Game 20- Miami

[monrowe]

On 1/28/2024 at 4:59 PM, clarkwgriswold said:

This is Akron.  There's never going to be big NIL money involved.  A little money to help a kid get by, sure, but they're never going to compete with the major conferences.

 

As for Bronny and Duquesne, that would kill two birds with one stone for Lebron.  It would give his kid a place to play where he could be the star and it would ensure his buddy Dru stays in line for the head coaching job.

With the NIL Akron can ask Mr.Smuckers Mr. Goodyear and Mr.& Mrs.GOJO for financial assistance.Hey would you like to sponsor one of are inspiring athletes? It’s the NCAA trying to create some type of parity.

 

 

[clarkwgriswold]

59 minutes ago, monrowe said:

With the NIL Akron can ask Mr.Smuckers Mr. Goodyear and Mr.& Mrs.GOJO for financial assistance.Hey would you like to sponsor one of are inspiring athletes? It’s the NCAA trying to create some type of parity.

 

 

If the NCAA actually believes NIL with level the playing field they're stupider than anyone ever thought.  There's no way a MAC school is ever going to be able to match the monetary resources of the collectives of P5 schools.

 

Also, the intent of NIL is to let the kids share in the profits of programs and to avoid the anti-trust  and other implications raised by kids struggling financially while the schools are making money with them.

[Zippy87]

9 hours ago, zippy5 said:

Hey guys.. what if.. Groce tried to bring in a big man and it didn't work out? Crazy thought, he can't just get anyone he wants to come.

 

Then it's a recruiting failure.

 

Groce came here to elevate the program beyond what KD was able to. I love him and I also have high expectations for him.

 

It has been evident since the day Aziz transferred that we needed another rotational big to go with the current core and they didn't add one. Not asking for a star, either. Just someone with size who won't get destroyed on defense for the 8-10 minutes Freeman sits. 

 

Now, maybe he expected Baker to play (I recall hearing about him as an immediate contributor) or they thought Lyles would play better. But when you have an all-timer like Freeman, you have to get the job done and they just didn't. 

[zippy5]

29 minutes ago, Zippy87 said:

 

Then it's a recruiting failure.

 

Groce came here to elevate the program beyond what KD was able to. I love him and I also have high expectations for him.

 

It has been evident since the day Aziz transferred that we needed another rotational big to go with the current core and they didn't add one. Not asking for a star, either. Just someone with size who won't get destroyed on defense for the 8-10 minutes Freeman sits. 

 

Now, maybe he expected Baker to play (I recall hearing about him as an immediate contributor) or they thought Lyles would play better. But when you have an all-timer like Freeman, you have to get the job done and they just didn't. 

They're 15-5 with one MAC loss, what a failure. Just because you think it was a need and a whiff, doesn't make it true.

[Zippy87]

5 minutes ago, zippy5 said:

They're 15-5 with one MAC loss, what a failure. Just because you think it was a need and a whiff, doesn't make it true.

 

Do you think our front court has enough depth to win an NCAA Tournament game (especially knowing Enrique won't be able to sit much, if at all against a higher seed major like he does against MAC teams)?

[clarkwgriswold]

47 minutes ago, Zippy87 said:

 

Do you think our front court has enough depth to win an NCAA Tournament game (especially knowing Enrique won't be able to sit much, if at all against a higher seed major like he does against MAC teams)?

It's all about the matchups.  Groce's biggest successes were primarily built around guard play.

[LoyalZIP]

1 hour ago, zippy5 said:

They're 15-5 with one MAC loss, what a failure. Just because you think it was a need and a whiff, doesn't make it true.

This board has jumped the shark. I admire your willingness to continue the fight in favor of reality.  It amazes me how some people can be fans of a mid major like Akron for this long and still be clueless as to what goes into running a program. 

[Zippy87]

19 minutes ago, LoyalZIP said:

This board has jumped the shark. I admire your willingness to continue the fight in favor of reality.  It amazes me how some people can be fans of a mid major like Akron for this long and still be clueless as to what goes into running a program. 

 

Highlighting a roster construction flaw isn't being clueless. 

[Zippy87]

1 hour ago, clarkwgriswold said:

It's all about the matchups.  Groce's biggest successes were primarily built around guard play.

 

Absolutely, and we unfortunately don't have strong guard play beyond Tribble right now. Tavari, Scott. or Thornton will have to make a jump for this team to have a shot at being special.

[LoyalZIP]

2 minutes ago, Zippy87 said:

 

Highlighting a roster construction flaw isn't being clueless. 

You’re the one accusing the staff of failing at something you have no idea they were even trying to accomplish. This summer you should get ahold of someone in development, maybe Nate Newhouse, and you can go get lunch with a couple of the coaches on staff. It would help you understand so much more about just the portal, you’d be blown away!

[Zippy87]

4 minutes ago, LoyalZIP said:

You’re the one accusing the staff of failing at something you have no idea they were even trying to accomplish. This summer you should get ahold of someone in development, maybe Nate Newhouse, and you can go get lunch with a couple of the coaches on staff. It would help you understand so much more about just the portal, you’d be blown away!

 

I know plenty already. thanks though! If you disagree with my view that's fine - we can debate (isn't that the point of a forum?) but respectfully, you can miss me with this talking down nonsense.

[LoyalZIP]

10 minutes ago, Zippy87 said:

I know plenty already. thanks though!

