Blaming Schmidt

[lazer]

I don't think it's necessarily the fact THAT we lost tonight but HOW we lost. Sure we missed a million shots and most can agree that Andrew didn't get enough touches, but we continue to miss layups, free throws and DUNKS now. But that's not why I'm here. This team plays with no heart, desire nor passion. It's like their content with their one A-10 win they already claimed and can rest their laurels on that the rest of the year. It's pathetic and sickening to watch. Play like you've got a freakin' spine. Instead of "babying" out and throwing up some half-hearted layup, initiate some contact, draw the foul and convert the free throw(s). So often we drive into the lane and throw some random ass shot at the rim that immediately results in a 3 on 1 the other way because we're too lazy to get back on D.

And I've been a Schmidt supporter since day one, but I'm calling Mark out now. This team has played with absolutely no passion since the Mississippi State game. None. Some of that definitely has to do with a lack of a student section but it's not a freakin' excuse. This team has more talent than in years past but it's missing that Ahmad Smith-like hustle and mantra. I'm not a fan of Relph at all, but at least he played with passion every time he stepped on the floor. I don't see it from anyone right now at all.

So for that, I'm calling you out Mark. Get this team to play with some freakin' heart and passion and at least pretend like it has a spine or I'm not watching it anymore. I'll watch piss poor Anthony Solomon-Esq execution on the offensive and defensive end all day, but I will not sit through nonchalant, running-through-the-motions basketball. It's disgusting and embarrassing.

I was watching online and I stopped at around the 8-min mark of the second half because I was so fed up with the lackadaisical attitude and effort by every single player. It's a joke and embarrassing. I was embarrassed just sitting in my house. I texted one of my friends at the game and told him to send me the final when the game was over because I couldn't stand watching my freakin' dog run up and down my hall chasing his tennis ball with more passion than we had jogging up and down the court watching a basketball. And yes, I just said that my dog plays with more passion than this team plays basketball.

So to Schmidt and his coaching staff: get this team to play like it has a freakin' pulse. Because it's not playing like it at all right now and that rests on your shoulders. You addressed hundreds, if not a thousand, students at the pep rally earlier this year and asked us, the students, for our support. Well quite frankly, Mark, your team doesn't deserve it right now. Why should we come out in full force every night and yell and scream when your team doesn't bring the same passion to the RC as we do. DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. AND DO IT NOW.

And to those fortunate enough to don and Brown and White and to "jog" up and down a court named after an NBA HOFer: you're not only embarrassing yourselves but you're embarrassing the school on the front of the jersey and the fan base that has stuck with you throughout all the crap from the past 5 years. Show some pride in wearing that freakin' uniform and give us a little hustle. Dive for more loose balls, initiate some contact and show the rest of the league that we're not pushovers anymore. Us fans are sick of being the laughingstock of this league and I freakin' hope that you feel the same way. But by the way you've been playing for the past month and a half it looks like you don't give two ***t's, so why should we? DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. AND DO IT NOW.

[longislandbonnie]

Excerpt from Buffalo News article by Bob DiCesare:

Freshman center Andrew Nicholson, a four-time conference Rookie of the Week, had a dynamic first half, hitting 5 of 10 shots from the field against A-10 Player of the Year candidate Ahmad Nivins. It stood to reason the Bonnies would make Nicholson the focal point of their second-half offense, continue to make Nivins work on the defensive end. Instead, Nicholson rarely got a touch, took (and made) only one shot and played, officially, just nine minutes (although it seemed more like five).

www.buffalonews.com/sports/story/549441.html

----------------------------------------------------

I thought the same thing - why was Andrew on the bench so long in the 2nd half ?

[triple302]

Good post lazer. I put up some similar sentiments in another thread. What we have seen the last 2 games is not the style of basketball we expect from coach and this team and that has to change. Someon needs to be challenged to be the leader of this team.
Nicholson, from what I saw, did nothing to warrant all that time on the bench. He should ahve been out there. He was the only guy on the floor in the same league as Nivens last night.

[b4life]

Random Thoughts:

I think if we shoot 50% of our lay ups we go into half time leading that game by 10. Dunk the ball. Nicholson held his own/outplayed Nivins in the first half, the best big man in the A10. They were running some nice plays to Nicholson at the end of the first half that were working and then we don't see him for the first 10 mins of the second half. Don't get it.

