Seriously??

[7th Cir. Cat]

Flexibility in admissions would certainly help. But we got Saddiq Bey through admissions and I truly beleive that he would have come to NU but for Miller Kopp. We have been really close on some really good players. And we have won some recruiting battles for some good players (Nance, Roper had great offer lists Ty Berry had multiple offers from BIG schools etc.) in fact we beat out Penn State for Casey Simmons. I think we have good, not great, but above average talent, but something is just off; especially in close games.

 

[nickcat4]

People are staying away. That had to be the worst home crowd I’ve seen for a B1G game in my 20 years of season tickets.

Very much agree with 3 and 4. I think Berry made his 4 point play only to get subbed out right after he shot the free throw. When you make a play like this it has a way of creating both individual confidence (getting in the zone) and team momentum. But he subs right out. That was odd to me and we see a lot of that. You leave your hot hand(s) in the game.

4) it was really frustrating to see NU have no clear plan to attack the PSU defense in that long stretch in the second half. Seems like they are just calling “motion” and seeing what came of it. There have got to be some plays and designs to exploit a zone or other mismatches in the game. I’d like to see so much more here. Bardo called out a play where Beran posted his smaller man up in the lane as Nance had pulled his defender (harrah I think) out to the three point line - where Nance clearly has to be defended. What a great way to exploit Beran’s size mismatch while getting the PSU big out of the lane. And Beran scored and got fouled. Not sure if this was a designed play but we needed to see ten more instances of those types of exploited mismatches. Certainly Nance creates mismatches with his ability to drive and shoot versus many bigs.

 

[purplejustice]

it’s the same old song with a different beat over the many years of NU basketball. We are no closer to the promised land. The frustration continues.

 

[NUChicago]

I'd hope there would have been some reporting on it, but it never happened.

Ask me when things get boring in the summer.

Aww come on… This is really interesting. 😀

 

[HawkCat]

Flexibility in admissions would certainly help. But we got Saddiq Bey through admissions and I truly beleive that he would have come to NU but for Miller Kopp. We have been really close on some really good players. And we have won some recruiting battles for some good players (Nance, Roper had great offer lists Ty Berry had multiple offers from BIG schools etc.) in fact we beat out Penn State for Casey Simmons. I think we have good, not great, but above average talent, but something is just off; especially in close games.

IMHO, this team has more talent, top to bottom, than any NU team I can remember. Collins has had nothing but close calls in recruiting elite, difference-making players, so our top-level talent isn't any better than under Carmody. (I still think that guys like Shurna, Crawford, Vukusic and Juice might be the best player on this team if they were still around.) But I think we are quite consistently competent through our top 10 players in the roster. That certainly was not the case under Carmody, when we had to use the Princeton O to cover up some obvious deficiencies in athleticism. Now we always look like we match up well athletically.

To my mind, the problem with Collins teams is more intangible. We play with plenty of energy and effort, but we are prone to playing just great for 10 minutes and then not scoring for 10 minutes. We have no killer instinct when we build a lead; instead, it appears that the players almost know they will blow the lead. We are consistently unclutch. Although I do question the staff's selection of lineups on the floor, it appears to me that they make efforts to address other obvious problems. I don't know that the schemes are bad. It is almost like we need a sports psychologist or something. Collins does not appear capable of transferring to his players the scrappy, clutch abilities he had as a player.

Then again, I might be full of crap. We might just be bad.

 

[GatoLouco]

Admissions or calls for firing CC are legitimate discussion points. But, IMO, not the ones relevant right now:

1) Admissions have nothing to do with being able to win, or not, a decent amount of games with this roster.

2) I am no CC defender, probably most people here have noticed that. But calling for his dismissal 3 B1G games into the season seems a bit premature.

PS-I was accepted, for grad school, at both NU and UC. I still don’t exactly know why I chose NU.

