Cornell Basketball

Great message board for Cornell basketball fans can be found below.

[boards.basketball-u.com]

Hope to get more involvement from the Cornell community on that site. Membership is free to post messages. Site is devoted to Ivy League basketball and is run by Ivy League alumni.

The Main Site is located at:

[ivy.basketball-u.com]

I think the Cornell program is about to turn the corner-- just need to get Adam Gore, Jason Hartford, Geoff Reeves and Collin Robinson in uniform.

It's a two-way street, CF. You need to post more here too. We're on board, but we're hungry for your excellent info.

I don't really have any regular inside connections to the Cornell basketball program. I am just a really HUGE Cornell/college basketball fan who follows the team religiously. Ya know, the one guy on campus who would sell his Harvard hockey ticket and instead go watch Big Red basketball in an empty gym.

If you want some recent basketball news... Cornell is one of three finalists to land 6-1 point guard Adrian Williams as a recruit. Williams is from Wheeler H.S. in Atlanta. He is the son of Doug Williams-- former Super Bowl MVP with the Redskins.

I am also hearing that Cornell may be among the Ivies involved with Jeffrey Jordan-- son of.... you guessed it. Him.

Imagine the media coverage if that happened...

CF, I agree with Hillel that we'd love to see you're info here. The Ivy Board invites too many Penn trolls; the real hardcore CU sports fans are found here (even if hockey is the main thing, a lot of us follow the other sports too).

You are right-- the Penn basketball fans are definitely trolls.

But... I kind of like have an online community of fans from multiple schools, even if the arguing and debate sometimes gets out of hand.

Have you guys heard about Cornell's newest recruiting commitment?

Cornell has a verbal commitment from Aaron Richardson-Osgood. He's a 6-9 post player originally from Redmond, Washington area, but is completing a postgrad season at the Hill School in Pottstown, Pa.

Cornell could have a great Ivy League squad next year with Louis Dale, Adam Gore, Ryan Wittman, Collin Robinson (USC transfer), Jason Hartford, and Geoff Reeves.

CornellFan
Cornell could have a great Ivy League squad next year with Louis Dale, Adam Gore, Ryan Wittman, Collin Robinson (USC transfer), Jason Hartford, and Geoff Reeves.

Will they play the full 40? This season has been very frustrating (even though I am more enthusiastic about the direction of the program than I have been since Zeke Mowatt.)

CornellFan
I am also hearing that Cornell may be among the Ivies involved with Jeffrey Jordan-- son of.... you guessed it. Him.

Imagine the media coverage if that happened...

While the Jordan DNA would certainly bode well for the actual quality of basketball, perhaps even more important would be that the media coverage would go a LONG way to increase the footprint of the program.

ugarte
This season has been very frustrating (even though I am more enthusiastic about the direction of the program than I have been since Zeke Mowatt.)

Whoa - there's a name I haven't heard in a while. Zeke lived downstairs from my girlfriend - nice guy, even if he did dribble a basketball around his apartment 24/7...

Robb

ugarte
This season has been very frustrating (even though I am more enthusiastic about the direction of the program than I have been since Zeke Mowatt.)

Whoa - there's a name I haven't heard in a while. Zeke lived downstairs from my girlfriend - nice guy, even if he did dribble a basketball around his apartment 24/7...

The more that I think about it, the more that I think I might be getting the name wrong. I think Zeke Mowatt might have been the guy on the Patriots that wagged his unit in Lisa Olson's face.


EDIT: Yup. The Cornell guy was Zeke Marshall.

Now that's what I'm talkinbout, CF. In two easy posts, you've provided more useful and fun info about Cornell basketball than we've seen on this forum in the last two years combined. Keep it coming.

CornellFan
I am just a really HUGE Cornell/college basketball fan who follows the team religiously. Ya know, the one guy on campus who would sell his Harvard hockey ticket and instead go watch Big Red basketball in an empty gym.

You are not alone. Many of us are obsessed with Cornell's non-revenue sports. Please keep fighting the good fight at basketball-u.com, but don't forget to feed us here, where plenty of latent fans and potential converts are waiting to be mobilized -- with a little e-nudge.