Davenport is a spark that should be in the game as much as possible. Blackburn is either great or terrible there is no middle ground. He has been terrible for the last 3 games. Hall has the ball way too much, he isn't a point guard I don't know why he has seems to be impersonating one. Matthews needs at least 3 seconds to set up his shot, find the pines. Eleby is not the man at point right now but he does show flashes of potential, I will give him a pass. We need better guard play, no doubt. No deep threat what so ever.

For the first time in a long time I had that feeling in the pit of my stomach, you know the one where you say to yourself “why am I torturing myself by watching this crap, we should be better but were not, I thought this was the year to finally make people in the A10 take us serious”, that same feeling I had for the 4 years of the Solomon era. I hate that feeling.

On the bright side, I think we are heading in the right direction. We do have young talent and the future is bright. Richmond got killed last night so hopefully we can rebound on Saturday.

[mcspin]

I agree that their lack of passion is obvious, but I don't necessarily blame Schmidt. Desire is a hard thing to instill. Most either have it or they don't. Too many kids today are content with mediocrity. It's the way they are raised. Finding that combination of kids who want to win more than anything else and are willing to give 100% is a rare find these days. Coaching can help to a degree, but I don't believe it can work totally with most of today's youth.

I also agree with b4life, Davenport should be getting a lot more time. He has more natural talent than the other guards and with more experience, he'll gain confidence. I think he'll be a major contributor, given the chance. He also shows more passion than just about anyone on the team. I think developing Davenport is the most critical step this team can take right now. I don't see Eleby ever getting to an acceptable level of competence and both Blackburn and Matthew are too inconsistent.

[bonamaniac]

Jan 15, 2009 2:42:02 GMT -5 lazer said:

I don't think it's necessarily the fact THAT we lost tonight but HOW we lost. Sure we missed a million shots and most can agree that Andrew didn't get enough touches, but we continue to miss layups, free throws and DUNKS now. But that's not why I'm here. This team plays with no heart, desire nor passion. It's like their content with their one A-10 win they already claimed and can rest their laurels on that the rest of the year. It's pathetic and sickening to watch. Play like you've got a freakin' spine. Instead of "babying" out and throwing up some half-hearted layup, initiate some contact, draw the foul and convert the free throw(s). So often we drive into the lane and throw some random ass shot at the rim that immediately results in a 3 on 1 the other way because we're too lazy to get back on D.

And I've been a Schmidt supporter since day one, but I'm calling Mark out now. This team has played with absolutely no passion since the Mississippi State game. None. Some of that definitely has to do with a lack of a student section but it's not a freakin' excuse. This team has more talent than in years past but it's missing that Ahmad Smith-like hustle and mantra. I'm not a fan of Relph at all, but at least he played with passion every time he stepped on the floor. I don't see it from anyone right now at all.

So for that, I'm calling you out Mark. Get this team to play with some freakin' heart and passion and at least pretend like it has a spine or I'm not watching it anymore. I'll watch piss poor Anthony Solomon-Esq execution on the offensive and defensive end all day, but I will not sit through nonchalant, running-through-the-motions basketball. It's disgusting and embarrassing.

I was watching online and I stopped at around the 8-min mark of the second half because I was so fed up with the lackadaisical attitude and effort by every single player. It's a joke and embarrassing. I was embarrassed just sitting in my house. I texted one of my friends at the game and told him to send me the final when the game was over because I couldn't stand watching my freakin' dog run up and down my hall chasing his tennis ball with more passion than we had jogging up and down the court watching a basketball. And yes, I just said that my dog plays with more passion than this team plays basketball.

So to Schmidt and his coaching staff: get this team to play like it has a freakin' pulse. Because it's not playing like it at all right now and that rests on your shoulders. You addressed hundreds, if not a thousand, students at the pep rally earlier this year and asked us, the students, for our support. Well quite frankly, Mark, your team doesn't deserve it right now. Why should we come out in full force every night and yell and scream when your team doesn't bring the same passion to the RC as we do. DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. AND DO IT NOW.

And to those fortunate enough to don and Brown and White and to "jog" up and down a court named after an NBA HOFer: you're not only embarrassing yourselves but you're embarrassing the school on the front of the jersey and the fan base that has stuck with you throughout all the crap from the past 5 years. Show some pride in wearing that freakin' uniform and give us a little hustle. Dive for more loose balls, initiate some contact and show the rest of the league that we're not pushovers anymore. Us fans are sick of being the laughingstock of this league and I freakin' hope that you feel the same way. But by the way you've been playing for the past month and a half it looks like you don't give two ***t's, so why should we? DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. AND DO IT NOW.

well??