DooleyBull06

Great topics and points of view. I think it all starts with winning. If you win they will come. They being fans and players. If you sustaining winning ways you will be relevant and create buzz and generate dollars. In todays game I would put NIL with players off the court issues in the same category. Again, NIL is a player thing. Schools have no involvement in getting players nil deals. If I could amend your criteria I would put winning #1. Recruiting/portal and players/coaches behavior #2. For any coach recruiting and winning are the most important things. I also think ADs in mid majors should act like big dogs. Enough with the “woe is me”. A lot of people criticize Hurley. But hiring Hurley was a big dog statement. It instantly put the school in the limelight. Then we had success and a great 5 year run. It set the bar. We aimed high and flew high. All bc the AD jumped in the big boy pool.

Which is what made the first half so infuriating. He was on the floor for extended minutes. And he was effective. Yet during our offensive struggles, no one ran a pick and roll at him. No one tried to make him defend in space. All ways to fatigue him and get him in foul trouble. As to your point about recruiting to a coaches style, I completely agree. I don’t think Whitesell has recruited players that don’t fit his style per se. I think he’s had recruiting misses. I think this is an interesting question: our style, which is very much the Nate Oats brand of basketball, is that what Whitesell wants to run? Or what he has kind of been forced to run?

She’s young. She will learn as she becomes more experienced. There’s an art to flipping out. There’s an art to working refs. Or yelling at players. Seasoned coaches know the line and how to straddle it. She’ll get there. I look at her and I still see a fiery player turned coach.

Then job well done by coach. This hopefully is a spring board for the ladies program. Burke’s first year was kind gonna be a free pass bc she literally inherited nothing. There’s been bumps and potholes along the road but I think we can all agree that, while it’s been a learning experience, she isn’t in over her head. It was important for her to show she can coach and get players to buy in. Check and check. Now she can continue to bring in her style players and implement her style going forward.

Are we headed to Cleveland? ESPN standings show Miami ahead of us. According to all the tweets we are.

I don’t feel I was doom and gloom yesterday. I strictly stick to what my eyes see. Yesterdays first half was terrible. No one can find any good in it. Second half was a different story. We found some energy and come back and won. Yay. I will always cheer for wins. But I think I’m (we, are) entitled to criticize when it’s right. I am on record in thinking we need a new coach. And yes I flat out will say this season was disappointing. We could’ve been better. Think about the CMU collapse. Could’ve been as high as a 4/5 seed. No reason we couldn’t. No we aren’t on the level of the top 3 teams in the conference. And I’m afraid going forward we are slipping further from them. That’s my concern. And that falls on the coach. As far as this forum goes I think we are now splintering into several factions. Before there was two groups. Those who supported Whitesell and those who didn’t. I’m afraid some here are becoming accepting of being a middle of the pack conference team. We should demand and strive for more. We’ve tasted success. I want more. And I want everyone here on board with that. Despite how critical we can be.

Winning the conference tournament! I’m not trying to get down your throat here but I won’t settle for a first round upset. That won’t sugarcoat a disappointing season to this point. Yes I whole heartedly agree that we finished roughly around where everyone expected. Us here included. But it’s how we got there. This team imo regressed as the season went along. Countless times I was looking for hope for next season. Looking to one player saying, “oh he developed and looks ready to take the lead next year.” At regular seasons end I come away with more questions than answers. Come away thinking this team did not mature. And most my frustration is with the coaching, not the players. But all that is over with. Next season begins Thursday. Win the tournament and shock everyone. We will talk about next season after the tournament. Go Bulls! Prove me wrong. I’ll happily eat my foot lol

Well I’m shocked we came back and won. Still doesn’t give me any hope though. Look at it this way…regular season is over, let’s go run the table and shock everyone in Cleveland.

Zero tournament appearances lol

Whitesell must have read this thread to the team at half. We are winning now. Good strategy

Toledo wins the regular season and auto bid to the NIT, which they will most likely be apart of lol.

His recruiting but also his coaching. It’s just not good. We are a one trick pony. There’s no sets in the half court. Look at what Miami just executed out of a timeout before the half. Under Whitesell we are a fastbreak/iso team.

If only he was a zippo lighter

This is pathetic. We have nothing we are playing for but Jesus where’s the effort? Absolute disgrace. This team isn’t capable of flipping a light switch so this is not a good look for next week.

Showing out for senior night

Next observation…this team is lost without Curtis Jones offensively. Which is crazy bc Jones has disappeared many times in big games. Jones is the key cog. Which says a lot about our roster.

This is a tremendous observation. Kinda like a corner who tries to jump routes to get an interception.

This team has regressed in season. We went from competitive and a chance to win to just entertaining to flat out unwatchable. Great season.

We complain about coaching and the half court offense all the time. Miami has a fat f*ck on the floor and on offense we don’t draw him out and make him defend in space via the pick and roll. Perhaps get a switch and he has to cover a guard. Pathetic coaching. Instead we launch wild ass 3s. This is why we complain about this coach. Where’s the strategy. Furthermore…every time that fat player is on the floor we should be looking to 1) run and 2) if we can’t run, make him defend on the perimeter

Both teams on fire to start this game

Probably the toughest path you could have. Theoretically…Akron-Kent-Toledo. Brutal. Equals no chance

So we will either be a 6 or 7 seed. Akron currently losing to Kent. Which would lock Akron into the 3 seed. Interesting that the top 4 teams are playing each other right now. Semi final preview dare I say?

Miami has won 4 straight and already beaten us. This is no guaranteed win by any means.

Yea no one here is concerned with CMU. Would be nice for them to beat Akron and help the cause but yea we all know they can’t go to Cleveland. There’s 5 teams for 3 spots. Spots 6-8.

Then I amend my statement…just win and let the chips fall where they may.