The season's already underway, but would you be willing to write up a short, informal preview before intraleague play begins? What are Cornell's strengths and weaknesses now that Gore is out? What's your take on the Ivies this season?

The Cornell program is headed for an Ivy League title.

This year the team is 4-4, at first glance, not impressive at all. But in essence, the result is somewhat impressive. They lost three of games by a basket-- after controlling most of the game.

Moreover, six of these games have been on the road-- and Cornell has been without injured players Khaliq Gant, Adam Gore, Jason Hartford, and Geoff Reeves. In addition, Collin Robinson is sitting out his required Red-Shirt season.

Gore, Hartford and Reeves were announced by Donahue as projected starters during the preseason before their injuries forced them to sit.

Collin Robinson, the USC transfer, is the real deal. He scored 14 points in the Red-White scrimmage displaying his ability to emerge as one of the team's premier scorers. Pretty scary when Cornell returns Wittman, Dale, Gore and Hartford.

Next year this team comes back loaded... and what is incredible... next year the team will only have two seniors Jason Hartford and Ugo Ihekweazu.

This is by far the best team at Cornell since the late 80s.

Is hockey really a revenue sport for Cornell? There is actually more money to be made in basketball-- that is, if the team improved. When will the University realize that the basketball team can do more for the school than the hockey team?

(1) Newman Arena holds more than Lynah-- so if there was a demand for tickets, the University would make more cash from the basketball games. (Newman holds about 4,800)

(2) There is more tv cash potential for the basketball team. Just by making the NCAAs alone-- Cornell would get to appear on CBS. There is also potential for ESPN games which Penn and Princeton get each year. Princeton plays North Carolina this year on ESPN. Last year Cornell basketball appeared on ESPN-U twice (against Syracuse) and Fox Sports once (against the Washington Huskies) in addition to Ivy games on the YES Channel and CSTV. Cornell hockey will never get a spot on a major network like CBS. Cornell basketball could get a primetime spot in front of the entire nation on CBS-- if only we can win the Ivy League. Now that is exposure and revenue.

(3) Success for the basketball team (an NCAA bid) would definitely influence an increase in applications to Cornell. A hockey national championship would probably do nothing.

So, while Cornell hockey currently brings in more revenue for the school (and I love its tradition and past/current glory), this would change overnight if the basketball team began to win games.

CornellFan
Is hockey really a revenue sport for Cornell? There is actually more money to be made in basketball-- that is, if the team improved. When will the University realize that the basketball team can do more for the school than the hockey team?

Blasphemy!!!

But seriously. I think the difference between hockey and basketball is that Cornell is in a position where we can legitimately aspire to an NCAA championship in hockey. I don't believe that is the case with the basketball team regardless of what is done. A consequence of this is that there is likely to be more overall excitement about the hockey program. While winning the Ivy Title in bball (and having a shot at it consistently) would certainly fill a lot more seats in the Fieldhouse Formerly Known as Alberding, I question whether it would result in regular sellouts and a solid revenue stream the way hockey does.

Your point about the effect of an NCAA bid on potential students is possible. Certainly the basketball tournament has more national visibility than hockey. (I suspect a large fraction of Cornell hockey fans weren't hockey fans befoer coming to Ithaca.) Then again, Cornell isn't exactly Moorehead State. Plenty of students/parents/guidance couonselors are aware of Cornell independant of sports. So I suspect that we'd get much less of a popularity bounce than a small, relatively unknown school would.

All that said, I'd love to test out your theory and see which sport would gnerate more money.

CornellFan
Is hockey really a revenue sport for Cornell? There is actually more money to be made in basketball-- that is, if the team improved. When will the University realize that the basketball team can do more for the school than the hockey team?

(1) Newman Arena holds more than Lynah-- so if there was a demand for tickets, the University would make more cash from the basketball games. (Newman holds about 4,800)

IF is a big word there. Sure Newman holds about 600 more bodies than Lynah, but supply and demand are now pretty darn close with pretty much everyone who wants a ticket getting one. To be successful, the basketball team needs to draw the CU sports fan be it student or townie who would be happy to see hockey and basketball but right now pretty much can't because both sports stick to Fri/Sat night league schedules. I think the draw would be improved simply by having hoops at 4/4:30 Saturdays instead of 7/8. You'd be able to pull in the hundred(s?) of fans willing to see both.

