Topic: I am so glad i went to practice tonight

[herdorbust]

Danny gave a tremendous speech after practice to his players. Not getting into details, but it was about basketball, life and how it all meshes. I'll be truthful, I was ready to run thru a brick wall after that speech. If that didn't hit the players in a positive way and get their attention on life and what they are doing right now, then nothing ever will. When I get a little down after something last night, Danny reaches down and does something like this. Again, we are so fortunate to have this man as our coach. Again, this man is building this thing the right way. And it is going to pay off before it is all said and done.

[herdorbust]

Honestly I wish every Herd fan had a chance to watch his practices and things like tonight. I know most can't because of where so many live. But if you did he would truly blow your mind the way he puts everything together. It's like some of us say at practice all the time....he never misses a thing that is going on. And he just always knows the right buttons to push at the right moment. Like I said. He got the job late and the first season was kind of a mulligan IMO. Then there is no doubt he needed to get up to speed on recruiting and they are really correcting that the last couple classes. With the young kids they have and the ones coming in next year and the ones that are on their radar for the next signing, they have got it going now. If he can do what he did with a walk-on (LOOP) a D11 transfer (STEVIE) an undersized inside player at 6'5"(TAYLOR) and cast, what do you think he can do with 6 to 7 players 6'7" and above with more talent? Just give him this year and next year and I think we will all be very happy.

[herd2win]

It shouldn’t be building in year 4...it should be established..you are only dealing with a few players...not a good sign if you think we should be still building.

[Apollo]

It shouldn’t be building in year 4...it should be established..you are only dealing with a few players...not a good sign if you think we should be still building.

John is in year 8 and "building" this "young" team and some of you think he's the bees knees.

[DC01HERD]

Good to hear. Hopefully they battle on Sunday.

[parshall2marshall]

In DD's post-game interview he basically said he expected to win against the Illini, while being philosophical ( about the loss to Morehead ). I don't know how he expects to stay in the game against a bruising Big 10 style of play after being dominated on the boards by a smaller Morehead team.

I don't think anyone expects miracles until the beef arrives in 2018-19. But we can't be this soft on the boards and expect to win 17-20+. I'm not happy with our shot selection. Too many long distance 3PT attempts or waiting for Jon to create something ( hope his jumper returns quickly ). I know I am probably expecting too much too soon from Koljanin, Williams, West and a general meshing of the Team. If we can just take 90% of our threes within 22-23 feet ( closer to the line ) I think we would do better..

I thought the game officials ( probably do a lot of OVC games )  called  a very fair game. In the final 2-3 minutes a couple of calls that could have gone either way went with Morehead but one has to expect that - it wasn't too much to overcome at all by playing well.

I am impatient, I read these practice reports and I see us playing excellent perimeter defense. I know we have a bunch of guys with huge wingspans, why can't we block out and just fiercely grab the ball.

At this point I wouldn't be surprised if we gave Illinois all they wanted, maybe win there. But I wouldn't be surprise if we got blown out by 15-20. Just like DD said, according to Herdmeister.

p2m

[herdfan129]

It shouldn’t be building in year 4...it should be established..you are only dealing with a few players...not a good sign if you think we should be still building.

This is the first time the roster has turned over for DD. I think a lot of these younger guys are showing a lot of promise, and we still have Watson that we get after this semester is over with.

Williams and Koljanin showed flashes against Morehead. I think they are about to come on nicely.

[coalherd]

Danny gave a tremendous speech after practice to his players. Not getting into details, but it was about basketball, life and how it all meshes. I'll be truthful, I was ready to run thru a brick wall after that speech. If that didn't hit the players in a positive way and get their attention on life and what they are doing right now, then nothing ever will. When I get a little down after something last night, Danny reaches down and does something like this. Again, we are so fortunate to have this man as our coach. Again, this man is building this thing the right way. And it is going to pay off before it is all said and done.

Like your enthusiasm, herdorbust, and glad you are fired up!  Do you have any eligibility left?

