Transfer out

[shocktheheart]

Jeff Goodman ‏@GoodmanESPN 11m11 minutes ago

Drake 7-foot transfer Dominik Olejniczak told ESPN his top choices right now are California, Colorado, Florida, FSU and Ole Miss.

[uniftw]

Jeff Goodman ‏@GoodmanESPN 11m11 minutes ago

Drake 7-foot transfer Dominik Olejniczak told ESPN his top choices right now are California, Colorado, Florida, FSU and Ole Miss.

So he had someone in his ear telling him "there are bigger programs that want you" without one in mind specifically and he is reweighing all of his options.

Interesting

[DUBulldog]

Jeff Goodman ‏@GoodmanESPN 11m11 minutes ago

Drake 7-foot transfer Dominik Olejniczak told ESPN his top choices right now are California, Colorado, Florida, FSU and Ole Miss.

So he had someone in his ear telling him "there are bigger programs that want you" without one in mind specifically and he is reweighing all of his options.

Interesting

Word is that it was a Polish agent that got to his parents. From what I've heard, the kid absolutely loved it at Drake and did not want to leave.

[uniftw]

Jeff Goodman ‏@GoodmanESPN 11m11 minutes ago

Drake 7-foot transfer Dominik Olejniczak told ESPN his top choices right now are California, Colorado, Florida, FSU and Ole Miss.

So he had someone in his ear telling him "there are bigger programs that want you" without one in mind specifically and he is reweighing all of his options.

Interesting

Word is that it was a Polish agent that got to his parents. From what I've heard, the kid absolutely loved it at Drake and did not want to leave.

I guess if that's the case what is he going to gain by playing at Ole Miss over Drake, other than not being a part of the mess that is Drake basketball, which he didn't seem to have an issue with?

[UEACES80]

I guess if that's the case what is he going to gain by playing at Ole Miss over Drake, other than not being a part of the mess that is Drake basketball, which he didn't seem to have an issue with?

That is a cheap shot at Drake and we wonder why we squabble on here.

[uniftw]

I guess if that's the case what is he going to gain by playing at Ole Miss over Drake, other than not being a part of the mess that is Drake basketball, which he didn't seem to have an issue with?

That is a cheap shot at Drake and we wonder why we squabble on here.

Nothing about that is a cheap shot.

They literally had a town hall meeting the other night with the biggest boosters over how shitty the program is.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/ ... /83033256/

Frustrated supporters of the Drake men's basketball program gathered Wednesday evening, hoping for assurance from coach Ray Giacoletti that things would turn around.

At one point, Giacoletti stood in front of a crowd of 60-plus and told them, “It’s on me. And if we don’t get it done, it’ll be on the next guy.”

They were all part of a semi-private meeting inside Drake’s Courtside Club. Most were there because they received an invitation from Giacoletti. The Register was in attendance after receiving emails about the meeting from Bulldog boosters.

The meeting's purpose was to discuss the future of a team that finished 7-24 last season and recently lost one of its most promising players, Dominik Olejniczak, who decided to transfer.

Olejniczak’s former teammates sat in the back of the room, while people talked for more than an hour about the Bulldogs’ struggles.

“I’m sure it’s rare,” freshman forward Casey Schlatter said of the situation. “We just came to support coach.

...

The confidence of the Bulldog faithful was shaken, but there were no signs of acrimony. Instead, the event took on a cathartic tone, with several people tracing their disappointment back to three decades earlier when the program began to slip.

Questions ranged from how Drake reacts to the shot clock to using a more up-tempo style of play.

Someone asked if there was a way to help post players better handle entry passes under the basket.

And there were questions about Olejniczak, a 7-foot sophomore-to-be who left Drake in hopes of landing with a more high-profile program. Multiple sources have indicated to the Register that Olejniczak’s departure was prompted by third-party influences outside of the university. Second-leading scorer Kale Abrahamson has also transferred out of the program.

“We all could have run,” Giacoletti said of his coaching staff and players. “At some point, you have to draw a line in the sand and be proud to have 'Drake' across your chest.”

Schlatter echoed that.

“We have guys who want to be here,” he said. “Dom’s got to do what Dom thinks he needs to do, but we’re not going to sit here and sulk on it.

“We’re going to do our job and take care of business here.”

Eventually in the meeting, the donors and boosters began to sound more battle-scarred than bitter.

A woman who identified herself as a former Drake cheerleader looked to Giacoletti and said, “please, please, please win.”

A man across the room said he wished the Bulldogs could at least finish sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference standings (presumably because that would keep Drake out of a play-in game at the league tournament in St. Louis).

Giacoletti credited athletic director Sandy Hatfield Clubb with the building of a new practice facility (which was completed two years ago), and told the crowd his current roster is made up of players who could be successful on the court and in the classroom.

“The last piece is obviously the biggest piece,” Giacoletti said. “And that’s winning.”

Hatfield Clubb and Drake president Earl Martin were also in attendance, as well as women’s basketball coach Jennie Baranczyk.

All three spoke in support of Giacoletti, and all three drew applause.

Hatfield Clubb reaffirmed her belief that Drake would not compromise its academic beliefs and institutional integrity.

She also asked supporters to believe a little bit longer and added that if Giacoletti can’t do it, “Who do you think is going to do it?”

[DUBulldog]

The article was a little off in some ways. There were far more than 60 people there, I'd guess 125-150. While people were civil and polite, I sensed a lot more frustration and bitterness than the sportswriter did. And, many in the room were quite unhappy with the AD's rant.

[uniftw]

The article was a little off in some ways. There were far more than 60 people there, I'd guess 125-150. While people were civil and polite, I sensed a lot more frustration and bitterness than the sportswriter did. And, many in the room were quite unhappy with the AD's rant.

Writer for the DSM Rag...probably under some orders to not get too detail happy with how it went.

I wasn't taking a shot at DU with my post. I've heard from people that were there how it went. It sounds pretty ugly at times in terms of the "feeling" of the room

[PantherSigEp]

In case anyone has some time on their hands. It's an interesting read so far

http://drakenation.com/Topic110779-8-1.aspx

[uniftw]

On thing I find interesting reading that is the idea that they truly believe 2007-2008 wasn't a fluke.

It's like they completely ignoring literally every single year in their history outside of 1968-1971 and 2008.

Only 4 coaches in 110 years of basketball have a win % better than .500, and 3 of those 4 were gone within one recruiting cycle. The only one that wasn't was Maury John (1959-1971). The other three are Keno, Forddy Anderson - 1946/47 and 1947/48, and Ossie Solem 1922/23-1924/25.

Phelps has the 7th best win % all time in Drake history (27 coaches).

Outside of the Maury John years Drake is 984-1298 all time - 43.1%
Just 29 seasons, in 97, over .500 outside of the John years, and only 4 since 1986, but only 1 of those seasons was more than 2 games over .500


I think Drake fans absolutely should demand better and should accept being terrible, but reading that 08 wasn't a fluke is kind of funny to me given the true history