 

[Sec.112]

You know that is not fair. Because it ignores that setting expectations at, say, 6 or 7 wins, is doing the same for folks who think CC is competent. It's setting the bar so low just to prove he is competent.

Other than that, great post. Really good points.

The idea that the expectations need to be raised to balance low expectations is a bit silly.

It's not the setting of expectations that's the problem. I agree expectations have been too low for too long ... loooooong before CC ... or Carmody ... or even KO for that matter.

It's the mega-repeated consequences of not meeting those expectations that's the problem. "If Collins doesn't win 9 games then ..."

And you know it was repeated again and again ... for a purpose.

On the other hand, there's absolutely no one who wrote anything along the lines that if he gets 6 or 7 wins he deserves a contract extension.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

The idea that the expectations need to be raised to balance low expectations is a bit silly.

It's not the setting of expectations that's the problem. I agree expectations have been too low for too long ... loooooong before CC ... or Carmody ... or even KO for that matter.

It's the mega-repeated consequences of not meeting those expectations that's the problem. "If Collins doesn't win 9 games then ..."

And you know it was repeated again and again ... for a purpose.

On the other hand, there's absolutely no one who wrote anything along the lines that if he gets 6 or 7 wins he deserves a contract extension.

It amuses me that certain people on this board think that other people intentionally overstate their optimism in order to make the coach look bad, somehow knowing that the team can never meet those expectations.

Think about the paranoia this suggests.

People went thru the schedule, game by game, and expressed their expectations about which games we should win and lose.

I came up with 9 conference wins as my baseline and said I was hoping for 1 or 2 more.

How is that sinister again?

 

[TheC]

Admissions or calls for firing CC are legitimate discussion points. But, IMO, not the ones relevant right now:

1) Admissions have nothing to do with being able to win, or not, a decent amount of games with this roster.

2) I am no CC defender, probably most people here have noticed that. But calling for his dismissal 3 B1G games into the season seems a bit premature.

PS-I was accepted, for grad school, at both NU and UC. I still don’t exactly know why I chose NU.

Just to clarify, since I'm the one who started this mess, I am not calling for Collins to be fired today. I just think the loss last night makes me believe we will not see many wins again this year leading us to another 12-14th place finish. If that happens, I would think CCC would be on the hot seat.

 

[Jeffrey Cat]

1) Yes, we have the people who went out of the way to set expectations seen only once or twice in the history of NU so they can make their argument.

However, I was pretty surprised at the optimism by some going into conference play based on an INCREDIBLY weak pre-conference schedule.

I think we also saw the poor judgement in NU's talent after the MSU game and an expectation of what this offense can be. There's NO ONE who you can depend on to consistently score on this team. Man, they have some great runs. But I'd also be willing to accept that they haven't been coached how to get a basket in a tough situation. There's any number of reasons. But when you:

a) Can't depend on your top two scorers;
b) One of them doesn't really have that edge to try and takeover a game:
c) Your 7th-10th players (much less your 5th and 6th players) provide very little threat;

That's not a good offense.

2) Does it really matter whether it's the the fault of players or CC? Maybe for message board chatter it matters. But Collins recruits the players. He teaches the players. We see his strong weaknesses in both areas over a long period of time that good fans hope he can overcome.

But in the end, no matter how bad the institutional issues are, the losses fall on Collins. And if the season continues in this direction, I couldn't ignore it if I were Gragg. This is a revenue sport that you need to keep trying to make relevant in a really competitive sports market.

I think our biggest problem is while Buie is a nice shooter and scorer he is not a point guard but a two guard. Our greatest success came when Collins recruited MacIntosh to be the lead guard. He was not only the go to guy in pressure situations but could also distribute the ball to a teammate for an easy basket. Buie is a shooter but not a great distributor of the ball. If you can find a point guard in addition to Greer in these freshmen guards we may have something after all. Maybe Chase Audige, who knows.

