Taj79 Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 .... what an effort. Props and heart-felt applause for the guys for going all out against all odds --- against the #1 team in the conference, in the toughest place to play in the conference, against one of the most hostile audiences in the conference, against the onslaught of brute VCU thuggery, and against the guys in the striped shirts. Despite being short on basketball skills as well as equally short on the bench, those final two minutes were quite exciting. The whole game was set in the first two minutes when VCU raced out to a 6 nothing lead only to have us claw back and tie it. They would race out again and again and we would show the heart to come back and get back in the game. There is no faulting our guys for their effort. Good teams find ways to win that game as well as the game at Dayton. We are just not a good team because we are an incomplete team. As Nick said, we are not going anywhere playing six guys. Short of Evans, VCU's roster didn't impress me much. I got what I expected in that Isaac Vann was the streaky one who got hotter than anyone else. Jenkins was a no-show. Mobley and Santos-Silva didn't dominate at all. And their bench contributed nothing more than time and breathers. Which was just enough. I fear no one in this league -- no one is that good. I can see any one of eight teams coming out of Brooklyn with the autobid. But no matter, when you get to Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Brooklyn, last man standing might be the cry. If you were still wondering who the players are, last night showed us the season in a microcosm. Foreman has three points on a sole dunk, three turnovers and five fouls. He was moved out of the way quite easily by Santos-Silva early. He has no jump shot and while we might complain about his incessant travelling calls, that is the only way he can get to the basket and score. One-trick pony. French can dominate one-on-one if teams insist on playing him that way, he was clearly the best big on the floor. But as some have said, he appears to be a marked man with the way these refs are calling games. I understand the restricted area but these other charges were clearly done while Evans and others were still moving under French and others. But I'd suggest that without recourse coming from the refs, our guys better work on jump stops over the summer. Isabell has it but he just doesn't seem to have many finishing plans after the jump stop. Goodwin did well last night but he needs to find a mid-range game. While he went 4 of 6 at the line, he banked one at least. But I'd expect Jordan's game to excel in a helter-skelter atmosphere like last night. Bess did well enough but he did start out on Evans who torched us for 20. But we need help ----- WIley nine minutes one point, no points from Thatch, Hankton two minutes and shots not even close. Jacobs was on the court so little, the box score didn't even log him one minute. But he had a foul. Yeah de-MARE-e-us. The refs were horrible. I won't blame them for losing or costing us this game because the bottom line to me is always never be in a position where a ref can be the final outcome. But our limitations do not allow for such luxury. Everything remains perception = reality. As the announcer said last night, they call what they see. What I don't get is how a ref, behind the action which is further blocked by two more bodies being in his line of sight, can make a call identifying one of those bodies grabbing the other player. HE CAN'T SEE THAT! And there were at least three calls of charging on French and Goodwin where Evans slid under the player while they were in the air. I thought you had to have that spot prior to the offensive player lifting off ... because he is guaranteed a right to land. I can accept 'letting them play' some when you see a team like VCU. VCU does what they do ... and it forces the refs to either call everything or swallow the whistle. Fine -- do one or the other. The players will adjust. Just be consistent. On the first basket of the game, Silva put his head down and body slammed Foreman out of the way. No call. Tone set? Hardly. While our ball handling weaknesses were evident, it didn't hurt as bad as I thought it would. Yes, Isabell (I think) had two ten second calls against him. Yes, no one seemed to come back to help him. Yes, he chose to give up his dribble. Call it what you want. Goodwin was stripped once or twice. So was Bess. Wiley was too slow. And Thatch is not a ball handler and didn't really try to play that game. I like French having the confidence to bring it up himself at times. Kid is expanding his game again. We need help big time for next year ---- right now, I'd say we are floating only above Geedubya, Fordham and Umass for next year without taking into account who those teams have coming in. And we lose what little skills we have with the departure of Bess. There are some posters who like to really demonstrate their stupidity and counterproductive intentions during the GDT. Goofy-a** TaLBert wants to use a GDT to debate faciltities under construction at Maryville or programs underway at VCU, Marquette or wherever. And he'l likely argue that is the place for such debate. Stoopid. But when your intent I sto waste time and space, I get it. Have fun on the ignored users board. And how you can blame last night's game on the administration is beyond me. Ford recruited these kids. Ford knew the skills liabilities of most, I'll betcha. Sure, he got screwed with S2 and that is on the administration but what would you change from that regard? The only argument is the guys should have kept their pee-pees in their pants. Bad characters? Doubt it. Ditto Santos. is that on Ford? If not, how is it on May and the AD? Not defending, willing to listen. And if one of our main complainers is indeed a season ticket holder and recruiter of fans, demand answers in the proper atmosphere. Go to a Billiken Club meeting. Hold them to higher standards. Here's the first mention of this: Travis Ford on the hot seat. Not right now. Not this off-season. Not even the preseason. I'll give him through the OOC next year. I need to see what progress is being made because right now, I've seen little and while there are complicating factors (S2, [dead] bad recruits, defections, injuries, etc.) the product on the floor is not really improving. Recruiting appears to be great but more is expected and I'd say he has hit on