It all starts from the top! Coaching! Everyone should've gotten a chance to play! I can't keep preaching this, you don't hire a coach with 15 years of being a head coach, and FIVE winning seasons! One was a gift at Kent St when he inherited the defending MAC champion! BobW, disagrees though!

(01-13-2023 08:51 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 08:40 PM)emussuperfan Wrote:  Emoni is on the bench hiding his face! Really!

Would you prefer he was laughing and having a good time? Come on now, "fan!"

I prefer instead of pouting at the end of the bench he gets up and cheer his teammates on and encourage them.

(01-13-2023 09:15 PM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  Seriously, how is Stan going to fix this? This team obviously has serious deficiencies in the paint, struggles with shooting, cant rebound, gets lost on defense, etc. Next year they will be a little older but I doubt they'll be a much better. Bring in a few experienced big men that can play defense and rebound and it might help.

It's been so long since we've seen a good basketball team that I forgot what it looks like. 25 years since the last team that was relevant.

Truthfully, we were probably overrating all of our players. But, even more truthfully, I think the biggest issue is Coach Heath’s NBA offense. Who ever has the ball gets exhausted dribbling around, and whoever doesn’t have the ball gets bored since they are not in the play. No easy baskets to start offensive momentum. They are playing from behind every game. They get frustrated, foul, etc.

The defense is just bad. Not sure why. But to some extent, they probably feed off each other.

In the end, I don’t really know how things got so bad.

(01-13-2023 09:29 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  It all starts from the top! Coaching! Everyone should've gotten a chance to play! I can't keep preaching this, you don't hire a coach with 15 years of being a head coach, and FIVE winning seasons! One was a gift at Kent St when he inherited the defending MAC champion! BobW, disagrees though!

Stan Heath can try to teach and coach this group until he is blue in the face. This players either lack fundamental skills or aren't interested in using them.Remember how many of us hinted at the problem of five players but only one ball. The announcers hinted at the problem. It's being selfish and not willing to share the ball or the shots. Rebounding and playing defense detracts from the number one priority which is how many points can I score. It's like watching five Allen Iverson a if they were on a college team.

(01-13-2023 09:43 PM)emu79 Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 09:29 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  It all starts from the top! Coaching! Everyone should've gotten a chance to play! I can't keep preaching this, you don't hire a coach with 15 years of being a head coach, and FIVE winning seasons! One was a gift at Kent St when he inherited the defending MAC champion! BobW, disagrees though!

Stan Heath can try to teach and coach this group until he is blue in the face. This players either lack fundamental skills or aren't interested in using them.Remember how many of us hinted at the problem of five players but only one ball. The announcers hinted at the problem. It's being selfish and not willing to share the ball or the shots. Rebounding and playing defense detracts from the number one priority which is how many points can I score. It's like watching five Allen Iverson a if they were on a college team.

Serious question: are the players selfish? Or are they running the design of the NBA offense? Which is lots of one on one action. Don’t know myself.

Hey guys, I rarely if ever post something on EMU basketball. My background is in basketball but I choose to follow the foot all team.

My 2 cents on this year's basketball team after I've seen them once live and a few games on t.v.

1. This is a horribly constructed team. Zero desire to play for one another and zero want to adhere to a game plan. This is garbage AAU ball at its finest.

2. Top 5 worst defensive team in the nation. No words can explain how bad you have to be to get this.

3. Emoni is a MAJOR disappointment. A better shot maker you will not find but he has zero desire to defend, rebound, contest lay ups, etc. Good luck to this kid. I now see what everyone outside of Ypsi saw. woof!

4. I do like the point guard who plays hard. I would literally get rid of all other players. These guys don't do any of the small things needed to be winners. Individually talented, collectively flawed. Coaching is bad too.

(01-13-2023 09:29 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  It all starts from the top! Coaching! Everyone should've gotten a chance to play! I can't keep preaching this, you don't hire a coach with 15 years of being a head coach, and FIVE winning seasons! One was a gift at Kent St when he inherited the defending MAC champion! BobW, disagrees though!