 

[IdahoAlum]

In my mind the debate over Collins’ job security is largely superfluous at this point. If NU falls into another extended losing streak — and with the upcoming schedule, most odds makers probably are predicting such a streak — the NU administration is soon going to have no choice in the matter. The arena will be empty and it will become impossible for Collins to recruit. The Brumbaugh statement about playing for a “winning program” is a good preview of what to expect from potential recruits.

I’m not calling for a firing because frankly I don’t know if there is anybody else out there who could do better, but it’s probably going to have to happen to halt the downward momentum the program is experiencing right now.

I don’t know what Collins’ contract looks like, but I have to think the downward trajectory of the program is getting close to overwhelming the buyout costs.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

So it is unreasonable to have your starters in at the most critical time? That makes no sense unless you are starting the incorrect players.

who should have been it at that time? I saw a bench that did next to nothing.

As you know, I think Young should be starting and Beran coming off the bench.
It is foolish to have Young on the bench in crunch time.
Two other guys who merit playing time at the end of close games are Ryan Greer and Elyjah Williams.

Casey Simmons played poorly yesterday and I would not use him in crunch time. (we didn't).

The point is that whatever Collins does seems to blow up in his face.

Nance, Young, Buie, Berry and Audige had a nice 6-0 run to close out the first half.
That group never played together after that.
I also like
Nance, Young, Buie, Greer and Audige, especially in crunch time.
That group didnt play together the entire game.
In fact that lineup hasn't played together at all in 3 games against Power 5 opponents.

Having said that, it seems like Robbie Beran is playing better the last couple of games... maybe it is time to re-visit Young, Nance and Beran all on the court together.

 

[7th Cir. Cat]

I think our biggest problem is while Buie is a nice shooter and scorer he is not a point guard but a two guard. Our greatest success came when Collins recruited MacIntosh to be the lead guard. He was not only the go to guy in pressure situations but could also distribute the ball to a teammate for an easy basket. Buie is a shooter but not a great distributor of the ball. If you can find a point guard in addition to Greer in these freshmen guards we may have something after all. Maybe Chase Audige, who knows.

Buie had 22pts and 8 assists last night and carried our offense for large stretches in the first half; he was not the problem last night (I don't know what was). And don't forget that McIntosh was the PG for that disatarous season after the tourney.

 

[phatcat]

I’d agree with you if games like today, with offensive meltdowns exactly like today, haven’t been a hallmark of CC’s tenure for.. well nearly the entire tenure.

Eventually, it’s just, like, it’s his fault.

As I said on the football board, I prefer to hold the multi-millionaire accountable vs the kids. He recruits, develops and directs the team. It's on him (and staff). Players change, coach stays the same, performance stays the same. It's the coaching.

 

[GatoLouco]

The idea that the expectations need to be raised to balance low expectations is a bit silly.

It's not the setting of expectations that's the problem. I agree expectations have been too low for too long ... loooooong before CC ... or Carmody ... or even KO for that matter.

It's the mega-repeated consequences of not meeting those expectations that's the problem. "If Collins doesn't win 9 games then ..."

And you know it was repeated again and again ... for a purpose.

On the other hand, there's absolutely no one who wrote anything along the lines that if he gets 6 or 7 wins he deserves a contract extension.

I broke down where, in the schedule, I thought wins would come from. And that lead me to 11 wins. 9 wins was the bare minimum I thought acceptable.

You need to have objectives. Same way organizations need to have a budget. Then you need to be evaluated against the objective. Is it set in stone 9 wins or else? Pretty much depends on external factors, previous years performance, etc. Personally I’d think not winning 9 games with this roster is a sign one can’t coach.