three actions: Bess, Goodwin and French. Average grades with Foreman and Thatch. Near failing grades with Gordon, Isabell, Wiley, Hankton, Santos, Jacobs, Thor, etc. He has redemption at hand IF Hargrove, Perkins, Jimerson and Collins work out. But that is a lot of pressure on four freshmen/newcomers combining with returnees light on skills. And then four or five still unknowns. Ford took a shot on a quick fix ----- transfers and grad transfers --- and its a gamble that will be unfulfilled at best. We don't know what the offense is. And we can't seem to field a full roster. When Majerus came in, he survived with what he was left with, but them went the four-year route. Ford chose the transfer route. We all make our choices. But rather than sustainability, it seems we are back to square one with the lack of returning talent and a reliability on unknown newcomers. With more unknowns in the wings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 I noticed Wiley walking to the bench and he moved like a guy with a prosthetic leg. We are the walking wounded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 two thoughts about last night stand out: 1. we didnt play bad, but we were making 2's when they were making 3's in the first half. that's the game. too much energy needed to get back in let alone win. 2. if there was ever a case of conspiracy theory, last night's game is it. the lone A10 team with the record/ranking to make the tourney as an at-large team got all the breaks. hmmmmm fouls were horrible. the one out of bounds play where the ref got taken out, no way that is out on the billikens. how about bess getting his arm grabbed on the closing play of the half and no call? french and goodwin both had a couple of phantom fouls. my gosh, that was pitiful. i visted the GDT once last night just to see what was being said. there is bill ken up to his slashing may routine again. and he just kept going on and on. of course it didnt help that talbert was there to back him up. taj, you talk about wiley being wounded. the one that is playing on one leg is bess. i would bet anything he is playing through something big. no way that is the same bess that captured the billiken fandom in December. he is gutting this out and likely shouldnt be playing. well at least we know what has to happen. we now need to win 8 games in a row and we will be in the tourney. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorydays2013 Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 1 hour ago, Taj79 said: Here's the first mention of this: Travis Ford on the hot seat. Not right now. Not this off-season. Not even the preseason. I'll give him through the OOC next year. Glorydays effect... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taj79 Posted February 27, 2019 Author Share Posted February 27, 2019 Wiley is what he's always been ... an escapee from a MASH unit. I noted back in April/May when the kid signed that his entire time at UMd was one of constant injuries. That has remained the case in this his last year. I understand Bess and Isabell are both hurt and rumor has it spend time during the week in walking boots. To me, that's fatigue. Bess is currently averaging 36.4 minutes per game. Isabell 31.4 Goodwin's at 33. French, despite the fouls, is at 30 mpg. Four guys going 3/4 each game. This is just like last year but with some better players. At this time last year we lost Goodwin, so this year, the current Goodwin is better than Roby. Isabell is light years better than Hines. Foreman is a wash. French this year is slightly better than last year. And Bess is constant now; down from earlier instances of greatness this year. The only thing better last year as opposed to this was Jalen Johnson. But the buggaboo remains the inability of Ford to use/get anything from our bench. We can't even get the luxury of time to rest the starting five -- maybe a little with Thatch but his offense is so inconsistent. And somehow all this is on the Athletic Department. Yeah, sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaLBErt Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 1 hour ago, Taj79 said: There are some posters who like to really demonstrate their stupidity and counterproductive intentions during the GDT. Goofy-a** TaLBert wants to use a GDT to debate faciltities under construction at Maryville or programs underway at VCU, Marquette or wherever. And he'l likely argue that is the place for such debate. Stoopid. But when your intent I sto waste time and space, I get it. Have fun on the ignored users board. I'm honored to be mentioned in the great an powerful @Taj79's day-after-game write up. As a person, you perfectly sum up my experience at Saint Louis University. Crazy, man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 3 minutes ago, TaLBErt said: I'm honored to be mentioned in the great an powerful @Taj79's day-after-game write up. As a person, you perfectly sum up my experience at Saint Louis University. Crazy, man. I stopped looking at the GDT after you went on your off the wall rants about May and the totally off the topic about Marymount facilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaLBErt Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 (edited) 48 minutes ago, slu72 said: I stopped looking at the GDT after you went on your off the wall rants about May and the totally off the topic about Marymount facilities. Haha I didn't even post the tweet! I just responded to it. Clearly other people are thinking what I'm thinking. Also, was it off the wall? I don't think I said anything that I wouldn't have said to a friend sitting next to me in that arena. I observed a clearly superior game day experience to anything that I have ever experienced at my time at SLU and I shot my observation out to the billikens.com community... THE HORROR! Furthermore, I don't think I blamed May or anyone for anything. I simply questioned why VCU was consistently better than us, at basketball, and the game day experience. Edited February 27, 2019 by TaLBErt Added another point. (I'm really irritated Taj79 blocked me) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaLBErt Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 40 minutes ago, Glorydays2013 said: Glorydays effect... Hey it's time to talk about Ford's seat being hot when @Taj79 says it's time. AND NOT A SECOND SOONER! Hahahaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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