Simonas Lukosius - 2021 Guard (Cincinnati)

Sorry, was talking about a sales job and non-compete clauses. I believe we should have same type of policy for transfer portal (there is always exceptions granted, but few and far between). Trust me, made people think twice before considering jumping ship to a competitor. It’s the same in college basketball now that players are getting paid.

I know you are a younger graduate and hopefully you’ll understand as you grow your career, and on the other side of the biz, as an executive or in management. Yes, companies I’ve worked for have rehired people in good standing, but not a position that will greatly impact us if they go to a competitor. And while no one on Butler’s roster has transferred to another Big East team (yet), doesn’t mean it can’t and won’t happen in the future. You must make a player think twice before entering portal.

 

My bet is Bizjack will be that guy. Even as a first year. With only three returning players, he has a good chance to be that guy from day one.

 

You have probably not managed employees or a team before with that perspective. When someone is halfway out the door, you let them go and focus on improving those who are thriving. Egos kill culture in any business/sport.

It was incredibly arrogant for Simas to have dinner with an IU coach on campus last year while at BU. I doubt Thad is chasing anyone who doesn't want to be in a BU uniform. You're either with us or not, and if not then GTFO.

 

I was just making a general comment on businesses.

Of course, this isn’t apples to apples. Being good at NCAA basketball is a far more rare skill than your run-of-the-mill corporate pencil pushers.

 

So…..will you hire someone else from a competitor?

If the logic is “they may leave” then you basically limit yourself to promoting internally, or logically dictate that a job candidate leaving *your* company is somehow worse than them leaving another company.

I.e. they’re doing the exact same thing as you do when you make an external hire but one is okay and one is not


I don’t want to learn how things have always been done. I want to figure out the best way to do things now.

If someone is so important to my company that it would be significantly damaging to my company if he left and went to a competitor, I would simply make my company more attractive to work for.


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This isn’t what I was arguing, but if I as a leader cannot get my team collectively focused on and motivated to reach my goals, that’s on me as a leader.

It’s the leaders job to make figure out what makes people tick, how to position them for success etc.

Managing employees and managing people are different things, and I will never ever resent someone for looking to better their own situation.


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I don’t for one minute believe any player at this level has a losing mentality It takes an extraordinary person to stay positive when game in and game out you get your ass kicked in and the boss doesn’t do anything to change or even try anything different. Simas may not have been 100% committed but who could be expected to be when the HC quit? To pick on individual players because they are transferring or because they are staying is ridiculous. When a company is going under people look for better opportunities and a winning program. In my opinion the entire program including the staff should have turned in their resignation . No way is Matta or the staff exempt from this **** show . I hope he proves me wrong but I don’t see anything that gives me hope that this is not heading to a rinse and repeat with at best similar talent.

 

Is there any reason to think any of the guys in the portal are planning on staying at Butler or view staying as some sort of plan B? I’ve seen nothing to make me suspect any of them viewed staying at Butler as an option after entering the portal. What am I missing? Matta has been very active in recruiting for those open spots. It is only the fans who wish certain players would stay.

And why would refusing to let players return after entering the portal stop players from entering the portal in the first place? Just like refusing to rehire people doesn’t stop them from quitting in the first place. The rules of college basketball have changed most players will transfer at least once. I don’t like it but expecting Matta to wave a magic wand and make the portal disappear is just weird.

 

You are missing the point. How are you off topic again? If you want to discuss the staff, start or enter another thread.

Back to the question of a portal policy and example of Simas. There are
many coaches that have said once you enter the portal, it is in fact, time to move on.

I’m not picking on anyone. Many have said (inside sources) that the team had a losing mentality last year. And I’m allowed to give
my opinion that I, along with many others, didn’t feel Luko gave it his all every possession of every game like the season before. I’m not calling the guy a bad guy, not a good player, nor do I use negative adjectives to describe him or any other player. Others may on this board, I don’t, so please don’t lump me in.

Yes, Luko can do whatever he wants, but hopefully right when he entered the portal, it was made clear he won’t be asked back. This is a full on biz now with NIL money out there. Thad has to do what’s best for the team and at the end of the day, a player has the same right.

