Portal = Parity?

[AURex 2,000]

In every P5 conference, the teams currently performing best were predicted to finish further down the conference.

Blue bloods are dropping like flies! Kentucky, UNC, Duke, Kansas, Gonzaga ......

In any given game, it seems an unranked opponent, or a team with many more losses, "upsets" a higher ranked team.

Is the portal creating more parity in college BB? Or is there some other explanation why we seem to have blue bloods bleeding out and predicted also-rans having more success?

 

[AUBwins 10,075]

I think NIL and portal. Being able to make a name for yourself, then going somewhere to an ideal situation to plug in and play while getting paid to do so definitely is a factor. I don't think playing for a blue blood has the prestige as it once did. Also North Carolina and Duke no longer have those legendary coaches either.  Blue schools mean more to high school seniors I think than transfers. 

[JerryAU 1,667]

On 2/4/2023 at 8:39 PM, AUBwins said:

I think NIL and portal. Being able to make a name for yourself, then going somewhere to an ideal situation to plug in and play while getting paid to do so definitely is a factor. I don't think playing for a blue blood has the prestige as it once did. Also North Carolina and Duke no longer have those legendary coaches either.  Blue schools mean more to high school seniors I think than transfers. 

I agree 100%!

Kids want $$ and they can get it with NIL so they'll weigh their options carefully and go to a team that will pay them big NIL $$ and give them the exposure they need to gt to the next level.  

Honestly, I like seeing the old blue bloods fall to the back of the pack for a change and see some new blood in the headlines. 

 

[AUBwins 10,075]

1 minute ago, JerryAU said:

I agree 100%!

Kids want $$ and they can get it with NIL so they'll weigh their options carefully and go to a team that will pay them big NIL $$ and give them the exposure they need to gt to the next level.  

Honestly, I like seeing the old blue bloods fall to the back of the pack for a change and see some new blood in the headlines. 

 

One of these days we will see a "Indiana State" win the big dance, if they have the right coach.  George Mason made a great run one year.  Best chance I think of current landscape is Iona with Pitino as coach.  We know he can get it done. Gonzaga is no longer a no-name so they do not qualify.