What are we doing with this program?

[MolivaManiac]

I'm a patient person. Probably too patient. I didn't expect to go to the NCAA this year but I expected we would see some glimpses. I expected to have some disappointing losses, particularly early.

I did not expect to be down 33 points in the first half on the sold out home opener against Delaware, feeling like I should go home and find something else to do and wondering why i pumped another $1200 into season tickets.

If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, I think this program has truly made me insane. Thank you for reading some of my insanity.

 

[Spider B]

Completely agree. We were run out of our gym by a pedestrian Delaware team with little athleticism. We will struggle out of conference, then close year stronger. We will then spend all off season talking about how exciting and good our team will be next year only to be slammed back to reality early in the year. Getting really old.

 

[Spideroldie]

Mo,

Glass half full:
The key tonight is whether we believe the 43-27 stomping that we delivered in the second half, or the 48-20 thumping that we took in the first half represents the "REAL" Spider team. I believe that the first half was an outlier, or an anomaly, and did not represent what this team is all about.

A second definition of insanity is to base large decisions on small samples of data, and to OVER-REACT, to 18-minutes of play, as this board consistently does. I believe we learned some important lessons in the first half, and one of these may have been that we need to start games by establishing our inside game, which we did not do until the start of the second half. The second lesson is that we need to play intense and smart defense, as a way to establish momentum. We did not do this until the second half either. Finally, we may have learned that Solly's defense is not there yet, and that we need to start our games with JJ at forward, and bring in Solly off the bench. Our small line-up is, at this point, our strongest.

I believe that the second half showed us what this team is capable of, and it showed us about some of the skills or our newcomers. Grant Golden showed some of his skill-set, and took a nice charge that was called a block. Jacob Gilliard had a terrific second half, and may simply need to take more of those open 3s than he did tonight, when he made the extra pass to open guys who did not make the shots. Both Grant and Jacob will someday go down as great Spider players.

I believe that the second half is what I have been seeing so far in the pre-season, and that we will see a lot more second half performances than 1st half performances as the season progresses. If we have even one more half like the first one this season, then I will eat my words. I do not believe we will. Focus on our second half and keep the faith for at least another couple of weeks, until we have a basis for a reasonable evaluation... And, by the time KF is back, we will be even better.

 

[iSpider]

When I entitled a post "Mediocrity" about four years ago and proceeded to state facts supporting my assessment, I was ridiculed by most all of you on this board.
What do you (not including Ulla)think of me now?

 

[MolivaManiac]

^^You lost me at 49-20 in the first half. It should never happen at home against Delaware ... or frankly anybody in the country. IN FRONT OF A SOLD OUT AND ENTHUSIASTIC CROWD.

The performance in the first half was malpractice. Our coaches should have to carry an E&O policy for bullcrap like that.

 

[ur2K]

How the hell we come out that flat in our home opener is beyond me. We looked unprepared, watched freakin Delaware get layup after layup and kept chucking 3s, may have been a good time to call a time out?

Was pretty convinced that the coaches just called it a night at halftime when they came out with about 20 secs left on the halftime clock. Would’ve preferred it, actually.

 

[localspider]

Team not prepared, simple as that. CM pattern every year, team will come together in February, just like every year.

 

[Ferrum Spider]

That white guy with love handles looked like Lebron James at times against our D. Better shape up quick, I’ve already run out of meds due to football season.

 

[SpiderGuy]

When I entitled a post "Mediocrity" about four years ago and proceeded to state facts supporting my assessment, I was ridiculed by most all of you on this board.
What do you (not including Ulla)think of me now?

You were right then, and nothing has changed. Given history of the last 10 or so years, why would we expect anything different now?

 

[Spider B]

Atmosphere at the beginning of the game was great. Such a shame.

 

[I-M-UR]

Well guys welcome to the Fed UP club.

Good:
Jacob’s play
Free throw shooting much improved

Hmmmmmmm, I guess that it

Oh we have lots of room to improve…. That’s good right?

Bad:
Virtually everything else. (I don’t want to single anybody out.)

Who wants to change their out of conference win/loss projections?

Again all we can hope for this season is for the team to show dramatic improvement by Feb.

 

[I-M-UR]

Atmosphere at the beginning of the game was great. Such a shame.

we shoot ourselves in the foot every time we have a sell out crowd... how many people who watch this will come back?

 

[Spiders05]

we shoot ourselves in the foot every time we have a sell out crowd... how many people who watch this will come back?

This is the aspect I hated. Good crowd, good student section. Laid an egg.

 

[spider23]

Who wants to change their out of conference win/loss projections?

I'll go 6-6 - I was at 8-4

 

[SouthJerseySpiderFan]

MM, it's STAGNATION under CM is what you and I see and unfortunately tonight tells me it might not change. A coach not good enough to warrant his stay continuing at UR but not bad enough to ask him to leave.

As much as CM has been a good coach and even better person, it might be time for him to move on to a new challenge for both himself and UR basketball. Only way my mind would change is substantial growth in this team by year's end looking forward to 2018-19.