No one is picking on Simas, but the reason he is used as an example in the portal policy debate, is that this is the second year in a row he has entered. Last year is acceptable due to coaching change, this year, it is his (or collective decision with Matta) decision and I hope it was told that he won’t be asked back once he entered.

Bottom line, you can’t say we can’t talk about the portal and NIL situation and not give examples to why policies need to be in acted for a team to have stability and success.

Also, I will remind you, these athletes are now not JUST student-athletes, but semi-pro and getting paid. We are allowed some latitude to discuss an individual player that at some schools, are making more than some people make in 3,5 or even 10 years. Otherwise, we shouldn’t discuss any athlete at the pro level either. Some of these guys in school are older than the pro athletes.

 

Believe what you want but plenty of players have losing mentality’s. That’s just a fact. Some guys would prefer their own numbers over winning while others just aren’t ever willing to make the hard plays needed to win. It’s just is what it is and that’s the reason several guys got shown the door.

 

Matta has been actively recruiting to fill the open spots. I do not think he is holding any spots open for people in the portal. I think this is the correct approach. Letting Simas come back last year was an exception due to the coaching change.

I have seen the stat that roughly half of portal players do not find a new home but I do not know of a single example of a D1 scholarship player not finding a new home. Genuinely curious for examples here. Or is it mostly walk-ons or NAIA players skewing the numbers?

 

I think he will hold a spot for simas and I think it is likely that he will return next year. I think he was hoping for big money and unless oak st goes all out (with I don't think they will) then I think he will come back.

 

Only 2 scholarships open. Dj Davis on campus. Doubt Thad is waiting on Simas.

 

Who exactly are the several players that were shown the door?

 

I’m not naming names but it’s very obvious that Thad wanted to shake things up after last season. Oh and how many transfers actually made a jump in program level that they transferred to?

 

“Many have said (inside sources) that the team had a losing mentality last year.”

It didn’t start out that way. It became a losing mentality. Firmly believe the team did not have a losing mentality prior to January.

Did Matta burn it down to reload or did it burn down around him? Did he tell everyone other than Turnbull, Thomas, DJ , Ali and JMM to leave then had a change of heart on Ali and told him this week to leave? Why didn’t he tell JMM and DJ to leave? Were they the only two with winning attitudes?

 

Didn’t answer my question. You said several were shown the door. You obviously don’t know who yet want others to believe you know. You don’t know. . If you can’t answer who then be specific with why it is obvious he wanted to shake things up and that it wasn’t because rats started jumping from a sinking ship as soon as the season ended. As for program level Butler has been and is now solidly a mid major program. Even the transfer portal has us rated around 60th in the transfer portal rankings out of what 75 or so power six schools? Sorry I’m upsetting your love affair with Matta.

 

Regardless of whether the team had a "losing mentality", what is obvious is that we weren't able to succeed against quality competition, especially teams who had the size advantage against us. We had some good showings in the non-con, but those were generally against weaker teams. Let's not forget how we got destroyed by Tennessee and NC State at the Battle 4 Atlantis. Against the weaker opponents, our game plans seemed to work pretty well, especially on the offensive end. Against the more skilled and physical teams, esp. during conference play, we looked like we couldn't execute the most basic of basketball plays.

Did we have a losing mentality? Were we too small? Did we give up on plays? Were we not tough enough? Did players' respective skill-sets not mesh together well? Did the coaching staff not prepare the players properly? Were certain players selfish? Was our team too young?

Only those closest to the program know why Butler basketball struggled last season, and even their judgment may be skewed to some extent because we all have biases.

What was obvious to most is that the roster needed fundamental changes, and that's what we're seeing transpire presently. I wish it could have worked with the core that Lavall built, but it didn't. I hope the best for the players who transfered, but I'm looking forward to a new era of Butler basketball.

 

Not a love affair with Matta. I just know how basketball and college basketball works not just at Butler. I’m not throwing my resume or people I know on this board just to appease you.

 

Dude what?

Are you okay?

This post is honestly like shocking


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