re: Alabama Basketball 2026-27 roster tracker

Who saw Texas Tech being one of the biggest NIL spenders in the country? All it takes now is one or two people who have more money than they could spend in a dozen lifetimes but are motivated to try. Like if you were a 5th year senior or top 10 overall recruit and they offered you a couple million more than what anyone else did to spend a few months on their campus, play ~30 games, and be discrete about it if you wanted to get laid, wouldn't you at least think about it?

Christianity has survived because its core message is adaptable to the conditions of the time. Catholicism in the dark and middle ages comported well to feudal order (collectivist, institutionalist, a Christian body where everyone fits in a role defined by God). Protestantism in the early modern era was a Christianity for people who were no longer feudal subjects but actors within capitalism (personal responsibility, individual relationships with God).

In this respect I think the Mormonism offshoot is something that reflects upon what made capitalism in the US differ from what it was in Europe. Their whole conception of heaven - and this is a bit of a simplification - is something where everyone goes but your level of heaven depends on the size of your mormon family. It's like a MLM scheme for heaven. Notably, Mormon heavy areas of the country are slap full on MLM entrepreneur schemes.

I guess what I'm saying is that Mormonism came into being while the American System was discovering itself too. So a lot of its mindset is similar to the things that led to the rise of the United States as a global force.

This is not an endorsement of the faith. However, there are some admirable and nasty things about it.

Expand your mind mind dooooood

Having been raised in Utah, I can attest to the high interest leveled in basketball throughout the state. Think of it as on the level of football in Alabama.

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The guy who owns the Utah Jazz buys BYU’s players,

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Yeah, it seems the crazier NIL spenders outside of traditional powers aren't as much about the athletic departments as one billionaire making a team his play toy. Texas Tech, Indiana, BYU, Michigan follow the Phil Knight Oregon model

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Who saw Texas Tech being one of the biggest NIL spenders in the country?

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SMU just raised $1.64 billion in three years.

They have a billionaire on the BoT who is trying to buy a national championship within five.

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All it took was $270 million. That's the cumulative amount SMU is raising to fund its athletic program for the next nine years in the ACC. Last year, the school agreed to join the conference for … nothing.

SMU agreed to join the ACC on Sept. 1, 2023. Five days later, 31 SMU supporters stepped forward to contribute $100 million.

Approximately $125 million has been raised, enough to fund SMU athletics for the next five years.

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Meet David Miller, SMU's billionaire alum who spearheaded the Mustangs' return to big-time college football (ESPN)


I feel like we're going through some dark wild west period where programs who haven't had traditional success (and the Big 10) are just flat-out buying titles.

I can't imagine this is sustainable, because they're going to actually win one and stop donating, or they're going to get bored of not seeing a ROI and stop donating.

And once either of those happens in a few years, these feast or famine programs are going to be in trouble.

I realize there's plenty of nonsense in college hoops but it seems easier to navigate in basketball as opposed to football. Makes me more ready for hoops now as the football doesn't mean as much. I realize they are similar.

and yes, I'll be yelling at the tv when we lose 3 yards vs. ECU.

Mobile folks, what's the deal on Iowa tix?

We better show out fan support wise. Which likely means we'll have a pathetic showing and auburn fans will double us up.