The unofficial online home for fans of the Old Dominion University Monarchs. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Honestly, JJ should have retired after last season and ride off as a hero. He shouldn’t be in the hot seat this year, but I things don’t turn around next season, the fans will be restless. I think next season will cement his legacy as a decent coach or a failure at ODU. We have a lot of returning guys. When I was hoping for Godwin and Dickens to continue to get better I thought next season could have been one of our best squads ever. Now... I guess we will see. I don’t have faith in JJ to get it done, but since I like him, I hope he does. Still, would have been better to retire as a winner after last season IMO

JJ is not responsible for the conference schedule true enough. but it seems to me we should be dominating this conference and we clearly are not.

(12-21-2019 12:15 PM)monarx Wrote:  Honestly, JJ should have retired after last season and ride off as a hero. He shouldn’t be in the hot seat this year, but I things don’t turn around next season, the fans will be restless. I think next season will cement his legacy as a decent coach or a failure at ODU. We have a lot of returning guys. When I was hoping for Godwin and Dickens to continue to get better I thought next season could have been one of our best squads ever. Now... I guess we will see. I don’t have faith in JJ to get it done, but since I like him, I hope he does. Still, would have been better to retire as a winner after last season IMO

Yes, the timing was perfect last year for him to call it quits and leave the program in great shape. However, now I hope his health remains stable and he can right the ship for us to finish strong. We still have a lot of young talent that can develop but the importance of a good recruiting class just amped up a notch.

“Hey Mom and Dad, can y’all come to senior night this year?
Yeah, when is it?
I don’t know?
Who are u playing?
I don’t know? Probably no one you’ve heard of...”

Great recruiting tools. Lol

(12-21-2019 09:14 AM)Monarchblue Wrote:  

(12-21-2019 08:43 AM)Prideofalion Wrote:  The last two teams each won 25 games and one conference championship. Step off the ledge. This season sucks. End of story.

And we have been to one NCAAT in his entire tenure. If peak JJ is one NCAAT and a couple teams with high win totals against terrible schedules, that is not good enough.

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The NIT season was a good season. There was at least a chance at an at large up to selection Sunday and we sniffed the top 25. The other years there was at least a glimmer of hope we could go on a run. Seasons like this one are the worst where we just flat out suck and can mail it in before the new year. We have had 6 year stretches where there have been multiple seasons like this. I am no fan of JJ and would be thrilled if he retired or parted ways (wishing for his best health obviously) but I disagree about your 6 year opinion. NCAAs are important, but as a fan, so is having a reason to be motivated to watch all season. Best 6 year stretch was 04-05 to 10-11.

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(12-21-2019 09:48 AM)monarx Wrote:  

(12-21-2019 09:44 AM)VB Monarch Wrote:  This is just my perception. BT felt like he was building momentum and the program was ascending, it was moving. Obviously before he imploded.
JJ doesn't have that same feel. He is simply a slightly above average coach who is not really developing any momentum. He's just hanging on. His recruiting is suspect and his defense at all cost style does not lend itself to exciting basketball.

I want a program that can hover around the top 50 most years. Some a little better, some a little less. BT felt like he was doing this.

This is exactly how I feel too. Many of my hard core Monarch fans barely even care any more since Freeman left.

Actually brother, we don’t care as much because we are in the **** CUSA. North Florida, Texas International, who cares. Plus, there is just no buzz at all about ODU basketball. No coverage worth a damn . Hell, we don’t even have a fiches show anymore. I used to pop some cold ones and tune in every Monday. No tv coaches show. Terrible game tv coverage. No buzz. No zip no nothing about ODU basketball.

Another reason I sound ticked off, I’m up on Capital Hill today. Walked into a tavern with 5 TV sets.3 had flipping VCU on. We suck at everything regarding ODU basketball!

