IthacaMatt
Old Timer / Unofficial Contributor for 25+ years
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- Aug 26, 2011
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I think it will greatly enhance the effectiveness of our defense, especially since we have Sooooo many guys. This keeps them all sharp and motivated. I don't see why you wouldn't continue to go pretty deep into your bench all season long.
They say we don't have elite All-Americans, but we have outstanding depth of talent, and lots of interchangeable parts. But we ain't chopped liver, either, how many Mickey Dee's do we have now ? Three ? That's not bad, and we've got another one on the way, and have been getting them most of the decade.
We will be so much harder to play if we mix defenses. One of the problems with the zone, is that eventually the energy flags, and the other team starts to get comfortable. To be able to throw 3 fresh guys at them and press - just to make the other team get winded - is a tactical weapon like we haven't employed since the early 90s. I'm really hopeful that he continues to sprinkle the other defenses in as the year goes on.
Some of the younger posters may not realize what a watershed moment we may be witnessing with this team. If JB embraces what we're seeing in these first few games, this might be the most players he has actually played since 1999-2000, which is the "gold standard" until you go back to the Coleman - Owens - Johnson - Thompson -Douglas Mt. Everest team - that was an insanely deep and talented group. You don't usually see that much talent on college teams anymore.
It does feel to me like some chemistry is starting to come together. Pretty much everybody has had at least 1 good game so far, and a couple guys have put together 2 out 3 good or very good games. You can point to 6 or 7 guys who have hit double figures in just 3 official games. And our centers are putting up numbers that are off the charts - 22 pts and 15 rebounds tonight, along with 6 blocks, I believe. Every position is giving us better production this year with 2 guys sharing it. Add up their numbers.
Of course, these are a couple tomato cans that we've played, and a couple more are coming. But I am sensing much better chemistry than last year. That is very encouraging.
They say we don't have elite All-Americans, but we have outstanding depth of talent, and lots of interchangeable parts. But we ain't chopped liver, either, how many Mickey Dee's do we have now ? Three ? That's not bad, and we've got another one on the way, and have been getting them most of the decade.
We will be so much harder to play if we mix defenses. One of the problems with the zone, is that eventually the energy flags, and the other team starts to get comfortable. To be able to throw 3 fresh guys at them and press - just to make the other team get winded - is a tactical weapon like we haven't employed since the early 90s. I'm really hopeful that he continues to sprinkle the other defenses in as the year goes on.
Some of the younger posters may not realize what a watershed moment we may be witnessing with this team. If JB embraces what we're seeing in these first few games, this might be the most players he has actually played since 1999-2000, which is the "gold standard" until you go back to the Coleman - Owens - Johnson - Thompson -Douglas Mt. Everest team - that was an insanely deep and talented group. You don't usually see that much talent on college teams anymore.
It does feel to me like some chemistry is starting to come together. Pretty much everybody has had at least 1 good game so far, and a couple guys have put together 2 out 3 good or very good games. You can point to 6 or 7 guys who have hit double figures in just 3 official games. And our centers are putting up numbers that are off the charts - 22 pts and 15 rebounds tonight, along with 6 blocks, I believe. Every position is giving us better production this year with 2 guys sharing it. Add up their numbers.
Of course, these are a couple tomato cans that we've played, and a couple more are coming. But I am sensing much better chemistry than last year. That is very encouraging.
