GP1

Oh the cynicism.....I like it. A lot of decisions college coaches make are not a pure as the newly fallen snow.If KD wants to get a fat bonus again next year with a more difficult schedule, better players have to come in.

I read it as beefing up the schedule. It's the only thing I can think of right off that he's been vocal in the past about not wanting to do (except on his terms anyway).The last thing on the list KD is going to do is beef up the schedule. Beefing up the schedule could shatter the 20 win illusion. My guess is bringing in better talent is what he is going to do. Better talent could take the team from 24 wins to 26 against the horrible schedule they play. The illusion is reinforced at that point. Then we can hear the growers say, "See, we won more this year than last year. The process works and the team is growing."This year was a big year for the "growers" and there is nothing to reinforce their beliefs at this point. UofA played an abnormally large number of OOC games at home and will not be so blessed next year. They had, with the exception of one player and the addition of a HS All American, the same team coming back. It would have been one thing to lose to Can't last night, but getting beat by OU is nonsense. The talent has to increase if they are going to play more road OOC games and maintain the same number of wins.

The Zips scored in the range of points KD is comfortable. That's not bad execution of a game plan to me.Defense is another thing. If the Zips score more points last night, they win. Too much has to happen for defense to win a championship. I hope everyone has learned that lesson now.

It's hard to come up short three of four years, losing at times to some below average teams, and continue to think what you are doing is OK.The questions is this. Can KD handle an at risk kid, or a JUCO, or a troubled transfer?I have no problem with him giving some of the players the boot. Anyone who looks at their bench know there is some dead wood that needs to be eliminated.

Whenever I watch a MAC game, I can usually tell which team is going to win by the number of times I laugh at each team. Last night, I can't remember a single time when I really laughed out loud at something UofA did. I laughed at OU a lot during the game and never felt until the very end the Zips would lose. I thought for sure my laugh meter was working effectively, but I need to run a Level 4 diagnostic on that meter between now and football season.I thought the kids played very hard and executed well. Last night was not unlike a lot of big games in that a couple of plays here or there are the difference between winning and losing. Neither team played bad or was badly coached or can blame the refs for the outcome. IMNHO, one of biggest plays of the game was the three point shot OU made with around 3:45 to go in OT that put them up by three. Early three point shots made in OT can really make a difference because of momentum and math. If they miss that shot and the Zips make a shot to go up two, the game could have ended differently.BTW, Zeke needs to play more. The Zips were at their best last night when he was in the game.

I don't have a problem with the way the coach is coaching this team. My only question is....when? When are we going to be a nationally recognized level team?Talk is cheap. KD says he wants a nationally recognized team, but the actions aren't there. I'd be happy if he said he just wants to win the MAC every year and then goes out and does it.

McNees was McMoney in the clutch during the tournament.

Are you saying you ate $7.00 worth of Hangover Helper last weekend?

I'm absolutely certain the Zips are going to win tonight and tomorrow. This league is horrible and the only team we could lose to lost last night. The only outstanding questions relate to pre-game/post game parties and hangovers. No better time than now to debate next week.

Sure looks like it.If so, June 30 was before football season and during summer conditioning. If he wasn't doing it, who was? What was the reasoning for the separation? Could it have been vacant because Mack was looking to Houston and didn't have time to fill the spot? Lots more questions, not enough time to type.

Let them say whatever they want. After the Zips win Saturday night, some will say we were lucky again because of the shot last night and Can't losing. Those people are typically Cleveland fans who have never won a championship. My favorite professional teams have won a lot of championships in my lifetime and all of them required some luck at some point in the run. Let's take the luck as a blessing and win the championship.

Of the 33% who are pumped, I would say most of those are guys looking for a second chance or are just sick and tired of the losing.Of the 33% who hate the new guy, I'm not worried about them. A certain number of players hate the coach regardless of who he is. Many of them are the type of player who thinks he is too good for UofA. A lot of haters probably had a free ride to the starting line-up.The last of the group is the most important. These guys are open minded worker bees and are waiting for the winning. They are probably also looking for some sign of improvement. They will push the rock for just about anyone for a lot of reasons. One primary reason they are so willing to push it is they probably really like going to school at UofA. These guys will run until their legs fall off. Good coaching will win them over.