[Herdmeister]

it was an incredible talk. Those of us there actually applauded when he finished. He is so much more than a basketball coach. His talk was about life, being a good person and love for Marshall.
I sure wish I had recorded it. It must have been 10 minutes in length.

[QuickStrike]

It shouldn’t be building in year 4...it should be established..you are only dealing with a few players...not a good sign if you think we should be still building.

The first 2 seasons should be a mulligan for DD.  Season 1 he got here kinda late, and with filling out the roster had to take the recruits he could get then.  The next season was still more of a learning recruiting process as he had trouble getting bigs that he liked.  DD's recruiting is much better now.  This season is down more due to Thompson (could have been considered a starter) unexpectedly leaving, and also having to replace last year's starters Browning, Taylor, and Loop.  Hate to say wait till next year, but next year we take a giant step forward. 

[Scottyo614]

Thank you for sharing this. I’m openly a Dan guy. He’s charismatic, free thinking and a good coach. Sometimes coaching isn’t always Xs and Os but life as well.

Let’s just look here. Penava came in and couldn’t hardly dribble and walk yet has improved tremendously. Milan was the same way, but can at least spell minutes. It’s not his fault he’s been cast into another role. Loop and Browning both grew a ton by the time they left. That’s the difference I think between everything else is i trust Danny with these kids to help them grow in a down year. Basketball is hard to predict with players coming and leaving. If everyone stays intact next year should be lights out.

[DC01HERD]

Illinois is beatable. Need to compete and stay out of foul trouble. A few Marshall fans from Chicago are making the trip.

[MidlandKnight]

I think its great that Coach D allows fans to attend his practices. I also love the enthusiasm of some of the fans who go to these practices and give us reports ( Please keep doing that). With that being said I've learned over the years to never have high expectations for the next year until the next year comes around. In college basketball there are just too many factors in play and not even Coach D knows who will be on his roster next year. You could have kids going pro (Elmore), Kids transferring (Terrance Thompson), kids not being academically eligible (Burks and Watson), and heaven forbid injuries. Then there is the most important thing, team Chemistry.

Speaking of Thompson and Watson. Had these guys been on this team from Game 1 we could "possibly" be talking about a special season this year.

[elginherd]

Honestly I wish every Herd fan had a chance to watch his practices and things like tonight. I know most can't because of where so many live. But if you did he would truly blow your mind the way he puts everything together. It's like some of us say at practice all the time....he never misses a thing that is going on. And he just always knows the right buttons to push at the right moment. Like I said. He got the job late and the first season was kind of a mulligan IMO. Then there is no doubt he needed to get up to speed on recruiting and they are really correcting that the last couple classes. With the young kids they have and the ones coming in next year and the ones that are on their radar for the next signing, they have got it going now. If he can do what he did with a walk-on (LOOP) a D11 transfer (STEVIE) an undersized inside player at 6'5"(TAYLOR) and cast, what do you think he can do with 6 to 7 players 6'7" and above with more talent? Just give him this year and next year and I think we will all be very happy.

Herdorbust,
Could you remind us (meaning me) with what the BB practice schedule is?

[herdorbust]

I think its great that Coach D allows fans to attend his practices. I also love the enthusiasm of some of the fans who go to these practices and give us reports ( Please keep doing that). With that being said I've learned over the years to never have high expectations for the next year until the next year comes around. In college basketball there are just too many factors in play and not even Coach D knows who will be on his roster next year. You could have kids going pro (Elmore), Kids transferring (Terrance Thompson), kids not being academically eligible (Burks and Watson), and heaven forbid injuries. Then there is the most important thing, team Chemistry.

Speaking of Thompson and Watson. Had these guys been on this team from Game 1 we could "possibly" be talking about a special season this year.

He doesn't only allow people to go to practice, he encourages it. He would be pleased if there were 2-3 thousand there everyday. He comes over and talks to us like you have known him your entire life. And then at the end he comes over and thanks us for coming. He not only wants to build a team, but also a chemistry between the fans and the team.

[herdorbust]

Herdorbust,
Could you remind us (meaning me) with what the BB practice schedule is?

