Josh Irving to TXAM

Kentucky15

Senior
Mar 29, 2013
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My son and I spent a week on the A&M campus, he was an ROTC prospect, I was blown away, the campus and facilities are absolutely world class, I truly believe that was the case here, they made him a priority more so than we did, financially. I don't think it's a huge deal, though this is definitely a school with tremendous resources and it looks to be the case.

It’s not about how much you have. All of the programs in the SEC can spend whatever they want. All of them. It’s a matter of how much they’re willing to, and A&M will never put what we do into basketball. This guy didn’t care about program he was looking at playing time and competition. Just look at the rosters. There’s your answer.

A&M is putting the vast majority of what they’re willing to spend into football. Not basketball.
 
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LadyCaytIL

Heisman
Oct 28, 2012
31,989
32,772
113
Even Hawthorne and Potter would play over him in the front court next year, kid isnt Hawthorne and willing to come be a bench rider in year 1.
 

philstat

All-American
Jan 3, 2004
9,639
5,829
56
Nah Phil. They might try to out shoot us for a player but they can’t spend what we do on basketball and never will.
That's really hard to say, some of these schools, especially the Texas and Texas A&M types have enormous boosters pushing money into their schools, I don't believe an operating-recruiting budget of say a total of $20M is out of the capabilities of these schools. Sure, many won't want to spend that, though ultimately, they're postured to, if necessary. Schools like A&M, Ohio State and a few others get a lot of money from the DOD as well, given their service connections, that offset other costs.
 

Kentucky15

Senior
Mar 29, 2013
690
948
88
That's really hard to say, some of these schools, especially the Texas and Texas A&M types have enormous boosters pushing money into their schools, I don't believe an operating-recruiting budget of say a total of $20M is out of the capabilities of these schools. Sure, many won't want to spend that, though ultimately, they're postured to, if necessary. Schools like A&M, Ohio State and a few others get a lot of money from the DOD as well, given their service connections, that offset other costs.

If they were going to do that, it likely would have been done already and we’d know. Tennessee has the money to do that as well and actually likes basketball and wants to win there. They’re not doing it to our level. These schools spend so much money on football and coaches, I’m not sure their boosters want to hear “let’s go 20 mil a year and win in basketball”. We already know which ones those are most likely - BYU, SMU (appropriated a lot toward basketball), and a few others who aren’t traditional basketball powers.

You can see that clearly when you look at how much money they’re spending from the university side. Texas A&M isn’t spending the levels that Kentucky is.

I also think it’s worth noting that year to year, nobody in the SEC is going to spend what UK will, but every now and then might make a push for a season or 2 to see.

Kentucky is unique because we do not win in football and this entire states team, pro or collegiate, is UK basketball. It’s a great opportunity for us because we love basketball, we’re not winning anywhere else, and we are literally given that edge. Winning in basketball takes all pressure off the AD and it’s feasible. They don’t really have a choice, and since it’s cheaper, that’s where the focus will be. A&M is not focused on basketball.
 
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I really don't understand the pursuit of all these highschool guys when we know for sure we're taking probably only 2. Considering these guys usually charge for an OV, seems like we'd do better to narrow our focus and spend there.

One thing that's really aggravating is Louisville and pk are literally playing the little brother role to a tee. They're after the same guys and driving up the price.

In fact they were the first I ever heard of to start paying for an OV and now all top recruits get it.

Nice work pk you tiny dork.
 
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4UK4life1

All-Conference
Dec 21, 2004
3,064
1,165
111
If Pope wanted him, it was a miss. It's okay to have misses. That's why you have a net spread out there. It's still a miss so lets not say it's something else.
Calling it a miss is a little bit different now with NIL. Say Pope set a ceiling for how much he’s willing to pay and another school comes over top by 40-50% more. Is that really a miss? That goes for any school really
 

DelkBowl

Heisman
Oct 4, 2015
10,394
11,292
101
Calling it a miss is a little bit different now with NIL. Say Pope set a ceiling for how much he’s willing to pay and another school comes over top by 40-50% more. Is that really a miss? That goes for any school really
Okay it's a financial miss....along with the other two financial misses so far.
 

Snowman

All-Conference
Jan 12, 2002
783
1,011
93
disappointing........he would have been a good addition
I'm mildly disappointed. To my non-expert eye, he appears to have considerable upside with considerable natural athleticism. On the other hand, I doubt he would've played much next year so maybe the fit wasn't strong for him. And maybe UK gets someone better. I have a ton of confidence in CMP and the staff. There are a lot of good players out there, including the portal and international guys now.
 

Snowman

All-Conference
Jan 12, 2002
783
1,011
93
Called this on Monday, A&M just outspent us, they have vastly more financial resources to tap into.
Frankly I hightly doubt that. Yes, maybe their Josh Irving budget was higher but UK's financial resources are strong. It's a question of what it makes sense to spend on a given player.
 

