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Post by williamtsherman on Oct 5, 2015 20:45:12 GMT -6
I don't myself believe that we can pronounce conclusively on Whitford's game coaching just yet. But so far, his results are more unimpressive than impressive. Nobody has to convince me that Taylor didn't leave much in the cupboard. I'm quite well aware of that. But, one obvious thing about sports is that it's rare and unlikely to do ANYTHING 17 times in a row. That sort of thing will make an impression on anyone with an open mind.
And I am most certainly NOT optimistic that Whitford is capable of coming up with some smoke-and-mirrors super scheme that will allow an unbalanced roster to compete on favorable terms with an opponent that has a balanced roster. In two years, I have not seen any sign at all that we should pin our hopes on that.
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Post by 00hmh on Oct 6, 2015 10:21:36 GMT -6
I don't myself believe that we can pronounce conclusively on Whitford's game coaching just yet. But so far, his results are more unimpressive than impressive. Nobody has to convince me that Taylor didn't leave much in the cupboard. I'm quite well aware of that. But, one obvious thing about sports is that it's rare and unlikely to do ANYTHING 17 times in a row. That sort of thing will make an impression on anyone with an open mind.
And I am most certainly NOT optimistic that Whitford is capable of coming up with some smoke-and-mirrors super scheme that will allow an unbalanced roster to compete on favorable terms with an opponent that has a balanced roster. In two years, I have not seen any sign at all that we should pin our hopes on that.
17 in a row was numbing. But, let's look back at each game. It was common in that stretch that the coach HAD to use a different lineup, and not by choice. They did not have the choice to try the same lineup and tweak the results, they could think about it and try a new lineup by choice. Lucky to have 5 good players available some games. No chance to develop continuity. No chance to make coaching moves. Simply not enough pieces to start with. Then key players, who could play, suddenly not available. Often it was a new injury problem every game, not just the same one that had to be solved. Sure this coach is unproven, but even a proven coach could not whether by genius or by smoke and mirrors have done much better to solve that puzzle. If there was a commonality it was fading at the end of a game. When they played well, they could not sustain play into the last 5 minutes. That was painful to watch but it is not smoke an mirrors to simply have more players and to be able to substitute a good player to be able to have your best players play harder down the stretch, or to substitute a good player when the guy playing isn't getting it done. I don't think it is a stretch to expect this coach to do that. And, even without a really deep roster, and without a balanced roster last year, had we simply had Tyler and Kam full speed all season, it would certainly have been a different season. This year I don't think we have enough proven inside size and strength to win some games, we may be outmatched. The unbalanced roster will sometimes hurt. But, we do have better numbers, we can make moves with good quality players. We have enough more options to make a big difference. No guarantees, but at least we have enough good players and if by some chance we see rapid development of young bigger players, we will not be so unbalanced there. I don't think we will have to play somebody (Turner) who we know isn't going to get the job done, and not to pick on him, but we won't see Rocco at shooting guard or as the tallest player on the court for us up front just because we have nobody else. We'll be better and I hope we see the coach able to make moves that show he can get the job done. He really didn't have that chance last year.
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Post by thebsukid on Oct 6, 2015 14:59:01 GMT -6
OK, so nobody wants to bet the farm against me that the Cards win at least 15 including any tournament games...I get it, but if so many of you are confident we won't win that many then let's make a few gentlemanly wagers....like dinner, drinks, etc??
Who's in??
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2015 15:11:16 GMT -6
Okay Kid, I'll buy you a case of Wisconsin Club if BSU wins 15 games.
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Post by thebsukid on Oct 6, 2015 15:14:58 GMT -6
Ok, halftime you're on!!! Who else? ??
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Post by bsu0 on Oct 6, 2015 15:47:51 GMT -6
Wisc. Club? Worst beer EVER brewed. Kid, I will bet you a bottle of Eagle Rare bourbon voted best bourbon in America at the San Francisco Spirits Competition or a bottle of Bulliett Rye. I will personally mix you the absolutely best Manhattans you have ever had made with $22/bottle Italian vermouth. I hope I lose the bet. YITB #129
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Post by thebsukid on Oct 6, 2015 16:47:38 GMT -6
U are on BSU 0!!!! Who else wants action?
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Post by DickHunsaker on Oct 6, 2015 17:18:38 GMT -6
U are on BSU 0!!!! Who else wants action? I'll buy you a pack of smokes. Preference?
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Post by bsu0 on Oct 6, 2015 17:47:17 GMT -6
Can't get by that cheap. Kid hasn't smoked in years. Step up to the plate and make it worth his time. Hell, I didn't even ask anything in return.
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Post by 00hmh on Oct 7, 2015 9:03:36 GMT -6
No surgery off season, he was practicing this last week. Re: House injury, sprained ankle, should not be long term problem.
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Post by cardfan on Oct 7, 2015 9:29:59 GMT -6
No surgery off season, he was practicing this last week. Re: House injury, sprained ankle, should not be long term problem. That's some decent news.
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Post by rmcalhoun on Oct 7, 2015 10:27:46 GMT -6
Damn we are gambling over here how did I miss this... Yea we are not winning 15 let me think of a bet
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Post by thebsukid on Oct 7, 2015 10:38:22 GMT -6
swenocha...ok, not quite sure what that is...but you're on bud, and lemboisgod...I got you man, how about 1 nice cigar?? I will smoke 2-3 of those a year?
And, rmcalhoun...think of a good one...I haven't seen so much action on the board in years...
And, Cardfan, if you believe we're going to be bad to what do you want to put up?? Dinner at Scotty's??
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Post by bsu0 on Oct 7, 2015 11:47:03 GMT -6
The Kid Lives!!! I haven't seen him this fired up since Wenning was firing slants to Willie Snead!!
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Post by williamtsherman on Oct 7, 2015 12:29:24 GMT -6
I just took a quick look at our schedule. We play 7 bad teams in the pre-conf.
270 bradley 308 longwood 334 S Carolina St. 286 iupui 309 new orleans 330 alabama a&m 333 chicago st
(these are just last year's Kenpom rankings, so this isn't the most involved, scientific analysis)
then some other games that might be considered as winnable in ISU and EIU.
I haven't taken a close look at the MAC and have no idea who has what coming back, but it seems possibly doable to hit enough 3's to go 8-10.
So you add 8 conf and 7 pre-conf wins and you get to Kid's 15. I would lean towards the under of that number, so if somebody ends up owing the Kid dinner, I might come by and buy a round.
By the way, you all had better specify that he cant' count IU Kokomo as one of the 15.
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