(12-15-2013 12:56 AM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  Not meant as a knock, but I doubt this is a tourny team. A huge light switch would have to be clicked very soon.

Couldn't agree more. I don't see a viable team until late next year, at the earliest.

(12-15-2013 01:18 PM)BJUnklFkr Wrote:  

(12-15-2013 12:56 AM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  Not meant as a knock, but I doubt this is a tourny team. A huge light switch would have to be clicked very soon.

Couldn't agree more. I don't see a viable team until late next year, at the earliest.

Your avatar scares me. I can't sleep at night.

You mean sometime around December 2014?

I value your insight and need to know when I can again follow Bearcat basketball.

Seriously, I agree with you...and Rath & Eastside (both), rag, and anyone else who has checked their over reaction at the door.

As a side, We've got fans who will only attend if we play "somebody". That says a lot.

(12-15-2013 01:50 PM)OneUChoopsfan Wrote:  

(12-15-2013 01:18 PM)BJUnklFkr Wrote:  

(12-15-2013 12:56 AM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  Not meant as a knock, but I doubt this is a tourny team. A huge light switch would have to be clicked very soon.

Couldn't agree more. I don't see a viable team until late next year, at the earliest.

Your avatar scares me. I can't sleep at night.

You mean sometime around December 2014?

Good catch. I mean late next SEASON, what with having a relatively young team. We will have "experience" but only among our most ineffective players overall.

(12-15-2013 01:50 PM)OneUChoopsfan Wrote:  I value your insight and need to know when I can again follow Bearcat basketball.

Seriously, I agree with you...and Rath & Eastside (both), rag, and anyone else who has checked their over reaction at the door.

As a side, We've got fans who will only attend if we play "somebody". That says a lot.

The way we are playing this year every time we play "somebody", maybe the fans ought to choose the "nobody" games to show up for. That would lower the collective blood pressure of all involved

And, thank you for the vote of confidence. Even in the appearance of the season starting to go nowhere, I will always find a reason to watch. Right now, I am looking at Troy, KJ and Lawrence, and how much they mature throughout this season. This trio, and obviously newcomers for next year (including Strickland and Morman - still sucks that the two of them are not practicing, for obviously different reasons), figure to be the core of our program. Obviously Thomas as well. He had an OK game last night. Too bad SK will be leaving, without much of a supporting cast.

It's easier to coach offense when you have good players. We're going to now see what happens when you don't recruit over a sustained period. I don't think it's "scheme" as much as talent.

For whatever reason (bad talent evaluation, finishing 2nd to primary targets), we had 3 consecutive years of C- level recruiting. Jackson/Gains; Ellis/Moodj/Sanders/Guyn/Thomas/Davis; Rubles/Nyrsuk.

I think Cronin got 1 high level role player (Jackson), 1 guy who could develop into a solid starter (Thomas), and a mid level role player (Rubles). Quite honestly, the rest of these guys would struggle seeing the floor on a Top 30 team. 3 years of recruiting and not a single reliable, consistent, go-to type starter.

The 2 recruiting classes before these three produced a 1 and done NBA guy (Lance), 4 1,000 point career scorers (Dixon, Cashmere, Yancy, and SK), and a guy that developed into a solid "role starter" Parker. The decline in talent has been incredible.

I'm not sure if we whiffed on guys, blew talent evaluations, or simply took who we could get given Cronin's very targeted recruiting strategy from a geo/aau standpoint, but the program is paying for it badly. One bad year can hurt you, but 3 bad years in a row will create what we have now.....a roster with very little upside (outside the freshman and Thomas). Playing the crap schedule we do and next year's AAC scheulde will hide it, but next year will be just as challenging if not worse. The progam will struggle to be relevant or sniff the tournament until '15.

I've been disappointed many times during Cronin's "rebuilding" years but never more than with last night's dismal performance. I rationalized last weekend that New Mexico was a pretty good team in a tough venue and it was a quality loss. Of course the Lobos were blown out by Kansas last night. The truth is, that New Mexico game was very winnable when UC had them back on their heals to start the second half. Again last night, this team played hard but not smart. Offensively, we could live with a weak inside game if three guards would really step up. Right now, there's no indication anyone is capable of stepping up and finding a consistent way to score and SK can't play one on five.

My only consolation is that December games are most often meaningless come March. We were euphoric when UC beat Duke in Alaska; that certainly didn't translate into a run to the Final Four. We were despondent being blown out @ X two years ago and that UC team went to the Sweet Sixteen. But that squad did have a serious inside threat that's non-existent now.

I still believe this group will improve and can make a run to the NCAA. But I also believe the wheels could fall off completely if the seniors don't step up soon.

It will take a miracle to avoid a three game losing streak with Pitt up next.

