Grant Sherfield

[FadedCrown]

Gregg Marshall: 13 years, 329-120, 7 NCAAs (in a row), 25.3 wins per year

Mark Turgeon: 7 years, 128-90, 1 NCAA. 18.3 wins per year

Gene Smithson: 8 years, 155-81, 2 NCAAs, 19.4 wins per year

Ralph Miller: 13 years, 220-133, 1 NCAA, 16.2 wins per year


Analysis: I have only been a fan since 2016-17, but how are any of these coaches better than GM? Are you serious? One of these coaches led WSU to a new and better conference, guess which one that is.

[pinstripers]

I know I'm beating a dead horse, but.....the highest rated recruit we have had in a generation, and a kid that has started virtually every game this season, sits on the bench all game and neither the radio announcers or the television announcers even thought to mention it?

[Shock Top]

I know I'm beating a dead horse, but.....the highest rated recruit we have had in a generation, and a kid that has started virtually every game this season, sits on the bench all game and neither the radio announcers or the television announcers even thought to mention it?

Again, Mike Kennedy is not going to question Big Brother. He is a mouthpiece, pure and simple.

I didn't see the ESPN broadcast. If they didn't mentioned it, then I agree that is a little odd.

[pie n eye]

"...pretty thoroughly laid out the case for why the stance you’ve taken is...ill conceived." I must have missed those posts; all I recall are a bunch of Marshall kool aid drinking responses.

Let me offer some additional stupidity regards my opinion of Marshall -

1. His record against Ben Jacobson (12-10) and Greg McDermott (4-3) IMO other than Marshall the two best coaches in the MVC speak for themselves.

2. Marshall's record against the better AAC coaches also speaks for itself - Houston (1-6), Cincinnati (1-6) Temple (4-3)

3. Marshall IMO doesn't call timeouts because he has nothing to say to help his players; his coaching in close end of games clearly speaks to this.

4. Could an alternate explanation for why the Shockers are always another team's Super Bowl be an excellent game plan by the other teams' coaches?

OK, I am done; taking Fever's advice and walking away to let myself cool off; I just had to get this frustration off my chest.

So, which is it? Marshall should retire because you don’t like his post-game comments or coaches show or he should retire because he has a winning record against McDermott and Jacobson?

Yes, the record against Cincinnati and Houston is not good and needs to improve. However, in the one season we were not in rebuilding mode (2017-2018, our first in the conference) we were 1-1 against Cincinnati (Beat them in Cinci 76-72, they were ranked #5. Lost in Wichita 61-62, they were ranked #10) and 1-2 against Houston (Beat them 81-63 in Wichita. Lost 59-73 in Houston. Lost 74-77 in a heartbreaker at the American tournament). As with this season, several close games in the last 3 years go the other way and this conversation isn’t happening.

Personally, I believe the results in 2017-2018 are more indicative of what we can expect moving forward because the make up of that team, Junior/Senior dominated, is more in line with a typical WSU team under Gregg Marshall. In my opinion, as these Sophomores and Freshman mature and we continue to recruit more talented players we will see improved results against the top teams in the league.

But that is just my opinion.

What’s not an opinion is that we are in rebuild mode this year and last because we had a player leave early for the NBA (the first player to do so in Marshall’s tenure, maybe in program history), a player transfer allegedly due to some bizarre circumstances, a 4* recruit decommit at the 11^th hour due to a one in a million situation, and our own possibly better version of Jaron Cumberland was denied immediately eligibility by a notorious asshole coach in an era where NCAA is handing out waivers like those call girl cards on the Vegas strip.

Despite all that we finished 6^th in the American (10-8) last year and went to the NIT semifinals. We’re currently 4^th in the American and on track to make the NCAA tourney although those two things are obviously subject to change. We are on an upward trajectory.

On the timeouts, that’s your opinion. He’s won a lot of games not calling them, so the results don’t really back you up, sorry.

For reference these are our records against AAC teams in our three years.
Temple (4-3), UCF (5-0), USF (3-1), Memphis (2-2), Tulane (4-0), Tulsa (4-1), UCONN (4-1), SMU (3-1), ECU (5-0). Overall that’s 34-9 against teams not named Cincinnati or Houston.

Hopefully Marshall ignores your advice and sticks around because I expect our record against those two teams will improve the next several years, but we shall see!

[WuDrWu]

I can see getting notes about not mentioning a kid sitting out a game (not saying it happened that way or was right, just that I can see it) but I listened to a little of the radio replay and honestly couldn't believe it when Erik fouled up four under 4 seconds and Mike and Dave never missed a beat. Not even an awkward pause. No questioning the officials either. It was odd, to say the least.

[Shock Top]

I can see getting notes about not mentioning a kid sitting out a game (not saying it happened that way or was right, just that I can see it) but I listened to a little of the radio replay and honestly couldn't believe it when Erik fouled up four under 4 seconds and Mike and Dave never missed a beat. Not even an awkward pause. No questioning the officials either. It was odd, to say the least.

I also love how in the post game interview when Mike was talking with Marshall about TOs and basically said "At least they were trying to do something right when they made them".

I understand trying to sugarcoat everything, but my Lord.

