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Post by oldtimer on Jan 7, 2014 12:28:07 GMT -5
It was without doubt the worst half of basketball I have seen a Iona team play since the 2 win season...It was an embarrassment to watch...This team is imploding from within and unless issues are met head on without stubbornness, it will only get worst... To watch a team get outrebounded 17-2 at a early point and see 10 of the first ll outside shots connect without a Iona defendant within 6 feet of the shooter was hard to believe...To watch a IONA man grab a loose ball or rare rebound and then watch him being manhandled and loose the ball while 4 of his team mates raced back down court to offensive position is street ball to its extreme...To watch the paralysis of the coaching staff who could only look on without a plan is hard to believe at this stage of the season...
Perhaps we were overcome by the teams ability to put up big offensive numbers...If so this type mind set must be properly proportioned and fundamentals must once again be stressed...
Right now we are running around like a chicken with its head chopped off...There is still enough time to rescue a decent season...There is to much talent on this team to let it go to waste...
Looking back on my pre-season hopes, I thought rebounding and height would be a major problem...I hope that it has come a major priority and that steps have/or will be made to alleviate the need...If that need is met we will see a major jump in class...As for this year, much more effort in rebounding and defense will be appreciated......
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Post by resumeman on Jan 7, 2014 15:33:48 GMT -5
I'll try to limit my comments since several above (Husker, Guy, 05 and OT) have provided some spot-on analysis, as opposed to the (perhaps) over-emotional reaction of a few others. As has been the case since TC got here, we have another roller coaster ride which will have numerous peaks and valleys. IMO this team has been (and with Isaiah Williams departure, will continue to be) undermanned for most of the season due to injuries and especially by Amayo not getting the waiver. Is this team flawed? Of course, as have been the preceding several teams. Can they still end up with a positive result for the season? Yes, but it won't be easy. Is it time to abandon ship? Not by a long shot, (which some would now say this team is). Barring the unforeseen, the Gaels will win the majority of their conference games and struggle against some of the more talented squads like Manhattan and Quinny (who also beat us last year). We may even suffer an upset or two against the "weaker" teams. As frustrating as it may be to watch at times, we all need to pull together and support our players and coaches in good times and bad, and not have unreasonable expectations that a flawed team cannot achieve.
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Post by iona1970 on Jan 7, 2014 15:47:03 GMT -5
we are flawed because of the way we recruit, much easier to recruit rebounding and defense. I still believe we will finish in the top 3 because of our offensive talent and could win the MAAC with the right matchups. Then I will go to the NCAA tournament with the same 10 people that show up every year and watch us get killed
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Post by chelseadal on Jan 7, 2014 15:53:56 GMT -5
we are flawed because of the way we recruit, much easier to recruit rebounding and defense. I still believe we will finish in the top 3 because of our offensive talent and could win the MAAC with the right matchups. Then I will go to the NCAA tournament with the same 10 people that show up every year and watch us get killed At least you can go to the tourney. Do you prefer the defensive minded Willard teams and not go to the tourney? This is the MAAC right? Not the ACC.
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Post by GuyF on Jan 7, 2014 16:07:07 GMT -5
Some really good posts above. Agreed that it all boils down to 3 games in March as always...but still kills me that we are giving away seeds because of our poor midseason form. Same thing happened last year, and likely cost us 1-2 seeds in the tourney and was the difference between us drawing a winnable matchup as a 13/14 seed and an impossible matchup (OSU in Dayton). I know I'm probably in the minority here, but a MAAC title that comes along with a 15/16 seed just isn't the same. Spoiled. Tell this to someone from Marist, Canisius, or Rider. ANY NCAA TRIP IS A GOOD TRIP. Saying we are "giving away seed" is assuming a berth, which is INSANE.
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Post by GuyF on Jan 7, 2014 16:08:48 GMT -5
we are flawed because of the way we recruit, much easier to recruit rebounding and defense. I still believe we will finish in the top 3 because of our offensive talent and could win the MAAC with the right matchups. Then I will go to the NCAA tournament with the same 10 people that show up every year and watch us get killed Marist, Canisius and Rider would kill for that opportunity.
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Post by GuyF on Jan 7, 2014 16:10:07 GMT -5
chels you speak about rotations and experimenting as excuses- no coach is experimenting knowing they might get down 20 in a big conf game, just answer 1 question in four yrs do we have any half court plays? I never mentioned rotations and experimenting? I don't know how you got that. He runs a run, run, run style. You may not like it, but he picks players to play in that system. The only half court sets that I remember were with Scott. And they weren't used often. Iona practices with a 10-second shot clock. Half court sets don't work when you plan to put up a shot within 10 seconds.
