clarkwgriswold Posted January 10, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 ...and I hope never to again see one of our big men with the ball in his hands 20 feet from the basket. That's nearly as ugly as watching Big Dog play perimeter defense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RowdyZip Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 Bingo. Down 21 at the half, and despite "better effort" we still lost the 2nd half. Say what you will about our former staff, but they maximized every drop of talent. Let's hope the recruiting ability of the current staff makes up for that deficit in upcoming years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LZIp Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 (edited) 3 minutes ago, RowdyZip said: Bingo. Down 21 at the half, and despite "better effort" we still lost the 2nd half. Say what you will about our former staff, but they maximized every drop of talent. Let's hope the recruiting ability of the current staff makes up for that deficit in upcoming years. Are you saying that talent isn't being utilized? Please elaborate. Edited January 10, 2018 by LZIp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Kangaroo Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 29 minutes ago, 1981 grad said: Do people on this board agree with the coach that the effort and attitude were lacking? How many floor burns did you see from the Zips last night? Did you see frustration by the upperclassman that resulted in leadership? Did they try and pick the youngsters up by the scruff of their necks? Or did they hang their heads? Did you see endless uncontested lay-ups by Buffalo, or did we defend hard? To date, I felt this team was "lovable," "plucky" and fun to watch regardless of the outcome. That wasn't the case last night. Overall, we didn't compete. We have 9 scholarship players. 5 are freshman. A walk-on from the rec center was forced to play 8 minutes against the defending 2017 MAC champs. So I get the fact that we are not at Buffalo's level. But our Big 3 need to be engaged and lead, night-in-night-out. If they aren't, we could match Hipsher's inaugural 0-18 MAC record. There's no team we can beat. Buffalo can coast for 10 minutes every game, and still go 13-3 in conference. They have seniors and talent. The Zips can't coast for a minute. A kid like Duvivier has played on a team that knocked off the #7 team in the nation (Arizona). He's used to playing in front of 10k+ fans. Now he's taking bus rides to Toledo and starring for a losing team with no center and no point guard (we'll see if Cotton can build off last night's performance). That reality takes a toll. Ivey and Utomi are in similar situations, where they've gone from expectations of championship banners, to mentoring a slew of kids that were playing HS or even rec ball last season. I think the reality of the Zips season sunk in for the team last night. The early season honeymoon is over. They need to adjust their goals from winning a championship to competing and improving every night. They need to take some pride in building a program from the post-Dambrot ruins. Once that happens, then we'll have that puncher's chance @ The Q. The alternative - If we continue competing as hard as we did last light....the few remaining fans will hold an 0-18 parade around the JAR at season's end. The Buffalo game was a learning experience for all involved. Throw it in the garbage and move forward. I expect a rebound game by the Big 3 on Saturday. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWAkron Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 14 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said: All that being said, I'm tired of hearing about how much better they are in the second half. It's much easier to be better after the other team knows the game is over. Amen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kreed5120 Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 In a game in which Utomi & Duvivier went a combined 2/15 for 8 points, it's no surprise we got curb stomped. We just don't have enough on this roster to overcome that. Heading into this season I knew we'd have nights like this. I just hope the minutes the young players are getting exposed to now pays dividends in the future. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hip Zip Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 12 hours ago, dre22era said: Welcome to Below .500 In John Groce We Trust Huh Dre, I like you man but that's a much too harsh assessment of Groce . A good jockey can't win on a slow horse. I truly believe that a coach new to a program can not be judged accurately until his 3rd season and with all the defections he faced it's going to take that long here for sure. A couple observations: The only positive I saw last night was that Cotton played his butt off. Can't say that about anybody else. Buffalo is the real deal. They have depth too. I can see them making some real noise in March. Now, an action photo of Kostelac defending the paint : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RowdyZip Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 45 minutes ago, LZIp said: Are you saying that talent isn't being utilized? Please elaborate. I'm saying that our previous staff was very good at getting the most out of guys who were mostly unheard of coming out of high school. I'm sure some will jump me, but I've been following them and they took an "empty cupboard" and nearly ended VCU's 15 A10 home game winning streak. I'm not badmouthing our team or staff, just different staffs have different strengths. I'm a Zips fan through and through. The recruiting for next year already looks fantastic. I'm just fearful of the damage one potentially terrible year can do to our anemic fan base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dre22era Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 11 hours ago, ZipsVoice said: Yeah...I do. Quit it. Who thought this was going to something easy with all that happened and what/who is left. C’mon dre you are smarter than that. Bashing Groce after less than half a season? Sorry im just not a fan of hiring another MAC school's leftovers and I believe this has disaster written all over it. I pray that I am wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LZIp Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 6 minutes ago, dre22era said: Sorry im just not a fan of hiring another MAC school's leftovers and I believe this has disaster written all over it. I pray that I am wrong. Yeah....hiring a coach who has had prior experience in the MAC, by far the most postseason success in the conference the last decade, great recruiting ties, and also had the recent benefit of a learning opportunity on one of the biggest stages just has "disaster written all over it". