A different take

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bga1

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I take a loss as hard as anybody. However, I come back home from this game with a different view than most. Yeah, we blew a huge win. Yeah, I totally disagree with the Tubby strategy of calling a timeout with 4 seconds left. You need to have at least 8-10 seconds left to call that time out. (Complete deja vu with the game last year where Tubby called TO and Westbrook hit the shot - just like Joseph did. I knew we were done for when the TO was called)

However, I come away pretty positive. A week ago I didn't like this team at all. All the junk, the bad losses the dysfunctional behavior and the seeming lack of leadership. I thought they were poorly coached. After these last three games they have won me back. So has Tubby. Despite the last timeout call - he put together a great game plan and coached a great game. The adjustment to go with the bigs and a good amount of zone has been great coaching and the players look good doing it. Finally it looks like we have an identity of sorts on offense with the 2 bigs in there.

Tonight I saw the beginnings of a nucleus that could contend for a championship if they get at least Mbakwe and Nolen back and perhaps C. Joseph. Sampson is becoming a very good player. Joseph is showing a lot of improvement and could be the scorer we need at the 2 next year. Iverson is never going to be Fred Astaire but he is going to be a huge rebounder next year. The last key may be the offseason development of Rodney. I'm pretty confident that Carter will be ready to fill Damian's shoes.

All is not lost. Let's win out and see what happens in the BTT.
 

bga1 said:
I take a loss as hard as anybody. However, I come back home from this game with a different view than most. Yeah, we blew a huge win. Yeah, I totally disagree with the Tubby strategy of calling a timeout with 4 seconds left. You need to have at least 8-10 seconds left to call that time out. (Complete deja vu with the game last year where Tubby called TO and Westbrook hit the shot - just like Joseph did. I knew we were done for when the TO was called)

However, I come away pretty positive. A week ago I didn't like this team at all. All the junk, the bad losses the dysfunctional behavior and the seeming lack of leadership. I thought they were poorly coached. After these last three games they have won me back. So has Tubby. Despite the last timeout call - he put together a great game plan and coached a great game. The adjustment to go with the bigs and a good amount of zone has been great coaching and the players look good doing it. Finally it looks like we have an identity of sorts on offense with the 2 bigs in there.

Tonight I saw the beginnings of a nucleus that could contend for a championship if they get at least Mbakwe and Nolen back and perhaps C. Joseph. Sampson is becoming a very good player. Joseph is showing a lot of improvement and could be the scorer we need at the 2 next year. Iverson is never going to be Fred Astaire but he is going to be a huge rebounder next year. The last key may be the offseason development of Rodney. I'm pretty confident that Carter will be ready to fill Damian's shoes.

All is not lost. Let's win out and see what happens in the BTT.
Click to expand...

+100000
 


We said all of this over an after-game beer tonight. For those who want it to be different this moment - its tough. But many things are coming together these last weeks and I for one am encouraged. Is this our year? No. But oh my - Sampson looked great and the loss of Nolen may prove fortuitous if we get him back and Devoe blossoms.
 

bga1 said:
I take a loss as hard as anybody. However, I come back home from this game with a different view than most. Yeah, we blew a huge win. Yeah, I totally disagree with the Tubby strategy of calling a timeout with 4 seconds left. You need to have at least 8-10 seconds left to call that time out. (Complete deja vu with the game last year where Tubby called TO and Westbrook hit the shot - just like Joseph did. I knew we were done for when the TO was called)

However, I come away pretty positive. A week ago I didn't like this team at all. All the junk, the bad losses the dysfunctional behavior and the seeming lack of leadership. I thought they were poorly coached. After these last three games they have won me back. So has Tubby. Despite the last timeout call - he put together a great game plan and coached a great game. The adjustment to go with the bigs and a good amount of zone has been great coaching and the players look good doing it. Finally it looks like we have an identity of sorts on offense with the 2 bigs in there.

Tonight I saw the beginnings of a nucleus that could contend for a championship if they get at least Mbakwe and Nolen back and perhaps C. Joseph. Sampson is becoming a very good player. Joseph is showing a lot of improvement and could be the scorer we need at the 2 next year. Iverson is never going to be Fred Astaire but he is going to be a huge rebounder next year. The last key may be the offseason development of Rodney. I'm pretty confident that Carter will be ready to fill Damian's shoes.

All is not lost. Let's win out and see what happens in the BTT.
Click to expand...

Agree with every word. I'm glad I don't have to type it.:)
 


Moonlight said:
We said all of this over an after-game beer tonight. For those who want it to be different this moment - its tough. But many things are coming together these last weeks and I for one am encouraged. Is this our year? No. But oh my - Sampson looked great and the loss of Nolen may prove fortuitous if we get him back and Devoe blossoms.
Click to expand...

+19
 

bga1 said:
I take a loss as hard as anybody. However, I come back home from this game with a different view than most. Yeah, we blew a huge win. Yeah, I totally disagree with the Tubby strategy of calling a timeout with 4 seconds left. You need to have at least 8-10 seconds left to call that time out. (Complete deja vu with the game last year where Tubby called TO and Westbrook hit the shot - just like Joseph did. I knew we were done for when the TO was called)
Click to expand...

I usually hate the timeout call as well, but the timeout did work... Joseph was able to get a wide-open look. He should have hit it, so the blame is on him alone imo. Even though most of us would have liked the play to continue, it's hard to blame Tubby when the shot was there.
 

I think most agree with you. However, the people that tend to post on the board following a loss are the debbie downers of the world which I do not think is indicative of the entire fan base.
 

tikited said:
I usually hate the timeout call as well, but the timeout did work... Joseph was able to get a wide-open look. He should have hit it, so the blame is on him alone imo. Even though most of us would have liked the play to continue, it's hard to blame Tubby when the shot was there.
Click to expand...

Agreed--you really can't get a much better look than Devoe had to win the game
 



Moonlight said:
We said all of this over an after-game beer tonight. For those who want it to be different this moment - its tough. But many things are coming together these last weeks and I for one am encouraged. Is this our year? No. But oh my - Sampson looked great and the loss of Nolen may prove fortuitous if we get him back and Devoe blossoms.
Click to expand...

Yes, this is not our year. That's too bad, although I can't give up until the BTT is over.

The good thing is that I have A LOT more hope for next year than I did about 2-3 weeks ago.

And that is a good thing.
 

High hopes......

Yes I have high hope for rest of this year ( can't forget that ) and FOR next year....... they are coming together....... Sampson is really coming around...... Joseph is coming around...... Carter may take DJ place...... everyone is gelling and just a addition or two and we will have one fantastic year next year......... Even this year for all the off the court problems, these kids have been fun...... I expect to win as much as any one and I am having a downer day but I do have a postive attitude and after the games lately..... I am excited for the future......

The year is not what I hope for this year but I do believe next year will be the year I hoped for this year.......... One year behind on one great future.......
 

Great post bga, I agree. As much as it hurt, I came away pretty positive as well. Maybe it's the Minnesotan in me, but I'm happy with the direction our team is headed lately...
 

When Devoe penetrated and made the nice over the shoulder feed to Ralph for the dunk, I just got the sense we had a nice preview of the future of Gopher basketball. Ralph is coming into his own. Devoe is a good player. if Rodney makes a nice freshman to Sophomore jump, there is a nucleus to a very good team next year.

I do find myself saying the same things as last year, though. We still need a power forward (Trevor?), and a go to scorer, of which neither is on the current roster or in our recruits coming in.
 



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