KAEO Matt Cross

[mdogt12]

Post said Massachusetts born so nothing really wrong with it.

[umasscollective]

What do y'all think of this?
https://x.com/UMassMBB/status/1942973120282820859

I'm happy for Matt that he's getting this opportunity. But, for us to promote it like he's one of our own, it feels a little cringe. He was only with us for 40% of his college career, but more importantly, he left us behind and finished his time elsewhere. Can't blame him one bit for getting the bigger bag, but feels kinda desperate for the official UM account to be boasting about a guy who transferred out.

Maybe part of my bitterness is just due to the new era where no one stays put anymore.

Anyone who has an issue supporting a Massachusetts kid, who played at UMass, earned First Team All-A10 honors, and left for a life-changing financial and basketball opportunity needs to get a new hobby.

Even if he didn’t check all those boxes, we should be celebrating and encouraging any player who earns a shot at a higher level. That’s the reality of college basketball now — adapt or die.

[SignMan]

You seem.to be dissing t host owner of umasshoops.com, Mike F, whose efforts w this site over, what...25 yrs now (?), have played a substantial role in furthering t growth of interest in UMass Athletics among its dedicated following.
Disappointing and unacceptable by this fan, SM, fully involved with UMass basketball, and more, for the past 60 years.

[LS71]

What Mike and Sign Man said.

Mike wished Matt well so you can’t say “he has an issue supporting”him.

Mike said, and I agree with him 100% is, “for us to promote it like he's one of our own, it feels a little cringe.”, and “Can't blame him one bit for getting the bigger bag, but feels kinda desperate for the official UM account to be boasting about a guy who transferred out.”

[MikeUMA]

What do y'all think of this?
https://x.com/UMassMBB/status/1942973120282820859

I'm happy for Matt that he's getting this opportunity. But, for us to promote it like he's one of our own, it feels a little cringe. He was only with us for 40% of his college career, but more importantly, he left us behind and finished his time elsewhere. Can't blame him one bit for getting the bigger bag, but feels kinda desperate for the official UM account to be boasting about a guy who transferred out.

Maybe part of my bitterness is just due to the new era where no one stays put anymore.

Anyone who has an issue supporting a Massachusetts kid, who played at UMass, earned First Team All-A10 honors, and left for a life-changing financial and basketball opportunity needs to get a new hobby.

Even if he didn’t check all those boxes, we should be celebrating and encouraging any player who earns a shot at a higher level. That’s the reality of college basketball now — adapt or die.

Totally fair, and I fully agree about the part about this being the new reality. It is what it is. And I'll say again that I'm incredibly thankful that you've devoted so much time and energy towards our collective. Big respect.

That said, I still stand by the part of my post that doesn't really like how UM is celebrating this. They didn't say anything about Tre Mitchell's Summer League deal last year with OKC, he was A10 First Team with us. Nor did they mention RJ Luis, who was A10 Rookie Team with us. Both of their departures were far more acrimonious than Matt's. So is that the reason they mentioned Matt but not Tre or RJ?

Ultimately it doesn't matter. In a long offseason, it's just something to mention / debate.

[umasscollective]

Much respect to Sign Man — 60+ years of support is incredible and something we should all admire. Same goes for Mike and everything he’s built with this board over the years. We’re all here because we care about UMass basketball.

That said, one of the reasons I don’t post here much anymore is because it often feels like this place fans the flames of negativity no matter the context — even when the program is making progress or simply reflecting the reality of modern college basketball.

Players transfer. That’s not going away. But if a guy wore the jersey and wore it well, I’m always going to root for him. Looking forward to watching Matt tonight at 8.

[umasscollective]

What do y'all think of this?
https://x.com/UMassMBB/status/1942973120282820859

I'm happy for Matt that he's getting this opportunity. But, for us to promote it like he's one of our own, it feels a little cringe. He was only with us for 40% of his college career, but more importantly, he left us behind and finished his time elsewhere. Can't blame him one bit for getting the bigger bag, but feels kinda desperate for the official UM account to be boasting about a guy who transferred out.

Maybe part of my bitterness is just due to the new era where no one stays put anymore.

