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With a handful of games left and my pre-conference comments on record I thought I'd weigh in having seen 2 games in person.

Both conference losses. 1 at home and 1 away separated by a month.

Not much has changed my opinion of my thesis that this years squad is like last years squad ... Wilder and the rest.

I have read many other's comments and 2 contributors, ESS(s) and Fla Bronco resonated.

Poor choices and execution bare like results and predictable outcomes. The players manifest this but it starts with the staff.

Examples I have observed.

WMU's defense (m/m) is straight up and reactive as opposed to being intentional and dictating. To their credit the exception is with the pick n roll.

I saw a team cut off 1/2 the floor against WMU. They dictated what side then kept WMU on that side. Even if it meant allowing the use of the strong hand.

Why?

It set up a predictable and staged execution. Help rotation. Screen angles and passing lanes were distorted. Hesitation results. Before you know it the clock comes into play. Not good.

In contrast generally WMU plays straight up. In the post is the exception.

That allows the O to go either way. I have seen WMU funnel one way but instead of hounding and dictating a direction WMU plays off shading that direction. The ball handler doesnt feel pressure. It is an illusion. Instead of dictating to and distorting the O the D is actually is distorted. Now you over react creating further distortion. Assignments are blurred and break down.

Offensively, the screening off the ball is weak. The cuts to "set up" the screen are worse. They're screens but simple exchanges of position. To easy. ineffective.

A lot of going side to side. Worse, not looking at and being a threat to score. Simply ball movement. As a result it is predictable more easily defended.

I understand you want to swing the ball side to side. Against a zone it is easier going around the perimeter as typically a zone takes away the middle.

Against a m-m you want to get the ball behind the defense. That way defenders have to turn around to find the ball or face guard their assignment. In M-M it is ALWAYS taught to see man AND ball. How else can you effectively stop the ball AND keep your assignment from it if you don't know where both are?

You can achieve this by going inside, specifically to the rim. Even if you can't score, the ball can be moved 360. The 4 other players are free to cut, fake then cut, fake, cut to only screen someone else, slide to an open spot, etc. This now allows for 5 man basketball as any one of the other 4 at a given moment can have the best opportunity. The on ball defender cheats to that possibility the ball handler simply shows the ball (as in a fake) and wheels the opp direction unimpeded to the hole (only a few ft away). Kick outs are more effective in either direction.

With a 7'er who isnt lame I'd establish that all day long. Neither WMU post is the next coming of Jabbar but in the MAC you dont have to be.

Good stuff, gbl. Glad you're back.

(02-22-2018 01:55 AM)gobaseline Wrote:  With a handful of games left and my pre-conference comments on record I thought I'd weigh in having seen 2 games in person.

Both conference losses. 1 at home and 1 away separated by a month.

Not much has changed my opinion of my thesis that this years squad is like last years squad ... Wilder and the rest.

I have read many other's comments and 2 contributors, ESS(s) and Fla Bronco resonated.

Poor choices and execution bare like results and predictable outcomes. The players manifest this but it starts with the staff.

Examples I have observed.

WMU's defense (m/m) is straight up and reactive as opposed to being intentional and dictating. To their credit the exception is with the pick n roll.

I saw a team cut off 1/2 the floor against WMU. They dictated what side then kept WMU on that side. Even if it meant allowing the use of the strong hand.

Why?

It set up a predictable and staged execution. Help rotation. Screen angles and passing lanes were distorted. Hesitation results. Before you know it the clock comes into play. Not good.

In contrast generally WMU plays straight up. In the post is the exception.

That allows the O to go either way. I have seen WMU funnel one way but instead of hounding and dictating a direction WMU plays off shading that direction. The ball handler doesnt feel pressure. It is an illusion. Instead of dictating to and distorting the O the D is actually is distorted. Now you over react creating further distortion. Assignments are blurred and break down.

Offensively, the screening off the ball is weak. The cuts to "set up" the screen are worse. They're screens but simple exchanges of position. To easy. ineffective.

A lot of going side to side. Worse, not looking at and being a threat to score. Simply ball movement. As a result it is predictable more easily defended.

