Any Chance?

[Deeringfish]

Is there any chance that CC has taken his foot off the pedal since Wisconsin?

The last two games have been described as lazy and tired. It makes me wonder if, in an effort to bring Lindsay back with out "knocking him" back, the intensity at practice has been a little less and it shows in the games. Maybe the whole team is subconsciously going easy to ease Scotty back into the mix.

A team that really plays as a unit is going to be slowed down by one player who is in distress in some way. Even if that distress is simply fail trouble, the team makes adjustments.

If there is anything to this, I think we could be hopeful of an intensity rebound as Scotty recovers, if he recovers.

 

[NURoseBowl]

Wouldn't think that's the case. We've laid a couple of eggs lately, but I'm willing to just chalk it up to the fact that this just sort of happens to teams from time to time. The team is good, but not great. We've played a number of terrific games this year; this might be nothing more than the other shoe dropping. At least, I hope that's all it is.

 

[Medill90]

I think NU RoseBowl is correct in all respects.

I'd add that compared to other Big Ten teams and power conference teams, NU's contingency planning and resources are comparatively thin.

Losing four star, 6 9 frosh was a downer but surmountable.

Losing four star soph and 9 ppg soph was cause to hit the panic button but the team seemingly did not blink.

Losing the only experienced, and not very experienced, center for 9 games was another "where's the panic button moment" but the team adjusted and persevered.

But the the loss of NU's most dynamic offensive player in the middle of the conference season was a bit much and since then it's looked more like that last three years than the front half of this season.

NU can bounce back and win a couple more, but its going to take some time and is greatly dependent on how much Scottie is "feeling it."

It would have been great if NU had one more wing to put out there who can play and defend versus sticking Scottie right back in the middle of it. (Quiet Willy, I know what you're thinking)

 

[Sec.112]

Let's not forget four games in nine days during school.

At some point, they have to just get it done and a lot of these statements come off as excuses. However, when you're working with a short bench, I think they're legitimate factors.

 

[willycat]

I think NU RoseBowl is correct in all respects.

I'd add that compared to other Big Ten teams and power conference teams, NU's contingency planning and resources are comparatively thin.

Losing four star, 6 9 frosh was a downer but surmountable.

Losing four star soph and 9 ppg soph was cause to hit the panic button but the team seemingly did not blink.

Losing the only experienced, and not very experienced, center for 9 games was another "where's the panic button moment" but the team adjusted and persevered.

But the the loss of NU's most dynamic offensive player in the middle of the conference season was a bit much and since then it's looked more like that last three years than the front half of this season.

NU can bounce back and win a couple more, but its going to take some time and is greatly dependent on how much Scottie is "feeling it."

It would have been great if NU had one more wing to put out there who can play and defend versus sticking Scottie right back in the middle of it. (Quiet Willy, I know what you're thinking)

Gee. I just can't. Are you thinking that a 13th schlorship player might have been helpful?

 

[Catreporter]

Gee. I just can't. Are you thinking that a 13th schlorship player might have been helpful?

We've already got a guy (Ash) who hasn't been used much at all despite the short bench so it would depend on who that 13th guy was. If we got a guy like Springs at Minnesota, it would have been big, no doubt.

 

[thewildcat2011]

Gee. I just can't. Are you thinking that a 13th schlorship player might have been helpful?

 

[scru]

I think the bball and football programs are in similar positions right now. We have just enough talent to be competitive in every game, but with limited competitive depth. Without a significant talent margin above the competition, we can't be "off" on a night, or not "bring it", and expect to come away with a win. There is just a very small margin of error for this team right now. With continued recruiting successes, this should change, at least against the teams at the bottom of the conference standings in any given year.

 

[Wrestlerneverdiesasacatfan]

I think NU RoseBowl is correct in all respects.

I'd add that compared to other Big Ten teams and power conference teams, NU's contingency planning and resources are comparatively thin.

Losing four star, 6 9 frosh was a downer but surmountable.

Losing four star soph and 9 ppg soph was cause to hit the panic button but the team seemingly did not blink.

Losing the only experienced, and not very experienced, center for 9 games was another "where's the panic button moment" but the team adjusted and persevered.

But the the loss of NU's most dynamic offensive player in the middle of the conference season was a bit much and since then it's looked more like that last three years than the front half of this season.

NU can bounce back and win a couple more, but its going to take some time and is greatly dependent on how much Scottie is "feeling it."

It would have been great if NU had one more wing to put out there who can play and defend versus sticking Scottie right back in the middle of it. (Quiet Willy, I know what you're thinking)

Well said! Got to have Scottie healthy if we want to win and compete

 

[Katatonic]

Nearly lose to the bottom-dweller Rutgers and get swept by the pumpkinheads - could it be bad coaching?

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

Nearly lose to the bottom-dweller Rutgers and get swept by the pumpkinheads - could it be bad coaching?

Was it bad coaching when we started 7-2 and also won at Wisconsin?