(12-21-2019 01:52 PM)mac Wrote:  

(12-21-2019 09:48 AM)monarx Wrote:  

(12-21-2019 09:44 AM)VB Monarch Wrote:  This is just my perception. BT felt like he was building momentum and the program was ascending, it was moving. Obviously before he imploded.
JJ doesn't have that same feel. He is simply a slightly above average coach who is not really developing any momentum. He's just hanging on. His recruiting is suspect and his defense at all cost style does not lend itself to exciting basketball.

I want a program that can hover around the top 50 most years. Some a little better, some a little less. BT felt like he was doing this.

This is exactly how I feel too. Many of my hard core Monarch fans barely even care any more since Freeman left.

Actually brother, we don’t care as much because we are in the **** CUSA. North Florida, Texas International, who cares. Plus, there is just no buzz at all about ODU basketball. No coverage worth a damn . Hell, we don’t even have a fiches show anymore. I used to pop some cold ones and tune in every Monday. No tv coaches show. Terrible game tv coverage. No buzz. No zip no nothing about ODU basketball.

Another reason I sound ticked off, I’m up on Capital Hill today. Walked into a tavern with 5 TV sets.3 had flipping VCU on. We suck at everything regarding ODU basketball!

Stop being so negative MAC....many on hear don't want to hear anything realistic. They only want to hear birds chirping and see sunshine and rainbows. LOL ! Heaven forbid someone says something realistic. You will be outscast as a non ODU lover or fan.

Man I am really out of the loop. I didn't know that there was a Texas International and North Florida was in CUSA. Just kidding, I know how you feel.

(12-21-2019 12:24 PM)VB Monarch Wrote:  JJ is not responsible for the conference schedule true enough. but it seems to me we should be dominating this conference and we clearly are not.

I don’t know about that. There are some good programs in CUSA and some anchors. We’ve competed at the top mostly which should be expected. One or two more titles in his tenure would have been better for sure. MT had some really good teams, WKU, UAB as well. This year my money is on UTEP. It’s not a great conference but there is competition at the top so I don’t know that domination is the standard. This years team and the recent departures...I just don’t know.

(12-21-2019 09:23 AM)Gilesfan Wrote:  

(12-21-2019 09:09 AM)Monarchblue Wrote:  

(12-20-2019 09:51 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  Def not near the worst.

No? Care to elaborate?

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Jeff Capels best teams weren't even top 100 teams.

We've had 2 years around top 65 and another year at even 100 and thats not including last years teams which was not one of our best but won the conference tourney.

There is obviously room for growth and this year is not good, we aren't far off from what we've been in the past.

Just for a comparison but not saying either is better or worse:

Blaines first 6 years:

164
162
101
73
67
64

Jones first 6 years:
175
70
100
120
64
113

Blaines first 6 years improved and then he dipped down for 2 years in 08 *118) and 09 (93) before having the 2 great teams everyone seems to remember Blaine by 10 (37) and 11 (48) before rebuilding in 2012 and falling apart in 2013.

Capels teams for reference:

100
171
106
181
147

Capel shouldn't even be in the discussion, his tenure was not acceptable and far worse than anyone else. Youngs were obviously bad as well.

Just curious, what are your expectations from our team...what level of consistency? Top 25, 50, 75, 100, 125?

Continued improvement until we are something close to a top 50 team most years is the goal. What bothers me most about JJ is their is no upward trajectory, and the program doesn't build on success. It builds TO success then rebuilds. 6 years to get to a NCAAT is not great, but would be satisfactory if that success was built on. It was a peak, not a building block and that has always been my fear with JJ, and it is proving to be more of a reality every year.

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(12-21-2019 09:47 AM)Gilesfan Wrote:  

(12-21-2019 09:45 AM)monarx Wrote:  I believe the Monarchs should realistically be in the top 100 almost every year with an occasional dip lower but never below 200. They should be top 50 once every four years and have at least one NCAA appearance every four years. And I’d like to see better than that in the long run. I honestly don’t think that’s too much to ask of a program with the resources, history, fan base, budget and potential at ODU.