I understand you want to swing the ball side to side. Against a zone it is easier going around the perimeter as typically a zone takes away the middle.

Against a m-m you want to get the ball behind the defense. That way defenders have to turn around to find the ball or face guard their assignment. In M-M it is ALWAYS taught to see man AND ball. How else can you effectively stop the ball AND keep your assignment from it if you don't know where both are?

You can achieve this by going inside, specifically to the rim. Even if you can't score, the ball can be moved 360. The 4 other players are free to cut, fake then cut, fake, cut to only screen someone else, slide to an open spot, etc. This now allows for 5 man basketball as any one of the other 4 at a given moment can have the best opportunity. The on ball defender cheats to that possibility the ball handler simply shows the ball (as in a fake) and wheels the opp direction unimpeded to the hole (only a few ft away). Kick outs are more effective in either direction.

With a 7'er who isnt lame I'd establish that all day long. Neither WMU post is the next coming of Jabbar but in the MAC you dont have to be.

Agree on all points. In high school basketball forcing to the weak hand side can be, in many cases, game deciding. With quicker feet and hands tough college D can force either side consistently. CMU’s Roundtree was very difficult to turn. As a result CMU nearly penetrated whenever they wanted. We will see the thing at Mt. Pee - guaranteed!

But we still sit at fourth seed for MAC tourney. Disagree the team is just Wilder. Davis and Johnson have become rebounding machines as they develop. Jones has the ability to become the best player in the MAC . Duggan is still hurt, he doesn't even practice with the team. Lamont is Lamont, hardworker just doesn't have outstanding talent. There aren't any 6'10-7'0 players dominating the MAC. Those guys are a level up. The MAC is a 6'5-6'8 league with supplement guard play, exactly what Buffalo, WMU, and Ball State are built around. Toledo has a 6'10 guy that can shoot threes but he is a defensive liability. Probably the worse thing for this WMU team was preseason number one pick, they tried to protect that early on and I think Hawkins will admit it cost them chemistry

(02-22-2018 09:27 AM)BuickBronco Wrote:  But we still sit at fourth seed for MAC tourney. Disagree the team is just Wilder. Davis and Johnson have become rebounding machines as they develop. Jones has the ability to become the best player in the MAC . Duggan is still hurt, he doesn't even practice with the team. Lamont is Lamont, hardworker just doesn't have outstanding talent. There aren't any 6'10-7'0 players dominating the MAC. Those guys are a level up. The MAC is a 6'5-6'8 league with supplement guard play, exactly what Buffalo, WMU, and Ball State are built around. Toledo has a 6'10 guy that can shoot threes but he is a defensive liability. Probably the worse thing for this WMU team was preseason number one pick, they tried to protect that early on and I think Hawkins will admit it cost them chemistry

I totally agree. I had heard that Coach Hawkins told them at their first practice before the season that anything less than an NCAA tournament bid would be a disappointment. When the Broncos won the MAC in 2004 and 2014 they were not the preseason favorite either time.

(02-22-2018 09:27 AM)BuickBronco Wrote:  But we still sit at fourth seed for MAC tourney. Disagree the team is just Wilder. Davis and Johnson have become rebounding machines as they develop. Jones has the ability to become the best player in the MAC . Duggan is still hurt, he doesn't even practice with the team. Lamont is Lamont, hardworker just doesn't have outstanding talent. There aren't any 6'10-7'0 players dominating the MAC. Those guys are a level up. The MAC is a 6'5-6'8 league with supplement guard play, exactly what Buffalo, WMU, and Ball State are built around. Toledo has a 6'10 guy that can shoot threes but he is a defensive liability. Probably the worse thing for this WMU team was preseason number one pick, they tried to protect that early on and I think Hawkins will admit it cost them chemistry

Not sure what your point is/was?

Agree Josh and Brandon have stepped up some. Isn't that to be expected? They are a year older and minutes are now available with Tucker graduating.

But have any of those 3's contributions moved the needle significantly? The record says no.

