"What We've Got Here...Is a Failure to Communicate"

"The Bucking Bronco"

Many of you will instantly recognize this famous line from the 1967 classic "Cool Hand Luke" starring Paul Newman.  Luke refuses to buckle under the constant punishment handed to him by the Captain. After Luke's repeated attempts to escape, the Captain utters the famous words above.

I worry we have the same issue with Santa Clara Men's Basketball.  

Now, I get it.  I'm only a blogging season ticket holder.  I'm just a customer/fan, like you, who wants the best product we can get.  The reason I write this Blog, is because we in the "chairbacks" and other fans who are die hard supporters, are not getting the communication and information we want.

We're not talking game stats or summaries or EyeBronco videos.  There's PLENTY of that.

As customers, we want to know things:  like where are we going as a team?  who are we going to play?  who would we like to recruit?  And a hundred more bits that loyal customers expect.

I've made a number of requests to represent you  - the season ticket holders - as a voice, and I'm getting the "4 corners stall" from Men's Basketball.  

It feels like their communication policy is not to communicate...

To be fair, I did get a chance to sit down with both Coach Keating and A.D. Dan Coonan. Those meetings were a good start to, what I thought, was a conversation and avenue to go into topics they wanted to expand upon.  Since then, the stall - "wait until after the season".

OK.  

Now, it's after the season and I am being pushed to "maybe in the fall" before the next season starts. You get the drift.....

The "Cone of Silence" has fallen....

I'm confused and now a little - miffed...I just don't understand the benefit of waiting to communicate with your best customers at the exact time they desire the MOST information - now.

Can you imagine John Chambers of Cisco Corporation telling his shareholders - "you'll have to wait until next quarter to talk about this quarters results!  I don't think so.....  

Now, SCU is not a publicly traded company, but as season ticket holders, we feel like, we are the stakeholders - buying our tickets year after year - and would like to be treated as such.  I know for sure one piece of communication that is consistent - the call to renew your season tickets - that's always on time...

How about an outreach or even maybe a "thank you" for your loyalty?

In the absence of communication, comes speculation - which, without dialogue, is usually negative. What are we hiding?  It's grossly unfair to the coaches and the A.D. who, without a face and a voice to their customers - are deemed aloof and uncaring - which having talked to them - I know is completely false. 

Maybe it's just ME...I'll take the rap....

When I've asked why, I am told:  "coaches don't do interviews during the season - except for game recaps - they're focused on game prep and the season"  and "no amount of communication is ever enough" and  "we are still figuring out what to do about Blogs versus credentialed media"...I'm no cyberspace wiz by any means - but "dealing with Blogs" - we're talking 10 year old web technology......Really???  

You have a captive audience of some of your best fans and supporters, who are "in the moment" seeking information and you have at least one vehicle - a Blog, that reaches more than a thousand of these customers and your strategy is to push the "mute" button...or hope it goes away...

If our PR theme, "We're On A Mission" is our tag line to build the "Brand" of SCU Athletics, how do you do that without extensive communication?   I hear USF's radio announcements and I see St.Mary's ads in the San Jose Airport - but we can't get a dialogue going between Men's Basketball and our own season ticket holders...This is OUR turf - like our home court - defend it!

Well, I'm not going away.  I have many topics to expand upon - your topics - because I believe in the potential of this Brand and I'm willing to speak up.

It'd be nice if our program did the same...

Leaving Las Vegas - The Fundamental Truth

"The Bucking Bronco"

The sacrifice bunt.  The tap-in 2 footer.  Picking up the blitz.  The pick and roll.

The common denominator:  basic fundamentals.  They are the little, boring and repetitive things that are drilled into athletes so they become second nature and executable in the most important moments.

The last 30 seconds of our season, against Gonzaga, laid bare, in brutal finality the conundrum of the 2013-2014 season.  A team capable of exceptional athletic feats, but unable to consistently deliver - you guessed it - THE FUNDAMENTALS......

Jared Browridge dribbles left, off a pick, and nails a step back 2 with four sweaty Zag palms in his face followed by David Stockton dribbling unguarded until half court, going left, off a pick, splitting our defenders to the rim for a layup where there was no help and Zag nation celebrates..........AGAIN.

For me, it was the season of the Pick and Roll and fundamentally.  

We couldn't handle it consistently - on both ends.

Let's set up coaching scenarios in those last 30 seconds - because IMHO they are fundamentally different.......These are just my guesses.

