calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Nov 13, 2023 17:48:33 GMT -5
I understand your point but think it is not entirely fair. Fans are disappointed and should be. Not an excuse for personal attacks on players or coaches but I have not seen those yet. Even given all the points you make concerning the new players, it is not unrealistic to think that based upon talent alone, they should be capable by this point to beat a team of Holy Cross' caliber. This team may not be the most talented squad out there, but as the coach acknowledged post-game, a lot of what happened in the final moments of the game had little to do with talent and more to do with composure and effort. What I saw was a team that looked a little panicked and was out-hustled by a less talented squad, particularly in terms of rebounding.
I actually gained even more respect for Cooley because of his post-game comments in which he did not attempt to absolve himself, his staff or his players. I expect this team to improve. I am concerned about the interior game, but expect that the coaches can adapt a system that fits the skill set of the current players, including Ryan.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Nov 13, 2023 13:56:36 GMT -5
Very sad news. Rest in Peace Ed.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Nov 12, 2023 8:31:38 GMT -5
Biggest disappointments for last night was watching the team be outhustled for rebounds and the inability to make FTs down the stretch. Cook missed some shots from close in but so too did other players. Cook and Fielder are going to be overmatched against most BE front courts.
Never will understand driving to the basket in a crowded lane and then trying an underhanded scoop shot for a layup (Heath) which is easily blocked. Did not expect a great season but had hoped that these types of losses were a thing of the past. Clearly Cooley has his work cut out for him.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Nov 12, 2023 0:21:52 GMT -5
Hey Ewing is gone and this is not his team. Not sure why Ewing’s name is even mentioned in this thread.
Cooley has a real challenge here in trying to mold this group into something cohesive and capable. Right now it’s clear that the combo of Cook and Fielder is going to be an issue all year. Particularly disappointed in the rebounding, lack of box outs and horrible FT shooting. Massoud cannot get back too soon.
No one should give up yet but this is likely going to be another challenging season. Hopefully they continue to work on ball movement and finding the open man. Hopefully the glimpse of my turn basketball tonight was just an aberration. Hopefully Cooley will get them to practice FT shooting and find a way to get more offense from his front line. Defense was embarrassing tonight particularly in and around the lane.
It’s going to be a tough year but still expecting February to look a lot better than tonight.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Nov 8, 2023 10:02:49 GMT -5
Great to see improved passing and defensive effort. It was night and day. There are going to be a lot of minutes for young guys that will set us up well for next year and years following. Everyone except health and massoud should be back next year. We have a strong recruiting class coming in. We have a few extra slots that we can aim high for transfers. I think Epps and Rowan will be a very good duo for years to come. Very exciting game and it was nice not to be heated all game against an inferior opponent. I believe that Cook is also a senior who will not be back next year.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Nov 8, 2023 8:23:19 GMT -5
To me the clear highlight of the game was the 9,000+ fans who chose to come see the Hoyas play a Division 1 newbie on a Tuesday night. That has not happened in a hell of a long time. Cooley engaged with the crowd is another highlight.
Still hoping to see more time for Ryan as this front-court cannot sustain any type of foul trouble. Heath will be a star this year and Bristol is going to be an energizer off the bench.
Most impressive player of the game last night would be hard to pick but I was pleasantly surprised with Styles and very happy with what I saw from Rowan.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Nov 7, 2023 17:21:32 GMT -5
OOC: 10-1 BE: 8-12 BET: 2-1 NIT: 2-1 Overall: 22-15 KenPom: 82 Who is this and what have you done with hoyaboya? I'll take this prediction any day.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Nov 6, 2023 11:02:15 GMT -5
Because we are playing LeMoyne, I think the results and final score have limited value but nonetheless I am looking for these things: 1. I want to stomp LeMoyne. I realize it's our first game, Cooley's first game, there will likely be a lot of nerves. But, when Georgetown has been good (such as most of the JT3 years before the end), we routinely stomped teams like LeMoyne. I want the result (a win) to be clear from the first five minutes. 2. I want to see our guys play defense and defend the three well. Cooley's teams have often been excellent at defending the three and never bad at it, so I expect this. One of the ways we improve a lot on Ewing's performance is to defend. 3. I want to see what we have on our roster. Are we a short roster? Yes. Are we a pretty inexperienced roster with Massoud out? Yes. But do we have some talent? Absolutely. I'm most interested in seeing what we can get from Epps, Styles, Mutombo, and Fielder. While any regular reader here knows I hate playing the 300+ teams like LeMoyne, I haven't been more excited for a matchup like this in years. There's finally optimism on the Hilltop for basketball, and it feels good. I share your sentiments. However, the PTSD from the past several years will assure that I am a nervous wreck about looking bad in these pre-conference games that should be comfortable wins. In addition to your list of who you are interested in watching, I would add Rowan and Cook. Think we know what we have in Bristol and Heath
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 28, 2023 6:49:43 GMT -5
I truly hope that very soon we can move off the "Cooley narrative" and just focus on the kids that have committed to the program this year. Cooley was not my choice and neither was Pitino. I have nothing invested in either one, but acknowledge that both have a proven record of coaching success--something we have not seen on the Hilltop in years. We have an undermanned squad made up of kids who have something to prove. These kids chose to come to a program that has been completely dismantled through ineptitude and apathy. Three chose to stay despite the embarrassment of the past two years.All had options to leave or go elsewhere.
