Just felt like we needed a neutral thread in here. Discuss.
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All valid points, but a large contingent of this chat board had pegged us as being worse this year than last. Assuming we eke out one more win, that prediction will be incorrect.The issue with this idea is - next year I just don't realistically see how we can be better than this year. We lose the likely POY in Cline and we have no big man in sight behind him. We lose SDJ, who is probably a 2nd team all A10 performer. Now we do have people behind him like Buckingham, Sherod, Fore - so I think filling his shoes will be easier - but what we will miss is his ballhandling. I don't see Fore, Sherod, or Buckingham as PG's we can say - give them the ball and let them handle the pressure, so that will be an adjustment next season - but one I think we can handle. We also lose 2 bench players in Wood and Kwesi. Not big pieces, but Mooney doesn't play many guys to begin with - so it hurts.
Point being - if you keep Mooney past this season, I think you are really hoping for the NCAA run in 2019, so if you keep him for next season - you are really saying to yourself - keep him until 2019 as well.
Point taken, however Cline & SDJ account for somewhere around (approximately) 35 or 40 points a game, and not sure where those points will be filled. No doubt players will step up, but those are big shoes to fill.All valid points, but a large contingent of this chat board had pegged us as being worse this year than last. Assuming we eke out one more win, that prediction will be incorrect.
It's never quite as dire as it looks I think. We do lose two key cogs but guys have a way of filling the void. Of course, it's reasonable to assume we won't be scads better either.
Still, 13-5 would be pretty damn good.
The offense runs through Cline, and we see what happens when he leaves a game due to foul problems. We have been really lucky to have a leader like him and SDJ has had many big big games lighting up the scoreboard.
I don't see Fore, Sherod, or Buckingham as PG's we can say - give them the ball and let them handle the pressure, so that will be an adjustment next season - but one I think we can handle.
Saturday URI/GMU should be interesting...Sure would be. I would even settle for a bye at 12-6.
I am unable to be excited about Hanca not being excited about CM being excited.I am unable to be excited about CM being excited.
I get Mooney is excited about his PG coming in, but the other 4 recruits don't excite me. We are dangerously low on big men.Agree there are some big shoes to fill in SDJ and TJ but I'm not concerned about the above at all. If you talk to Mooney about his PG coming in next year, he is VERY excited...and for reason.
Does CM get excited ever?I am unable to be excited about CM being excited.
Does CM get excited ever?
He did put baby in the corner.At a minimum, when Hurley is visiting.
Agree. This team COULD win the A-10 tournament THIS YEAR if everything breaks just right. Odds are still against it, but if there ever was a year for the magic run, this is it.This team is good enough to win the A-10 tournament, but things have to break right. I don't think we could beat Dayton, Rhody and VCU in any order on three straight days, for example.
Assuming we get the double bye, I want to be on the opposite side of the bracket from Rhody and Dayton. I also want to avoid seeing Mason again in our first game, for obvious reasons. I'll take my chances with the other matchups.
I can understand that the jury is out on next year's class with maybe the exception of Gilyard, but the other guys coming in are 6-5/6-7/6-7/6-8, so as a team, our size/length is going to be much better next year. We clearly have a major gap at the 5, I'm very perplexed at how that will be filled given how little Paul has played this year.I get Mooney is excited about his PG coming in, but the other 4 recruits don't excite me. We are dangerously low on big men.
Bottom line, I don't think with losing SDJ and TJ that anyone would see us as anything more than a mid-pack A-10 team next year. Certainly not an NCAA team and that would be what 7 straight years with no NCAA. That pretty much defines Mooney, not bad enough to get fired, not good enough to actually take the program where we want it to go.
Again, we have to play this out this year, we could win the tourney and Mooney would get this monkey off the back and that would largely eliminate this is a discussion point for many. What is our record again in the past 5 years in the A-10 tourney?
I can understand that the jury is out on next year's class with maybe the exception of Gilyard, but the other guys coming in are 6-5/6-7/6-7/6-8, so as a team, our size/length is going to be much better next year. We clearly have a major gap at the 5, I'm very perplexed at how that will be filled given how little Paul has played this year.
Grant may be good but to think he is TJ good is probably really optimistic since TJ is probably going to POY in the league.I'm very worried about replacing TJ. As we've repeatedly seen, he's the cog that makes the whole offense work. I'm excited about Grant's potential, but he understandably still had quite a ways to go when he was in there, and now he's completely off the court.
We've had only one POY during our time in the A10, obviously we won't be replacing TJ's production. So yes, it will not be the same with Grant, even if he ends up being quite good.Grant may be good but to think he is TJ good is probably really optimistic since TJ is probably going to POY in the league.
We will definitely struggle without TJ next year. But solid performances from grant and solly could make up for it significantly. They both need to be good for us to have a shot.I'm very worried about replacing TJ. As we've repeatedly seen, he's the cog that makes the whole offense work. I'm excited about Grant's potential, but he understandably still had quite a ways to go when he was in there, and now he's completely off the court.
Wow, four years, another decade, new President and I will be in a nursing home.I am willing to give coach the next four years with his new batch of recruits to get us back to the promised land. All I want to see is him become a better in game coach. I think he has shown he can develop good talent. My biggest issues with him is how he manages games. He has lost his composure a few times and cost us chances to win games. Great coaches don't do that. If he can continue to recruit and changes the way he uses timeouts, manages player rotation and responds to adversity I think he would be a MUCH better coach in my eyes
And if we lose the first game of the A10 tourney to a poor GMU team, you would be happy with the season?Sure would be. I would even settle for a bye at 12-6.
I would normally agree with that, but I will give Mooney credit for being able to spot above average guards.I am unable to be excited about CM being excited.
Agree K and there is plenty on which to base that opinion.I would normally agree with that, but I will give Mooney credit for being able to spot above average guards.
Agreed, Grant is going to be a TJ style player, however it will take him a couple years to get to TJ's current level. Grant does have a much nicer shooting stroke than TJ at the arc and ft line. I haven't seen anybody better at using the glass inside than TJ in 40 years. Hopefully he leaves Grant with his basics and work ethic.Grant may be good but to think he is TJ good is probably really optimistic since TJ is probably going to POY in the league.