 

[SDakaGordie]

Gato’s point is well-taken; you must measure against expectations. PhatCat’s is not in that regard. Every coach is well paid. Do we really expect Collins to do a LOT better than being as good a coach (W/L record) or better (having led us to the Dance) as any so far in NU history? I continue to hope for more success (and lost sleep last night over that game), but relative to at least how I see how NU’s past and current situation informs our expectations, he’s not doing poorly. That being said, if media sentiment continues to say otherwise, a decent coach can be viewed unrightfully as a failure and be gone.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

Gato’s point is well-taken; you must measure against expectations. PhatCat’s is not in that regard. Every coach is well paid. Do we really expect Collins to do a LOT better than being as good a coach (W/L record) or better (having led us to the Dance) as any so far in NU history? I continue to hope for more success (and lost sleep last night over that game), but relative to at least how I see how NU’s past and current situation informs our expectations, he’s not doing poorly. That being said, if media sentiment continues to say otherwise, a decent coach can be viewed unrightfully as a failure and be gone.

Sorry you lost sleep. I was at the game. I was disappointed in what I saw, but didnt lose sleep.

Here's the thing about Collins. A good coach will do things with his team that seem odd or creative or risky and sometimes they pull victory from the jaws of defeat.

I cannot think of one instance in the last two seasons where Collins did something during a game that surprised me in a positive way.

My memory isn't great, but still... it just doesn't seem to happen.

 

[FeralFelidae]

As you know, I think Young should be starting and Beran coming off the bench.
It is foolish to have Young on the bench in crunch time.
Two other guys who merit playing time at the end of close games are Ryan Greer and Elyjah Williams.

Casey Simmons played poorly yesterday and I would not use him in crunch time. (we didn't).

The point is that whatever Collins does seems to blow up in his face.

Nance, Young, Buie, Berry and Audige had a nice 6-0 run to close out the first half.
That group never played together after that.
I also like
Nance, Young, Buie, Greer and Audige, especially in crunch time.
That group didnt play together the entire game.
In fact that lineup hasn't played together at all in 3 games against Power 5 opponents.

Having said that, it seems like Robbie Beran is playing better the last couple of games... maybe it is time to re-visit Young, Nance and Beran all on the court together.

It boggles my mind why Young is used the way he is.

 

[7th Cir. Cat]

Gato’s point is well-taken; you must measure against expectations. PhatCat’s is not in that regard. Every coach is well paid. Do we really expect Collins to do a LOT better than being as good a coach (W/L record) or better (having led us to the Dance) as any so far in NU history? I continue to hope for more success (and lost sleep last night over that game), but relative to at least how I see how NU’s past and current situation informs our expectations, he’s not doing poorly. That being said, if media sentiment continues to say otherwise, a decent coach can be viewed unrightfully as a failure and be gone.

"he's not doing poorly" This -- in my opinion --- is part of the problem. Our expectations are so damn low. CC may end up having two winning seasons in 10 years and not even be on the hot seat! That's bonkers. But there are some who could (rightfully) argue that he's the best guy for the job because of the talent we have on the roster given the institutional constraints. Coach of NU is such a crazy and singular situation, I don't even know where I stand anymore.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

Gato’s point is well-taken; you must measure against expectations. PhatCat’s is not in that regard. Every coach is well paid. Do we really expect Collins to do a LOT better than being as good a coach (W/L record) or better (having led us to the Dance) as any so far in NU history? I continue to hope for more success (and lost sleep last night over that game), but relative to at least how I see how NU’s past and current situation informs our expectations, he’s not doing poorly. That being said, if media sentiment continues to say otherwise, a decent coach can be viewed unrightfully as a failure and be gone.

Since he took Carmody's roster to the tourney, he's done worse than Carmody's final years that got him canned. THere's no reason NU can't make the NCAA tournament twice a decade, it isn't that damn hard. We're not asking for a lot here.

I don't have anything against him, but we keep having the same downfalls year after year, and unless something crazy happens this year it just feels like he's run his course with us.

 

[SDakaGordie]

Sorry you lost sleep. I was at the game. I was disappointed in what I saw, but didnt lose sleep.

Here's the thing about Collins. A good coach will do things with his team that seem odd or creative or risky and sometimes they pull victory from the jaws of defeat.

