MU men's hoops: how to get to the next level?
This from a blogger and I thought it was such a good question I'd give it a life of its own:
How do we get this program to that next level? How does MU start winning 5-6 non conference games or more every year? Do you think they schedule too tough? I mean they always play 2-3 very tough teams, then 2-3 in that solid solid mid major level, then maybe 2-3 that could go either way, and then 1-2 that they should win. I don't know the answer, but I wish I did.
e-mail tonygsports@aol.com
How do we get this program to that next level? How does MU start winning 5-6 non conference games or more every year? Do you think they schedule too tough? I mean they always play 2-3 very tough teams, then 2-3 in that solid solid mid major level, then maybe 2-3 that could go either way, and then 1-2 that they should win. I don't know the answer, but I wish I did.
e-mail tonygsports@aol.com
posted by Tony Graham at 11:25 PM
9 Comments:
I'll wrangle over this myself tomorrow ... am packing it in for tonight..talk to everyone Monday...
One of the first ways we start winning non-conference games is to recruit players who actually get to 'play'!!
This year's class is, thus far, a joke - only Youngblood contributing thus far out of 5 incoming freshmen! I know the argument that the 2 big guys wouldn't have played much this year, but they need SOME experience for next year -- anyone project what our front court may look like then? Wait until you folks see how we do in non-conference next year with the TOTALLY inexperienced players we put under the basket then.
And what about last year? We brought in a 6'9" kid who may not be a Div I player (another one, following Brent Wilson before him).
We simply can't be just bringing in 1 Div I athlete per season.
As for the turnover situation mentioned on another thread, I actually think this will improve as the schedule lightens. Shipman & Coleman should be ok with more play -- those asking for the walk-ons to be put in need watch more closely.
One final thing --
A pet peeve of mine now is the Calloway spin of our 5 or so consecutive winning seasons being the best in the metro area. Dave, PLEASE, everyone knows where 90% of those wins came from. Don't hand us that bull. I cringe every time I hear that comment.
the last poster made some valid points, but that is still a very impressive thing (6 straight winning seasons)...MU does not play a light non-conference schedule ever, like most teams at their level do..
Our OOC is always the toughest in the conference (some may play higher ranked teams, but I think our overall OOC is usually the toughest). As the one poster said, we cannot expect to start winning these kind of OOC games until our recruiting improves. Does getting 5 or 6 wins OOC help if they are against teams from the MEAC and Southland Conference that helpful??? I would rather go 2-8 OOC against a bunch of mid-majors and a couple of teams from power conferences, but thats just my opinion. FDU just upset Seton Hall, I honestly think Monmouth can win that game.
To the person who blogged on Keith..most people don't know who he is. Send another blog explaining that, and maybe a little about the thankless job he does, and I will run it..
To the person who commented on Dave. I have no problem running comments critical of him, but personal insults will not be published.
The school needs to build the MAC!! as they say "build it and they will come" Then they can recruit players who can play at the next level,A-10,CAA,WAC.Dave and his staff are doing exactly what most of the big time programs do these days, building a real pipe line of players,two or three red shirts,a couple of players in prep school working on academics and basketball.The non conference schedule is outstanding,Big East,ACC, Conference USA,Weast Coast Conference just to name a few, and very challenging for the players.In preparation for the NEC season,every non conference game is similar to their championship caliber play come March,when you have to go 3-0 or no dancing.
MAC point very well taken.
OK...my turn.
1. Better athletes, better players.
2. Find another "big time" player.
3. More home non-conference games
4. Build the MAC
1. If you're looking to consistently beat higher level teams than you need higher level athletes. That's not rocket science.
The team MU has now should be a force in the NEC and highly competitive vs. most of its 2006-2007 non-league opposition.
(Looks like MU should have a shot at Seton Hall this year though after Pirates were stunned by FDU. S Hall beat St. Peter's tonite but only by 72-65. So Saturday vs. St. Peter's should give MU fans a possible indication of that eventuality)
But while big time teams may not have a 7-2 player (Bunch) they have bigger, better, athletes.
Frankly, I feel Rickie Crews is that higher level type athlete, but we'll see how that works out.
Monmouth's system
does at times confound big time teams but their usually superior athletic ability wins out in the end.
MU is able to succeed against some marginally more athletic teams in the NEC with its (MU's) good basketball players, if not superior athletes, because the athletic ability of NEC teams is , for the most part, not on a par with the level of ability MU meets at higher levels out of league.
2. If you can't overload with higher level athletes than you need at least one big time player complimented by good NEC players.
I didn't see the Southern Ill. game last year so that may be an exception to that rule, but most of MU's wins over the years over big time or high mid major teams was when they had the likes of Rahsaan Johnson, Corey Albano/John Giraldo, and Alex Blackwell in the lineup.
3. Playing more non-conference games at home is a whole lot easier said than done and Dave, and Wayne Szoke before him, have done a nice job, in my view, in luring some mid to high level teams to Boylan. Most recently Gonzaga (home court didn't help much that night), Loyola Marymount this year, and also occasional visits by Hofstra, Drexel, Siena, etc.
4. which leads to BUILD the MAC.
It's no guarantee but if and when its doors open, it could open doors to a higher level of athlete, more home games, and more visits by "name" teams.
On the other hand, while I have never seen Bucknell's home floor, I have been to Vermont's Patrick Gym (with MU many years back) and, trust me, while it's a little larger, I'd rather play in Boylan.
Vermont, which made a big splash in the NCAAs a few years back, if you recall won at Boston College this year.
The point being you don't have to play in a palace to be a power at least at the mid major level.
It goes back to...better athletes, better players. I believe Dave is striving for this, but MU is sure not there yet as this first group of games will attest.
And it's not easy.
By the way..I have no problem with Dave waving the six straight winning seasons Metro area flag.
Sure MU is in the NEC. But can another NEC team make that statement?
I understand many of you would like to see MU be more successful and that is very understandable, but sometimes maybe try to also be happy with what you have.
Re one of the posts I did not run.
Let me try to paraphrase it:
You (the blogger)think Dave is overpaid, should be removed, and MU has the resources to hire a "real" Div. I coach.
and then in your next blog you stated: "Give me a break. I paid $30,000 a year to attend that institution, i can be critical of an employee's pay."
My comment - yes you can be critical of the coach and his pay. I am not denying you that.
But you may have to realize while MU is a good job by NEC standards (maybe the best)...proven "real" D1 coaches are not going to jump out of the wood work to coach at an NEC school.
I'll bet you would have loved a guy like Danny Nee a few years wgo when he was fired at Nebraska (this is just an example, I know Danny personally).
He went to RMU, then Duquesne. Did not get it done at either place and was pretty darn "proven."
What you are going to get at MU is a mid-major D 1 assistant looking to make a name for himself. Nothing wrong with that but right now you've got a head coach who is "proven" at least on this level, isn't looking to jump ship, but is looking to continue to upgrade the program with not so great facilities I might add.
And you're probably not going to replace him with anyone more "real" D1.
MU got very lucky back in thre late 80's when Wayne Szoke, then head coach at Columbia but a guy who had coached at Wall High school, then later was an assistant at Providence and Princeton, etc., and loved the Shore from his Wall days, took the MU job.
Something like that is a rarity, and not all that likely to happen again.
I, personally, think Dave is doing a good job, and certainly deserves the chance to attempt to take MU to the "next level". But hey, that's just me.
Of course, if John Calipari or coach K become available...maybe we can chat.
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