Game 14: AT ODU, Jan 4th, 7 PM, NO TV

[gmubrian]

Speaking of Edwards, what the heck has happened to his 3 pt. shooting?

I'll answer a question with a question: how long has he been coached by Hewitt?

 

[GMUgemini]

Speaking of Edwards, what the heck has happened to his 3 pt. shooting?

He's never been a gunner, but when able to set his feet and get a clean look, he knocked them down pretty regularly. He was .500 last season vs. .267 this season and that's on fewer attempts per game as well.

I think it's pretty obvious he doesn't have a green light to shoot the ball, for whatever reason. Even when he's wide open he stars at the rim for a second, then passes it off to someone else.

 

[gmutom]

I'll answer a question with a question: how long has he been coached by Hewitt?

I get that this is justifiably "Beat up on Hewitt Day," but can we please hold the players accountable as well? Corey was coached by the same staff last year when he shot 50%, so it's disingenuous to say the coaches made him a worse shooter.

The one positive Corey gives us when he is on the court is the ability to shoot, so he needs to take the open shots and knock them down consistently. For a team desperate for outside shooting, I don't buy for a second that our best 3-point shooter (percentage wise) is discouraged from taking wide-open shots.

 

[gmubrian]

I get that this is justifiably "Beat up on Hewitt Day," but can we please hold the players accountable as well? Corey was coached by the same staff last year when he shot 50%, so it's disingenuous to say the coaches made him a worse shooter.

Tom first, it is going to be beat up on Hewitt years... Second, I held the players accountable for two and a half years. If it was just one or two guys having problems, I'd agree with you. When almost our entire roster seems to be getting worse, you have to start looking for bigger problems.

I realize I have become the new GSII on here (not meant as an insult to you GSII as you were right), but once you have seen the light with regards to Hewitt, it hard not to see it everywhere. The good news is that those of us that have joined HA (Hewitt Anonymous) don't tend to hang around here much after a while. I am still at the point where I care and hope for some sort of change to save this sinking ship. That is why I come here. But soon, I fear, I will stop caring (I guess it must be close since I went to the Women's game instead of watching the ODU game) and then stop coming around here. Then you and the others that believe Hewitt is not at the root of our problems, can continue to find reasons to blame the players for a complete meltdown of a once good Mason program.

My name is gmubrian and I have been sober for 3 days now...

 

[gmutom]

Brian, while I congratulate you on your sobriety, Corey's reluctance to shoot or inability to make shots when he does is on him. One of our fans accused Hewitt of making Vertrail a worse shooter last season, but he is actually shooting worse at North Texas (29% from behind the arc) than he did here last year (34%).

Again, most of the critiques today about Hewitt and his staff are spot on, and I certainly get the need for people to vent. I think there needs to be a balance here between holding the coaches and players accountable when applicable. In this case, Corey needs to own the dip in his shooting percentage.

 

[Dawgs99]

Tom first, it is going to be beat up on Hewitt years... Second, I held the players accountable for two and a half years. If it was just one or two guys having problems, I'd agree with you. When almost our entire roster seems to be getting worse, you have to start looking for bigger problems.

I realize I have become the new GSII on here (not meant as an insult to you GSII as you were right), but once you have seen the light with regards to Hewitt, it hard not to see it everywhere. The good news is that those of us that have joined HA (Hewitt Anonymous) don't tend to hang around here much after a while. I am still at the point where I care and hope for some sort of change to save this sinking ship. That is why I come here. But soon, I fear, I will stop caring (I guess it must be close since I went to the Women's game instead of watching the ODU game) and then stop coming around here. Then you and the others that believe Hewitt is not at the root of our problems, can continue to find reasons to blame the players for a complete meltdown of a once good Mason program.

My name is gmubrian and I have been sober for 3 days now...

I feel like Tom get bashed on here as a Hewitt apologist but I don't see it. Tom has said all along that Hewitt is a large part of the problem. What I find funny is how if you dare hold any of the players accountable for their play you get labeled that way. Let me be clear, I have come around to the view that Hewitt is shitting the bed with this team and this program. However I will never hold any coach accountable for a 5th year seniors inability to dribble the ball with out traveling or dribbling off his own foot. Theres plenty of blame to go around, we have below average talent and and a below average coach. I'd like to see Hewitt get 1 more year unless the wheels really do come off the rest of the way.

 

[Patriotfan49]

Hows this?

Hewitt is bad, our coaching staff is primarily bad.......our players range from mediocre to laughable.....our AD ranges from delusional to horrid and our program is just a candle in the wind at this point.

Cue the next, "All is well in patriot land" article and that the coaching staff is "hot right now" please!

 

[KAOriginal]

I am all for holding the players accountable, but in the end:

Sports coaching[edit]

In sports, a coach is an individual that teaches and supervises, which involves giving directions, instruction and training of the on-field operations of an athletic team or of individual athletes. This type of coach gets involved in all the aspects of the sport, including physical and mental player development. Sports coaches train their athletes to become better at the physical components of the game, while others train athletes to become better at the mental components of the game. The coach is assumed to know more about the sport, and have more previous experience and knowledge. The coach’s job is to transfer as much of this knowledge and experience to the players to develop the most skilled athletes. When coaching its entail to the application of sport tactics and strategies during the game or contests itself, and usually entails substitution of players and other such actions as needed. Many coaches work at setting their own rules and regulations. They are expected to provide and maintain a drug free environment, act as a role model both on and off of the fields and courts. Coaches must ensure that their players are safe and protected during games as well as during practices

 

[Dawgs99]

Hows this?

