JB is hammering the team in this PC

[FireballPhil]

I appreciate the honesty. You can tell this team isn't responding and he is really hoping these statements motivate them. He said Michigan isn't good and we couldn't beat them because of 17 turnovers. He said we will be lucky to win any ACC games if it doesn't get better.

so your saying "we don't win even ten damn games"

 

[leftytg]

That JB is going to be banned from the board if he keeps this negativity up

it's all the way back on page 1, but this post is just so so so perfect.

There's a puzzling strain of posters on this board who have appointed themselves the white knights of "true Syracuse fandom" and seem to operate in a world of unadulterated optimism where all is peachy and things are on the right track and getting better, no matter what. Any thoughts or observations contrary are quickly labeled unreasonably negative and evidence of one's inauthentic fandom.

The thought of JB on a message board just cracks me up.

 

[leftytg]

and yet it's clear same HOF coach told Welch (someone he probably wouldn't feed any BS) within the past few days that he's confident they'll grow into something pretty good.
JB never goes hyperbolic in pressers, does he?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias

 

[pearl31]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias

right back at you, bro

 

[NineOneSeven]

I respect your opinion, but La. Tech is not an NCAA tournament team. It was a win to stop the bleeding, but nothing more. If we won more convincingly maybe it would be perceived differently. La. Tech is a middle of the pack CUSA team in a league that has been 1 bid for the few past years. Loooking at their schedule they haven't beaten anyone of consequence and lost @Temple and at home to a bad Louisiana-Lafayette team.

They're a top 25 team. Just like Villanova would be competing for a National Championship in the college football payoff if they were FBS.

No doubt.

 

[cuseguy]

La Tech is a very good mid major team. They returned 4 of 5 starters from a team that won 29 games last year. They were picked to win CUSA this year, and their coach turned down the Tennessee job to stay at La Tech.

 

[SWC75]

I respect your opinion, but La. Tech is not an NCAA tournament team. It was a win to stop the bleeding, but nothing more. If we won more convincingly maybe it would be perceived differently. La. Tech is a middle of the pack CUSA team in a league that has been 1 bid for the few past years. Loooking at their schedule they haven't beaten anyone of consequence and lost @Temple and at home to a bad Louisiana-Lafayette team.

The article in Lindy's on Tech's team said "For the second consecutive White's Bulldogs were atop the conference standings but fell short in the season-ending tournament- and thus short of it's NCAA aspirations. But this year may be different- and primarily because White's team is the same. The Bulldogs return four starters from last year's title-sharing tea, 29 win team- including the conference's most potent backcourt...Enter Eric McCree. The Murray State transfer will assume a starting role, giving the Bulldogs a much-needed perimeter threat. the 6-8 sophomore provides length, versatility and most importantly, a long-range bomber...A strong recruiting class should provide soldi d depth and fresh talent...The future is bright, including this season- and the post-season." They project Tech second in C-USA this year, behind UTEP.

They are hardly a "middle of the pack C-USA team."

 

[raf4488]

I respect your opinion, but La. Tech is not an NCAA tournament team. It was a win to stop the bleeding, but nothing more. If we won more convincingly maybe it would be perceived differently. La. Tech is a middle of the pack CUSA team in a league that has been 1 bid for the few past years. Loooking at their schedule they haven't beaten anyone of consequence and lost @Temple and at home to a bad Louisiana-Lafayette team.

We're only 9 or 10 games into the season so I think it's much too early to say that LT sucks. They're the highest rated CUSA team according to Pomeroy so I don't get how they're a "middle of the pack" CUSA team, especially coming off of a 29-8 year. They finished #34 in Pomeroy's ratings last year, right in between NCAAT #5 seeds Oklahoma and St. Louis.

Maybe they are actually an average at best team, but they looked pretty big and athletic out there yesterday. They have some Power 5 type players for sure.

 

[SWC75]

Guys, this is not an all-zone or no-zone argument. It's so bizarre that this has become a team that only plays one defense and its fans think that's the only way it should be played, AND won't listen to any arguments about it.