Like I said, jumped the shark. Let’s hope the coaches can get this train-wreck of a season back on the rails. 

[NWAkron]

Amazing how a 2 point away game loss can set off such despair and rancor.  We make Bobcat Attack look positively rational. 

[LoyalZIP]

4 minutes ago, NWAkron said:

Amazing how a 2 point away game loss can set off such despair and rancor.  We make Bobcat Attack look positively rational. 

TOS to Akron

[Zippy87]

5 minutes ago, NWAkron said:

Amazing how a 2 point away game loss can set off such despair and rancor.  We make Bobcat Attack look positively rational. 

 

The frontcourt depth has been an issue against good teams all year. This isn't a new opinion. 

 

Do you think we have enough depth there to win an NCAA Tournament game?

[zippy5]

36 minutes ago, Zippy87 said:

 

Highlighting a roster construction flaw isn't being clueless. 

A flaw /= a failure. Everyone is flawed 

Edited January 30, 2024 by zippy5

[Zippy87]

7 minutes ago, zippy5 said:

A flaw /= a failure 

 

I guess it depends how big the flaw is. I thought it hurt us last year and will show up again in March and will be an issue that keeps this team from being truly special. When Freeman isn't on the court, we have absolutely no inside presence defensively.  And when you have the same issue two years in a row, I do consider that a recruiting failure (not saying the team itself is a failure).

Edited January 30, 2024 by Zippy87

[Illini Zip]

 

[monrowe]

3 hours ago, LoyalZIP said:

This board has jumped the shark. I admire your willingness to continue the fight in favor of reality.  It amazes me how some people can be fans of a mid major like Akron for this long and still be clueless as to what goes into running a program. 

It’s ok to question the status of recruiting when your best player is an anomaly.And when you have a post player who doesn’t help in the post.

Edited January 30, 2024 by monrowe

[Let'sGoZips94]

20 hours ago, Illini Zip said:

 

 (Ignore the quote)

 

The tallest player on Groce's OU teams was 6'8"-6'9"; his system does not call for a 6'11"-7' big. 

 

The flaw in recruiting last year was not having a replacement for Ali Ali's versatility, and the flaw in recruiting this year was not having a guard who can shoot the lights out to replace X2.0. Thornton is not a shooter. Scott is warming up but still not filling the shoes of X2.0. Tavari is not a shooter. Prather is non existent. Tribble is Tribble. 

 

We have one of the best front court players in the country on a team that would probably only have 2-3 losses on the season if it weren't for the NCAA's stupidity. As Aaron Rodgers once said... R-E-L-A-X.

Edited January 30, 2024 by Let'sGoZips94

[clarkwgriswold]

11 hours ago, Zippy87 said:

 

Absolutely, and we unfortunately don't have strong guard play beyond Tribble right now. Tavari, Scott. or Thornton will have to make a jump for this team to have a shot at being special.

Sorry, I misread your post.  Not to keep this rolling but I think if there's a flaw to be exploited it will be in our shortage of bigs if and when they get up against a bigger squad or if Freeman gets in foul trouble or hurt.

[clarkwgriswold]

Funny, when big Dog left the board lamented the lack of a dominant big man.  When LCJ left, many lamented the loss of a high scoring guard until X picked it up.  Now X is gone and we're hearing how bad the guards are.

[Reslife4Life]

I really don't think the guards are that bad. They didn't have a good night against Miami, but after each of the 7 MAC wins it seems like one of them has stepped up. When Ali and Enrique are averaging over half of the points each game, we probably aren't going to have a guy like Scott or Thornton drop 16 points, and that's okay

[Zippy87]

46 minutes ago, Reslife4Life said:

I really don't think the guards are that bad. They didn't have a good night against Miami, but after each of the 7 MAC wins it seems like one of them has stepped up. When Ali and Enrique are averaging over half of the points each game, we probably aren't going to have a guy like Scott or Thornton drop 16 points, and that's okay

 

I think the issue is having someone else aside from Ali would can consistently create his own shot.  I agree they aren't bad though, and I probably rag on Thornton a little too hard. Spoiled by years of X and LCJ! 😂

[Zippy87]

1 hour ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 (Ignore the quote)

 

The tallest player on Groce's OU teams was 6'8"-6'9"; his system does not call for a 6'11"-7' big. 

 

The flaw in recruiting last year was not having a replacement for Ali Ali's versatility, and the flaw in recruiting this year was not having a guard who can shoot the lights out to replace X2.0. Thornton is not a shooter. Scott is warming up but still not filling the shoes of X2.0. Tavari is not a shooter. Prather is non existent. Tribble is Tribble. 

 

We have one of the best front court players in the country on a team that would probably only have 2-3 losses on the season if it weren't for the NCAA's stupidity. As Aaron Rodgers once said... R-E-L-A-X.

 

After Freeman our tallest true big is Lyles at 6'7". Hunter is 6'9" but allergic to the paint. We don't have a second true big on the roster that is capable of playing important minutes. I really thought that'd be Baker, and maybe they did too? I agree you can't expect another Freeman, I would've just liked to see someone 6'8 or taller that could come off the bench and defend down low.

 

I totally agree with your points on missing an Ali-type player last year and the guard play this year. And don't get me wrong - this is still a really good team that should win the MAC. I don't think it's one that can win a tournament game though (but I hope to be proven wrong on that).