I have lots to write, and didn't want to hi-jack someone else's thread, so I'm going to share my opinions in several separate threads: the season, the seniors, coaching, & next season. That way, one post isn't 3 days' reading, and you can choose to read any, all or none (and it won't all be "negative" in every post).

The season was not only disappointing, it was at times embarrassing. Hype or no hype, a team returning 4 starters and all but one bench contributor should be an improved team. All this talk about "swagger" both amuses and perplexes me (doesn't seem like much of a coaching strategy), but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense.

I think we lost our "swagger" very early in the season--after a hard-fought loss to VCU followed by the loss to Oregon. I'm sure the team and coaches knew at that moment that some early national recognition and an NCAA at-large bid went out the window. Soon thereafter, we had back-to-back losses to Detroit & Oakland--inexcusable losses. At that point, I'm sure a realization started creeping in that this team may not even be good enough to win the MAC. That concern became legitimate during MAC play, particularly at home. "Swagger" gone.

How did a team that should have been as good as its previous press clippings get to that point? That's the million dollar question. But I've felt for awhile now that their is a disturbing complacency taking root in the athletic department. There is no sense of urgency, no pride to beat the "big guys" anymore, and as long as we're I "in the picture" for a MAC championship, it's all good. This at a school that quite honestly should be the athletic flagship of the conference in many sports (maybe not all at the same time, granted). In addition, I don't feel enough attention has been paid to the mental aspect of sports at UT. We routinely seem to come up short in big games, in several sports. I'd like to see "Toledo Tough" really mean something.

So, in the end, we have what was one of the most disappointing Rocket seasons of any sport in the past 10 years, given what were realistic expectations.

I agree. The team I saw against VCU and Duke was not the same as last night in terms of hustle, court awareness, and athleticism. Something happened in the second half of the season for this team to lose focus and heart.

I would like to hear less about how talented, good, etc. we are. We need to be a little more humble. Play like you're on a mission rather than expecting to step on the court (or the field) and win.

We have a good team and they won 20 games. That's that! Congratulations to the team for a pretty good season overall.

(03-14-2015 09:24 AM)bcunn3128 Wrote:  I have lots to write, and didn't want to hi-jack someone else's thread, so I'm going to share my opinions in several separate threads: the season, the seniors, coaching, & next season. That way, one post isn't 3 days' reading, and you can choose to read any, all or none (and it won't all be "negative" in every post).

The season was not only disappointing, it was at times embarrassing. Hype or no hype, a team returning 4 starters and all but one bench contributor should be an improved team. All this talk about "swagger" both amuses and perplexes me (doesn't seem like much of a coaching strategy), but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense.

I think we lost our "swagger" very early in the season--after a hard-fought loss to VCU followed by the loss to Oregon. I'm sure the team and coaches knew at that moment that some early national recognition and an NCAA at-large bid went out the window. Soon thereafter, we had back-to-back losses to Detroit & Oakland--inexcusable losses. At that point, I'm sure a realization started creeping in that this team may not even be good enough to win the MAC. That concern became legitimate during MAC play, particularly at home. "Swagger" gone.

How did a team that should have been as good as its previous press clippings get to that point? That's the million dollar question. But I've felt for awhile now that their is a disturbing complacency taking root in the athletic department. There is no sense of urgency, no pride to beat the "big guys" anymore, and as long as we're I "in the picture" for a MAC championship, it's all good. This at a school that quite honestly should be the athletic flagship of the conference in many sports (maybe not all at the same time, granted). In addition, I don't feel enough attention has been paid to the mental aspect of sports at UT. We routinely seem to come up short in big games, in several sports. I'd like to see "Toledo Tough" really mean something.

So, in the end, we have what was one of the most disappointing Rocket seasons of any sport in the past 10 years, given what were realistic expectations.

Agree, and I would include WBB. How can CMU and EMU out recruit us? We have better facilities, fan support, academics, and campus. This years basketball season was a huge disappointment. MOB needs to look long and hard at the future of Rocket basketball.