SCU Ball:  Kerry calls a play to get the ball into his best player's hand with under 15 to go - that's Jared. Let him run off a pick or two and take the best shot or pass available at 10 seconds or less. 

ZAG "D" plan:  they know it's going to Jared or Brandon, off a pick, so double them, don't give up a 3 and force a pass to anyone else with under 5 to go and make THEM tie it.  

Good tactic.  They did double, but Jared didn't pass, even under double team pressure - he elevated and made the shot.  BTW, pretty much the same shot he made to beat St. Mary's.

ZAG Ball:  Mark Few put the ball NOT in his best player's hand, but in his best "decision makers" hand - David Stockton.  Take the dribble to the center, use the pick, read the pick defense and make the best decision, pass or shot - you have all 5 players as options to use - read them - use them.  And he did.  No Bronco helped on the high pick and the lane was wide open - for a layup, a 75% shot vs pass out to a 40% shot or less. Fundamentally sound.....and different.....

SCU "D" plan:  not sure on the "no guarding" of Stockton until after half court, but keep the ball in front of you, go through or switch on the high pick, and force them to take the hardest shot possible with the least time left.  

Do not leave Pangos, or Dower to help.....

Stockton athletically reacted to the "over-switch" - we didn't keep him in front of us and he made the fundamentally right decision.  Much like he has done in practice 1000's of times.

Although this was one game - the above scenario played out all season long.  WCC coaches know our team well.  They know if they can limit shots by Jared, Brandon, and sometimes Evan and switch on the perimeter screens, that we will have to settle for tough shots, late in the clock OR pass it back to a 30% or less shooter.  Smart.  Fundamental. In fact, we try SO hard to make the picks work, we commit - my guess, more fouls on screens than any other WCC team.   

As season ticket holders, we've seen this play out over and over again - like "Ground Hog Day".  The hue and cry is "try something else"!  Unfortunately, we lack the other offensive options to play an "inside - out" game.

In spite of all this, I am truly amazed at what Jared and Brandon have been able to do. Jared is a shooting "savant".  Can you imagine what he could do if we could get him some truly open looks versus these acrobatic Cirque Du Soleil shots?  Brandon emerged this year as fearless force.  Making tough shots at crunch time, taking charges, and a slashing surgical knife in the middle, taking on any BIG that came to help.

So Great to watch!  

The fundamental question is why?  84 practices - over 30 games, and thousands of pick and roll experiences.  It's a conundrum, and to season ticket holders, a migraine that just won't go away.  Is there a "pick and roll" pill we can take???  I've asked to attend practice - not to critique, just to see and provide information to the chairbacks about how hard these kids work - but was fundamentally denied access.

The simple answer might be - well, the other teams have better athletes.....Some do, most don't.  Oh, maybe we're "young".  OK, well for most of the year we started 4 upper classmen....I can go on and on about maybes.....

Maybe it's more fundamental than we think?  In fact, maybe over thinking is the fundamental issue.  Clogged heads trying to process TMI in milliseconds instead of "athletically" reacting to what you "see".  

Maybe it's Vladimir Guerrero, a devastating hitter, simple....."See the Ball, Hit the Ball". No thought of the 100's of potential pitches that could be thrown in a situation - use athleticism and "play" the game.

Was Jared "thinking" about all the obstacles he had to overcome in making that last shot - no way.  He was "reacting" to what he could see and feel - the athlete in him.  Did he think about the shot itself and the magnitude of  the situation?  Nope.  He just let it go - because he's made that shot SO many times in the schoolyard or in practice.  He got out of his own way....."Free your mind".....

Fundamentally, if we don't fix the pick and roll going forward, not even the ghost of Steve Nash, will be able to get us to contend in the WCC. 

And that's the Fundamental Truth.....

Is Santa Clara "On a Mission" in Men's Basketball

"The Bucking Bronco"

Very clever - the Double Entendre - Santa Clara - "We're On A Mission".

If you've been to the Leavey Center - it's an in your face pronouncement, played on the ginormous video screen - with the volume exceeded only by a Metallica concert - that sends the message of we're "Jonesing" for bigger things...Click the link below, just in case you've missed it.

SCU "On A Mission" Video

The PR possibilities are endless.  A rallying cry, a source of motivation, maybe a little bit of "chip on the shoulder angst".

BUT, what does it really mean?  I sat down with Dan Coonan, Athletic Director to find out that and more.

First things first.  Here is an abbreviated version of the published, official mission statement of Santa Clara Athletics.