Typically they get on the floor between 2:30 -3 during the week. Herdmeister usually get the exact schedule and he would have more on this. I'll tell you when you really want to go to practice. Is in a about 3 weeks when the second semester starts. Bennett and Cook will be practicing with the team then. Those 2 will make each other better and also make our young guns much tougher inside LOL.

[herdorbust]

it was an incredible talk. Those of us there actually applauded when he finished. He is so much more than a basketball coach. His talk was about life, being a good person and love for Marshall.
I sure wish I had recorded it. It must have been 10 minutes in length.

It was every bit of 10 minutes and you could have heard a pin drop. I know us backseat coaches (LOL) are usually talking among ourselves and when he started talking we were glued to his speech. It was truly something I know I will remember, so i'm sure the kids took it all in. When he finished, they applauded, and everyone applauded. Great stuff for sure.

[Apollo]

Let us know when practice is this week. I'm off and can actually make it for a change.

[QuickStrike]

It was every bit of 10 minutes and you could have heard a pin drop. I know us backseat coaches (LOL) are usually talking among ourselves and when he started talking we were glued to his speech. It was truly something I know I will remember, so i'm sure the kids took it all in. When he finished, they applauded, and everyone applauded. Great stuff for sure.

That is a coach right there.

[Herdmeister]

Let us know when practice is this week. I'm off and can actually make it for a change.

Most practices are at 2:30. With this being a holiday week, it could be different. My calendar is in the office.
I will post it on Monday.

[herdfan129]

We lost 4/5 starters with one of them (Thompson) coming very late in the process. Not sure how anyone can be upset about this being a down year. We didn't reach the big dance like we wanted, but we were still in the CUSA Championship game last year.

DD has proven that his teams improve throughout the season. Watson will definitely be a big help, and no doubt DD is going to be tweaking minutes/rotations over the next few games. Right now we are almost playing like the positions are all still open. Some guys will start to play themselves into more minutes over the next few games. I think Koljanin and Williams are the 2 guys who will do that.

[herdorbust]

We lost 4/5 starters with one of them (Thompson) coming very late in the process. Not sure how anyone can be upset about this being a down year. We didn't reach the big dance like we wanted, but we were still in the CUSA Championship game last year.

DD has proven that his teams improve throughout the season. Watson will definitely be a big help, and no doubt DD is going to be tweaking minutes/rotations over the next few games. Right now we are almost playing like the positions are all still open. Some guys will start to play themselves into more minutes over the next few games. I think Koljanin and Williams are the 2 guys who will do that.

I think Koljanin, Williams and Bledsoe will be getting more minutes. And George I think will get some also. Danny told every one of them, that if they weren't playing, it wasn't personal. It was because they weren't doing certain things he expected. He said it doesn't matter who it is, if you are the best, you will play. Because he said they are here to win and he would never keep a kid off the floor because of anything personal. When he is coaching, he coaches the walk-ons exactly like he does the others. If they make a mistake, he stops practice and coaches them up and takes as much time with them as he does the others. Just like what he did with Loop when he was a walk-on. He knew Loop could shoot it and he put him on the floor from day one.

[Garbanjo]

We lost 4/5 starters with one of them (Thompson) coming very late in the process. Not sure how anyone can be upset about this being a down year. We didn't reach the big dance like we wanted, but we were still in the CUSA Championship game last year.

DD has proven that his teams improve throughout the season. Watson will definitely be a big help, and no doubt DD is going to be tweaking minutes/rotations over the next few games. Right now we are almost playing like the positions are all still open. Some guys will start to play themselves into more minutes over the next few games. I think Koljanin and Williams are the 2 guys who will do that.

Koljanin has to step up, and hopefully Williams will as well

[The Right Stuff]

Anytime you want to go just give me a call elgin.  As Herdmeister said most are at 2:30 but it may change due to the holidays.  They will probably practice on Tuesday since they will be playing on Sunday and Wednesday but since school is not in session I am not sure what time it will be.

TRS
MU 71

[MIA]

Glad that speech worked for you. Obviously it didn’t work for anyone else. Guys our two major sports are in big trouble.