[X&J #23] Is There Really Such A Thing as ‘Program Momentum’?
Hosts Bob Moats and Mike Wiemuth explore the concept of momentum in college basketball programs - what it really means, how it manifests, and what drives it in both positive and negative directions.
Hosts Bob Moats and Mike Wiemuth explore the concept of momentum in college basketball programs - what it really means, how it manifests, and what drives it in both positive and negative directions.
Segment 1
After briefly discussing recent football playoffs, they dive into defining program momentum and how it differs from game-level momentum. They explore how momentum is more about perception and emotional reactions from various stakeholders (fans, recruits, media, etc.) than purely on-court performance.
Key points:
Momentum is easier to identify than define - it's like "knowing it when you see it"
Social media acts as an accelerator of momentum, both positive and negative
Momentum involves multiple actors including coaches, players, fans, administration, and media all reacting to events and each other
Segment 2
The hosts examine specific examples of program momentum, both positive and negative:
Penn State under Mike Rhoades showing positive momentum despite coaching change
Michigan's transition from Juwan Howard to Dusty May
North Carolina's gradual decline under Hubert Davis
Villanova's struggles under Kyle Neptune
They discuss how momentum can be affected by:
Coaching changes
Recruiting success/failure
Fan engagement
Media coverage
Regional rivalries
Program expectations
Segment 3
The conversation shifts to Indiana basketball's current momentum situation, examining:
Recent recruiting setbacks
Early season performance concerns
Program expectations vs reality
The challenges of rebuilding momentum at a historically prominent program
The episode concludes with a tribute to Dick Van Arsdale, former Indiana University basketball great who recently passed away.
Throughout the discussion, Bob and Mike emphasize how momentum is about long-term patterns rather than individual events, and how it's often easier to lose momentum than to gain it, especially after a program's "honeymoon period" ends.
The YouTube video is below, and you can listen to the audio wherever podcasts are available.
Subscribe links for podcast:
RSS Feed (to add it to a different podcast player)
Don’t see it somewhere you normally listen to podcasts? Let us know.
If you thoughts or comments about the episode, feel free to comment on YouTube video, comment below, or reach out to Mike (@M_Wiemuth_) and Bob (@BobMoats) on Twitter or in our BHN Discord.