Spot on. I think that the AD is looking at the coach he has today as being more important than what the whole 7 years were- especially since Pitino was brought in so green.
Possibly Northwestern, but probably not
You refuse to place any blame on Pitino. Now the problem is the “negative crowd”. Do you have any clue why there is negativity surrounding the program?
Exactly, we do not get players like top 10 programs so we have to go about it a different way. We have actually out recruited UVA several times since 2012 but they found and developed players to play as a team. Before people freak out about their highly ranked 2016 class that ranking occurred way after they were offered and committed so the internet scouts could look good. When offerred , Jerome was 252, Hunter 100 and Guy 50. It does not have to be slow. Their pace of play on offense was near the slowest but within the numbers, just two less dribbles per possession moves them up 35 spots, taking 2 poor shots in the shot clock moves them up 40 more. Committing twice as many turnovers galfway into a possession moves them up 75 more and finally , if they Would just give up easy baskets in transition they would move up 50 more. They could play fast and get destroyed. You can can slow down a high end talented team but it is very difficult to speed up any team. Limiting possessions with high efficiency is a great way to compete. It takes enormous discipline, mental toughness and super high level skills. Sure, that class won a national title but they won a bunch of ACC titles, 30 win seasons with other classes. UW did the same thing minus the national title. If you prefer the game up and down, the Big 10 Is not the way. AAU has tons of careless basketball with no defense. If the object is to put the ball in the basket then it is a given that it would require you to invest at least as much time to stopping people from putting it in the basket. It takes tremendous skill and effort, communication and positioning to play great defense and you can control that easier than making shots. Plus you frustrate and wear out the other team. They are great models to follow. Tons of successful teams are now playing packline, tons are running sides offense. Show me another way that a consistent conference champion has been built at a not already elite program in a power 6 conference. Please show me, because in my world it is about joining the ranks of the elite without cheating ! It can be done here. It will take a once in a lifetime coach.
That is not accurate. I don't think Pitino is in any way perfect. I think he is 38 and getting much better at what he does. I can support firing him WHEN THE SEASON IS DONE if the season ends with the team not making the NCAAs. I can also support staying the course if the AD thinks he is heading in the right direction.
Is it actually middle ground. It averages worse than middle ground. I think of 6th or 7th place and .500 middle ground. Some of the base measures against the program history. I measure against the top 10 % of all power conference teams.
My main interest is this team winning the rest of their games, getting a top 4 finish. I never hope for failure and being fired.
Hate to break it to you but my main interest is not Pitino’s job status.
Pretty sure everyone here would be a huge Pitino supporter if he already was closing on his second conference title and had a 80-44 conference record. The standard here is so low. Not coming from here it has always baffled me on what expectations are.
On this site it is- at least lately. That's what I was referring to - obviously.
I know what to you are referring to
And as a fan your entitled to your expectations. Just like fans that think the Vkings had a great year or that the Gopher football team is a national power. Each fan decides for themselves what is terrible,mediocre, good, great. Just opinions. Facts are won loss records and championships.
What are you even talking about?
Supporting your take.
I think you can look at this two ways. You’re looking at it like if Gabe were shooting better, this team would be better (which is obviously true). However, I would argue the other way to look at this is that Pitino himself has said that the philosophy this year was to be more perimeter oriented, which requires shooters. From what I’ve seen of Willis, Demir, Williams, etc. is that they are not “pure shooters” like Gabe. Pitino doesn’t have enough shooting talent to be perimeter oriented, and when your one pure shooter is in a season long slump, that has large implications. I would say this is indicative of his entire tenure- lack of depth and identity. Williams and Ihnen are long and could be competent slashers. But we haven’t seen enough of that. Williams isn’t a great 3 shooter. At least Ihnen’s stroke looks good. But pinning everything on the shooting abilities of Gabe just creates an unsustainable house of cards.
I will admit that I don’t have a b-ball mind, Indidnt play the sport growing up or in high school.
How are the last 4 "much Better than the first 3" 42% is not very good.
Call it snails pace if you want, the difference between 353 and fastest is 4 seconds plus but explained largely by how long those programs defend, take good shots and limit turnovers. The last part is 1.5 seconds on a outlet pass and secondary break which happens to be a low efficiency play for the athletes those teams get. Show me a non blue blood that broke through in their conference, a power conference to sustain championship level play that results in actual championships not near .500 occasionally that is littered with excuses on what might have been. Every single program is challenged by a plethora of injuries, flu, break ups, mental health, early NBA departures. Hell Iowa came in here down 3 players and won. Snails pace needs to be examined in reality of understanding. Wins, championships. Show me the coaches who came into a conference at a mediocre program that knocked off the elite programs in a sustainable way by playing a way you prefer. Unless you get athletes like Duke, Kansas, Kentucky your best not to play them at their game. The research on that is definitive. Heck, our record here since 2013 when giving up 72 points is deplorable because we gave up 72 too many times. We simply must win more games on nights we shoot below average. That is why the Iowa games stings less for me because our defense actually gave us a chance.
