Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports
Coaches usually don’t have a ton of input when it pertains to making a basketball team’s schedule. So whenever fans question a coach’s stones, I wonder if they realize their hatred should be thrown toward the athletic director’s direction.
In reality, ADs have almost all of the decision making power when it comes to schedules, and not all of that has to do with making a team NCAA Tournament-ready. Things like financials, travel and obligation to smaller universities also play a large part.
Granted, some programs seem to stack up their non-conference schedule with more cupcakes than others, but they also have to live with the consequences if it doesn’t work out in the eyes of the Selection Committee on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Really, putting delicious cupcakes on a schedule is a victim-less non-crime.
The Florida Gators have released their non-conference schedule. Yes, it is filled with cupcakes with sprinkles on top, but it also has a slew of “invitational tournaments” where tougher competition will be made, although none of the teams or scheduling for those events are finalized yet.
The Gators’ non-conference is schedule is highlighted by playing in-state rival North Florida. Okay, I kid. North Florida is really on the schedule (it is the opener), but their game against a more known in-state rival, the Florida State Seminoles, is really the highlight.
They also play yearly powers like the Kansas Jayhawks and Connecticut Huskies – making the cupcakes on the schedule much less damaging to their strength of schedule.
With the remaining non-conference schedule filled with a slew of cupcakes and the aforementioned “invitationals” or “classics”, Billy Donovan does not have a dangerous start to his next season at the helm of the program.
Unless he is a diabetic.
Joe is a Senior Writer for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @JosephNardone
