ABJ on BUGS game

[Blue & Gold]

Here is Tom Gaffney's article on tomorrow's BiG game.

One amazing fact Tom brought to my attention was that we've never had a 4-game losing streak under KD. We've only ever had two 3-game losing streaks under KD & a handful of 2-game losing streaks (to be expected). That's pretty darn good, if you ask me.

Unfortunately, as Tom points out, we've already set one bad precedent this season - KD's first 3-game conference slide.

Go Zips!

[The Hip Zip]

That is impressive. Makes one think that KD kinda knows his stuff eh?

[RootforRoo44]

That is impressive. Makes one think that KD kinda knows his stuff eh?

Or that we rarely play great opponents in back-to-back games.

Think of our usual OOC schedules and our weak conference.

[The Hip Zip]

That is impressive. Makes one think that KD kinda knows his stuff eh?

Or that we rarely play great opponents in back-to-back games.

Think of our usual OOC schedules and our weak conference.

Oh OK, KD deserves no praise at all. Get real.

[RowdyZip]

That is impressive. Makes one think that KD kinda knows his stuff eh?

Or that we rarely play great opponents in back-to-back games.

Think of our usual OOC schedules and our weak conference.

Oh OK, KD deserves no praise at all. Get real.

C'mon Hip Zip, haven't you learned? Our coach's seat should be warm.

[GP1]

That is impressive. Makes one think that KD kinda knows his stuff eh?

Or that we rarely play great opponents in back-to-back games.

Think of our usual OOC schedules and our weak conference.

Oh OK, KD deserves no praise at all. Get real.

He deserves praise, but the point RFR44 makes is valid. Maybe he doesn't word it in a way that softens his opinion, but it is still a valid point.

Early in his career, KD stated that he was not going to play a lot of high level teams because he wanted to create a culture of winning. It worked and he deserves praise for that. Several 20 win seasons based upon an easy schedule KD designed were completed. The Zips were used to winning and went deep into the MAC Tournament and won one (although they should have won more). That's just a fact.

The flip side of that is some fans may not look at that as a great accomplishment, but a good accomplishment and want something more. The Zips are still playing an OOC schedule that causes people to question when the "building process" will come to an end and when the next level will be achieved. How about another MAC Championship or even two in a row? If Can't can do it, we can do it.

Coach D is a good coach and this is still a good program. He isn't a great coach and really isn't the best coach in the MAC. He isn't even the best college basketball coach in NE Ohio as that position belongs to the coach at CSU. There is still some illusion associated with this program in terms of the 20 win seasons and fans are realizing that. Zips fans are looking for substance at this point and not illusion. Watch a magician enough times, and you figure out the illusions. Zips fans have seen this act before and they are growing tired. When fans start to look behind the curtain, it becomes hard on a coach. The Zips have a high school All American who is developing slowly and that is unacceptable as players like him don't come along very often. The Zips gave the boot to some playes after last season. When you give the boot to someone, whether in business or sports, you are saying you can find someone better...Are the Zips better this season? The Zips are losing the same way over and over again. Beating BG would be a good dose of substance fans are looking for. If substance is not created, we have to rely on faith in the "building process". I've had enough building watching Zips sports to last a lifetime and I want some substance.

[Captain Kangaroo]

That is impressive. Makes one think that KD kinda knows his stuff eh?

Or that we rarely play great opponents in back-to-back games.

Think of our usual OOC schedules and our weak conference.

Oh OK, KD deserves no praise at all. Get real.

He deserves praise, but the point RFR44 makes is valid. Maybe he doesn't word it in a way that softens his opinion, but it is still a valid point.

Early in his career, KD stated that he was not going to play a lot of high level teams because he wanted to create a culture of winning. It worked and he deserves praise for that. Several 20 win seasons based upon an easy schedule KD designed were completed. The Zips were used to winning and went deep into the MAC Tournament and won one (although they should have won more). That's just a fact.

The flip side of that is some fans may not look at that as a great accomplishment, but a good accomplishment and want something more. The Zips are still playing an OOC schedule that causes people to question when the "building process" will come to an end and when the next level will be achieved. How about another MAC Championship or even two in a row? If Can't can do it, we can do it.

Coach D is a good coach and this is still a good program. He isn't a great coach and really isn't the best coach in the MAC. He isn't even the best college basketball coach in NE Ohio as that position belongs to the coach at CSU. There is still some illusion associated with this program in terms of the 20 win seasons and fans are realizing that. Zips fans are looking for substance at this point and not illusion. Watch a magician enough times, and you figure out the illusions. Zips fans have seen this act before and they are growing tired. When fans start to look behind the curtain, it becomes hard on a coach. The Zips have a high school All American who is developing slowly and that is unacceptable as players like him don't come along very often. The Zips gave the boot to some playes after last season. When you give the boot to someone, whether in business or sports, you are saying you can find someone better...Are the Zips better this season? The Zips are losing the same way over and over again. Beating BG would be a good dose of substance fans are looking for. If substance is not created, we have to rely on faith in the "building process". I've had enough building watching Zips sports to last a lifetime and I want some substance.

For a Football Guy in the Carolinas, that was an excellent basketball post.

