The Future Is Bright

[azgmu]

I have been pondering our situation a little further. Hewitt has an overall winning record everywhere he's coached, he's been coach of the year in two different conferences, he's coached in a major conference, he's coached NBA stars, and he's been to the championship game. I am encouraged that Hewitt has always taken his teams to the national championship game in his fourth year at a program. I am really excited about next year.

In addition to the incoming freshman, Royal will have a major impact on offense. And with the added pressure, Hewitt will be riding this kid hard.

The future is bright, I tell you. The future is bright.

Thank you!

 

[Quentin Daniels]

I have been pondering our situation a little further. Hewitt has an overall winning record everywhere he's coached, he's been coach of the year in two different conferences, he's coached in a major conference, he's coached NBA stars, and he's been to the championship game. I am encouraged that Hewitt has always taken his teams to the national championship game in his fourth year at a program. I am really excited about next year.

In addition to the incoming freshman, Royal will have a major impact on offense. And with the added pressure, Hewitt will be riding this kid hard.

The future is bright, I tell you. The future is bright.

As we are coming to the latter part of the season, now is not the time to be judgemental. You all need to come out and support this team."

"Are you a critic or a supporter of this team? Supporters will continue to watch this team fight."

"To you critics: when athletes say some of the things you say, then you condemn them as quitters. Are you quitting?

"I believe in this team!

"Don't forget that we are honoring all former players for Lettermans weekend. There's no game this year but they will be honored at halftime.

"Their effort and level of commitment should never be questioned.

"We realize we still have work to do but no one should ever question the effort, intelligence, or dedication of our program.

"Our team deserves to be treated truthfully. This young basketball team is on the verge of earning an NCAA berth."

 

[Patriotfan49]

You have to incorporate the one from Caazone when we signed Okoloji, where somebody said he was going to be like a Kevin Durant like mismatch.....

Oh, and the classic used car metaphor from the original Paul Hewitt hire thread...

 

[Walter]

I was driving to work pick up my EBT card this morning in my sweet AMC Gremlin listening to the great Bachman-Turner Overdrive on the 8-track when I heard Randy Bachman sing, "You're only as good as your last record." I thought, how true. In college basketball you are only as good as your coach. That made me feel good because we have a good one. The wins will eventually come. So glad we traded up for a younger Final Four coach. We should be set for years to come. It was nice to hear that he has learned from his mistakes at Georgia Tech and he will no longer be recruiting 5 star guys who leave on him. He will now be able to coach them up for four years. His seniors will be so good. So excited about next year when he will have HIS seniors.

 

[gmubrian]

You have to incorporate the one from Caazone when we signed Okoloji, where somebody said he was going to be like a Kevin Durant like mismatch.....

Mr. 49, I don't think I like what you are implying.

If you recall the RI game, we got jobbed again by the refs, but we were even lucky to be close with the Rhode dumb foul and the miracle Okoloji three. Our late-game rotation seemed to work out with Okoloji coming up with 5 big points and a steal.

The future is bright.

 

[GMUSSTN]

Mr. 49, I don't think I like what you are implying.

If you recall the RI game, we got jobbed again by the refs, but we were even lucky to be close with the Rhode dumb foul and the miracle Okoloji three. Our late-game rotation seemed to work out with Okoloji coming up with 5 big points and a steal.

The future is bright.

Amazingly bright. Look! Paul Hewitt has to put on his imaginary sunglasses:

 

[gmutom]

Our late-game rotation seemed to work out with Okoloji coming up with 5 big points and a steal.

The Rhode Island game was probably one of his best at Mason — he actually had 7 points, three steals and a block in only 11 minutes — but I don't think Okoloji should ever see the floor again after his horrible 2-turnover performance against St. Louis in only two minutes of action (unless all of other other big men foul out).

In a perfect world, Okoloji will graduate in May and finish his eligibility elsewhere. He was projected by to be the 6-8 slasher and 3-point shooter we never had. Sadly, after two years with him on the roster, we still have never had that player. We need all the new bodies we can get.

Note: After rewatching this highlight reel from a game when he scored 35 points, 11 boards and 5 assists, you can understand the excitement of landing a kid with his size and diversity. Unfortunately, that never equated to success at Seton Hall or Mason.

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FXMq3OElKU

 

[Patriotfan49]

Maybe that is why he still thinks curved collars are in style and wears them....he cant see thats what he is picking out because he wears sunglasses inside.

 

[Patriotfan49]

The Rhode Island game was probably one of his best at Mason — he actually had 7 points, three steals and a block in only 11 minutes — but I don't think Okoloji should ever see the floor again after his horrible 2-turnover performance against St. Louis in only two minutes of action (unless all of other other big men foul out).

In a perfect world, Okoloji will graduate in May and finish his eligibility elsewhere. He was projected by to be the 6-8 slasher and 3-point shooter we never had. Sadly, after two years with him on the roster, we still have never had that player. We need all the new bodies we can get.

Note: After rewatching this highlight reel from a game when he scored 35 points, 11 boards and 5 assists, you can understand the excitement of landing a kid with his size and diversity. Unfortunately, that never equated to success at Seton Hall or Mason.

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FXMq3OElKU

Most 6'8 kids that can put one foot in front of the other, will dominate most highschool comeptition. The only positive about AO, is he looks great stepping off the bus....much like a long list of athletes in many sports....looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane. I still cant think of how he has conned 2 schools into giving him scholarships.

 

[Quentin Daniels]

Amazingly bright. Look! Paul Hewitt has to put on his imaginary sunglasses:

OK that was funny.

 

[GMUgemini]

That depends on where you are playing your ball.

