Like clockwork...

[gary-7]

...out comes the predictable hand-wringing. Sometimes that's understandable --- sometimes it's not.
And of course we can count on waves of nostalgia for mythic "tough-as-nails" teams and/or players of the past, compared to our current "soft" players.

I was about to post a reality check about that notion, but Andrew Jones beat me to it on the front page. He reminds us of the bad losses and/or slumps of our championship teams, and I remember --- as I'm sure some of y'all do --- every damned one of 'em.

I'm not gonna turn this into a screed about individual players, but just offer a few basic truths for perspective here:
1. All college teams --- even the great ones --- are works in progress at this point of the season. Issues arise, bad games happen, kids' psyches go through rough patches. And Roy's challenge is to coach 'em up, work the players through their issues and thus, hone the machine for March.
2. Make no mistake, this is a very different team than last season (silly assertions to the contrary notwithstanding). Last season there was a systemic defect and lineup dysfunction. That is simply not true this season.
3. Every damned one of our championship teams --- yes, even those with the aforementioned mythic super-heroes --- had their "toughness" questioned in the media, by fans or elsewhere... and at some point had to come to a gut check.
4. Finally, here's another reality check for those who prefer to bury their heads to the truth --- a common thread in some of those bad losses was officiating. Like oh, the absurdity of an inside-oriented '82 team shooting a grand total of 5 FTs at UVA against Terry Holland's Goon-squad... or Wake going 32/32 (sound familiar?) in '05 from the line while the zebras fouled out half our rotation. Sometimes a great team just has a bad day and/or gets outplayed --- but sometimes the zebras DO make the difference (like, um... Saturday at ND).

In other words, these things happen. Do the guys need to have a gut-check? Yep. It's that time o' year. Time to reboot and embrace what it's gonna take to go all the way. There's no guarantee any team will do that, but this one is thoroughly capable. The ingredients are there --- as is the toughness. They've already shown it, now it's time to recapture some mojo and take it to a championship level.

 

[Archer2]

A little better communication on the court on defense, especially by the bigs, and it would do wonders for our defense. If we do that and a few of our shots start to fall, I like our chances as much as any other team's.

 

[Tom79]

Gary, I appreciate your posts, very good and well thought out.
I'm sure Nate being out hurt a bit on defense but we also have some teams in conference against whom we do not match up well.
Nice insight Gary!

 

[keysersosay#1]

gary is rapidly becoming one of favorite posters.... SPOT ON my Man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Archer2]

Gary's got a lot of fans on DI too Keyser. His reputation preceeds him.

 

[Heelicious]

A little better communication on the court on defense, especially by the bigs, and it would do wonders for our defense. If we do that and a few of our shots start to fall, I like our chances as much as any other team's.

I agree that the comments by Gary are excellent, and maybe help me off the depressed ledge a bit. I do recall past teams' "funks / rough patches" and we found a way to play through them. Heck, as "bad" as we supposedly were last year (losing 3 in a row, 4 of 5, 6 of 10 in the last 10 ACC games).... we were still in a position where we were in control of a game against Wisconsin (until the last 8 minutes) - the team that beat Kentucky to get to the title game. And we were right with other good teams like Dook, Louisville, ND.

My point is - there are no other teams out there THIS YEAR as good as any of the teams I mentioned above (UK, Wisc, ND, Dook)... you could say maybe KU, OK, MSU but they are all pretty inconsistent. We are as good as anyone out there IF we get our heads right. I agree with Gary we are way better than last year (basically losing almost nothing, gaining a year of experience), with our competitors losing a LOT.

And you are right, Archer - I am fine with our offense and am convinced our shooting will come around. Its the talking on defense, and committing to outworking guys to get the ball on rebounding and loose balls, and forcing TOs - that's where Roy needs to light the fire. I'm pretty sure he'll get their attention and they'll respond.

Why do I believe this? Because he's done it over many years at KU and here. AND - these are his kids (recruits). I don't think he just recruits "ballers with me-first attitudes" (McCants wasn't his He recrutis kids who have above avg character, intelligence, and introspection (view of what they are and can be as basketball players) who respond well to coaching and hearing what it takes to achieve their goals - at the college level, and beyond - if that is in store for them.

I like that he speaks TRUTH - he has the best interests of the kids and the program in mind, and doesn't sugar coat it, and doesn't play mind games with the kids for his own personal benefit....(cough K cough) ... and he gives them the honest story about how they can get the most out of themselves individually and as a team.

 

[Archer2]

Nice post Heelicious. As stated, there are no dominant teams this year. The tournament is wide open. It's à matter of peaking at the right time.

 

[Steat]

Time to go on a another winning streak. Can't do anything about the past....look ahead..

 

[JuleZ '02 HEEL]

Time to go on a another winning streak. Can't do anything about the past....look ahead..

