(12-11-2022 09:36 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  This team currently has 1) No fundamentals 2) No offensive system that fits the players and 3) No defensive system that fits the players and 4) Not enough hustle and effort and 5) most importantly No Roles for the players. You can’t have Lovejoy, Billingsley and Jihad jacking up 3 point shots when Noah, Rice and Luka are on the floor!!!

Lucky, you kind of summed it all up!

(12-12-2022 08:04 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  

(12-11-2022 09:36 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  This team currently has 1) No fundamentals 2) No offensive system that fits the players and 3) No defensive system that fits the players and 4) Not enough hustle and effort and 5) most importantly No Roles for the players. You can’t have Lovejoy, Billingsley and Jihad jacking up 3 point shots when Noah, Rice and Luka are on the floor!!!

Lucky, you kind of summed it all up!

But look at them dunk the ball? Who needs all that? When they dunk the ball! Really!. Sarcasm.

We're beating a dead horse here. The team is bad right now. They'll either get better or they won't. No sense losing sleep over it. Good news, we are not in the ACC. If the team pulls it together, it can still win the MAC.

(12-13-2022 07:18 AM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  We're beating a dead horse here. The team is bad right now. They'll either get better or they won't. No sense losing sleep over it. Good news, we are not in the ACC. If the team pulls it together, it can still win the MAC.

If EMU played to its potential, then we would finish 4th-5th. More likely we will finish 6-10 but no way this team could beat KSU or Toledo or Ohio inmho.

(12-13-2022 11:10 AM)Luckeyone Wrote:  

(12-13-2022 07:18 AM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  We're beating a dead horse here. The team is bad right now. They'll either get better or they won't. No sense losing sleep over it. Good news, we are not in the ACC. If the team pulls it together, it can still win the MAC.

If EMU played to its potential, then we would finish 4th-5th. More likely we will finish 6-10 but no way this team could beat KSU or Toledo or Ohio inmho.

On this team I will predict: (nothing)

Any prediction is likely to be off the mark. I have no sense if this team can win 6, 8, 10, 12, etc. games.

That said, Lucky's crystal ball is very cloudy (if he recently bought, should return it). We play 18 conference games, not 16.

(12-13-2022 01:02 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(12-13-2022 11:10 AM)Luckeyone Wrote:  

(12-13-2022 07:18 AM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  We're beating a dead horse here. The team is bad right now. They'll either get better or they won't. No sense losing sleep over it. Good news, we are not in the ACC. If the team pulls it together, it can still win the MAC.

If EMU played to its potential, then we would finish 4th-5th. More likely we will finish 6-10 but no way this team could beat KSU or Toledo or Ohio inmho.

On this team I will predict: (nothing)

Any prediction is likely to be off the mark. I have no sense if this team can win 6, 8, 10, 12, etc. games.

That said, Lucky's crystal ball is very cloudy (if he recently bought, should return it). We play 18 conference games, not 16.

Luckey has been stuck on the 16 game schedule for years!!

Let me clarify, I think our potential is 6-10th place.

(12-13-2022 04:35 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  Let me clarify, I think our potential is 6-10th place.

Okay. I see.

On the bright side, I do love our George Gervin Arena and Scoreboard - Tops in the MAC!!

(12-13-2022 04:35 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  Let me clarify, I think our potential is 6-10th place.

You are really, really underestimating this team's potential and really, really overestimating the other teams in this conference. I would not be shocked if we won the MAC championship and I would not be shocked--based on our uneven non conference play if we finished in the middle of the pack. I personally think that having a clean slate by beginning MAC play will definitely help to rejuvenate this team but we will see. That's why we play the games.

(12-13-2022 06:14 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(12-13-2022 04:35 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  Let me clarify, I think our potential is 6-10th place.

You are really, really underestimating this team's potential and really, really overestimating the other teams in this conference. I would not be shocked if we won the MAC championship and I would not be shocked--based on our uneven non conference play if we finished in the middle of the pack. I personally think that having a clean slate by beginning MAC play will definitely help to rejuvenate this team but we will see. That's why we play the games.

Bob, I desperately hope you are right, but I think Lucky might actually be overly optimistic. We have played a grueling OOC schedule, few P6 games but a whole lot of good D1 programs on the road. Still ISU and Niagra are NOT good teams and we hardly acquitted ourselves well. UDM at home frightens me.

(12-13-2022 06:57 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  

(12-13-2022 06:14 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(12-13-2022 04:35 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  Let me clarify, I think our potential is 6-10th place.

