I think the added experience from the freshman will be a factor for this team next year. Also if Knapke bulks up, and along with Taylor gives us an intimidating presence inside. The defense in all phases just has to improve. Lauf, Mosely, and Garber will contribute, but I think will be better served as role players coming off the bench. A true point guard to complement Williams is a must. This should be a very anticipated 2016-2017 season. I used the term somewhat of a decline rather loosely. The program has dropped off a bit from the 27 win season though. That was an amazing collection of athletes.

In hindsight I feel my characterization of the men's basketball program being in "decline" was too harsh.

"Decline" in the sense that we finished this season 1-5 down the stretch, losing games at home as well as games where we had second-half leads, and losing a game to a team that we had beaten easily earlier. By that measure, imo this team was in decline.

Certainly nothing like the bad old days though, I grant you that.

(03-04-2016 10:55 PM)bcunn3128 Wrote:  Just need to be more like our AD and athletic department...be complacent and accept mediocrity. Sucky baseball program? Check. Sucky softball program? Check. Sucky volleyball program? Check. Sucky swim & dive program? Check. Soccer & mens bball in decline? Check. Football program that can't get past 2nd place in the Division? Check. Thank God for the Lady Rockets and Women's golf.

Aren't the Women's golf, volleyball, softball, soccer, and swim teams Lady Rockets also????

The team has issues... no point guard, if Adway was decent he d be playing. Sanford not that good, not real athletic and hasn't shot particularly well, takes too much time to shoot. None of the freshman can penetrate and finish. None of the freshman are aggressive btw they're not frosh anymore. Garber, Lauf role players... I would say we are mucho grande better than 7 years ago and not embarrassing anymore but things have leveled off. Most coaches don't get over the hump, TK will have to take an honest look at this program and its staff. Next year doesn't excite too many fans as things stand. I have been able to manage my expectations so I am that fan that supports year in and year out no matter.

The men folded like a cheap suit down the stretch. Very disappointing. Our talent level was competitive and I suspect coaching is the issue... Just like last year's tournament.

(03-07-2016 10:48 AM)Terry Wrote:  

(03-04-2016 10:55 PM)bcunn3128 Wrote:  Just need to be more like our AD and athletic department...be complacent and accept mediocrity. Sucky baseball program? Check. Sucky softball program? Check. Sucky volleyball program? Check. Sucky swim & dive program? Check. Soccer & mens bball in decline? Check. Football program that can't get past 2nd place in the Division? Check. Thank God for the Lady Rockets and Women's golf.

Aren't the Women's golf, volleyball, softball, soccer, and swim teams Lady Rockets also????

The name of the former Lady Rocket Fan Club has been changed to the UT Women's Basketball Fan Club. So it appears the proper names are Women's Basketball and Women's Golf.

(03-07-2016 10:48 AM)Terry Wrote:  

(03-04-2016 10:55 PM)bcunn3128 Wrote:  Just need to be more like our AD and athletic department...be complacent and accept mediocrity. Sucky baseball program? Check. Sucky softball program? Check. Sucky volleyball program? Check. Sucky swim & dive program? Check. Soccer & mens bball in decline? Check. Football program that can't get past 2nd place in the Division? Check. Thank God for the Lady Rockets and Women's golf.

Aren't the Women's golf, volleyball, softball, soccer, and swim teams Lady Rockets also????

Mea culpa. Indeed they are. In fact, as a "rocket" is not gender specific, they should all probably be referred to simply as "Rockets".

(03-05-2016 04:56 PM)Carolina Rocket Wrote:  I'm not saying it's bad, I'm just saying that our women's basketball program won 65th place a few years ago and is the jewel of our athletics program...

Our rpi was way higher than that. We were better than everyone 13 seed down. If you win the NIT and you are a top 40-50 program. There are like 300 teams. We showed out against USC, cuse, bama, auburn and Dela donne for Delaware who was the best player in the country.

(03-07-2016 02:32 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(03-05-2016 04:56 PM)Carolina Rocket Wrote:  I'm not saying it's bad, I'm just saying that our women's basketball program won 65th place a few years ago and is the jewel of our athletics program...

Our rpi was way higher than that. We were better than everyone 13 seed down. If you win the NIT and you are a top 40-50 program. There are like 300 teams. We showed out against USC, cuse, bama, auburn and Dela donne for Delaware who was the best player in the country.

The use of logic and facts are not allowed on this board.........

(03-07-2016 03:06 PM)Terry Wrote:  

(03-07-2016 02:32 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(03-05-2016 04:56 PM)Carolina Rocket Wrote:  I'm not saying it's bad, I'm just saying that our women's basketball program won 65th place a few years ago and is the jewel of our athletics program...

Our rpi was way higher than that. We were better than everyone 13 seed down. If you win the NIT and you are a top 40-50 program. There are like 300 teams. We showed out against USC, cuse, bama, auburn and Dela donne for Delaware who was the best player in the country.

The use of logic and facts are not allowed on this board.........

Obviously. Winning the WNIT is probably a top 10 thing that has ever been accomplished in womens MAC basketball. I would say sweet 16 appearances and top 25 finishes trump it. Winning 6 games on your home floor in front of 7,000 fans is a dream.

This fan base is a dumpster fire.

(03-07-2016 06:32 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  This fan base is a dumpster fire.

At least all the negative 1's you may have said this before but which other school is undefeated against Michigan and Penn State?

