Great article by Seth Davis in the Athletic

[Radbooks]

Wonderful overview of the 'Gonzaga Run'.

Charming, yes, but it’s more than that: How Gonzaga built a contender, and has stayed there

Summer has turned to fall in Spokane, which means once again it will be up to Gonzaga basketball to keep everyone warm during the bitter winter ahead. It’s a shame Father Spitzer can’t see all of this, but of course, in many ways he already has. The one thing he knows for sure is that the success didn’t come about through blind luck. It happened because of all those old dogs and young pups who are still pulling that rope, always striving, never changing, doing what they love to do with guys they love doing it with.

[jazzdelmar]

The money 'graph.

"The performance off the court has been just as impressive. Last year Gonzaga was ranked fourth nationally in the NCAA’s four-year Academic Progress Rate. Only one senior in Few’s tenure has failed to earn his degree. Of the six players to be named All-American and academic All-American over the last 22 years, three were Zags: Dickau (2002), Kelly Olynyk (2013) and Nigel Williams-Goss (2017). And unlike so many of Gonzaga’s power-conference counterparts, all of this winning has happened without a whiff of NCAA scandal."

[ZagNative]

That was a great article.

Interesting tidbit: Rob Sacre is working for GU in the development department.

[ZAG 4 LIFE]

The money 'graph.

"The performance off the court has been just as impressive. Last year Gonzaga was ranked fourth nationally in the NCAA’s four-year Academic Progress Rate. Only one senior in Few’s tenure has failed to earn his degree. Of the six players to be named All-American and academic All-American over the last 22 years, three were Zags: Dickau (2002), Kelly Olynyk (2013) and Nigel Williams-Goss (2017). And unlike so many of Gonzaga’s power-conference counterparts, all of this winning has happened without a whiff of NCAA scandal."

This is so incredibly underreported, as least nationally... I’ve mentioned to Mike R. That
I wish this was talked about more... Gonzaga really is “America’s program” because they have
Done the best job in the country when you combine success on the court and in the classroom.

[LongIslandZagFan]

When I was in Spokane last week, I went to J&D late one night. Tommy was there talking to some folks at the table behind me. Before I left, I just went up to him, shook his hand, and simply said "thank you".

[LTownZag]

My favorite reveal:

The staff says that current players can (and have) effectively vetoed certain recruits whom they felt wouldn't fit into the family culture. I wonder who?

Also - Few or another staff member admitted that playing in the WCC had certainly lost them some recruits.

[hooter73]

That was a great article.

Interesting tidbit: Rob Sacre is working for GU in the development department.

Boo Ya. Money shot to have him as a part of this program.

We've heard the team has a vote in new recruits, dont know if its ever been written down that the coaches admit the WCC costs us recruits.

[CB4]

Who is the senior that didn't graduate?

[zagbeliever]

That was a great article.

Interesting tidbit: Rob Sacre is working for GU in the development department.

That is great. Rob is such a positive energy. I've never heard of anyone who didn't enjoy him one on one.

[GoZags]

Who is the senior that didn't graduate?

I don’t see any reason to “name” a name. Suffice it to say he didn’t come to Gonzaga as a freshman ... was a JC transfer ... very early in Fewie’s tenure as H C.

[jazzdelmar]

I don’t see any reason to “name” a name. Suffice it to say he didn’t come to Gonzaga as a freshman ... was a JC transfer ... very early in Fewie’s tenure as H C.

Geez, talk about picking nits, ban that guy. The paragraph I cited should be flashed on every Zag telecast by winken, blinken and nod. It’s most important by several football fields. Congrats to the Pope, as well. El Voce is beaming.

[jazzdelmar]

When I was in Spokane last week, I went to J&D late one night. Tommy was there talking to some folks at the table behind me. Before I left, I just went up to him, shook his hand, and simply said "thank you".

For all of us, nice.

[CB4]

I don’t see any reason to “name” a name. Suffice it to say he didn’t come to Gonzaga as a freshman ... was a JC transfer ... very early in Fewie’s tenure as H C.