You are really, really underestimating this team's potential and really, really overestimating the other teams in this conference. I would not be shocked if we won the MAC championship and I would not be shocked--based on our uneven non conference play if we finished in the middle of the pack. I personally think that having a clean slate by beginning MAC play will definitely help to rejuvenate this team but we will see. That's why we play the games.

Bob, I desperately hope you are right, but I think Lucky might actually be overly optimistic. We have played a grueling OOC schedule, few P6 games but a whole lot of good D1 programs on the road. Still ISU and Niagra are NOT good teams and we hardly acquitted ourselves well. UDM at home frightens me.

Oh man that Detroit game could be exciting like the U-M game was. Davis and Bates are going to try to one up each other! I'd love to go to that one.

(12-13-2022 04:35 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  Let me clarify, I think our potential is 6-10th place.

We had a discussion on this board not too long ago about Noah Farrakhan and some people here were saying that he was a better player than Earl Boykins! Noah seems to be escaping a lot of criticism for the slow start while Emoni seems to be getting an inordinate amount of blame. I ask you, is Noah Farrakhan as good as some people think he is and if so, if he plays up to his potential, combined with Emoni Bates, a probable NBA draftee, combined with improved play from a perfectly capable supporting cast, should that not be enough to make this team a legitimate contender for the MAC title and if not, why?

(12-13-2022 07:17 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(12-13-2022 06:57 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  

(12-13-2022 06:14 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(12-13-2022 04:35 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  Let me clarify, I think our potential is 6-10th place.

You are really, really underestimating this team's potential and really, really overestimating the other teams in this conference. I would not be shocked if we won the MAC championship and I would not be shocked--based on our uneven non conference play if we finished in the middle of the pack. I personally think that having a clean slate by beginning MAC play will definitely help to rejuvenate this team but we will see. That's why we play the games.

Bob, I desperately hope you are right, but I think Lucky might actually be overly optimistic. We have played a grueling OOC schedule, few P6 games but a whole lot of good D1 programs on the road. Still ISU and Niagra are NOT good teams and we hardly acquitted ourselves well. UDM at home frightens me.

Oh man that Detroit game could be exciting like the U-M game was. Davis and Bates are going to try to one up each other! I'd love to go to that one.

Jerry, Niagra has a #171 NET ranking while Detroit has a #154 ranking. I know different people will ascribe varying value to such rankings but at least it is something objective to compare to. So assuming this logic, these are comparable teams (and both will fall in the middle of the pack of the MAC). These games are good barometers. Still, EMU is ranked #310 so maybe you are right to be frightened.

BobW, yes indeed about Davis VS Emoni going at it. Bet there will be NBA scouts at that game for sure, which might make others (Noah and Lydell) hyped to perform as well. Hoping for a good game.

(12-13-2022 07:34 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(12-13-2022 04:35 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  Let me clarify, I think our potential is 6-10th place.

We had a discussion on this board not too long ago about Noah Farrakhan and some people here were saying that he was a better player than Earl Boykins! Noah seems to be escaping a lot of criticism for the slow start while Emoni seems to be getting an inordinate amount of blame. I ask you, is Noah Farrakhan as good as some people think he is and if so, if he plays up to his potential, combined with Emoni Bates, a probable NBA draftee, combined with improved play from a perfectly capable supporting cast, should that not be enough to make this team a legitimate contender for the MAC title and if not, why?

I would really like to hear Luckey answer your very good question about prospects for the season.

Regarding your specific point about blaming Noah for the slow start:

I think the optics for him not receiving as much blame is his 2.9 apg (vs Emoni’s 1.1) and the fact that he has nearly as many blocks (0.3 vs 0.4) and still decent rebounds (4.1) despite giving up so much height. So I think people value this as team play and as hustle play that they are not seeing in Emoni (plus whatever biases we may have discussed earlier, no need to get into again). The team play aspect is a little unfair because Emoni is not playing guard despite what Super’s coffee is telling him. But the hustle aspect might be a little more legitimate particularly with regard to defense.

Still I think Noah is faltering on defense as well despite the hustle, he let’s his guy drive by him too easily then swipes in from the side which generates too many fouls- 3.4 a game which I think is too high to only get 0.6 steals out of it. Noah, Tyson, and even Lovejoy all need to do a better job of keeping their man in front of them in my opinion. But their defensive lapses just don’t seem as bad as the frontcourts including Emoni’s.

(12-13-2022 11:38 PM)RamyEMU Wrote:  

(12-13-2022 07:34 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(12-13-2022 04:35 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  Let me clarify, I think our potential is 6-10th place.