I know from my own children what the demands are on college athletes. It's easy for those of us in our recliners to sit back and complain about what this team isn't. These kids did not go 2-38 in conference the past two years. They deserve some support until they show they don't. There will be plenty of time for them to be criticized for any failures on the court, but for now it should be alright to celebrate their willingness to try and bring back this program to respectability, hope for the best and stop focusing on how far the climb back will be. Enjoy the moment with college basketball about to start. We can all begin to complain soon enough as this road will certainly have bumps.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 25, 2023 7:03:39 GMT -5
I am not sure why this is an issue at all. Of course the Providence fans will hate on Cooley for a very long time and as they do it will always be a media topic. I think that what he did was a good career move for him but a major slap in the face of the program that helped him achieve success and earn that big contract. Imagine if after all his success with the Hoyas , Big John had decided to return to Providence where he played ball. I don't think that the Hoya fans or the media would give him a pass for years. The haters would be all over him. You must not take part of social media. Congrats on that. If you were on social media you would know Friar fans go way beyond the limit with their rhetoric and unfounded accusations. They downright show contempt for a man whose apparent immoral behavior they were totally fine with UNTIL he left for Georgetown. One would think they would have been happy to rid themselves of an awful coach who is apparently an even more awful person but he lives rent free in their heads anyway. Its amazing. They also have harassed Hoya fans non-stop by trying to insinuate themselves in conversations that have nothing to do with them in order to spread their narcissistic bitterness and venom. Remind me what Georgetown students, alumni and fans actually did to the Friars again. I highly doubt Georgetown folks would have done anything near this to John Thompson in the scenario you proposed ( if social media existed at the time), largely because they don't come from a position of such a blatant collective inferiority complex. Understand your point and yes I try to ignore social media as much as possible. It is to me often a useless form of self-promotion and one that emboldens cowards to hide behind a handle while making comments that they would never say in person. That said in the context of a world dominated by social media I am still not shocked that Providence fans would spew the venom they have when feeling betrayed. As for Hoya fans and their reactions if an iconic figure like Big John had abandoned the Hoya program in the late 1980s or early 1990's to return to Providence where he played, I suspect you are giving us/them too much credit in considering the fan reaction.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 24, 2023 16:57:22 GMT -5
I am not sure why this is an issue at all. Of course the Providence fans will hate on Cooley for a very long time and as they do it will always be a media topic. I think that what he did was a good career move for him but a major slap in the face of the program that helped him achieve success and earn that big contract. Imagine if after all his success with the Hoyas , Big John had decided to return to Providence where he played ball. I don't think that the Hoya fans or the media would give him a pass for years. The haters would be all over him.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 23, 2023 11:42:52 GMT -5
While it is not exactly meaningless, the results of the pre-season scrimmages are not something to get worked up over. I have attended several of these around SoCal over the years and these events are to allow coaches and players to experiment with lineups and their offensive and defensive systems. They are nothing more than a snapshot in time of where a team is at. Playing without Heath and Massoud (for much of the game) is going to skew the importance of the outcome as well.
With the Hoyas, the more concerning part is the injury to Massoud. However, this may accelerate the development of Fielder and particularly in the pre-season when most of the games should not be against BE caliber squads. Never could understand Ewing's reluctance to play his bench in games that were blowouts (either for or against us). Hopefully Cooley does not adopt the same approach.