I cannot think of one instance in the last two seasons where Collins did something during a game that surprised me in a positive way.

My memory isn't great, but still... it just doesn't seem to happen.

Thanks for the kind words.

Except for strategic timeouts and one-play sets (which I think Collins does fine on generally), coaches do not pull games from the jaws of defeat, players do. I can’t remember (maybe due to bad memory) being that surprised by coaches in other games I watch. Penn State’s players certainly did the work last night; there were no special sets that I recall. Ends of games are normally won by players. Most games are just placed in the hands of the point guard and they determine the outcome. Kemba Walker, for example.

 

[SDakaGordie]

Since he took Carmody's roster to the tourney, he's done worse than Carmody's final years that got him canned. THere's no reason NU can't make the NCAA tournament twice a decade, it isn't that damn hard. We're not asking for a lot here.

I don't have anything against him, but we keep having the same downfalls year after year, and unless something crazy happens this year it just feels like he's run his course with us.

Taphorn and Sanjay - that was it from Carmody. I give him credit, not blame, for integrating players he did not recruit. They were not superstars.

Twice a decade vs. once in 70+ years? Seems like mismatched expectations to me.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

Taphorn and Sanjay - that was it from Carmody. I give him credit, not blame, for integrating players he did not recruit. They were not superstars.

Twice a decade vs. once in 70+ years? Seems like mismatched expectations to me.

Did you support the firing of Carmody or did you want them to keep him around? Fairly similar decision at the time.

 

[IGNORE2]

Just to clarify, since I'm the one who started this mess, I am not calling for Collins to be fired today. I just think the loss last night makes me believe we will not see many wins again this year leading us to another 12-14th place finish. If that happens, I would think CCC would be on the hot seat.

I would fire today. Recruiting is already screwed. So might be the best time. Get a new coach so he can evaluate and try to keep players that wants from leaving. Would be a perfect time.

 

[GatoLouco]

It boggles my mind why Young is used the way he is.

I was so happy when Harrar and Nance came back for the last 3 minutes or so of the 1st half and CC left Young in. Harrar had hurt us before Young started guarding him and forced a couple of charges in the process. We closed on a 6-0 run. I thought we were going to see more of Young with our starters and not just with the benchers in the 2nd half. At least to close the game.

But it appears that was not the case. Just like it wasn’t against MSU when Young only came in to close the game because Nance fouled out.

 

[go cats go]

I was in the Game Thread last night and abandoned ship when it became clear we were going to lose. I felt the same way everyone else here. Having given it a day, I still think we might be a pretty good team this year. We're going to be entertaining and win some games--and lose some games in agonizing fashion, too.

I genuinely do think that Penn State made some incredible shots and that we caught some bad breaks. It sucks to lose. But I don't feel like the sky is falling or that this is the tipping point for Collins.

 

[GatoLouco]

I would fire today. Recruiting is already screwed. So might be the best time. Get a new coach so he can evaluate and try to keep players that wants from leaving. Would be a perfect time.

That’s a good point. From a perspective of not seeing everyone enter the portal, the earlier the better. For sure. But I still hold out hope I am an idiot and that he’s competent after all.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

I was so happy when Harrar and Nance came back for the last 3 minutes or so of the 1st half and CC left Young in. Harrar had hurt us before Young started guarding him and forced a couple of charges in the process. We closed on a 6-0 run. I thought we were going to see more of Young with our starters and not just with the benchers in the 2nd half. At least to close the game.

But it appears that was not the case. Just like it wasn’t against MSU when Young only came in to close the game because Nance fouled out.

Xfinity may have done you a favor by wiping out your ability to view the 2nd half. Our ineptitude on offense may have driven you nuts. Playing Nance and Young at the same time is not helpful (on offense) if they are both going to be setting screens 20 feet from the basket.....

