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Post by hawaii bill on Dec 20, 2011 9:29:33 GMT -5
So a lot of us "long time" fans enjoy remembering the great teams from the past, and that is good. But the flip side is that we also carry our own baggage when we look at this team.
We remember times when we didn't get a break or we came really close just to fall short or a ref cost us a game in a big spot. We remember the buzzer beaters that went against us, and the one's we didn't make. But none, I repeat, none of those instances have anything to do with this team. These guys weren't even born when some of this stuff happened.
When Purdue hit that half court shot I know a lot of you guys, like I did said "When on earth is this crazy bad luck gonna end?" Or when Carissimo made that shot over Glover on Saturday. What bothered me about that shot was that the team seemed to hang its head afterward, and we still had a one point lead!!!
This team has nothing to do with the past. This team can write its own story. This team appears to have a couple of guardian angels watching over it. This team has the power to make positive things happen. This is a clean slate.
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Post by Old Coach on Dec 20, 2011 9:46:37 GMT -5
Well said Bill. This is a special team. While there may be a couple of hiccups along the way we all should enjoy the process as we don’t get this opportunity very often.
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Post by ichoops on Dec 20, 2011 9:54:42 GMT -5
I think we have a special team and will possibly win a game in the tournament.
I also believe this is only the start and our success will be the new normal should Coach Cluess stay at Iona.
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Post by albanygael on Dec 20, 2011 11:41:09 GMT -5
Regardless of what happens this year our teams in the past have had some great moments to cherish. I think this team will give us a few more before the season is over. I haven't been to a game in the NYC area since the last time against North Carolina. I'm planning to go to the Siena game at MSG with my son Brian'08. Go Gaels.
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Post by jcgael on Dec 20, 2011 11:53:54 GMT -5
This Gael team has the opportunity to do some special things this year. They have already deliverd "W's" with late game heroics and have stolen games on night's when they didn't have their best effort. All of that leads to a fann feeling that they can do so much more. I love the fact that they seem to be talking one game at a time. Taking care of the business at hand and then and only then think about moving on. Definitely the sign of a mature team and a coach that has them focused.
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Post by St. Louis Gael on Dec 20, 2011 12:00:40 GMT -5
To paraphrase the mantra of this year's STL Cardinals during their stretch come from behind season; here's wishing the team a "Happy Flight" on their return from W&M.
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Post by GuyF on Dec 20, 2011 12:29:34 GMT -5
No question after Purdue I was feeling "same old unlucky Gaels" after seeing a halfcourt heave, a must 3 from Hummel and a last-ditch possession by Momo add up to the loss. And there have been little tweaks of that through the season, from Canisius' barrage of 3s as the shot clock expired to the late bucket by Vermont.
My stomach hurt like hell listening to the last few moments of that game--I was awaiting the usual slight switch in tone in Gary's voice coupled with the roar of the road crowd as the 'Mounts got that last-second bucket. And though they didn't get it, the stuff with the clock at the end still didn't have me feeling secure until a few more seconds elapsed.
I'm not going to say we've come to expect the worst in those situations, but there's been enough of those types of moments where you feel their potential.
Here's one I remember too well from recent years, and it wasn't even a last-second one. MAAC quarters vs Niagara in Willard's final year, getting late in the game, Niagara with a slight lead, Iona puts up a horrible shot and the Purps break out the other way. Can't even remember the names of the kids from Niagara at this point, but you'll get the point with my guesses--Cruz is in the paint with nowhere to go, then finds Lewis behind him for a wide open look from three. When he released it, I shut my eyes--it's the only time I ever remember doing that, because I knew it was in and I knew that was the dagger that would eliminate us.
But, as the title of the thread says, that was then and this is now. In the next couple months, there may be some heroics and there may be some pain. But whether it's the "same old unlucky Gaels" won't be known until March--and we know that.
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