A-10 Media Day

[Pablo]

"When your own coach admits the veterans on the team are basically useless and that they are "starting from scratch" I don't think it's unfair or lazy to rank them 12-14 in preseason projections. Some of you guys should come back down to earth."
gmu05, Today at 6:16 AM


Obviously, gmuo5 didn't listen to the interview. Why am I not surprised? So, let me make this as clear as possible for him: Coach Paulsen did not say that his veterans are "basically useless". But, there is an urgency to correct deficiencies immediately and strive for excellence. This begins with a fair and honest evaluation of the players' past and present performance. Evidently, gmu05 doesn't understand this.

The most telling discussion was about Jalen Jenkins, who Coach Paulsen called as "enigma". He called him this, not because he's "basically useless", but because Coach Paulsen believes he should be an all-conference player. So, they are defining his role and limiting his options and decision-making. This will allow Jalen to be more comfortable and enhance his performance. And, over time they will increase his options and revise his role.

Most importantly, Coach Paulsen does not talk about winning or preseason projections. He talks about playing consistent, fundamentally sound basketball and striving for excellence.

 

[Patriot Lawdog]

I am optimistic we won't be a complete clown show. If that's being overly optimistic, then call me Mr. Sunshine.

 

[GSII]

DP is being honest. Like I have said before, he has to un-mind-f**k the returning players before he can get them going in the right direction. In doing that, he may unlock their potential. That is my hope. DP can see this in each player. All of us see this, except for gmu05.

 

[GMU_DCU]

If we can see the same Jalen that was a beast in the paint his freshmen year before the failed Blewitt experiment of having him move to the 3 that would make me happy.

 

[GSII]

The only player that annoys me for some reason is Royal. Either that kid is lazy, or he has no desire to build muscle. His frame has been turning into a 40 yr old's since he got here. Just my opinion. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[PoorManProfit]

The only player that annoys me for some reason is Royal.

Probably because he was recruited to play at an ACC school and he can't actually play at at A-10 level.

 

[gmu05]

"When your own coach admits the veterans on the team are basically useless and that they are "starting from scratch" I don't think it's unfair or lazy to rank them 12-14 in preseason projections. Some of you guys should come back down to earth."
gmu05, Today at 6:16 AM


Obviously, gmuo5 didn't listen to the interview. Why am I not surprised? So, let me make this as clear as possible for him: Coach Paulsen did not say that his veterans are "basically useless". But, there is an urgency to correct deficiencies immediately and strive for excellence. This begins with a fair and honest evaluation of the players' past and present performance. Evidently, gmu05 doesn't understand this.

The most telling discussion was about Jalen Jenkins, who Coach Paulsen called as "enigma". He called him this, not because he's "basically useless", but because Coach Paulsen believes he should be an all-conference player. So, they are defining his role and limiting his options and decision-making. This will allow Jalen to be more comfortable and enhance his performance. And, over time they will increase his options and revise his role.

Most importantly, Coach Paulsen does not talk about winning or preseason projections. He talks about playing consistent, fundamentally sound basketball and striving for excellence.

A coach like Paulsen doesn't win without solid veterans he has molded for 3-4 years, read between the lines.

 

[Walter]

Did DP mention Royal at all?

 

[Pablo]

Did DP mention Royal at all?

No, he was asked specifically about Thompson and Jenkins. Then, he was asked if there was an X-factor in the backcourt. He responded that it was Marquise Moore, who he indicated could be an elite defender.

 

[Pablo]

A coach like Paulsen doesn't win without solid veterans he has molded for 3-4 years, read between the lines.

How many seasons did it take for Larranaga to win the CAA championship here? Or, would that take too much of your time to research?

 

[Herndon]

I couldn't care less about how many games the team wins this year, or how they finish in conference. I am solely concerned about seeing improvement. Frankly, I don't even care next year. In my mind, a coach gets 2 years as a mulligan, especially when the situation he's walking into is as pooptacular as Mason is at the moment.

If I see guys improving individually, and improving playing as a unit, I will be satisfied for 2 years. Any wins or whatever are icing on the cake.

 

[Pablo]

I couldn't care less about how many games the team wins this year, or how they finish in conference. I am solely concerned about seeing improvement. Frankly, I don't even care next year. In my mind, a coach gets 2 years as a mulligan, especially when the situation he's walking into is as pooptacular as Mason is at the moment.

If I see guys improving individually, and improving playing as a unit, I will be satisfied for 2 years. Any wins or whatever are icing on the cake.

I agree with you. My problem with gmuo5 is he believes that he's the only one smart enough on this board to understand that it will take time.

