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(03-11-2017 12:24 PM)Jackie Moon Wrote:  

(03-11-2017 12:15 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  Not taking sides in this debate, but it's interesting to note that with a slight shift in the committee's thinking in 2015 and three more points against Middle Tennessee in last year's CUSA final, ODU would have two NCAA trips in the past three seasons without changing the quality of the seasons. To what degree would that change the way we're looking at JJ today? Presumably we'd all be pissed at how the season ended, but would it be "**** happens, we're still in good shape" or "we got here on smoke and mirrors and now we're being exposed?"

The problem is that we/you can't live in a game of what-if's. It has zero substantial value in a debate of facts and events. It's really pointless, useless and a non factor as it never happened.

Debating on whether or not Jones was the right hire or not is an actual debate that can be backed up by numbers on both sides of the argument right now as we speak. It's not a what-if game.

I'm not discussing what-ifs in the sense of chaos theory — if A happens, then it could lead to B, C and D. More that for two moments where no turns to yes — Aaron Bacote's half-court heave at the end of the CUSA final last year and the selection committee decision in 2015 — ODU has two trips to the NCAAs where now it has a NIT Final Four and Vegas 16 title. They still have their good wins against LSU and VCU, and their puzzling losses to UTSA and Southern Miss. Nothing else about this year changes. Just those two elements.

The question: Does going to the NCAA twice in a row make this year's disappointment more forgivable? Are we ready to put JJ on hot seat status? Are we happy about the direction in which the program is headed?