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

I would fire today. Recruiting is already screwed. So might be the best time. Get a new coach so he can evaluate and try to keep players that wants from leaving. Would be a perfect time.

Now there’s a plan. Bunch of Capable Coaches out there in the unemployment line right now ready to take over mid season!

 

[SDakaGordie]

Did you support the firing of Carmody or did you want them to keep him around? Fairly similar decision at the time.

It was a year or so before I would have done it, as I recall. But, I always thought Carmody’s teams had a low ceiling. We just weren’t athletic enough. So, firing him did make sense without noticeable progression. I do (getting closer to did) think Collins’ ceiling was higher, given his recruiting prowess over Carmody. But, that’s been getting tested of late, to say the least.

 

[freewillie07]

Thanks for the kind words.

Except for strategic timeouts and one-play sets (which I think Collins does fine on generally), coaches do not pull games from the jaws of defeat, players do. I can’t remember (maybe due to bad memory) being that surprised by coaches in other games I watch. Penn State’s players certainly did the work last night; there were no special sets that I recall. Ends of games are normally won by players. Most games are just placed in the hands of the point guard and they determine the outcome. Kemba Walker, for example.

Totally agree with this. There's only a certain amount that coaching can do in late-game situations when you need a clutch shot. Ultimately, guys need to make shots (Nance's FT with the game tied, for example).

It's one of the many reasons that CCC's close losses in recruiting battles have been so particularly painful. It just takes a few guys with swagger to make a huge difference (especially relative to football).

I don't know what the answer is to averting these brutal losses. But let's not forget that NU held a 53-44 lead against Maryland with 8 minutes to play, the Terrapins cut it to 55-54 with 4:32 to go, and NU pulled it out with some clutch baskets from Audige and Nance. Not all that different from last night. They don't always falter.

 

[Sec.112]

In my mind the debate over Collins’ job security is largely superfluous at this point. If NU falls into another extended losing streak — and with the upcoming schedule, most odds makers probably are predicting such a streak — the NU administration is soon going to have no choice in the matter.

I’m not calling for a firing because frankly I don’t know if there is anybody else out there who could do better,

This is one of the comments most based in reality here. I also don't know why people were going apeshit on CC before the season. There's a pretty clear trajectory here. Unfortunately the direction has continued so far this year.

However, I'm stupid enough to believe there's GOT to be a couple guys out there who can do this. The more knowledgeable among us know the chances, but I'm silly enough to hold onto that desperate hope.

Anyhow, It's still early in the season. I hope for all of us as well as as the players and the staff they can consistently put together 40 minutes.

 

[IGNORE2]

Now there’s a plan. Bunch of Capable Coaches out there in the unemployment line right now ready to take over mid season!

At least one incompetent one fully employed.

You love to take cheap shots. Do you have any ideas to share beyond the ole trust in CCC and PF? Or do you not really care beyond clean program, graduation rates, spend like you belong?

 

[IGNORE2]

It was a year or so before I would have done it, as I recall. But, I always thought Carmody’s teams had a low ceiling. We just weren’t athletic enough. So, firing him did make sense without noticeable progression. I do (getting closer to did) think Collins’ ceiling was higher, given his recruiting prowess over Carmody. But, that’s been getting tested of late, to say the least.

I was opposite. A year or two earlier. I thought the timing was suspect. Wasn’t the year I would have chosen.

 

[IGNORE2]

Hey - know what nobody has responded to? Anyone think there are coaches that would have produced better results even with the same team? Know why? Cuz the answer is to obvious and a condemnation of CCC.

Not to worry. Found the Achilles heel. I’ll keep hammering the question home. PPD

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Hey - know what nobody has responded to? Anyone think there are coaches that would have produced better results even with the same team? Know why? Cuz the answer is to obvious and a condemnation of CCC.

Not to worry. Found the Achilles heel. I’ll keep hammering the question home. PPD

Good for you Bob. I answered the question on the Rock. You repeat your same drivel on all 3 boards, so excuse me for not caring to respond 3 times.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

At least one incompetent one fully employed.

