Current state of the program

PurpleGeezer wrote:We are now competing against the likes of a Gonzaga team that spends over 30% of its budget on basketball, and it's budget is about three times ours. We spend 17% on basketball.

You can go right down he WCC stable of schools, and our money and emphasis is near the bottom.

So, maybe dropping to D-2 or D-3 is the best plan....

newpilotfan wrote: can I throw one out there for Shabazz Muhammad to transfer from UCLA and become a Pilot?

Haha, I am not sure his approach would jibe with Rev's philosphy of team. I suppose he could work out, as long as the other guys let him take all the big shots.

Shabazz Muhammad

up7587 wrote:Haha, I am not sure his approach would jibe with Rev's philosphy of team. I suppose he could work out, as long as the other guys let him take all the big shots.

Shabazz Muhammad

I mean, at this point, aren't we looking for someone willing to take a shot?

up7587 wrote:

newpilotfan wrote: can I throw one out there for Shabazz Muhammad to transfer from UCLA and become a Pilot?

Haha, I am not sure his approach would jibe with Rev's philosphy of team. I suppose he could work out, as long as the other guys let him take all the big shots.

Shabazz Muhammad

Hmm, much ado about nothing if you asked me. No one know's what was going through the kid's mind....or even if the play was drawn up with him as a decoy.

[quote="PurpleGeezer"][quote="DoubleDipper"][quote="PurpleGeezer"]

DoubleDipper wrote:Hmm, good article from Nick.

We are now competing against the likes of a Gonzaga team that spends over 30% of its budget on basketball, and it's budget is about three times ours. We spend 17% on basketball.

You can go right down he WCC stable of schools, and our money and emphasis is near the bottom.

That's carved in stone?? You can't complain about the state of the program and be outspent by every other school in the conference. You can't have it both ways.

Perhaps the problem is at the top? Most systemic problems that persist that long in any organization are ultimately related back to top management.

Perhaps we alums should put together something like this:
http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/12/georgetowns-stonewalls-unveil-soccer-style-banner-supporting-catholic-7/

I don't think I've ever seen a tifo at a basketball game.

"You can go right down he WCC stable of schools, and our money and emphasis is near the bottom."

"Perhaps the problem is at the top? Most systemic problems that persist that long in any organization are ultimately related back to top management."

Jiminy Christmas... I understand frustration among fans, but there is way too much baseless assumption and idle speculation in this thread. UP is not a rich school to begin with, nor is it a school with very many big deep-pocketed athletics donors. Hopefully that will change some day, but it's the reality of the moment.

Could UP throw endless money at the basketball program? Yes, but every tuition dollar that goes to support athletics could be going to student scholarships, faculty research, a new rec center, more dorms, and so on. It's a balancing act, and there is fierce competition for those scarce dollars.

When money is spent on athletics (and UP does spend a lot on it - more so than many, many other D1 schools), it's a conscious decision that acknowledges the unique importance of collegiate athletics for alumni engagement, community support, PR, school pride - the list goes on.

Given that framework, let's examine what has happened at UP men's basketball over the past seven years.

When Reveno was hired, he had three assistant coaches. Today, he has three assistants, a director of athletic performance, a director of basketball operations, a director of basketball technology, and a social media intern. That is a significant investment in staff. No other sport in athletics has received such an influx in staff hiring, let alone many departments across campus, especially during the economic downturn.

There are now two full-time employees of the development office focused specifically on fundraising for athletics. Until just recently, there was one person who had part-time responsibility of the Pilot Club. Men's basketball is their top priority.

New locker rooms for men's basketball were built this summer, fully equipped with state-of-the-art technology. The men's basketball staff (which, remember, has doubled in size) has a beautiful new suite of offices. The weight room was expanded and upgraded, as were the training facilities. That was a $3 million project.

For the fan experience, a video board was installed and significant money was spent on paint, signage, etc. in the concourses. Free, high-quality video streaming is available for every home game. Every game is on the radio, and many are on TV. These things cost money.

