Does anyone have the courage to come up with an argument on how next year is better?

[IthacaMatt]

And it sounds like most posters expected more too. His rebounding numbers are great, 9.3 a game, over 2 rebounds more a game than his best previous year. He stepped up his rebounding with Freeman out of the lineup too and stays out of foul trouble. His scoring, 10 pts per game, is consistent with his previous year, of 10.6 points . He’s second on the team for assists on a team not known for cutting to the basket. Who was our last center to equal almost double digit scoring and rebounding? He’s not a rim protector but he never was, his help defense isn’t great but Eddie isn’t the main cause of this team’s issues.

Eddie has turned out to be a poor man's Rick Jackson. I agree, he's far from the worst of our problems.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

We play competitively to the worst teams on our schedule, and struggle in many of those games but generally seem to find a way to win [the recent BC game is a good example of this].

And we don't seem to be capable of punching above our weight against better quality opponents. When we play anyone better, we don't just struggle, we often get blown out and play non-competitively.

Still haven't beaten a good team. Or even an average ACC team. And yeah the wins have been ugly.

I can accept this isn't the off-season to go coach shopping and Carmelo Anthony has pull/influence we might as well respect. What's another 12 months honestly we suck that badly rn.

The improvement we need from Autry is monumental though. Maybe going to these depths is something he can use who knows he was competent last year at least.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Those blowouts show a poorly constructed roster that is not bought in to me.

The games like BC, ND, and 1-2 point wins to really bad non-con teams ie Lemoyne are the bigger problem in my opinion.

That highlights the coaching problem because they are just not able to put down much less talented teams.

That can partly explain the blowouts this season.

But we have two seasons with Red and a lot of blowout losses.

The roster construction argument is less strong for last season.

Thus... I submit that the blowouts primarily indicate coaching issues.

 

[Red2003]

That can partly explain the blowouts last season.

But we have two seasons with Red and a lot of blowout losses.

The roster construction argument is less strong for last season.

Thus... I submit that the blowouts primarily indicate coaching issues.

Probably right. That back court was a nightmare last year.

 

[RF2044]

Still haven't beaten a good team. Or even an average ACC team. And yeah the wins have been ugly.

I can accept this isn't the off-season to go coach shopping and Carmelo Anthony has pull/influence we might as well respect. What's another 12 months honestly we suck that badly rn.

The improvement we need from Autry is monumental though. Maybe going to these depths is something he can use who knows he was competent last year at least.

Red had a decent first year, but inherited just about every principal player except for JJ. Players like Mintz / Brown were very, very good. Bell had a pretty good season [and a great season shooting the ball from deep]. Copeland provided good depth, and had some big games.

This year, all of those guys except for Bell are gone. This year is basically Red's roster, and they aren't as good. Seems similar to what happened with Hopkins at UW, once Romar's players moved on and the team's performance slipped.

 

[djcon57]

Eddie might be the worst of our problems to some.

But his defense is still a major, major problem. You can ignore it all you want, but he's part of the issue on D.

 

[MikeSU02]

If we assume a good year = making the NCAAT, I hope people realize just how far we are from making it this year. And I know everyone knows we are bad, but just for perspective:

We are 146 NET right now after that win.

The five teams ranked ahead of us in NET are: App St, Miami (OH), Cornell, UC-Santa Barbara, Loyala Chicago. Five teams worse than us: College of Charleston, LMU, JMU, Wichita St, UC-Riverside. And if you hate the NET, we're 122 in KP.

I've already seen people over-evaluating Kiyan and Sadiq. I hope Luke is good. But... We're in a spot where we need a lot of help. Even if all the guys that we could hope to return, returned, they are incredibly repetitive in terms of position.

I'm not saying we won't be better than this year (low bar), but the lengths we need to go to improve on talent at PG and Center is still in our face and the coaching has to get much much better.

Hope it happens.

 

[LAorange44]

If we assume a good year = making the NCAAT, I hope people realize just how far we are from making it this year. And I know everyone knows we are bad, but just for perspective:

We are 146 NET right now after that win.

The five teams ranked ahead of us in NET are: App St, Miami (OH), Cornell, UC-Santa Barbara, Loyala Chicago. Five teams worse than us: College of Charleston, LMU, JMU, Wichita St, UC-Riverside. And if you hate the NET, we're 122 in KP.

I've already seen people over-evaluating Kiyan and Sadiq. I hope Luke is good. But... We're in a spot where we need a lot of help. Even if all the guys that we could hope to return, returned, they are incredibly repetitive in terms of position.

