Coaching Staff...is there a missing element?

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Originally Posted by GoMuskies

I think we should let this season play out before deciding this is true.

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I agree with this…..

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Originally Posted by xudash

It is a good thing that this board, or much of it, was not around or old enough to have been put in a position of being responsible for reacting to the Cuban Missile Crisis.

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….and I agree and laugh at this!

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Originally Posted by Xuperman

This has been brought up here and there but not in any real detail. Coach Steele and staff have obviously struggled, all too regularly, with in game adjustments. I just don't understand why X did not hire an experienced bench coach with reputable "chops" in that area. I'm talking starting with Steele's first season. Is this not a no brainer for a young 1st time HC AND isn't safe to say that it's the Athletic Director's call?

I find it hard to believe this wasn't discussed after Mack's departure. Once the decision to promote Steele was made, doesn't the focus shift to putting together the absolute best staff for him, considering his inexperience? Is it possible that Travis Steele's ego was as such, that he insisted on choosing his own guys?

Look, it was painfully obvious that Coach Steele game planned to consistently lob over a PERCEIVED height challenged Nova Tuesday night. It resulted in nothing but turnovers (I'm not counting Odom's off target that ended up a 3). Inexplicably they kept going back to the well with terrible results. This accounted for 5/6 TO's.

Any experienced bench guy could have strongly suggested making a quick adjustment, no?

I guess the assumption here is that it had been discussed and for some reason Steele nixed the idea. Thoughts?

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Xavier does not have infinite funds, they chose to hire great recruiting assistant coaches.

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Originally Posted by xudash

It is a good thing that this board, or much of it, was not around or old enough to have been put in a position of being responsible for reacting to the Cuban Missile Crisis.

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Sorry Dash, but this is my nominee for dorkiest post of the year. I actually think most of the reaction here to the Nova loss has been pretty level. I mean, none of us are ducking for cover under our school desks to protect from the Pavilion fallout. Look, there’s no shame in losing at Nova, we all know that. But the way we played that 2nd half was pathetically predictable and disappointing. Of course the fan board is going to ruminate on that.

One of the worst things about a loss like this is that we have a whole week to ruminate, the results of which are not entirely unpredictable.

Chatter, chatter.

It's a holiday tradition now to lose before Christmas Break. Nothing to see here.

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Originally Posted by Xuperman

Look, it was painfully obvious that Coach Steele game planned to consistently lob over a PERCEIVED height challenged Nova Tuesday night. It resulted in nothing but turnovers (I'm not counting Odom's off target that ended up a 3). Inexplicably they kept going back to the well with terrible results. This accounted for 5/6 TO's.

Any experienced bench guy could have strongly suggested making a quick adjustment, no?

Thoughts?

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In real time, I thought the same thing. A guy on the other board broke down the tape…Xavier used the lob pass to the post 6 times. It was a great read, and saved me from watching tape myself. 2 were turnovers, 1 was tipped to Odom who eventually scored, 1 was over thrown by Odom right into the basket for a 3 pointer, and the other 2 plays worked and resulted in made baskets. These 6 possessions resulted in 10 points and 2 turnovers.

Since Martelli was hired at Michigan, I have heard calls for X to hire an experienced bench coach. X coaches have never done that in the past and most of our coaches came with zero head coaching experience. Steele has been learning on the job for four years and i really haven’t had an issue with our assistant coaches. It is incumbent upon Steele to learn and improve as he gains experience. I’m not sure he has improved a whole lot in his 3+ years, but he has the rest of this season to show what he’s made of. Point I am making is I am Not convinced an experienced bench coach is the answer to our coaching woes. Travis needs to be better regardless who his assistants are.

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Originally Posted by nuts4xu

In real time, I thought the same thing. A guy on the other board broke down the tape…Xavier used the lob pass to the post 6 times. It was a great read, and saved me from watching tape myself. 2 were turnovers, 1 was tipped to Odom who eventually scored, 1 was over thrown by Odom right into the basket for a 3 pointer, and the other 2 plays worked and resulted in made baskets. These 6 possessions resulted in 10 points and 2 turnovers.

Since Martelli was hired at Michigan, I have heard calls for X to hire an experienced bench coach. X coaches have never done that in the past and most of our coaches came with zero head coaching experience. Steele has been learning on the job for four years and i really haven’t had an issue with our assistant coaches. It is incumbent upon Steele to learn and improve as he gains experience. I’m not sure he has improved a whole lot in his 3+ years, but he has the rest of this season to show what he’s made of. Point I am making is I am Not convinced an experienced bench coach is the answer to our coaching woes. Travis needs to be better regardless who his assistants are.

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The first paragraph I believe you are referencing the first half. The second half was the issue when nova adjusted and x did not.

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Originally Posted by nuts4xu

In real time, I thought the same thing. A guy on the other board broke down the tape…Xavier used the lob pass to the post 6 times. It was a great read, and saved me from watching tape myself. 2 were turnovers, 1 was tipped to Odom who eventually scored, 1 was over thrown by Odom right into the basket for a 3 pointer, and the other 2 plays worked and resulted in made baskets. These 6 possessions resulted in 10 points and 2 turnovers.

Since Martelli was hired at Michigan, I have heard calls for X to hire an experienced bench coach. X coaches have never done that in the past and most of our coaches came with zero head coaching experience. Steele has been learning on the job for four years and i really haven’t had an issue with our assistant coaches. It is incumbent upon Steele to learn and improve as he gains experience. I’m not sure he has improved a whole lot in his 3+ years, but he has the rest of this season to show what he’s made of. Point I am making is I am Not convinced an experienced bench coach is the answer to our coaching woes. Travis needs to be better regardless who his assistants are.

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Other board? Get Out!

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Originally Posted by GoMuskies

I think we should let this season play out before deciding this is true.

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Steele looks way more comfortable and less easy to pick on for his in game decisions. Can we allow that sometimes weird shit happens? The most striking thing about that Nova games was not the failed ally oops. It was that neither team could make a three at that end. Okay, Nova made one. 1 - 30. There are some situations that require attention but some that are just 'shit happens'.