2017-2018 Season
- Thread starter paultzman
- Start date
ManhattAn1
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Hoping to do game in Phoenix drive to Vegas and then to LA. Back to NY Saturday morning
Cant wait!
"If we stay healthy" you see, this is where depth comes into play. If we have a deep bench you are not sitting on eggshells if a player or two get hurt, oh and if you get any mid season transfers too-been snake bitten by that too. I do love the coaches enthusiasm though. Losing Sid gets to me more. He gave us depth and felt we weren't so desperate on landing Luther for next year too. Still can't believe we can't land any local studs because this class was loaded.
Class of 72
Active member
We are currently an easy school to use negative recruiting against after 2 straight losing seasons and transfers. A third straight losing season would be a nail in the coffin for local recruiting and possibly the staff. We have very good individual talent this year. In fact, some of the best in the past 10 years. There would be no excuse whatsoever for a losing season except coaching, preparation and commitment to playing defense. If Yakwe plays with the clulessness and indifference of last year, Ponds plays playground defense and Owens goes foul crazy, it is not going to be pretty relying on 5 guys to gell in the rotation.
I would add that I would warm better to the team if we play hard nosed defense. I thought things got ugly last year when we didn't come ready to defend. Defense is a little strategy and mostly EFFORT. So it is inexcusable to not play defense. Not sure yet if this is in this team. I am hoping for Simon and Clark to spark the effort as I also believe it is contagious. I haven't heard CM address this yet. A commitment to that side of the ball is really needed to take the next step. I know our guys can score the ball. Will they do the dirty work necessary on D? That's where it needs to start.
Yup. I agree with everything especially the first part. Good news is both Simon and Clark said previously that their focus was on Defense and Rebounding. The other thing is watching for progress from Freshmen to Soph. Same ole bs getting beat and then we know it is an attitude thing and not just learning curve. I'm anticipating improvement not expecting malaise but that is me. Others see only doom...
Paul, once practices start I will listen closely to hear what CM and staff have to say about what the focus is for 2017/18season. I think when he started he said he wanted to be one of the top conditioned teams in the Big East if nothing else. I know saying we need to play defense to take the next step is not exactly breaking new ground here but this (at least in my opinion) is the primary area of improvement needed for this team. I have to believe that CM and staff are beating the same drum or at least that is my hope.
we are sju
Active member
Is there anything in rule book about using that stickum goop that Lester Hayes and Michael Haynes used to wear for the 80's Raiders? If it doesn't specifically say you can't use I would make Yakwe wear it!
MarkRedman
Well-known member
Class of 72
Active member
Defense was not in the team's DNA last year as some of the embarrassing blowouts attest to but hopefully we never see a blowout to a D2 team again, especially as humiliating as two seasons ago when St. John’s dropped a preseason contest against St. Thomas Aquinas by a 90-58 score which set the tone for the entire "losing" season.
Four of the biggest culprits from last year return but hopefully with a commitment to work on the defensive end as much as looking for their shot on offense.