I'm not saying we won't be better than this year (low bar), but the lengths we need to go to improve on talent at PG and Center is still in our face and the coaching has to get much much better.

Hope it happens.

Good take. We don’t have any elite players and we usually have two. Our best hope is Doonie and JJ making the jump from solid to elite. JJ would need to become Michael Gbinije good over the summer. He’s improved but still needs to make a big jump to elite. I don’t think the portal will be inundated with elite players whose NIL deals align with our poverty collective and economically challenged area.

 

[RF2044]

If we assume a good year = making the NCAAT, I hope people realize just how far we are from making it this year. And I know everyone knows we are bad, but just for perspective:

We are 146 NET right now after that win.

The five teams ranked ahead of us in NET are: App St, Miami (OH), Cornell, UC-Santa Barbara, Loyala Chicago. Five teams worse than us: College of Charleston, LMU, JMU, Wichita St, UC-Riverside. And if you hate the NET, we're 122 in KP.

I've already seen people over-evaluating Kiyan and Sadiq. I hope Luke is good. But... We're in a spot where we need a lot of help. Even if all the guys that we could hope to return, returned, they are incredibly repetitive in terms of position.

I'm not saying we won't be better than this year (low bar), but the lengths we need to go to improve on talent at PG and Center is still in our face and the coaching has to get much much better.

Hope it happens.

Good data.

Let's just assume that we are going to miss the NCAAT this year. Yes, I know that it is POSSIBLE for us to make it, like NC State did last year by winning the ACCT. But setting aside the Lloyd Christmas "...so you're saying there's a chance..." outcome, we'll be missing the NCAAT for the fourth year in a row.

Which means -- to me, anyway -- that for Red to get a fourth season, he'd have to reverse that slide next year and make the tourney. If we miss again for a FIFTH year, I don't see any way a coaching change isn't made.

To suggest that next year is make-or-break is an understatement, IMO. The problem with that is that:

• We're losing five seniors, all of whom factor into this year's rotation [I'm including McLeod here, since he's gotten more PT lately and looks positioned to play consistently moving forward, given that he's produced, after being out of the rotation most of the year].

• We could also lose other guys in the rotation -- I saw a thread over the weekend suggesting that Donnie's camp might be looking around. What about JJ? Cuffe? Bell?

• Contrary to what some might believe, neither Anthony nor White are program-changing type of talents. Great recruits, sure, but not guys that can put teams on their backs in all likelihood. And while I love the potential of a guy like Womack, he is probably a year away from being a contributor.

• Outside of Petar, as of right now we don't have any players capable of playing center.

• As of right now, the only guy projected on next year's roster as a true PG is Fennell. JJ could play here some, as could Cuffe, but neither of those guys are legitimate PGs.

So, we're going to have lots of roster turnover / attrition / change, in a pivotal year both for the program and for our floundering head coach. Not a great situation in a do or die kind of year.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

Eddie might be the worst of our problems to some.

But his defense is still a major, major problem. You can ignore it all you want, but he's part of the issue on D.

JJ is similarly awful defensively as well.

This team was always gonna suck. This badly no it's mid level ACC talent but everyone knew that booting our defensive players for offense/stat only guys was a recipe for disaster.

The fact Red did that and then made us watch Carlos get abused first half of the season for 38 mins per game is outrageous.

We'll see maybe the transfers next year are OK will be good to see Carmelo and Kiyan in the Dome. I think the AD will take the next hire seriously after what we probably have to sit through next season and hopefully Georgetown Kent is gone by then.

 

[kingtidge]

To suggest that next year is make-or-break is an understatement...

What if it's not make-or-break at all and that the plan from the get-go was to give Red 4 years regardless of performance??

I mean, it sounds like we gave him a 5-year contract with no underperformance discounted buyout clause ( if what the ITKs round here say is true.) If true, how or why we would do that for a 1st-time HC is absolutely baffling, to put it lightly.

Also, we had our HOF ex-coach and athletic department employee basically say last week that if he he's not getting it done after 4 years, then conversations will occur... which is how we do it at Syracuse.

Now that may not be what many want to hear, and I don't think it should be that way, but I have to say, I believe him.

I do not think JB's interview was a case of "JB just says things" either... I think it was a coordinated message from the AD's office to let people know Red is getting 4 years so get used to it. That is just my gut, I could be wrong.