 

[Walker Fan]

Ok, reel it (the pessimism) in. If you told me that we would be 20-8 and 9-6 in the Big 10 before the season knowing Aaron Falzon and Rapolas Ivaunauskas would be red shirted and Pardon would miss 8-9 games and Lindsey would miss 4 games and really not be at 100 percent for 2 others, I would have taken it. Based on the schedule, I had 22 wins as our ceiling, so I think we are right there. The issues with the Illini game are easy in Game 1, the game was tied with 3 minutes left. McIntosh and Law ran out of gas with Lindsey out with mono. In game 2, Lindsey went 1-11 and Law scored 3 points due to questionable fouls in the first half. Not sure where Collins had anything to do with that. As a fan, I think he should be playing a Benson more, but he has problems understanding how to switch on a pick and roll. Hopefully, the staff has worked with him over the past 4 days. We will need him and his five fouls v. IU, UM and PU. This season has been a fun roller coaster ride. Now we have the last three chapters in the regular season to watch and hopefully, enjoy. BTW, the staff knows talent. They made great efforts to recruit Charlie Moore who is doing great for a NCAA bound California squad and Canyon Berry who is doing great for a 23-5 Florida squad who is taking on U.K. for the SEC title today. They know talent and know who to go after.

 

[willycat]

Nearly lose to the bottom-dweller Rutgers and get swept by the pumpkinheads - could it be bad coaching?

You can't really believe that can you? Maybe you could take a trip to Worcester, Mass. and watch that Patriot League powerhouse.

 

[Katatonic]

Was it bad coaching when we started 7-2 and also won at Wisconsin?

Was it bad coaching when BC won 20 games twice, including even bigger wins over MSU?

You can't really believe that can you? Maybe you could take a trip to Worcester, Mass. and watch that Patriot League powerhouse.

Um, I was being facetious - considering that someone would repeatedly post about the "good coaching" when the 'Cats were winning.

Can't have it one way and not the other.

And for the record, I think (for the most part) coaching has little to do pulling out wins late or falling apart and letting victory slip thru their fingers - it's primarily execution by the players and the talent level.

 

[D_C_B]

Ok, reel it (the pessimism) in. If you told me that we would be 20-8 and 9-6 in the Big 10 before the season knowing Aaron Falzon and Rapolas Ivaunauskas would be red shirted and Pardon would miss 8-9 games and Lindsey would miss 4 games and really not be at 100 percent for 2 others, I would have taken it. Based on the schedule, I had 22 wins as our ceiling, so I think we are right there. The issues with the Illini game are easy in Game 1, the game was tied with 3 minutes left. McIntosh and Law ran out of gas with Lindsey out with mono. In game 2, Lindsey went 1-11 and Law scored 3 points due to questionable fouls in the first half. Not sure where Collins had anything to do with that. As a fan, I think he should be playing a Benson more, but he has problems understanding how to switch on a pick and roll. Hopefully, the staff has worked with him over the past 4 days. We will need him and his five fouls v. IU, UM and PU. This season has been a fun roller coaster ride. Now we have the last three chapters in the regular season to watch and hopefully, enjoy. BTW, the staff knows talent. They made great efforts to recruit Charlie Moore who is doing great for a NCAA bound California squad and Canyon Berry who is doing great for a 23-5 Florida squad who is taking on U.K. for the SEC title today. They know talent and know who to go after.

That's the thing. I see 4 wins now that we should have had but blew at the end. That'd be 24-4 -- and we'd be the darling of the basketball world and top 10-15 for sure.

This is a damn good team. I just wish they'd play basketball, instead of keep-away, at the end of games! And that's what's so frustrating. We take away 3 of our best offensive weapons when we do that:

1. The extra pass
2. Movement away from the ball
3. Offensive rebounding.

Whether it's sports or frankly anything else, who is good enough to abandon 3 things they do very well in favor of one thing they don't? I'd like to hear an example of that ever happening at virtually anything.

It just seems such an obviously foolhardy thing to do, I can't get out of my head why we'd ever actually do something like that.

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

Was it bad coaching when BC won 20 games twice, including even bigger wins over MSU?

Still stuck on BC, eh? That ship has sailed...thankfully!!

 

[cometclear]

Still stuck on BC, eh? That ship has sailed...thankfully!!

He's pointing out an obvious contradiction. Successfully, I might add.

 

[willycat]

He's pointing out an obvious contradiction. Successfully, I might add.

Come on, you don't really want Carmody and players he recruited over Collins and his recruits, do you? Please.

 

[cometclear]

Come on, you don't really want Carmody and players he recruited over Collins and his recruits, do you? Please.

I didn't say that at all, but the rank homers here who make up history and then exaggerate about the present aren't helpful. Recruiting has to improve a ton to get where some are fantasizing.

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

I didn't say that at all, but the rank homers here who make up history and then exaggerate about the present aren't helpful. Recruiting has to improve a ton to get where some are fantasizing.

Who's exaggerating? The present is far better than it ever was under Carmody. When did Carmody get 9 regular season conference wins?

Give it up...

 

[cometclear]

Who's exaggerating? The present is far better than it ever was under Carmody. When did Carmody get 9 regular season conference wins?

Give it up...

