They say hindsight is 20-20, but everyone wants to put 2020 behind us. The only "20" we want to remember and build off is our 20 wins from last season.
Who knew that March Madness was the beginning of a new NCAA, The National Covid Avoidance Association!
Nevertheless, there will be a 2020-21 season. Right now the WCC schedule is set and the coaches are working on an 9 - 11 game non-conference schedule that has to be totally reworked.
Marquee tournaments and opponents in the Las Vegas Invitational and The Wooden Classic are toast for most.
Expect more local opponents with the fewest flights possible. Options like Sacramento State and Idaho State plus games being worked on with the Big West, Big Sky - teams we're used to playing. Out the window are higher profile name games on the original schedule. No travel - no play.
Covid Rules.....NO, NO, NO. No excess travel. No fans. Alas, No Bistros.
The revenue hit to MBB programs is enormous. Even SCU with its Billion Dollar Endowment has more needs than $. With Leavey all but shut down and no recruiting travel - there is money saved - but a pittance compared. Rather than shooting "bricks" we're selling them to raise money for the A.E.C. Zoom has a whole new meaning...
NCAA players are having three mid-terms a week. PCR Covid mid-terms. These are nothing like the layup Pass/Fail classes we all wanted back in the day. There will be failures - positives and that will cause more rework to complete this season.
With all the above, the team is practicing in the new AEC. A gorgeous recruiting tool lying in wait for post Covid. The team has undergone quite a makeover. The tired excuse of "we're young" won't be used this year. The core unit from last year is back, without Trey Wertz, and has the experience to make some statements - hopefully in the WCC. We are picked sixth, but we have eyes on much better.
Unfortunately, the "big three" still have a chokehold at the top. The Zags are ranked # 1 pre-season by some polls. Both St. Mary's and BYU won 26 games last season and have some key returners, but also key losses to graduation and transfers. They will be very good, but we should be able to compete well.
Apparently ESPN doesn't think much of our program and has put SCU on mute this season. Of their 17 WCC Men's Basketball telecasts this year, only two schools are shut out - Portland and you guessed it, SCU. That's a big "thud" for a program on the rise.
You can tell I'm getting a little chapped. It's Thanksgiving and I want to be thankful for the progress our team is making only to have the league and the networks treat us like leftover turkeys.
I'm ready to have us beat the "stuffing" out of our opponents!
While the world awaits a Vaccine that will end Covid and get us back in the stands at Leavey, the only Vaccine that will propel this team forward is winning.
This potential cure from decades of mediocrity starts tomorrow against Idaho State. I'm ready to get 2020 behind us. The thing that will do that for me is to get another 20 win season in the books and make some noise along the way. Tough to do with a shortened season schedule, but getting close to that will let others know we're Broncos and not Turkeys.
