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  1. #141
    Supporting Member XUGRAD80's Avatar
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    I think that what some people are doing is mixing up the words “goal” and “expectation”.

    Making the NCAA tourney should be the minimum goal every year....I agree with that.

    But, do I expect them to reach that goal this year? No, I do not.

    Do I consider a failure to reach that goal acceptable? Normally, I would not. However, when I look at this roster, and look at the talented teams in the BE, and look at what college BB may look like this year with the limited schedule and the a COVID concerns, I will withhold judgment on that until after the season.

    It could easily be a moot point because there is no tourney, or the size of the tourney is changed, or X has a lot of roster problems because of COVID and loses games with a depleted roster that they might otherwise have won. I’m trying to keep my expectations for this season realistic, and one of the expectations I have is that COVID will play havoc with the BE schedule at some point this season. We are seeing it with college and NFL football right now, and they play an outdoor sport with a much smaller number of games scheduled. I don’t see any scenario where COVID doesn’t shut this season down at some point. Hopefully it doesn’t shut down and stay shut down like last year, and there will be an NCAA tourney at some point. However, it’s also IMO completely reasonable to expect to have individual teams have to cancel games and there not be an even schedule among teams. There might even be schools that decide on their own to shut the season down for their team. There are just way to many unknowns about these players and the season for me to be optimistic about X making the NCAA tourney at the end of the year.
    Last edited by XUGRAD80; 11-28-2020 at 03:54 PM.

  2. #142
    Supporting Member paulxu's Avatar
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    Jay Wright's 3rd year...6-10 in conference/NIT

    Coach K's 3rd year...3-11 in conference/no post season.
    ...he went up late, and I was already up there.

  3. #143
    Hall of Famer xu82's Avatar
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    The season will be disrupted in some way, just like college football which is a MESS right now. Games cancelled and postponed. Hell, even when they DO play, Kentucky was missing 16 players to Covid today against UF. It would not have changed the outcome, but it demonstrates the struggles.

    I hope X shows progress and promise, a better brand of bastekball and that we have some young guys to be excited about. I hope they get in as many games as possible and do so safely. Just give me some games to watch and some hope for NEXT year and I’ll be fine. Any more than that and I’m ecstatic.

  4. #144
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    Quote Originally Posted by paulxu View Post
    Jay Wright's 3rd year...6-10 in conference/NIT

    Coach K's 3rd year...3-11 in conference/no post season.
    So can we expect a sweet 16 and elite eight in years 4 and 5 like wright, and a final in year 6 like k. Hate this comparison stuff.

  5. #145
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    Quote Originally Posted by xudash View Post

    Importantly, I’ve argued forever about the importance of continuity in the head-coaching position. Who are two of the most dominant programs in the country today? I believe it is safe to say the answer is Gonzaga and Villanova, not in that order, of course. Jay Wright and Mark Few. Continuity. I imagine most Duke and Villanova fans are grateful that they were patient with Coach K and JW when they were first starting out, because they didn’t exactly come out of the gate as gangbusters.
    I do not understand why the above is lost on so many fans including more than a few on this board. Our team has, at the moment, eight scholarship players (four of whom had not, until three days ago, played together in a real game). They just finished three games in three days winning two games they [arguably] should have lost. And, the chorus on this board (participation on which should convey some appreciation and understanding of college basketball) is "fire Travis" or "get ready to fire Travis". While I believe this board works best when we are respectful of other's opinions, when I read some of the comments on this thread, I wonder what some of you are smoking.

    What some of you suggest as action we should be consider is exactly the opposite of what is in the best interests of this program. It is exactly the wrong action if you want to advance Xavier basketball. It is exactly the perfectly wrong thing to do, much less consider, if you wish Xavier basketball to succeed.
    Last edited by Jumpin_Jamal_Forever; 11-28-2020 at 04:31 PM.

  6. #146
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jumpin_Jamal_Forever View Post
    I do not understand why the above is lost on so many fans including more than a few on this board. Our team has, at the moment, eight scholarship players (four of whom had not, until three days ago, played together in a real game). They just finished three games in three days winning two games they [arguably] should have lost. And, the chorus on this board (participation on which should convey some appreciation and understanding of college basketball) is "fire Travis" or "get ready to fire Travis". While I believe this board works best when we are respectful of other's opinions, when I read some of the comments on this thread, I wonder what some of you are smoking.