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Post by iona05 on Jan 7, 2014 16:28:35 GMT -5
Some really good posts above. Agreed that it all boils down to 3 games in March as always...but still kills me that we are giving away seeds because of our poor midseason form. Same thing happened last year, and likely cost us 1-2 seeds in the tourney and was the difference between us drawing a winnable matchup as a 13/14 seed and an impossible matchup (OSU in Dayton). I know I'm probably in the minority here, but a MAAC title that comes along with a 15/16 seed just isn't the same. Spoiled. Tell this to someone from Marist, Canisius, or Rider. ANY NCAA TRIP IS A GOOD TRIP. Saying we are "giving away seed" is assuming a berth, which is INSANE. Not saying I wouldn't take it, just saying that going into every season the goal should be to win the MAAC and have a puncher's chance at an NCAA game if the matchup is right. Of course we all know it is unrealistic to think we can achieve this every year, but I think it's a reasonable goal heading into each season. Maybe I'm in the minority on this one, but I'd much rather trade a knockout season with an 11/12 type seed in the tourney once every five years or so rather than a 15 seed every year.
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Post by iona1970 on Jan 7, 2014 17:16:20 GMT -5
05. I agree, I understand those other schools would love to go the NCAA, but we have done that and you need to take the next step since it could be awhile again before we are this good. There are a lot of mid majors that actually do win games in the tournament. I want a chance to upset teams not got to the game and its over 10 minutes in. Look at the bright side we haven't blown a 20pt lead recently.
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Post by husker76 on Jan 7, 2014 17:20:52 GMT -5
I would gladly rather be in the tourney every year as a 15 seed. That would facilitate recruiting and retention. It would help strengthen the fan base and likely improve finances and OOC scheduling. Over time that 15 seed would become a higher seed. Nothing like consistent success to feed a program. I am certain President Nyre, the Board of Trustees and Alumni would love that situation. As Guy noted "ANY NCAA TRIP IS A GOOD TRIP". I pray we have that situation. As I recall Duke was a non-factor program before Coach K arrived and got the ball rolling with some success. Not comparing our program to Duke's, but we have to start somewhere. I would welcome consistent success over the long term and the benefits it would bring like name recognition with recruits/coaches and dare say the local media.
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Post by iona1970 on Jan 7, 2014 17:34:48 GMT -5
So husker how many yrs of making the tournament and losing in the first round do you think that would take? The last 3 yrs were great. attendance might be down, and hearing the goal club numbers at the beginning of the yr that didn't go up, we didn't get any high recruited players from making it,( I do like our Alaskan this year though). I'm saying is this our ceiling? I don't think we can turn into a VCU, since we don't have the facility, but if we are going to get good players we should be able to make small changes and not be stubborn, so we can have a chance against good teams ot teams that have some size at all.
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Post by chelseadal on Jan 7, 2014 17:48:12 GMT -5
So husker how many yrs of making the tournament and losing in the first round do you think that would take? The last 3 yrs were great. attendance might be down, and hearing the goal club numbers at the beginning of the yr that didn't go up, we didn't get any high recruited players from making it,( I do like our Alaskan this year though). I'm saying is this our ceiling? I don't think we can turn into a VCU, since we don't have the facility, but if we are going to get good players we should be able to make small changes and not be stubborn, so we can have a chance against good teams ot teams that have some size at all. You said it. We are not VCU. We also are not Gonzaga, Butler or even St Marys. Enjoy what we have. Eventually we will upset someone like Siena did. Cluess style has attracted players that we don't usually get (Momo, Sledge, etc.)Enjoy the ride!
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Post by iona1970 on Jan 7, 2014 17:53:58 GMT -5
sledge? I like him but if you think that is a great get it explains a lot that you don't care about getting to the next level. Great gets are kids that we out recruit that are stars here not kids that fight for minutes. Laury would be a kid that can play at a higher level if he put his heart into it, not a 5'5 kid that already left a BCS school, where exactly was he going to go?
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Post by vallin1 on Jan 7, 2014 17:57:08 GMT -5
chels, never said we can coach better, but tell me which part of what I said was wrong? we go to every game, tell me the pays we call? when jeff was the coach we had 4 or 5 plays w knew hat they were since we were at the games. I have nets season tickets, when frank used to call out plays we knew what they were- name me one play that we have besides the weave I am not going to analyze your in game philosophy. I do know that this coach has done very well the last few years. I also know that you don't know the strengths and weaknesses of this team as well as he does. We all say what we feel on the board which is great. I just got sick of reading what we need to do to fix the team from high school coaches.
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Post by chelseadal on Jan 7, 2014 18:25:48 GMT -5
sledge? I like him but if you think that is a great get it explains a lot that you don't care about getting to the next level. Great gets are kids that we out recruit that are stars here not kids that fight for minutes. Laury would be a kid that can play at a higher level if he put his heart into it, not a 5'5 kid that already left a BCS school, where exactly was he going to go? Yes you are right. We should have all ACC and Big Ten recruits. Makes sense.
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