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For the first time EVER since WMU has been on TV I quit watching a game at halftime. That was disgusting. Evidentally it's a good thing I did because I understand the second half was even WORSE.
Why even keep a program that is nothing but discouraging. We might as well join the MIAA and play Hope and Albion and get some wins somehow. This losing year after year after year is to the point that I think we are wasting our time trying to compete with "big names" like Detrot, Oakland, Housten Baptist, Toledo, EAstern Michigan, Central Michigan etc.
This is not fun. This is total disgusting watching school after school make 3 point baskets because our players dont close out fast enough (even the tv announcers noticed this and said something about it last night). Yet we come down and nobody can consisitenly make a basket.
Do we ever return to the days of a David Kool, Mike Williams, Manny Newsome, or the group of 76 coached by Eldon Miller? If not, drop the program and use the money saved to build up our flight program. From what I understand that is still one of the top programs in the nation. Our basketball program certainly is not.
A new coach? Yes, I want DJ to succeed. Yes, I will give him some time, but this looks like the same old stuff we have had the past few years. We need to see some kind of improvement...and that doesn't means scheduling more of Hope, Saginaw Valley, or Sienna Heights.

Hell, you almost could've written this same rant about the football team in 2013. Entirely too early in a coach's tenure to make judgments.

(01-07-2023 02:07 PM)65Bronco Wrote:  For the first time EVER since WMU has been on TV I quit watching a game at halftime. That was disgusting. Evidentally it's a good thing I did because I understand the second half was even WORSE.
Why even keep a program that is nothing but discouraging. We might as well join the MIAA and play Hope and Albion and get some wins somehow. This losing year after year after year is to the point that I think we are wasting our time trying to compete with "big names" like Detrot, Oakland, Housten Baptist, Toledo, EAstern Michigan, Central Michigan etc.
This is not fun. This is total disgusting watching school after school make 3 point baskets because our players dont close out fast enough (even the tv announcers noticed this and said something about it last night). Yet we come down and nobody can consisitenly make a basket.
Do we ever return to the days of a David Kool, Mike Williams, Manny Newsome, or the group of 76 coached by Eldon Miller? If not, drop the program and use the money saved to build up our flight program. From what I understand that is still one of the top programs in the nation. Our basketball program certainly is not.
A new coach? Yes, I want DJ to succeed. Yes, I will give him some time, but this looks like the same old stuff we have had the past few years. We need to see some kind of improvement...and that doesn't means scheduling more of Hope, Saginaw Valley, or Sienna Heights.

This is still basically Bates team, one active player from Hawkins tenure remains. Like Hawkins or not he did tell a group of boosters the program wheñ he left the program will be set back 4-5 years. He is spot on so far. If WMU doesn't upgrade MBB facilities (it still negotiates floor time with the cheer team ) soon not much will change

Do need a couple years for Stephens to put his own mark on the program before we can evaluate this hire.

But yeah, 5th bottom-feeder year in a row has been tough on the fan base. We haven't seen such a lengthy stretch of futility in one of our major sports programs since late 2000s hockey.

Different team, sure, but last season's squad did show notable progress in February. After starting the MAC slate 0-13, many of them spankings, we went 4-3 in the last seven games.

Current Bronco team has SEVEN frosh class players. Let them grow up.
Gotta have players to win.

For those that watch other teams,
after Izzo’s first two years at MSU many fans wanted him FIRED.

(01-08-2023 10:22 AM)okgc Wrote:  Current Bronco team has SEVEN frosh class players. Let them grow up.
Gotta have players to win.

For those that watch other teams,
after Izzo’s first two years at MSU many fans wanted him FIRED.

I do not want him fired. I want to give him time, but I would like to see some progress. Some different kind of offense and a defense that can close out on 3 point shooters.
Many of these players were DJ's players. He must know what they can and cannot do. Use these players and teach them the "Michigan State" way. Play with passion. Move all the time. PLAY TOUGH DEFENSE.

(01-08-2023 05:12 PM)65Bronco Wrote:  

(01-08-2023 10:22 AM)okgc Wrote:  Current Bronco team has SEVEN frosh class players. Let them grow up.
Gotta have players to win.

For those that watch other teams,
after Izzo’s first two years at MSU many fans wanted him FIRED.

I do not want him fired. I want to give him time, but I would like to see some progress. Some different kind of offense and a defense that can close out on 3 point shooters.
Many of these players were DJ's players. He must know what they can and cannot do. Use these players and teach them the "Michigan State" way. Play with passion. Move all the time. PLAY TOUGH DEFENSE.

Hard to pin it down. These are good coaches. Guys are playing hard. Somehow they just lost their mojo. Some kind of identity crisis. This quality of player should not be going 0-25 on free throws. They are glitching right now.

I was more disgusted last season than this season. Remember last year we lost to a GLIAC team, so we are already showing progress.

0-25 on free throws? What's that referring to? WMU is shooting like 70% from the line, nothing special but not that bad

(01-07-2023 04:23 PM)wmubroncopilot Wrote:  Hell, you almost could've written this same rant about the football team in 2013. Entirely too early in a coach's tenure to make judgments.

100%

I was all over Fleck in his first season, "Row the Titanic" was typed by me often. Happily to have been so very wrong. That was the last time I put any effort into judging a coach based on their first couple years.

(01-09-2023 02:45 PM)wmubroncopilot Wrote:  0-25 on free throws? What's that referring to? WMU is shooting like 70% from the line, nothing special but not that bad

My thought is that he may be referring to the fact that we were outshot at the free throw line by a combined 24 or 25 to zip in the first halves of each of the past 2 road games. I’ve never seen a stat like that.

(01-09-2023 03:26 PM)Broncos83 Wrote:  

(01-09-2023 02:45 PM)wmubroncopilot Wrote:  0-25 on free throws? What's that referring to? WMU is shooting like 70% from the line, nothing special but not that bad

My thought is that he may be referring to the fact that we were outshot at the free throw line by a combined 24 or 25 to zip in the first halves of each of the past 2 road games. I’ve never seen a stat like that.

Correcto.

Absolutely disgusting is how I felt when some dickhead broadcasting the Ball St-Ohio game for ESPN+ said that the MAC is better when Ball State and Ohio are good.

Really? :/

(01-10-2023 09:17 PM)Charm City Bronco Wrote:  Absolutely disgusting is how I felt when some dickhead broadcasting the Ball St-Ohio game for ESPN+ said that the MAC is better when Ball State and Ohio are good.

Really? :/

He's right!