BTW, in Coach Paulsen's first 3 seasons at Bucknell, he was:

7-23 (4-10 Patriot)
14-17 (9-5 Patriot)
25-9 (13-1 Patriot)

 

[gmujim92]

There is some humor/irony in that many of the folks getting upset about being criticized for their optimism are the same ones who were hellbent on squashing any hint of optimism the past few years.

Gee I wonder why that is?

Perhaps it's because, instead of hiring some washed-up retread to replace the most successful coach in our program's history, our new president and AD went out and hired a competent coach to replace the washed-up retread.

Unlike Hewitt, whose results had been trending in the wrong direction for the better part of a decade when he came to Mason, Paulsen had the third-highest winning percentage in Patriot League history when Edwards convinced him to leave Bucknell.

It's a totally different situation. Not sure why you don't see that.

 

[Pablo]

It's a totally different situation. Not sure why you don't see that.

I guess 99 Patriot believes that Hewitt needed just 1 more season.

 

[TwoFootTackle]

I agree with you. My problem with gmuo5 is he believes that he's the only one smart enough on this board to understand that it will take time.

BTW, in Coach Paulsen's first 3 seasons at Bucknell, he was:

7-23 (4-10 Patriot)
14-17 (9-5 Patriot)
25-9 (13-1 Patriot)

I'd be ok with that record at Mason. Yes, yes, I would.

 

[A.-Siegfried]

You guys are hysterical. People LOVE putting words into others mouths.

99 didn't say he wanted to Hewitt to have one more year. He just found the irony in everyone being happy and seeing unicorns and rainbows now as compared to a year ago when the same posters were all doom and gloom no matter what happened.

It's an honest read of the situation. I might be completely wrong, but I'm going to guess 99 is ok with the optimism, just finds it funny how quickly it changed. (and in my opinion, it should have changed. We are on the right path now).

 

[Pablo]

For A.-Siegfried's benefit, I actually like 99 Patriot's posts, except when he accused us of wanting the Patriots to lose last season so Hewitt would be fired. For a trip down memory lane, read the following:

"Ok, I'll bite. These boards are absolutely the right place to complain about our coach, perhaps just not in every single thread and perhaps not in angry critique of those who don't see the world as bleakly as you do. This is my 114th total post on these boards so I'm not sure I've done enough to establish a history of intolerance, but yes, I've occasionally tried to steer the sticks away from the deceased horse.

As to my glimmer of hope logic (realizing this is a little off-base to our discussion) it's simply that virtually every game Hewitt has coached at Mason has had BA and SW in the backcourt. While great individual talents, I'm not sure either of them was the type of player that made anyone around them better, both sometimes had the lights get too bright for them in big moments and neither was any sort of defender (yes, a better coach could have helped with those problems). I'd even make the case that our team played its' best ball last year in December when coach basically bench SW for a few games. Does any of that logic mean we're going to suddenly be worldbeaters or that Hewitt is going to become Brad Stevens? Of course not, but I won't be shocked if we finish well ahead of expectations this year. My concern is that a lot of people here would probably prefer 13th place to 6th place if it meant starting fresh next year."
99 Patriot, Oct 20, 2014Report

 

[99 Patriot]

Not sure why you don't see that.

I guess 99 Patriot believes that Hewitt needed just 1 more season.

Of course I see it and of course I didn't want another year of the downward spiral we were in. Not sure where I said anything to indicate otherwise. I'm merely pointing out that for the past two years many of you were offended that people here would occasionally show a grain of hope or optimism. Now the same folks are upset that any posters would dare suggest we'll remain a bottom-feeder for the next few years. Heck, we even broke out the, "players and recruits might be reading this" line which I'm certain was used against the same people the last few years.

While four years of reading threats to pull support and not attend games was a blast, I'll gladly take optimism as the new attitude of these forums.

 

[99 Patriot]

For A.-Siegfried's benefit, I actually like 99 Patriot's posts, except when he accused us of wanting the Patriots to lose last season so Hewitt would be fired. For a trip down memory lane, read the following:
99 Patriot, Oct 20, 2014Report

While that post is over a year old, I'll still absolutely stand by it. Pablo, maybe you're taking it too personally, but I'd bet today plenty of Mason fans would agree in retrospect that they're happier to have had a terrible year and a new coach then they would have been with a mediocre year and Hewitt back on the sidelines. Heck, I might fall into that boat looking back.

 

[A.-Siegfried]

While that post is over a year old, I'll still absolutely stand by it. Pablo, maybe you're taking it too personally, but I'd bet today plenty of Mason fans would agree in retrospect that they're happier to have had a terrible year and a new coach then they would have been with a mediocre year and Hewitt back on the sidelines. Heck, I might fall into that boat looking back.

How dare you 99. You don't know what you said a year (or more) ago is gospel! New evidence/circumstance be damned, you are bound by what you wrote back in October of 2014.

Just ask, they'll tell you.