We lost to Lemoyne, what, six years ago? These are all new players, some new coaches, etc. over six years we should be able to teach or re-teach man-to-man, right? Or even another kind of defense...1-3-1? mMatch-up

Our team, starting 5 at least, are all Top-100 recruits who've probably played man all their lives. Different level, to be sure, but that's why you're allowed to practice 2.5 hours a day right?

Playing man D at a glance I would not worry about KJ, XMas or McCullough at the 1, 4, 5. Roberson guarding a 3 maybe on the tougher side, of course that's why you'd practice help defense. Cooney looks solid at D as well, at 6'3" he should be OK. Mike G would definitely be able to having played at Duke, unless he was pushed out because he couldn't play man D, but I doubt that seriously.

When I say we should have escaped from the 2-3 against Michigan, it's not an argument that some team at some point in time (EMU) could never beat Michigan...it's an argument that in THE GAME WE WERE PLAYING, Michigan had absolutely figured out OUR zone and we're getting good shots. People argue that it's not defense when we only gave up 60 or whatever, but not comparable since we force long possessions and shorten the game. You can only score 1-4 points per possession,Mao take away a bunch of possessions and whammo fewer points. Not NECESSARILY indicative of a healthy trend.

Rewatch the Michigan game...they got the shots they wanted from their shooters at the end...and while Albrecht was able to put the ball on the fall and attack creases when he wasn't being defended, I'd argue he wouldn't have been able to do the same against man (he definitely couldn't against AZ the other night.

No worries, but in College Basketball 2014-2015 I don't think you can play zone for 40 mins. ESPECIALLY In the ACC

In the years following the national championship we went 23-8, 27-7, 23-12, 24-11, 21-14 and 28-10. Three of those were NIT teams, once of which made the NCAAs because of the GMAC miracle in New York. Two of the teams that made the NCAAs went out in the first round and a third would have done so except for another GMAC miracle against BYU.

After the LeMoyne game, we went 30-5, 27-8, 34-3, 30-10 and 28-6. Three of those teams were ranked #1. None of them sweated out Selection Sunday and none lost in the first round. Their combined margin of defeat in the NCAA games they did lose was 22 points. I think JB's decision to go all zone has been fully justified by the results.

 

[Garbs]

I respect your opinion, but La. Tech is not an NCAA tournament team. It was a win to stop the bleeding, but nothing more. If we won more convincingly maybe it would be perceived differently. La. Tech is a middle of the pack CUSA team in a league that has been 1 bid for the few past years. Loooking at their schedule they haven't beaten anyone of consequence and lost @Temple and at home to a bad Louisiana-Lafayette team.

Coach Mike Hopkins @Coach_Hopkins · 24h24 hours ago
Louisiana Tech is one of the most dangerous teams in USA. 1 of 4 teams in USA that's returns 3 All Conference players.
Coach Mike Hopkins @Coach_Hopkins · 24h24 hours ago
They have one of the best shot blockers in USA, Michale Kyser!. He is long, athletic and averages 4 blocks per game
Coach Mike Hopkins @Coach_Hopkins · 24h24 hours ago
Speedy Smith was 2nd in USA last season in assists! He pushes the ball up the court on makes and misses. He is the engine for LA TECH
Coach Mike Hopkins @Coach_Hopkins · 24h24 hours ago
This team uses multiple presses, tries to play an uptempo style. Very similar to the likes of Louisville! Should be a great game.

 

[Cusefan0307]

The psycho analysis of JB's press conferences are always interesting to read. Some hyperbole and some truth to what JB said last night. You can't win in any sport with a glut of turnovers. (Basketball, Hockey, football, soccer, lacrosse)! The turnovers are bad because if you aren't a good shooting team at least you get more possesions to shoot. Thats why last year we were a solid team even though we couldn't shoot. We never turned it over. There were 5-8 turnovers last night where we just handed La Tech layups.

This team needs to pay attention to detail better. Recognizing shooters. Running the correct play. Grabbing the ball with two hands. Throwing crisp passes. You know the easy stuff. Part of the reason I think we can't shoot is we hardly ever pass the ball to our guys in a shot ready position.

 

[Knicks411]

That JB is going to be banned from the board if he keeps this negativity up

LOLOL doesn't JB know how many games JB has won?!?!