I would agree for the most part on all that except top 50 once every 4 years is a bit of an optimistic outlook. We've done that twice in history. The NCAAT is slippery since we've not gotten in with much better teams than we've gotten in with.

Just because it has only been twice before doesn't mean it can't be done in the future. Shouldn't you always be arriving to get better? Who the hell thinks it's cool to just accept the status quo and never try to improve because you haven't reached a certain milestone before. There are no inherent reasons this program cannot be one of the top mid majors in the nation. None. The only impediments are lack of aspiration.

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(12-21-2019 12:12 PM)JJMonarch Wrote:  

(12-21-2019 11:51 AM)Prideofalion Wrote:  

(12-21-2019 09:52 AM)DaBigBlue Wrote:  BT had the advantage of playing in a much better conference, it helped with RPI and recruiting.

And for the record, Blaine’s teams also played Mt St Mary’s and Loyola and Fairfield and St Francis and Howard or whoever. If we want to blame someone about scheduling and perception blame the administration. This conference is a complete joke and up until now we’ve done about as good as we can expect to do. when we have to travel to Texas twice a year to play and Miami and Louisiana all for conference games... I can’t believe we aren’t worse off... honestly.

This is the only conference that plays a Thursday/ Saturday schedule with travel partners. Half way across the country I might add. And now The only conference that doesn’t have the entire regular season schedule determined. Who knows who the last four games are against? It’s the freaking Mickey Mouse show. At least Blaine and Capel got to play against VCU and JMU in February home games and fans actually gave a damn. We get FIU on senior night now. It’s soo laughable. Actually I take that back, We don’t even know who senior night is against... hahaha.

Exactly right! I don’t think we can blame coach Jones for our weak schedule. As a matter of fact ODU has worked as hard as any team in the conference to upgrade it. Everybody knows scheduling for mid majors is getting harder and harder. On paper our conference schedule looks like a bunch of cupcakes but mix in the travel schedule to play those teams and I’d like to see how any team ranked from 50 to 100 would fare. Heck, VCU almost lost to North Texas on their home court. I wonder how they would do going to Rice on. Thursday night, then playing at NT two days later. This crappy conference is not on our coach,

Wofford just played back to back games against UNC and Duke. If you're willing to go on the road, you can get games.

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And they upset UNC. If you dont play 'em you can't beat 'em.

(12-21-2019 07:07 PM)elon77 Wrote:  Man I am really out of the loop. I didn't know that there was a Texas International and North Florida was in CUSA. Just kidding, I know how you feel.

I know, I’m sorry I left out Florida Pacific and Texas Houston.

(12-22-2019 09:44 AM)mac Wrote:  

(12-21-2019 07:07 PM)elon77 Wrote:  Man I am really out of the loop. I didn't know that there was a Texas International and North Florida was in CUSA. Just kidding, I know how you feel.

I know, I’m sorry I left out Florida Pacific and Texas Houston.

And the best academic school, Wheat

The pregame show is not going light on the transfers.

Jones: "addition by subtraction"
Twardzik: if you're on the team & don't want to be here you're a "fraud"

This was stated on here a few times

I missed pregame. So Jones, the coach, actually said addition by subtraction? If so that's impressive.

(12-22-2019 02:43 PM)bit_9 Wrote:  I missed pregame. So Jones, the coach, actually said addition by subtraction? If so that's impressive.

You would never guess the players have a role on this team the way these boards speak .. easier to blame the coach

It’s soo easy just to blame everything on one person or one thing. In all walks of life. I know I do it sometimes. But college football and basketball are ultimate team sports. Yes JJ needs to be better too. But You’d think that JJ drives the busses and flies the charter flights the way he receives blame. Assistants need to coach and recruit and the players need to play and hold each other accountable. They have to play for each other. The coaches can’t make our layups and hit open jumpers. Time to man up and turn the page and play some freaking b-ball. Let’s go.