I have been contemplating a similar post, but you did it far more eloquently than I could have. I would like to add on something everyone knows but twists around. The team took a trip to Italy because in JB's words-this team is going to need all the experience it can get because it is going to take some time for them to this good. The teams in Italy were supposed to be among the best in the country but they were no competition for us at all. This may have been great for their confidence and team building, but without any pressure, they really didn't get any better. Add in the fact a couple of the guys couldn't even play there makes the trip more of a waste of time than productive, but still fun for them and glad they got to go.
So we entered the season with high hopes, even though everyone knew it was going to be a very young team. But didn't 2003 show it was okay for a team to be young? At the same time, the last few years have taken a grind on all of us, as we have watched our team slog through the season. Even in the wins, although we were happy, there not the fluid game we all wanted to see, and now the performance so far this year has exasperated it. We have beaten the teams we should have this year, and lost to those we all knew were going to be hard for this young group of kids going up against the more experienced teams. Sure we all wanted the "W", or at least to look a lot more competitive than we were-for me especially the Iowa game since I live 90 minutes from their campus and my triplets were born in the hospital there. Yet through it all it isn't quite asa bad as we perceive it to be.
Our defense over all has kept us in games. We have kept opponents scoring low enough-most with opponents scoring in the 70's or under. That makes games very winnable provided we have even decent scoring.
Yet offense continues to be a struggle. Over the past few years it has always been the offense that drags us down. ISO offense rarely works, especially at this level, and the good teams we have faced this year have been good enough to disrupt our learning curve and probably even set us back. Not being able to run the plays we want because of a higher caliber defense is no way to gel as a team and get everyone on the same page. But we have lost faith because of the struggles of the last few years offensive style. This year we actually have some shooters at multiple positions, how long before everything finally comes together?
There are definitely some players that are better than others, but if we are truly looking we would understand there are thousands of kids who want to play college ball then on to the NBA. Every team has those players not 5 star rated who are awesome, and we have had a few of them ourselves. Indeed even this year, Girard has the looks of being one of those players. Overall the talent level per team is pretty equal, and has been trending this way for many years. Mid major programs have become so successful for this fact-they take the good kids that aren't five stars and turn them into solid players-the way college is supposed to be designed for. But the one and done era has diminished this and the Kentucky and Duke programs show that 5 star guys can win-yet they also show how because of their youth it is extremely difficult to win championships with.
So what do we look forward to? Hopefully the team improves,gels, gets a cohesive offense that frees our shooters up to do what they do best-put the ball in the hoop. Although I think the NCAA is a huge long shot, I would be okay if we can get it together enough to get in the NIT and even more important to me-continue the winning streak. Don't give up on the kids, support them. They are playing for us, trying every day to improve and win. Don't let your frustration over the way JB has handled the program the last few years detract from your support for these kids. Debate JB all you want but please don't take it out on the players. They are doing all they can to ensure your ego doesn't get to bruised.