LadyCaytIL

Heisman
Oct 28, 2012
31,989
32,772
113
I really don't understand the pursuit of all these highschool guys when we know for sure we're taking probably only 2. Considering these guys usually charge for an OV, seems like we'd do better to narrow our focus and spend there.

One thing that's really aggravating is Louisville and pk are literally playing the little brother role to a tee. They're after the same guys and driving up the price.

In fact they were the first I ever heard of to start paying for an OV and now all top recruits get it.

Nice work pk you tiny dork.
You keep recruiting guys that you think have potential even if you arent going to take them because a year or 2 or 3 from now the kid could transfer and you have a leg up by already having a great relationship with that player
 

Kentucky15

Senior
Mar 29, 2013
690
948
88
Hey brother. I'm doing well. Back teaching young minds and ready for the season. How have you been?

Doing good. Working toward the big one right now, and working with some youngins as well. But other than that trying to safeguard this program in anyway I can. Good to see ya.

If you’re in the same hub as Gonzo smack the sht outa him for me😃
 
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Broker

All-Conference
Aug 29, 2012
1,360
1,313
113
Nah Phil. They might try to out shoot us for a player but they can’t spend what we do on basketball and never will.
A&M has Oil & Gas money. They can buy UK if they wanted to. They shelled out $75 million to get rid of Jimbo Fisher. We can't afford to get rid of Stoops. We are a lot of things but being able to out spend A&M for someone they really really want is not happening. Texas also has deep deep pockets.
 

Kentucky15

Senior
Mar 29, 2013
690
948
88
A&M has Oil & Gas money. They can buy UK if they wanted to. They shelled out $75 million to get rid of Jimbo Fisher. We can't afford to get rid of Stoops. We are a lot of things but being able to out spend A&M for someone they really really want is not happening. Texas also has deep deep pockets.

Doesn’t matter what they have. It’s what they’re willing to spend on basketball that matters. And they aren’t willing to spend in basketball what we spend. That’s as obvious as clouds producing rain. They’d be doing it. They aren’t doing it. This guy wasn’t some insane recruit. We have players ahead he chose them because he’s going to play immediately because they don’t have the roster we do because - they aren’t spending what we do.

Texas A&M is not going to throw away billions of dollars on football. They certainly aren’t gonna do it in basketball. Just because someone is rich beyond doesn’t mean they’re going to throw away hundreds of millions of dollars around the clock.

The Jimbo contract raised a ton of eyebrows. I don’t think you’ll be seeing much more of that. But regardless this is basketball and the power players are known at this point, and A&M isn’t one.

And we 100% could get rid of stoops and pay him 30 million. They’re just trying to get around it. Eventually they will buy him out at some kind of price. The risk long term is too high not to.
 

Broker

All-Conference
Aug 29, 2012
1,360
1,313
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Doesn’t matter what they have. It’s what they’re willing to spend on basketball that matters. And they aren’t willing to spend in basketball what we spend. That’s as obvious as clouds producing rain. They’d be doing it. They aren’t doing it. This guy wasn’t some insane recruit. We have players ahead he chose them because he’s going to play immediately because they don’t have the roster we do because - they aren’t spending what we do.

Texas A&M is not going to throw away billions of dollars on football. They certainly aren’t gonna do it in basketball. Just because someone is rich beyond doesn’t mean they’re going to throw away hundreds of millions of dollars around the clock.

The Jimbo contract raised a ton of eyebrows. I don’t think you’ll be seeing much more of that. But regardless this is basketball and the power players are known at this point, and A&M isn’t one.

And we 100% could get rid of stoops and pay him 30 million. They’re just trying to get around it. Eventually they will buy him out at some kind of price. The risk long term is too high not to.
You said they CAN'T out spend us, not that they won't. They may not be willing to but if they wanted to, they could outspend us big time. Not arguing your point, only pointing out they could. Our AD allocates a larger portion of athletic budget to basketball than any other SEC team. Trust me, if A&M boosters really wants a kid and the kid is motivated by money, he will be an Aggie. TX may be able to compete because they have the same Oil & gas dollars.
 

Kentucky15

Senior
Mar 29, 2013
690
948
88
You said they CAN'T out spend us, not that they won't. They may not be willing to but if they wanted to, they could outspend us big time. Not arguing your point, only pointing out they could. Our AD allocates a larger portion of athletic budget to basketball than any other SEC team. Trust me, if A&M boosters really wants a kid and the kid is motivated by money, he will be an Aggie. TX may be able to compete because they have the same Oil & gas dollars.
I mean nobody can outspend us IF we want the player given The boundaries everyone has set. I’m sure there are small programs that have billion dollar boosters that could outspend Texas if they wanted to but they don’t. Doesn’t matter what someone CAN DO. It matters what they are currently doing and prepared to do. Given that, Texas A&M cannot out spend us. Not given those perimeters.