Importance of Nike

[BillVol]

Can think of no better place to ask this question. As of yesterday (7/1/15), Tennessee is a Nike school. Really for the first time. About 20 years ago, we wore Nike shoes and our coaches wore Nike (and fans could buy UT Nike stuff), but we continued to wear Sports Belle uniforms (Knoxville company). Now we are Nike all around.

Someone posted a piece saying that our recruiting in basketball would improve with Nike. Now forgive me, but as a Tennessee fan, I can't help but being skeptical. As I posted over there: Will our recruiting improve over when we had Adidas? Probably. But are we going to recruit the kind of player that can get us to our first Final Four? Are people going to start picking UT over UK and Duke and Carolina now? Sounds good! But I'm not so sure.

So let's say our recruiting improves -- but does not get us to Final Fours. What's the big deal about Nike, then?

Here's my question: How important is Nike to a basketball program? Yes, I know other than Louisville and Kansas, all recent winners of the NCAA have been Nike schools. But UK didn't finally get back to the Final Four until they got Cal back, right? And you all have been Nike for a long time.

The point I made was this: It still boils down to who is coach. Nike is nice; practice facilities are nice, media attention is nice; big crowds are nice. All of that is great. But it starts with the coach. The coach trumps all.

 

[wildcatsboston1984]

If you already know what's important, then why are you asking about the importance of Nike? You've already answered your own question.

 

[BillVol]

Well, I was hoping for different views on this.

 

[EliteBlue]

The most important thing in brings to the table is gear and momentum. Recruits love gear and nobody does cool free gear for athletes like Nike. People like to ignore it but in today's Twitter-crazy world we live in, the perception of how cool and stylish a university is matters. It may not be in the top 5 factors, but it matters.

The biggest thing this does though is creates buzz and momentum around you're program. It provides ammo. Now you hope the administration and coaching staff can capitalize with some level of success in order to build the sales pitch for following seasons. Buzz wears off. It's all about takin some buzz and then using it to climb the ladder.

Very similar to what we are doing in football currently. Hiring Stoops and the facility upgrades brought tons of momentum and life into our program. We saw instant recruiting improvements and saw some on field improvement last year. Now to keep that positive trend growing we have to keep making small steps up that ladder to keep the "mo" on our side to continue the success in the living rooms of jimmys and joes.

 

[jr40831]

Cool uni's from time to time, the program will make more money from sales of team related merchandise, players love it.

 

[stuway]

Honestly. Being a full blown Nike school certainly wont hurt. But may not help either. Plent of crappy Nike schools in fball and bball. Its on the program still obviously. But sometimes you do hear kids in both sports will only consider schools with a specefic brand.

 

[fatguy87]

The bags of cash Nike associates leave at the doorsteps of recruits helps immensely.

 

[JohnBlue_]

Your program is going to get a lot more money, the only question is what will they use it for. I doubt they make men's basketball any more of a priority than they already have. They are the same people that just hired back to back coaches with issues.

 

[wild mandu]

Another recruiting period is gone and we're yet to sign a single blue chip Adidas recruit under Cal.

This isn't grassy knoll type stuff, brand affiliation matters.

Of course, I refused to follow Jaylen Brown's recruitment for many months because of his Adidas ties, then it leaks that UK may lead, then he signs with another Nike school. So, yeah, some cases are weird.

 

[BigBluePhantom]

There is a network between coaches, assistant coaches, AAU coaches, "handlers" and merchandise reps. Nike, by far, is part of the biggest network. Barnes came from Texas which is a huge Nike school. In fact, Texas has been the number one college in the country for merchandise sales for about the last 10 years. You have to think that ole Rick has some pretty good connections within the Nike network.

 

[WildMoon]

It might be possible that it might cause your recruiting to fall back.

With Adidas, your competition is Kansas and UoL. With Nike you are competing against UK and Duke. UK and Duke is recruiting the best. At least with Adidas, you might be able to pick top Adidas player.

But at the end of the day, Tenn isn't tier one school. Your focus should be how to take 4 year player and make them into Lottery NBA talent. Take some high potential players.

 

[BigBluePhantom]

It might be possible that it might cause your recruiting to fall back.

With Adidas, your competition is Kansas and UoL. With Nike you are competing against UK and Duke. UK and Duke is recruiting the best. At least with Adidas, you might be able to pick top Adidas player.

But at the end of the day, Tenn isn't tier one school. Your focus should be how to take 4 year player and make them into Lottery NBA talent. Take some high potential players.

