Tweet
Shocks 771, 7Hottamales, and I have been tossing out our thoughts to each other through email about the program. Here is a sample of some of the points with specific players protected from being named as the names don't particularly add to the points.
Our basic consensus is that most fans that are in full blown panic mode (or are about to go there with a couple of more losses) fail to be able to see the forest for the trees, the vision, the strategic plan, etc.
-----------------
...The premise that player x, player y, & player z have never been as good of all around players as what the fan base thinks they are is not a message that can or will be received. They have all had serious limitations for their role, but no one accepts that. MT found a way for about a 20-25 game stretch to mold his team of players with quite a few deficiencies into a beautifully smooth running machine that did all the little things correct and had a guy with a lightening quick release shooting 45% + from 3 and a big man with excellent touch and senior composure getting just enough done offensively to be effective against a the right match ups. The truth of the matter is that we will have better talent and a better system within 24 months than we have ever had and until that point it will be patchwork keeping it together on a nightly basis. We will be fine. But we won’t be top 40 until we can get some talent that you can game plan with.
...No shooters and limited athletes (particularly for their small size) = a headache for a coach to try and find points with.
...A lot this season was dependent on a couple of new players that Marshall truly didn’t have the time to go through a full recruiting and evaluation cycle and bring in. It appears that player a & player b are looking likely to be busts so that makes it impossible to piece it together effectively for awhile.
...MT left the cupboard in the dumpster in the back alley. I only hope that we can bring enough talent in soon enough to take advantage of Mekel, Ellis, Durley, and Hawkins. I think we will. My prediction is that you will never see another (multiple players that we have watched MT try and plug in over the past 5 seasons with perceived significant deficiencies) again at WSU as long as Marshall is around. Those types of players are cute, but they leave very little room for error.
...Think about what last season’s team would have looked like early on without Ogirri out there opening things up or without Wilson scoring down low the last half of the season. It was already ugly.
...This team has no good shooters and no true post presence. What can we really expect?
...Our only chance this season is to expect unfair immergence from Ellis and Durley. Ellis looked extremely raw to me in the 3 times I’ve seen him so I doubt that he can do enough to help wins games. Durley may be a solid up and down piece to the puzzle this season.
...Maybe the 7 footer will show up yet. Of course you know how I feel about 18 year old 7 footers…
...Question for you – Is PJ any better of an offensive player than he was 2 (or maybe even 3) years ago? In my mind, dude hit his upside once he was physically mature. If a small guy can’t shoot, he only has a ceiling so high…and that is generally limited once they have reached the optimum size/strength limit.
...This is a season to relax and accept anything positive that happens as gravy. I’ve said that since MT left. I can’t imagine having anything too negative come out of this season. All I’m looking for are signs of upside life for the future. That’s why I actually left the 1st game pretty satisfied. Mekel is obviously a baller and Durley has a very repeatable shot with confidence. Ellis is worthless now, but has more upside than just about any player I saw under MT. No one plays hesitant. These are all good long-term signs. We just need to not put undo pressure on Marshall and let him do his thing for awhile. My biggest fear is that the fan base expectations will result in him changing his coaching DNA to try and sell out for short run results.
...Remember the Fat Man up the road had 1 D1 win in his first season and it was against a team that had no D1 wins. We have the right guy. Give him a chance to upgrade from Mid-Con level talent and fully implement his system and we’ll be okay.
...Just have to look at the bigger picture and understand what can and will be accomplished with a re-energized guy at the controls, a guy that believes we can recruit at another level, a guy that believes in variety of strategy, adaptation, flexibility of skill.
----
Thoughts and feedback?
Our basic consensus is that most fans that are in full blown panic mode (or are about to go there with a couple of more losses) fail to be able to see the forest for the trees, the vision, the strategic plan, etc.
-----------------
...The premise that player x, player y, & player z have never been as good of all around players as what the fan base thinks they are is not a message that can or will be received. They have all had serious limitations for their role, but no one accepts that. MT found a way for about a 20-25 game stretch to mold his team of players with quite a few deficiencies into a beautifully smooth running machine that did all the little things correct and had a guy with a lightening quick release shooting 45% + from 3 and a big man with excellent touch and senior composure getting just enough done offensively to be effective against a the right match ups. The truth of the matter is that we will have better talent and a better system within 24 months than we have ever had and until that point it will be patchwork keeping it together on a nightly basis. We will be fine. But we won’t be top 40 until we can get some talent that you can game plan with.
...No shooters and limited athletes (particularly for their small size) = a headache for a coach to try and find points with.
...A lot this season was dependent on a couple of new players that Marshall truly didn’t have the time to go through a full recruiting and evaluation cycle and bring in. It appears that player a & player b are looking likely to be busts so that makes it impossible to piece it together effectively for awhile.
...MT left the cupboard in the dumpster in the back alley. I only hope that we can bring enough talent in soon enough to take advantage of Mekel, Ellis, Durley, and Hawkins. I think we will. My prediction is that you will never see another (multiple players that we have watched MT try and plug in over the past 5 seasons with perceived significant deficiencies) again at WSU as long as Marshall is around. Those types of players are cute, but they leave very little room for error.
...Think about what last season’s team would have looked like early on without Ogirri out there opening things up or without Wilson scoring down low the last half of the season. It was already ugly.
...This team has no good shooters and no true post presence. What can we really expect?
...Our only chance this season is to expect unfair immergence from Ellis and Durley. Ellis looked extremely raw to me in the 3 times I’ve seen him so I doubt that he can do enough to help wins games. Durley may be a solid up and down piece to the puzzle this season.
...Maybe the 7 footer will show up yet. Of course you know how I feel about 18 year old 7 footers…
...Question for you – Is PJ any better of an offensive player than he was 2 (or maybe even 3) years ago? In my mind, dude hit his upside once he was physically mature. If a small guy can’t shoot, he only has a ceiling so high…and that is generally limited once they have reached the optimum size/strength limit.
...This is a season to relax and accept anything positive that happens as gravy. I’ve said that since MT left. I can’t imagine having anything too negative come out of this season. All I’m looking for are signs of upside life for the future. That’s why I actually left the 1st game pretty satisfied. Mekel is obviously a baller and Durley has a very repeatable shot with confidence. Ellis is worthless now, but has more upside than just about any player I saw under MT. No one plays hesitant. These are all good long-term signs. We just need to not put undo pressure on Marshall and let him do his thing for awhile. My biggest fear is that the fan base expectations will result in him changing his coaching DNA to try and sell out for short run results.
...Remember the Fat Man up the road had 1 D1 win in his first season and it was against a team that had no D1 wins. We have the right guy. Give him a chance to upgrade from Mid-Con level talent and fully implement his system and we’ll be okay.
...Just have to look at the bigger picture and understand what can and will be accomplished with a re-energized guy at the controls, a guy that believes we can recruit at another level, a guy that believes in variety of strategy, adaptation, flexibility of skill.
----
Thoughts and feedback?
Comment