Starting now, a 17-game win streak sounds about right.

 

[Heelicious]

Gary's got a lot of fans on DI too Keyser. His reputation preceeds him.

FWIW if Gary's comments get their undies in a bunch on DI, he gets a gold star in my book.

I spend a lot of time on this board but its been years since I've been to DI. Happier years. I had gone there a few times after a big win or loss for either of our programs, but got to a point where I asked myself:

"what possible good can come from visiting the DI site? All it can do is rile me up, agitate me, with untruths and trolling / baiting by people who generally don't know much about basketball. And what good does it do to revel in their sorrow when they lose?" (I can get enough of that revelry to satisfy me on this board)

WAY better places to spend my time and attention. than DI. But to each his own.

I'm sure its easier living in MN vs. NC, but I just prefer to treat Dook fans like they don't exist. Just by following and admiring K and the Dookies brand of basketball, I deem their fans unworthy of respect or recognition or acknowledgment.

 

[Tom79]

JuleZ, I think about 14 games won would get us where we would like to be, an NC... since we all know the ACC Tourney doesn't count now...

 

[JuleZ '02 HEEL]

JuleZ, I think about 14 games won would get us where we would like to be, an NC... since we all know the ACC Tourney doesn't count now...

Matters to me.

 

[Archer2]

FWIW if Gary's comments get their undies in a bunch on DI, he gets a gold star in my book.

I spend a lot of time on this board but its been years since I've been to DI. Happier years. I had gone there a few times after a big win or loss for either of our programs, but got to a point where I asked myself:

"what possible good can come from visiting the DI site? All it can do is rile me up, agitate me, with untruths and trolling / baiting by people who generally don't know much about basketball. And what good does it do to revel in their sorrow when they lose?" (I can get enough of that revelry to satisfy me on this board)

WAY better places to spend my time and attention. than DI. But to each his own.

I'm sure its easier living in MN vs. NC, but I just prefer to treat Dook fans like they don't exist. Just by following and admiring K and the Dookies brand of basketball, I deem their fans unworthy of respect or recognition or acknowledgment.

Anyone who riles up dook fans is okay by me. There are a handful of us that aren't popular over there. I consider it a compliment.

 

[TarHeelTroy]

I'm not worried. The core pieces are there. We just have to forget the last game, buckle down and play. I didn't see the game live on Saturday, but I just watched in on the ESPN replay. I read some of the comments on THR this morning before watching the game and I was expecting to see us play horribly, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. Sure, we had some bad turnovers and gave up too many rebounds, missed a couple of layups, but we didn't play an awful game. At least, it wasn't as bad as the reaction on here made it out to be. ND played a good game and beat us, but ND won't be in position to go to the Final Four in March and I believe UNC will be in that position come March. We got to take our game up a notch and play like we're capable of playing though for sure.

 

[DSouthr]

I hope no one takes anything I have said over the last few days as my being down on this team. Yes of course we need to work some things out but the wheels have not nearly flew off the cart. But someone will start a line of discussion and it gets me thinking and I share my thoughts but my feelings about this team have not changed at any point in the season, I think in the end we will be one of the 2 or 3 best teams in the country, doesn't mean we will win it all but my goal is a final 4. It is a final 4 because I have seen so many great t teams of very talented players lose in the final 4, get in to the final 4 and most years all bets are off. The fact that Ky is not the defending national champion and duke is tells you all you need to know about how crazy stuff happens when you get that far.

I find no shame in our dropping back to back road games against 2 very good teams that played above their normal against us. Yes, we do need to pick things back up but we have the talent and the experience to do just that.

 

[TarHeelMark]

good points gary.

FWIW, three years ago at this point in the season we were 15-8, two years ago: 16-7, and last year we were 17-6. This year we're sitting at 19-4, and ranked in the Top 10. I feel like we'll win the next four and probably split the final four games, putting us at 25-6 entering the ACC tourney. If we at least get to the ACCT final, then we are a possible 1 or 2 seed (at worst). I still think we are a Final Four team; after that, all bets are off.

GO HEELS!

 

[HeelFan58]

good points gary.

FWIW, three years ago at this point in the season we were 15-8, two years ago: 16-7, and last year we were 17-6. This year we're sitting at 19-4, and ranked in the Top 10. I feel like we'll win the next four and probably split the final four games, putting us at 25-6 entering the ACC tourney. If we at least get to the ACCT final, then we are a possible 1 or 2 seed (at worst). I still think we are a Final Four team; after that, all bets are off.

GO HEELS!

I would like to win the ACC tournament again. I am tired of losing the ACCTCG to the likes of FSU , ND etc.

 

[shun1]

!!!!!!!!!!!! GO TAR HEELS !!!!!!!!!!!!