Topic: Bearer of bad news...

[wasbarryb]

Still laughing?

Wow Banker, I have always considered you a true Herd fan. Sounds like you're glad we lost for the sake of your own ego. I've always thought you were better than that.

[2xBison]

Wow Banker, I have always considered you a true Herd fan. Sounds like you're glad we lost for the sake of your own ego. I've always thought you were better than that.

banker is one of my favorite posters.  got to say a little disappointed in his response there.

so, I guess a big F U to banker for tonight and we start fresh in the morning.

I was very disappointed in the play of the team tonight.

[banker]

It's not that, just a little perturbed at the personal attacks just because I brought a different view to the discussion on the basketball team.   The fact is that people were getting way out in front of where we really are as a team and they just didn't want to hear it, so they attack the messenger.  Probably taking it a little more personal than I should.

[Herdalum83]

It's not that, just a little perturbed at the personal attacks just because I brought a different view to the discussion on the basketball team.   The fact is that people were getting way out in front of where we really are as a team and they just didn't want to hear it, so they attack the messenger.  Probably taking it a little more personal than I should.

You know how the ODU win didn't prove you were wrong? This one doesn't prove you're right either. Lots of basketball left. I know this team would be better with a big physical post man but, I'm not giving up on this team or DD being incapable of ever winning anything significant.

Need to bounce back strong at UAB going 1-1 on this road swing would be very nice.

[coalherd]

You know how the ODU win didn't prove you were wrong? This one doesn't prove you're right either. Lots of basketball left. I know this team would be better with a big physical post man but, I'm not giving up on this team or DD being incapable of ever winning anything significant.

Need to bounce back strong at UAB going 1-1 on this road swing would be very nice.

Fair enough, 83, but I think banker is like a lot of us who wants to see some tangible proof of improvement against the perennial better CUSA teams AWAY from the HC.  If not in Murfreesboro or in Birmingham, then where?  At LA TECH, or at ODU or Charlotte?  Even games at both Southern Miss and WKU can't be a sure thing, given our obvious lack of proven front court talent, aside from Taylor and Thompson, and our somewhat spotty, and at times, uninspired play away from the HC.  This glaring deficiency in our talent also makes the home games against both MTSU and UAB, and perhaps, WKU, with proven D1 frontcourt players, very iffy also.

We have already played the weak sisters on this season's road schedule in CUSA:  FIU AND FAU.  We have the other 3 weakest conference teams at home, 3 Texas schools NOT named Rice.  This team could easily come up SHORT of last season's CUSA regular season record 12-6, and along with our stirring 0-6 non conference, that would mean little REAL improvement over 2015-16.

And losing much of our offense, Taylor, Loop and Browning, for 2017-18, and with 2 of our "big" recruits apparently not looking be eligible to play till the following year, its not anything but realistic skepticism for banker, and others, to wonder if next season will not just be more of the same.  Not being so willing to drink the green cool aide by the gallon doesn't necessarily make one "anti-Marshall"!

[banker]

Middle has a good coach and good players.  Clearly the best team in the conference right now.  With that said, if I coached against us, I would play zone to keep Elmore from driving, that's what they did.  Zone really stifles this offense (not a problem that you have to deal with in the NBA.

[Herdalum83]

Fair enough, 83, but I think banker is like a lot of us who wants to see some tangible proof of improvement against the perennial better CUSA teams AWAY from the HC.  If not in Murfreesboro or in Birmingham, then where?  At LA TECH, or at ODU or Charlotte?  Even games at both Southern Miss and WKU can't be a sure thing, given our obvious lack of proven front court talent, aside from Taylor and Thompson, and our somewhat spotty, and at times, uninspired play away from the HC.  This glaring deficiency in our talent also makes the home games against both MTSU and UAB, and perhaps, WKU, with proven D1 frontcourt players, very iffy also.

We have already played the weak sisters on this season's road schedule in CUSA:  FIU AND FAU.  We have the other 3 weakest conference teams at home, 3 Texas schools NOT named Rice.  This team could easily come up SHORT of last season's CUSA regular season record 12-6, and along with our stirring 0-6 non conference, that would mean little REAL improvement over 2015-16.

And losing much of our offense, Taylor, Loop and Browning, for 2017-18, and with 2 of our "big" recruits apparently not looking be eligible to play till the following year, its not anything but realistic skepticism for banker, and others, to wonder if next season will not just be more of the same.  Not being so willing to drink the green cool aide by the gallon doesn't necessarily make one "anti-Marshall"!

I for one never said banker was anti-Marshall. Two, let's see how things play out. We could finish worse than 12-6 but we could finish a lot better than that too, lots of basketball left and I'm not going to analyze the team's improvement when so much is left to play.

All of our goals are still obtainable.

As for next year again I'll worry about it when this one is done. But I will say I don't see losing Loop or Browning as the loss that you do. Taylor is another story though. But right now we have all 3. I'm gonna ride out this season and see where it takes us. I think most people would accept 1-1 on this road swing.

[elginherd]

Middle has a good coach and good players.  Clearly the best team in the conference right now.  With that said, if I coached against us, I would play zone to keep Elmore from driving, that's what they did.  Zone really stifles this offense (not a problem that you have to deal with in the NBA.

Zones ARE now legal in the NBA. And zones are played now in the NBA. You are correct about MTSU's coach & players...but consider that he has been there for years & has a mature program, DD is in year 3 of a gut-rehab project at a mid-major. And his teams have played some decent to good b-ball during the building process. The Herd had a bad day; nothing more or nothing less. DD & staff are good coaches. This loss, in the long term, could very well be a step forward.

[banker]

Zones ARE now legal in the NBA. And zones are played now in the NBA. You are correct about MTSU's coach & players...but consider that he has been there for years & has a mature program, DD is in year 3 of a gut-rehab project at a mid-major. And his teams have played some decent to good b-ball during the building process. The Herd had a bad day; nothing more or nothing less. DD & staff are good coaches. This loss, in the long term, could very well be a step forward.

Not completely true.  If you have a defender in the lane that's not guarding anyone you get a defensive 3 second penalty and it's a technical.  Because of that, an NBA zone defense is not like a college zone because you don't have the big clogging penetration.