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Our next four games are at Kent State, home against Akron, at Miami and then home against Ohio. Wow. That's about as tough of a stretch as you can pretty much get in the MAC this season. So buckle up, because things are about to get bumpy around here.

33, I wouldn't put anything past this team at this point. Yes, we've lost a few close ones, but, especially in tonight's game, this team showed what they can do when they put their heads in the game. Of course, basketball is not always about simply putting your heads in a game, but I think that this team - on any given night - is apt to come away with a surprising victory. And yes, they are a young team, but watch out - with the kind of talent that we have, we are capable of just about anything.

GO FALCONS!

As long as we pack the house against Ohio and show Kittie-boy a thing or two about classy fans...

Looking at our schedule this year we may not win 3 more games this season. I keep reading on here that we can compete for a home tourney game because the West is so bad. Problem is that those west teams get to play each other over and over again. Those horrible west teams are the same ones that we could only manage a 3-3 record against thus far. Now we must play teams like Ohio, Miami, Akron, & Kent twice, with one more against UB as well. Our only crossover games left are @ Toledo, which is always tough, and EMU at home. That EMU is the only game on our schedule which I would say we SHOULD win, but we will probably win at least one more in there somewhere.

Of the rest of the East UB is the worst, and they were clearly the more talented team on the court last night. I haven't seen them play yet, but I'd venture a guess that the first half last night was the worst, sloppiest half they've played all season long. They still had a 14 point lead at the break.

Unfortunately, Bleeding, this team isn't that young. They're just not that good. If you look at who gets the major minutes, it's almost all upper classmen. Marschall is the only FR getting any major PT & Moon is the only SO. We only have one real Senior in Soler, but the bulk of our team are Juniors. We do have a lot of Freshmen, but they don't play much, so it's tough for me to say that we're losing because of our bulk of freshmen.

Throughout his tenure one of the biggest problems with Dan has been that he refuses to use his bench. We constantly play like 6-7 player rotations and pretty much ignore the other players.

As for the kind of talent we have, I don't see much at all. Floyd, Dusan, and possibly Moon have no business being on a Division 1 floor. LeFeld & Phillips bust their asses like nobody I've ever seen, and that is the ONLY reason why they should be on a Division 1 floor, because they don't have any athletic ability. Soler is a hard nosed grinder, who can finish at the bucket, and Samarco is a big time scorer. Marschall is a good looking young player. Wright is a decent slasher with a propensity for having LONG cold spells with his shot. Those are about the only 8 guys we really see, and I'm sorry if I'm not drooling over their overall talent level.

This team is horribly undertalented on the MAC level, and only manages to stay in any games by hustle and heart. That's great to see, but unless you combine that work ethic with some level of athleticism and talent you're still not going anywhere.

hammb,

That is the best evaluation of the team I have seen on here this season.

hammb,

I'm afraid I have to agree with you. As much as I love the heart of this team, we do seem to be lacking the overall talent. As I look down the rest of the schedule, it is gonna be a tough road.

Hopefully that heart will earn more wins.

I am sure Floyd is a great guy and I do not wish to bash on him, that is not what I am trying to do here, but with him on the court last night in the first half, we were a -16 points. We were down 14 at halftime. Yeah he made 3 good plays in the second half, but 3 good plays does not make an entire game. I would love to see Phillips steeal some PT from Floyd, I think he has earned it!!!

Finally you guys are starting to come around and see what I've been trying to tell you all along. Now who's the slow learners?

OhioBobcat wrote:Finally you guys are starting to come around and see what I've been trying to tell you all along. Now who's the slow learners?

See, puppy, it's like this. There are two ways to say something. Let's say you are speaking to your girlfriend/wife (assuming you are into and/or can attrace members of the fairer sex.)
You say something like this, "honey, when I look into your eyes, time stands still."

Another way of saying the same thing is, "love, you have a face that would stop a clock."

Which camp do you reside in, puppy?

And you're still a dufus.

hammb.....your evaluation is right on. If I had said it, it would have been viewed as being negative or pessimistic. There is a difference between being pessimistic and being realistic. You have the ability to look at the issue objectively and be realistic. We can always hope for better things, but it will be hard to make improvements in the program if nobody admits that there are existing problems.

