Depressing...

[scher215]

I expect them to understand how to run the offense, and when they get the ball inside to know what to do with it (make a move or kick it out). I expect them (and myself whenever I'm playing) to play smart and hard and live up to potential. I'm happier with a loss that I played well in than a win that I played terribly. I didn't have high hopes or expectations for the football team, but I do have higher expectations for a basketball team to run an offensive against an inferior team. I've kept quiet about displeasure with meeting expectations for the basketball team under Tubby's watch, but my frustration levels continue to grow as we've yet realized our potential with Tubby (excluding his first season where he absolutely turned around a poor performing Monson team). My frustrations aren't as much about a single bad performance, but rather the lack of good performances overall. I will always wear my gold and cheer for 3rd downs and sign the rouser, but I reserve the right to get frustrated once in a while.

A win is always better than a loss. Winning is why you play the game. Gophers are 3-0, that's all I need to see. Take it one game at a time and if you keep winning, it was a good year.

 

[Atl Gopher]

Check out http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/bkt1112.htm to see how he ranks the schedules to date. Michigan State (2) and Ohio State both rank hire than us but other Big Ten teams are ranked lower in terms of stregnth of schedule.

This team has the makings of a very competitive team. It will much better as the year progresses. There are 7 or 8 new players on the team with red shirts, freshmen, walk ons, etc. There are several point guard candidates still and one will come to the front. My biggest concern is outside shooting. If that improves this will be a very dangerous team because it will open up our front court which is one of the best in country.

 

[maliksealy]

"Worse" than last year? Which club are you comparing this squad to? The one pre-Nolen injury and DJ exit?

Let's look at the situation pre-Nolen injury
DJ was not great - I'd take Holllins over what he was giving us - +1 for this year
Nolen was very good but offered no outside threat - still advantage last year
Rodney is slightly improved over last year - advantage this year
Ralph is Ralph is Ralph is Ralph - push
Mbakwe is better by far than last year- just free throws alone are a big improvement
The loss of Hoff is a big deal - advantage last year
Our depth is better this year and our team defense is better this year so far

The big question is whether or not some combo of the new guys (Andre, Welch, Oto can replace the shooting of Hoff and the defense and ball handling of Nolen) It's not going to be a perfect swap but the sum of the parts could possibly do it.

Overall I'd give a slight advantage to the pre-Nolen- Joseph losses team of last year- but not by a huge margin and there is still plenty of room for improvement with the youth.

The post Nolen team? No contest- we are better this year. Overall the Big Ten just is not as good as last year- thus- if everythign goes our way- yeah- 3rd is possible.

It doesn't matter what squad I'm comparing us to. If everything goes our way and players improve tremendously which is not likely to happen against Big Ten competition I'd say we'd finish 6th at best but 8-10th is more likely. We can defend ok at times, but we will struggle to score tremendously.

 

[gopherbadgerman]

A significant portion of the Gophers fanbase, both in football and basketball, is just downright terrible. I mean, what more can you expect so far from these guys? Do you want them to somehow come away with 2 wins per game they play? I mean, the best the players can do is face the opponents that are scheduled. Do we get extra credit points if we win by 30 instead of by 10? I mean, does the selection committee look at margin of victory? Let's at least lose a game before some of you get your little panties in a wad. I mean, I'm embarrassed to call some of you fans of my University.

I agree a win is a win and a loss is a loss. Thats what matters at the end of the year.

I still dont think they are a 10-11 win team as you thought, but as of now they are unbeaten and have had the best results possible. If they win every game on the schedule by 1, then it would be a hostoric season.

 

[freshtrout]

My concerns still are TO's and FT's. It appears that our FT's are improving. Hope it continues. Eight or nine TO's per half equals too many losses when the BT rolls around.