Yeah, totally disagree. Took a good Kent team (24-10, 13-5) and turned them elite (30-6, 17-1) defeated Oklahoma State (#20 28-5), Alabama (#9 29-5), and Pittsburgh (#8 30-5) in the NCAA tournament. You will NEVER convince me that it wasn't one of the all-time great coaching performances in MAC history.
,

Won a couple games in the dance with USF too…the first tournament wins in school history. Stan was no “one hit wonder”. He was more than qualified for this job.

I don’t know what else to say that hasn’t been said already in this thread. This is the worst EMU basketball I’ve ever seen, and I remember Ramsey’s last year. This team is unwatchable. Heath is doing a terrible job, but the players deserve a ton of blame. They don’t seem to be playing hard at all outside of Lovejoy, and occasionally Golson and Billingsley. Have a little pride. A result like this should be completely unacceptable to the players, but I don’t get that vibe from this group.

(01-13-2023 10:22 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 09:29 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  It all starts from the top! Coaching! Everyone should've gotten a chance to play! I can't keep preaching this, you don't hire a coach with 15 years of being a head coach, and FIVE winning seasons! One was a gift at Kent St when he inherited the defending MAC champion! BobW, disagrees though!

Yeah, totally disagree. Took a good Kent team (24-10, 13-5) and turned them elite (30-6, 17-1) defeated Oklahoma State (#20 28-5), Alabama (#9 29-5), and Pittsburgh (#8 30-5) in the NCAA tournament. You will NEVER convince me that it wasn't one of the all-time great coaching performances in MAC history.
,

I agree with BobW. Never explain away such a great season and tourney run. Great seasons need great coaching to be great.

He took over a team and in year one won big, very big.

(01-13-2023 10:37 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 10:22 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 09:29 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  It all starts from the top! Coaching! Everyone should've gotten a chance to play! I can't keep preaching this, you don't hire a coach with 15 years of being a head coach, and FIVE winning seasons! One was a gift at Kent St when he inherited the defending MAC champion! BobW, disagrees though!

Yeah, totally disagree. Took a good Kent team (24-10, 13-5) and turned them elite (30-6, 17-1) defeated Oklahoma State (#20 28-5), Alabama (#9 29-5), and Pittsburgh (#8 30-5) in the NCAA tournament. You will NEVER convince me that it wasn't one of the all-time great coaching performances in MAC history.
,

I agree with BobW. Never explain away such a great season and tourney run. Great seasons need great coaching to be great.

He took over a team and in year one won big, very big.

He inherited 4 senior starters, and A junior named Antonio Gates! Did he recruit one of them? NO! He simply won with A championship team from the year earlier! Has he every won like that since? NO! Groce rebuilt Akron after every one left literally when their coach went to Duquesne! That's an enormous difference! Heath's career record is 223-241! Still 18 games under .500! Take away the one Kent St season........He's 193-235! That's tells me everything! EARL BOYKINS please hire him!

(01-13-2023 11:03 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 10:37 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 10:22 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 09:29 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  It all starts from the top! Coaching! Everyone should've gotten a chance to play! I can't keep preaching this, you don't hire a coach with 15 years of being a head coach, and FIVE winning seasons! One was a gift at Kent St when he inherited the defending MAC champion! BobW, disagrees though!

Yeah, totally disagree. Took a good Kent team (24-10, 13-5) and turned them elite (30-6, 17-1) defeated Oklahoma State (#20 28-5), Alabama (#9 29-5), and Pittsburgh (#8 30-5) in the NCAA tournament. You will NEVER convince me that it wasn't one of the all-time great coaching performances in MAC history.
,

I agree with BobW. Never explain away such a great season and tourney run. Great seasons need great coaching to be great.

He took over a team and in year one won big, very big.

He inherited 4 senior starters, and A junior named Antonio Gates! Did he recruit one of them? NO! He simply won with A championship team from the year earlier! Has he every won like that since? NO! Groce rebuilt Akron after every one left literally when their coach went to Duquesne! That's an enormous difference!