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkwgriswold Posted January 10, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 22 minutes ago, RowdyZip said: I'm just fearful of the damage one potentially terrible year can do to our anemic fan base. That's an aspect many have overlooked. Crowds have already been pathetic and many of the most faithful walked out of the JAR last night with a look like they'd been kicked in the nuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dre22era Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 2 minutes ago, LZIp said: Yeah....hiring a coach who has had prior experience in the MAC, by far the most postseason success in the conference the last decade, great recruiting ties, and also had the recent benefit of a learning opportunity on one of the biggest stages just has "disaster written all over it". In 4 seasons Groce was 34–30 in the MAC at Ohio U And so far his "prior experience" has us below .500 and getting our ass kicked on our home floor 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkwgriswold Posted January 10, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 I guess I don't see a guy who based upon his success moved on to the Big 10 as a "leftover." It's not like they hired Louis Orr, Billy Taylor or John Cooper. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dre22era Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 Oh that guy who went 37–53 (.411) in the Big Ten Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWAkron Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 7 minutes ago, dre22era said: In 4 seasons Groce was 34–30 in the MAC at Ohio U And so far his "prior experience" has us below .500 and getting our ass kicked on our home floor Do you have another option at this point? Or are you going to day I told you so all season? We all are frustrated and not by just last night's game. The last four or five led up to last night. I'm at wait and see and reassess. You have the university president sitting in the front row for each game with his family. He loves basketball and when he's fed up I'm certain he will make it known to the AD and in turn Groce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip-zip Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 40 minutes ago, RowdyZip said: I'm saying that our previous staff was very good at getting the most out of guys who were mostly unheard of coming out of high school. I'm sure some will jump me, but I've been following them and they took an "empty cupboard" and nearly ended VCU's 15 A10 home game winning streak. I think it's fair to evaluate coaches based on what they are doing with their current talent. Instead of just giving them a pass because they have a "young team", etc. I think we should all expect them to show what they can make out of what they have. I think it's also fair to include what we are seeing at Duquesne right now as part of the discussion. I doubt that they are dwelling so much on what they don't have. On the other hand, we don't stop talking about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dre22era Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 4 minutes ago, NWAkron said: You have the university president sitting in the front row for each game with his family. He loves basketball and when he's fed up I'm certain he will make it known to the AD and in turn Groce. I hope not because as of now its the AD who needs to go first. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dre22era Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 4 minutes ago, skip-zip said: I think it's fair to evaluate coaches based on what they are doing with their current talent. Instead of just giving them a pass because they have a "young team", etc. I think we should all expect them to show what they can make out of what they have. I think it's also fair to include what we are seeing at Duquesne right now as part of the discussion. I doubt that they are dwelling so much on what they don't have. On the other hand, we don't stop talking about it. BINGO........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Kangaroo Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 Quote I'm just fearful of the damage one potentially terrible year can do to our anemic fan base. It's part of the process of rebuilding a gutted team/Program. You lose, and the crowds shrink. You win, and everyone wants to be a part of it. Those of us who lived through Crawford and Hipsher know the crowds return once winning begins. Until then, enjoy your unobstructed view, stretch your legs out and hopefully watch some exciting young talent develop. It's a different Zips basketball mindset for both players and fans. But only for a season or two. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWAkron Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 There are a lot of empty seats in front of me now. They were all Dambrot supporters who bailed on the team when he left. This includes the guy who would yell "3 seconds" every time an opposing player stood in the paint. If you are so enamored with Dambrot more than you are U of A, it's a 2 hour drive to see him coach. This is when the team needs our support. And I do enjoy my unobstructed view. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let'sGoZips94 Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 Last night, it would have been ok if someone obstructed my view. The fans will come back when we start winning, and I'm confident we'll start winning. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K92 Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 42 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said: . . .like they'd been kicked in the nuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morris buttermaker Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 45 minutes ago, Captain Kangaroo said: Those of us who lived through Crawford and Hipsher know the crowds return once winning begins. When did this happen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWAkron Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 (edited) Yeah. I don't recall those big crowds unless it was for one of those really big games, with the white out and those awful black uniforms, that we usually lost.. But I know what you mean... Edited January 10, 2018 by NWAkron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Kangaroo Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 Quote Those of us who lived through Crawford and Hipsher know the crowds return once winning begins. 8 minutes ago, morris buttermaker said: When did this happen? Towards the end of the Hipsher area I purchased my upper reserved Zips basketball seats. I remain in them almost 15 years later. At the time of purchase, the options were WIDE open. I would be shocked if there were 20 TOTAL seats that were reserved at the time of my purchase. In Dambrot's hey day, upper reserved were sold out. Lower reserved too. People seem to think, because Dambrot's teams didn't sell out every game, the attendance was bad. It was pretty damn good, and leaps and bounds beyond the Crawford and late-Hipsher eras. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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