 

[AcAndAc]

I just think of practice. Carlos running the point is a non threat, 5 foot nothing dribbling around. Cuffe driving into the abyss with no plan. Moore is a freshman. JJ is JJ. Bell is a one trick pony.

So when they’re scrimmaging in practice that must be a mess and I can’t believe they’re learning anything. Sure they’re not being taught anything but the talent theyre up against in practice is a problem too. It’s all excuses I know but I just want to see a real defense next year.

If Autry gives us a defense next year early on I’ll give him some props but if there’s no defense we might as well all jump over to the coaching replacement thread in November.

Such as, when GERG was our football coach, he so ruined our offense that our defense never got to be prepped for a real opponent.

Good data.

Let's just assume that we are going to miss the NCAAT this year. Yes, I know that it is POSSIBLE for us to make it, like NC State did last year by winning the ACCT. But setting aside the Lloyd Christmas "...so you're saying there's a chance..." outcome, we'll be missing the NCAAT for the fourth year in a row.

Which means -- to me, anyway -- that for Red to get a fourth season, he'd have to reverse that slide next year and make the tourney. If we miss again for a FIFTH year, I don't see any way a coaching change isn't made.

To suggest that next year is make-or-break is an understatement, IMO. The problem with that is that:

• We're losing five seniors, all of whom factor into this year's rotation [I'm including McLeod here, since he's gotten more PT lately and looks positioned to play consistently moving forward, given that he's produced, after being out of the rotation most of the year].
• We could also lose other guys in the rotation -- I saw a thread over the weekend suggesting that Donnie's camp might be looking around. What about JJ? Cuffe? Bell?
• Contrary to what some might believe, neither Anthony nor White are program-changing type of talents. Great recruits, sure, but not guys that can put teams on their backs in all likelihood. And while I love the potential of a guy like Womack, he is probably a year away from being a contributor.
• Outside of Petar, as of right now we don't have any players capable of playing center.
• As of right now, the only guy projected on next year's roster as a true PG is Fennell. JJ could play here some, as could Cuffe, but neither of those guys are legitimate PGs.

So, we're going to have lots of roster turnover / attrition / change, in a pivotal year both for the program and for our floundering head coach. Not a great situation in a do or die kind of year.

I get that the younger Melo is not the recruit his Dad was... but we also brought in GMac that year... a 4 star. #38 according to one list on ESPN. Do we win the title without him? Did it take him long to make a difference? Did he help make us better? So, while not everyone is a top 5 recruit, not everyone that is not a top 5 recruit needs a long time to make a difference either. And you are welcome for the quintuple negative in that last sentence...

 

[OttoinGrotto]

If we assume a good year = making the NCAAT, I hope people realize just how far we are from making it this year. And I know everyone knows we are bad, but just for perspective:

We are 146 NET right now after that win.

The five teams ranked ahead of us in NET are: App St, Miami (OH), Cornell, UC-Santa Barbara, Loyala Chicago. Five teams worse than us: College of Charleston, LMU, JMU, Wichita St, UC-Riverside. And if you hate the NET, we're 122 in KP.

I've already seen people over-evaluating Kiyan and Sadiq. I hope Luke is good. But... We're in a spot where we need a lot of help. Even if all the guys that we could hope to return, returned, they are incredibly repetitive in terms of position.

I'm not saying we won't be better than this year (low bar), but the lengths we need to go to improve on talent at PG and Center is still in our face and the coaching has to get much much better.

Hope it happens.

Nice post, good data.

Nerdy as Hell, but, it takes all kind.

 

[MikeSU02]

Good data.

Let's just assume that we are going to miss the NCAAT this year. Yes, I know that it is POSSIBLE for us to make it, like NC State did last year by winning the ACCT. But setting aside the Lloyd Christmas "...so you're saying there's a chance..." outcome, we'll be missing the NCAAT for the fourth year in a row.

Which means -- to me, anyway -- that for Red to get a fourth season, he'd have to reverse that slide next year and make the tourney. If we miss again for a FIFTH year, I don't see any way a coaching change isn't made.

To suggest that next year is make-or-break is an understatement, IMO. The problem with that is that:

• We're losing five seniors, all of whom factor into this year's rotation [I'm including McLeod here, since he's gotten more PT lately and looks positioned to play consistently moving forward, given that he's produced, after being out of the rotation most of the year].
• We could also lose other guys in the rotation -- I saw a thread over the weekend suggesting that Donnie's camp might be looking around. What about JJ? Cuffe? Bell?
• Contrary to what some might believe, neither Anthony nor White are program-changing type of talents. Great recruits, sure, but not guys that can put teams on their backs in all likelihood. And while I love the potential of a guy like Womack, he is probably a year away from being a contributor.
• Outside of Petar, as of right now we don't have any players capable of playing center.
• As of right now, the only guy projected on next year's roster as a true PG is Fennell. JJ could play here some, as could Cuffe, but neither of those guys are legitimate PGs.

