Coach in today's Eagle

[60Shock]

You can interpret and dissect GM's comments from one end of the spectrum to the other and I'm still not sure what his purpose was. Also, it is easy to take things out of context by just reading the words and not hearing him speak them.

My initial take is that they are insulting to the players. I don't care how you cut it, his words give the impression that he is placing the blame on others and he is making excuses for our early loses.

Perhaps that is just his style. That's fine. But, there is nothing that says all of us have to like this type of style. I personally don't and any coach who blames others loses a notch in my book.

[rrshock]

I disagree about Matt shouldn't be the one scoring. He definately should be scoring because he has one of the best shots on the team, and you use the weapons you have available to you.

Typically in the MVC, teams that have excelled have been teams with great guards, ones that could score as well as dishing it off. Just where do you think SIU or Creighton would have been without Funk or Tatum last year? How about Jacobsen, Brooks?

A PG is a 'make it happen' guy, and that means anyway you can.

I don't know how many games I have watched where it was Matt's shot in the beginning of the game that 'broke the ice', especially if other players were cold starting out.

We don't have a Sean Ogirri or Kyle Wilson this year (Kyle really had a nice shot - smooth form). Mantas's shot is okay, but he launches it from in front of him, more like a set shot form. Ellis has a nice shot, nice arc, good form, very high release, and if it starts going between the rim, he will be dangerous for us. Gal has a nice shot, but has been running hot and cold.

Our offense 'works' with Matt, he is the spark of the team.

And that's why he's the coach and you're not.

[pinstripers]

I don't see it that way. Matt is a senior now, he has never been all-Valley, he's not an All-American, we all know it. I'm not sure why saying it out loud is a bad thing. He is probably our team MVP, and is doing a heckuva job for us, but I don't expect him to be All-Conference.

[rrshock]

You can interpret and dissect GM's comments from one end of the spectrum to the other and I'm still not sure what his purpose was. Also, it is easy to take things out of context by just reading the words and not hearing him speak them.

My initial take is that they are insulting to the players. I don't care how you cut it, his words give the impression that he is placing the blame on others and he is making excuses for our early loses.

Perhaps that is just his style. That's fine. But, there is nothing that says all of us have to like this type of style. I personally don't and any coach who blames others loses a notch in my book.

However you take it, it doesn't matter because something obviously worked after he started making comments. So you can dislike him or whatever, but he's the coach and he's gonna do good things here.

[Maggie]

You can interpret and dissect GM's comments from one end of the spectrum to the other and I'm still not sure what his purpose was. Also, it is easy to take things out of context by just reading the words and not hearing him speak them.

My initial take is that they are insulting to the players. I don't care how you cut it, his words give the impression that he is placing the blame on others and he is making excuses for our early loses.

Perhaps that is just his style. That's fine. But, there is nothing that says all of us have to like this type of style. I personally don't and any coach who blames others loses a notch in my book.

You are entitled to your opinion; however, I am not sure how you get the impression he is blaming others for the team’s results. He was asked about his current roster and he gave his honest opinion. I didn’t think he was blaming Turgeon, the players or anyone else. You might be taking his comments a bit to far.

Whether one thinks his candid comments regarding the abilities of current players is a positive or a negative is open to debate. I can see both sides. However, like I wrote before – you better get used to it because it is not going to change.

[ABC]

Maybe the important point for GM is that a reasonable person could take his comments as a slap at current players and/or MT, whether or not he meant it.

[forevershockerfan]

Here is my take on HCGM. He knows he walked into a tough situation but he has worked hard to get us moving forward. Last night on the tube he seemed to suggest that the players are learning his System and buying into it. Of course they have more to grasp and I believe this team will get better.

Never once have I taken anything he has said about our players as an insult or anything demeaning to them about their performance thus far. HCGM is far too much of a class act to do that. In a new System with a mixture of existing players learning to mold together as a solid team unit with the influx of new players, we all have to know there will be ups and downs. Our Seniors are stepping up and our depth will only get better. A win tonight would very important for the confidence of this team.

Sometimes pure honesty can be evaluated different ways by different folk. I would much rather a Coach lay it out just the way it is than suger-coat, or try to dazzle us with bull. HCGM strikes me as the type of Coach that will be accountable for whatever happens, both during the wins and losses to us the fans. However, he will also hold his players accountable to follow instructions and buy into his System. So far, so good.

[rrshock]

Maybe the important point for GM is that a reasonable person could take his comments as a slap at current players and/or MT, whether or not he meant it.

And there are some out there that liked Turgeon so much that they will twist anything that GM says and make it an insult of either MT or his players.

[ABC]

Maybe the important point for GM is that a reasonable person could take his comments as a slap at current players and/or MT, whether or not he meant it.

And there are some out there that liked Turgeon so much that they will twist anything that GM says and make it an insult of either MT or his players.

Not sure if you are referring to me as I have both defended Turgeon and criticized him.

Regardless, as posters on this thread have already indicated, it doesn't take a twist for a reasonable person to think that GM's comments were bit of a slap. I certainly understand the point of view of those that don't think that.