"The Santa Clara Athletics program will field first-rate men's and women's intercollegiate athletics teams that are competitive within their Conference and the region, and strive to be competitive nationally. The programs will bring honor, distinction and greater national awareness to the University, which will not only complement but enhance its national image and prestige.
The Santa Clara Athletics program will enrich the life, character and vitality of the Santa Clara University campus. It will foster school spirit, and will generate fun and excitement for students, alumni, faculty, staff, parents and fans. 
Coaches and administrators will provide student-athletes with an athletics experience that is both challenging and rewarding. They will serve as role models for student-athletes and prospective student-athletes, and will be assimilated into the campus culture.
In carrying out each of the above values and principles, the Santa Clara Athletics program will serve as a leader in the field of intercollegiate athletics and recreation, and a model for other universities."

Good statement.  Actually, pretty aggressive - given Dan is a Lawyer by training.

"National", "Role Models", and "Leaders".  But, it's just a statement and according to Dan - not enough.  Not not enough to build a Brand around Santa Clara Athletics.  "We needed something to state our commitment to "competitiveness" now and going forward and this represents that commitment".

SO..."On A Mission" was born.

You did read that correctly - commitment and competitiveness..Words many Season Ticket holders believe are not in the SCU athletics playbook OR wallet....

Well, let me retract that a little bit.  I believe everyone in our Athletic Department is "committed" to doing their very best.  Brandon Clark doesn't take an opponents charge in the lane because it's FUN - he is full on committed to his team.  Kerry and his coaches non-stop instructions to players during games, is full vocal chord shredding commitment.

Unfortunately, commitment is not enough.

In a way, I feel for Dan and his team.  And in another way, I'm really chapped.  Particularly in Men's Basketball, where fans and those of us in the "chairbacks" have expected much more.  Do the math - if your program is lowest in funding but highest in expectations - hard to make the kite fly.  That's not commitment.

Let's face it, the recipe for the A.D. job at many universities and my guess at SCU is, IMHO, 3 parts managing politics and 1 part managing performance.

SO, I put myself in Dan's shoes...I have to be a politician - I can't go "call out" my boss at the University.  I can't level with the fans, alumni, press and look like a whiner.  I can't REALLY task my coaches with winning titles with fewer resources/scholarships than everyone else in my conference.

Even Lance Armstrong and his "medical" bag couldn't win the Tour De France riding on a flat tire....

BUT WHAT THEY HAVE DONE is create a "measuring stick" for the future.  IF funding is restored.

It will be hard for a coach or A.D. to hide behind "lack of funding" if the University let's the moth's out of the wallet.  And that's what we need - CLARITY & TRANSPARENCY.  It feels good to say....

To Dan's credit - they DO measure everything.  The top 3: Conference Performance, RPI, and NCAA Tourney appearances.  Maybe soon it will mean something....More...

Clearly, something is afoot.  As I wrote in an earlier column, The Presidents Commission on Athletics" decision is due in June. I know one thing.....

The Season Ticket holders hope the Trustees are "ON A MISSION" - the same one Dan and his team are on....

NEXT POST: More with Dan Coonan "inside" the Department and Men's Basketball.

Breaking News - SCU President's Commission on Athletics - Decision Delayed

"The Bucking Bronco"

Breaking News!!!  No Aaron Gordon isn't transferring to Santa Clara....Darn!

The meeting and decision by the Board of Trustees regarding the President's Commission on Athletics has been delayed until June due to Health reasons.

NO - members of the Board are doing just fine, but SCU employees were not.

I'm sure you've read about the University's decision to drop heath insurance coverage for elective abortions.  

Members of the Faculty through the Faculty Senate elected to appeal the decision believing that the University did not properly adhere to its governance policy in making the decision.  As a result, the appeal had to be brought to the Board of Trustees for a decision in February - effectively and appropriately moving the date for review and decision on Athletics until June.

Hopefully, for Season ticket holders, our health plans will cover the anxiety therapy we may need while we await the report....

MEANWHILE....Our Broncos continue their bi-polar run through conference play.  At our best, we can play with Gonzaga for 39.97 minutes and then there's Portland and USF to remind us of how much we need to do...

As we await the Commission Report, we have Pacific and St. Mary's this week and then the WCC Tourney starts soon.  We'll see which team shows up this week.  

NEXT POST:  THIS WEEK....My conversation with Athletic Director - Dan Coonan....Revealing....

The Bronco's & The WCC - The West Coast Craziness Conference

"The Bucking Bronco"

If the WCC conference is any indication of how the NCAA tournament might play out this year - fasten your seat belts!!

