(03-02-2013 04:06 PM)bcunn3128 Wrote: Wow...what a disappointing loss...all of the sudden I'm not as excited about next season. We're not even the 2nd best team in the MAC West, at this point. We need some major changes for next season: both transfers better be capable of immediate & significant contributions, some of our returning players need to hit the weight room & become stronger, leaders need to be identified and then be willing to step up, and 1 or 2 of the incoming freshmen better be able to make some contributions.
For the last three years the Rockets have been a substandard rebounding team. That should change dramatically next year.
Next season has now become a very, VERY important season for the men's bball program...and Coach K. Not saying that we have to win the MAC (either regular season or conference tournament) for him to be safe, but there are some troubling trends in his few seasons here so far--most notably lack of rebounding & inability to play tough in tough games--which must be corrected. This is now his team...he brought these guys here, transfers & recruits...we'll see if they can finally produce.
(03-02-2013 04:06 PM)bcunn3128 Wrote: Wow...what a disappointing loss...all of the sudden I'm not as excited about next season. We're not even the 2nd best team in the MAC West, at this point. We need some major changes for next season: both transfers better be capable of immediate & significant contributions, some of our returning players need to hit the weight room & become stronger, leaders need to be identified and then be willing to step up, and 1 or 2 of the incoming freshmen better be able to make some contributions.
For the last three years the Rockets have been a substandard rebounding team. That should change dramatically next year.
I agree with the comment about becoming stronger as a whole... A lot of teams have out-muscled the Rockets at times ... That could be the difference between a win or a loss, along with not playing smart...
When you have seven scholarship players and reduced practice time it's tough to play well in a long season. Plus Ball was red hot on 3 pointers. I'm looking forward to next season when we actually have a full roster and some options for the staff.
(03-02-2013 04:03 PM)NewMex RocketFan Wrote: The Rockets will not reload next year but rather bring in the calvary
I can not wait. A thin but very good team should quickly become a full but very, very good team. Hopefully we can utilize Garber and Boothe a lot together. Would be nice to see twin towers out there.
(This post was last modified: 03-02-2013 04:46 PM by Campbell4President.)
(03-02-2013 04:00 PM)bcunn3128 Wrote: Rockets have indeed packed it in...wouldn't be surprised if we lose one or both of the last two...we struggled a bit earlier in the season against Eastern's zone D and we played very uninspired basketball earlier this season against NIU and almost lost that game...Rockets seem to have convinced themselves that they have little to play for, so why bother...
WOW! Reading this post, and your posts after this, someone is jumping off the deep end! But I should expect this coming from the guy who predicted the football team would start out 1-3 after their first game. Were you at the game today or Wednesday? Did you watch either of them? The Rockets played hard against WMU, they were just a better team - no shame in losing to a better team. Today, Ball St. was on fire from the 3pt line! Every time UT made a run, Ball St. would drain a 3. UT was all over BSU at the 3 pt line, they just couldn't miss; they even had a couple 3s from 3-4 feet behind the line! Coach K said on his post game interview that, without seeing the film, he wasn't upset with UT's 3pt defense, it's just that Ball St. was knocking everything down. And to say our perimeter D is not good - that is just ignorant. We are 5th is the MAC in 3pt% D (before today's game).
Edit: And if you really think they've given up, listen to Coach K's post-game press conference from today. He seems to always call it like it is - if the team didn't play hard, he says so; if they gave up, he says so; etc. Well that wasn't today. Watching this post-game presser, he was happy with the way they played.
(This post was last modified: 03-02-2013 05:27 PM by MidnightBlueGold.)
(03-02-2013 04:03 PM)NewMex RocketFan Wrote: The Rockets will not reload next year but rather bring in the calvary
+1,000. Drummond...Weatherspoon...Williams...Lauf...Williams...Garber...Angel. Next years team will be a force. They WILL contend for the MAC regular season championship.
(03-02-2013 04:00 PM)bcunn3128 Wrote: Rockets have indeed packed it in...wouldn't be surprised if we lose one or both of the last two...we struggled a bit earlier in the season against Eastern's zone D and we played very uninspired basketball earlier this season against NIU and almost lost that game...Rockets seem to have convinced themselves that they have little to play for, so why bother...
WOW! Reading this post, and your posts after this, someone is jumping off the deep end! But I should expect this coming from the guy who predicted the football team would start out 1-3 after their first game. Were you at the game today or Wednesday? Did you watch either of them? The Rockets played hard against WMU, they were just a better team - no shame in losing to a better team. Today, Ball St. was on fire from the 3pt line! Every time UT made a run, Ball St. would drain a 3. UT was all over BSU at the 3 pt line, they just couldn't miss; they even had a couple 3s from 3-4 feet behind the line! Coach K said on his post game interview that, without seeing the film, he wasn't upset with UT's 3pt defense, it's just that Ball St. was knocking everything down. And to say our perimeter D is not good - that is just ignorant. We are 5th is the MAC in 3pt% D (before today's game).
Edit: And if you really think they've given up, listen to Coach K's post-game press conference from today. He seems to always call it like it is - if the team didn't play hard, he says so; if they gave up, he says so; etc. Well that wasn't today. Watching this post-game presser, he was happy with the way they played.