We had a discussion on this board not too long ago about Noah Farrakhan and some people here were saying that he was a better player than Earl Boykins! Noah seems to be escaping a lot of criticism for the slow start while Emoni seems to be getting an inordinate amount of blame. I ask you, is Noah Farrakhan as good as some people think he is and if so, if he plays up to his potential, combined with Emoni Bates, a probable NBA draftee, combined with improved play from a perfectly capable supporting cast, should that not be enough to make this team a legitimate contender for the MAC title and if not, why?

I would really like to hear Luckey answer your very good question about prospects for the season.

Regarding your specific point about blaming Noah for the slow start:

I think the optics for him not receiving as much blame is his 2.9 apg (vs Emoni’s 1.1) and the fact that he has nearly as many blocks (0.3 vs 0.4) and still decent rebounds (4.1) despite giving up so much height. So I think people value this as team play and as hustle play that they are not seeing in Emoni (plus whatever biases we may have discussed earlier, no need to get into again). The team play aspect is a little unfair because Emoni is not playing guard despite what Super’s coffee is telling him. But the hustle aspect might be a little more legitimate particularly with regard to defense.

Still I think Noah is faltering on defense as well despite the hustle, he let’s his guy drive by him too easily then swipes in from the side which generates too many fouls- 3.4 a game which I think is too high to only get 0.6 steals out of it. Noah, Tyson, and even Lovejoy all need to do a better job of keeping their man in front of them in my opinion. But their defensive lapses just don’t seem as bad as the frontcourts including Emoni’s.

After reading Jerry's, RamyEMU, BobW, Luckeyone, Everyone has very valuable points regarding NBA players possibly, Lack of playing defense, not running A structured offense, etc.........The bottom line is we're 2-9 with 2 OOC games left! If we split them we finish the OOC schedule 3-10, with one D2 win! Yes, can we somehow have a switch flipped, and all of a sudden we start doing all things mentioned above, and compete for A MAC championship? My answer is NO for one main reason! I'm sorry Heath has been a disaster so far! We've more talent on paper then Illinois St, Niagara, and we just get beat! Heath has won 9 D1 games, and he has coached 42 games so far as E Michigan coach! He's running this team as if we're A AAU or G League team! Sorry, We don't have shooters like that currently! I really want Heath to be successful! I want to bring back the glory days when I was fortunate to be a student there over 30 years ago! Murphy needed to go, but so far Heath has been worse! Earl Boykins was my choice! Followed by the Ferris St coach! We brought in A coach with 13 years coaching experience now 15 years, and he has had FIVE winning seasons! I always questioned that from day one! Heath shock us all, and win the MAC with Bates!

(12-13-2022 11:38 PM)RamyEMU Wrote:  

(12-13-2022 07:34 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(12-13-2022 04:35 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  Let me clarify, I think our potential is 6-10th place.

We had a discussion on this board not too long ago about Noah Farrakhan and some people here were saying that he was a better player than Earl Boykins! Noah seems to be escaping a lot of criticism for the slow start while Emoni seems to be getting an inordinate amount of blame. I ask you, is Noah Farrakhan as good as some people think he is and if so, if he plays up to his potential, combined with Emoni Bates, a probable NBA draftee, combined with improved play from a perfectly capable supporting cast, should that not be enough to make this team a legitimate contender for the MAC title and if not, why?

I would really like to hear Luckey answer your very good question about prospects for the season.

Regarding your specific point about blaming Noah for the slow start:

I think the optics for him not receiving as much blame is his 2.9 apg (vs Emoni’s 1.1) and the fact that he has nearly as many blocks (0.3 vs 0.4) and still decent rebounds (4.1) despite giving up so much height. So I think people value this as team play and as hustle play that they are not seeing in Emoni (plus whatever biases we may have discussed earlier, no need to get into again). The team play aspect is a little unfair because Emoni is not playing guard despite what Super’s coffee is telling him. But the hustle aspect might be a little more legitimate particularly with regard to defense.

Still I think Noah is faltering on defense as well despite the hustle, he let’s his guy drive by him too easily then swipes in from the side which generates too many fouls- 3.4 a game which I think is too high to only get 0.6 steals out of it. Noah, Tyson, and even Lovejoy all need to do a better job of keeping their man in front of them in my opinion. But their defensive lapses just don’t seem as bad as the frontcourts including Emoni’s.

I think the fouling issue is caused by being out of position on defense and not rotating properly which is missing defensive positions and assignments either due to inexperience of the system or lack of ability to play that type of defense. Other teams seem to have an easy time with the pick and roll against us and also scoring in the paint.