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Post by amishalum on Mar 8, 2024 21:46:54 GMT -6
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Post by prestonp on Mar 8, 2024 22:24:46 GMT -6
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Post by coastalcard on Mar 9, 2024 7:00:59 GMT -6
That should at least prevent any repeats of the Coleman situation from last year. Boogie was a grad transfer. I don't think the reduction in portal time would affect that from happening. |
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Post by williamtsherman on Mar 9, 2024 10:02:11 GMT -6
Lewis: “Am I disappointed in where we are after year two? Yes, and I take responsibility for that because of the success we had last year and the momentum I thought we built.”
Note - "success" is now a #177 ranking and making the MAC tourney for a 1st round exit. When I talk about "bar lowering", this is what I mean.
Alternate suggested quote: "I'm utterly embarrassed that I have zero MAC tourney wins in two years despite the profound weakness of the conference, and this burning sense of disgrace will fuel my portal recruiting efforts to dramatically improve the roster and our results"
Also, a hilarious effort on the official website: "Ball State's season was highlighted by a 7-0 nonconference home record and late-season wins at Central Michigan and at home against Kent State to provide an opportunity to earn a postseason berth."
Note that the seven wins referenced are against five teams ranked between #285 and #335 plus two non-D1 programs. In retrospect, possibly a good preparation for our unsuccessful scramble with the stinking ass-end of the MAC to make the tourney, but it's not much of a "highlight" to brag about. But the other half of that quote suggests a possible banner:
2024
Opportunity
To Almost
Make The
MAC Tournament
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Post by 00hmh on Mar 9, 2024 10:10:12 GMT -6
If we have to wait for a while, which I assume we will, I'd say either our lack of staff charisma or cash are not going to cut it in the land of 2024 college basketball recruiting. Then we're just trying to piece together a roster from the dregs of the portal. Possibly, that still might be enough to win in the MAC. Basketball's window opens the day after Selection Sunday and will be 45 days long, despite support for a 30 day window from coaches across the NCAA. We're at a slight disadvantage to several MAC programs, that could add up over time. But, looking at what happened to us last year, every MAC program success is more fragile. If you are good and optimistic with potential All MAC players returning, can that happen? What happened to us will happen to even the better funded programs.
We lost players we probably expected to keep, added good pieces, but couldn't replace that much talent. We recruited HS players expecting them to have a year(or two) to be depended on for anything.
We likely won't win the bidding war in the portal with home run recruits. But, we can get players who are not "dregs" at all, and some will have upside and might become All MAC. You can fill in for critical weaknesses. Watt had to be that kind of signing, injury prevented us getting value.
What Indiana State has done the last two years is probably more the model than hoping for a home run in the Portal. You need some home grown players, some good but not great additions who fit, and coaching that puts it together. You can recruit for good fit, it is much harder in an accelerated recruiting period, though.
With Anderson, maybe even Bailey we may have done better than we give credit for. (In terms of providing a core for what we can do next year) It took time to get that fit but it's looking more like we have it now. And also, had we returned a key player or two for this year, had a core to build on, they'd look better than they do.
That Indiana State story makes the home grown component important. (Avila they may well lose, big success, wasn't a home run recruiting prize) Pearson who has improved over the time here may be a model for what we have to do every year, a pretty traditional MAC level recruit with potential to play 4 years. (Middleton, Doughty, Jones may be examples, Bell may be a failed attempt at that) You can hope they become break out players, but probably their value will be to provide a core and maybe as Junior or Senior are in that top 20 MAC player group.
Jihad may be a success story who hit a higher level, but we don't expect to keep him. (You are going to get players like Adams, Brown as examples who are gambles for high level talent, and ends up probably we have to cut losses to fill needs)
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Post by 00hmh on Mar 9, 2024 10:27:36 GMT -6
Ah yes, a 45 day period to recruit your own players as hangers on, family, friends, agents, opposing coaches and boosters dangling NIL, swarm over your players. During which time and after which you are in the nightmare of Spring recruiting which has always been chaotic and uncertain.
Very exciting!
And all this gambling produces a roster where you are almost certain not to have a key star player return, or be able to replace him. But then maybe if you do a good job, fit all the new pieces together, have some success, you will have more stars to lose and replace next year...
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Post by chupacabra on Mar 9, 2024 10:41:13 GMT -6
The real question is how many players are going to flee our Bobby Knight wannabee coach this year?
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Post by williamtsherman on Mar 9, 2024 10:43:14 GMT -6
Ah yes, a 45 day period to recruit your own players as hangers on, family, friends, agents, opposing coaches and boosters dangling NIL, swarm over your players. During which time and after which you are in the nightmare of Spring recruiting which has always been chaotic and uncertain.
Very exciting!
And all this gambling produces a roster where you are almost certain not to have a key star player return, or be able to replace him. But then maybe if you do a good job, fit all the new pieces together, have some success, you will have more stars to lose and replace next year...