Reveno has travelled internationally several times for recruiting. The team is allowed by the NCAA to go on an international trip every four years, and has taken them to Australia in 2009, and will go on another trip next summer. That costs money.

The former AD made men's basketball his top priority, and the current AD does as well. At UP, the athletic director reports directly to the President, who is a great believer in college athletics and has served at various times on the NCAA Board of Directors and as the Chair of the WCC President's Council. You are not going to find a more supportive president for college athletics than Fr. Beauchamp.

UP has poured resources into men's basketball, and the team has the full support of the athletics directors and the president. Fans are justifiably frustrated, but this is not a problem of lack of institutional support or lack of resources. Could the administration do more in terms of financial support? Of course, and I believe they would if more resources were readily available. But let's not pretend like nothing has happened over the past seven years. In fact, the truth is very much to the contrary.

I always thought you couldn't talk.


Nice summary. I agree we have poured more into the program than we used to.


Are we or are we not near the bottom of the conference in spending on basketball? Are we competing there?

PurpleGeezer wrote:Are we or are we not near the bottom of the conference in spending on basketball? Are we competing there?

Those numbers are difficult to suss out (the stats provided to the federal government Equity in Athletics data set are iffy at best), but I think it's fair to say that while UP is indeed at or near the bottom in terms of basketball spending, it is not dramatically far below most of the other schools (Gonzaga and BYU spend at BCS-conference levels). The same could be said for nearly every sport UP competes in, many of which the Pilots very quite competitive in.

PurpleGeezer wrote:

I always thought you couldn't talk.


Nice summary. I agree we have poured more into the program than we used to.


Are we or are we not near the bottom of the conference in spending on basketball? Are we competing there?

Athletic expenses (2011): 9th
http://www.bbstate.com/info/schools-budget/_/WCC

Basketball expenses (2011): 7th
http://www.bbstate.com/info/schools-hoopsbudget/_/WCC

(Basket)Ball (State) don't lie.

PurplePrideTrumpet wrote:(Basket)Ball (State) don't lie.

Ah, but they do a bit. These numbers are fuzzy at best, and should be taken with a grain of salt. That's not to say that they don't have any value, but they aren't gospel.

Wall E Pilot wrote:

PurplePrideTrumpet wrote:(Basket)Ball (State) don't lie.

Ah, but they do a bit. These numbers are fuzzy at best, and should be taken with a grain of salt. That's not to say that they don't have any value, but they aren't gospel.

Yes, I know, these are the ones that are made public. I'm still convinced we're at or near the bottom of the conference.

What numbers do you have?

PurplePrideTrumpet wrote:What numbers do you have?

Oh I don't have anything specific at all - I am pretty much just talking out of my, well, you know. But from everything I've read, I am quite confident that those numbers don't really tell the whole story.

Also, I share your belief that UP is at or near the bottom. But we aren't light-years behind our fellow WCC members.

So I guess no one is accountable, or there seems to be a "diffusion of responsibility" here.

The question isn't what was spent before or how much it increased. It't what resources should presently be allocated to athletics and how they are being used. The fact that they've taken international trips is great, but it tells me nothing, for example, about what the domestic budge for basketball recruitingt is and how/where those resources are being utilized. If the baseline level of spending was significantly below the norm, or what it should be, then a rate of increase each year doesn't really to you anything about what it should be.

You can tell me all you want about how supportive Fr. Beauchamp is in regards to athletics. I'm very familiar with his leadership history. Like I said, it all starts at the top when it comes to leadership.

Greg Crawford indicating Rev will be back: LINK

All Signs Point Strongly To A Reveno Return At U of Portland

February 12, 2013, 4:00 pm

Portland Pilots---Several sources close to the U of Portland basketball program have indicated to me that without question Eric Reveno will return for the 2013-14 season, barring his wanting to leave on his own.

In fairness, Scott Leykam the U of Portland athletic director has been consistent in his response to the future of Reveno. " I evaluate all of our coaches on a regular basis, I do not judge things on one game or performance and in my position I have to look at what is best for the University of Portland and our student-athletes," Leykam recently told me. Leykam has not indicated his stance publicly on the future of Reveno.

