Pastner needs to make some changes
Coach is going to have to fire some assistants and find some who can actually coach. It is obvious these guys cant get it done and we have had no continuity on our coaching staff. We are loaded with talent and cannot play with any consistency, intelligence or intensity. Maybe we are saving ourselves for the NCAAS but I think we are about to be one and done. Best case scenario we squeak out one win.
I say all this and I love Josh. I love all he brings to the table for our school and city but tonight was flat out embarrassing, and at home to top it off. I think some of our seniors have just mailed it in. They have been done awhile. They are either NBA bond or headed overseas to play for pay. I agree with 450Bencj Josh is and should be feeling the heat. I really have no word for tonight.
There is a group of people who are lobbying for Bruce Pearl and those cries are going to get louder. Say what you will about this man but he can flat out coach and do what Pastner has thusfar been unable to do..That is actually take a team to #1 during the season.
Pastner is learning but he cannot continue to have the staff turnover year in and year out. We run a very poor offense, do not recognize defensive sets and fail to make adjustments to other teams defensive sets. Defensively we are lazy and do not play together as a team. Nobody seems to understand where they should be and we are constantly leaving players wide open. It seems like every team has a player have their career night from 3 against us. Its not just bad luck or coincidence.
I dont know, I'm not a money man like the guys who are that make theses type decisions. I'm not trying to be ugly, just calling like I see it. We definitely had some chemistry issues and Joe Jackson for all his talent is a head case. Crawford can shoot lights out but makes some of the poorest choices at the worst times that lead to huge momentum swings. Josh needs to be able to recruit Memphis, but I think Johnson belonged at PG and Dixon at 2 guard. If he is still planning on living and dying with the 4 guard game we are done.
Our game needs to run through Shaq, Nichols and Pellom, and King when he is in and not these guards. Joe Jackson has unfortunately mailed it in and it is beginning to show. Crawford is only interested in shooting 3s, nevermind if there is 30 seconds still left on the shot clock and our bigs haven't made it into rebounding position. Geron and Dixon need to be the guard nucleus but it would kill Joshs local recruiting. I guess the best we can hope for is a favorable draw and that this team is embarrassed enough after tonight and comes out with something to prove.
Props goes out to Shaq and Nichols, they are undersized but play with heart. Nick King is full of hustle and I love the way he grabs boards. Pellom has been a great addition and it is sad that he has been hurting so much this year.
If I was one of the big money donors who made these decisions, I'm not sure what I would think right now. I would think a meeting of the minds is definitely in order after tonight. There is also the possibility that Josh moves on after the season, maybe he is the one who has mailed it in, and then who do you call. I don't think the 450Benchs disappearing post was so far off base. Several teams are going to come after Josh. He may take the right one, who knows, these guys are loyal like the hooker walking Brooks Rood.
So, lets say Josh leaves, gos to his dream team, who do we get to coach this team? What if we flame out in the NCAA against a lesser team? Does his record even matter? Yes I know we were top 25 and there is a certain amount of pub that goes with that, but the money comes from advancing in the NCAAS, something we have not done..yet. Nobody wants to see Josh turn this corner more than I do, but realistically, how much time does he have to get this done? If our seasons year after year are mediocre, do we not owe it to ourselves to at least look at our options at some point?
I'm sure I'll catch a lot of heat for this post but tonight was a flat out embarrassment. Where does the blame fall? If you are a big money booster, are you proactive or reactive? Do you put the blame on Josh or his assistants? Do you put it on the players and say mentally they just were carrying too much pressure? I don't know. I love Joe Jackson but he has never really become a true point guard. I think something has happened behind the scenes on this team we peons are not aware of, well maybe some of you super secret 10$ geniuses are.
I'm glad the decision(s) are not mine. Surely we can talk rationally about this teams under performance without attacking one another. I dont ever remember a defeat like tonight on National TV. If Pastner were to leave I bet a lot of you would be singing a different song. Are we going to let him catch us off guard like X? I love Coach P I really do, but I am not blind. After tonight's performance, I'm wondering if Josh has already struck another deal. No Pearls not squeaky clean but he is going to be a hot commodity very soon. His infractions I think are no longer infractions, yes he did lie and run around with Coeds, no that is not acceptable but doe he not deserve another chance? He has certainly paid a high price for his indiscretions.
Ok, I'm going to bed but I dont feel bad about stating obvious problems with this team.
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