losing practically every OOC game that we'd be leading the Western Division at this juncture? If we were to win the West, Steve would have to be a contender for COY. In fact, should we get to the postseason, he should the the National COY. I believe this is the best job of coaching he's ever done since coming here. And even his most severe critics have to be pretty satisfied the way the team is managing to keep winning the games, although it's not always pretty.
But that's what makes a winning program. Winning games, even when you're not playing well on a particular night.

(02-05-2012 12:19 PM)outsideualr Wrote:  losing practically every OOC game that we'd be leading the Western Division at this juncture? If we were to win the West, Steve would have to be a contender for COY. In fact, should we get to the postseason, he should the the National COY. I believe this is the best job of coaching he's ever done since coming here. And even his most severe critics have to be pretty satisfied the way the team is managing to keep winning the games, although it's not always pretty.
But that's what makes a winning program. Winning games, even when you're not playing well on a particular night.

He's remembered out to coach . . . AGAIN.

(02-05-2012 12:19 PM)outsideualr Wrote:  losing practically every OOC game that we'd be leading the Western Division at this juncture? If we were to win the West, Steve would have to be a contender for COY. In fact, should we get to the postseason, he should the the National COY. I believe this is the best job of coaching he's ever done since coming here. And even his most severe critics have to be pretty satisfied the way the team is managing to keep winning the games, although it's not always pretty.
But that's what makes a winning program. Winning games, even when you're not playing well on a particular night.

Sounds like you know longer think we are "horrible". I said at the time that I'm sure ORU didn't think we were horrible. They went on to win 13 games in a row just to prove it.

I told everyone that we would be fine come conference time. We just were not finishing and at some point with a team as young as this one we would start finishing. Steve has a good record in games decided by 7 or less points over the years.

(02-05-2012 02:57 PM)mjs Wrote:  

(02-05-2012 12:19 PM)outsideualr Wrote:  losing practically every OOC game that we'd be leading the Western Division at this juncture? If we were to win the West, Steve would have to be a contender for COY. In fact, should we get to the postseason, he should the the National COY. I believe this is the best job of coaching he's ever done since coming here. And even his most severe critics have to be pretty satisfied the way the team is managing to keep winning the games, although it's not always pretty.
But that's what makes a winning program. Winning games, even when you're not playing well on a particular night.

Sounds like you know longer think we are "horrible". I said at the time that I'm sure ORU didn't think we were horrible. They went on to win 13 games in a row just to prove it.

It's a fact that we were in fact horrible early on, but the team has managed to keep scratching and finding ways to win, and now we're not horrible anymore. Things change, and we did. Even if we should lose a few more games, there is hope for the future with all of our young talent.

(02-06-2012 05:08 PM)outsideualr Wrote:  

(02-05-2012 02:57 PM)mjs Wrote:  

(02-05-2012 12:19 PM)outsideualr Wrote:  losing practically every OOC game that we'd be leading the Western Division at this juncture? If we were to win the West, Steve would have to be a contender for COY. In fact, should we get to the postseason, he should the the National COY. I believe this is the best job of coaching he's ever done since coming here. And even his most severe critics have to be pretty satisfied the way the team is managing to keep winning the games, although it's not always pretty.
But that's what makes a winning program. Winning games, even when you're not playing well on a particular night.

Sounds like you know longer think we are "horrible". I said at the time that I'm sure ORU didn't think we were horrible. They went on to win 13 games in a row just to prove it.

It's a fact that we were in fact horrible early on, but the team has managed to keep scratching and finding ways to win, and now we're not horrible anymore. Things change, and we did. Even if we should lose a few more games, there is hope for the future with all of our young talent.

I don't agree we were ever "horrible". We lost close games against solid midmajor programs. Nothing to be embarrassed about. It is a credit to the players and coaches that they didn't let the bad start get them down.

I agree, we were not horrible. Mo. State was lucky.
We lost to Kentucky (5 RPI), Michigan State (6 RPI), ORU (47 RPI), Mo State (81RPI), Ill State (116RPI), Wis-Milwaukee (132RPI), Northwestern State (172), La Tech (188). Those are all solid teams.
But we also lost to Eastern Michigan (227) and SMU (212).
Only three of these teams have losing records and five of these games we could have won. Those five were decided by 5 or less points.

Well, I guess we were just more horrible than those teams we lost to. Face it though. We found ways to lose early on. But I guess the level of competition made us stronger, and we finally have learned how to win. I heard Steve speak today, and that's what he alluded to. That the kids were young, and even though they got close in some of those early games, they didn't know how to win. There's no doubt it took some time for the players to adjust to playing together, and for the coaches to fgure out who fit where in the rotation. We knew there was talent. It's just taken time for it to mature. If we can keep up the recruiting we've done in the past few seasons, the future looks brighter for our program.

Oops, ORU was lucky...We were not more horrible than ORU. Bell-Holter throws in a game winner from 60 feet as time expires. Steve Shields said we found ways to lose?

That's a horrible way to lose. I'll bet Steve still has nightmares of that shot. Let's just say that was "horribly bad luck".

(02-07-2012 03:40 PM)outsideualr Wrote:  That's a horrible way to lose. I'll bet Steve still has nightmares of that shot. Let's just say that was "horribly bad luck".

Ha, indeed.