I think that this season is going to be a challenge, but do not believe that Cooley should get a pass. However, it's not necessarily the results that will matter the most but how the kids are playing come February. Is there growth? A defense worthy of BE play? Some semblance of an offensive system that is team-oriented? That is going to matter a hell of a lot more than the outcomes of scrimmages against Wake Forest and Pitt.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 12, 2023 17:35:12 GMT -5
I agree with 2003's post with one caveat. Too many folks are looking at Georgetown and making assumptions about this year based upon last year. While that kind of comparison historically had validity, the fact that the Hoyas were a 200+ ranked team on KenPom last year is pretty much irrelevant in an era of free agency when all but 3 players have left and there are 11 new players on the roster, including walk-ons. I am neither an optimist nor a pessimist about this season---until I see them play a few games I have no idea what this team is or what it will become. The goal is for the team to be significantly better in February than they are in November.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 12, 2023 13:22:57 GMT -5
Would like to see defense, perimeter shooting, absence of selfish "my turn" basketball and most importantly significantly more people in the stands. Would be nice to see the attendance for the cupcakes in the 6,000 range and for games with Syracuse and TCU over 10,000.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 9, 2023 17:01:16 GMT -5
Have watched the Princeton and Xavier games and just do not see how this team will score against quality defenses. The team does not pass anywhere near as well as recent versions. Too much dribbling as noted by RG and often poor touch. On the defensive end no complaints but you have got to score to win.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 5, 2023 7:03:58 GMT -5
Lots of excuses on why we won’t be good right away. It’s easy to build slowly and set expectations low while you take in $6 million. Well done. Dear god, can you imagine Pitino saying it’s going to take time? Agree it's very hard to hear words suggesting that this rebuild will be slow or reading about efforts to lower expectations for this season, particularly when you are an older alum and when one of the coaching alternatives up the coast has seemingly turned around a St. Johns program in a few months. Could Pitino have done better--it seems so, but no one beats the clock and it is not a question of if but rather when he slows down, loses some intensity or is no longer able to sustain the effort required to maintain a high level program. Let's see how that plays out this year. It is true that in today's environment quick turnarounds are possible. This year's team fell short in some recruiting battles and I have serious concerns about the composition. But I cannot imagine how Cooley could recruit many quality transfer players with just a single year of eligibility left to come play in a program that has embarrassed itself for a couple of years on the court in front of an empty arena and with an Administration that was seemingly unconcerned about the lack of success. What I am looking forward to seeing is how these kids compare in February to what they will be in November. That is always an indicator of coaching ability, barring injuries. If there is notable improvement it will be worth waiting a year.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 4, 2023 16:22:10 GMT -5
I share 2003's cautious optimism. While I was somewhat neutral on Cooley originally, no complaints about his effort and willingness to engage with the campus community, former players and the fans. As for how quickly this program can turnaround, as I get older I have less patience and time for long rebuilds, but it is my hope that after years of underperforming the level of talent on the team, a competent coaching staff can help this year's team overperform any limitations due to the size or composition of the roster. Also believe that in the world of college free agency, quick turnarounds are very possible. If this team is recognized in February for having improved over the course of the year then a strong recruiting class for 2024 will become even stronger.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Sept 14, 2023 20:27:09 GMT -5
First opportunity to see the Lady Hoyas play and it was a very unimpressive performance. Some of the worst passing I have seen from the women’s team in years. Poor touches and giving the ball up to pressure much too easily. Not sure if this is normal or just a very “off night” but have to believe that they can do better.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Sept 13, 2023 18:15:45 GMT -5
This is the team. I will be rooting hard for this group to succeed. We have an experienced coach and assistants and I am optimistic they can get more out of this group than we have seen the past couple of years when we had many more scholarship players. Never thought next year was going to be a tournament team. If they are competitive, unselfish on offense and play respectable defense it will be an improvement. Lot's of guards means problems on the boards but if we have some shooters and some slashers it can be hard on an opposing team as well. The key will be whether Cooley can adapt his scheme to the talent on hand.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Sept 8, 2023 11:47:53 GMT -5
I reluctantly agree that there should be some limits on the ability of a student athlete to transfer a second or third time, but I would be more generous with waivers than most. Perhaps you can prevent a second time transfer from getting NIL unless they sit out a year. Maybe they can avoid sitting out a year if they transfer prior to May 1st to give their former team an opportunity to find a replacement. Not certain how to limit but I have a real problem strictly limiting such transfers. Coaches, who enjoy freedom to leave at any time, athletic directors who are free to terminate a coaching staff at any time, and fans who do not want to see their team disrupted, are certainly not going to want more freedom to transfer, but these are not exactly neutral observers.
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