Open Letter to the team

[wsushockerdude]

This is really sad. I've been off Shockernet for about 7 months, but been to every game this year (season tickets for 6 years). Every thread I've looked at so far is bashing our players, talking about how our at large bid is no longer possible.

Look at our remaining schedule:
Illinois State- With our environment, it should be a close win
@ SIU- Carbondale is tough, probably a loss, but I could see that 50-50
@ UNI- pretty darn hard, but I expect a win in one of these 2 games (SIU, UNI)
Then Indiana State, at Evansville, Missouri State, and Evansville at home. To me those are easy wins.
@ Bradley could be tough but we can pull off a road win.
And home against SIU could really determine our final standing in the Valley. So we could be looking at 24-6, 25-5 is probably the best we could do.

The Valley isn't great this year, but if we can finish in sole second, and make a good run in St. Louis, I would say we have a good shot at the NCAA.

[ShockerPrez]

Good thing you weren't a fan under Cohen, Thompson or Smithson.

I was! :cry:

:wsu_posters:

As was I. Perspective is a great thing in times like this.

[Snapshot9]

In every sport, athletes try to be ready to play, but there are some nights when everything is just not quite right. Whether you are out of balance emotionally, mentally, or physically, sometimes things just don't jive.

These are the times when winning is the hardest to do. Every team experiences these times, and the really good teams learn how they can overcome those times.

It seems to me during these times, that our team pulls up on their outside shooting and trys to get the ball into our post players, but depending on the defensive effort by our opponents, sometimes this works and sometimes it just doesn't work. Durley seems to be able to break through that wall of defense with his good offensive moves, and Blair can add a spark too with his putback moves.

I know at the start of the season we had more offensive effort from Kyles and Ellis primarily than we have had in several games. Those 2 would be open lots of times. We seemed to have better team play when they were involved more. Kyles has pulled up on shooting his outside jumper and he has a good shot.

[MrShocker09]

Don't hate on Drake. I did a campus visit with my daughter last year and the academics at Drake are outstanding. I graduated from WSU and had never been to Drake. I was very impressed with the school and would say that the academic credentials meet or exceed WSU's. That said, we should not lose to a team/school that has a significant recruiting disadvantage to ours.

[Ashockalypse]

The more I read your post Fredster the more presumptuous and condescending it comes off no matter whether all points in it are true. Here is what is also true. They are busting their buts all of the time for us and have a great season under their belt already. We are darn lucky to have these guys this coach and this team and speak for yourself about getting new fans cuz I'm stayin. I'm sure you are the biggest spender, oh, investor on campus. I'm sure you never came out flat at anything you did in your life.

[MikeShox]

I find myself wondering if those like Fredster can honestly say that they give the same effort consistently, every day, in their lives that they demand of the young men out of the court.

Speaking for myself, I am very well respected at work. I have people in management, 2 or 3 levels above me who call me a bulldog because of the effort I put into getting things accomplished. However, I know and am willing to admit that I have times that I coast and do not give 100%.

If any of you want to say that you never give less than 100% effort at school, work, etc., then I am amazed. Also, I probably don't believe you.

Yes, I was disappointed too. However, if Fredster is tired of supporting the team, I hope the door doesn't hit him in the butt.

[RampageWSU]

Obvious Troll is Obvious...

9 posts since 2008.

[Maggie]

I missed the Drake game and have not read anything about the loss. Notwithstanding, I think it is obvious that this team is still a work in progress.

In my judgment, the frustration that people feel (including me) stems from the fact that this team has demonstrated it can play at a very high level. But after reflecting on the season one thing I don’t think they have demonstrated is an ability to play at a high level consistently for long stretches during games or even from game to game (I could be wrong but I don’t recall this happening). Put another way, this team is still learning how to win or rather – what it takes for it to win. I believe what they are going through is natural process for a young team – and they are relatively young. Even Hannah – the lone senior has only one entire year of D-1 ball under his belt.

This year and this team, to date, have already exceeded my preseason expectations. As far as I am concerned they are ahead of schedule. And when they have played poorly they seem to bounce back fairly well – which is a very good sign. Simply put, I have really enjoyed this season so far.