Yes, they are a young squad but K Anthony, T Allen, and SDJ were all part of promising teams destined to participate in the NCAA tourney, but none did. And if K Fore joins them by next year's end, then change for change's sake sounds good to me.

 

[whampas]

I'm a patient person. Probably too patient. I didn't expect to go to the NCAA this year but I expected we would see some glimpses. I expected to have some disappointing losses, particularly early.

I did not expect to be down 33 points in the first half on the sold out home opener against Delaware, feeling like I should go home and find something else to do and wondering why i pumped another $1200 into season tickets.

If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, I think this program has truly made me insane. Thank you for reading some of my insanity.

I feel you Mo. Welcome to the dark side. Hope this AD has some rocks the size of basketballs.

 

[MrTbone]

A second definition of insanity is to base large decisions on small samples of data, and to OVER-REACT, to 18-minutes of play, as this board consistently does.

I tend to look on the bright side of things but you can’t call what happened tonight a small sample. We can go back probably 7 years at this point and see multiple instances of what happened tonight over that span, particularly in the OOC portion of play.

You’re right that the negativity is often swift and often unwarranted, but we can’t pretend there isn’t ample evidence of a pattern here.

 

[rspides]

Stretch in 1st half, we were outscored
33-4. At home, how does that happen ?

 

[sdspider]

Feel for you guys who were there. Thought we could possibly lose a close one but never did I imagine we would be down 30 plus at home to Delaware. 2nd half better but to come out stiff and regimented and tight In home opener and lay a huge egg not what anyone expected.

Scrap the D I’m sorry is it really worth it with the learning curve?

 

[Eight Legger]

I have no clue whether Delaware is awful or incredible, because most people on this message board could have scored the baskets they scored in the first half. Just humiliation. What the hell were we working on the past several months? Obviously not defense. How many dumbed-down pick-and-rolls did they run to get wide open layups? Jesus. And if I have to hear one more time anyone on the postgame show say "We didn't come out with enough energy" I'm going to drive my car into a ditch. There's one way to combat an inability to come out with energy, and it is to COME OUT WITH ENERGY.

Despite that, this is on the coaching staff entirely. FIX THIS.

 

[MolivaManiac]

we shoot ourselves in the foot every time we have a sell out crowd... how many people who watch this will come back?

Here's the thing. We give out some shirts, the kids can go play in the kids zone, we have some fun dogs at halftime. Wives and kids love this stuff. Theyll be back because what else is there to do that you like ... your wife likes ... and the kids like all winter?

It's like going to a squirrels game. Nobody at the squirrels game cares if they win or lose ... it's just entertainment.

 

[SpiderK]

When I entitled a post "Mediocrity" about four years ago and proceeded to state facts supporting my assessment, I was ridiculed by most all of you on this board.
What do you (not including Ulla)think of me now?

Still an arrogant ass, if you really want to know. Just sayin' buddy.

 

[Jwilk2]

Stretch in 1st half, we were outscored
33-4. At home, how does that happen ?

 

[Jwilk2]

That is totally mind boggling. Can not imagine a coach in the country with a heartbeat to permit that.

 

[ur2K]

Here's the thing. We give out some shirts, the kids can go play in the kids zone, we have some fun dogs at halftime. Wives and kids love this stuff. Theyll be back because what else is there to do that you like ... your wife likes ... and the kids like all winter?

It's like going to a squirrels game. Nobody at the squirrels game cares if they win or lose ... it's just entertainment.

At least they sell beer at squirrels games.
2010-11 seems like a lifetime ago and we keep seeing the same story over and over again

 

[32counter]

Let’s see what the new AD says about the program after this season.
Mooney has had a very long leash up to this point.If PQ or others want to put heat on Mooney,the new guy will shorten up the leash.
If Bucknell can do it we can certainly do it.

 

[Eight Legger]

If it makes anyone feel better, Hans Brase is out at least the first two games for Iowa State with another knee injury.

 

[MolivaManiac]

Did anyone hear the audible booing from the students when the game went to half? Geez.

 

[fatherspider]

That was pathetic. I have been saying it for 6 years...Spiders are going nowhere w Mooney.

 

[VT_Spider]

Told y'all we wouldn't win more than about 10 games. Sounds like I'll be winning this bet.

 

[TBSpyder]

I can't imagine a worse first half. I'd fire CM, and I've been a big supporter. Get rid of the bench warmers. or drop down to D2, which I would support as well. But continuing on our present course, is insane.

 

[SpiderRick]

Here's the thing. We give out some shirts, the kids can go play in the kids zone, we have some fun dogs at halftime. Wives and kids love this stuff. Theyll be back because what else is there to do that you like ... your wife likes ... and the kids like all winter?

It's like going to a squirrels game. Nobody at the squirrels game cares if they win or lose ... it's just entertainment.

That was about as entertaining as changing a poopy diaper.......Who's going Monday?
Jacksonville State just made ESPN Sportscenter, just say'n

 

[Ulla1]

That was about as entertaining as changing a poopy diaper.......Who's going Monday?

