[quote="MJDinkins" post=276943][quote="Mike Zaun" post=276932][quote="redmanwest" post=276925]A few points:
1. Very sorry to see this as TO was a spark and a hard-working guy. Important to our success next year. Exacerbates our already-existing weakness.
2. Hard to see how this helps him as I agree with many of the above sentiments. He was a starter, got plenty of minutes and fit in here when other teams may not have the same niche for him to fill (big man outside shooter).
3. Other big man transfers from here have NOT fared better (i.e., the grass is not always greener): Obepka; Sima; Williams
4. Many of the ins and outs have had strange twists on them that I am not sure can be blamed on the coaching staff. Wilson, Lovett, Owens, and all have family influence at the center. Most here would not question the other transfers we've had: Mussini (most thought he'd only stay a few years to go play abroad); Fruedenberg and Ellison (most thought that they were not suited for this level of play). So, while the level of annual change is disconcerting, I think that is a reflection of the fragile state of the program, the kinds of (maybe somewhat flakey) kids/reaches we are forced to resort to, etc. Overall, despite the changes, out talent level has increased year over year, and it looks (unless Ponds leaves) that would be the same next year; now with Owens departure maybe not so much.
5. The father's statement just shows that many of these kids look at going to school as a sidebar to their true primary focus is playing basketball at the next level, as realistic as that may or may not be depending on the kid. I know he is graduating (apparently), but the "free agent" mentality is a little shocking. Maybe it shouldn't be.
6. This puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the recruiting of at least 2 immediately available bigs for next year, and a lot of question into whether or not we can truly take a step up next year as we had hoped. Hopefully Matt and CM won't whiff on the targets that they have, as last year. Can't afford that.[/quote]
Agree with #1, but saying this has absolutely nothing to do with our staff's failure thus far is like trying to hide a horse but other people can obviously see the tail sticking out. We have to be able to discuss the elephant. Which is more likely? This failure all randomly happening with tons and tons of consistent bad luck, or our staff being incapable to this point of creating and maintaining a winner? Again, they work their tails off...they are trying, but it's not working. Going into year 4 and already seeing the foundation for future excuses is very troubling and shows where we are as a program. If I were at the helm, I'd force staff changes for next year. Bring in a bigs coach and a real veteran assistant coach. Then have all hands on deck aggressively pursuing graduate transfer big men. I don't even care if they're DII at this point to be honest. Do they have size? Good. Some semblance of soft touch around basket? Good. Knows how to box out? Sign him up. Make sure we get at least 2. Then if we are not much better next year, I doubt the Mullin experiment will ever truly work at least to the point of being a consistent NCAA team. Is there an outside consultant we can hire? Maybe they can tell us what we are missing. I mean that seriously. I'm more of a problem-solver but to solve problems we need to acknowledge them. We all love Mully but let's be real, the experiment is on its last legs. Next year is going to tell us a lot. Really hope we get some luck for a change.[/quote]
The staff is working hard? Ha! As, a whole.... Hardly so.
By the way, Happy.... I've long dug deep. Sound post.[/quote]
I understand Greg St. Jean is really Jack Williams. That's what I've heard
