Random Thoughts

[tgcshock]

I started out as a child...

Did you progress?

[SHOXAAC]

Did you progress?

That softball was hit outa the park...
Lol

[WuShock Reaper]

I started out as a child...

wearing diapers and when I get older, I will wear them again. Nothing really changes.

[ABC]

random thoughts: where is chemhalk?

[ShockerInKC]

If you get the chance, order some onion rings.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

Here's the thing that has been bugging me for a while, and forgive me if this has already been discussed to death somewhere, but I'm really sick of people complaining about our schedule this year, especially when you look and see that we didn't have control over a fair bit of it.

1.) Valley isn't great this year. Not our fault

2.) CBE Tournament ended up being a dud, especially when other team dropped out and we got stuck with Tennessee State and William & Mary. Add in BYU, who hasn't amounted to what we were hoping for, and the CBE did very little to help our SOS, through no fault of our own. Weren't we originally supposed to have stronger teams come visit for the opening games of the CBE before they dropped?

3.) How many of our games this year were return games from previous contracts? Davidson, Tulsa, Oral Roberts, and Tennessee? I don't know all the details with how those things work out, but I know for sure that Davidson and Tennessee were return games.

4.) That leaves our non-con schedule at Emporia State, WKU, SLU, Alabama, and NC Central as games that we had control over. NCCU is leading the MEAC, WKU is traditionally a tourney team, and SLU was obviously a great pick up. Sure Alabama hasn't done anything in the SEC this year, and ESU is ESU, but overall, the games we had control over seem to be decent games.

So I just don't understand the hate. I know that all the analysts don't take the time to look at the logistics behind our scheduling, but if they did, they would see that we were already locked into some of these RPI bottom feeder games, and maybe there wouldn't be so much questioning of our schedule. I don't know.

There are 2 types of people arguing here:

1) Those that say WSU shouldn't be a 1 seed because they didn't schedule up.

2) Those that say WSU shouldn't be a 1 seed because their schedule was weak.

At first glance, this seems like the same argument, but it is not. People in group 1 are idiots. WSU did all they could to "schedule up", but it is a 2-way street and most top teams didn't want to agree to any sort of home-and-home deal.

People in group 2 are at least making an argument that has some base in logic. WSU's schedule is weaker than most of the other top teams in the country and it can be difficult to compare teams that play vastly different schedules. Feel free to disagree with these people, but they deserve enough respect to not be lumped in with the idiots of group 1.

[Awesome Sauce Malone]

“https://twitter.com/battleofschools/status/438032501529772032

[NattyMat]

Bit of a random thought:

I cover VCU basketball (VCURamNation.com) and was in one of our weekly press conferences with Coach Smart this morning, talking to my friend Tim Pearrell of the Richmond Times Dispatch. I asked him what was the most impressive away game atmosphere he had attended (because dude has been all over) and he went with Koch. Said it was so loud that players and coaches couldn't hear each other, all that good stuff.

Haven't been but perhaps one day if we ever make it out there (who knows, maybe we'll be in the same conference one day).

[Shocker Mama]

While watching the Drake game, I noticed once again what good condition our guys are in. The a Drake players were gasping for air, and the Shockers weren't even breathing hard. The strength and conditioning coaches must be doing a great job, and the players are clearly in excellent shape.

[Cdizzle]

While watching the Drake game, I noticed once again what good condition our guys are in. The a Drake players were gasping for air, and the Shockers weren't even breathing hard. The strength and conditioning coaches must be doing a great job, and the players are clearly in excellent shape.

While I agree, Drake is a bad comparison.

I really feel for VanDeest. He showed a lot of promise as an underclassman and just couldn't catch a break with his health.

[tgcshock]

Haven't been but perhaps one day if we ever make it out there (who knows, maybe we'll be in the same conference one day).

From your mouth to God's ear

[Cdizzle]

Wichita St. is averaging 80.1ppg over the last 7 games (this includes the ISU, UNI road-trip).

[ShockerFan87]

There are 2 types of people arguing here:

1) Those that say WSU shouldn't be a 1 seed because they didn't schedule up.

2) Those that say WSU shouldn't be a 1 seed because their schedule was weak.

At first glance, this seems like the same argument, but it is not. People in group 1 are idiots. WSU did all they could to "schedule up", but it is a 2-way street and most top teams didn't want to agree to any sort of home-and-home deal.

People in group 2 are at least making an argument that has some base in logic. WSU's schedule is weaker than most of the other top teams in the country and it can be difficult to compare teams that play vastly different schedules. Feel free to disagree with these people, but they deserve enough respect to not be lumped in with the idiots of group 1.

I understand that we are playing what amounts to a weak schedule. Not denying or arguing that point. My issue is that we had very little control over that weak schedule. As you said, we couldn't find many top teams to schedule us home and home. But we had 5 games that we essentially got control over this year. ESU was scheduled last minute when no one would play us in Dallas. WKU is traditionally a tourney team. SLU is #10 and has lost only two games this year. Alabama was supposed to be better than they are. NCCU actually received a vote for the Top 25 this week and is leading the MEAC conference. The rest of our weak schedule comes from awful Valley teams, return contracts with ORU, Tulsa, Tennessee, and Davidson, and then the crapfest that became the CBE. Hard to have a strong schedule when you only get to schedule 5 of your 31 regular season games. Why should we be punished and mocked for something we have no control over?

[Cdizzle]

The thread title "Poll Watch (2013-2014 edition)" still bothers me. I am wary every time I open that thread.

[HockeyShock]

I'm looking forward to a world where....

...Gregg Marshall is coaching in the NCAA Tournament and Dana Altman isn't.
...KU fans are griping about our easy first weekend.
...Oklahoma State falls from top-10 to the NIT inside of the same season.
...Three teams from Kansas make the tourney, and zero do from Indiana.
...KSU fans drink themselves into a collective coma (yet again) remembering all they had to do to get Ron Baker was to call him.
...Chadrack Lufile gets on his third Sports Illustrated cover.