What a waste of ink this article was. The only thing good about it was the anti-Pluto headline.It is also good to know the new commissioner had no idea about the problems of the league before taking the job.

It was my pleasure...don't forget to read Playing for Pizza.

By this point in the season, everything about the team is settled. KD knows who he has and what he has. They need to go out and play THEIR game and not the other teams game. I think it is really that simple.Luck is important this weekend as well. Everyone needs some luck to win a championship.

Teams were still running the wishbone during the early Faust years and we had M-W-F-Sat (AM) workouts.Three days a week does not seem to be enough. A lot has changed over the years. If they are doing full body push/pull lifts, three days may be enough.

I disagree and your opinion shows a regional bias. It is extremely common out west for kids, athletes and non-athletes to attend junior colleges. It is a cultural difference many from the east don't understand because they are not exposed to it.Probably the second best Zips football player was Vic Green. He was a jc transfer. JT is the best Zip ever and he was an at risk player coming out of high school.One jc player on the basketball team isn't going to sink the ship. A couple impact players on the football team isn't going to shink the ship either. It is too small of a percentage to make a difference.

Interesting post. I really don't disagree. In fact, probably the two best sentences this weekend. People should be careful of what they say pubically. KD is not willing to back up his comments with actions. I really don't think he knows how to, or is in a meaningful way interested in becoming bigger than the MAC. There is actually no evidence to indicate he has ever taken any team to an elite level or even knows how to do it. Coaching a high school team with LBJ on it to the Ohio state championship is not exactly a sign of basketball coaching genious.With that said, KD should be the coach for well into the future. The Zips still function well on the high end of the MAC and he should get A LOT of credit for that. Being one of the best teams in a horrible conference is not exactly the sign of greatness to me though. Being one of the best teams in a horrible conference is a Hell of a lot better than being one of the worst teams in a bad conference.

Nice smack.Actually, I saw it years ago. My Masters Degree helped me reason it out.

Amen. People who think that all JUCO players are trouble are narrow minded fools.

Wife just made some Mac-n-Cheese. That should get me back on track.Put some bacon in it too......I just mowed the grass. Feeling better. The snow is melting today and I'm starting to SEE the grass. Feeling better. My yard looks freaking great. Had it overseeded last fall and it looks great.The top of the grass where I live in the south turns brown in the winter and does not turn green again when Spring arrives. The first cut of the season has to be really low then you keep your grass really high for the remainder of the year to shade the ground from the southern heat. My first cut was today and there is really green grass under the brown.I'm so proud I feel like Hank Hill does when he mows his yard.

Focused on what? did you see any defense last night?I didn't say the Zips play great defense every game. I just cited the commonly known reality that KD puts a higher priority on defense than offense.Didn't someone put a stat on the board a couple of weeks ago showing how much more UofA is in high scoring games than low scoring games? The Zips played a really good offensive game last year in the MAC Championship and won. Every time they have attempted to win a low scoring game in the Championship they lose. Focus on offense...offense puts pressure on the other team....pressure makes you do things you aren't good at then you lose.

You don't develop good players sitting them on the bench.I go back to Zeke. The kid was a HS All American. If we are waiting to see a little more improvement from him next year, there is a problem. He should dominate this horrible league right now. Other programs that get HS All Americans start them from day one. Major programs get all Americans and they are in the NBA in two years.

Wife just made some Mac-n-Cheese. That should get me back on track.Put some bacon in it too......I just mowed the grass. Feeling better.

I think that may be one of the hazards of having a coach who is so focused on defense. I personally have no problem with stressing D if it results in winning more games. But obsessing over D to the point that it becomes a detriment to offense is not so good.Defense beats all bad and average teams. Defense allows you to beat less than half of all good teams. This is how 20 win seasons are created.I watch sports through the eye of a Steelers fan. Bill Cowher averaged 10 wins a season over a 15 or 16 year career with the Steelers. There is no doubt he is a Hall of Fame coach. With the exception of winning the Super Bowl once, he came up short time and again in AFC Championship games, lost one Super Bowl and lost early in the playoffs more than he should have. Defense is not the answer.