Reggie? Sure, potential talent. But how much has he developed himself. I think too much is put on the staff for development of players. The kids aren't robots. Work on your game (weaknesses) and develop yourself. But at the end of the day how that talent (developed or not) is used is critical. I believe that is in part what ESS(s) was saying.

My point ... you stop Thomas Wilder (effectively making others better or going off himself) and you beat WMU. No one else has shown the ability to effectively share in that. Chucking up 3's isnt a solution.

I like Brandon in particular. IMO he should be 3 with the ability to effectively post up.

But you look at the bench and it is devoid of real talent.

Randall was the 4th best player at his HS with 2 underclassman better. Where was WMU with Eugene German at that time? Was that a talent eval whiff?

Printy was a last second fill in. It seems Linn-Mar is WMU's go to in that regard. Nice shooter who needs to be open to be effective. That's about it.

Clifford? I have no idea why he isnt playing or was even recruited. You dont regress so what's up with that? Igkunskol? I understand he was a project from the get go. No problem with that. But when you add him to the previous 3 then is the intent to build a scout team or effective depth?

Flowers? He's proven to be able to score/shoot. He is more diverse than Printy and appears to be more athletic than Randall. But in the home game I saw he was turnover machine and then jawed with a teammate for missing is poorly placed pass. He's freshman. I get it. So is 3/5 of the starters at Miami who just took down Buffalo. Ooops.

I get Seth is hurt. But if can play and he can use him at the rim not at the top of the key to try and reverse the ball effectively having WMU play 4 on 5. If he is limited to 12-20 minutes he needs 2 touches at every possession right in front of the basket. It is his job to get position and his team mates to deliver the pill. If his defender is right behind him its simple. Plays on one side or the other the passer needs to make a simple play. Create or improve the passing angle and deliver. I'll take 40% effectiveness from there all night long. A defensive foul will be called 2 out of 6 possessions. On 2.5 Seth will score. On the remaining 1.5 he'll need to get his caroom or someonelse. Maybe here if he gets pushed out fearing 3 seconds he turns and HE reverses the ball from the block. He can find the cutter or slider or open team mate. The ball now behind the D creates more havoc then playing catch and launch from Paw Paw.

Speaking of Paw Paw. The HS shooter (basketball not guns) should only be considered if he can physically mature (upside) and develop the ability to create his own. WMU already has Randall and Printy who can shoot but not create. Another scout team player isnt desired. No offense intended. I was one myself.

(02-22-2018 11:29 AM)WMUPorter Wrote:  

(02-22-2018 09:27 AM)BuickBronco Wrote:  But we still sit at fourth seed for MAC tourney. Disagree the team is just Wilder. Davis and Johnson have become rebounding machines as they develop. Jones has the ability to become the best player in the MAC . Duggan is still hurt, he doesn't even practice with the team. Lamont is Lamont, hardworker just doesn't have outstanding talent. There aren't any 6'10-7'0 players dominating the MAC. Those guys are a level up. The MAC is a 6'5-6'8 league with supplement guard play, exactly what Buffalo, WMU, and Ball State are built around. Toledo has a 6'10 guy that can shoot threes but he is a defensive liability. Probably the worse thing for this WMU team was preseason number one pick, they tried to protect that early on and I think Hawkins will admit it cost them chemistry

I totally agree. I had heard that Coach Hawkins told them at their first practice before the season that anything less than an NCAA tournament bid would be a disappointment. When the Broncos won the MAC in 2004 and 2014 they were not the preseason favorite either time.

If the mental anguish of being the front runner is too much you should never have taken yourself that seriously. I dont buy your excuse. I also dont buy that Hawkins said it. You heard it yourself? Fine, then that is a mistake in judgement a HC of 14 years should NEVER make. A newbie? Fine.

