Blame Game

[ShockTalk]

Mark Few is a drunkard, DUI coach with no consequences.

You have pointed out that both have their personal problems that could (or did) affect their career.

Gregg Marshall: 14 NCAAs / 1 Final 4 / 1 S16 / 4 R 32 / 3 NITs / 1 Championship / 1 Semi.

Mark Few: 21 NCAAs / 2 Finals / 2 E8 / 6 S16 / 8 R 32

[Horn28Clem30]

There are actually those who believe this is a Marshall problem?! The program has regressed infinitely since his dismissal. It's Issac Brown and Isaac Brown alone. He's in WAY over his head

[B1ShockFan]

Of course it is not FCGM's problem now it's HCIB's inherited problem. Give him a chance. HCGM IS GONE AND NOT COMING BACK!!!!

[Stickboy46]

There are actually those who believe this is a Marshall problem?! The program has regressed infinitely since his dismissal. It's Issac Brown and Isaac Brown alone. He's in WAY over his head

It's both their problems. 3G reached us new heights but also started the downhill slide. IB hasn't fully corrected that yet.

[Shockm]

ShockM,
Was passing along thanks to Doc for acknowledging RefChick as a good person (which she is) - not me. Speaking of trading bodily fluids
That is all.

Ok. A threesome may be better and a little less uncomfortable, but not on the public channel

[Woodrow]

It's both their problems. 3G reached us new heights but also started the downhill slide. IB hasn't fully corrected that yet.

IB hasn't fully corrected it yet? I can't understand that statement at all. Things are definitely going the wrong way and not getting better. The team on the floor today is not as good as the team that took the floor last year after they forced Marshall out. Also, the confidence that surrounded the team when Marshall was the coach is gone. They looked beat long before the game was over against Memphis. When was the last time we lost 2 games in a row at home by double digits and 1 of them was a buy game. Give me a break.

[Shockm]

IB hasn't fully corrected it yet? I can't understand that statement at all. Things are definitely going the wrong way and not getting better. The team on the floor today is not as good as the team that took the floor last year after they forced Marshall out. Also, the confidence that surrounded the team when Marshall was the coach is gone. They looked beat long before the game was over against Memphis. When was the last time we lost 2 games in a row at home by double digits and 1 of them was a buy game. Give me a break.

But this team loves each other, and the coach, like brothers, and family, and the 2019 team didn't. That counts for something. Right?

[Ashockalypse]

It's both their problems. 3G reached us new heights but also started the downhill slide. IB hasn't fully corrected that yet.

You are just hopeless.

[ShockerFever]

Stick is in weird denial.

[BOBB]

It's both their problems. 3G reached us new heights but also started the downhill slide. IB hasn't fully corrected that yet.

Two things can be true at the same time. The slide absolutely began with Marshall. IB may or may not be the guy to right the ship.

Firing him this season turns our program into a basket case. If IB is terminated for performance expect to be in the wilderness for a good long while even if we hit a home run with the next coaching hire.

[Ashockalypse]

We are in the Wilderness. Did you see the game. Go ahead snuggle up to stick.

[Ted Lasso's Neighbor]

Personally I think the 2021 TBT could have it's place in the blame game. Not much though - maybe somewhere between .025% and 4.7%. But the AfterShocks came back and talked to the current players about playing pro and then showed how one can win games with minimal offensive sets and coaches they probably ignored for the most part during games. Unfortunately that formula only works against other teams that have the same formula, such as other TBT teams and playgrounds, but fails versus division 1 teams.

[BostonWu]

Personally I think the 2021 TBT could have it's place in the blame game. Not much though - maybe somewhere between .025% and 4.7%. But the AfterShocks came back and talked to the current players about playing pro and then showed how one can win games with minimal offensive sets and coaches they probably ignored for the most part during games. Unfortunately that formula only works against other teams that have the same formula, such as other TBT teams and playgrounds, but fails versus division 1 teams.

I might be on an island but after a couple seasons of tbt my interest has waned. Key players bow out (I get it), no coaching which in effect looks a lot like our current system (except for better talent in tbt). Just not a great product. I guess it serves its purpose of basketball in July.

[RoyalShock]

I'm neither advocating for or against ADDB with this post, but I feel like there is some revisionist history or lack of reason going on here. And I'm going to preface this by stating that I believe the allegations against Marshall are true for reasons that don't need to be rehashed here.

1. Eric Sexton was the AD when the incident with Shaq happened. Assuming he knew about it, it's his failure to not have dealt with it then. ADDB couldn't have done anything about it until it came to light publicly. Then, once Marshall denied the allegations, there was no outcome that didn't involve Marshall either resigning or getting fired. Either of which was going to cost dearly in terms of money and image. Lay that whole debacle at the feet of Marshall and Sexton.

2. ADDB and IB were handed a difficult situation. IB and the team made the absolute best of it by winning the conference. Major kudos to them, but it was the curse in disguise.

3. What would be the point of an active coaching search in the middle of the season? Only a few unemployed coaches were reasonably available and according the the media, weren't interested (at least the case for Matta. I don't recall if there were others). Plus, the money wasn't going to be there to hire a quality coach, except possibly Chris Jans. While there appears to be bad blood with he and ADDB (there's a strike against any AD that won't hire the best due to a personal issue), that wasn't going to happen due to my next point.

4. The climate among college basketball and the media at the time was that black assistant coaches weren't getting a fair shot at head coaching jobs. I don't think ADDB had any reasonable choice but to give the job to IB. I also think this factored into contract negotiations. A low-ball offer and acceptance would have been lambasted by the media. He would have effective fired himself had he not done what he did. I suppose some could blame him for that. I can't.

5. There wasn't a ton of time to see how moving to the AAC would affect recruiting under Marshall and staff. But I think it's safe to say it was underwhelming. We all felt like the teams underachieved. The slide had already begun.

So, where does the current blame for the state of men's basketball belong? I think Marshall and Sexton deserve a large portion (points 1 and 5). Circumstances, too. (Points 2, 3 and 4).

What about future blame should the ship continue taking on water? All of the above, plus IB, staff and ADDB if he lets it go on too long.

Like it or not, IB will get four years (not counting last year) to turn things around and get the program headed in the right direction.

[Dan]

we're in the same boat Memphis was in when they hired Josh Pastner. It looked good at the time, but was the beginning of a long turnaround. I still don't know if Memphis has the right guy, but at least he brings in the athletes.