[pie n eye]

I know I'm beating a dead horse, but.....the highest rated recruit we have had in a generation, and a kid that has started virtually every game this season, sits on the bench all game and neither the radio announcers or the television announcers even thought to mention it?

He hasn’t started every game this year, “virtually” or otherwise.

What difference does it make to you? You’re on Shockernet so, factual or not, you already have more information about the situation than a majority of fans.

Also, I know you’re on Twitter. So is Mike Kennedy. Quit bitching about it on SN and ask the man directly why he didn’t ask the question.

[BOBB]

Marshall is the best coach this program has had in my lifetime, but answer these questions for yourself:

Do you feel we have the better or equivalent athletes to the top programs in our conference?

Do you feel we regularly outsmart our top conference opponents from the floor or the bench?

Do you feel we have the toughest/scrappiest mentality of any team in our conference?

And...do the resources our program has (facilities, salaries, charters, etc) to affect the above compare favorably or unfavorably to programs seeing better results in our conference?

I would answer that we are underperforming based on our resource allocation. I am not calling for a change, but I think there needs to be some acknowledgment at the top that improvement and change need to happen.

If our goal is to be an NCAA bubble/NIT level squad in the upper third of our conference we are overinvesting.

[Stickboy46]

The FBI is not investigating the 2008 team.

Yet

[Shock Top]

Marshall is the best coach this program has had in my lifetime, but answer these questions for yourself:

Do you feel we have the better or equivalent athletes to the top programs in our conference?

Do you feel we regularly outsmart our top conference opponents from the floor or the bench?

Do you feel we have the toughest/scrappiest mentality of any team in our conference?

And...do the resources our program has (facilities, salaries, charters, etc) to affect the above compare favorably or unfavorably to programs seeing better results in our conference?

I would answer that we are underperforming based on our resource allocation. I am not calling for a change, but I think there needs to be some acknowledgment at the top that improvement and change need to happen.

If our goal is to be an NCAA bubble/NIT level squad in the upper third of our conference we are overinvesting.

WSU does seem to be out-athleted by the top dogs (and even not the top dogs) in this conference. I think WSU needs to shift their recruitment strategy to address that.

Houston and Cinci (and to a lesser extent Temple) all seem to have WSU's number. I think Marshall can adjust and adapt, but he's stubborn. What he does has been successful for a long time.

I agree that the "Play Angry" mentality does appear off. Not say the kids don't play hard or work hard. Play Angry is intangible, but it does feel like there is more to give at times.

In terms of recourses WSU has a lot going for it in some areas (financial support, charter flights, etc.), but is falling behind in key areas (arena, facilities, etc). WSU needs to step up in those areas.

[Stickboy46]

Marshall is the best coach this program has had in my lifetime, but answer these questions for yourself:

Do you feel we have the better or equivalent athletes to the top programs in our conference?

Do you feel we regularly outsmart our top conference opponents from the floor or the bench?

Do you feel we have the toughest/scrappiest mentality of any team in our conference?

And...do the resources our program has (facilities, salaries, charters, etc) to affect the above compare favorably or unfavorably to programs seeing better results in our conference?

I would answer that we are underperforming based on our resource allocation. I am not calling for a change, but I think there needs to be some acknowledgment at the top that improvement and change need to happen.

If our goal is to be an NCAA bubble/NIT level squad in the upper third of our conference we are overinvesting.

On a lot of that .. it really depends on which game you are watching. I watch a lot of the non-WSU games and teams seem to play drastically different game to game. Teams tend to play better against us .. maybe that's just an illusion.

One thing i will say though .. 2 out of the 3 years we've been in the conference we came into conference play as THE team to beat. Yes last year was not the case, but both 2018 and 2020 we were the team that teams penciled on their schedules as a quality win. That absolutely can have an effect on how other teams play.

[pinstripers]

He hasn’t started every game this year, “virtually” or otherwise.

What difference does it make to you? You’re on Shockernet so, factual or not, you already have more information about the situation than a majority of fans.

Also, I know you’re on Twitter. So is Mike Kennedy. Quit bitching about it on SN and ask the man directly why he didn’t ask the question.

I'm on twitter?

[pie n eye]

BOBB
1. No
2. IDK. Houston has smoked us 3 games, we’ve smoked them once, lost a toss up in the AAC tourney, and were competitive in another loss. Basically every game against Cinci has been close.
3. Not the most but at the top.

But again, you’re not acknowledging the facts of the situation. We are in the second year of what is essentially a complete rebuild. Some of that is due to the size of the senior class in 2017-2018 which is within the coaching staffs control. But you’re going to have a very difficult time convincing me that the results last year and this year would not be drastically different if Shamet, Reaves, and Teddy Allen were on the team.

[pie n eye]

I'm on twitter?

You regularly post links to twitter, no?

[El_Wu]

Lets see we are on our second year in the American. Which is ranked what 6th in the country. They thought we would be at the bottom in first year. Ended 6th and final 4 of the NIT. Second year we are ranked 4th and could get probably third. And if we get an at large. That is progress for two freaking years in a competitive conference. Compared to programs that have been established already in this conference. GO freaking SHOX all the way baby. And heck every year Power 5 Schools want to take Marshall Away from us. And ppl complain about him. Really.