Very few coaches have EVER won like that period! Are you out of your mind?

(01-13-2023 11:07 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 11:03 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 10:37 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 10:22 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 09:29 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  It all starts from the top! Coaching! Everyone should've gotten a chance to play! I can't keep preaching this, you don't hire a coach with 15 years of being a head coach, and FIVE winning seasons! One was a gift at Kent St when he inherited the defending MAC champion! BobW, disagrees though!

Yeah, totally disagree. Took a good Kent team (24-10, 13-5) and turned them elite (30-6, 17-1) defeated Oklahoma State (#20 28-5), Alabama (#9 29-5), and Pittsburgh (#8 30-5) in the NCAA tournament. You will NEVER convince me that it wasn't one of the all-time great coaching performances in MAC history.
,

I agree with BobW. Never explain away such a great season and tourney run. Great seasons need great coaching to be great.

He took over a team and in year one won big, very big.

He inherited 4 senior starters, and A junior named Antonio Gates! Did he recruit one of them? NO! He simply won with A championship team from the year earlier! Has he every won like that since? NO! Groce rebuilt Akron after every one left literally when their coach went to Duquesne! That's an enormous difference!

Very few coaches have EVER won like that period! Are you out of your mind?

Nate Oats just did it a few years ago, and he recruited those players! Sorry, Bob, We won't agree on this one! If he went to other schools with his players, and won 30 games, then I'd agree! He has A losing record, and was plus 24 after his 1st season coaching! Look what Oats is doing at Alabama for example! He dominated at the MAC level, and has continued at his next stop! Heath has never been a winner! 5 seasons out 15, and I'm giving him the one MAC season! Gary Waters built Kent St not Stan Heath!

(01-13-2023 09:40 PM)RamyEMU Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 09:15 PM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  Seriously, how is Stan going to fix this? This team obviously has serious deficiencies in the paint, struggles with shooting, cant rebound, gets lost on defense, etc. Next year they will be a little older but I doubt they'll be a much better. Bring in a few experienced big men that can play defense and rebound and it might help.

It's been so long since we've seen a good basketball team that I forgot what it looks like. 25 years since the last team that was relevant.

Truthfully, we were probably overrating all of our players. But, even more truthfully, I think the biggest issue is Coach Heath’s NBA offense. Who ever has the ball gets exhausted dribbling around, and whoever doesn’t have the ball gets bored since they are not in the play. No easy baskets to start offensive momentum. They are playing from behind every game. They get frustrated, foul, etc.

The defense is just bad. Not sure why. But to some extent, they probably feed off each other.

In the end, I don’t really know how things got so bad.

Very good post.

(01-13-2023 11:27 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 11:07 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 11:03 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 10:37 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 10:22 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  Yeah, totally disagree. Took a good Kent team (24-10, 13-5) and turned them elite (30-6, 17-1) defeated Oklahoma State (#20 28-5), Alabama (#9 29-5), and Pittsburgh (#8 30-5) in the NCAA tournament. You will NEVER convince me that it wasn't one of the all-time great coaching performances in MAC history.
,

I agree with BobW. Never explain away such a great season and tourney run. Great seasons need great coaching to be great.

He took over a team and in year one won big, very big.

He inherited 4 senior starters, and A junior named Antonio Gates! Did he recruit one of them? NO! He simply won with A championship team from the year earlier! Has he every won like that since? NO! Groce rebuilt Akron after every one left literally when their coach went to Duquesne! That's an enormous difference!

Very few coaches have EVER won like that period! Are you out of your mind?

Nate Oats just did it a few years ago, and he recruited those players! Sorry, Bob, We won't agree on this one! If he went to other schools with his players, and won 30 games, then I'd agree! He has A losing record, and was plus 24 after his 1st season coaching! Look what Oats is doing at Alabama for example! He dominated at the MAC level, and has continued at his next stop! Heath has never been a winner! 5 seasons out 15, and I'm giving him the one MAC season! Gary Waters built Kent St not Stan Heath!