(2) There is more tv cash potential for the basketball team. Just by making the NCAAs alone-- Cornell would get to appear on CBS. There is also potential for ESPN games which Penn and Princeton get each year. Princeton plays North Carolina this year on ESPN. Last year Cornell basketball appeared on ESPN-U twice (against Syracuse) and Fox Sports once (against the Washington Huskies) in addition to Ivy games on the YES Channel and CSTV. Cornell hockey will never get a spot on a major network like CBS. Cornell basketball could get a primetime spot in front of the entire nation on CBS-- if only we can win the Ivy League. Now that is exposure and revenue.

What cut does Cornell take for being on ESPNU? Probably not a heck of a lot. The Ivies probably don't pay for the YES package, but I don't see how they could actually be getting any $$ return on it. You're right, the best CU hockey can do for tv is ESPN/ESPN2 unless/until a "college sports station" successfully penetrates the national market.

Further, a primetime spot on CBS is hardly guaranteed. They'd probably play a 2 seed like say Cincy and be on in the greater CNY and OH areas only while Kansas walked all over Oral Roberts in another bracket.

It's almost like saying I'd love for baseball to win the Ivies so they made the college world series (I know there are regionals and super regionals) and got on CBS (do they still do the games?). Sure it could happen, but it's not likely.

(3) Success for the basketball team (an NCAA bid) would definitely influence an increase in applications to Cornell. A hockey national championship would probably do nothing.

So, while Cornell hockey currently brings in more revenue for the school (and I love its tradition and past/current glory), this would change overnight if the basketball team began to win games.

Easy there, CF. Cornell makes the NCAA tournament. A million people get to pick them to lose in office pools and applications go up? I'm not one to think that the success of the hockey team really adds to athe application pool except perhaps in certain parts of the country where people notice/care about the game but Ivy basketball is next to irrelevant nationally.

As for winning big games, beating NW is about as big as it gets right now. Iowa would top it. Going 14-0 in the Ivies won't really impress a lot of people who don't otherwise care about Ivy sports. Will more people show up to Newman? Sure. Will they create enough demand for Athletics to charge students $200 a season to check them out. It'll take a lot more winning (and some hockey losing) to tip the balance for hoops. Your overnight, is more like several years of considerable success. Yale stuck its head out a few years ago and got a share of the ivy title. How's their program doing? Last year for senior night they drew just over 2k. Their (sorry ass for several years now) hockey team pretty routinely outdraws that by 50%.

I don't mean to dampen your enthusiasm, I think it's just a little over the top realistically. Donahue has done a great job bringing in solid players and turned the team from a "6th is great" squad to an upper division team that is gearing up to make a serious run at ending P dominance in '08. It was a great relief that the Penn job went to Miller this summer and Steve stayed in Ithaca.

KeithK
Plenty of students/parents/guidance couonselors are aware of Cornell independant of sports.

And they shud be!

ugarte

KeithK
Plenty of students/parents/guidance couonselors are aware of Cornell independant of sports.

And they shud be!

Jurk.

Chris '03

ugarte

KeithK
Plenty of students/parents/guidance couonselors are aware of Cornell independant of sports.

And they shud be!

Jurk.

Awe. Some.

Chris '03

ugarte

KeithK
Plenty of students/parents/guidance couonselors are aware of Cornell independant of sports.

And they shud be!

Jurk.

Topical.

I actually do think that a successful basketball program would sell a lot of tickets, increase interest, etc. I mean, look at how many fans were at some volleyball matches this semester! If the team is good, students will go.

It seems a lot of people become hockey fans here because 1) it's the thing to do, and 2) the team is good. A lot of people simply don't care a lot about Cornell football or basketball at this point because the teams aren't good. People stick with the teams they liked pre-Cornell: Michigan football, UConn basketball, etc. Having Cornell teams in either sport that could contend for an Ivy Title would almost certainly sell more tickets.

ugarte

Robb

ugarte
This season has been very frustrating (even though I am more enthusiastic about the direction of the program than I have been since Zeke Mowatt.)

Whoa - there's a name I haven't heard in a while. Zeke lived downstairs from my girlfriend - nice guy, even if he did dribble a basketball around his apartment 24/7...

