PTL: plus or minus?

tweeterhawk

tweeterhawk

Well-Known Member
Serious question: does the PTL benefit or detract from Hawkeye basketball? I realize it provides a degree of structure for college players in the off-season and a chance to compete (ballers like to ball, after all) prior to formal workouts and practices, and helps new players become familiar with and either play with or against their new teammates (or opponents). If I'm Fran McCaffery, Ben Jacobson or the college coach of other PTL players, however, I have many concerns, not the least of which is potential injury, development of bad habits or injection of other factors that will not be conducive to a successful season.

What role does the league play for the programs having players involved?
 
If for no other reason it's a plus because it keeps active players in IC for a large part of the summer. Bad things can happen when some kids go back "home" over summer break. It's much easier to stay out of trouble when in IC.
 
It is absolutely a plus for the players, program and community. These kids would be playing basketball somewhere if not in the PTL, so the risk for injury is no greater than it would be if they were playing at the field house. The program benefits by being able to entice kids to come in early, acclimate to Iowa City, hoop it up with some teammates and meet former Hawks. The community benefits by having folks drive in from CR etc., eat dinner in the area, get their Hawk b-ball fix and build positive energy for the upcoming season.

Is it basketball that John Wooden would be proud of? Absolutely not. However, I have seen a lot of parents bringing their kids to the games which, IMO, is huge given the lack of interest in the program for the past 6+ years.
 
Every year, like clockwork, this topic comes up. If it was negative Fran wouldn't be on board. To further prove it's worth, Lick didn't care for it...end of discussion.
 
DuffMan said:
If for no other reason it's a plus because it keeps active players in IC for a large part of the summer. Bad things can happen when some kids go back "home" over summer break. It's much easier to stay out of trouble when in IC.
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My God... where is your "home" if you consider "home" to lead to more getting into trouble than IC? Nowhere do more college kids get arrested than IC, even in the summer.
 
The potential is much greater than the current product.

A few changes would really help:

1) Change the draft process for current collegiate players and recruits. Allow the universities that are providing players to package players together. The NCAA limit is 2 current players, but there isn't a limit on incoming players. Packaging players together would allow the college coaches to draw up certain things they want the players to work on together during summer play.

2) Require PTL coaches to attend coaching clinics in which the college coaches can explain philosophy and methods particular to certain positions so that the PTL coach is in line with the development the college coach wants to see. Not with the expectation that the PTL coach will instruct, but so they understand the things the players are doing developmentally.

3) Let the college coaches have some say as to what teams their package players vet assigned to.
 
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CAARHawk said:
The potential is much greater than the current product.

A few changes would really help:

1) Change the draft process for current collegiate players and recruits. Allow the universities that are providing players to package players together. The NCAA limit is 2 current players, but there isn't a limit on incoming players. Packaging players together would allow the college coaches to draw up certain things they want the players to work on together during summer play.

2) Require PTL coaches to attend coaching clinics in which the college coaches can explain philosophy and methods particular to certain positions so that the PTL coach is in line with the development the college coach wants to see. Not with the expectation that the PTL coach will instruct, but so they understand the things the players are doing developmentally.

3) Let the college coaches have some say as to what teams their package players vet assigned to.
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I don't think these are bad ideas at all, but I think at some point you do have to just say "it is what it is". #1 & #3, OK, but on #2 I think you are overestimating the influence (or potential influence) the PTL coaches have over the players at a micro level. As I see it, in the PTL format, these coaches are more circus ringleaders than anything. They are going to dictate certain sets and handle substitution strategies, but that's about the extent of it in my mind. The idea that these guys would have the wherewithal to actually help any of these guys with their games is a bit far fetched, I think.
 
CAARHawk said:
The potential is much greater than the current product.

A few changes would really help:

1) Change the draft process for current collegiate players and recruits. Allow the universities that are providing players to package players together. The NCAA limit is 2 current players, but there isn't a limit on incoming players. Packaging players together would allow the college coaches to draw up certain things they want the players to work on together during summer play.

2) Require PTL coaches to attend coaching clinics in which the college coaches can explain philosophy and methods particular to certain positions so that the PTL coach is in line with the development the college coach wants to see. Not with the expectation that the PTL coach will instruct, but so they understand the things the players are doing developmentally.

3) Let the college coaches have some say as to what teams their package players vet assigned to.
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I've never seen someone get so worked over such a meaningless detail like you have over Hubbard not having any Iowa teammates on his team. Now we need to chage the whole league rules to prevent such a travesty from ever occuring again?
 
CAARHawk said:
The potential is much greater than the current product.

A few changes would really help:

1) Change the draft process for current collegiate players and recruits. Allow the universities that are providing players to package players together. The NCAA limit is 2 current players, but there isn't a limit on incoming players. Packaging players together would allow the college coaches to draw up certain things they want the players to work on together during summer play.

2) Require PTL coaches to attend coaching clinics in which the college coaches can explain philosophy and methods particular to certain positions so that the PTL coach is in line with the development the college coach wants to see. Not with the expectation that the PTL coach will instruct, but so they understand the things the players are doing developmentally.

3) Let the college coaches have some say as to what teams their package players vet assigned to.
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I am guessing that NCAA rules designed to prevent year-round practices/oversight from the players' college coaches would disallow some of these changes. Although the SEC always seems to find a way around the NCAA.
 
I've always wondered...do the PTL teams practice together before games? Are there rules against that?
 
The second you try to create formal structure around the PTL, the coaches will pull their players out. Nobody wants to get into trouble with the NCAA for some petty violation of an obscure rule during a summer pick up league. As others have stated, "it is what is". It is for the players and the fans (primarily) of Iowa and UNI. The players aren't required to show up for every game, so even if you overanalyze it and have a computer conduct a "fair" draft, kids still won't be there for every game.
 
Cydkar said:
Every year, like clockwork, this topic comes up. If it was negative Fran wouldn't be on board. To further prove it's worth, Lick didn't care for it...end of discussion.
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This is the best post I've seen all week.
 
In the twin cities they have the Howard pulley League, fun to watch the old Gophers and twin city players come home(Kahlid El-amin) plus it gives you a chance to watch the new recruits, fastbreak, wide open, 1 on 1, very little defense, lots of dunks, open gym!

positives out weigh the negatives, good for the fans and promoting BB, but it is what it is: open gym.
 
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