(02-22-2018 11:58 AM)gobaseline Wrote:  

(02-22-2018 09:27 AM)BuickBronco Wrote:  But we still sit at fourth seed for MAC tourney. Disagree the team is just Wilder. Davis and Johnson have become rebounding machines as they develop. Jones has the ability to become the best player in the MAC . Duggan is still hurt, he doesn't even practice with the team. Lamont is Lamont, hardworker just doesn't have outstanding talent. There aren't any 6'10-7'0 players dominating the MAC. Those guys are a level up. The MAC is a 6'5-6'8 league with supplement guard play, exactly what Buffalo, WMU, and Ball State are built around. Toledo has a 6'10 guy that can shoot threes but he is a defensive liability. Probably the worse thing for this WMU team was preseason number one pick, they tried to protect that early on and I think Hawkins will admit it cost them chemistry

Not sure what your point is/was?

Agree Josh and Brandon have stepped up some. Isn't that to be expected? They are a year older and minutes are now available with Tucker graduating.

But have any of those 3's contributions moved the needle significantly? The record says no.

Reggie? Sure, potential talent. But how much has he developed himself. I think too much is put on the staff for development of players. The kids aren't robots. Work on your game (weaknesses) and develop yourself. But at the end of the day how that talent (developed or not) is used is critical. I believe that is in part what ESS(s) was saying.

My point ... you stop Thomas Wilder (effectively making others better or going off himself) and you beat WMU. No one else has shown the ability to effectively share in that. Chucking up 3's isnt a solution.

I like Brandon in particular. IMO he should be 3 with the ability to effectively post up.

But you look at the bench and it is devoid of real talent.

Randall was the 4th best player at his HS with 2 underclassman better. Where was WMU with Eugene German at that time? Was that a talent eval whiff?

Printy was a last second fill in. It seems Linn-Mar is WMU's go to in that regard. Nice shooter who needs to be open to be effective. That's about it.

Clifford? I have no idea why he isnt playing or was even recruited. You dont regress so what's up with that? Igkunskol? I understand he was a project from the get go. No problem with that. But when you add him to the previous 3 then is the intent to build a scout team or effective depth?

Flowers? He's proven to be able to score/shoot. He is more diverse than Printy and appears to be more athletic than Randall. But in the home game I saw he was turnover machine and then jawed with a teammate for missing is poorly placed pass. He's freshman. I get it. So is 3/5 of the starters at Miami who just took down Buffalo. Ooops.

I get Seth is hurt. But if can play and he can use him at the rim not at the top of the key to try and reverse the ball effectively having WMU play 4 on 5. If he is limited to 12-20 minutes he needs 2 touches at every possession right in front of the basket. It is his job to get position and his team mates to deliver the pill. If his defender is right behind him its simple. Plays on one side or the other the passer needs to make a simple play. Create or improve the passing angle and deliver. I'll take 40% effectiveness from there all night long. A defensive foul will be called 2 out of 6 possessions. On 2.5 Seth will score. On the remaining 1.5 he'll need to get his caroom or someonelse. Maybe here if he gets pushed out fearing 3 seconds he turns and HE reverses the ball from the block. He can find the cutter or slider or open team mate. The ball now behind the D creates more havoc then playing catch and launch from Paw Paw.

Speaking of Paw Paw. The HS shooter (basketball not guns) should only be considered if he can physically mature (upside) and develop the ability to create his own. WMU already has Randall and Printy who can shoot but not create. Another scout team player isnt desired. No offense intended. I was one myself.

In my humble opinion Randall is not a division 1 talent. We play a man short when he is on the floor.

(02-22-2018 11:58 AM)gobaseline Wrote:  

(02-22-2018 09:27 AM)BuickBronco Wrote:  But we still sit at fourth seed for MAC tourney. Disagree the team is just Wilder. Davis and Johnson have become rebounding machines as they develop. Jones has the ability to become the best player in the MAC . Duggan is still hurt, he doesn't even practice with the team. Lamont is Lamont, hardworker just doesn't have outstanding talent. There aren't any 6'10-7'0 players dominating the MAC. Those guys are a level up. The MAC is a 6'5-6'8 league with supplement guard play, exactly what Buffalo, WMU, and Ball State are built around. Toledo has a 6'10 guy that can shoot threes but he is a defensive liability. Probably the worse thing for this WMU team was preseason number one pick, they tried to protect that early on and I think Hawkins will admit it cost them chemistry

Not sure what your point is/was?

