Over in the Football thread, our friend apaladin has been lowering expectations for our new AD, where he posts:
Let's just say this that fundraising at FU will be a lot tougher than at Villanova. I don't think anyone can argue that. Clempson dominates the Greenville market like no other in the country. I don't think anyone can argue that either. I am sure JD will do a great job and wish him good luck.
I don’t know that I’d concede that, especially in regards to basketball, where KenPom last has Clemson at 36 and FU at 59. That’s within striking distance, marketing-wise. Especially when nobody thinks of Clemson as a “basketball school”.
I’m not arguing the merits & traditions of FU football, or the legacy of soccer or women’s golf, or even the promise of lacrosse. But bang-for-the-buck for the foreseeable future I’d argue SoCon Basketball in general and Furman basketball in particular are good products for an underserved market. There’s money there, and I’d bet that was top-of-mind bringing in a rainman from Villanova.