Coach Steele

[bleedXblue]

As described in some of these last posts, the stats as well as the eye test tell us that Paul Scruggs is a really, really good player.

The stats and the eye test also tell us that Goodin is not a good player. And he's killing the offense in that teams have stopped guarding him (with good reason) which leaves him in a position where he really has almost no choice but to shoot but also that the other players are subject to extra help defense because Q's guy is not playing Q honestly. It's foolish to say "well, then just don't shoot" because the options if he doesn't shoot aren't real good. Indeed, it's next to impossible to win in contemporary college basketball with a very below average shooting guard; it's just too important to the modern game.

The choice then is you just roll with him and hope he finds a hot streak. That's probably foolhardy. The back of his baseball card, so to speak, tells us over four years at this point that he simply struggles as a shooter. Or he has to just play way, way less. Problem there, of course, is that the depth/alternate options on this team are not good.

In the end, it's a team with some good players but just not enough of them, and missing the absolute star that they really need.

In today's game, you cant afford to have a guy on the floor that cant make shots at a decent clip. The only way that makes sense is if that player brings more to the game in terms of really good defense or creating shots and really establishing the tempo and pace on the offensive end. Also, that player could be the leader of your team and be the guy that everyone looks to for leadership. Unfortunately you guys know this isn't the case the vast majority of the time. But, Steele will keep running him out there........only hope is for a Chalmers like awakening.

[GOX]

In today's game, you cant afford to have a guy on the floor that cant make shots at a decent clip. The only way that makes sense is if that player brings more to the game in terms of really good defense or creating shots and really establishing the tempo and pace on the offensive end. Also, that player could be the leader of your team and be the guy that everyone looks to for leadership. Unfortunately you guys know this isn't the case the vast majority of the time. But, Steele will keep running him out there........only hope is for a Chalmers like awakening.

Some really good posts here. Factual and insightful yet discouraging . Naj and Scruggs are the only A- Big East players on the team. Tandy has potential but is still getting acclimated.
When I look at the remaining schedule and assume that what we have seen the last few games is relatively normative , it seems 9 and 9 is beyond a stretch. If you spin through the remaining schedule, who will we beat?

[xuwin]

38% from 3 is better than decent. Its pretty darn good. I think KyKy is still trying to find some his shot. 36% is actually pretty solid. Naji and Q being 1 and 3 in attempts is not good.

If Naji was getting the same 3 pt shots that Q is his percentage would be better than 28%.

[Mrs. Garrett]

My question would be if the players respect Steele? Does Q have restrictions on shooting 3s that he is ignoring. And if he doesn't why? Yeah Steele isn't the one missing shots, but he is the one allowing the wrong people to shoot too many.

There's just no sense of urgency and there should be given you have 4 guys that are probably done after this year.

[Jumpin_Jamal_Forever]

In today's game, you cant afford to have a guy on the floor that cant make shots at a decent clip. The only way that makes sense is if that player brings more to the game in terms of really good defense or creating shots and really establishing the tempo and pace on the offensive end. Also, that player could be the leader of your team and be the guy that everyone looks to for leadership. Unfortunately you guys know this isn't the case the vast majority of the time. But, Steele will keep running him out there........only hope is for a Chalmers like awakening.

What you are suggesting is not rocket science so I ask myself, surely Steele and the players know this, right? Q is quite capable of filling the role you describe. In fact, he has done exactly that at times in his career. Q can't shoot but he is athletic as hell. Last year at Depaul, he did a great job on Strus. When I watched Naji chase Powell around throughout the S.H. game, i wondered why it wasn't Q doing that job. And, plenty of times in the last four years, Q has been able to penetrate and dish. And, when he has done so, Tyrique has been the biggest beneficiary. Q has, over the last four years, played well and, through his leadership, he has helped make those around him better.

I cannot convince myself that Q does not fully understand the other team wants him to shoot the three. He has been our P.G. for four years. He must understand what the other team is trying to do, right? Yet, he takes shot after shot and continues to do so with minimal positive results.

The thing is, Q seems to have developed a chip on his shoulder. It is as if he has to push any criticism of him, for this team's play, right back in the faces of those making those criticisms. I recall several games back, the media reported on a meeting Steele called with Tyrique and Q. Steele had commented, about that meeting, along the lines of telling the seniors "they needed to step up". But, when Q was asked for a comment he said, "He (Steele) said some things; we said some things." It is as if Q simply needs to have the last word.

There have been multiple comments on this board about posters sensing something is wrong with this team (beyond shooting, offensive schemes, game planning and in-game decision making). Some posters sense a malaise but cannot identify its source.