Personally I am excited about the U of Portland future with Leykam at the helm. As the kids say nowadays, "he gets it". He is also candid, but cordial, you can tell he is the boss, but a boss who sees the big picture and cares about the future.

The Reveno record in the last five years at U of Portland is a mixed bag, with last two years being disappointing. To this point in 2013, the last two years have seen the Pilots win only five WCC league games and an overall record of 16-40. The prior three seasons saw a ray of sunshine on The Bluff with winning seasons and post-season play, something the U of Portland is not use too.

The future? According to my numerous sources the speculation at least for next year can end, "Rev" will return, hopefully to seeing an improvement from his players and improved attendance.

Wall E Pilot- Great post, thank you for your thoughts. In looking at the 2011 basketball budgets around the conference, you are correct, there isnt much difference between UP and the rest of the conference minus GU and BYU. In fact the budget is almost identical to St Mary's while also being higher than Pepperdine and Santa Clara. I think its safe to say that with the recent investment into the Chiles Center and the existing budget, the administration is indeed supporting the basketball program.

I have a couple questions, perhaps you or someone else has the answers.

1) Does this budget include the cost of 14 players tuition and room and board?
2) Does this budget include the expense that UP pays when other OOC teams come to the Chiles to play? Maybe a better question is does the budget include the revenue made by UP when playing "money games"?
3) Other than the obvious; salaries and travel what other significant line items does it include?

PilotNut wrote:Several sources close to the U of Portland basketball program have indicated to me that without question Eric Reveno will return for the 2013-14 season, barring his wanting to leave on his own.

I like this.

It turns out our friends on the Gaels forum have been wondering the same thing about expenditures in the conference and return on investment .

The first number is national rank.(expenditure)

West Coast By Men's Basketball Expenses (2011)
Rk MBB Expenses (2011) School Nickname Location Arena Coach

44 $5,344,461  Gonzaga Bulldogs Spokane, WA McCarthy Athletic Center Mark Few (since 1999)

52 $4,926,689  Brigham Young Cougars Provo, UT Marriott Center Dave Rose (since 2005)

106 $2,484,529  Loyola Marymount Lions Los Angeles, CA A. Gersten Pavilion Max Good (since 2011)

108 $2,467,746  San Francisco Dons San Francisco, CA Memorial Gymnasium Rex Walters (since 2008)

110 $2,452,275  San Diego Toreros San Diego, CA Jenny Craig Pavilion Bill Grier (since 2007)

124 $2,191,961  Saint Mary's Gaels Moraga, CA McKeon Pavilion Randy Bennett (since 2001)

135 $2,060,816  Portland Pilots Portland, OR Chiles Center Eric Reveno (since 2006)

140 $2,001,392  Pepperdine Waves Malibu, CA Firestone Fieldhouse Marty Wilson (since 2011)

144 $1,961,626  Santa Clara Broncos Santa Clara, CA Leavey Center Kerry Keating (since 2007)

These are from the website:
http://www.bbstate.com/info/schools-hoopsbudget&c=WCC

Gaels fans have done the work on tracking coaching salaries and an interesting stat, dollars per win. Not surprisingly, our 7 wins put us last there.

What is interesting is that the Zags are only two slots above us.

All their fine work is here:
http://godisagael.yuku.com/topic/6573/2011-Mens-Basketball-Budgets-WCC?page=1#.URvJh2t5mSM

If there ever was an argument for trying something new that was it

Here's the actual chart on dollars/win:

"Here are the rankings based on Cost Per Win. Since it was the 2011 budget, I used the 2011-12 season numbers, figuring that's when that money would have an impact:

School 2011 Budget 2011-12 Wins Cost per win

SMC $2,191,961 27 $81,184
LMU $2,484,529 21 $118,311
USF $2,467,746 20 $123,387
USD $2,452,275 13 $188,637
BYU $4,926,689 26 $189,488
Pep $2,001,392 10 $200,139
Gonzaga $5,344,461 26 $205,556
SCU $1,961,626 8 $245,203
Por $2,060,816 7 $294,402

