I could give a rats azz...

[C0|dB|00ded]

Forgive me if I'm wrong, Cold, but your attitude seems to be a, "I'm afraid we might lose, so lets pretend like we don't care and not start our best players" booshit.

Instead, how about we just go ahead and win the whole thing? If teams ahead of us keep losing, it's not inconceivable that we get a really, really good seeding in the NCAA tournament.

I have absolute utter confidence that we could win the entire Valley tournament. It just doesn't have that much importance to me. It is a grueling 3 game tournament with teams that have a LOT more to lose than we do. Roy Williams never cared about the Big 12 tournament and bowed out many times. He wanted his teams fresh for the real tournament and liked the idea that another Big 12 school would get the auto-bid. Basically, his team didn't need it. We don't either. I don't agree that it will push us from a 5 to a 4 or a 4 to a 3 seed. Theoretically it is possible, but I just don't think we are going to get that much of a boost beating two lower level Valley teams and then possibly an upper-middle team or in a worst-case scenario, another lower-level team again. The best case scenario for seed-bumping would be to meet Creighton in the final and demolish them again, but we have just as good of a chance of meeting Evansville or Drake in the Final. In that scenario you would have your "precious" tourney trophy and we would have endured a huge battle and possibly risked a big injury or two.

All B.S. aside, I think we should win one game and then adios. Most on here have no idea how many injuries or illnesses our players are nursing. We need to be fresh and healed to make the run we all want to make.

We have a lot of scrub teams in this league that would salivate at the opportunity to take Stutz or Ragland out. Not to mention, we have a lot of scrub fans that would relish - and possibly offer free beer - in celebration of any misfortune we would encounter up in St. Louis.

The only big disadvantage I see of us bowing out of the tournament is that all of our travelling fans will be disappointed. Most don't see the big picture and are intensely focused on tiny, tiny victories like an MVC tournament trophy (gag). I'm looking for Final Four banners (or more); you can take your MVC tourney trophy and stick it where the sun doesn't shine.

Give me the MVC tourney championship on a year when we really need it, not when we are a high-seed lock. If we go balls out in St. Louis and somebody gets hurt, my words will haunt those that disagree.


T


...:cool:

[OTR Shockfan]

Roy Williams never cared about the Big 12 tournament and bowed out many times. He wanted his teams fresh for the real tournament and liked the idea that another Big 12 school would get the auto-bid. Basically, his team didn't need it.


T


...:cool:

WTF ???? why in the HE double Bells would you even think like this?????? And tell me there cupcake ,Just HOW MANY N.C trophy's did ole Roy Boy win in the Big 12 ?? with this strategy

[kochHead]

Basketball is a game of rhythm and repetition. If you want to come out and look like dog **** and lose your first game in the NCAA, then yeah, don't let your starters play a game for two weeks.

[shoxlax]

I have absolute utter confidence that we could win the entire Valley tournament. It just doesn't have that much importance to me. It is a grueling 3 game tournament with teams that have a LOT more to lose than we do. Roy Williams never cared about the Big 12 tournament and bowed out many times. He wanted his teams fresh for the real tournament and liked the idea that another Big 12 school would get the auto-bid. Basically, his team didn't need it. We don't either. I don't agree that it will push us from a 5 to a 4 or a 4 to a 3 seed. Theoretically it is possible, but I just don't think we are going to get that much of a boost beating two lower level Valley teams and then possibly an upper-middle team or in a worst-case scenario, another lower-level team again. The best case scenario for seed-bumping would be to meet Creighton in the final and demolish them again, but we have just as good of a chance of meeting Evansville or Drake in the Final. In that scenario you would have your "precious" tourney trophy and we would have endured a huge battle and possibly risked a big injury or two.

All B.S. aside, I think we should win one game and then adios. Most on here have no idea how many injuries or illnesses our players are nursing. We need to be fresh and healed to make the run we all want to make.

We have a lot of scrub teams in this league that would salivate at the opportunity to take Stutz or Ragland out. Not to mention, we have a lot of scrub fans that would relish - and possibly offer free beer - in celebration of any misfortune we would encounter up in St. Louis.

