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(05-01-2020 01:46 PM)stxrunner Wrote:  

(04-17-2020 05:37 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  

(04-17-2020 07:25 AM)bearcatmark Wrote:  I want to stress that I've never believed and I think the evidence shows style doesn't really play a factor in success. The teams that are very good to elite on both ends advance the most on march but those are largely the best teams. Those teams play a variety of styles. I wouldn't call mick's teams not being good enough offensively a style issue just a reality. Those teams didn't advance because largely they weren't top 16 type teams and had some bad luck (eventually even as a Lowe seed you'll advance).

Hopefully we'll see better offense without a defensive dropoff. That is the kind of team that is likely to make a run.

I knew you had done some of that analysis earlier and I wasn't sure how to find it. But my recollection was basically what you just said which isn't really consistent with another poster's take that there's a "style" specifically conducive to postseason (as opposed to regular season) success whether we are talking about Huggins, Cronin, Brannen or whoever. Well, besides the obvious - be good at everything (i.e. offense and defense). Of course, those teams are likely to have great success pretty much by definition.

This leaves the vast majority of the teams, including some good to very good ones, with the reality that they are a little to a lot better at one aspect of the game than the other. As such, they are a flawed team and it doesn't necessarily matter which "style" they play. They are going to win or lose in the postseason for the same reason they won or lost in the regular season - usually some combination of matchups, simply an "on" or "off" night, injuries, officiating, depth, coaching, improvement, reaction to pressure and luck.

Aside from maybe a slight or occasional allowance by the officials to maybe allow some additional physicality ("let them play") and having a higher "profile", it's pretty much the same game in the postseason as it is during the regular one. There's not a "key" style imo and I suspect the data proves this out (and as your analysis appears to show.)

Been a while since I checked the thread, so apologies for the late response. I think my post is understandably being misinterpreted. The 'style' I was referring to was the coaching/recruiting philosophy, and not the style of play.

By that, I mean, Mick's intentions were to build a team within a rigid system. He wanted the team to not try and be a jack of all trades, and instead focus on a few key items that they could absolutely dominate, leaving them in a position to win. He recruited to that philosophy, he coached to that philosophy, he lived that philosophy. He was also successful at that philosophy. I also think his stubborness was his biggest achilles heel, and why in my opinion only, he wasn't able to capture the magic to advance in the tournament. You need to embrace the chaos of the tournament if you want to be successful in it. Mick hated that aspect of the postseason setup.

Brannen is taking a different approach, in that he wants to play a more open system that can be more flexible. Don't get me wrong, he still wants to play a certain way, but the indications I've gotten are that he wants talented players, and is willing to flex his style to get them. He is willing to adapt his coaching to fit his players, like he (albeit reluctantly) did this year.

This could be wrong, it's simply a read after 1+ year. But, I believe that the style of approach to a building and coaching a team will give us a higher ceiling under Brannen in the postseason, with the requisite added risk. It could completely blow up in our faces, but in my opinion, that is better than never trying at all.

Very well said!

Early this season, Brannen was talking about how the players needed to submit more. I think he has a distinct view of how he wants things run and what type of players he's looking for. I don't think there's much reason to believe that he's flexible. I also don't think there's much reason to believe that being flexible is important or desirable.

(05-01-2020 12:50 AM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  Getting back to the direct thread topic, I'm not looking to hype any paysites here, but after reading Williams' new Athletic article on DeJulius, I'm extremely pleased, impressed and confident in Brannen's staff's recruiting. DeJulius comes off as extremely well-spoken, intelligent, thoughtful and confident and he talks about how UC went from "one of the darkest horses in the race" to the leader in his personally designed school scoring system after UC gave him its sales pitch via zoom.

Without getting too deep into the details, DeJulius talked about how he felt the UC staff had everything he needed and was looking for with Coach Dwyer being the "cool young guy", Coach Gee as "spiritual" and Coach Brannen as the "locked in" "basketball guru". Great stuff and I'm excited to see what the new guys, especially DeJulius, brings to the team.

He came across mature beyond his years

Jason Williams is providing great coverage of the Cats

HIGHLY recommend joining the Athletic

Williams and Dehner (Bengals) are both great

(05-01-2020 10:16 PM)HoopsJunky Wrote:  

(05-01-2020 12:50 AM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  Getting back to the direct thread topic, I'm not looking to hype any paysites here, but after reading Williams' new Athletic article on DeJulius, I'm extremely pleased, impressed and confident in Brannen's staff's recruiting. DeJulius comes off as extremely well-spoken, intelligent, thoughtful and confident and he talks about how UC went from "one of the darkest horses in the race" to the leader in his personally designed school scoring system after UC gave him its sales pitch via zoom.

Without getting too deep into the details, DeJulius talked about how he felt the UC staff had everything he needed and was looking for with Coach Dwyer being the "cool young guy", Coach Gee as "spiritual" and Coach Brannen as the "locked in" "basketball guru". Great stuff and I'm excited to see what the new guys, especially DeJulius, brings to the team.

He came across mature beyond his years

Jason Williams is providing great coverage of the Cats

HIGHLY recommend joining the Athletic

Williams and Dehner (Bengals) are both great

Actually, Justin Williams. Jason Williams is the former sportswriter who is now the political columnist for the Enquirer. But yes, Justin Williams is creative and thorough and well worth reading.

(05-02-2020 08:04 AM)soapy smith Wrote:  

(05-01-2020 10:16 PM)HoopsJunky Wrote:  

(05-01-2020 12:50 AM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  Getting back to the direct thread topic, I'm not looking to hype any paysites here, but after reading Williams' new Athletic article on DeJulius, I'm extremely pleased, impressed and confident in Brannen's staff's recruiting. DeJulius comes off as extremely well-spoken, intelligent, thoughtful and confident and he talks about how UC went from "one of the darkest horses in the race" to the leader in his personally designed school scoring system after UC gave him its sales pitch via zoom.

Without getting too deep into the details, DeJulius talked about how he felt the UC staff had everything he needed and was looking for with Coach Dwyer being the "cool young guy", Coach Gee as "spiritual" and Coach Brannen as the "locked in" "basketball guru". Great stuff and I'm excited to see what the new guys, especially DeJulius, brings to the team.

He came across mature beyond his years

Jason Williams is providing great coverage of the Cats

HIGHLY recommend joining the Athletic

Williams and Dehner (Bengals) are both great

Actually, Justin Williams. Jason Williams is the former sportswriter who is now the political columnist for the Enquirer. But yes, Justin Williams is creative and thorough and well worth reading.

Honestly my favorite thing about The Athletic is how you can customize your news feed. I get all the Bearcats coverage without seeing any crap about the Cincinnati professional teams or Norwood Tech.