[rrshock]

Maybe the important point for GM is that a reasonable person could take his comments as a slap at current players and/or MT, whether or not he meant it.

And there are some out there that liked Turgeon so much that they will twist anything that GM says and make it an insult of either MT or his players.

Not sure if you are referring to me as I have both defended Turgeon and criticized him.

Regardless, as posters on this thread have already indicated, it doesn't take a twist for a reasonable person to think that GM's comments were bit of a slap. I certainly understand the point of view of those that don't think that.

It wasn't aimed at you. But there are some on here that still feel MT could do no wrong and anything said bad about him is like talking in tongues.

[Maggie]

Maybe the important point for GM is that a reasonable person could take his comments as a slap at current players and/or MT, whether or not he meant it.

And there are some out there that liked Turgeon so much that they will twist anything that GM says and make it an insult of either MT or his players.

Not sure if you are referring to me as I have both defended Turgeon and criticized him.

Regardless, as posters on this thread have already indicated, it doesn't take a twist for a reasonable person to think that GM's comments were bit of a slap. I certainly understand the point of view of those that don't think that.

I understand both sides of this issue as well. But in the final analysis, I don’t think it matters what a reasonable person or reasonable fan might think about CGM’s comments. All that matters is what the players think.

I don’t have any inside information and I don’t know what goes on in the locker room or at practice. However, I can make an observation: The players don’t seem to have a problem with CGM. Publicly they are saying all the right things, there are no rumors of chemistry problems, etc. – unlike last year and I think everyone can agree their on court performance has continued to improve.

I still think some of you people in Wichita simply are not used to a coach that can be brutally honest. It probably will take some time because it is a big change. However, I think you will grow to appreciate it – in my opinion it is much better than coach speak.

And one last thing: After thinking about this for a while I think my opinion is as follows: I want WSU basketball players to be a mentally tough bunch. I don’t want big egos or fragile egos. So if they can’t take criticism public or otherwise – and use it as a positive then they may not fit in. Just my opinion.

[Aargh]

When Marshall arrived at WSU, these are the scholarship players he had who had played any D1 ball - ever.

Sr's:
Thomasson - 6'7" - reserve
Couisnard - 6'4" - starter
Braeuer - 5'10" - starter

Jr's:
Preadom - 6'1" - reserve

So's:
Mekel - 6'3" - reserve

That's it. 5 scholarship players who had ever played D1 ball. A total of 5 scholarship players in 3 classes. Only one player taller than 6'4".

Add in 2 RS FR with no D1 experience:
Durley - 6'7"
Butler - 6'8" - who was cut and only here because he didn't have anywhere else to go.

That makes 6 (or 7) scholarship players on the roster when Marshall got to Wichita. 2 returning starters, 3 returning reserves and 1 (or 2) untested Fr. 2 previously committed recruits showed up. Clemente (had to be re-recruited) and Hatch.

Now Marshall isn't supposed to say anything about holes in recruiting classes (which is glaringly obvious) or finding the roster a little thin when he arrived (which is also glaringly obvious)? Saying the roster was thin is an honest evaluation.

So, Marshall isn't supposed to be honest and say something that every WSU fan should have clearly noticed months before Marshall said it?

Braeuer "isn't" an All-Conference PG. "Isn't" refers to something at the current moment. Right now Braeuer isn't an all-league player. There was a discussion of All-Valley PG's on Valley Talk. I don't recall even the most homer and glass-half-full WSU fans giving Braeuer much (if any) run. The discussion centered around about 5 PG's. Not even optimistic and hopeful WSU fans put Braeuer in the discussion.

Marshall didn't say Braeuer "won't be" an all-league player. That would be a prediction that Braeuer can't make it to that level. That's not what Marshall said.

Again, Marshall isn't supposed to be honest and say something that every WSU fan should have clearly noticed months before Marshall said it?

What do you want - coachspeak that's pure unadultered garbage? Things like,"We've got a great bunch of guys here and we're going to go a long ways with this team"? If that's true, I'd like to hear it. If that's not true, I'd rather not hear the same old tired cliches every coach trots out just to placate the fan base.

[Maggie]

Good post Aargh.

[forevershockerfan]

Through the years, just think about how any Coaches get on the tube and play down how good their team can be, how capable some of their recruits may be, and how well they expect them to do that Season. Sometimes it nauseates me because they are not being real? Why? Maybe to look like a hero later, or if things back-fire then they may feel more secure saving face? Who knows why this is so common. That is why I like what I hear with our new Coach. He shows gumption and pure honesty rather than blowing smoke clouds like we see in so many Professions.

[Maggie]

The entire Larry Brown coaching tree comes to mind when you talk about playing down expectations for the masses.

CGM certainly doesn’t subscribe to that type of “public relations” angle. We have read and heard him talk about both the negatives and the positives in his sort time at WSU. He certainly talks up in coming recruits a heck of a lot more than most. In fact, I sort of cringe when he does this to players like EO and Stutz for several reasons.

CGM is who is he is – and I tend to like more than I don’t like. For others he may be more of an “acquired taste” so to speak.