Can Giacoletti make Drake a contender?

[jocoshock]

Andy Katz @ESPNAndyKatz 9m
Can Giacoletti make Drake the Gonzaga of the Midwest?
ESPNAndyKatz9m

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/9605469/ray-giacoletti-wants-make-drake-bulldogs-gonzaga-midwest-college-basketball

Wichita State is coming off a Final Four appearance and Creighton is gone.


If there ever was a time for Missouri Valley teams to step up to a challenge, it is now.


The door is open for some program, any of them, to fill a void left by the Bluejays and to challenge the existing power in Wichita State.


No one can duplicate Creighton in the Valley, not even the Shockers. Creighton had the ability to be the team of record in its state. The only competition was Nebraska and the Cornhuskers were largely irrelevant when the Jays had their moments of triumph. Omaha is the state capital and CU dominates the coverage during hoops season. Not to mention annually finishes in the top 10 nationally in attendance.

Wichita State can be the dominant program for years to come as long as Gregg Marshall stays put. He can build a Valley dynasty.

[WuShock16]

A) Is someone on crack to think that Drake can be a Gonzaga? Try making it to Saturday in St. Louis (heck, in some cases, Friday) before we start this nonsense.
B) Since when is Oma-hell the state capital of Nebraska?
C) All roads to success in the Valley run right through Wichita for the foreseeable future.

[benishock]

I DO think Giacoletti will make a difference at Drake, and possibly a very large one. Phelps last few recruiting classes were all considered pretty good, but the guy simply wasn't a very good coach. I think Drake could surprise a lot of people this year.

[SHOCKvalue]

Oh Katz...

So much is made of the Creighton attendance factor. It's like judging who will win the Indy 500 based on which car is best looking.

[Dan]

The problem with Drake is that it will always be a stepping stone coaching job. They will never pay a coach $1.5M+ and therefore will have a constant revolving door of failed coaches or successful coaches moving on to bigger and better things. If anyone can step up and consistently challenge WSU, it has to be Bradley or Illinois State, IMO.

[WuDrWu]

No one can duplicate Creighton?

I guess if he means no team can be as lucky as the jay IN conference, then totally underachieve outside the conference and in postseason for, I don't know, ever, like sCUm, I suppose he's correct. Maybe he means nobody else can lure Nebraska fans with the smell of beer into their rented stadiums like sCUm.

That shine is about off folks. Enjoy the swan song this year with the lil Wookie lottery and whatever that 6th year ruling was for Schlomo.

[jocoshock]

No one can duplicate Creighton?

I guess if he means no team can be as lucky as the jay IN conference, then totally underachieve outside the conference and in postseason for, I don't know, ever, like sCUm, I suppose he's correct. Maybe he means nobody else can lure Nebraska fans with the smell of beer into their rented stadiums like sCUm.

That shine is about off folks. Enjoy the swan song this year with the lil Wookie lottery and whatever that 6th year ruling was for Schlomo.

No other team in the Valley lives in a basketball wasteland (Nebraska). Who would want to duplicate that?

[jocoshock]

Paul Suellentrop @PaulS:uellentrop 4m
I wonder if Creighton fans agree that their team "dominates" the coverage during hoops. I hear complaints about Nebraska, even when

[ShockerPrez]

Who effing cares?

[DwShock]

Omaha the state Capitol? Just goes to show sports writers shouldn't try to talk history or politics if a ball isn't involved.

[wushock27]

I think he meant the state Capitol in basketball... Could be wrong though

[AndShock]

I think he meant the state Capitol in basketball... Could be wrong though

Well he removed it from the article...

[ShockerFever]

For being a good writer and analyst like Katz, this one fell way short of par. Like Tiger at the Majors short of par.

Why does no one understand that 80% of those in attendance at Creighton games aren't even Creighton fans and couldn't even name more than 3 players on the team?

[shockmonster]

The problem with Drake is that it will always be a stepping stone coaching job. They will never pay a coach $1.5M+ and therefore will have a constant revolving door of failed coaches or successful coaches moving on to bigger and better things. If anyone can step up and consistently challenge WSU, it has to be Bradley or Illinois State, IMO.

Illinoi State doesn't pay anymore than Drake do they?

[SubGod22]

Illinoi State doesn't pay anymore than Drake do they?

Not sure about current pay, but it's about potential pay. ISU has much better support, potential support, to fund things at a higher level. Hell, we didn't have impressive pay by any means when we started with Turgeon, but the potential was there once something was built. And now we're paying close to 2 million. I don't know where the ceiling is for BU or ISU, but I have no doubt that it's much higher than DU. And hell, I was on the ISUb board the other day and they were wondering if they could ever pay 350k. UNI is pretty much maxed out where they're at. MSU won't spend. The only hope is really ISU and BU and maybe even a Loyola down the road.