 

[jordoo]

Every win is very good at this point in time. Time will tell how good this La Tech team is but after two losses this was an important and needed victory. That makes it a good win in my book no matter what warts it highlighted for our team.

 

[Orangezoo]

I think what all this really boils down to is that if you watch this team you can see we have a PG who can make plays, a SG who is truly capable of being a bigtime scorer every game, a big man who can post up and get easy buckets, a fab frosh wing who has great athleticism and can bring an x factor on the boards or in the mid range game and a guy who can scrap like hell to get boards and some garbage points when he gets out of his own head.

The problem is that most of these abilities are seen in short flashes of a single game or parts of a game and coupled with indecision and an inability to understand when to make a certain play. Kaleb lacking the experience to know when to dish the ball vs when to dribble, Cooney pressing, Rak getting cheap fouls, CMAC losing focus and Roberson over thinking or under thinking vs just playing his game. I think that has to be the most maddening thing. A lack of executing what should be doable every game.

The defensive lapses are the worst in a long time at the top of the zone and the wings. That lack of focus/reaction time is what is making this team hard to watch all the time. If they can focus on the good for a few games in a row and be smart there really is a chance of things gelling. There is just no evidence that is going to happen and I can understand JB's frustration based on that alone. Do the simple things right and the game can dominated with the natural abilities these guys bring to the table.

 

[jdubs30]

I respect your opinion, but La. Tech is not an NCAA tournament team. It was a win to stop the bleeding, but nothing more. If we won more convincingly maybe it would be perceived differently. La. Tech is a middle of the pack CUSA team in a league that has been 1 bid for the few past years. Loooking at their schedule they haven't beaten anyone of consequence and lost @Temple and at home to a bad Louisiana-Lafayette team.

Maybe you know more than me about LA Tech (definitely possible), but I thought the announcer yesterday siad LA Tech was picked in the preseason to win CUSA

 

[iommi]

it's all the way back on page 1, but this post is just so so so perfect.

There's a puzzling strain of posters on this board who have appointed themselves the white knights of "true Syracuse fandom" and seem to operate in a world of unadulterated optimism where all is peachy and things are on the right track and getting better, no matter what. Any thoughts or observations contrary are quickly labeled unreasonably negative and evidence of one's inauthentic fandom.

The thought of JB on a message board just cracks me up.

Hulk Smash!

 

[jdubs30]

Coach Mike Hopkins @Coach_Hopkins · 24h24 hours ago
Louisiana Tech is one of the most dangerous teams in USA. 1 of 4 teams in USA that's returns 3 All Conference players.
Coach Mike Hopkins @Coach_Hopkins · 24h24 hours ago
They have one of the best shot blockers in USA, Michale Kyser!. He is long, athletic and averages 4 blocks per game
Coach Mike Hopkins @Coach_Hopkins · 24h24 hours ago
Speedy Smith was 2nd in USA last season in assists! He pushes the ball up the court on makes and misses. He is the engine for LA TECH
Coach Mike Hopkins @Coach_Hopkins · 24h24 hours ago
This team uses multiple presses, tries to play an uptempo style. Very similar to the likes of Louisville! Should be a great game.

I was impressed with a few of their players, you can tell their a good squad; but their press wasn't good. The Louisville press might look like 5 on 10 for us.

 

[jordoo]

I think what all this really boils down to is that if you watch this team you can see we have a PG who can make plays, a SG who is truly capable of being a bigtime scorer every game, a big man who can post up and get easy buckets, a fab frosh wing who has great athleticism and can bring an x factor on the boards or in the mid range game and a guy who can scrap like hell to get boards and some garbage points when he gets out of his own head.

The problem is that most of these abilities are seen in short flashes of a single game or parts of a game and coupled with indecision and an inability to understand when to make a certain play. Kaleb lacking the experience to know when to dish the ball vs when to dribble, Cooney pressing, Rak getting cheap fouls, CMAC losing focus and Roberson over thinking or under thinking vs just playing his game. I think that has to be the most maddening thing. A lack of executing what should be doable every game.