Will drive down from Maryland on Monday. Have to say that the first half hurt last night. However, this team will gel and get much better as evidenced by their second half performance. Nick Sherod will not continue his 0-5 three point shooting and the defense will not allow many 50 point halves. IMHO, the entire team was very tentative in their roles. When Jacob became a bit more assured in the second half, he put up 15 clutch points. Am still very optimistic for the season.
Might add that the highlight for me was that I was finally able to meet up with gcarter, another Spider loyalist and a great guy. Go Spiders!

 

[Stonewall D]

I'm a patient person. Probably too patient.... Thank you for reading some of my insanity.

We too are very patient with your insanity.

 

[Spider B]

Ulla, even you have to be fed up with this. It’s the same season over and over again, no matter how experienced or talented our players are or are not. Bad OOC, get it together in February, and miss the NCAA because losing games like this. YOU CANT LOSE TO DELAWARE PERIOD, ESPECIALLY AT HOME. It crushes your season. I think we have all had a tremendous amount of patience with Mooney and the Program as a whole. I hope I am wrong about this year, but it seems we are watching the same show on repeat year after year after year. It is frustrating as hell.

 

[MolivaManiac]

Ulla, even you have to be fed up with this. It’s the same season over and over again, no matter how experienced or talented our players are or are not. Bad OOC, get it together in February, and miss the NCAA because losing games like this. YOU CANT LOSE TO DELAWARE PERIOD, ESPECIALLY AT HOME. It crushes your season. I think we have all had a tremendous amount of patience with Mooney and the Program as a whole. I hope I am wrong about this year, but it seems we are watching the same show on repeat year after year after year. It is frustrating as hell.

That's it. Put ourselves way behind the 8 ball OOC ... start to show some signs in conference play ... encourage me to spend money and an evening at VCU ... get humbled ... go on a little run ... get humbled again by VCU at home ... win a few games to show me a sign we might contend in the A10 tourney ... blow a whole bunch of money on the A10 tourney to lose there in a miserable fashion ... have me looking forward to Spring Football and the spring game... forget about it for 4 months ... sell me 1200 dollars worth of season tickets ... forget about it for 3 more months ... host a CAA team in the opener on the 2nd Friday of November next year .... get me my free tee shirts and great halftime show and get on the same merry go round again.

Like I said ... insanity.

 

[I-M-UR]

Here's the thing. We give out some shirts, the kids can go play in the kids zone, we have some fun dogs at halftime. Wives and kids love this stuff. Theyll be back because what else is there to do that you like ... your wife likes ... and the kids like all winter?

It's like going to a squirrels game. Nobody at the squirrels game cares if they win or lose ... it's just entertainment.

I waited to think about this comment until this morning. MM I hope you meant the squirel comparision as an insult....I mean a slap in the face insult. If we are a double AA baseball team why do we bother. If we have to be a carnaval side show because our main product is so bad.......how pathetic is that.

 

[I-M-UR]

That white guy with love handles looked like Lebron James at times against our D. Better shape up quick, I’ve already run out of meds due to football season.

I hope the Daley kid did not step on Grant on purpose because if he didn't I'd like 3 more just like him. Tough playre. Not very atheletic but very good bball skills. The boos just fired him up more, a great drive and basket then a three point dagger... Tough kid and he's a soph.

 

[keefusb]

Mooney really has to go. Nice guy, did a good job raising the program from the Wainwright rubble, but I was sitting behind the bench last night and had two thoughts. First I was hoping to God that we had no recruits at that game. Secondly, Mooney is about as disengaged from the game and the players as a coach can possibly be. He looked exactly like a guy who is mailing it in until his contract expires.

There really is no excuse for what we saw in the first half. Delaware is a mediocre CAA team at best, granted the "School of Rock" guy (Daly?) is one of the better players in the CAA, but still. We were lost on defense, we were mostly in "pass the ball around for 25 seconds then chuck up a prayer" mode on offense. I'm happy we woke up a little in the second half, and Gilyard had a good game, but jeeez guys, after last night I can't even see us as a .500 team this season.

I agree with Mo, I hope this new AD has some big executive stones, and I hope he uses them to make a major change.

 

[SpiderGuy]

I tend to look on the bright side of things but you can’t call what happened tonight a small sample. We can go back probably 7 years at this point and see multiple instances of what happened tonight over that span, particularly in the OOC portion of play.

You’re right that the negativity is often swift and often unwarranted, but we can’t pretend there isn’t ample evidence of a pattern here.

I've always looked at "patterns" in performance (stock market, sports teams, behavior, etc). The patterns in place for UR basketball under Mooney are evident. I don't think he's capable of breaking the patterns. We have enough history of him to see the minor changes he's willing to make, resistance to making wholesale changes, and little movement away from the base system that's made him a slightly > .500 coach through the years. For the most part we are are a predictable team with predictable results. With the exception of a few deviations, what you get in year one is pretty much what you get in year 2, 3, 4, etc.

Why on earth he was given an extension in between AD's is baffling. I've seen the posts of explanations, but his long term results don't justify that. Sorry. A change is needed at the top.

If we revisit this thread 4 years from now, it will still be applicable, relevant, and predictable.