Anyone who has an issue supporting a Massachusetts kid, who played at UMass, earned First Team All-A10 honors, and left for a life-changing financial and basketball opportunity needs to get a new hobby.

Even if he didn’t check all those boxes, we should be celebrating and encouraging any player who earns a shot at a higher level. That’s the reality of college basketball now — adapt or die.

Totally fair, and I fully agree about the part about this being the new reality. It is what it is. And I'll say again that I'm incredibly thankful that you've devoted so much time and energy towards our collective. Big respect.

That said, I still stand by the part of my post that doesn't really like how UM is celebrating this. They didn't say anything about Tre Mitchell's Summer League deal last year with OKC, he was A10 First Team with us. Nor did they mention RJ Luis, who was A10 Rookie Team with us. Both of their departures were far more acrimonious than Matt's. So is that the reason they mentioned Matt but not Tre or RJ?

Ultimately it doesn't matter. In a long offseason, it's just something to mention / debate.

Matt is a UMass graduate and a Massachusetts native. RJ and Tre don’t check either of those boxes, and I think that makes a difference in how the program chose to acknowledge him.

[devildawg3010]

I'll add as well that Matt didn't enter the portal till the last day. According to Frank, Matt was super loyal. Frank had an open line with Matt and his father. Frank had to tell Matt, you gotta go, you gotta go man. I'm still gonna be here and you will still be shooting baskets, but with life changing money on your last year of eligibility.

[Quann]

Unfortunately, the days of the 4 year player playing at one university for his whole undergrad career are pretty much extinct. I'm just hoping the NCAA finally figures out how to lock kids into minimum terms if they start to get paid directly by the universities. This will at least make the college basketball game fun to follow again. Paid mercenaries jumping every 1-2 years to a new shiny school is way worse than watching the NBA now and college basketball used to easily dwarf my interest in the NBA.

[minutefanjsf]

Anyone who has an issue supporting a Massachusetts kid, who played at UMass, earned First Team All-A10 honors, and left for a life-changing financial and basketball opportunity needs to get a new hobby.

Even if he didn’t check all those boxes, we should be celebrating and encouraging any player who earns a shot at a higher level. That’s the reality of college basketball now — adapt or die.

Totally fair, and I fully agree about the part about this being the new reality. It is what it is. And I'll say again that I'm incredibly thankful that you've devoted so much time and energy towards our collective. Big respect.

That said, I still stand by the part of my post that doesn't really like how UM is celebrating this. They didn't say anything about Tre Mitchell's Summer League deal last year with OKC, he was A10 First Team with us. Nor did they mention RJ Luis, who was A10 Rookie Team with us. Both of their departures were far more acrimonious than Matt's. So is that the reason they mentioned Matt but not Tre or RJ?

Ultimately it doesn't matter. In a long offseason, it's just something to mention / debate.

Matt is a UMass graduate and a Massachusetts native. RJ and Tre don’t check either of those boxes, and I think that makes a difference in how the program chose to acknowledge him.

The graduate part is what makes it make sense to me. Was his extra (grad) year due to a redshirt getting granted or Covid, I can’t remember and am too lazy today to look it up. Anyone who earns a degree from the university should be celebrated as one of our own no matter how many years they attended/played. The x post should have said more than Massachusetts born, IMO. UMass grad and Massachusetts born would’ve made it better, IMO.

[Juice Stand]

^ Agreed on the UMass graduate point.

I believe that his 5th year was due to the Covid bonus year since his first year was the 2020/21 season.

[MikeUMA]

I believe that his 5th year was due to the Covid bonus year since his first year was the 2020/21 season.

That is correct. Being a player in the shortened 2020-21 season automatically got him a bonus year.

[inthescoop]

DNP in Game 1

[InnervisionsUMASS]

No problem with UMass promoting Cross... he spent more years at UMass than at any of his other schools and he is a UMass grad. Cool with me.

[Juice Stand]

DNP in game 2. The Mavericks are shutting down Cooper Flagg for the rest of the summer league schedule, so maybe that opens up an opportunity for him to get into a game. Next game is tonight at 5:30 on ESPN+ and NBA TV.