I'm hoping (pathetic, I know) that the early season tough games that X played paid off as they were ready to deal with the situation better as opposed to mostly playing teams that didn't do much to challenge you. I wonder what this outcome would be if played later in the year when both teams are well tested. I mean, we HAVE to get better, right? Our lack of inside presence (Hicks, etc), lack of break you down off the dribble PG when needed, and lack of good jump shooters/free throws means that the offense is dependent on fast breaks and rebounds (which they're not doing very well). And I know we are rated high in the AAC in free throws, but it feels like a ruse.

(12-14-2013 08:29 PM)Billy_Bearcat Wrote:  

(12-14-2013 08:28 PM)franzeal Wrote:  Would be nice to see a PG running the offense and not SK who apparently forgot how to dribble.

Guyn is downright D-II material.

I agree

omg, I think someone changed some codes or something so i can reply off of my vista computer. Thanks to whomever did it, but i'M Thinking that it was probably GTS. Thanks

(12-15-2013 04:31 PM)bearcat54 Wrote:  omg, I think someone changed some codes or something so i can reply off of my vista computer. Thanks to whomever did it, but i'M Thinking that it was probably GTS. Thanks

this is so odd. I replied to another comment in the PLAY FOR Mick Comments and got the undefined text thing again. What's going on with that? this is baffling.

According to Paul dehner,mick spent 50 minutes talking about the players have to get tougher,Can somebody please tell me what tough has to do with shooting a basketball.

(12-15-2013 11:08 PM)mikecat Wrote:  According to Paul dehner,mick spent 50 minutes talking about the players have to get tougher,Can somebody please tell me what tough has to do with shooting a basketball.

The team played scared yesterday. Toughness is about having confidence, playing hard, and playing smart. When you play timid or too fast your not going to shoot the ball very well or make the right pass. Toughness equates to offensive rebounds and second chance points and easy buckets.

(12-15-2013 04:34 PM)bearcat54 Wrote:  

(12-15-2013 04:31 PM)bearcat54 Wrote:  omg, I think someone changed some codes or something so i can reply off of my vista computer. Thanks to whomever did it, but i'M Thinking that it was probably GTS. Thanks

this is so odd. I replied to another comment in the PLAY FOR Mick Comments and got the undefined text thing again. What's going on with that? this is baffling.

OMG

I had to absolutely restrain myself from going back to your posts, erasing what you wrote and editing them to just say "undefined".



Is that funny and sick or what?

(12-15-2013 11:13 PM)bearcatlawjd Wrote:  

(12-15-2013 11:08 PM)mikecat Wrote:  According to Paul dehner,mick spent 50 minutes talking about the players have to get tougher,Can somebody please tell me what tough has to do with shooting a basketball.

The team played scared yesterday. Toughness is about having confidence, playing hard, and playing smart. When you play timid or too fast your not going to shoot the ball very well or make the right pass. Toughness equates to offensive rebounds and second chance points and easy buckets.

I disagree you can rebound and play hard and play smart but when you play quality teams they are going to play hard and smart also,you have to be able to shoot and for years they have not had shooters.I watch Butler play Purdue and Butler doesnt have a bunch of high flyers but they have guys who play BASKETBALL and can shoot!!!

I am convinced this game never happened and the false memories I have of it were merely caused by toxic levels of cascade and galactic hops.

(12-15-2013 02:52 PM)mbl95 Wrote:  It's easier to coach offense when you have good players. We're going to now see what happens when you don't recruit over a sustained period. I don't think it's "scheme" as much as talent.

For whatever reason (bad talent evaluation, finishing 2nd to primary targets), we had 3 consecutive years of C- level recruiting. Jackson/Gains; Ellis/Moodj/Sanders/Guyn/Thomas/Davis; Rubles/Nyrsuk.

I think Cronin got 1 high level role player (Jackson), 1 guy who could develop into a solid starter (Thomas), and a mid level role player (Rubles). Quite honestly, the rest of these guys would struggle seeing the floor on a Top 30 team. 3 years of recruiting and not a single reliable, consistent, go-to type starter.

The 2 recruiting classes before these three produced a 1 and done NBA guy (Lance), 4 1,000 point career scorers (Dixon, Cashmere, Yancy, and SK), and a guy that developed into a solid "role starter" Parker. The decline in talent has been incredible.

I'm not sure if we whiffed on guys, blew talent evaluations, or simply took who we could get given Cronin's very targeted recruiting strategy from a geo/aau standpoint, but the program is paying for it badly. One bad year can hurt you, but 3 bad years in a row will create what we have now.....a roster with very little upside (outside the freshman and Thomas). Playing the crap schedule we do and next year's AAC scheulde will hide it, but next year will be just as challenging if not worse. The progam will struggle to be relevant or sniff the tournament until '15.

"Very target recruiting strategy...."

Please explain.

(12-16-2013 04:01 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  I am convinced this game never happened and the false memories I have of it were merely caused by toxic levels of cascade and galactic hops.

I'm with you. This game couldn't have actually happened right? What next, the Bengals go down 21 to the Steelers in the first quarter on Sunday Night Football?