    What some of you suggest as action we should be consider is exactly the opposite of what is in the best interests of this program. It is exactly the wrong action if you want to advance Xavier basketball. It is exactly the perfectly wrong thing to do, much less consider, if you wish Xavier basketball to succeed.
    Are you all fine with travis if he doesnt make the tourney in his first 4 years? That's what I mean by make or break next year, IF he doesnt make the tourney this year. In no way am I saying fire travis this year, I would say that if he doesnt make it once by end of next season

  7. #147
    Supporting Member paulxu's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Xville View Post
    A tourney berth, which if they dont progress, that won't happen. Yes they are young, and lots of new faces, but 3 years without a tourney is absolutely unacceptable at Xavier. I see good things, but I also see instances where things look similar to last year. Maybe I'm just so scared from the horrible look of the last couple years. Lol
    Quote Originally Posted by Xville View Post
    So can we expect a sweet 16 and elite eight in years 4 and 5 like wright, and a final in year 6 like k. Hate this comparison stuff.
    Maybe so. But somehow 3 years without a tourney is absolutely unacceptable here, but they survived there.
    ...he went up late, and I was already up there.

  8. #148
    Supporting Member bobbiemcgee's Avatar
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    Coach Steele ain't no Jay Wright.
    2023 Sweet 16

  9. #149
    Supporting Member xudash's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Xville View Post
    Are you all fine with travis if he doesnt make the tourney in his first 4 years? That's what I mean by make or break next year, IF he doesnt make the tourney this year. In no way am I saying fire travis this year, I would say that if he doesnt make it once by end of next season
    I’m not sure why I would be worrying about next year at this point.

    Please allow me to remind everyone here that we did not have Paul Scruggs for the last three games of last year, which certainly contributed to how last year‘s season ended. We probably would have beaten Butler at home with him. We most likely would have beaten DePaul in game one of the BET in New York. All of it ended up not mattering anyway, because of COVID.

    Let’s see how this year plays out. Let’s see what the next infusion of talent looks like on the recruiting trail.
    X A V I E R

  10. #150
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    Quote Originally Posted by Xville View Post
    Are you all fine with travis if he doesnt make the tourney in his first 4 years? That's what I mean by make or break next year, IF he doesnt make the tourney this year. In no way am I saying fire travis this year, I would say that if he doesnt make it once by end of next season
    My evaluation of Steele (and my level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction) is highly circumstantial. The way this team laid down last year, particularly against DePaul? I am totally not fine with that. That was an abomination and I hold both the coaches and the players responsible for that.

    The way this year's team has fought and just kept grinding (and I'll stipulate for the record the teams they just played were OK, not great and probably not BE caliber)? I enjoy the hell out of these kids. I hold both the coaches and players responsible for that as well.

    Steele started at the bottom and worked his way up. I'm partial to that as I bet are many others on this board. He wasn't loyal because he couldn't get a job somewhere else. Our friend Chris Mack wanted him at the junior college 90 minutes south on I-71. I'll bet Mack would have paid him, as senior assistant, something close to what he is now making at X. And, I love loyalty as much as I love starting in the mail room. But, that isn't a reason to keep Steele as our coach. A reason to keep him as our coach is progress. And, I see progress (or think I see it) where others on this board see a repeat of last year's debacle.

    I recall my first big promotion (sadly, many years ago now). I was not ready. I'm sure others have had a similar experience so I won't belabor it. I thrashed and flailed my first couple of years. I was taken advantage of by some of my team members. I made some horrible decisions and I made a few terrible hires. But, I stuck it out. Most importantly, I was allowed to stick it out by those above me on the corporate food chain. I kept grinding, gained valuable experience and when I retired, a couple of years ago, my team and I had built a hugely successful, well regarded and highly profitable national business. It took some patience from people above me and patience from many people a few rungs down the ladder beneath me. And, it was a hugely humbling experience because, when I was promoted, I was young (like Steele) and it was my first big job (like Steele). I was such a fucking rookie. What I think I learned (which I practiced over the next three decades as I added managers below me) is to value continuity and effort as long as people are making progress. Sometimes that progress is only baby steps forward.

    While I have been critical of Steele at times, I believe I see leadership and I believe I see progress. Of course, time will tell. But, I think he has earned time without the Xavier fan base looking over his shoulder and communicating this must be the year we see results. Success often occurs in stops and starts. It isn't generally a smooth process.

    I like this team.

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