Wait! Your basis for bashing Stan Heath is Nate Oats??? Oats INHERITED 2 time defending MAC champs from Bobby Hurley, who built the program and sent Buffalo to their FIRST EVER NCAAA tournament!!! He inherited Hurley's MAC champion team (23-10, 12-6) and went (20-15, 10-8) and finished 4th in the MAC East. The argument AGAINST Heath is the same argument your making FOR Oats...only Oats did a worse job and is a bit of a scumbag.

(01-14-2023 09:55 AM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 11:27 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 11:07 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 11:03 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 10:37 PM)emu steve Wrote:  I agree with BobW. Never explain away such a great season and tourney run. Great seasons need great coaching to be great.

He took over a team and in year one won big, very big.

He inherited 4 senior starters, and A junior named Antonio Gates! Did he recruit one of them? NO! He simply won with A championship team from the year earlier! Has he every won like that since? NO! Groce rebuilt Akron after every one left literally when their coach went to Duquesne! That's an enormous difference!

Very few coaches have EVER won like that period! Are you out of your mind?

Nate Oats just did it a few years ago, and he recruited those players! Sorry, Bob, We won't agree on this one! If he went to other schools with his players, and won 30 games, then I'd agree! He has A losing record, and was plus 24 after his 1st season coaching! Look what Oats is doing at Alabama for example! He dominated at the MAC level, and has continued at his next stop! Heath has never been a winner! 5 seasons out 15, and I'm giving him the one MAC season! Gary Waters built Kent St not Stan Heath!

Wait! Your basis for bashing Stan Heath is Nate Oats??? Oats INHERITED 2 time defending MAC champs from Bobby Hurley, who built the program and sent Buffalo to their FIRST EVER NCAAA tournament!!! He inherited Hurley's MAC champion team (23-10, 12-6) and went (20-15, 10-8) and finished 4th in the MAC East. The argument AGAINST Heath is the same argument your making FOR Oats...only Oats did a worse job and is a bit of a scumbag.

Done with this Bob, Please don't compare Oats to Heath! Heath isn't in the same hemisphere! Oats has Alabama as A top 5 program, and has recruited many NBA players! Heath has had 4 winning seasons since the Kent St gift from Gary Waters! Oats took Buffalo to A 33-4 record! Stan Heath is A below .500 coach over 15 seasons! Oats is a flat out winner! How can you even compare these two......Oats has Alabama in the top 5, while Heath has EMU 4-13, and 1-3 in the MAC! Heath should learn how to run A program from Oats! Oats is 171-81 in his 8th season as a head coach! That's A 68 percent winning percentage! Alabama went 16-15 in his 1st season, and he has them flying high now!

(01-13-2023 11:27 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 11:07 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 11:03 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 10:37 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 10:22 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  Yeah, totally disagree. Took a good Kent team (24-10, 13-5) and turned them elite (30-6, 17-1) defeated Oklahoma State (#20 28-5), Alabama (#9 29-5), and Pittsburgh (#8 30-5) in the NCAA tournament. You will NEVER convince me that it wasn't one of the all-time great coaching performances in MAC history.
,

I agree with BobW. Never explain away such a great season and tourney run. Great seasons need great coaching to be great.

He took over a team and in year one won big, very big.

He inherited 4 senior starters, and A junior named Antonio Gates! Did he recruit one of them? NO! He simply won with A championship team from the year earlier! Has he every won like that since? NO! Groce rebuilt Akron after every one left literally when their coach went to Duquesne! That's an enormous difference!

Very few coaches have EVER won like that period! Are you out of your mind?

Nate Oats just did it a few years ago, and he recruited those players! Sorry, Bob, We won't agree on this one! If he went to other schools with his players, and won 30 games, then I'd agree! He has A losing record, and was plus 24 after his 1st season coaching! Look what Oats is doing at Alabama for example! He dominated at the MAC level, and has continued at his next stop! Heath has never been a winner! 5 seasons out 15, and I'm giving him the one MAC season! Gary Waters built Kent St not Stan Heath!