1. Jon Jon really tailed off at the end of the season.

2. Not one player on the bench showed he could be a scorer.

3. Rian Pearson was more important to the team than we realized.

4. Coach K needs to seek a quality assistant coach instead of keeping the interim one we have.

5. Coach K hasn't been to the NCAA tournament once in his 13 years as a head coach. He may have reached his ceiling.

6. Putting $30 million into your facility renovation doesn't guarantee you a championship.

7. I really appreciate how Coach K is running a program with quality young men who represent the university well. This can't be over-stated.

Hall can score. Just not in 7 minutes on the floor.

(03-14-2015 09:24 AM)bcunn3128 Wrote:  I have lots to write, and didn't want to hi-jack someone else's thread, so I'm going to share my opinions in several separate threads: the season, the seniors, coaching, & next season. That way, one post isn't 3 days' reading, and you can choose to read any, all or none (and it won't all be "negative" in every post).

The season was not only disappointing, it was at times embarrassing. Hype or no hype, a team returning 4 starters and all but one bench contributor should be an improved team. All this talk about "swagger" both amuses and perplexes me (doesn't seem like much of a coaching strategy), but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense.

I think we lost our "swagger" very early in the season--after a hard-fought loss to VCU followed by the loss to Oregon. I'm sure the team and coaches knew at that moment that some early national recognition and an NCAA at-large bid went out the window. Soon thereafter, we had back-to-back losses to Detroit & Oakland--inexcusable losses. At that point, I'm sure a realization started creeping in that this team may not even be good enough to win the MAC. That concern became legitimate during MAC play, particularly at home. "Swagger" gone.

How did a team that should have been as good as its previous press clippings get to that point? That's the million dollar question. But I've felt for awhile now that their is a disturbing complacency taking root in the athletic department. There is no sense of urgency, no pride to beat the "big guys" anymore, and as long as we're I "in the picture" for a MAC championship, it's all good. This at a school that quite honestly should be the athletic flagship of the conference in many sports (maybe not all at the same time, granted). In addition, I don't feel enough attention has been paid to the mental aspect of sports at UT. We routinely seem to come up short in big games, in several sports. I'd like to see "Toledo Tough" really mean something.

So, in the end, we have what was one of the most disappointing Rocket seasons of any sport in the past 10 years, given what were realistic expectations.

Good analogy !!

I am convinced that expectations for the team were unrealistic. They were obviously driven by the 27-7 record last year and with the large number of returning players. But IMO last year's team was not as good as the record suggests. I have mentioned before that the team won every close game last year (9-0), which is highly unlikely in sports. Maybe last years team was good but was also really really lucky. Those games with 2 or 3 point final spreads can be won by one play which goes your way or doesn't. So if they split those games they have record very much like the one this year.

The other thing is that there is an assumption that players always get better from year to year. I don't think that is always true. Take Dola from the women's team. She shot 38% of three pointers, and threw up 193 of them in her sophomore year. She was also defensive player of the year and first team MAC in each of her sophomore and junior years. Her senior year her 3 point percentage was 21%. She went from the most efficient 3 point shooter to one of the most ineffective on the team. As a senior she was 3rd team all MAC and did not get the defensive player of the year award. I wonder how much the 37-38 minutes playing time wore her down but she was out there so I don't think we can use that as an excuse. My point is that I don't think that some of the starters on the men's team got better this year either. And the team leader didn't play at the top of his game late in the season.

(03-14-2015 12:15 PM)temoxley Wrote:  And the team leader didn't play at the top of his game late in the season.

We had a team leader? I must have missed that.

(03-14-2015 12:30 PM)djsfw57 Wrote:  

(03-14-2015 12:15 PM)temoxley Wrote:  And the team leader didn't play at the top of his game late in the season.

We had a team leader? I must have missed that.

Well on this board he was being talked about as POY. And I think he had the potential for that but seemed to have a fall off in performance at the end.

I believe the most important change to make is:

Take a page from the Nichols book: consider coachability a bit more when recruiting even if it means somewhat less athletic players. Our recruiting "eyes" should not be bigger than our players (coachability) stomachs!