DrDesert wrote:hammb.....your evaluation is right on. If I had said it, it would have been viewed as being negative or pessimistic. There is a difference between being pessimistic and being realistic. You have the ability to look at the issue objectively and be realistic. We can always hope for better things, but it will be hard to make improvements in the program if nobody admits that there are existing problems.

I assure you I have been widely considered as being overly negative and pessimistic However, people have also learned that I'll speak my mind regardless of what they think. At times I've probably upset some people, but hey, I'm just gonna call it like I see it.

I think if you're willing to back up your opinions with reasoning most people here will accept them, regardless of whether or not they agree with them. Keep posting well thought out responses, whether positive or negative, I think people will respect ya. Personally I rarely even pay attention to who is saying something, I just read the post without connecting it with a screen name most of the time.

hammb wrote:

DrDesert wrote:hammb.....your evaluation is right on. If I had said it, it would have been viewed as being negative or pessimistic. There is a difference between being pessimistic and being realistic. You have the ability to look at the issue objectively and be realistic. We can always hope for better things, but it will be hard to make improvements in the program if nobody admits that there are existing problems.

I assure you I have been widely considered as being overly negative and pessimistic However, people have also learned that I'll speak my mind regardless of what they think. At times I've probably upset some people, but hey, I'm just gonna call it like I see it.

I think if you're willing to back up your opinions with reasoning most people here will accept them, regardless of whether or not they agree with them. Keep posting well thought out responses, whether positive or negative, I think people will respect ya. Personally I rarely even pay attention to who is saying something, I just read the post without connecting it with a screen name most of the time.

But, but... I did all that work on creating the ignore button... you need to pay attention to who says what so you can get annoyed with them!!

ZiggyZoomba wrote:

hammb wrote:

DrDesert wrote:hammb.....your evaluation is right on. If I had said it, it would have been viewed as being negative or pessimistic. There is a difference between being pessimistic and being realistic. You have the ability to look at the issue objectively and be realistic. We can always hope for better things, but it will be hard to make improvements in the program if nobody admits that there are existing problems.

I assure you I have been widely considered as being overly negative and pessimistic However, people have also learned that I'll speak my mind regardless of what they think. At times I've probably upset some people, but hey, I'm just gonna call it like I see it.

I think if you're willing to back up your opinions with reasoning most people here will accept them, regardless of whether or not they agree with them. Keep posting well thought out responses, whether positive or negative, I think people will respect ya. Personally I rarely even pay attention to who is saying something, I just read the post without connecting it with a screen name most of the time.

But, but... I did all that work on creating the ignore button... you need to pay attention to who says what so you can get annoyed with them!!

I think you need to put more work into the ignore button. It's not showing up for me in Firefox

hammb wrote:
...Unfortunately, Bleeding, this team isn't that young. ...

... Throughout his tenure one of the biggest problems with Dan has been that he refuses to use his bench. We constantly play like 6-7 player rotations and pretty much ignore the other players. ...

The guys getting PT aren't that young, but the overall roster is young. What is extremely hard to stomach is guys like Moten and Clements sitting while Floyd plays 25-30 minutes per game. Floyd is NOT helping us win today, and he won't help us win next year. Meanwhile, Moten and Clements, (a) who could help us win next year and (b) give us AT LEAST as good of an overall contribution (understatement of the year) aren't developing this year and will effectively be freshmen again next year. (It doesn't matter that Moten and Clements are wings and Floyd is technically a PG, we have 3 guys that can rotate into the PG position.)

I couldn't agree more about DD not using his bench. This aspect of DD is what I hate the most about his coaching.

The result of these patterns (Floyd this year, Ryan and Eyink in the past) is that talented players DO NOT DEVELOP. So, they lack upperclassmen-type savvy when they finally do play, that is, if they don't transfer. This year's team's predicament, and last year's, is the manifestation of DD's PT choices over the past few years.

This might be harsh, and it hurts to say it, but I'm dumbfounded by the seemingly total, abject stupidity of some of DD's PT choices. Because of what I've been seeing, I no longer get excited about us signing talented guys like Sims and Moten. DD only seems to identify with players that remind him of himself during his IU playing days.

Hmmmmm...let's hypnotize Dan and convince him that he was really Michael Jordan in college.

I wouldn't say Floyd doesn't belong on a division 1 team...I think he's better suited to being the third guard, but I think he's got some worth.

I never substitute just to substitute. I play my regulars. The only way a guy gets off the floor is if he dies.”--Abe Lemons