WAIT A MINUTE....Portland beats both Gonzaga and BYU, then loses to then cellar dweller San Diego, while USF wins 4 of its first 5 games without Cody Doolin.  Loyola and Pepperdine also beat BYU - then WE beat both Portland and St. Mary's - AT St. Mary's - for the first time in the Kerry Keating era as a result of 2nd half shooting, where we were so HOT, we shut down the Moraga electrical grid!!

THEN - last night, we took the Zags to the final 2 seconds - before.....Well you know....

Got it?  I'm glad you do....The WCC is the "Forest Gump" conference of NCAA Men's Basketball....Cause you never know.....

Which brings me the Broncos.  My preseason league conference record prediction was
W 7 - L 11.
I'm thinking maybe 1 or 2 wins shy of that.  St. Mary's aside, the Broncos have been - well, inconsistent is a little too kind. Flashes of brilliance of a team they CAN become, followed by "ruts" that even Brandon Clark and Jared Brownridge's great scoring can't dig them out of.  Are we just ONE player away from competing for a title??

Maybe this will just be a "bi-polar" season.....

I don't need to tell you, the fans, the story - you know.  Short Version - we have been unable to shoot, defend (especially the paint), and rebound with the consistency required to challenge for the middle position in the League.

I should pause here - these are my observations and recap of the stats.  After meeting with Coach Keating before the Conference games started (a subject of a future article) and despite my requests, he is unavailable during the rest of the season for comments....  So you'll have to live with mine.

Some Relevant Stats:  WCC Games Only - as of 1/29/14

1. FG% -  Offense   42.8% - 9th in WCC
2. FG% -  Defense  48.0% - 10th in WCC
3. 3Pt % - Offense   38% - 5th in WCC - we have tried 50 more 3pt shots than next highest team
4. Scoring - 69 points per game - 9th in WCC
5. Scoring Defense - 73.7 points per game - 10th in WCC
6. Offensive Rebounding - 10th in WCC
7. Defensive Rebounding - 9th in WCC
8. Turnover Margin - 3rd in WCC
9. Total Ave. Attendance - 9th in WCC

For more WCC Stats follow this link:

WCC Complete Stats

You may have to copy and paste into your browser.

On the individual side, Jared Brownridge and Brandon Clark are ranked 2nd & 3rd in points per game and have been terrific.  Brownridge is a "stone cold shooter", over 51% from the floor and 46% behind the 3pt line.  He's putting up these numbers even though EVERY opponent knows to put him in "lockdown".
Last night, the Zags used a very creative "baseline" zone to limit his touches and it worked - only 7 shots.

Most people probably thought - oh no!  We lost at the buzzer - but IMHO we lost it from the 15:44 -10:40 mark in the 2nd half - 7 empty offensive possessions and 2 critical offensive rebounds by the Zags turned into points.  Add Gary Bell's clutch shooting during that span - that was big.  We fought back - HARD - but the Zags have what all really good teams have and what we NEED - a 4th or even 5th option.- a Sam Dower.

Brandon,  just flat out competes... Making the tough shot, the right pass - full out...

Evan has been slower to get into mid season form.  Things just seem a little off - the shot, the pass, the timing of those - I wonder if the back is balking...but last night he finally played "like Evan". 

When I say "are we ONE player away" - yes, one for sure and maybe two.  Not guards...I'd love to see at least one John Bryant type in a Yannick Atanga body...Power, touch, AND agility. My wish list.

With our remaining games, I see NO "gimmies".  I'd say LMU, but we don't seem to play well in their building - weird particles or some kind of Voodoo spell...

One thing I do know - for us to grow - it needs to be an "inside job".

An Invite to "The Big Dance" - What's it Worth?

"The Bucking Bronco"

"MARCH MADNESS" - An enthralling, intoxicating, and addicting cache for the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.  TRUST ME, when you see the payouts, you will need a trip to rehab...

In 2012-2013, the NCAA distributed $484,000,000 to Division 1 conferences and its member schools.
That's NOT a typo - $484 MILLION...The Conferences usually decide how much each school receives each year.

Another amazing factoid, a University doesn't even have to play in the event to get paid!!! Everybody shares the pie - although, if you are a qualifier - you usually receive more money from your conference, since you earned it in the first place.

The money is distributed via 6 different funds.  Below are the 5 largest.

