...as it's time for some perspective.
While the game in durham was a jobbing by the zebras (remember the 3 FT attempts?), this one (although not perfect) was not. We had a fair enough chance to win this dook game at home and we didn't. So look, very succinctly. here's the bottom line on the outcome:
- Yes, we (um... Caleb) took our requisite batch o' bad shots, and instead of making a couple, we made none of those this time...
- BUT (and this is an important note for many of you here to heed), we had MYRIAD good looks. yet we simply MADE FAR TOO FEW OF THOSE to win. It sucks... and I still feel like crap today over it, but it was what it was.
WITH THAT SAID... here's some much-needed perspective for the board:
As the old saying goes: A coach can get you good shots, but he can't make em for you.
Fact is, an objective watching tells you that the staff did an excellent game-planning job.
- On offense we created MORE than enough open looks, via both set plays and slight adjustments to action in freelance. And many of those were WIDE-SLAP-OPEN. Nonetheless, we shot like 30% from the floor and 5/22 from 3. You're just not gonna beat a decent opponent with that.
- And on defense, I realize not everyone will catch the nuance, we made some nice adjustments for this game that, combined with good effort, anticipated and thwarted dook's preferred offensive actions over and over. With maybe 2 exceptions and lucky rebound bounces, they had to work for every shot.
FINAL MESSAGE: There's nothing out of line about critiquing. For example, I too was hollering at the TV for Hubert to call timeout. If you remember, Sheyer had called his next-to-last one right BEFORE the under-8, so I'm sure Hubert expected a quick return to the bench thereafter, but the refs swallowed their whistles and Mando languished past the under-4. So yes, 100%, Hubert should've called one.
WITH THAT SAID... wanna critique Hubert for the timeout thing? Fair enough. Dean should've called one vs Marquette in 77. Would either have changed the outcome of the respective games? No one knows... but still, fair enough. BUT in sum total. COACHING DID NOT LOSE THIS GAME. Our staff easily won the X-and-O battle Saturday night, and had the players made even a respectable pct of those aforementioned wide-open looks, we take this one wire-to-wire.
There's a difference between critiquing and hysterical bashing, and frankly there's far too much of the latter going on here. I was literally the first one on this board to call for Matt Doherty to be fired, but he had WELL earned it by that time. But starting firing threads in a coach's second season, after the first ended in a Natty game??? GMAB and grow some damned perspective. Sure, we're all pissed off and/or anxious right now, but that sort of bashing does no one any good. I can tell you that it's already caused a very valuable poster to step away (and he soon may not be alone). And make no mistake, recruits and families read these boards.
Anyway... coaching can be a rollercoaster and is an ongoing learning experience. No doubt, this has been a rough sophomore campaign for ours, and yes, hopefully next season will provide a reset and fresh air for Hubert and his guys. However, the current reality is we're playing for the Dance next week, and I, for one, will be pulling for the team (and the staff) as hard as I can...
While the game in durham was a jobbing by the zebras (remember the 3 FT attempts?), this one (although not perfect) was not. We had a fair enough chance to win this dook game at home and we didn't. So look, very succinctly. here's the bottom line on the outcome:
- Yes, we (um... Caleb) took our requisite batch o' bad shots, and instead of making a couple, we made none of those this time...
- BUT (and this is an important note for many of you here to heed), we had MYRIAD good looks. yet we simply MADE FAR TOO FEW OF THOSE to win. It sucks... and I still feel like crap today over it, but it was what it was.
WITH THAT SAID... here's some much-needed perspective for the board:
As the old saying goes: A coach can get you good shots, but he can't make em for you.
Fact is, an objective watching tells you that the staff did an excellent game-planning job.
- On offense we created MORE than enough open looks, via both set plays and slight adjustments to action in freelance. And many of those were WIDE-SLAP-OPEN. Nonetheless, we shot like 30% from the floor and 5/22 from 3. You're just not gonna beat a decent opponent with that.
- And on defense, I realize not everyone will catch the nuance, we made some nice adjustments for this game that, combined with good effort, anticipated and thwarted dook's preferred offensive actions over and over. With maybe 2 exceptions and lucky rebound bounces, they had to work for every shot.
FINAL MESSAGE: There's nothing out of line about critiquing. For example, I too was hollering at the TV for Hubert to call timeout. If you remember, Sheyer had called his next-to-last one right BEFORE the under-8, so I'm sure Hubert expected a quick return to the bench thereafter, but the refs swallowed their whistles and Mando languished past the under-4. So yes, 100%, Hubert should've called one.
WITH THAT SAID... wanna critique Hubert for the timeout thing? Fair enough. Dean should've called one vs Marquette in 77. Would either have changed the outcome of the respective games? No one knows... but still, fair enough. BUT in sum total. COACHING DID NOT LOSE THIS GAME. Our staff easily won the X-and-O battle Saturday night, and had the players made even a respectable pct of those aforementioned wide-open looks, we take this one wire-to-wire.
There's a difference between critiquing and hysterical bashing, and frankly there's far too much of the latter going on here. I was literally the first one on this board to call for Matt Doherty to be fired, but he had WELL earned it by that time. But starting firing threads in a coach's second season, after the first ended in a Natty game??? GMAB and grow some damned perspective. Sure, we're all pissed off and/or anxious right now, but that sort of bashing does no one any good. I can tell you that it's already caused a very valuable poster to step away (and he soon may not be alone). And make no mistake, recruits and families read these boards.
Anyway... coaching can be a rollercoaster and is an ongoing learning experience. No doubt, this has been a rough sophomore campaign for ours, and yes, hopefully next season will provide a reset and fresh air for Hubert and his guys. However, the current reality is we're playing for the Dance next week, and I, for one, will be pulling for the team (and the staff) as hard as I can...