The more that I think about it, the more that I think I might be getting the name wrong. I think Zeke Mowatt might have been the guy on the Patriots that wagged his unit in Lisa Olson's face.


EDIT: Yup. The Cornell guy was Zeke Marshall.

See what happens when guys leave New York and go to Boston? They become assholes.

What is Cornell doing to keep Steve Donahue as coach? It's an endowed position but is it amply endowed? We need somebody with the skills and desire-to-stay-put of Pete Carril.

Among the Ivies, how attractive is Cornell as a destination for minority students now? (Presuming you're not going to go much of anywhere with an all-white starting five.)

It would be great to have two (three, with wrestling) outstanding winter sports. And maybe once more in our lifetimes to beat Syracuse.

billhoward
Among the Ivies, how attractive is Cornell as a destination for minority students now? (Presuming you're not going to go much of anywhere with an all-white starting five.)

Nice presumption. Watch Princeton much? Gonzaga?

Coach Donahue signed a long-term extension last year.

In additon, Cornell is extremely geographically diverse and currently has several minority recruits on the team including:

Jason Battle (North Carolina/African-American)
Louis Dale (Alabama/African-American)
Ugo Ihekweazu (Texas/African-American)
Khaliq Gant (Georgia/African-American)
Collin Robinson (California/African-America)

Dale and Battle currently start and Robinson could start next year. Cornell is also heavily recruiting D.J. Gay from Los Angeles and Chris Taylor from Minneapolis. Both players are minorities.

More importantly, all of these kids are very talented students, excellent citizens, and terrific basketball players.

CornellFan
Ya know, the one guy on campus who would sell his Harvard hockey ticket and instead go watch Big Red basketball in an empty gym.

ugarte

billhoward
Among the Ivies, how attractive is Cornell as a destination for minority students now? (Presuming you're not going to go much of anywhere with an all-white starting five.)

Nice presumption. Watch Princeton much? Gonzaga?

I thought about getting a response such as yours before I hit the Post button. Exception proves rule? Somebody else tell me I'm wrong in thinking Cornell, or anyplace, is unlikely to have a successful basketball team unless the college appeals to whites and blacks (or more broadly athletes of all colors), Americans and international students.

Al DeFlorio

CornellFan
Ya know, the one guy on campus who would sell his Harvard hockey ticket and instead go watch Big Red basketball in an empty gym.

Having observed that there are actually people who will willingly sit and watch a soccer game, I can easily imagine someone who'd rather watch basketball than hockey. Different people have different tastes.

KeithK
Having observed that there are actually people who will willingly sit and watch a soccer game tennis match, I can easily imagine someone who'd rather watch basketball than hockey. Different people have different tastes.

Fixed your post. Watching soccer rocks.

Trotsky

KeithK
Having observed that there are actually people who will willingly sit and watch participate in a soccer game tennis match debate about the viability of the anarchist model, I can easily imagine someone who'd rather watch basketball than hockey. Different people have different tastes.

Fixed your post. Watching soccer rocks.

Now its fixed. Tennis can be pretty amazing.

ugarte

Trotsky

KeithK
Having observed that there are actually people who will willingly sit and watch participate in a soccer game tennis match debate about the viability of the anarchist model, I can easily imagine someone who'd rather watch basketball than hockey. Different people have different tastes.

Fixed your post. Watching soccer rocks.

Now its fixed. Tennis can be pretty amazing.

CorenllFan, thanks for the CU basketball posts and keep them coming. Just don't be surprised when the usual suspects (myself included) hijack 50% of the threads. If you're lucky...

KeithK

ugarte

Trotsky

KeithK
Having observed that there are actually people who will willingly sit and watch participate in a soccer game tennis match debate about the viability of the anarchist model, I can easily imagine someone who'd rather watch basketball than hockey. Different people have different tastes.

Fixed your post. Watching soccer rocks.

Now its fixed. Tennis can be pretty amazing.

CorenllFan, thanks for the CU basketball posts and keep them coming. Just don't be surprised when the usual suspects (myself included) hijack 50%80% of the threads. If you're lucky...

Fixed.

And for that I apologize. Back to basketball.