You love to take cheap shots. Do you have any ideas to share beyond the ole trust in CCC and PF? Or do you not really care beyond clean program, graduation rates, spend like you belong?

Wants wrong Bob, somebody doesn’t like when a Klique” member doesn’t play nice in the sand box either. You start shit with every poster that challenges you. Tired of fighting CSC, Corbi, and GCG? There is a reason you were put in the corner for a time out and not me. I better up my games with cheap shots.

Again, you either can’t remember posters positions or you intentionally try to keep your narrative alive by baiting people to restate positions over and over so you can continue the attacks. I would of thought you were just a dope that can’t remember yesterday, but I’ve met you and know you are an attorney, so I’ll err on the side of antagonistic troll.

Speaking of troll, you know for a fact that I haven’t and don’t support all NU Coaches retaining their employment. You also are fully aware that I have not used the Ole trust CCC and Fitz line, but keep putting words in my mouth. Yes, I am obviously far more supportive of CCC than most on this board. I have been vocal that stating my opinion that the problems are deeper than CCC. I have also stated multiple times that I don't believe changing the HC alone will solve all of the ills of NU sports. I’ve limited saying this because posters get tired of reading the same thoughts from the same posters over and over.

It’s Friday Bob, be happy. I’ll wait to be blasted around midnight after you’ve had a few Crowns. Had to end on a cheap shot.

 

[7th Cir. Cat]

We all know the answer to that question. Of course Izzo or Matt Painter would have better results with this roster. But they would never come here.

To me, the more interesting hypothetical is how would we be doing with a coach who would have actually come to NU last summer if the job was open. I think Porter Moser would have taken the NU job. After a great run at Loyola he has Oklahoma at 11-3. The NU administration, however chose to stand pat after last year’s disappointing year.

That was not a bad choice per se, but if CC flames out and Porter’s star continues to rise, we will be kicking ourselves in hindsight. There are not too many proven winners with Final Four experience as a head coach for whom NU would be a “step up” not to mention the ties to Chicago and the North Shore.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

I broke down where, in the schedule, I thought wins would come from. And that lead me to 11 wins. 9 wins was the bare minimum I thought acceptable.

You need to have objectives. Same way organizations need to have a budget. Then you need to be evaluated against the objective. Is it set in stone 9 wins or else? Pretty much depends on external factors, previous years performance, etc. Personally I’d think not winning 9 games with this roster is a sign one can’t coach.

Yes, I believe their always should be goals/standards. A minimum standard, a realistic standard, and a stretch goal. Ultimately, how CCC or any Coach does versus those goals dictate whether he keeps his job and what is compensation is. Just like any other business. Who knows what those goals are? Personally, I believe the goals should be laid out in a 3-5 year plan. You can adjust if necessary, but this is the year where there should be an uptick in expectations on the Win side. It remains to be seen if we’ll see it. It seems unlikely, especially staring down the barrel of a losing streak. At NU, nothing would surprise me, but I would suspect many are related to performance off the court too. If they want to try someone else assuming the goal is missed, that would make sense.

we all put our goals up on what we expected based on the returning talent or lack there of. If you said 6, you were accused of protecting a narrative. If you said 12, same thing. It reminds me of the political state of this country. At the end of the day, it only matters what the AD and President think as far as achievement.

 

[NUCat320]

To me, the more interesting hypothetical is how would we be doing with a coach who would have actually come to NU last summer if the job was open. I think Porter Moser would have taken the NU job. After a great run at Loyola he has Oklahoma at 11-3. The NU administration, however chose to stand pat after last year’s disappointing year.

When NU could have been assessing the basketball coach situation, they were instead spending five months pretending to search for a candidate before announcing Mike Polisky.

Chances are, any new AD wouldn’t have been able to make that call (and, realistically, probably would have taken over in May anyway).

Oh well.