The only big disadvantage I see of us bowing out of the tournament is that all of our travelling fans will be disappointed. Most don't see the big picture and are intensely focused on tiny, tiny victories like an MVC tournament trophy (gag). I'm looking for Final Four banners (or more); you can take your MVC tourney trophy and stick it where the sun doesn't shine.

Give me the MVC tourney championship on a year when we really need it, not when we are a high-seed lock. If we go balls out in St. Louis and somebody gets hurt, my words will haunt those that disagree.


T


...:cool:

I actually had the exact same thought about the time Rice took out Stutz yesterday. I just didn't have the nads to post it. We would actually be doing the Valley a favor, because I think Creighton gets taken out.
Not that this POS league deserves any breaks.

[DwShock]

I'd rather make sure we had an automatic bid. Too many times in valley past have good teams been left out of the tournament. Missouri state is a good example. Shox need to take this one game at a time win the tournament and move on.

[GOSHOX1]

So those that don't want us to win in St. Louis are good with our TEAM not playing a game for 3 weeks? How rusty will they be after that break! We won't be playing Bradley in the first round of the NCAA.

[kochHead]

I actually had the exact same thought about the time Rice took out Stutz yesterday. I just didn't have the nads to post it. We would actually be doing the Valley a favor, because I think Creighton gets taken out.
Not that this POS league deserves any breaks.

There is a time to take players out of games so that you do not risk injury, usually when you have the victory well in hand. I don't believe you sacrifice a W because you are afraid someone will get hurt. Teams that do this end up on the wrong end of momentum, when you play that conservative game you lose your "attack mode" mentality. The fact that this is even in discussion blows my mind. 3G and this team had 3 goal this season. Win the regular season (check), WIN IN THE LOU, and win in the big dance. I for one would like to see them accomplish all 3 of the goal that they set out to accomplish.

Tell UCONN they should of lost early in the conf tournament last year, it would have increased there chances of winning it all...oh, wait...

[ABC]

A tournament win in St. Louis would be good for many, many reasons.

I understand Cold's point about having grueling games leading up to the NCAA tournament. It's a good thing that the MVC tournament is TWO weeks before the NCAA. So we simply won't have any fatigue issue like some teams from the conferences who follow us by a week.

Anyway, I think there has been many, many studies that indicate how teams do in their conference tournaments has little to no impact on their NCAA tourney success.

We need to win in St. Louis b/c we have never won in St. Louis. Just as we really don't have all that many MVC championsihps in the regular season, we don't have many post-season tournament championships either.

[shoxlax]

There is a time to take players out of games so that you do not risk injury, usually when you have the victory well in hand. I don't believe you sacrifice a W because you are afraid someone will get hurt. Teams that do this end up on the wrong end of momentum, when you play that conservative game you lose your "attack mode" mentality. The fact that this is even in discussion blows my mind. 3G and this team had 3 goal this season. Win the regular season (check), WIN IN THE LOU, and win in the big dance. I for one would like to see them accomplish all 3 of the goal that they set out to accomplish.

Tell UCONN they should of lost early in the conf tournament last year, it would have increased there chances of winning it all...oh, wait...

Understand and don't really disagree. However, I see merit to Cold's argument as well especially when injuries seem to be piling up around the country and people like Rice and Echinique play for opposing teams.

[WuDrWu]

There is actually some method to Cold's madness.

Does anyone really think winning 3 games against inferior competition is going to enhance our seed? If we were done today, we'd likely get the same seed we'd get if we play and win 3 more against the Valley.

We're slated 4-5 right now....I don't see us getting a 3. If we sit our top 7, and win, it won't change. If we sit our top 7 and lose, everyone will know why and it still might not hurt our seed. If it does, it's not going to move it more than down to 6 (other than being protected, which other than status, for us, really isn't that valuable) which is a seed I actually like (since we can't get a 3).

