I agree but the 05-06 team were a defensive nightmare on paper. Yet according to Bartow they weren't good enough to play man to man in reality. I remember Belmont drilling us from the three point line in Nashville that season and we refused to go up against a non-athletic team with man to man defense. Never mind we were quick as lightening! I remember Justin Hare being interviewed on their website and he said "I don't know why they went zone against us but we are glad they did...you can't go zone against us we are too good of shooters" Something is majorily wrong when Timmy Smith has to play zone! That kid could pick anyone's pocket and be down the floor at the blink of an eye. Strong was a defensive beast! We had inside POWER with Nuckles and Sneed! But for whatever reason it never materialized.

Just once I would LOVE an honest assesment from the coaching staff on why that team never developed. I don't even care about assigning blame....it happened, it's over, and the coaching staff has rebounded. But I just can't understand HOW it happened. My feelings are that the players didn't like each other. But I don't know that. I kind of think that there was a battle for leadership between Smith and Pigram. But like I said...I don't know that. Just a theory. I can't fathom an athletic dominant team that doesn't have the ability to play man to man against a-sun white kids. I know I'll never get one...but I'd love an answer to this. I think sometimes Bartow probably feels like fans think they know more about basketball then he does. I admit up front this is not the case. I've been watching ETSU basketball all my life but I am no expert on the game. However, I'm also not an idiot. I know talent when I see it. For whatever reason we have under achieved a lot in our A-sun stay. The 07-08 season is the only year in our A-sun stay in which I can forgive not comming out on top due to the departure of Twiley. However, Twiley's departure may have been the best long-run thing to happen to ETSU in a long while. Bartow showed guts. It probably cost him the season but in the long run he put a team together. Now the task to maintain it.

(05-18-2009 09:48 PM)Goldfinger Wrote:  I agree but the 05-06 team were a defensive nightmare on paper. Yet according to Bartow they weren't good enough to play man to man in reality. I remember Belmont drilling us from the three point line in Nashville that season and we refused to go up against a non-athletic team with man to man defense. Never mind we were quick as lightening! I remember Justin Hare being interviewed on their website and he said "I don't know why they went zone against us but we are glad they did...you can't go zone against us we are too good of shooters" Something is majorily wrong when Timmy Smith has to play zone! That kid could pick anyone's pocket and be down the floor at the blink of an eye. Strong was a defensive beast! We had inside POWER with Nuckles and Sneed! But for whatever reason it never materialized.

Just once I would LOVE an honest assesment from the coaching staff on why that team never developed. I don't even care about assigning blame....it happened, it's over, and the coaching staff has rebounded. But I just can't understand HOW it happened. My feelings are that the players didn't like each other. But I don't know that. I kind of think that there was a battle for leadership between Smith and Pigram. But like I said...I don't know that. Just a theory. I can't fathom an athletic dominant team that doesn't have the ability to play man to man against a-sun white kids. I know I'll never get one...but I'd love an answer to this. I think sometimes Bartow probably feels like fans think they know more about basketball then he does. I admit up front this is not the case. I've been watching ETSU basketball all my life but I am no expert on the game. However, I'm also not an idiot. I know talent when I see it. For whatever reason we have under achieved a lot in our A-sun stay.

The 05-06 team is the one tgat lost to Gardner Webb in the 1st round correct?

correct

One of the most painful loses I have ever been apart of. That and the loss at Elon. That gym was like playing in someones living room. They have fake bushes in their arena for God sakes.

The 05-06 team had all the talent needed to do great things, too much talent for the A-Sun which was part of the problem. That team consistently jumped out to big leads(beautiful to watch btw), got bored, and let their opponent back in the game. That team like most under Bartow lacked the killer instinct(this past years team is an exception) to put teams away after getting the lead. IMO had they played in a league where they were challenged on a consistent basis they would have risen to the occasion. The problem with that team is that they got the lead and fell asleep.

Why is open to debate, but IMO a lack of leadership had a lot to do with it. Adversity is when you really need leadership, everything went great at the start of games, but when the games got tight and we lost a big lead the lack of leadership really showed. The seniors on that team were Tim Smith, Dillion Sneed, and Ben Rhoda, other than Rhoda none of them really had leadership qualities. In fact if I remember corrected both Sneed and Tim Smith were benched at the start of the year, not what you want from the players who are suppose to be your leaders.

Next year's team will have its own personality and I think Smith will be a major element. I like his work ethic and think if he and a few others step up we could have a really special season. Not like when Mr. Jennings multiplied the loaves and fishes, raised the dead and gave the sermon on the mount, but special nevertheless.