Half of AOs problem is the same as with all of our players -- Hewitt is our coach. He is very undisciplined, and with it come the mistakes like fouling, throwing the ball away and giving up unforced turnovers, but so is the majority of our roster.

I think with a teaching coach who instilled discipline onto this team AO would actually be a decent option off the bench, maybe not as a dynamic scorer, but certainly as a defensive specialist. He isn't completely useless.

 

[NoCliche87]

Amazingly bright. Look! Paul Hewitt has to put on his imaginary sunglasses:

I'm trying so hard not to laugh in my cubicle... can someone please make a meme out of this?.....

 

[Quentin Daniels]

That depends on where you are playing your ball.

Half of AOs problem is the same as with all of our players -- Hewitt is our coach. He is very undisciplined, and with it come the mistakes like fouling, throwing the ball away and giving up unforced turnovers, but so is the majority of our roster.

I think with a teaching coach who instilled discipline onto this team AO would actually be a decent option off the bench, maybe not as a dynamic scorer, but certainly as a defensive specialist. He isn't completely useless.

I think that may be true for a lot of these guys - Isaiah Tate being the poster child for that type of player. Someone who rarely saw the court early on and was on the receiving end of a fair amount of criticism, but when he graduated was playing nearly 20 minutes a game, had close to a dozen double-digit scoring outings, and could be subbed in for 4 positions on the court if needed.

Either way, pretty $hitty to constantly bash a kid that's putting in full effort while having been chief lollipop distributor to the most overpaid coach in college bball for 3 seasons.

 

[gmutom]

I think with a teaching coach who instilled discipline onto this team AO would actually be a decent option off the bench, maybe not as a dynamic scorer, but certainly as a defensive specialist. He isn't completely useless.

I definitely think there is some truth to this, but I also think he's just a step or two slow to use the strengths he does have to his advantage. Like P49 said, most 6-8 kids with skill will take advantage of the competition in high school. When Okoloji got the the college level, his lack of quickness was exploited.

 

[GMUSSTN]

I'm trying so hard not to laugh in my cubicle... can someone please make a meme out of this?.....

Did my best...

 

[rockster]

Well, congrats to Hewitt for a stellar year. Are you guys kidding, he has single handedly destroyed our team. You call what he did this year coaching? All I see is a bunch of dysfunctional guys running around, no plays, no team effort, no direction, just a bunch of individuals doing their own thing. How about just teaching them some basic defense, boxing out, setting picks, etc. How many times did opposing guards just fly down the lane for an easy lay up?

Go ask the GT folks how they loved Hewitt's coaching. How many schools would pay somebody 7 mill just to get rid of him?

Nice that you want our team to improve (we all do),and hopefully the Mayimbas, Lockettes , Porters and Jackson will get someone who can mold them into a TEAM.

Take off the rose colored glasses and get real.

Finally, Okolojie may be 6 8 and look like a basketball player but please, not a clue what to do. Did you see that last game where he dribbled all the way down the court and steam rolled a guy just standing there. Maybe I am wrong but his best position is on the bench.

 

[Pablo]

"It is always wise to look ahead, but difficult to look further than you can see." - Winston Churchill

 

[Raider_SPE]

Copes finished the last two months of last season averaging 8 pts, 7 rebs in 27 minutes per game. I see no reason he can't play at that level if he gets 25 mins a game.

I am honored.

Whether Mason's future is bright or not Copes is a much better player than the stiff everyone here thinks he is. People love to bash him, and I have done so myself, just wanted to help people see that he isn't that bad. [lol]

 

[Jamason]

Well, congrats to Hewitt for a stellar year. Are you guys kidding, he has single handedly destroyed our team. You call what he did this year coaching? All I see is a bunch of dysfunctional guys running around, no plays, no team effort, no direction, just a bunch of individuals doing their own thing. How about just teaching them some basic defense, boxing out, setting picks, etc. How many times did opposing guards just fly down the lane for an easy lay up?

Go ask the GT folks how they loved Hewitt's coaching. How many schools would pay somebody 7 mill just to get rid of him?

Nice that you want our team to improve (we all do),and hopefully the Mayimbas, Lockettes , Porters and Jackson will get someone who can mold them into a TEAM.

Take off the rose colored glasses and get real.

Finally, Okolojie may be 6 8 and look like a basketball player but please, not a clue what to do. Did you see that last game where he dribbled all the way down the court and steam rolled a guy just standing there. Maybe I am wrong but his best position is on the bench.

THIS THREAD:

 

[Walter]

Well, congrats to Hewitt for a stellar year. Are you guys kidding, he has single handedly destroyed our team. You call what he did this year coaching? All I see is a bunch of dysfunctional guys running around, no plays, no team effort, no direction, just a bunch of individuals doing their own thing. How about just teaching them some basic defense, boxing out, setting picks, etc. How many times did opposing guards just fly down the lane for an easy lay up?

Go ask the GT folks how they loved Hewitt's coaching. How many schools would pay somebody 7 mill just to get rid of him?

Nice that you want our team to improve (we all do),and hopefully the Mayimbas, Lockettes , Porters and Jackson will get someone who can mold them into a TEAM.

Take off the rose colored glasses and get real.

Finally, Okolojie may be 6 8 and look like a basketball player but please, not a clue what to do. Did you see that last game where he dribbled all the way down the court and steam rolled a guy just standing there. Maybe I am wrong but his best position is on the bench.

I can't decide if (a) you have turned up the sarcasm to a whole new level, (b) our sarcasm has been more subtle than I thought, or (c), how should I say this . . . probably no point in explaining "c".