Heath is the one who convinced Gates to go to Kent through their MSU connection. Then he got Gates to gel with Huffman and the rest which actually took until January to happen. After that, everyone knows the story. It was a great coaching job. And he did a respectable job at both Arkansas and USF. Of course, that doesn’t mean he’s doing great work now. Things change. I thought he was a great hire. Hasn’t worked so far. It doesn’t appear as if he has the players on the same page. Part of that’s on him, part of that is on the players who have to be willing to buy in.

(01-14-2023 12:10 PM)axeme Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 11:27 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 11:07 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 11:03 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 10:37 PM)emu steve Wrote:  I agree with BobW. Never explain away such a great season and tourney run. Great seasons need great coaching to be great.

He took over a team and in year one won big, very big.

He inherited 4 senior starters, and A junior named Antonio Gates! Did he recruit one of them? NO! He simply won with A championship team from the year earlier! Has he every won like that since? NO! Groce rebuilt Akron after every one left literally when their coach went to Duquesne! That's an enormous difference!

Very few coaches have EVER won like that period! Are you out of your mind?

Nate Oats just did it a few years ago, and he recruited those players! Sorry, Bob, We won't agree on this one! If he went to other schools with his players, and won 30 games, then I'd agree! He has A losing record, and was plus 24 after his 1st season coaching! Look what Oats is doing at Alabama for example! He dominated at the MAC level, and has continued at his next stop! Heath has never been a winner! 5 seasons out 15, and I'm giving him the one MAC season! Gary Waters built Kent St not Stan Heath!

Heath is the one who convinced Gates to go to Kent through their MSU connection. Then he got Gates to gel with Huffman and the rest which actually took until January to happen. After that, everyone knows the story. It was a great coaching job. And he did a respectable job at both Arkansas and USF. Of course, that doesn’t mean he’s doing great work now. Things change. I thought he was a great hire. Hasn’t worked so far. It doesn’t appear as if he has the players on the same page. Part of that’s on him, part of that is on the players who have to be willing to buy in.

Axeme has a lot of wisdom...

Dearest Ramy and Bob. This is the main reason you're on my ignore list. By Michigan state law you're a man at 18! stand up and take it like a man. All he did was embarrass himself, the team and our university. It's you emoni lovers are most to blame you built him up for failure.

(01-14-2023 12:33 PM)emussuperfan Wrote:  Dearest Ramy and Bob. This is the main reason you're on my ignore list. By Michigan state law you're a man at 18! stand up and take it like a man. All he did was embarrass himself, the team and our university. It's you emoni lovers are most to blame you built him up for failure.

On a positive note ...

This is the ultimate 'trap game' for Kent State. If EMU is ever going to circle the wagons for this season, this game is it. If a good team like Kent is looking for a breather after two tough games (Toledo-Ohio), this is it. No matter how bad the coaching/playing is for EMU, it has the one thing most opposing coaches dred: a player (Bates) who can beat you by himself.

Add in the other obvious EMU/Kent St. ties, and this game is set up for EMU to make a stand ... if the players want to.

(01-14-2023 12:33 PM)emussuperfan Wrote:  Dearest Ramy and Bob. This is the main reason you're on my ignore list. By Michigan state law you're a man at 18! stand up and take it like a man. All he did was embarrass himself, the team and our university. It's you emoni lovers are most to blame you built him up for failure.

I don’t think BobW and I are glorifying Emoni Bates, we are sympathizing with his predicament. He is talented enough to average 20 ppg in D1 basketball at the young age of 18, but it is all for nought on so many levels.

I personally find it strange that 60+ year old men publicly gripe about an 18 year old “man” who the state does not deem mature enough to buy cigarettes. And you are publicly gloating in his struggles. Give it a rest already, “fan”.