So, we're going to have lots of roster turnover / attrition / change, in a pivotal year both for the program and for our floundering head coach. Not a great situation in a do or die kind of year.

Agreed -- we are, at best, in a situation where should have some coverage from the off guard to big forward, but the depth will be in question til the roster is finalized. And I mean this only on the O end. Especially if we are starting both Kiyan and Sadiq.

The coaching issue is also hanging over our heads and just general style of play. Regardless of whether Red wants to play fast or not, we need to have a heartbeat from three. Right now, assuming Sports Reference is correct, we are 317th in 3PTM/g, 296th in 3PTA/g and 299th in 3PT%. I get not shooting a lot of threes this year if we can't shoot threes, but there has to be a pivot to taking and making more threes for next year. And, the thing is, we aren't even efficient at 2s this year: we are top 40 in both 2TPM/g and 2PTA/g, but we are 178th in 2PT%!

And, all of this is outside of the defensive issues which are so strikingly prevelant this year, they in and of themselves would prohibit a team from making an NCAAT.

And, as always, other teams are trying to get better as well. This year the ACC is atrocious but could absolutely have improvement outside of us next year and we're just the same.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Agreed -- we are, at best, in a situation where should have some coverage from the off guard to big forward, but the depth will be in question til the roster is finalized. And I mean this only on the O end. Especially if we are starting both Kiyan and Sadiq.

The coaching issue is also hanging over our heads and just general style of play. Regardless of whether Red wants to play fast or not, we need to have a heartbeat from three. Right now, assuming Sports Reference is correct, we are 317th in 3PTM/g, 296th in 3PTA/g and 299th in 3PT%. I get not shooting a lot of threes this year if we can't shoot threes, but there has to be a pivot to taking and making more threes for next year. And, the thing is, we aren't even efficient at 2s this year: we are top 40 in both 2TPM/g and 2PTA/g, but we are 178th in 2PT%!

And, all of this is outside of the defensive issues which are so strikingly prevelant this year, they in and of themselves would prohibit a team from making an NCAAT.

And, as always, other teams are trying to get better as well. This year the ACC is atrocious but could absolutely have improvement outside of us next year and we're just the same.

Yeah, the conference performance is an interesting factor.

 

[RF2044]

What if it's not make-or-break at all and that the plan from the get-go was to give Red 4 years regardless of performance??

I mean, it sounds like we gave him a 5-year contract with no underperformance discounted buyout clause ( if what the ITKs round here say is true.) If true, how or why we would do that for a 1st-time HC is absolutely baffling, to put it lightly.

Also, we had our HOF ex-coach and athletic department employee basically say last week that if he he's not getting it done after 4 years, then conversations will occur... which is how we do it at Syracuse.

Now that may not be what many want to hear, and I don't think it should be that way, but I have to say, I believe him.

I do not think JB's interview was a case of "JB just says things" either... I think it was a coordinated message from the AD's office to let people know Red is getting 4 years so get used to it. That is just my gut, I could be wrong.

It 100% was JB saying stuff.

I will be more definitive: if Red doesn't make the tournament this year or next, he's gone. Imagine what attendance will be like NEXT year alone, let alone if we have another year where the program flounders. Again.

This is a performance-driven profession. When you fail to perform, and show significant gaps in your capabilities relative to what is required to be successful, then you don't get to coach forever in perpetuity.

I think [barring an epic, catastrophic collapse this year] Red was always going to get a third year. A fourth? That will be predicated upon results, or lack thereof.

 

[RF2044]

Such as, when GERG was our football coach, he so ruined our offense that our defense never got to be prepped for a real opponent.

I get that the younger Melo is not the recruit his Dad was... but we also brought in GMac that year... a 4 star. #38 according to one list on ESPN. Do we win the title without him? Did it take him long to make a difference? Did he help make us better? So, while not everyone is a top 5 recruit, not everyone that is not a top 5 recruit needs a long time to make a difference either. And you are welcome for the quintuple negative in that last sentence...