(03-07-2016 06:32 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  This fan base is a dumpster fire.

We aren't all as good as you at accepting mediocrity.

(03-07-2016 06:44 PM)adunifon Wrote:  

(03-07-2016 06:32 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  This fan base is a dumpster fire.

We aren't all as good as you at accepting mediocrity.

Easy now, we won the WNIT once...

(03-07-2016 07:04 PM)Carolina Rocket Wrote:  

(03-07-2016 06:44 PM)adunifon Wrote:  

(03-07-2016 06:32 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  This fan base is a dumpster fire.

We aren't all as good as you at accepting mediocrity.

Easy now, we won the WNIT once...

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

FYI - Coach McDonald is alive and well in SC. I do agree though, he could coach D!

(03-10-2016 08:47 AM)rocket 51 Wrote:  FYI - Coach McDonald is alive and well in SC. I do agree though, he could coach D!

You're right, he's very much alive, but might have a stroke if he had to watch us play ... Well I can't call it defense, but whatever it is we do when the other team has the ball.

My favorite prediction (not my own), which turned out to be accurate but misguided, was that we were going to "make some noise" in March. We did, but the noise sounded a lot like flatulence.

(03-05-2016 10:41 PM)rocketpaul Wrote:  

(03-05-2016 10:07 PM)Dwight Wrote:  

(03-05-2016 09:33 PM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(03-05-2016 11:44 AM)FMRocket Wrote:  [quote='bcunn3128' pid='13068505' dateline='1457150146']
Just need to be more like our AD and athletic department...be complacent and accept mediocrity. Sucky baseball program? Check. Sucky softball program? Check. Sucky volleyball program? Check. Sucky swim & dive program? Check. Soccer & mens bball in decline? Check. Football program that can't get past 2nd place in the Division? Check. Thank God for the Lady Rockets and Women's golf.

Yep, and there are some that seem to think we should bolt the MAC !!
Overall, our athletic programs (with the exception of football) are in somewhat of a decline...
[/quote

Rocket Men's BB won 15 games from 2008-09 to 2010-11. Two year ago they played in the MAC title game against WMU after going 15-13 the season before. The Rocket Men have averaged about 20 wins a year over the past 5 seasons. I wouldn't say the program is in a decline. This a very young team that will win 20+ games next season and should be a top 4 seed in Cleveland next year

That's just the fan in you talking. There's no reason to think that the Rockets will be top four in the MAC next year or win 20 games. I think at best we'll have about as good a team next year as we did this year. That still could mean winning a game or two more in conference since we lost so many close ones this year. So, yeah, we could go 10-8 and sneak into the fourth spot, but I doubt it.

Boothe does an awful lot for this team. I know everyone thinks that Taylor looks tall and muscular, but I'm guessing that he's no Nathan Boothe since he wasn't a serious factor at Marquette, which Boothe certainly would have been. And as for a freshman Knapke replacing a senior Boothe in any fashion, that's a complete fantasy. Now if we could play Knapke and Taylor at the same time along with four other guys on the floor, then maybe . . .

There is NO REASON TO THINK THAT THE ROCKETS CAN'T WIN THE MAC NEXT SEASON, They will have 3 Seniors starters 1 that will be 1 of the top returning scorers in the league. Sanford will be an all league player before he is done Navigato may be as well. I do have to say that the we will have too have the Freshman point guard come through and that is a huge wildcard. Two more thing IF THIS SEASON WAS A DUMPSTER FIRE THAN AT LEAST IT WASN'T AN HBOMB EXPLOSION LIKE WE HAD FOR 3 YEARS IN A ROW. Secondly THE SEASON IS NOT OVER ON MONDAY THEY WILL PLAY IN THAT OTHER TOURNAMENT AND WILL STILL WIN 20 GAMES.

ROCKET ON!!!!!

Someone, I hope it wasn't you, predicted a few years ago that Marjele (sp?) was going to be first team all MAC also and he wound up a bust in the GLIAC. I think both guys you named are better than he was, but to predict our success based on two guys who didn't make the all frosh team being all MAC, a freshman pg taking over and two inside guys who haven't played yet leading the way sounds a little optimistic. But I hope you're right. I think you're dreaming, but I hope you're right.

(03-07-2016 06:44 PM)adunifon Wrote:  

(03-07-2016 06:32 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  This fan base is a dumpster fire.

We aren't all as good as you at accepting mediocrity.

I don't think that supporting the team when they're struggling is the same as accepting mediocrity

(03-10-2016 10:28 PM)rkt Wrote:  Someone, I hope it wasn't you, predicted a few years ago that Marjele (sp?) was going to be first team all MAC also and he wound up a bust in the GLIAC. I think both guys you named are better than he was, but to predict our success based on two guys who didn't make the all frosh team being all MAC, a freshman pg taking over and two inside guys who haven't played yet leading the way sounds a little optimistic. But I hope you're right. I think you're dreaming, but I hope you're right.

In some fans' eyes you are not being "a good fan" by pointing out all that reality and expressing concerns for the future. According to those folks you are suppose to be eternally optimistic about every UT sport despite their records or performance or prospects. Of course if reality proves all that optimism to be unfounded , as it usually does, they simply ignore that reality and just dismiss anyone expressing concerns as a "bad" or "non-supportive" fan.

There is a subtle difference between "hope" and "optimism" that some people don't recognize.