Yes--I was at the Western game...& if you read my comments about that game, I echoed some of your conclusions. In fact, outside of the last 3 minutes, I saw plenty to build on...and was excited about these 3 closing games for the season & finishing with an overall winning record. I wasn't at today's game, but caught most of it online. The Rockets had 2 paths to take--finish strong and send a message to the rest of the MAC for next season, or play with less than 100% effort and pack it in. Coach K says that he was pleased. So be it. Between the 2 teams on that floor today, though, it was Ball State who overall looked like they wanted to keep playing basketball. Just my opinion.
Game was a huge disappointment but this has to be a tired team by now. Beat NIU in the big rivalry game, secure a winning season and hit the weights.
when I look at our team against guys like Majok Majok Majok Majok...whoaaa somebody stop me, I see not a lot of muscle. Boothe did a nice job of losing some excess pounds, now needs to take the next step. Every year I see guys like Majok, Reitz and that number 11 and Whittington from WMU and I see ripped guys with big arms and broad shoulders that we don't seem to have. I remember Epperson coming in after the off season one year looking like a Mr. O contender (OK, I exaggerate). that's what we need-even the transfers look slender. Not sure how Aparacio looks because he's always standing sideways when I hear he's around and you can't see him at all.
Garber looks like he has a pretty good body for a frosh- if he and Boothe could bond over the squat rack and bench we might get some payback and kick some sand in some bullies' faces next year.
I'm with h20. This team looks like they're running on fumes. Thought the same thing against WMU. That's what happens when we only have 8 guys getting minutes with only 6 getting major minutes. Shooting percentage and shot selection has really dropped off as well which would equate to tired legs.
The last two games have not been our best, but we are young and thin. Given the circumstances, I'm happy with where the team is. If we don't lose four players before next season to crazy injuries, heart attacks, getting shot while playing dice, or other ridiculous ways, it should mean our bad luck is over. There's quite a bit of returning talent across the MAC but I like the way our team balances out, and with good Senior leadership, I like our chances next year.
My perspective is that the guard play for Toledo is also a work in progress. I see guards pushing the ball down the floor a little out of control which too often results in unforced turnovers. I also see times where Pearson gets frustrated with an inability to score and that affects his shot selection and his defensive effort. These are two issues which were prominent last year which I expected would have improved with more playing time and maturity. I don't see significant improvement in them this year.
(03-03-2013 10:11 AM)RocketJeff Wrote: The last two games have not been our best, but we are young and thin. Given the circumstances, I'm happy with where the team is. If we don't lose four players before next season to crazy injuries, heart attacks, getting shot while playing dice, or other ridiculous ways, it should mean our bad luck is over. There's quite a bit of returning talent across the MAC but I like the way our team balances out, and with good Senior leadership, I like our chances next year.
Other than losing Justin Moss before he ever played a game, the Rocket men have actually had excellent luck when it comes to injuries. I don't think you can call players transferring out bad luck. Other than Moss, all of the problems that the program has faced have been of our own making. Granted, not Coach K's making, but the making of his predecessor. Still, I'm very excited about next year and hope that we finally will turn the corner.
(03-03-2013 10:11 AM)RocketJeff Wrote: The last two games have not been our best, but we are young and thin. Given the circumstances, I'm happy with where the team is. If we don't lose four players before next season to crazy injuries, heart attacks, getting shot while playing dice, or other ridiculous ways, it should mean our bad luck is over. There's quite a bit of returning talent across the MAC but I like the way our team balances out, and with good Senior leadership, I like our chances next year.
Other than losing Justin Moss before he ever played a game, the Rocket men have actually had excellent luck when it comes to injuries. I don't think you can call players transferring out bad luck. Other than Moss, all of the problems that the program has faced have been of our own making. Granted, not Coach K's making, but the making of his predecessor. Still, I'm very excited about next year and hope that we finally will turn the corner.
Although I would have also like to have seen this team finish with a flourish and build up some momentum going into the off season, with the probation and short bench this season was destined to be a non-event from the start, so I am not all that concerned.
What matters now is that the new recruits and those sitting out this year make the whole team better by adding some competition for floor time while melding with this years players. Next year the bench should be deep enough to try to play lights out defense for 40 minutes so barring key injuries and yet another unforeseen disaster of some kind, next year has the potential to be a special year.
(03-03-2013 10:11 AM)RocketJeff Wrote: The last two games have not been our best, but we are young and thin. Given the circumstances, I'm happy with where the team is. If we don't lose four players before next season to crazy injuries, heart attacks, getting shot while playing dice, or other ridiculous ways, it should mean our bad luck is over. There's quite a bit of returning talent across the MAC but I like the way our team balances out, and with good Senior leadership, I like our chances next year.
Other than losing Justin Moss before he ever played a game, the Rocket men have actually had excellent luck when it comes to injuries. I don't think you can call players transferring out bad luck. Other than Moss, all of the problems that the program has faced have been of our own making. Granted, not Coach K's making, but the making of his predecessor. Still, I'm very excited about next year and hope that we finally will turn the corner.
I wasn't just commenting about the last few seasons. I'm talking about the last 35 years.
They are missing an emotional and vocal leader in the likes of a Stempin or a Fedak. It is always not about talent, its getting those with talent or those with lack of talent to be emotionally charged.