That wasn't the argument, Sparky. The argument was that you folks serially exaggerate the newest recruiting class in a given year and rewrite history, as was attempted here with regards to Carmody's recruiting failures/successes.

The funny thing is, I can recall this same phenomenon way back in the days when I was informed that Brody Deren and David Newman were going to be NU's difference makers.

But I do agree: there is simply no comparison between 8 conference wins and 9 conference wins.

 

[mikewebb68]

That wasn't the argument, Sparky. The argument was that you folks serially exaggerate the newest recruiting class in a given year and rewrite history, as was attempted here with regards to Carmody's recruiting failures/successes.

The funny thing is, I can recall this same phenomenon way back in the days when I was informed that Brody Deren and David Newman were going to be NU's difference makers.

But I do agree: there is simply no comparison between 8 conference wins and 9 conference wins.

When did Carmody have 20 regular season wins? In fact, when did ANY coach have 20 regular season wins? Oh and by the way, he has done it in back to back years, including a year (this year) where most posters predicted we would be fortunate to get an NIT bid given our schedule and losing two top scorers to graduation, nevermind losing Rap and Falzon. I was a Carmody supporter but there is simply no comparison to that for ANY NU basketball coach, imo.

 

[ColumbusCatFan1]

Oh and by the way, he has done it in back to back years, including a year (this year) where most posters predicted we would be fortunate to get an NIT bid given our schedule and losing two top scorers to graduation, nevermind losing Rap and Falzon.

I think we can all agree that BIG has been down the past few seasons, but getting NU to 20 wins this year without Rap and Falzon (and Pardon for several weeks) is pretty darn impressive!

Collins has probably got about all he can out of this group (in regards to preparation). We'll see if it's enough to breakthrough the NCAA ceiling. Just need to keep recruiting at (and eventually beyond) the current level to keep climbing the conference pecking order.

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

That wasn't the argument, Sparky. The argument was that you folks serially exaggerate the newest recruiting class in a given year and rewrite history, as was attempted here with regards to Carmody's recruiting failures/successes.

I'm sorry that Collin's success bothers you so much...

 

[Katatonic]

Still stuck on BC, eh? That ship has sailed...thankfully!!

Still have trouble getting the point I see... (considering that you/willy/walker are the ones who constantly bring up BC negatively by commenting about the coaching...)

Case in point - the Wisconsin win and all the gloating about the coaching...

Yes, it was a nice win, but it's not like the 'Cats haven't had comparable or even better wins before (i.e. - Sparty).

But then let's say it was the coaching; well, the 'Cats have blown 4 games late and lost to pretty mediocre B1G teams in IU and UI (twice).

Well, if coaching is the reason for good wins, shouldn't it also be the reason for late game flops and losing to mediocre teams?

Really, things have gotten so bad, that there have even been jabs at Carmody when the 'Cats pulled off the win against lowly Rutgers do to their foul shooting.

But then poor foul-shooting was part of the problem in the loss to IU, among other games this season.

Like coaching have anything to do w/ foul shooting aside from getting the players to practice them.

As I had stated, things like that is mostly on the players.

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

Still have trouble getting the point I see... (considering that you/willy/walker are the ones who constantly bring up BC negatively by commenting about the coaching...)

Case in point - the Wisconsin win and all the gloating about the coaching...

Yes, it was a nice win, but it's not like the 'Cats haven't had comparable or even better wins before (i.e. - Sparty).

But then let's say it was the coaching; well, the 'Cats have blown 4 games late and lost to pretty mediocre B1G teams in IU and UI (twice).

Well, if coaching is the reason for good wins, shouldn't it also be the reason for late game flops and losing to mediocre teams?

Really, things have gotten so bad, that there have even been jabs at Carmody when the 'Cats pulled off the win against lowly Rutgers do to their foul shooting.

But then poor foul-shooting was part of the problem in the loss to IU, among other games this season.

Like coaching have anything to do w/ foul shooting aside from getting the players to practice them.

As I had stated, things like that is mostly on the players.

You are a sad man...

 

[willycat]

Still have trouble getting the point I see... (considering that you/willy/walker are the ones who constantly bring up BC negatively by commenting about the coaching...)

Case in point - the Wisconsin win and all the gloating about the coaching...

Yes, it was a nice win, but it's not like the 'Cats haven't had comparable or even better wins before (i.e. - Sparty).

But then let's say it was the coaching; well, the 'Cats have blown 4 games late and lost to pretty mediocre B1G teams in IU and UI (twice).

Well, if coaching is the reason for good wins, shouldn't it also be the reason for late game flops and losing to mediocre teams?

Really, things have gotten so bad, that there have even been jabs at Carmody when the 'Cats pulled off the win against lowly Rutgers do to their foul shooting.

But then poor foul-shooting was part of the problem in the loss to IU, among other games this season.

Like coaching have anything to do w/ foul shooting aside from getting the players to practice them.

As I had stated, things like that is mostly on the players.

I have never started a post with any type of reference to Carmody, so stop with that lie. As I have suggested before, you and the other Carmody huggers should just take a trip out east and watch a mediocre Holy Cross team coached by a un-successful mid-major coach.