OT: NCAAT Discussion

[A.-Siegfried]

The culture of our athletics department has changed? Unless you are talking about winning, I'd say you are wrong.

Its not like there were never any problems under L. I mean Tony Skinn punched a player in the crotch in the middle of a game. And DJ's credit card fiasco would have still happened. Then there's pillowgate and a few other unexplained suspensions like Cam Long's.

I don't think the culture of our basketball team has changed much. They are generally good kids who work hard and graduate in time.

Which suspension of Cam's was "unexplained"?

 

[phoenix-arizona]

Who is going to win tonight?

I guess I'll go with UCONN by a TD.

It's a toss up between watching this game and last night's Cosmos .

 

[GMUgemini]

Which suspension of Cam's was "unexplained"?

The one against Fairfield.

As for winning at all costs, that's what got UConn in trouble in the first place.

 

[Pablo]

Then there's pillowgate and a few other unexplained suspensions like Cam Long's.

The explanation for Cam Long's suspension was that he was late in returning from a visit to his family in Florida after being notified of the scheduled CIT game vs. Fairfield. BTW, this was the only game that Cam missed in his career.

 

[Old Man]

Pillow-gate is still nothing compared to the knives the players pulled on each other (IIRC) during the Westhead era ... or is it error ... I get confused. So I would say the culture has changed in that the players don't attack each other anymore.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

 

[KAOriginal]

The one against Fairfield.

As for winning at all costs, that's what got UConn in trouble in the first place.

And yet just a short time later on the cusp of another NC title.....

Hell Ill take "getting into trouble"

 

[GMUgemini]

And yet just a short time later on the cusp of another NC title.....

Hell Ill take "getting into trouble"

Mason getting into trouble means a whole hell of a lot more than UConn getting into trouble. Success at our level is already so tenuous (just look at how quickly we fell) even without sanctions, vacated runs, or APR bans. Mason's precipitous fall doesn't happen at a Kentucky or a UConn.

But I will say this, I wouldn't necessary take the cheating, but I certainly would like to take UConn or Kentucky's basketball budget for a test drive for a few years.

 

[KAOriginal]

Mason getting into trouble means a whole hell of a lot more than UConn getting into trouble. Success at our level is already so tenuous (just look at how quickly we fell) even without sanctions, vacated runs, or APR bans. Mason's precipitous fall doesn't happen at a Kentucky or a UConn.

But I will say this, I wouldn't necessary take the cheating, but I certainly would like to take UConn or Kentucky's basketball budget for a test drive for a few years.

While I agree....lets acknowledge our fall from a good program to a "has been" was because the administration did not take hoops seriously....

 

[GMUgemini]

While I agree....lets acknowledge our fall from a good program to a "has been" was because the administration did not take hoops seriously....

It begins with our lack of depth. We just weren't ready for the Final Four. Had it been the 2011 team that reached the Final Four, I think things would look a lot different.

But take a look at the 2006-2007 roster and tell me that team was built to continue the success of the 2005-2006 Final Four.

I'd also say George Mason hired the wrong marketing firm, because while we could have done more, to hear the people on this board talk, it's almost like the administration just dismantled the Patriot Center and made the men's basketball team play in a barn and drive a VW Minibus to away games.

 

[DeepValue]

When Louisville beat UConn by 400 points were the huskies missing all their starters or what?

 

[DeepValue]

If not for UConn, St Joe's wins the whole thing. Right??

 

[DeepValue]

"So it wasn't just my coaching all those years?" - Jim Calhoun

 

[A.-Siegfried]

The one against Fairfield.

As for winning at all costs, that's what got UConn in trouble in the first place.

Pablo gave you the correct answer...I thought this was pretty common knowledge about Cam and the Fairfield game.

 

[KAOriginal]

It begins with our lack of depth. We just weren't ready for the Final Four. Had it been the 2011 team that reached the Final Four, I think things would look a lot different.

But take a look at the 2006-2007 roster and tell me that team was built to continue the success of the 2005-2006 Final Four.

I'd also say George Mason hired the wrong marketing firm, because while we could have done more, to hear the people on this board talk, it's almost like the administration just dismantled the Patriot Center and made the men's basketball team play in a barn and drive a VW Minibus to away games.

The 06/07 while not stellar, was what 2 minutes from a 2nd straight trip? While that team would have lost....the point is....that would have been 3 NCAAs in a row. And to sneak an NCAA bid in a rebuild year...that would have been sweet.

But that wasn't the admins fault. That was just fate.

The Merten administration was just conservative, plain and simple. Nothing to do with "we didn't know what to do" or "vcu learned from our mistakes." Mason lived on the "well that was nice" and instead of using it as an opportunity to say "hey can we do more, can we get more from this" they kind of took the energy and just let it ride.

 

[Washingtonian]

Who is going to win tonight?

I guess I'll go with UCONN by a TD.

It's a toss up between watching this game and last night's Cosmos .

Not far off.

 

[GMU84fanman]

UConn's run shows the value of a great point guard in College basketball (in their case you could make an argument that they had 2 point guards who could both shoot). Their handle, quickness, defense, penetration, ability to dish, set the temp and score equaled victory for UConn. Got to have a good point guard these days.

 

[GMUSSTN]

UConn's run shows the value of a great point guard in College basketball (in their case you could make an argument that they had 2 point guards who could both shoot). Their handle, quickness, defense, penetration, ability to dish, set the temp and score equaled victory for UConn. Got to have a good point guard these days.

You posted this in the wrong place; should have gone to phewitt@gmu.edu

 

[GMUgemini]

Pablo gave you the correct answer...I thought this was pretty common knowledge about Cam and the Fairfield game.

Yes, I forgot that was why. The point remains that generally the student-athletes we have now are the same as we had under the old regime. Is anyone embarrassed that Marko, Holloway, Jenkins, and Moore are representing Mason? Are you worried that they will put a stain on the program?

Even Okoloji, who has made his mistakes, is generally a good kid and will leave here with a degree.

I haven't seen any red flags in our current crop of recruits either, have you? We aren't taking kids who left their program after stealing laptops, or accused of rape, or hit and run. And to me, despite a horrible season, I don't see Hewitt taking short cuts on these types of players to save himself.

 

[Pablo]

And to me, despite a horrible season, I don't see Hewitt taking short cuts on these types of players to save himself.

Let's give Hewitt some of the credit for the graduation rate and minimal off-the-court problems during his tenure. I believe that this commitment is reflected in establishing and maintaining the Director of Player Development position.

 

[GMUgemini]

UConn's run shows the value of a great point guard in College basketball (in their case you could make an argument that they had 2 point guards who could both shoot). Their handle, quickness, defense, penetration, ability to dish, set the temp and score equaled victory for UConn. Got to have a good point guard these days.

By the way, congratulations to UConn. I think their last run with Kemba Walker also proved this point.