The injury comment is what it is.....nobody wants to get hurt. But bumps and bruises are going to happen and we'll have at least 10 days off in between games. Maybe 11. Also, if we don't play, we wouldn't play a game for 18 or 19 days. That's too long and would likely hurt our performance.

[shocker2012]

All B.S. aside, I think we should win one game and then adios. Most on here have no idea how many injuries or illnesses our players are nursing. We need to be fresh and healed to make the run we all want to make.

We have a lot of scrub teams in this league that would salivate at the opportunity to take Stutz or Ragland out. Not to mention, we have a lot of scrub fans that would relish - and possibly offer free beer - in celebration of any misfortune we would encounter up in St. Louis.

Please enlighten me on their injuries/illnesses. I really have no idea. I understand your point that the team needs rest but Id agree with most posters here..given the starting line up 3 weeks to rest would more than likely make them rusty and ruin momentum. And I dont think its wrong for fans to focus on getting the MVC tournament trophy as pitiful as you seem to find it...its not something that has ever been won before. Why shouldnt they be focused on it? Why shouldnt they want it? Maybe its not "big picture" thinking but a final four banner is a dream. Do I think its a possibility given the way we are playing? Yes, definitely. We could make a deep run. But at the same time, its also a long shot affected by many factors...and that goes for the majority of the teams who get into the tournament, not just WSU.

Also, in regards to "scrub teams" and "scrub fans"...if you want to keep looking down your nose at them and give them more fodder for the fire, keep calling them that. Yes we are #1 in the league but I do think there are some teams capable of winning against WSU even when we are playing in top form if they decide to have a lights out game. We arent unbeatable. And in my experience the majority of the fans from other teams, would never actually cheer or offer free beer at the injury of a player. Maybe Ive just gotten lucky and met nice fans but come on, give the MVC as a whole a little credit. Yes their are jerks in each fan base (including ours) who maybe would but they are few and far between. Sorry, I just found what you wrote to be odd.

[another shocker]

Best case scenario: Get a huge lead in the first round and semi's, and then bring in the backups (like UNI did two years ago).

I wouldn't predict something like that to happen, but it really helped UNI (so well rested) pull away vs WSU in the championship game. Did them a world of good all around.

[forevershockerfan]

Yes, I still want this special group of Fab 5 Seniors to lead us to a 'Lew Can Do Championship' which we have never accomplished as a team. With that said, now my lil pea brain is getting devious. These Conference Tourneys are all about money, right? Okay, what if, what if, what if a team like Evansville or Illinois State was to get hot and win it all like Indiana State did last Season? Instead of only one Valley team dancing like last Season, there should now be 3? Right? The premise is, it is all about money, right? Okay, 3 Valley Teams get in to the Dance. Our Valley "hot team" will lose right away, but that is more money for all Valley teams? WSU goes deep and wins several and maybe Creighton wins 1 or 2? More money for all Valley teams? Now let me nip all of this in the bud. This is much more than just winning money. I still want us to win the Lew and go as deep in the Dance as our Fab 5 Seniors can lead us. If along the way, all the Valley teams, make more money on a special Season like this, than so be it. However, we need to take care of our own business and that means win every solitary game we can while we have a special team that is capable of doing so.

[ShockerPrez]

Screw the other teams in the Valley. We should win the tournament and make it a clean sweep and let the other 'Scrub' teams fend for themselves. Since when does anyone care about letting another team have an auto bid to the NCAA? Eff that! I don't want to watch another team celebrate beating us in St Louis. Not after all the hype we've been given. Yeah, can't wait to hear the "OVERRATTED" BS chant after freaking MSU beats us. Don't give a **** if we have bigger fish to fry or not. Sorry, not going to cede any Valley team that.

I am in the mode that we start acting like the ogre at the end of the table and take every damn scrap of food for ourselves and let the Tiny Tim's of the league get their panties in a wad trying to figure out a way to feed themselves.

[SHOXJOCK]

WIN all three games by 30 points the starters dont get rusty and are rested for the big dance. Please put this thread to bed.