Hopefully Lewis will approach the portal with the aggressive attitude that some MAC coaches employ as they acquire quality players and build contending rosters, rather than the pathetic victim mentality described above. |
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Post by redfeather on Mar 9, 2024 11:04:44 GMT -6
Really ridiculous hyperbole. Unfortunately, Herman, not that hyperbolic at all. We are at #266 at the moment. This is worse than any Buckley, Thompson, or Billy Taylor team. Let that sink in for a moment. I would have to say the 2014, 5-win Whitford team WAS worse, but not by a whole lot. That team played the 112th toughest schedule in the country. If this year's team had played the 112th toughest schedule, instead of the 329th toughest schedule, it would also be a single digit win team. And failing to make the MAC tourney in this MAC environment is, in fact, pathetic. The pre-conf schedule and the state of the MAC this year has served to somewhat mask just how bad this team really is. Let’s not forget that the mighty MAC went a very pathetic 2-8 in the MAC/SB Challenge as well this year against similar opponents?!? The entire conference was down and even the best teams in the MAC most likely would not win a conference title in any other conference this year. |
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Post by 00hmh on Mar 9, 2024 11:21:35 GMT -6
Ah yes, a 45 day period to recruit your own players as hangers on, family, friends, agents, opposing coaches and boosters dangling NIL, swarm over your players. During which time and after which you are in the nightmare of Spring recruiting which has always been chaotic and uncertain.
Hopefully Lewis will approach the portal with the aggressive attitude that some MAC coaches employ as they acquire quality players and build contending rosters, rather than the pathetic victim mentality described above. Do you want to give an example of what the "aggressive attitude" is? Or. Any coach in the MAC whose "aggressive attitude" is the example you want to follow? After all we've only had the portal and NIL in it's present form for what, a year or two.
Any example you want to offer of a coach who lost 4 starters, 6 of 8 rotation players, and using "aggressive attitude" replaced them? My observation is that coaches who had any notable success and used the portal in ant significant way was able to build around an existing solid core of players.
Lewis didn't have the roster he wanted this year, and of recruits he was counting on a couple were on the shelf with injury. I'm not seeing it have anything to do with having victim mentality, although maybe he was a casualty/victim of having a roster top heavy with players who were targets of other schools in the portal.
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Post by williamtsherman on Mar 9, 2024 11:46:08 GMT -6
No, I guess you are right. No MAC coaches have ever, or can ever, do anything but be perpetually victimized by the portal. You are spot on.
We are entering on a period where soon EVERY MAC team will fail to make the MAC tourney and the MAC will have to decline its automatic bid. MAC success will measured solely in terms of how much they almost had an opportunity to come close to barely falling short of making the MAC tourney.
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Post by redbirdman on Mar 9, 2024 12:10:24 GMT -6
Look at the MAC this year & while we all agree it's going down I think next year will be no better. Why? No one has the money to go out & buy better players. The following teams lose a number of players Kent & Akron & I do not see them bringing in players as good as those lost. Toledo I think will not hold onto everyone who could return. I think Cochran bails if anyone offers him a dollar more. WMU, EMU, & NIU will all lose their best players. BG & Ohio could be the best in the league if they don't lose anyone. Miami & Buffalo like us should lose little & be better teams.CMU also could be a top team if they return everyone. So maybe half the league improves while the other half gets worse. Unless the league's teams suddenly find money it's not getting better. Remember if you have monetary value you leave the MAC for more dollars. The NIL world translates to you go to the money yearly.
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Post by 00hmh on Mar 9, 2024 13:06:03 GMT -6
No, I guess you are right. No MAC coaches have ever, or can ever, do anything but be perpetually victimized by the portal. You are spot on. We are entering on a period where soon EVERY MAC team will fail to make the MAC tourney and the MAC will have to decline its automatic bid. Yes.
EVERY MAC coach will have trouble. NO MAC team is very likely to go out and get home run players. ANY team that loses multiple good players in portal roulette will take a year to recover in most cases.
SOME MAC teams will have a bit of an edge in NIL portal roulette which all have to play. That's reality.
The fact remains that our trouble THIS year has nothing to do with lack of aggressive attitude or for that matter any "failure" in the portal. In fact, LAST year Lewis was probably a notable success in portal wars by keeping his good players...
Now, how about explaining this "aggressive mentality" thing instead of dodging the question?
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Post by 00hmh on Mar 9, 2024 13:29:44 GMT -6
The pre-conf schedule and the state of the MAC this year has served to somewhat mask just how bad this team really is. Let’s not forget that the mighty MAC went a very pathetic 2-8 in the MAC/SB Challenge as well this year against similar opponents?!? Wasn't 2-8 the second half of that challenge. Overall wasn't quite that bad.
Fact does remain the conference was down this year. Should be overall better next year.
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Post by williamtsherman on Mar 9, 2024 13:55:34 GMT -6
an aggressive mentality would entail having the exact opposite of the following whiney, loser, low-expectation, excuse-centered, pussy mentality:
"Ah yes, a 45 day period to recruit your own players as hangers on, family, friends, agents, opposing coaches and boosters dangling NIL, swarm over your players. During which time and after which you are in the nightmare of Spring recruiting which has always been chaotic and uncertain.
Very exciting!
And all this gambling produces a roster where you are almost certain not to have a key star player return, or be able to replace him. But then maybe if you do a good job, fit all the new pieces together, have some success, you will have more stars to lose and replace next year..."
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