Agree Josh and Brandon have stepped up some. Isn't that to be expected? They are a year older and minutes are now available with Tucker graduating.

But have any of those 3's contributions moved the needle significantly? The record says no.

Reggie? Sure, potential talent. But how much has he developed himself. I think too much is put on the staff for development of players. The kids aren't robots. Work on your game (weaknesses) and develop yourself. But at the end of the day how that talent (developed or not) is used is critical. I believe that is in part what ESS(s) was saying.

My point ... you stop Thomas Wilder (effectively making others better or going off himself) and you beat WMU. No one else has shown the ability to effectively share in that. Chucking up 3's isnt a solution.

I like Brandon in particular. IMO he should be 3 with the ability to effectively post up.

But you look at the bench and it is devoid of real talent.

Randall was the 4th best player at his HS with 2 underclassman better. Where was WMU with Eugene German at that time? Was that a talent eval whiff?

Printy was a last second fill in. It seems Linn-Mar is WMU's go to in that regard. Nice shooter who needs to be open to be effective. That's about it.

Clifford? I have no idea why he isnt playing or was even recruited. You dont regress so what's up with that? Igkunskol? I understand he was a project from the get go. No problem with that. But when you add him to the previous 3 then is the intent to build a scout team or effective depth?

Flowers? He's proven to be able to score/shoot. He is more diverse than Printy and appears to be more athletic than Randall. But in the home game I saw he was turnover machine and then jawed with a teammate for missing is poorly placed pass. He's freshman. I get it. So is 3/5 of the starters at Miami who just took down Buffalo. Ooops.

I get Seth is hurt. But if can play and he can use him at the rim not at the top of the key to try and reverse the ball effectively having WMU play 4 on 5. If he is limited to 12-20 minutes he needs 2 touches at every possession right in front of the basket. It is his job to get position and his team mates to deliver the pill. If his defender is right behind him its simple. Plays on one side or the other the passer needs to make a simple play. Create or improve the passing angle and deliver. I'll take 40% effectiveness from there all night long. A defensive foul will be called 2 out of 6 possessions. On 2.5 Seth will score. On the remaining 1.5 he'll need to get his caroom or someonelse. Maybe here if he gets pushed out fearing 3 seconds he turns and HE reverses the ball from the block. He can find the cutter or slider or open team mate. The ball now behind the D creates more havoc then playing catch and launch from Paw Paw.

Speaking of Paw Paw. The HS shooter (basketball not guns) should only be considered if he can physically mature (upside) and develop the ability to create his own. WMU already has Randall and Printy who can shoot but not create. Another scout team player isnt desired. No offense intended. I was one myself.

Great summary GB. Your last comments on the kid from Paw Paw were well put, reads like another Jared Klein. Great HS player, limited growth potential. Hope I'm wrong, but there it is.

I'm not providing an eval of the young man. Simply stating that WMU is in need of impact recruits. Not with the eye of "trying" to make someone into a player at this level.

I liked that WMU went after higher level talent this fall. One chose Gonzaga, another chose OSU, another rejected a full ride to Utah and chose a PWO at Wisconsin and another with a plate full of mid-majors opted for Vermont (danced last year and likely again this year).

Offers on the table still exist per common sources. There will be a number of HC's let go in the spring and recruits will ask for releases. Some very good talent. A program like WMU with 2+ open spots can take advantage of that. I know Hawk doesnt want to go the Juco route. But WMU and Hawk are not in a position to not compete at a higher level next year. If the status quo remains there will be a drop off next year. Three consecutive years of mediocrity is not a recruiting magnet. WMU needs to fill in their roster with ready to play talent. At the very least for depth.

Bronco verbal recruit from MTL looks in good videos.

#1 objective right now has to be landing quality big. Unless there is a departure Broncos only have that one scholly left to give.

(02-23-2018 11:46 AM)okgc Wrote:  Bronco verbal recruit from MTL looks in good videos.

#1 objective right now has to be landing quality big. Unless there is a departure Broncos only have that one scholly left to give.

