Reusse: Pitino has had lousier records, but this has been his worst coaching effort

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To start the year, Pitino said this was his most talented team so far. If we don't make the tourney, then it would be his worst coaching job so far.
 

Not having Carr is an excuse, but not a great one. He hasn't been able to develop IW into a Big Ten point guard. I have little sympathy for a coach that needs to start a small forward at point guard in year 6. He is largely responsible for this situation.
 

The book is not written yet. Objectively this was a bubble team at the beginning of the season and we are still alive for now.

The PG situation has been perplexing. I am hoping that Pitino knows what he is doing with IW and not playing him simply because he does not want to admit he has been wrong.
 


mnsportsgeek said:
Not having Carr is an excuse, but not a great one. He hasn't been able to develop IW into a Big Ten point guard. I have little sympathy for a coach that needs to start a small forward at point guard in year 6. He is largely responsible for this situation.
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This sums up the season for me. That and I’m starting to wonder why no one has developed into a competent shooter.


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bc2211 said:
This sums up the season for me. That and I’m starting to wonder why no one has developed into a competent shooter.


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Coffey and McBrayer used to be, but both of them are shooting worse from 3 this year than either of their last two seasons. Stull or Hurt maybe could be if they saw the floor more.
 

Block M said:
I am hoping that Pitino knows what he is doing with IW and not playing him simply because he does not want to admit he has been wrong.
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From observing him these last six years, I would bet on the latter.
 

Lil' Ricky is fortunate Kal has been a pleasant surprise as a true freshman, and their best shooter. Without him, the season would be an unmitigated disaster.
 



I would agree 100%!
He keeps playing Mcbrayer 30 + minutes a game but he probably shouldn’t see the floor
A dad makes u play his kid at point and we all could see after couple games what a disaster that was but kept doing for 15+ more games.
He has no clue how to run sets plays
His rotations make zero since taking guys who are hot and subbing them out first instead of riding them out
Against great half court teams he thinks slowing offense down so they can get setup will work making it harder for terrible shooters to make shots.
Doing the same things over and over expecting different results
Not playing your supposed best player and to his biggest strength and biggest need on team out in the wing in the open court where he can get easy buckets and go on runs.
Not playing the only player on the team who can break down a defender and get anyone on the team a wide open shot/uncontested layup.
Refusing to try zone even though little quick guards Coffey and Mcbrayer can stay with them
 

Cayman said:
Stull or Hurt maybe could be if they saw the floor more.
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I don't have much confidence that those players would have the requisite assertiveness to make a difference with their potential shooting abilities even if they played more. How many times have we seen Hurt pass off when he had an open shot this year? Hurt plays like he knows he's not any good and figures there's always a better option than him on the floor. Now, that very well could be the result of mental conditioning but it may be too late for them to change now.
 

gopherhoopsguy said:
Doing the same things over and over expecting different results
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I thought your post was a comprehensive and well-stated critique but I pulled out this line because it encapsulated the Pitino experience.
 

Thanks Patrick. You certainly embody one of the three classic primary sports writer architypes: "Glass is half full", "Glass is half empty", or "my only schtik is to publicly shame the local boys to pay the bills".

P.S. Its also good to see all the Patrick wannabe's here in one place. If we could only keep you guys corralled here...
 



CPTMidnight said:
P.S. Its also good to see all the Patrick wannabe's here in one place. If we could only keep you guys corralled here...
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I think you've pulled out this narrative far too many times. One hardly needs inspiration from Reusse in order to have soured on Pitino. One easily could have the same conclusions without ever having heard of Reusse. Perhaps you're just projecting here. Maybe you have no capacity for original thought, are only capable of repeating things you hear from talk radio or read from newspaper opinion writers, and assume everyone else is the same.
 

LesBolstad said:
Lil' Ricky is fortunate Kal has been a pleasant surprise as a true freshman, and their best shooter. Without him, the season would be an unmitigated disaster.
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In other words his recruiting is simply luck not good.


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LesBolstad said:
Lil' Ricky is fortunate Kal has been a pleasant surprise as a true freshman, and their best shooter. Without him, the season would be an unmitigated disaster.
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Thanks Lil' Les. Yes, and it's sad I've sunk to your level.
 

cjbfbp said:
I think you've pulled out this narrative far too many times. One hardly needs inspiration from Reusse in order to have soured on Pitino. One easily could have the same conclusions without ever having heard of Reusse. Perhaps you're just projecting here. Maybe you have no capacity for original thought, are only capable of repeating things you hear from talk radio or read from newspaper opinion writers, and assume everyone else is the same.
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I'm totally busted. cjbfbp, i get it, your views hating on Pitino are "fresh" - obviously my views are not. I could learn from you. :cool:
 

I’d bet Reusse can’t name the Gophers starting 5.
 





Block M said:
The book is not written yet. Objectively this was a bubble team at the beginning of the season and we are still alive for now.

The PG situation has been perplexing. I am hoping that Pitino knows what he is doing with IW and not playing him simply because he does not want to admit he has been wrong.
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Wrong about what?

Wrong about recruiting and signing him?
Wrong about scapegoating and doghousing him?
Wrong about playing him at all when he can't play defense and makes frequent errors in judgment?
Wrong about not encouraging him to transfer?
Wrong about not playing him enough that he can develop?

It seems like there are any number of wrongs here depending on your point of view, and it seems like Richard has at least dabbled in each of them. I can't think of a more mismanaged situation on any team I've ever followed - not to mention the general mismanagement of the point guard position in particular and the roster as a whole.
 

It may be his worst effort. The other seasons there was either something that went well...#5 seed, 25 win NIT champs. Or obvious excuses like mass suspensions, injuries, etc.

In year 6 he's had a basically healthy team, nobody suspended, the best player the U has had in 20 years as a senior, and it's still not good enough. It's difficult to see how that moves forward much next year, where we're sure to not have Murphy and more likely to have something go wrong.
 

fmlizard said:
It may be his worst effort. The other seasons there was either something that went well...#5 seed, 25 win NIT champs. Or obvious excuses like mass suspensions, injuries, etc.

In year 6 he's had a basically healthy team, nobody suspended, the best player the U has had in 20 years as a senior, and it's still not good enough. It's difficult to see how that moves forward much next year, where we're sure to not have Murphy and more likely to have something go wrong.
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If you would have told me prior to the season that Oturu and Gabe would have produced like this, the expectation would have been NCAAs or bust. With that production from them, it's a bit of a mystery why they haven't been able to play well enough as a team to be in a better position right now. They sort of stole the Washington game, but there are several other close games that they've crapped away or had stolen from them. Those in-game situations plus the awful free throw shooting plus McBrayer's troubles and struggles and Amir's inconsistency - those are the things that have sunk this team this year. McBrayer's bereavement certainly has something to do with his performance, and that's something you couldn't do much about.
 

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