Not at all. UT is not going to be competing for any of the 5 Star players that sign with UK and Duke. Not a problem at all. Cal wins a lot with future lottery players but that is not the only way to skin the cat. UT should take the UofL approach and focus on the high 3 Star and 4 Star players that want to play at UK or Duke but don't get an offer. Those guys in 3 or 4 years are just as good as the one and done player as a freshman.

 

[BillVol]

Thanks. Enjoyed the comments very much. I wish the shoe companies, AAU, etc., would get out of basketball, but the NCAA isn't going to bite the hand that feeds its programs and coaches.

As for us, let's just say I will be pleasantly surprised if Nike makes a significant difference for us in men's basketball.

If you are interested, here are all the uniforms for all sports. We have a gray alternate uni for some sports, including hoops. Don't like it, but as they say, the kids do.

http://www.utsports.com/view.gal?id=181666

 

[KopiKat]

Someone posted a piece saying that our recruiting in basketball would improve.

If you really want your recruiting to improve just build the biggest arena in the country and piece together a staff of comfort girls from the run-down Memphis and K-town burbs. Oh, wait.

And then, after more than a quarter century goes by, and the only games that you consistently sold out were the Kentucky games, and after your stupid, ignorant, ass-clown senator takes credit for inventing the internet, and after it does get invented, you can come here and ask a stupid question about whether shoes will be the answer to your problems.

btw, congrats for all those girls basketball titles in the time since. No lie. UT fans do a great job of fancying themselves as a football school but for the entire balance of the United States it is and will always be a girls basketball school. welcome to Rafters. Please ask another question.

 

[lacocat]

Kids on the AAU circuit seem to get locked into a Shoe Brand before they choose a college, being a Nike school opens you up to a different slightly larger pool of recruits, but you will still eat after all the other Nike big boy schools finish hoops wise. Could help jump start the football recruiting back on track

 

[BillVol]

Kopi, we are proud to call ourselves a "girls basketball school." Among other sports.

 

[gregbookout]

Really uncalled for. If you don't want to make civil conversation on this topic, just move along. No need to make an ass of yourself Kopi

If you really want your recruiting to improve just build the biggest arena in the country and piece together a staff of comfort girls from the run-down Memphis and K-town burbs. Oh, wait.

And then, after more than a quarter century goes by, and the only games that you consistently sold out were the Kentucky games, and after your stupid, ignorant, ass-clown senator takes credit for inventing the internet, and after it does get invented, you can come here and ask a stupid question about whether shoes will be the answer to your problems.

btw, congrats for all those girls basketball titles in the time since. No lie. UT fans do a great job of fancying themselves as a football school but for the entire balance of the United States it is and will always be a girls basketball school. welcome to Rafters. Please ask another question.

alley

 

[wild mandu]

and after your stupid, ignorant, ass-clown senator takes credit for inventing the internet, and after it does get invented, you can come here and ask a stupid question about whether shoes will be the answer to your problems.

Note to everyone, please leave this out of future insults.

http://www.snopes.com/quotes/internet.asp

 

[ZZBlueComet]

Adidas still has some good schools like UCLA, Kansas, UofL but Nike is the kingpin. UT football was a huge get for Nike as I see it rebounding and Barnes will eventually get UT basketball back to being respectable, just may not happen overnight.

UK was Converse until Sutton switched us to Nike, then Rick brought Converse back in (or at least his era) and we switched back to Nike later.

I agree with the coaching comment and recruiting is still the big thing.

 

[ZZBlueComet]

If you really want your recruiting to improve just build the biggest arena in the country and piece together a staff of comfort girls from the run-down Memphis and K-town burbs. Oh, wait.

And then, after more than a quarter century goes by, and the only games that you consistently sold out were the Kentucky games, and after your stupid, ignorant, ass-clown senator takes credit for inventing the internet, and after it does get invented, you can come here and ask a stupid question about whether shoes will be the answer to your problems.

btw, congrats for all those girls basketball titles in the time since. No lie. UT fans do a great job of fancying themselves as a football school but for the entire balance of the United States it is and will always be a girls basketball school. welcome to Rafters. Please ask another question.

No call for this KopiKat, Bill is great poster. UT is our rival, but why get ugly?

 

[TommyDevito]

The most important thing in brings to the table is gear and momentum. Recruits love gear and nobody does cool free gear for athletes like Nike. People like to ignore it but in today's Twitter-crazy world we live in, the perception of how cool and stylish a university is matters. It may not be in the top 5 factors, but it matters.