I was just curious because it's so unusual and I always assumed everyone graduated and thought that was a mistake.

[CB4]

Geez, talk about picking nits, ban that guy.

Impeach Jazz!

[jazzdelmar]

Impeach Jazz!

Whoa.....I’m getting hammered enough on the recruiting page.

[Bogozags]

Whoa.....I’m getting hammered enough on the recruiting page.

U know it’s all about fake news ��

I think it is incredible where we stand academically in D1, what with all the Ivy League schools, Duke, Vandy, Stanford and the like...

We may not as of yet won an NC but we prepare our kids to have a successful feature!

[LongIslandZagFan]

Boo Ya. Money shot to have him as a part of this program.

We've heard the team has a vote in new recruits, dont know if its ever been written down that the coaches admit the WCC costs us recruits.

I think the article implied that it USED to... even if it still does... JMHO... any kid that wants to be at GU isn't caring. GU produces NBA players and succeeds year in and year out and gets tons of national airtime. If a kid balks nowadays, they were never really interested.

[kitzbuel]

That article should get to the parents of every recruit being considered by GU.

It describes how lucky recruits are to be considered for invitation into that Family.

Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk

[jazzdelmar]

It should be displayed in every general college admissions brochure that is sent to any prospective student/applicant, much less hoops or other potential athlete. It’s the antithesis of what goes on at so many universities throughout the country.

That article should get to the parents of every recruit being considered by GU.

It describes how lucky recruits are to be considered for invitation into that Family.

Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk

[tummydoc]

Other than Father Spitzer's vision the article didn't tell me anything I hadn't heard before.....but it still gave me goosebumps! Ties up all the special pieces of this program in a nice package. Thanks for the link, great read.

[RenoZag]

Bud Withers covered the same ground years ago and did it better.

[Once and Future Zag]

So much. Both said and unsaid here.

When Kispert took his official visit in the spring of 2016, the player who hosted him, Josh Perkins, drove him back to his hotel. Along the way, Perkins pulled his car over, turned to Kispert and said, “Ask me anything.” Their candid conversation sealed Kispert’s decision to come on board despite having received offers from most of the Pac-12 programs as well as Notre Dame and Virginia.

[Mantua]

Bud Withers covered the same ground years ago and did it better.

I’d love to read Wither’s article. Any chance you have a link?

[RenoZag]

I’d love to read Wither’s article. Any chance you have a link?

I'm referring to Mr. Withers' books: 2002's BraveHearts and 2016's Glory Hounds.

Bud's Blog is here: http://www.gloryhounds.net/whatsnew and gets linked in the GUB's MBB Forum fairly regularly. There's an extensive archive at the link that includes his coverage of 2017 run to the FF.

His on-going blog posts can be described as new chapters in Glory Hounds.

Sorry if I gave the impression I was referring to a particular article, Mantua.

[Zagger]

I didn't get very far and found something I wanted to quote already .....

.... any day is a good day to be in Spokane. Even in the dead of winter, this city’s passion for the Zags runs hot.

Insert any season and I'd say the above is also true. It's the main reason I keep beating a drum for a yearly BIS and a game in the Arena (the old Spokane Coliseum). It's not easy to get to see the Zags play in person for the average Spokanite. On a slightly different subject .... the GU women's BB team is becoming more and more popular here in town with turnout to their games going up all the time. We'll be going to some of their games this winter as well Go Zags!

Found one more tidbit ....

The specter of an AD staying in one job for 22 years is as rare as a head basketball coach staying for 20. For both to be true at the same school in this era is hard to imagine, but such longevity is the norm at Gonzaga.

There's got to be "something in the water" so-to-speak around Spokane. My wife and I both have a couple of pals who used to live here and are moving back after fairly long stays elsewhere. It's sort of a domino effect .... where the number of pals you've had over a long period of time grows as another comes back into the fold. It's not surprising to me that the situation at GU is any different. In a world where change is the norm it sure is nice to have some consistency. Consistency can be a really nice, alluring and comfy attribute .... it can help you be your best.