The defensive lapses are the worst in a long time at the top of the zone and the wings. That lack of focus/reaction time is what is making this team hard to watch all the time. If they can focus on the good for a few games in a row and be smart there really is a chance of things gelling. There is just no evidence that is going to happen and I can understand JB's frustration based on that alone. Do the simple things right and the game can dominated with the natural abilities these guys bring to the table.

This is very well put and explains why some are still seeing positives and possible improvement and others want to jump off a cliff. I completely understand JB's frustration. He knows this teams limitations more than anyone and I think he feels they have thrown away a couple of games they could have won because they haven't taken direction well as a team in practice and as you point out the effort, focus and confidence have not been consistent at all.

 

[Alsacs]

Coach Mike Hopkins @Coach_Hopkins · 24h24 hours ago
Louisiana Tech is one of the most dangerous teams in USA. 1 of 4 teams in USA that's returns 3 All Conference players.
Coach Mike Hopkins @Coach_Hopkins · 24h24 hours ago
They have one of the best shot blockers in USA, Michale Kyser!. He is long, athletic and averages 4 blocks per game
Coach Mike Hopkins @Coach_Hopkins · 24h24 hours ago
Speedy Smith was 2nd in USA last season in assists! He pushes the ball up the court on makes and misses. He is the engine for LA TECH
Coach Mike Hopkins @Coach_Hopkins · 24h24 hours ago
This team uses multiple presses, tries to play an uptempo style. Very similar to the likes of Louisville! Should be a great game.

They are a solid team, but they aren't an NCAA tournament team. They didn't schedule like an NCAA torunament wanna be team. They are 5th best team we have played this year behind Iowa, Cal, St. John's, and Holy Cross.

 

[cuseguy]

Holy Cross lost to Sacred Heart and Hartford.

 

[Alsacs]

Holy Cross lost to Sacred Heart and Hartford.

Which underscores how bad a schedule La. Tech has played. HC is almost 100 points higher in the RPI.

I don't think HC is that great a team, but they will be perceived as a better RPI win. La. Tech may have a good team, but their schedule has no good wins.

 

[Alsacs]

Fri, Nov 14

• @
• Southern

• W
• 85-76

1-0 (0-0)
Mon, Nov 17

• @
• Temple

• L
• 82-75

1-1 (0-0)
Fri, Nov 21

• vs
• Morehead St

• W
• 73-64

2-1 (0-0)
Sat, Nov 22

• vs
• American

• W
• 63-44

3-1 (0-0)
Sun, Nov 23

• vs
• Presbyterian

• W
• 76-48

4-1 (0-0)
Fri, Nov 28

• vs
• Samford

• W
• 77-64

5-1 (0-0)
Tue, Dec 2

• @
• Northwestern St

• W
• 99-88

6-1 (0-0)
Sat, Dec 6

• vs
• Jackson St

• W
• 65-52

7-1 (0-0)
Wed, Dec 10

• @
• UL Lafayette

• L
• 94-86

7-2 (0-0)
Sun, Dec 14

• @
• Syracuse

• L
• 71-69

7-3 (0-0)



























That is La. Tech's schedule.
RPI Rank: 232 SOS Rank: 349 Record: 7-3 (0-0)

 

[leftytg]

right back at you, bro

that's the best you got? It doesn't even make sense.

Let me break it down for you, as you seem to have difficulty grasping the concept.

You reference two data points. There is a press conference where JB speaks negatively about the team. There is a comment from Welsh where JB supposedly said he is confident the team will grow into something good. These two data points (supposedly, in your constuction anyway) conflict. You resolve this conflict by discrediting the press conference (JB being hyperbolic) and crediting the statement through Welsh (JB probably wouldn't feed him BS).

You do this despite:
- the comment from Welsh being hearsay. You do not know what JB said to Welsh. Something could have been lost in the translation, Welsh may have misunderstood something, etc.
- the comment to Welsh happened before the La Tech game, and was more out of date
- the comment to Welsh is but a comment. The press conference was a lengthier, fuller examination of his thoughts and feelings toward the team (relative to the comment to Welsh)
- the assertion that JB wouldn't feed him BS. Huh? Why not? You don't explain, you just assert.
- yet, the blanket assertion that the press conference was just hyperbole, theatrics.
- you aren't close, personal friends with JB and privy to his inner thoughts and motivations

In light of all this, it is puzzling that you would make the conclusions about the conflicting data points that you do, as they are logically unsupported. The best explanation, therefore, is confirmation bias.

