2016-2017 Xavier Regular Season

[American X]

Beat UC & go to the Sweet Sixteen and I'll mark this down as a stellar season, regardless of whatever drama swirled around it.

Let's do one of those things tonight.

[XUMIOH12]

Beat UC & go to the Sweet Sixteen and I'll mark this down as a stellar season, regardless of whatever drama swirled around it.

Let's do one of those things tonight.

go to the Sweet Sixteen tonight?

[American X]

go to the Sweet Sixteen tonight?

Would that be an offer you could refuse?

[paulxu]

Is this glass half full? Or half empty?



At the beginning of the season, after waiting for 7 months, I was ready to sip.
The future looked bright.
Myles, Ed and Tre back to pick up where they left off.
Gates growing into his role, and JP, well...being JP. O'Mara holding his own.
Bernard and Gaston transferring in to shore up the offense. Bright freshmen prospects in Goodin and Jones.

Then the roof started to give way. Down went Myles, then Ed; and now Tre is hurting.
What looked like a deep March run in November, is starting to look rather difficult, at best, in February.
Is the glass half empty?

Then I remembered some things I shouldn't forget, and do often when trouble occurs.
We play in the #3 conference in the country...not the #7.
Our RPI is 14 with the 3rd toughest SOS.
We are on national TV almost every game we play, sometimes on the regular Fox channel.
Our program has become much more well known in the BE than ever before.
We are recruiting at a higher level, and next year's class looks really good.
It's possible we may even have Tre and Ed back, which would make for our deepest team ever.

I've been spoiled by the last 3 1/2 years of full on, national coverage and the resulting expectations.
We've been very fortunate to reach this point where I can wonder about my glass...due to those who came before and laid out the path.

So...since I'm responsible for sipping on that glass of Makers Mark, I can tell you for sure...it's half full.
And I'm going to finish it as the season winds down...wherever we go.

Slainte

[whopper]

All true and great perspective. The Wisconsin loss was devastating last year but with their play this year it does not look as bad. This year the wins have been very close and the losses have been pretty much over in the last 2 minutes so you can't look at a ball bounce changing anything. Enjoy the ride and be thankful for the Big East. As a UConn alumni with 2 girls at Xavier I remember knowing who was on or who was incoming for Providence, Georgetown, Villanova etc and discussing it as I do now at age 60. The strange thing to me is how does Josh Hart and Jenkins play 4 years at Villanova..what a great advantage to them as Hart reminds me so much of Dennis Johnson and I think will have a similar pro career. Blewitt and Sumner have a good chance of getting a good look at the next level but are not a pro ready as the Villanova guys

[paulxu]

Hah! Last night my glass got re-filled. Still drinking.....Slainte!

[paulxu]

Time to finish the glass.

It's been a hell of a ride. Down both starting guards, and another Elite 8 (one for Mack).

Thank you Team 95; for a hell of a ride, for moments of joy and ecstasy.
Will forever remember the comebacks, the refusal to give in.

You beat as an 11 seed, a 6, a 3, and a 2. That is spectacular performance.

In the end there wasn't enough in the tank. We were running on fumes.
I wish they were talking about you tonight during breaks. But the Zags earned their #1 seeding.

Thank you again. It was a great ride. Hold your heads high...you never gave up. Bury the urn with pride.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Time to finish the glass.

It's been a hell of a ride. Down both starting guards, and another Elite 8 (one for Mack).

Thank you Team 95; for a hell of a ride, for moments of joy and ecstasy.
Will forever remember the comebacks, the refusal to give in.

You beat as an 11 seed, a 6, a 3, and a 2. That is spectacular performance.

In the end there wasn't enough in the tank. We were running on fumes.
I wish they were talking about you tonight during breaks. But the Zags earned their #1 seeding.

Thank you again. It was a great ride. Hold your heads high...you never gave up. Bury the urn with pride.

Reps Paul!

It was a hell of a ride. Some high highs and low lows all in one season. This team showed some unbelievable resiliency and heart.

A lot of different guys on this team will be remembered so fondly in X history.

Congrats Muskies!

[American X]

Time to finish the glass.

It's been a hell of a ride. Down both starting guards, and another Elite 8 (one for Mack).

Thank you Team 95; for a hell of a ride, for moments of joy and ecstasy.
Will forever remember the comebacks, the refusal to give in.

You beat as an 11 seed, a 6, a 3, and a 2. That is spectacular performance.

In the end there wasn't enough in the tank. We were running on fumes.
I wish they were talking about you tonight during breaks. But the Zags earned their #1 seeding.

Thank you again. It was a great ride. Hold your heads high...you never gave up. Bury the urn with pride.

Great take, Paul. Elite level posting. Something amazing just happened with our program which will not fully sink in for a while.