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Thread: If not now, when?
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03-19-2018, 08:29 AM #41
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03-19-2018, 08:42 AM #42
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03-19-2018, 08:45 AM #43
- Join Date
- Jan 2012
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03-19-2018, 08:53 AM #44"It's like X wasn't given enough to do, so they had to promise it more. Okay, you don't start a lot of words, but we'll give you a co-starring role in tic-tac-toe. And you will be associated with hugs and kisses. And you will mark the spot. And you will make writing Christmas easier." -Mitch Hedberg
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03-19-2018, 09:13 AM #45
Beautifully Said.
Love the players... disappointed as hell with how things fell apart at the end. X should have beaten this team. Period. All fans feel bad for this team -I particularly feel bad for JP because he left it all out there on the court and was unfairly penalized by the refers. I also feel bad for the fans who probably wouldn't be so disappointed if X actually played smart and lost because the other team was just sensational in everything they did. That was not the case.
X had a small lineup in that had trouble grabbing a rebound on defense and they had 5 turnovers right at the end of the game- partly because they were forcing plays that were not there... and nothing was done to correct it. This is where Mack comes in... I don't feel quite as bad for Mack who is making a heck of a lot of money (relative to the average person) and then speaks in the post press conferences as if none of that blown lead and disasterous loss had anything to due with him.
We saw this team fall apart at the end of many games this season and you'd think in this game there would have been better clock management and a better plan in place during the final four or so minutes to help prevent it from happening again.
That and unfortunately Tre picked the worst night to disappear and not show his senior leadership.
But then, while it's unfortunate about what could/should have been in the tournament, I really Am proud of this great group of kids for a very good and entertaining season they delivered and for bringing the first Big East regular season championship to X! That was a tremendous accomplishment that the players and coaches should feel very good about... And something I know we fans are all very grateful to them for pulling off.Last edited by IM4X; 03-19-2018 at 09:29 AM.
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03-19-2018, 09:47 AM #46
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03-19-2018, 10:02 AM #47
In my opinion (and everyone is free to take that for what they think it's worth), perhaps sooner than we think.
I have what I call the "Group of Ten Theory." It's basically this. Going into the NCAA Tournament if everyone had to pick ten teams that would win it all, then 99% of the people would have the national champion in their group of ten. When you look at every NCAA Tournament back to 1985 when the field expanded to 64, and really going back to 1953 when it sort of overtook the NIT as the bigger tournament, there are probably only four examples in the last 65 years where a team outside the group of ten won it all. Granted, one was rather recently in 2014, but still. It's pretty solid.
In the last three years, Xavier has been in that group of ten twice. Now, I know we've gone out early the two times we did it, but over time I'm really not concerned about that because the other part of the theory is that while one of those ten teams will win it all, at least one other team (and usually more) will go out prior to the Sweet Sixteen. In recent years it's happened to us twice, Villanova three times, Duke, North Carolina, Michigan State twice, Virginia twice, and I'm sure there are others. But still, if you're in that group of ten, then you have a legitimate chance to win it, and Xavier is doing the things that they need to in order to keep putting themselves in that group. If you're not in that group, which Xavier never really was until recently, then your chances of winning it all are very small. Going back to 1985 there have been four teams that have done it. There have been 54 teams each year that were not in the group of 10. That puts the odds at 4/1782, which is just over one-tenth of one-percent. I'll need GoMuskie to check my math on that. He always does. But, I THINK that's right.
It sucks to lose. Every team but one loses the last one. I'm not going to tell anyone how they should feel or what the proper etiquette is for being a "real" fan. I will say this, though. If you're raving pissed, and I understand why a lot of people would be, maybe ask yourself what it is that you're so mad at. And, should you be letting it bring out the worst in you?? It's college students most of us have never met and will likely never meet playing a game that we are watching. I love college athletics for many reasons, mostly because of how it can rally fanbases of people who are tied to the schools. I also understand how soul crushing it can be. But at the same time....it's gonna be okay. It really will be. Especially if you're doing what Xavier is doing. I'm more encouraged now, despite two second round exits, than I have ever been before because of my "group of ten" theory. But, then again, that's just me. I know a lot of people reading this think that I'm crazy and have thought that for a long time, so, what can ya do?Last edited by xubrew; 03-19-2018 at 10:06 AM.
"You can't fix stupid." Ron White
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03-19-2018, 10:11 AM #48
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03-19-2018, 10:12 AM #49
I don’t know the answer. None of us do. And it stinks when you have the personnel to make a legitimate push, you lose early, and then you know you are going to take a few steps back next season.
But those steps back won’t be very far.
And on a another positive note, I wore an X hat out for St. Patrick’s Day here in Chicago. I had about ten people come up to me and ask if I attended Xavier and talked about the basketball program. It’s pretty neat when people are able to recognize your brand and your program.
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03-19-2018, 10:47 AM #50
My silver lining from this has been that experience and talent compound in this program. The bitter end of Bluiett-Macura will boost the future of Scruggs-Marshall. If you compare Bluiett and Macura's freshman year to this one, there are a lot of similarities. We had a tough exit and sad end for Stainbrook-Davis but a few freshmen that showed a lot of promise. I think these freshmen have the talent to learn from what they've seen from our seniors and carry it further. The depressing and exciting part is that we'll have to wait awhile to see if that comes to fruition.
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