TCU Game Notes and Thread

[ksustars754]

So I assume in basketball that there are assistants that have specific focuses - offense, defense, perimeter offense, inside game, etc?

I hope if the above is true that Bruce brings in an offensive consultant of sorts. How rare would that sort of move be for an established coach? Does it wreak of desperation? Maybe but the offense is beyond putrid and to go into next year with similar strategies on offense seems insane.

[wazucat]

So I assume in basketball that there are assistants that have specific focuses - offense, defense, perimeter offense, inside game, etc?

I hope if the above is true that Bruce brings in an offensive consultant of sorts. How rare would that sort of move be for an established coach? Does it wreak of desperation? Maybe but the offense is beyond putrid and to go into next year with similar strategies on offense seems insane.

The idea that Bruce is going to change at this point of his career and age is almost laughable.

[gdgjr78]

KSU basketball fans = KU football fans.

Sad, indeed.

There are a bunch of KSU bball fans and very very few ku fball fans. The fanbases are not similar at all in that way.

[tmcats]

when was ku's last b12 football championship?

[ksustars754]

So I assume in basketball that there are assistants that have specific focuses - offense, defense, perimeter offense, inside game, etc?

I hope if the above is true that Bruce brings in an offensive consultant of sorts. How rare would that sort of move be for an established coach? Does it wreak of desperation? Maybe but the offense is beyond putrid and to go into next year with similar strategies on offense seems insane.

The idea that Bruce is going to change at this point of his career and age is almost laughable.

I know it’s not likely but going 9-22 (or 11-20 if you’re optimistic) has to call for some sort of action right? Can’t Gene suggest that or do coaches essentially have no boss? I know very little about HC/AD discussions and whether or not the involve that level of detail.

[wild@nite]

I'd love to see a change in our big man recruiting. In my opinion, with the 3 pt line getting moved back, a rim protector will become more valuable. You want to take some pressure off of your guards? Get a freaking post player that is a consistent threat and can protect the rim. This team would be 5-6 games better with an average big man and would be a tourney hopeful next year. I truly believe that.

[Hypeman]

From what I see on television, the Cats have two assistant coaches that specialize in eating. As blimped out as they are I wonder how they demonstrate anything.

Inappropriate

[learnin]

Perhaps some have read a different article than I did. Ask yourself why such an article would even be written. Why would the subject come up? Why was Weber even asked the question by a sports writer? You know the reason as well as I. When a team, like TCU, steps up and has it's best 3 point shooting of the season each time against K-State, the subject of luck comes up naturally.

"Were the Horned Frogs lucky to make some of those shots? Perhaps. They normally make 33.6 percent of their three-pointers, and they were at 45.5 percent on Saturday. Desmond Bane got hot and made five three-pointers on his way to a game-high 17 points. Jaire Grayer hit a dagger three from the corner that more or less clinched the game late, and Francisco Farabello connected on two shots that were so far away from the basket that Weber described them as “bombs.”'

Even the TV announcers had to chuckle when no name players, like Grayer and Farabello, were knocking down long bombs.

No one is asking our coach, or suggesting to anyone, that all of us should say:

"Everything is OK fellas...just keep doing what you're doing...missing free throws.....turning the ball over.....because nothing we do will help....we're cursed."

Good Lord! No one is suggesting that we let this year's team off the hook. As Weber said: "You make your own luck." What does this phrase mean? First of all, on it's face value, the statement is a farce because luck has to do with something you cannot control. The better phrase should be: "Be good enough that luck doesn't become a factor." But, even that statement isn't true because luck always is a factor.

Let's say you are a very safe and defensive driver. You approach every intersection looking for other driver's to do something wrong and you're ready if they do. You've avoided accidents because of your great driving skills and attitude. But....but....but....perfect as you may be.....some John Doe crosses the center line in an instant and you are dead! A deer rushes across the road, you hit it and it flips into the windshield killing your child. Does this mean that we sit back and not work hard at our driving skills? Of course not! No one is suggesting such a thing, but if you think for one instant that all the hard work in the world will assure you of success, you're just as bad as the person who will not work harder simply because he, or she, thinks their unlucky. Work and Luck are two completely opposite terms. Strictly speaking, they should never be uttered in the same sentence.

Here's an example. Three years ago, Kansas State had a chance to win in Lawrence. K-State's best shooter found himself wide open at the top of the key for a 3. He knocks down just under 50% of those. It was 2 inches off. Here was a young man who had worked hard all his life, received good coaching and had great shooting form. On this particular night, the percentages weren't in K-State's favor. KU was lucky and K-State was unlucky....luck had a big say so in who won that game. And please don't counter that if only K-State had played better...…….it wouldn't have come down to luck. K-State did play better because you have to play 10-20 points better than KU, in Lawrence, to have a chance to win. K-State was not a better team than KU, but it did play as good as KU for 40 minutes and the dice didn't roll our way. KU was lucky...period.

This year's team has many flaws, but this team is as good as TCU. This team is as good as Oklahoma. TCU, in both games versus K-State, has shot phenomenally and it's not just because they were wide open. Despite of what many think, for whatever reason, people (teams) get into a rut.
This is why Jamie Dixon said, in the same article: "We exorcised some demons." North Carolina is going through some of the same stuff K-State is going through.

What's the moral of the story? Temper some of the criticism knowing that these guys are still fighting hard and haven't given up. Temper the criticism knowing that they've sustained a number of losses that could have been victories with a break here or there. In other words, be JUST in judgment even though bias and the agony of losing makes one want to make someone pay.

[wild@nite]

I briefly skimmed you post. Too long, sorry. Two things I noticed that I'll address.

The media would love for Weber to have the "poor us" view. They would jump all over that. That's why they asked. Thankfully, he didn't fall for it and have that mentality.

Furthermore, I'm very JUST in judgement. We aren't good. Weber still has them playing hard. He has a good class coming in.

On the flip side, you want sympathy from the fanbase. Nope. That's a weak mentality, especially when they come out not ready to play damn near every game. Quit digging a huge hole every game. That advice and my continued attention to the program and hope for more wins to program is all this fan has to offer. Never buying into the bad luck garbage. That's for people who wanna feel sorry for themselves, imo.

[gdgjr78]

I think it would be wise for the fanbase to separate their personal feelings about Weber from the actual performance of the team on the court. Our team is simply bad this year with very little talent. Talented teams generate their own good luck, teams with no talent generate their own bad luck.