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Post by 00hmh on Feb 8, 2024 4:58:46 GMT -6
Now that I'm 40 years removed from my college experience, i remember the track and cross country meets I got to participate in while at BSU with fond memories. Would I cherish them as much if I had just been watching them from the sidelines; watching someone else run instead of me? I can't imagine I would. That's exactly what Sparks is doing now. He's got a courtside seat like a high paying alum or IU cheerleader. In 40 years, the few dollars in his bank account now might not be worth the memories that could have been. AMEN!! Competitors want to compete!!! That's what he wanted, but at a higher level. Coleman moved for money to support his family, made a probably good calculation he can play next year in Europe. Sparks had the dream of big time BB, not just money. It was doubtful he'd make it, but he took the chance. |
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Post by 00hmh on Feb 8, 2024 5:01:36 GMT -6
Now that I'm 40 years removed from my college experience, i remember the track and cross country meets I got to participate in while at BSU with fond memories. Would I cherish them as much if I had just been watching them from the sidelines; watching someone else run instead of me? I can't imagine I would. That's exactly what Sparks is doing now. He's got a courtside seat like a high paying alum or IU cheerleader. In 40 years, the few dollars in his bank account now might not be worth the memories that could have been. He's also sacrificing future dollars as an international player. Nobody is gonna sign a guy sitting on the end of the bench with no stats. His Euro ball future is unchanged. Never had NBA hopes without somehow changing his game from pure post player. |
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Post by realitycheck on Feb 8, 2024 9:24:12 GMT -6
He's on a team playing at the highest level of college basketball, getting a good degree, making some nice $$ and occasionally playing when Ware is hurt. There are worse gigs. Now that I'm 40 years removed from my college experience, i remember the track and cross country meets I got to participate in while at BSU with fond memories. Would I cherish them as much if I had just been watching them from the sidelines; watching someone else run instead of me? I can't imagine I would. That's exactly what Sparks is doing now. He's got a courtside seat like a high paying alum or IU cheerleader. In 40 years, the few dollars in his bank account now might not be worth the memories that could have been. I won't argue your point because it's a valid one with hindsight and 40 years to reflect upon. I think Sparks chased a dream and bet on himself. That bet has not payed in full on many accounts so far and it wouldn't be surprising to see him move again but I doubt he'd comeback here. |
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Post by zonebuster on Feb 8, 2024 9:52:58 GMT -6
With Sparks we have to keep in mind that he was early to commit. IU was losing Jackson-Davis & Thompson to graduation and had holes to fill. I’m sure when he committed he was thinking he’d get 15+ minutes per game coming off the success of his frosh & soph seasons. It was much later when Woodson got the commitment from Ware, a 5-star recruit coming out of HS. It was at that time many of us questioned how much clock Sparks would ultimately get. Sparks had many other interested P5 schools. I have to believe he isn’t happy & wishes he had chosen a different school.
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Post by 00hmh on Feb 8, 2024 10:07:46 GMT -6
Now that I'm 40 years removed from my college experience, i remember the track and cross country meets I got to participate in while at BSU with fond memories. Would I cherish them as much if I had just been watching them from the sidelines; watching someone else run instead of me? I can't imagine I would. That's exactly what Sparks is doing now. He's got a courtside seat like a high paying alum or IU cheerleader. In 40 years, the few dollars in his bank account now might not be worth the memories that could have been. I won't argue your point because it's a valid one with hindsight and 40 years to reflect upon. I think Sparks chased a dream and bet on himself. That bet has not payed in full on many accounts so far and it wouldn't be surprising to see him move again but I doubt he'd comeback here. He could be a lot more sensible than we give him credit for. This was a chance for better coaching, better competition, and he needed to make changes in his game, even if it was a low probability bet he'd develop further. This might also be a case where he dreamed about IU being a national power, and even being a relatively small part of a championship run would be quite an experience. Does not look like that is happening...but not a terrible bet at all.
We have no idea, but he could be perfectly happy to be getting a degree, being a BB player at IU can be a good life. As for pro prospects, they were never that good, he may have the sensible plan of foregoing any life playing BB after graduation. IU pedigree and experience would be just fine if he wants HS coaching career in Indiana, or like Lewis, a try as GA and college assistant level.
If he really values PT he can move to a P5 school and maybe hope for more minutes, plus good money, or more likely to a second tier conference and maybe even start with more money than BSU can match. Home town is our only real attraction.
He's probably accomplished all he is going to at the MAC middling conference level, but there are some other similar conference schools that would pay more. Still some small chance he plays a role on a good IU team and wins his bet on himself.
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Post by williamtsherman on Feb 8, 2024 10:29:29 GMT -6
I won't argue your point because it's a valid one with hindsight and 40 years to reflect upon. I think Sparks chased a dream and bet on himself. That bet has not payed in full on many accounts so far and it wouldn't be surprising to see him move again but I doubt he'd comeback here. He could be a lot more sensible than we give him credit for. This was a chance for better coaching, IU sitting at #96 doesn't seem like a particularly good coaching job to me. |
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Post by 00hmh on Feb 8, 2024 11:19:27 GMT -6
He could be a lot more sensible than we give him credit for. This was a chance for better coaching, IU sitting at #96 doesn't seem like a particularly good coaching job to me. Not 96 when he made the call. 20-20 hindsight? |
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Post by universityjim on Feb 8, 2024 13:35:47 GMT -6
Surprised we didn’t play them instead of Old Dominion. LeMoyne is not in the SBC. The ODU game was part of the MAC/SBC Challenge. |
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Post by CallingBS on Feb 8, 2024 18:06:24 GMT -6
He's also sacrificing future dollars as an international player. Nobody is gonna sign a guy sitting on the end of the bench with no stats. His Euro ball future is unchanged. Never had NBA hopes without somehow changing his game from pure post player. You couldn't be more wrong. |
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Post by JacksonStreetElite on Feb 8, 2024 18:19:40 GMT -6
His Euro ball future is unchanged. Never had NBA hopes without somehow changing his game from pure post player. You couldn't be more wrong. I wouldnt put anything past him. He’s been pushing the boundaries of wrongness his entire life. |
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Post by 00hmh on Feb 8, 2024 19:04:30 GMT -6
His Euro ball future is unchanged. Never had NBA hopes without somehow changing his game from pure post player. You couldn't be more wrong. No NBA future. Euro future would demand he be more athletic and learn to play outside more. VERY few Euro centers are pure post players, not without being rim protectors which he would never be. |
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Post by coastalcard on Feb 10, 2024 19:45:56 GMT -6
IU needing Sparks for his 5 fouls tonight against Edey
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Post by lmills72 on Feb 10, 2024 20:06:50 GMT -6
IU needing Sparks for his 5 fouls tonight against Edey I don't think Sparks has looked terrible tonight. He's had issues, but he's not been worse than any of his teammates, I don't think. At leasts he's been aggressive and pretty active. I think he looks like he's slimmed down since when I saw him earlier this year. I wonder if he did put on weight due to inactivity brought on by his injury. |
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Post by coastalcard on Feb 10, 2024 20:20:10 GMT -6
I agree. Based on Woodson’s performance this year, he has NO stand out players
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Post by williamtsherman on Feb 11, 2024 8:17:13 GMT -6
If part of Sparks's plan was to get better coaching, as has been suggested, that was a major failure. Last night was the first time I've watched IU, and that game wasn't nearly as close as the final score looked...which was bad enough. There were moments in the 2nd half where Purdue very nearly doubled IU's score. Getting bent over and spanked by Purdue is not the sort of thing that the IU fanbase enjoys watching.
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