The biggest thing this does though is creates buzz and momentum around you're program. It provides ammo. Now you hope the administration and coaching staff can capitalize with some level of success in order to build the sales pitch for following seasons. Buzz wears off. It's all about takin some buzz and then using it to climb the ladder.

Very similar to what we are doing in football currently. Hiring Stoops and the facility upgrades brought tons of momentum and life into our program. We saw instant recruiting improvements and saw some on field improvement last year. Now to keep that positive trend growing we have to keep making small steps up that ladder to keep the "mo" on our side to continue the success in the living rooms of jimmys and joes.

Well, we lost our last 6 games last year under Stoops including ANOTHER loss to our in state rival. I love UK football, but our bread and butter is basketball. I will guardedly stand by befor I get excited about our football program. An above 500 record in the SEC would be a start.

 

[TommyDevito]

If you really want your recruiting to improve just build the biggest arena in the country and piece together a staff of comfort girls from the run-down Memphis and K-town burbs. Oh, wait.

And then, after more than a quarter century goes by, and the only games that you consistently sold out were the Kentucky games, and after your stupid, ignorant, ass-clown senator takes credit for inventing the internet, and after it does get invented, you can come here and ask a stupid question about whether shoes will be the answer to your problems.

btw, congrats for all those girls basketball titles in the time since. No lie. UT fans do a great job of fancying themselves as a football school but for the entire balance of the United States it is and will always be a girls basketball school. welcome to Rafters. Please ask another question.

Really? You aren't as cool or witty as you think you are

 

[.S&C.]

Well, I was hoping for different views on this.

Again, the upside down anchor. Must you insist?

 

[.S&C.]

The thing is Scottie could have at least gone down as a UK basketball player. One of the bigger mistakes I've seen a player make in my 29 years. Will always go down as, well, an idiot.

Figured I'd contribute.

 

[TommyDevito]

Lol Imma let you finish but this particular UT fan seems pretty nice?

 

[.S&C.]

Lol Imma let you finish but this particular UT fan seems pretty nice?

I actually edited it and made it a little worse.

He's nice, but the anchors.

 

[BillVol]

Gotta keep the anchors, man! Actually, Nike sort of narrowed it up a bit. My icon is obsolete.

http://www.underconsideration.com/b..._tennessee_athletics_by_nike.php#.VZboAPlVikr

Those pics are tough to look at, but I treasure the rivalry.

But like I told a UK friend of mine, all we need to do is win 50 SEC championships in a row and ten NCAA championships, plus beat you guys like 80 times straight. And when this happens it will be us who is king of college basketball and not you guys. Looks good on paper anyhow.

 

[wildcatsboston1984]

Kopi, we are proud to call ourselves a "girls basketball school." Among other sports.

So does that mean UT is a high school now?

 

[Blueworld_3.0]

Note to everyone, please leave this out of future insults.

http://www.snopes.com/quotes/internet.asp

Note to those who think Al Gore to be anything shy of a self-absorbed, pompous ass....he DID say "I took the initiative in creating the Internet." When taken along with all the other completely idiotic things Gore has said over the last 25 years, you can understand KopiKat being infuriated with the guy. Everyone should be.

Having said all the above, UTee's primary problem seems to be at the administrative level. Bad decision after bad decision in choosing then, keeping coaches has created an environment of failure in Knoxville. Barnes may bring some better players in...if he survives the Texas investigation. But, he doesn't exactly have a brilliant record of getting talented teams to perform on a consistent basis.
I'm sure moving to Nike was an entirely Barnes thing. He knows how to recruit and knows he isn't going to have a chance without establishing some sort of pipeline to Knoxville. Being affiliated with Nike is a necessary first-step but, it guarantees nothing.

 

[BillVol]

Actually, our best sport historically is track and field, wildcatsboston. As for the girls basketball comment, I was quoting Kopi.

Blueworld: You nailed the UT situation better than most of our own fans. The void in leadership extends to our chancellor, president, and board of trustees -- all of whom are gutless. We really have no true leadership.

 

[Stonewall12]

The thing is Scottie could have at least gone down as a UK basketball player. One of the bigger mistakes I've seen a player make in my 29 years. Will always go down as, well, an idiot.

Figured I'd contribute.

I can not like this post enough. I know ( as you do ) how it is to be surrounded by Tennessee fans.



I wish RUSSELL sponsored UT.