The Funds Breakdown  

Basketball Fund:  $188 M

Academic Enhancement:  $24.4 M

Grants-in-Aid:  $125.5 M

Student Assistance:  $73.5 M

Sports Sponsorship:  $62.8 M

All this money is used to help member conferences and schools build better athletic and support programs, which in turn fosters better competitions, and YOU GUESSED IT - make the NCAA Tournament, the holy grail of collegiate sports.

WILD, isn't it?  In truth - MADNESS...

It gets better...

An invitation in 2013-2014 is expected to be worth $260,000 - per game..  Win 4 games and get to the Final 4 - do the math..

The payouts occur each year on a rolling 6 year cycle.  Amounts are added each year to create a quasi annuity for conferences and schools.

As an example, Marquette University, similar in size to SCU, is the 9th "most valuable" program in terms of NCAA payout "units" generating between $18-20 Million for their conference over the next 6 years from the basketball fund.  Butler, # 11, half the size of SCU, will generate $16-18 Million.

Sandwiched in between those schools in the rankings is some team named - Kentucky...

As a result of Gonzaga's 14 year NCAA run and St Mary's recent success, the WCC received about $10 M last year from the above mentioned funds.  Both teams have been justly rewarded.  Gonzaga reported receiving over $800,000 from just the Basketball Fund.  To put it in perspective, that payout alone is 2.9 times more than the SCU's Men's Basketball estimated total annual operating budget.  Add on top the national PR exposure and media contracts, and the impact can be BIG - maybe a game changer.

Our last trip to the "dance" - 17 years ago - a Nash led team.

I don't know about you, but if the last time I danced with my wife was 17 years ago - well that would be another type of game changer.....

I hope the SCU Board of Trustees likes to "dance".  I hope the Commission Report will be compelling and result in an immediate call to action - not the usual "in 5 years" we hope to....

Season Ticket Holders and Boosters want a "surge" - we're tired of being wall flowers....

"Moneyball"

"The Bucking Bronco"

Today's a big day at SCU.  Not because it's a game day....we play St. Mary's tomorrow night.

So, what's the BIG deal???

TODAY, the SCU Board of Trustees Executive Committee will be briefed on the findings and recommendations of the President's Commission on Athletics. The Executive Committee are the the standing committee chairs and officers of Board, who are tasked with achieving the stated Board and University goals for the year.  It is NOT a decision date - that will come next month when the full Board meets.

However, if the officers are for it - that will be a very good sign.

Here's a preview of the information they will receive*

1. SCU's overall athletic department budget is near the bottom in the WCC
2. SCU offers the fewest number of athletic scholarships in the WCC
3. SCU Men's Basketball operating budget is one of the lowest in the WCC - 4 times            smaller than Gonzaga and is less than 1/2 of St. Mary's - Forget about BYU
4. SCU Men's Basketball budget has been flat since 2007, a modest increase this year
5. SCU's athletic department's funding is below "comparative" Jesuit Universities
6. SCU "fund raises" more scholarships than most all other WCC teams

This level of Investment has produced the following results

1. Last time SCU was awarded the WCC Commissioner's Cup:  2006-2007
2. Last Men's Basketball WCC Title"   1996-1997 Co-Champs
3. Last Men's Basketball NCAA Tournament Appearance:  1996
4. Last Men's Basketball NIT Appearance:  1989
5. Last Men's Basketball Post Season 2013:  Won The CBI Tourney

Intermixed, there have been two 20+ win seasons and of course, we graduate all of our players, common to the other WCC schools.

As an Alum, I have the utmost respect for The University deciding to invest more in Academic infrastructure.  Forbes Magazine's rankings of the University are climbing.

BUT, as a Season ticket holder - we have an opportunity to do better - and the money to do so.  Santa Clara's total Endowment is 2nd only to BYU in the WCC and is nearly 6 times larger than Gonzaga and St. Mary's.

Over the past several years, Gonzaga Athletics has received an average of about 5.5% of the University's operating budget.  If put into SCU dollars, that equates to nearly a $21 M athletic budget based upon a total University budget of $378 M.

If I'm Dan Coonan, I might be pulling a full on a Cuba Gooding, Jr. move in Jerry Maguire, "Show me the Money!"

Money alone is NOT the answer.  It must come with clear Goals and Accountability - sometimes a "difficult" thing for Universities to implement.  Well, you know, Students have to "earn" credits and specific GPA's to graduate - we shouldn't expect less of our leaders.

The Season Ticket Holders vote:  Let's invest in some thoroughbreds AND LET THE HORSES RUN!!!

*The Information above was developed from publicly available source.