I have seen the tape on Heir Boyer. Hard to tell if he is Hayden Hoerdemann or better. I watched the competition and was underwhelmed. But that isn't Boyer's fault.

I expect more than one spot to be available. Every year is an audition for the next. IMO the lack of quality depth has really impacted results. I was never a big fan of the skill set of Drake. But WMU would really have taken a dump this year without his presence. Add the fact that he hasn't really moved the needle either points to the magnitude of the depth issue.

How often does WMU or the MAC get an impact player? Almost never.

Dave Kool...... anyone else?

Thompson at EMU? Should’a could’a

Akron had a 4 Star centrr a few years back, never did much.

Maybe Darius Paul, but we’ll never know.

German at NIU? I think he’s developed.

In WMU’s case Brandon Johnson was a rare recruit. Jones has loads of potential and Dugan has measurables, length, skills. None seem capable of maximizing their talent like Wilder did. None came in like DK ready to take charge.

Most are like Josh Davis. Talented, capable of having a big night, and capable of taking a night off.

The one player I’d like to have more of is Bryce Moore. Came from a great program. Confident, smart, plays both ends of the floor, takes and makes the big shot. A healthy version of David Brown.

Then we have the “hope and a prayer” recruits.

Ikonshel- athletic, raw, a project who might fill quality minutes by his senior year. Kind of like Bronson.

Printy- A one trick pony, who if he’s on could be effective, but like Brandon Pokley, it might take till his senior year to be effective.

Randall- Simply doesn’t have the physical tools to compete at this level.

Flowers- Has to be a reason why he doesn’t get PT. Missed classes, or something similar. Appears to be another freshmen with big upside who has wasted his freshmen year.

Whitens- I’m thinking this was the reach that might pay off. In limited duty he always seems to contribute. He gets pissed on for playing in a small program, but he went 103-1 If MJ has played there they’d have gone a 104-0. How much more could the kid do?

Bottom line, these last two classes of Printy, Flowers, Whiten, and Clifford don’t bode well for the future. In the transfer happy world of Basketball, Hawk needs to venture into it.

And with so much talent in our own back yard, we hit Quebec? A kid from Montreal is either Steve Nash or Silver Lake, and I’m betting on Silver.

WMU's backyard is made up those very talented who are more than willing to have their ticket punched and see the world or country hicks who are Momma's boys that arent comfortable more than 20 miles from home.

The expectation is you grab those that point to the first and squarely in the 2nd. Whittington and Dugan come to mind.

The secret to recruiting is being a consistent impact winner and understand what the kid wants and 'splain it in a way that connects to both. Easily 90% of the kids have no idea what they actually want other than attention. Facilities, academics, teammates, depth charts, ESPN highlights, swag and even weather get blurred. The key is the staff. That's why you see so many transfers when change occurs.

When you look at WMU's roster the good are pretty good but the blenders, glue guys and back fillers are questionable.

I understand why Randall was recruited. He could shoot and handle some. He played at a power house Chicago program that was putting multiple high players in power D1 programs. The hope was his upside was latent being suppressed by the clear obvious talent around him. Charlie Moore, a classmate at 5'11 started at Cal his freshman year and transferred to Kansas when Martin took the Mizzo job. The #1 recruit in Illinois this year is a 6'4 PG who has dropped 40+ in games is going to play in Champaign. The others are mid-majors.

Igkongskul is an athletic freak. Raw as a fresh oyster. In time he can contribute. He's only been playing for a handful of years. He seems like a good teammate. But he has to progress.

I have already written about Printy. Too a good teammate. When open can drain it but athletically challenged and offensively his skill set is limited.

At the NIU game Whitten was shaky. Against the press Hawk had him and another G bringing it up. He made the softest pass to whoever was in the middle. First he set down his uni-cycle. Adjusted his Western Union Telegraph cap. Pointed to his teammate and yelled "Special Delivery?"
NIU matched up with WMU's 2-1-2 press O. The pass was intercepted right in front of Hawk. The next time NIU pressed and Jason was in he was down the floor. The rest of the game he played pretty much error free ball but did nothing to impact the game.