GMac was added to a quality nucleus of sophomores in Warrick / Forth / Pace [and senior Duany]. And Melo was a superior recruit who took that mix to the next level.

I can get behind the notion that you can have outstanding results without having a team of elite recruits.

But you have to have either a strong offensive / defensive concept, or superior talent, to excel. And right now, we have neither.

 

[kingtidge]

It 100% was JB saying stuff.

I will be more definitive: if Red doesn't make the tournament this year or next, he's gone. Imagine what attendance will be like NEXT year alone, let alone if we have another year where the program flounders. Again.

This is a performance-driven profession. When you fail to perform, and show significant gaps in your capabilities relative to what is required to be successful, then you don't get to coach forever in perpetuity.

I think [barring an epic, catastrophic collapse this year] Red was always going to get a third year. A fourth? That will be predicated upon results, or lack thereof.

I am not disagreeing with you on what should happen.

All I am saying is what should happen and what will happen are two different things.

The Donger is on record here with his sources saying year 3 AND 4 are guaranteed for Red, hence why I don't think JB was just saying stuff.

But agreed that if season tix renewals crater and the dome is drawing 5-8K actual attendances consistently on home games next year, never say never. You can't stick with a big "Red in the Red" revenue deficit like that. But deficit maths is the only out I think.

 

[FloridaCuse]

GMac was added to a quality nucleus of sophomores in Warrick / Forth / Pace [and senior Duany]. And Melo was a superior recruit who took that mix to the next level.

I can get behind the notion that you can have outstanding results without having a team of elite recruits.

But you have to have either a strong offensive / defensive concept, or superior talent, to excel. And right now, we have neither.

You also might need good coaching.

 

[sufan59]

If we assume a good year = making the NCAAT, I hope people realize just how far we are from making it this year. And I know everyone knows we are bad, but just for perspective:

We are 146 NET right now after that win.

The five teams ranked ahead of us in NET are: App St, Miami (OH), Cornell, UC-Santa Barbara, Loyala Chicago. Five teams worse than us: College of Charleston, LMU, JMU, Wichita St, UC-Riverside. And if you hate the NET, we're 122 in KP.

I've already seen people over-evaluating Kiyan and Sadiq. I hope Luke is good. But... We're in a spot where we need a lot of help. Even if all the guys that we could hope to return, returned, they are incredibly repetitive in terms of position.

I'm not saying we won't be better than this year (low bar), but the lengths we need to go to improve on talent at PG and Center is still in our face and the coaching has to get much much better.

Hope it happens.

I agree, I wouldn’t consider it a good year just making the tourney. However, I think the circumstances of how we get to the tourney next season matters. If we get rid of guys that could come back to replace with guys that on paper are a little more highly rated because we have the cash. I expect more than just the tournament, but is it possible we actually do less in this situation? I think continuity of the roster is very important for a new head coach. I just see the moving around of players slowing, just as I think we are starting to see on the football side. So in a way I think using NIL to retain and keep players in the programs for multiple years to develop and for coach to develop as a coach is the best thing right now. Now if we go with a retention path with only a few portal additions for next season and we’re not improving and don’t make the tournament we should probably make a change from Autry. I just think an approach of getting rid of most or all of the current guys to upgrade in the portal (especially 1 year portal players) is more likely to fail than succeed. Also even if next season is Autry best season, but we don’t reach the top 25 or make the second weekend. That momentum of running the program like that will fail.

 

[bnoro]

Good data.

Let's just assume that we are going to miss the NCAAT this year. Yes, I know that it is POSSIBLE for us to make it, like NC State did last year by winning the ACCT. But setting aside the Lloyd Christmas "...so you're saying there's a chance..." outcome, we'll be missing the NCAAT for the fourth year in a row.

Which means -- to me, anyway -- that for Red to get a fourth season, he'd have to reverse that slide next year and make the tourney. If we miss again for a FIFTH year, I don't see any way a coaching change isn't made.

To suggest that next year is make-or-break is an understatement, IMO. The problem with that is that:

• We're losing five seniors, all of whom factor into this year's rotation [I'm including McLeod here, since he's gotten more PT lately and looks positioned to play consistently moving forward, given that he's produced, after being out of the rotation most of the year].
• We could also lose other guys in the rotation -- I saw a thread over the weekend suggesting that Donnie's camp might be looking around. What about JJ? Cuffe? Bell?
• Contrary to what some might believe, neither Anthony nor White are program-changing type of talents. Great recruits, sure, but not guys that can put teams on their backs in all likelihood. And while I love the potential of a guy like Womack, he is probably a year away from being a contributor.
• Outside of Petar, as of right now we don't have any players capable of playing center.
• As of right now, the only guy projected on next year's roster as a true PG is Fennell. JJ could play here some, as could Cuffe, but neither of those guys are legitimate PGs.

