discussion forums in D1 hoops. The recruits should already be social media and real world savvy, and our overinflated sense of self-importance and influence doesn't really make a lick of difference in their decisions.

What I don't want to hear is CM using "hurtful" posts on this board as an excuse for why he can't recruit.

Besides, I know for a fact that there were several "Fire Mooney" threads that pre-dated the DB, NS, and GG recruiting class. Just goes to show that what we post here doesn't really matter.