No surprise we're on top, but it's not even close - especially considering that we have the third highest-paid head coach. We also earned an outright WCC title for all that cash. LMU actually wasn't that bad when you calculate it by win because they did get quite a few wins for their money last year. I have a feeling they'll be near the bottom of the list after this year. BYU and GU spend big, but did well, so they're actually about average. Strength of schedule makes a difference too, so we can cut GU a little slack for the money spent on each win being higher than most. SCU STILL didn't get their money's worth in spite of spending the least last year. I suspect that they will be higher on the list after this season. And Portland... poor Portland. Ugh. They literally can't "buy" a win.

Maybe someone should calculate cost by season ending RPI or something to take SOS out of the equation. I'm not THAT bored."

I'm not sure SOS is what we care about, but national rank per dollar might be.

I'm pretty sure I know how that would turn out.

DeanMurdoch wrote:If this team finishes any better than 11-22 there's going to have been some serious rabbits pulled outta the ol' hat.

PilotNut wrote:You see 2 more wins on the remaining schedule?

goldhelmet wrote:It's tough seeing us win another game other than a first round WCC matchup with LMU. I see no more regular season wins, but I guess it's possible - but unlikely to be honest, especially when we can't beat Pepperdine at home.

up7587 wrote:While I apprecite the sentiment, I hope he isn't hinging his job on winning multiple games. All those games to finish the regular season are against teams better than Pepperdine. Right now, I'd settle for keeping 3 of them close. Getting one win before the tournament would feel like a bonus.

All of these posts were made just 10 days ago...if two quality wins has caused this "State of the Program" thread to go dormant for nine days, just imagine how much they've done for the confidence of this young and rapidly improving basketball team.

Yeah, they've got a lot of work left to do but it sure has been fun to see the development over the past little stretch here, especially with the freshmen....loving what Bryce Pressley is bringing to the table. Jake Ehlers now getting meaningful minutes. Oskars chipping in when he's not putting cherry bombs in the dorm toilets. There's good reason for optimism as the team moves closer to their final 3-5 games of the season and that's a pretty big step forward for this program compared to where it was two short weeks ago.

Credit where credit is due...nicely done, and plenty of solid reasons to look forward to the Santa Clara game on Saturday.

Haha, yeah, I was thinking we were pretty quiet on this thread lately. I actually felt we could compete with USD before the game. After a start that gave up some very easy baskets, I was happy to see the guys play with some toughness and get back in it. And the really tall head cheerleader got the crowd going again in the 2nd half, showing he is still very invested in this program.

Yeah I had noticed after losing 6 in a row, the team rebounded by winning 3 of the next 5, with one of those other loses coming in overtime. Like I've said, playing in close games is important for a younger team.

up7587 wrote:
The schedule is:
@USF, who just beat BYU
@BYU, already beat us by 18 at home
USD, who just beat BYU
SCU, who walloped us at their place
@GU, and I don't even want to think about that one
Then, probably, an opening round game against LMU in Vegas, trying to beat them a third time.

All those games to finish the regular season are against teams better than Pepperdine. Right now, I'd settle for keeping 3 of them close. Getting one win before the tournament would feel like a bonus.

Double bonus!

Now I am kinda wishing SCU had just beaten BYU.

up7587 wrote:And the really tall head cheerleader got the crowd going again in the 2nd half, showing he is still very invested in this program.

I know this won't surprise some of you, but I had a little chat with the aforementioned cheerleader after the game and thanked her and her squad for adding at least 10 points to UP's final score by keeping the fans in the game.

We also talked a little about how Coach Reveno got the 1300 or so fans going in the final 90 seconds when UP was looking for defensive stops. The crowd really got into it, and it definitely helped if you’ll remember the first defensive stop.....after that it was some pretty outrageous 3-pt bombs that kept USD in the game.

Bottom line....the cheerleaders, whether they are the ones disguised as a dance team, or a head basketball coach, are an important part of the game.