I get these are young men and I also recall that maturity, at age twenty two, was not my strong suit. Further, at no time in my career, was my job performance subject to analysis by others on public message boards. So, while I don't point at Q solely for this teams' performance, I am sensitive to his youth and his role on this team. But, I have come to conclude he has become a material part of this team's issues. If, indeed, he feels compelled to thumb his nose at the fans, his coaches and this board, it seems unlikely that such an "awakening" lies in his near future. For whatever reason, he just doesn't seem to want to be a leader on this team.

[jhelmes37]

What you are suggesting is not rocket science so I ask myself, surely Steele and the players know this, right? Q is quite capable of filling the role you describe. In fact, he has done exactly that at times in his career. Q can't shoot but he is athletic as hell. Last year at Depaul, he did a great job on Strus. When I watched Naji chase Powell around throughout the S.H. game, i wondered why it wasn't Q doing that job. And, plenty of times in the last four years, Q has been able to penetrate and dish. And, when he has done so, Tyrique has been the biggest beneficiary. Q has, over the last four years, played well and, through his leadership, he has helped make those around him better.

I cannot convince myself that Q does not fully understand the other team wants him to shoot the three. He has been our P.G. for four years. He must understand what the other team is trying to do, right? Yet, he takes shot after shot and continues to do so with minimal positive results.

The thing is, Q seems to have developed a chip on his shoulder. It is as if he has to push any criticism of him, for this team's play, right back in the faces of those making those criticisms. I recall several games back, the media reported on a meeting Steele called with Tyrique and Q. Steele had commented, about that meeting, along the lines of telling the seniors "they needed to step up". But, when Q was asked for a comment he said, "He (Steele) said some things; we said some things." It is as if Q simply needs to have the last word.

There have been multiple comments on this board about posters sensing something is wrong with this team (beyond shooting, offensive schemes, game planning and in-game decision making). Some posters sense a malaise but cannot identify its source.

I get these are young men and I also recall that maturity, at age twenty two, was not my strong suit. Further, at no time in my career, was my job performance subject to analysis by others on public message boards. So, while I don't point at Q solely for this teams' performance, I am sensitive to his youth and his role on this team. But, I have come to conclude he has become a material part of this team's issues. If, indeed, he feels compelled to thumb his nose at the fans, his coaches and this board, it seems unlikely that such an "awakening" lies in his near future. For whatever reason, he just doesn't seem to want to be a leader on this team.

When faced with negativity, you can either double down on what's not working (usually with inflated ego or pride), or you can accept it and work on changing it.

Sadly, when you're halfway through your senior year, the odds of the latter aren't good...

[Blue Blooded-05]

We can debate this all we want, but deep down we all know what is going to ultimately happen with Steele...

He’ll struggle a bit and frustrate us while he learns the hard way but he’ll eventually right the ship and get us back to the top of the BE, an annual top 4 seed in the Tourney and the cusp of a Final Four... aaaaand then he’ll leave us in the dust for another program and we’ll get to do this all over again!

[GOX]

We can debate this all we want, but deep down we all know what is going to ultimately happen with Steele...

He’ll struggle a bit and frustrate us while he learns the hard way but he’ll eventually right the ship and get us back to the top of the BE, an annual top 4 seed in the Tourney and the cusp of a Final Four... aaaaand then he’ll leave us in the dust for another program and we’ll get to do this all over again!

Annnnnd...we will be there thanking him for taking the program to another level. When should we schedule the Going Away Party?

[BigMoeMusketeer]

We can debate this all we want, but deep down we all know what is going to ultimately happen with Steele...

He’ll struggle a bit and frustrate us while he learns the hard way but he’ll eventually right the ship and get us back to the top of the BE, an annual top 4 seed in the Tourney and the cusp of a Final Four

I think that is optimistic, I'm not sure you can automatically expect that Travis is or will become Sean or Chris. In fact, I'm pretty sure you can't expect that.

[XUGRAD80]

When faced with negativity, you can either double down on what's not working (usually with inflated ego or pride), or you can accept it and work on changing it.

Sadly, when you're halfway through your senior year, the odds of the latter aren't good...

There’s change and then there’s change.....is it a matter of changing the process/scheme? Changing the players? Or working to make both improve? Get the players to play better and to execute the offense and defense better?

Some here say....change the schemes. Run different offenses and defenses. Press more. Zone. Drive to the basket and don’t shoot from the outside.

Others say....change the lineup and the rotation. Even, change the coaches. Or accept what it is for this year and wait until they change players next year and beyond.

Or....is it a matter of keeping the scheme, keeping the players, BUT get the players playing better and smarter?

All of one, or a little of all?

THAT is what the coaching staff has to figure out. They have to decide what (if any) changes that will actually IMPROVE the product are possible and are going to work.

We might start to get some answers tonight. One thing I know is that if Q, KyKy, Carter, Moore, or ANY of the players comes out tonight and goes off, I’m not going to get to excited. All of these players have had individual games where they looked great. Individual games. Let’s see them put games back to back for awhile before we get excited.