People like the individual who started this thread are projecting their own, probably revised-in season, expectations onto this team – which is all together unfair and improper. If you find yourself doing this my advice is – take a beat, take a breath, and take some valium.

[im4wsu]

Obvious Troll is Obvious...

9 posts since 2008.

iirc, wasn't Fredster a frequent poster back in the A vs B team days?

[SFL]

Poor Fred...

[fuball7]

Re: Open Letter to the team

Guys: I'm tired of investing in tickets, merchandise, time and effort to watch you sigh about coming out flat. How can that ever be? How can you ever not come out playing like it's your last game? Yes, I know you are 19, 20 and 21. You are just kids. But you are God gifted young men, who have shown you can play with any team in America. How can you come out so flat, against a Drake team with only 4,000 in attendance? WSU has provided you with the best coach, best facilities and best fans in the conference. You have a remarkable educational opportunity in Wichita and at WSU. You have a maximum of about 120 regular games to play in your career. How can you ever come out and give the kind of effort you did yesterday at Drake? You know those 10,506 that see you every night at Koch? They are deflated. You owe us your best shot every night. Us, and the tens of thousands of Shocker fans around the country who live and die on your every shot. You are not a mediocre team. Your are a fine team that doesn't seem to care when you are away from home. Get after it, or get some new fans to invest. I expect a lot better!

They dont owe us anything. They are kids playing basketball while getting an education. Yes i was disappointed in the way they played but thats bc I am a fan. Doesnt mean that I feel owed anything by these guys. If we lose, oh well, life goes on. Its a lesson for this team to learn. I'm sure Marshall will use it as a teaching point. And remember, we are still a relatively young team. only 1 senior. They are still growing as a team.

[Fredster]

For the record, I've been a fan longer than most of you have been alive. I've posted hundreds of times to this site and I did not suggest Ellis redshirt. I suggested he not start...a point I am proud to stand by.

We used to have spirited debate on this site. We used to have folks on this site like shockref and other seasoned veterans of Shocker Basketball who got it.

If Gregg Marshall read my post, he said, "don't blame him".

[Veritas]

Fredster, we all get frustrated with certain games. The IlSU game didn't surprise me that much. The CU game reflected the Shox inability to adjust to the Refs. The Drake game was most frustrating for me in that we seemed to come out flat. That happens when playing in front of a small crowd and a decent (not strong, but decent) team. I predicted in the "prediction thread" that we'd come out flat and HCGM would get a technical with 5 minutes remaining and we'd finally wake up. It just didn't happen.
The bad thing about the Valley is that certain venues such as Drake, UE, ISU are just dead and the Shox have trouble getting psyched up to play. The Shox have not yet developed that killer instinct and swagger necessary to dominate on the road. It will happen.

I'll continue to look at the trend, put the lousy games behind me, and look towards the next game and the future.

[shockar25]

For the record, I've been a fan longer than most of you have been alive. I've posted hundreds of times to this site and I did not suggest Ellis redshirt. I suggested he not start...a point I am proud to stand by.

We used to have spirited debate on this site. We used to have folks on this site like shockref and other seasoned veterans of Shocker Basketball who got it.

If Gregg Marshall read my post, he said, "don't blame him".

The only point I disagreed with was the idea of retracting my support of the team due to poor play this season. I guess that's a matter of opinion--if people want to do that they can, I just think it's a bit extreme. Just my opinion.

[shockerfan]

For the record, I've been a fan longer than most of you have been alive. I've posted hundreds of times to this site and I did not suggest Ellis redshirt. I suggested he not start...a point I am proud to stand by.

We used to have spirited debate on this site. We used to have folks on this site like shockref and other seasoned veterans of Shocker Basketball who got it.

If Gregg Marshall read my post, he said, "don't blame him".

Wow, acting like this when your team is 17-4 and in 2nd place in the Valley at the halfway mark? If you have been a fan as long as you say...how in the world did you survive the "90's"? LOL I don't buy it!