[RACER]

so miami of fla,minn,and temple are weaks teams we play in our occ.if kd is not the best coach in the

mac then who is? none of the mac teams have done much in the tourney.ou beat gtown last year.

this year they are in the tank.

[RACER]

i say get rid of kd,and bring in c.crawford before the season is lost.

[Dave in Green]

..... The flip side of that is some fans may not look at that as a great accomplishment, but a good accomplishment and want something more. .....

No matter what any coach or any team in any sport accomplishes, some fans always want more. It's human nature.

Under KD, Zips fans have gone from having to live with the Zips either not making the MAC tournament or going out in the first round to making it to the MAC tournament championship four years in a row and winning one. Now that's no longer good enough for some Zips fans. Some Zips fans would only be temporarily satisfied if the Zips won the MAC championship five years in a row. Then the complaints would be that they don't go deep enough into the NCAA tournament.

There's no end to wanting to continuously improve. It's human nature. It's healthy.

[GP1]

if kd is not the best coach in the

mac then who is?

Charlie Coles. Multiple MAC Championships (one against KD). Coles does more with less and isn't scared to put his team up against top level teams. We do less with more and don't play anyone. This needs to turn around. The rabbit is behind the liner in the hat.....

[Zip Watcher]

if kd is not the best coach in the

mac then who is?

Charlie Coles. Multiple MAC Championships (one against KD). Coles does more with less and isn't scared to put his team up against top level teams. We do less with more and don't play anyone. This needs to turn around. The rabbit is behind the liner in the hat.....

That all sounds nice, but since KD has been coach of the Zips, CC has one MAC title & exactly ZERO post season wins. It's not as clear cut as you'd like us to believe. Both are good coaches.

[GP1]

if kd is not the best coach in the

mac then who is?

Charlie Coles. Multiple MAC Championships (one against KD). Coles does more with less and isn't scared to put his team up against top level teams. We do less with more and don't play anyone. This needs to turn around. The rabbit is behind the liner in the hat.....

That all sounds nice, but since KD has been coach of the Zips, CC has one MAC title & exactly ZERO post season wins. It's not as clear cut as you'd like us to believe. Both are good coaches.

It is when it matters.

There are three types of people who watch a magician.

The first type of person, someone like the Great GP1, understands it is a magic show and is very skeptical of what he sees.

The second person, Capt. Kangaroo and DrZ are quietly good examples of this person, enjoy they show yet over time grow wooly ove what they see.

The third person, Zip Watcher, believes the magician has supernatural powers and the tricks are real.

I'd rather be like DrZ and CK, but since I can't, I'm happy realizing the guy pulling the rabbit out of the hat isn't all he is cracked up to be.

[Zip Watcher]

Cute backpedal and reply.

When it matters, KD's teams have won more MAC tourney games and more post-season games than CC's teams in the same period. What matters is wins in March, not losses in November. You want it to be one way to serve your point, but it's the other way.

There's no magic here. It's effort. Hard work. Determination. There's no man behind the curtain .. not even the curtain in Millet Hall in Oxford. These guys are coaching in a league where there's all sorts of disadvantages on the recruiting trail. They're behind the BCS level in resources, facilities .. staffing capabilities. Yet they continue to strive to elevate the programs they run. And they succeed. Some seasons more than others .. but by and by, they get the job done.

I'm not here to denigrate Coles. Great guy, great sound bite .. good coach. Ask yourself if the players he won 2 tournament games in '99 were his recruits or Herb Sendeck's. It goes both ways. There are other good coaches in the league. I happen to think that Louis Orr is one. Witherspoon another.

And there's also a good coach here at UA, under whose watch, the Zips have exceeded any previous examples of success in the D1 era of Men's Hoops. Playing for championships matters, it's what we all want, and we see the Zips do it EVERY season. Winning championships matters, we've seen it done, and we'll see it again soon. Post season wins matter .. and we've seen those, and we'll see more. Graduating players from the program matters .. and it's happening earlier and earlier than ever before .. by guys who have led us to those Championships and Post season wins.

Do we all want to see the MAC season turn into a boat race with a clinched regular season title with three games left in the regular season, and back to back to back tourney titles leading to a Sweet 16 run or further? Sure we do. And you know what? There's not a fan on this board, including Zips Win!, who wants to see it any more than KD himself wants it for his players and the fans.

No one here thinks that KD is the perfect coach, and beyond reproach. Not even KD. But most here will agree that he's the best man for this job and UA, and he's doing as good a job as anyone has in over 20 years .. maybe longer. That doesn't make any of us kool-aid drinkers, or believers in magic tricks. It simply means we're objective fans who actually watch the Zips and observe that the program is a top-flight contender year in and year out. You apparently do neither of those things.

Stir the pot all you want GP1, you remain disconnected and uninformed about Zips hoops.

Go Zips!

[Blue & Gold]

Wait a minute... magic isn't real?

[Captain Kangaroo]

I would rather stab my eyes with a red-hot hot poker than watch Charlie Coles teams all season. There's a reason Miami is drawing crowds at Millet that rival those of a Zips women's game.

I agree with ZW that Coles is always in the mix...he says some funny stuff...but in the end he really doesn't win anything noteworthy.

A buddy of mine always says: "Jim Tressel is one pass interference call away from being John Cooper."

Charlie Coles is one 40ft bank shot away from being an elderly Reggie Witherspoon.