Media Discussion of Spider Hoops
- Thread starter MolivaManiac
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You do realize we're starting three sophomores and two freshman. So, I'd say inexperience.
I have a real problem with this argument. No offense to you, Pride. It's just something that I have heard from a lot of people and it's a cop-out, IMO.
• We have two of the best sophomores in the league in Golden and Gilyard. They've both played extensively for two years. They are no longer young.
• We are young in other areas in part because one of our seniors decided he had no chance to make the NCAAs here so he left for a place where he could. That's on Mooney.
• We are young because one of our best players had off-court issues that never could be resolved. It's on him, but it's partially on Mooney for not figuring out how to correct the issue or not doing enough due diligence during the recruiting process.
• Virtually every team in the A-10 is playing a bunch of young players, and all but three of them finished ahead of us.
Plus we are starting 3 freshman because of Mooney's past recruiting failures and inability to retain the good recruits he did bring in. All of this is on Mooney and of course he accepts no responsibility but offers it up as an excuse frequently.
Agree with the above posts. This is what is maddening. Mooney's roster problems are squarely on him. You are the 1.3 million man, you need to work HARDER to make it work you slacker. Just read something about one of these teams that locked up the autobid in a mid/low major conference. Coach has been there a long time and had success. After last season he had a rising senior that was grad transfer eligible. He drove 7 hours to re-recruit the kid and now he is in the NCAA. Mooney just seems to be on the other end of this spectrum, always shocked when ANO or Fore transfers. Not proactive. He is entitled and above it. Give me someone new that is willing to work.
No offense taken. I appreciate that you have a well thought out response and that you don't reduce to name calling, etc. My counter points:
The guys surrounding Jacob & Grant are much less experienced. Cayo didn't play as much last year and Andre and Jake are rue freshman. The team as a whole is very young. And yes, some of that is on CM.
The Khwan situation is an unfortunate part of college hoops these days. I can't lay that at the feet of KF or CM.
The Buck scenario is not a result of CM's failures. That is solely on Buck. He was given numerous chances to tight his ship and failed to do so.
You're last point is valid. However, many of those teams have more transfers than we do and can get kids in that we couldn't into UR. Malcom Bernard was a big case in point. We have him that year and I'm pretty sure we would have made the NCAA's, and then half the debates on this board would not happen.
But the big counters to your argument is UR has been more competitive before (it can be done), Mooney is not on any schools list to get hired away, and he is in charge. The buck (pardon the pun) does stop with him
Fair thoughts. I guess the thing for me and a lot of others who are ready for a change is that year after year, there always seems to be SOME excuse for Mooney, or from Mooney.
• ANO transferred, so we were lacking a rim protector
• Ced got hurt, or else we would have made the tournament.
• Bernard was denied admission, or else we would have made the tournament.
• Fore transferred unexpectedly, so we became young
• We had to kick D-Will, Josh Jones and Buck off the team unexpectedly
• Sherod got hurt or else we would have been much better
Some of these taken in a vacuum are understandable and not necessarily Mooney's fault. But at some point, taken together as a group, they just become too much.
Is it possible that Mooney could somehow turn everything around net year, learn a defense that works and teach it to his team, get them all prepared for every game with the energy that they seem to show only occasionally, overcome whatever injury or transfer happens this offseason or next season and make the NCAAs? I guess anything is possible, but I have exhausted my ability to give him any more chances.
Recruiting has been troublesome for some time. Not knowing the admissions hurdle allows for some wiggle room but the repetitive defensive and rebounding failures should be cause alone to question his coaching ability. Watching average teams perform the lay up line with zero resistance, and the total lack of value for rebounds is just too much to place a $1.3M price tag.
Sure they do. Anything less than unqualified support starts a firestorm. And they probably like him; players generally like their coaches.
They'll like the new one too, when he's hired.
If Mooney stays we should bring Nancy in as assistant (and possibly Coach in Waiting).
It's a systemic problem. You can slice & dice reasons any which way you choose. After 14 years there no other ways to look at it & find it acceptable to be in this situation too often.
I agree with most of your points and feel pretty much the same way. I truly appreciate the "Ground Hog" syndrome - same story, different year. A couple of additional thoughts:
I've had it confirmed that the Malcom Bernard situation will not happen again. I think we'll see more leeway in getting borderline recruits in to UR.
I've almost exhausted my ability for any more chances, and that's why I'm in the one more year camp. I really believe next year brings a very special team. It will be very hard to defend (not like it's not already) the status quo if we don't go to the NCAA's.
I keep hearing “these next few years are going to be great”. What about the last 8 years?
@SpiderPride I won't waste everyone's time by posting this year's All A-10 teams but needless to say there are ALOT of young teams in this conference. We aren't the only team that will be getting better during the offseason and there are a bunch of teams that finished ahead of us in the standings that are just as young as we are.
@SpiderPride I won't waste everyone's time by posting this year's All A-10 teams but needless to say there are ALOT of young teams in this conference. We aren't the only team that will be getting better during the offseason and there are a bunch of teams that finished ahead of us in the standings that are just as young as we are.