So, we're going to have lots of roster turnover / attrition / change, in a pivotal year both for the program and for our floundering head coach. Not a great situation in a do or die kind of year.

If we won the ACCT, would we be higher or lower than a 12 seed?

 

[MamesJungro]

What doesn’t make sense to me is that many people claimed JW had no choice but to hire Red to avoid a donor mutiny. Yet, as soon as Red took over, the narrative shifted to “we’re behind in NIL” as Jay Williams openly trashes our program on national TV. What exactly happened during that transition?

As many have pointed out ad nauseam, Red has struggled to establish a coherent style of play, coach effectively in-game, evaluate talent, retain players, and apparently, fundraise. Given those challenges, I don’t understand why anyone wouldn’t want him to walk out the door.

 

[RF2044]

I am not disagreeing with you on what should happen.

All I am saying is what should happen and what will happen are two different things.

The Donger is on record here with his sources saying year 3 AND 4 are guaranteed for Red, hence why I don't think JB was just saying stuff.

But agreed that if season tix renewals crater and the dome is drawing 5-8K actual attendances consistently on home games next year, never say never. You can't stick with a big "Red in the Red" revenue deficit like that. But deficit maths is the only out I think.

Right, and I think those two things would be correlated. If performance continues to be subpar, the attendance / associated gate & concession revenues would also decline, and we'd be in a bind.

That's where this is headed, unfortunately. Barring a miraculous turnaround this season, which seems unlikely, or marked improvement next year, which seems similarly unlikely given the volume of roster attrition.

 

[Red2003]

If we assume a good year = making the NCAAT, I hope people realize just how far we are from making it this year. And I know everyone knows we are bad, but just for perspective:

We are 146 NET right now after that win.

The five teams ranked ahead of us in NET are: App St, Miami (OH), Cornell, UC-Santa Barbara, Loyala Chicago. Five teams worse than us: College of Charleston, LMU, JMU, Wichita St, UC-Riverside. And if you hate the NET, we're 122 in KP.

I've already seen people over-evaluating Kiyan and Sadiq. I hope Luke is good. But... We're in a spot where we need a lot of help. Even if all the guys that we could hope to return, returned, they are incredibly repetitive in terms of position.

I'm not saying we won't be better than this year (low bar), but the lengths we need to go to improve on talent at PG and Center is still in our face and the coaching has to get much much better.

Hope it happens.

Good stuff. Here's the kick I'm on today.

-Bell the best 3 point shooter in the ACC last year played so terribly he had to be benched.
-JC played so terribly at the 1 that we had to put in a Freshman Shooting Guard to replace him.
-Donnie we got 15 games out of
-JJ missed 7 games
-Eddie back issues and conditioning concerns

Then last year down goes Naheem, Benny booted, JT lost his shot. Not alot of people remember but Judah was suspended in Nov over whatever, Q couldn't even pretend to go to class...

Autry has alot of faults and should get the blame but he's also 2 years in and has not got through a season without major injuries and multiple players turning out to have all kinds of issues.

I really hope we get to see a season next year where Autry's starting 5 is actually healthy and functioning the way he thinks it should. I think it will bring closure one way or another to alot of endless what ifs on Autry.

I may not think he's a good coach personally but I'm not going to lose my mind giving him a 3rd chance.

3 strikes though and he's out, I don't care if the whole starting 5 is walking around in Donnie Freeman boots next year either, this is business and if he doesn't perform he's out.

 

[Fly Rodder]

I really hope we get to see a season next year where Autry's starting 5 is actually healthy and functioning the way he thinks it should.

I get it, but the team he's putting on the floor was selected by him and the staff. Several of whom he has had relationships with for years. If anyone is supposed to have a feel for what is possible, then it should be the Head Coach. I as an idiot message poster could put together a line up and then say, well, my players didn't perform like I expected them to.

But I don't know if what he's expecting out of them is possible. One of the reasons why Ted Williams, Wayne Gretzky, etc were terrible managers was because the players couldn't do the things that they could. I don't know what Red wants to do, but it's not translating to the players as is, and I don't think that different players of similar skill sets are going to be able to execute either. That's the mark of a poor manager.