Hewitt is bad, our coaching staff is primarily bad.......our players range from mediocre to laughable.....our AD ranges from delusional to horrid and our program is just a candle in the wind at this point.

Cue the next, "All is well in patriot land" article and that the coaching staff is "hot right now" please!

Fair and Balanced....just like Fox News!

 

[Patriotfan49]

Agreed while the players are doing their best to look hilarious, ultimately the coach takes all the blame. Perks of the job, and when under his watch we have consistently gotten worse each year.......that falls on Hewitts expensive suit shoulders.

 

[Patriotfan49]

Fair and Balanced....just like Fox News!

You arent #1 in the ratings for like 13 years for nothing!

 

[gmutom]

I feel like Tom get bashed on here as a Hewitt apologist but I don't see it. Tom has said all along that Hewitt is a large part of the problem. What I find funny is how if you dare hold any of the players accountable for their play you get labeled that way.

Thanks, Dawgs. I admit I was on board with the hiring of Hewitt from the beginning. I really bought into that he was going to learn from his mistakes at Tech and that moving down to the mid-major level would alleviate the issues he had with one-and-done players and roster management problems. Sadly, that hasn't been the case.

P49 is absolutely right that the buck stops with the head coach, and I agree that many of our problems start and stop with him. At the same time, I also think it's a cop out when our fans fail to hold players responsible. If we are truly here to talk college basketball, at some point the college basketball players have to be part of the discussion.

 

[gmubrian]

I feel like Tom get bashed on here as a Hewitt apologist but I don't see it. Tom has said all along that Hewitt is a large part of the problem.

Dawgs, I don't consider Tom (or others that want to find other excuses for our bad performance) a Hewitt apologist. I used to think the same way until a couple weeks ago. The problem is that I don't think people are taking a step back and seeing the big picture. We can analyze every little problem and come up with a non-Hewitt reason for it, and some of them are likely not Hewitt. When there are as many problems as we are having you have to start seeing that there is a pattern.

Have we ever had so many highly regarded recruits on the same team be a complete bust (Copes, Gray, Edwards, J2...)? Have you seen as many individual players regress on the same team at the same time? We have to have one of the largest collection of basketball players that have magically forgotten that you dribble the ball on the floor and not off your foot. How about a collection of big men that can't even catch a pass? Then there is our horrid passing ability. I watch teams like Penn that make quick, decisive passes and watch our guys lazily lob the ball to each other. I am sure there are many other examples. Any one of these items when examined in a vacuum could be explained away by individual player performance. But if you step back and look at it as a whole, it is hard to come to any other conclusion other than there is something seriously wrong across the board. That is when you have to hold the coach accountable.

I hope I am proved wrong and we magically slice through the A10 like a hot knife through butter, and everything is upwards from here on out. I would be the first one to apologize to all involved for not having the necessary patience. Unfortunately for all of us, I think the chances that I am wrong are very small...

 

[Dawgs99]

Brian I agree with everything you posted. I sort of feel like I am a "Hewitt guy" because I wanted him to be our coach. I guess on some level I'm having a hard time coming around to the idea that he really hasn't done a good job here and it looks to be headed right down the toilet rather quickly this season. I also feel like theres no chance he gets fired before his 5 years are up. I guess all we can do is hope he figures things out before we are the new Fordham of the A10.

 

[KAOriginal]

I fully admit I was on the Hewitt band wagon at the start. Thought he would bring a fresh perspective and thrive without the ACC pressure.

But as we have all seen, GM has become GT, Part DUH.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

I confess I was along the same thought lines as GMU Tom and Brian - but after watching the past few games this is an issue of leadership not the players. There is serious talent on this team if there was a coach to lead and mold them. Time to move now. We are still a desirable place to coach and play and are in a good conference. Strike now - it is time to do a night of the long knives and execute the ides of March.

Let's start a list of good names. I am willing to up my contribution for a coaching change.

Always a Mason fan and supporter - but there is a need for a change.

 

[gmubrian]

Fair and Balanced....just like Fox News!

Not to derail this thread completely, but Mason's own Center for Media and Public Affairs has repeatedly found Fox News to have the most fair and balanced prime time news. What does that say about ABC, NBC and CBS given Fox News reputation?

http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/14/fo...a-opinions-contributors-s-robert-lichter.html

 

[KAOriginal]

Can we do a Kick Starter campaign to help pay for Hewitts early ouster?

 

[Patriotfan49]

To be honest, with no say in hiring or firing what can fans do but be delusional and excited and hopeful a coach is all of the sudden not who hes been his whole career?

While you may have that sinking feeling in the back of your mind, knowing that more than likely 5 years of pain is to ensue from day one....is a tough pill to swallow. So who didnt want to lie to eachother or themselves and thought it would be ok lol.....

 

[Patriotfan49]

Can we do a Kick Starter campaign to help pay for Hewitts early ouster?

Call me bandwagon fan.....but I would more than happily swap my season ticket costs and some of the donations to a buyout campaign for Hewitt. Much like what Skins fans seem to go through with their ticket prices and bs and the product on the field, I hardly think its a fair trade off to pay my hard earned money to go watch a coach and roster of guys not really caring.

They dont care, why should we show up to support them? We can support our university in other ways.