Keep recruiting the upper half of Indiana, the lower half of Michigan and the northeastern 1/3 of Illinois. Canada is fine. It clearly has talent. But the Dukes, Kansas's and South Carolina's are farming that turf too. But those kids aren't as likely to turn their nose up at Kalamazoo as a kid from the east side of the state who looks at Kalamazoo as Dutch Farmland.

I was excited to be able to watch the game last night, but ended up turning the channel after 10 mins. Its like groundhogs day. Same tired offense and weak defense.

(02-24-2018 12:45 PM)Wheres_Waldo? Wrote:  I was excited to be able to watch the game last night, but ended up turning the channel after 10 mins. Its like groundhogs day. Same tired offense and weak defense.

So you missed seeing a Steve Hawkins coached team play a zone defense.

I have not thought Reggie Jones taking a defensive rebound down court for an easy basket part of a tired offense. Reggie exhibits some flashes of Walker D.

(02-23-2018 10:58 AM)gobaseline Wrote:  But WMU and Hawk are not in a position to not compete at a higher level next year. If the status quo remains there will be a drop off next year. Three consecutive years of mediocrity is not a recruiting magnet. WMU needs to fill in their roster with ready to play talent. At the very least for depth.

As per BB (an insider):

Quote:Hawkins is on record of stating if WMU doesn't improve it's facilities for BB within two years the program will be a cellar dweller.

If true.

This is troubling.

Hawk isn't telling people he's worried having a bad TEAM for a year or two.

He's telling people that he expects the PROGRAM to be amongst the worst in the conference.

I suppose we should all lower our hopes/expectations to be in line with his.

It might save everyone some frustration.

"Fight on"

(03-04-2018 07:59 AM)ess Wrote:  

(02-23-2018 10:58 AM)gobaseline Wrote:  But WMU and Hawk are not in a position to not compete at a higher level next year. If the status quo remains there will be a drop off next year. Three consecutive years of mediocrity is not a recruiting magnet. WMU needs to fill in their roster with ready to play talent. At the very least for depth.

As per BB (an insider):

Quote:Hawkins is on record of stating if WMU doesn't improve it's facilities for BB within two years the program will be a cellar dweller.

If true.

This is troubling.

Hawk isn't telling people he's worried having a bad TEAM for a year or two.

He's telling people that he expects the PROGRAM to be amongst the worst in the conference.

I suppose we should all lower our hopes/expectations to be in line with his.

It might save everyone some frustration.

"Fight on"

After some cellar dwelling The fans will get restless, Hawk retires or is fired
and the new coach will get everything he needs to improve the facilities and attract talent.

2017 Bronco men’s basketball improvements included beautiful new state of the art locker room & player lounge. Significantly larger foot print than ever before.
Much of this expense was funded by family & estate of former player.

Arena lighting was also brought up to date.

(03-04-2018 07:59 AM)ess Wrote:  

(02-23-2018 10:58 AM)gobaseline Wrote:  But WMU and Hawk are not in a position to not compete at a higher level next year. If the status quo remains there will be a drop off next year. Three consecutive years of mediocrity is not a recruiting magnet. WMU needs to fill in their roster with ready to play talent. At the very least for depth.

As per BB (an insider):

Quote:Hawkins is on record of stating if WMU doesn't improve it's facilities for BB within two years the program will be a cellar dweller.

If true.

This is troubling.

Hawk isn't telling people he's worried having a bad TEAM for a year or two.

He's telling people that he expects the PROGRAM to be amongst the worst in the conference.

I suppose we should all lower our hopes/expectations to be in line with his.

It might save everyone some frustration.

"Fight on"

I love how Hawkins loves to consistently complain about facilities but apparently fails to see his role in this. Head coaches in college athletics have to energize and engage the fan base, alumni and donors. It's part of the gig. It's why when someone new gets hired, there tends to be a period of time where there is an uptick of interest. I know it's hard for someone that's been with a program for so long to do that, because things get stale. But that, in part, is on Hawkins.

I'm just tiring of the excuses, regardless of how legitimate they are.