The real answer, of course, is complex and unknowable. The press conference was probably a mixture of JB's true feelings (at that moment), with some frustration and hyperbole mixed in. His comment to Welsh was probably a mixture of optimism and giving the press a shallow soundbite to use, playing the media game.

My main point is that it is fun and worthwhile to discuss as fans. The shouting down of any negative observations is a disservice to intelligent and balanced discussion.

 

[Orangezoo]

that's the best you got? It doesn't even make sense.

Let me break it down for you, as you seem to have difficulty grasping the concept.

You reference two data points. There is a press conference where JB speaks negatively about the team. There is a comment from Welsh where JB supposedly said he is confident the team will grow into something good. These two data points (supposedly, in your constuction anyway) conflict. You resolve this conflict by discrediting the press conference (JB being hyperbolic) and crediting the statement through Welsh (JB probably wouldn't feed him BS).

You do this despite:
- the comment from Welsh being hearsay. You do not know what JB said to Welsh. Something could have been lost in the translation, Welsh may have misunderstood something, etc.
- the comment to Welsh happened before the La Tech game, and was more out of date
- the comment to Welsh is but a comment. The press conference was a lengthier, fuller examination of his thoughts and feelings toward the team (relative to the comment to Welsh)
- the assertion that JB wouldn't feed him BS. Huh? Why not? You don't explain, you just assert.
- yet, the blanket assertion that the press conference was just hyperbole, theatrics.
- you aren't close, personal friends with JB and privy to his inner thoughts and motivations

In light of all this, it is puzzling that you would make the conclusions about the conflicting data points that you do, as they are logically unsupported. The best explanation, therefore, is confirmation bias.

The real answer, of course, is complex and unknowable. The press conference was probably a mixture of JB's true feelings (at that moment), with some frustration and hyperbole mixed in. His comment to Welsh was probably a mixture of optimism and giving the press a shallow soundbite to use, playing the media game.

My main point is that it is fun and worthwhile to discuss as fans. The shouting down of any negative observations is a disservice to intelligent and balanced discussion.

You are trying way to hard to take a debate and anecdotes model them in a quantitative way. A disagreement over opinions need not be reverse engineered to identify the flaws. It is what it is

 

[pearl31]

that's the best you got? It doesn't even make sense.

Let me break it down for you, as you seem to have difficulty grasping the concept.

You reference two data points. There is a press conference where JB speaks negatively about the team. There is a comment from Welsh where JB supposedly said he is confident the team will grow into something good. These two data points (supposedly, in your constuction anyway) conflict. You resolve this conflict by discrediting the press conference (JB being hyperbolic) and crediting the statement through Welsh (JB probably wouldn't feed him BS).

You do this despite:
- the comment from Welsh being hearsay. You do not know what JB said to Welsh. Something could have been lost in the translation, Welsh may have misunderstood something, etc.
- the comment to Welsh happened before the La Tech game, and was more out of date
- the comment to Welsh is but a comment. The press conference was a lengthier, fuller examination of his thoughts and feelings toward the team (relative to the comment to Welsh)
- the assertion that JB wouldn't feed him BS. Huh? Why not? You don't explain, you just assert.
- yet, the blanket assertion that the press conference was just hyperbole, theatrics.
- you aren't close, personal friends with JB and privy to his inner thoughts and motivations

In light of all this, it is puzzling that you would make the conclusions about the conflicting data points that you do, as they are logically unsupported. The best explanation, therefore, is confirmation bias.

The real answer, of course, is complex and unknowable. The press conference was probably a mixture of JB's true feelings (at that moment), with some frustration and hyperbole mixed in. His comment to Welsh was probably a mixture of optimism and giving the press a shallow soundbite to use, playing the media game.

My main point is that it is fun and worthwhile to discuss as fans. The shouting down of any negative observations is a disservice to intelligent and balanced discussion.

Wow. Good work dude. A+