Admissions is such a weak and tired excuse. Never heard it when we had a stacked roster with Harp,Smitty, KA, Gonzo, etc. We went to the NCAA's, Moon tried to go after some top 100 types, had no plan B's, and has been struggling to put together same type of roster since. But we do hear excuse after excuse. And tired of the Benard thing. All Mooney had to do was go to PQ and say, go talk to someone. Please.
How will we be better defensively next year? History shows us CM will still be playing the same tired defensive scheme and a playimg a couple players that are bad defenders. Also, we will be really, really small at guard. How will we rebound better next year? We will be really thin up front again. Plus, history tells us CM’s teams DO NOT rebound well. Also, how will our bench coaching be better next year? Again, history shows us CM has struggled with player rotations and closing out games. How will our in game adjustments be better next year? History shows us CM doesn’t really adjust. How can you be sure all our players come back? Recent history shows us some players on this year’s roster will move on. We may be a couple games better next year because of experience IF everyone comes back, but there is no proof we will be significantly better especially against the hardest OOC schedule in the A10. I am sick and tired of waiting until next year and expecting a different result.
No doubt who the Alpha would be in that scenario.
that start 3 sophs and 2 frosh and only have 2 upperclassmen on the roster?
who?
Hmmm, I don't know, maybe our rivals. VCU has no seniors that are meaningful contributors and they won the league for starters.
Grant is a redshirt SO not a true SO, that helps a bit especially on physical side. Sherod was an experienced junior and we were 2-4 against the weakest part of our weak schedule. JJ is a senior and started 10 games and the results didn't change. OK we are young, but not so much relative to rest of league, and we did have additional experience in there different parts of the year.
Maybe not "exactly" as young but "just" as young, yes: Dayton started two sophomores and a freshman this year, Davidson started two freshmen and the player of the year in the A-10 is only a junior, St. Bonaventure started three Freshmen, St. Louis started two freshmen, VCU has no seniors. That's just a quick list but it's not like over next two years we will have the only team that has young guys who are improving. And the only reason that we are having to play so many young guys and don't have a functional bench is sub par recruiting and roster management by our 14 year coach.
Dayton starts Cunningham (redshirt senior), Mikesell (redshirt junior), and Landers (junior), Davis (soph) and Crutcher (soph).
how in your world is that even remotely close?
Bonnies have some good freshmen but of their top 4 scorers, 2 are seniors and 1 is a junior.
SLU's 2 best (Bess and Isabelle) are seniors. Foreman's a senior too.
Toppin (The A-10 rookie of the year and a Freshman) usually plays 30 plus minutes for Dayton. I'll spare the rest of the board from our A-10 depth chart analysis, lol. As i've said before on this board I'd be happy to buy the first round of beers if we were having this discussion in person. And you are right, we are extremely young...my point was just that other conference teams return a lot of guys as well...guys that finished ahead of us this year in the standings and who will also improve.
1. I like Golden and hope he finishes his last 2 years at Richmond. But I truly don't care what he thinks or says. He's been here 3 years, not the past 8 (or 14).
2. Golden will not be a part of this train wreck in 2 years. He will care less about Richmond basketball when he is gone. We, the fans and alumni, who at least partially pay the bills, should have some say-so, NOT players who are here at most 5 years. Why is that hard for some of you to understand?
3. After 31 games, Wojcik and Gustafson are not freshmen. Both have started or played extensively almost every game.
4. If the players have been distracted and played poorly because of a billboard, I feel sorry for them when they get out into the real world where there are SERIOUS distractions each and every day.
2. Golden will not be a part of this train wreck in 2 years. He will care less about Richmond basketball when he is gone. We, the fans and alumni, who at least partially pay the bills, should have some say-so, NOT players who are here at most 5 years. Why is that hard for some of you to understand?
3. After 31 games, Wojcik and Gustafson are not freshmen. Both have started or played extensively almost every game.
4. If the players have been distracted and played poorly because of a billboard, I feel sorry for them when they get out into the real world where there are SERIOUS distractions each and every day.
that I agree with. other teams aren't as young, but yes they return a lot and will improve next year. I think we will too, and I would like to believe our experienced additions of Sherod and Francis will be more impactful than the additions of the other programs.
no matter who's coaching.
A win is win, and it gets us to the next round. With that said - to give up 87 points to horrible UMass & struggle in two games to squeak by terrible Fordham are nothing to brag about. We need change.
1. I seriously doubt he cares what you think either, but I will respect his opinion over yours.
2. Why say Grant will care less than we do in 2 years? How the heck do you know how much he will care? From what I have seen, he cares a lot. Why should we fans have some say, and guys who played have none? None? This makes no sense, and yes, is hard to understand.
3. Sorry, they are freshman. You cannot just make up grades for someone to suit your argument. Another off season will make a big difference for both of them.
4. I don't remember any players saying they were distracted or making excuses.
"As long as we don't lose Jacob, Grant, or Nick to injury, we should have a chance for a top 4 spot". Yep. Says that guy. But, so glad our awesome message board is so happy with a win today.
Yes, we have a chance ..... a greater chance with a different coach. Says this guy.
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