MSG in a bottle

[MU82]

What in-game coaching moments/roster management/playing time decisions can you point to in 4-years that give you hope/confidence Wojo can evolve into a top-shelf coach like Jay Wright? 

I just don't see it.  Feel he's improved slightly from the very, very low floor he set his first year on the job.

Hey Wile E. Ners, Sooper Genius ...

Did you see Jay Wright early in his coaching career?

What in-game coaching moments/roster management/playing time decisions can you point to in 4-years at Hofstra gave you hope/confidence that Wright - who went 50-63 - could even land a D1 coaching job?

Did you see Jay Wright early in his Villanova days?

What in-game coaching moments/roster management/playing time decisions can you point to after he went 52-46 (with zero postseason tournament appearances) that gave you hope/confidence he could evolve into a top-shelf coach like, well, any successful D1 coach at all?

Oh, and while you're at it, look up Coach K's early coaching record, too.

[Floorslapper]

Hey Wile E. Ners, Sooper Genius ...

Did you see Jay Wright early in his coaching career?

What in-game coaching moments/roster management/playing time decisions can you point to in 4-years at Hofstra gave you hope/confidence that Wright - who went 50-63 - could even land a D1 coaching job?

Did you see Jay Wright early in his Villanova days?

What in-game coaching moments/roster management/playing time decisions can you point to after he went 52-46 (with zero postseason tournament appearances) that gave you hope/confidence he could evolve into a top-shelf coach like, well, any successful D1 coach at all?

Oh, and while you're at it, look up Coach K's early coaching record, too.

No.  Never watched Hofstra in Jay Wright's time there.  All I've got is from Wikipedia:

In 1994, Wright was named head coach at Hofstra University, which had struggled through most of the 1980s and early '90s. Under Wright, the program slowly and steadily improved, and by 1999 the Pride were a premier team in the America East Conference. They won the conference championship in 2000 and 2001, and from 1999–2001, went 72–22, including two NCAA tournament appearances. Wright was named America East Coach of the Year in 1999–2000 and 2000–2001. He was also tabbed Eastern Basketball's Coach of the Year in 1999–2000.

Now, the difference between Wojo and Wright is that Wojo walked into a program that was a perennial Top 25-30 program over the past decade.  If Wojo can replicate Wright's trajectory, I'll be thrilled.  Wright team's at Hofstra in conference play:

5-11
5-12
9-9
11-7
14-4
16-2
16-2

Wojo?
4-14
8-10
10-8
9-9

You really think we will see something like a 14-4 season next year?  I can say with 100% confidence Steve Wojochieski will NEVER approach anywhere near the levels of success of Coach K or Jay Wright.  Hell, I'll be thrilled as can be if Wojo can get to Tom Crean's level of success at MU.

[NickelDimer]

Villanova was ridiculous.  At one point, we had the ball down 14 with 11:42 to go.  We scored on 4 out of 5 possessions, didn't turn the ball over, fouled once and at 8:16 we were down by 21. 

From 11:14 to 5:06, points scored on Nova's offensive possessions were 3 (Paschall), 3 (Spellman), 3 (Brunson), 3 (Spellman), 3 (Bridges), 2 (Brunson, missed the and-one FT), 2 (Paschal), 3 (Bridges), 3 (Spellman).

Nine straight makes from the floor, seven from 3.  25 points in 9 possessions (2.78 pts/possession, including a missed FT). 

Incredible, even if no one was playing defense.

Seeing this in numbers is almost as crazy as it was watching it play out. I don’t remember the last time I witnessed a blitz like that. Just an absolute buzz saw.

And even crazier is I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a team play better in a 24 point loss

[tower912]

It was.  Open shots, contested shots, no matta.  From everyone and everywhere.  I started laughing.

[Nukem2]

It was.  Open shots, contested shots, no matta.  From everyone and everywhere.  I started laughing.

Yeah, it was quite a show Nova put on. 

[MU82]

No.  Never watched Hofstra in Jay Wright's time there.  All I've got is from Wikipedia:

In 1994, Wright was named head coach at Hofstra University, which had struggled through most of the 1980s and early '90s. Under Wright, the program slowly and steadily improved, and by 1999 the Pride were a premier team in the America East Conference. They won the conference championship in 2000 and 2001, and from 1999–2001, went 72–22, including two NCAA tournament appearances. Wright was named America East Coach of the Year in 1999–2000 and 2000–2001. He was also tabbed Eastern Basketball's Coach of the Year in 1999–2000.

Now, the difference between Wojo and Wright is that Wojo walked into a program that was a perennial Top 25-30 program over the past decade.  If Wojo can replicate Wright's trajectory, I'll be thrilled.  Wright team's at Hofstra in conference play:

5-11
5-12
9-9
11-7
14-4
16-2
16-2

Wojo?
4-14
8-10
10-8
9-9

You really think we will see something like a 14-4 season next year?  I can say with 100% confidence Steve Wojochieski will NEVER approach anywhere near the levels of success of Coach K or Jay Wright.  Hell, I'll be thrilled as can be if Wojo can get to Tom Crean's level of success at MU.

OK, I can live with most of this, as it's a bunch of opinions.

Facts are not your friends; you don't really care for them. But you do have lots of opinions, as we all do.

Unlike most of us, you have a way of stating your opinions that scream: "I'M RIGHT AND EVERYBODY WHO DISAGREES WITH ME IS A MORON!" And then you state them over and over and over, because, hell, that's what people do when they have 100% confidence that they are right and everybody else is wrong about everything.

It's that special way you have that led to you being voted off Scoop Island. And if I were a betting man, I'd wager that you're on your way out again. Because you can't help yourself.

You think Wojo will be a failure. That's your opinion. You are a hater, and what you hate most is being wrong. So MY opinion is that you will be rooting strongly against MU next season so that you can trumpet "I told you so" for years.

You will deny that you will be rooting against our team next season, but that will be a lie. In my opinion.

Have a nice night.

[Floorslapper]

OK, I can live with most of this, as it's a bunch of opinions.

Facts are not your friends; you don't really care for them. But you do have lots of opinions, as we all do.

Unlike most of us, you have a way of stating your opinions that scream: "I'M RIGHT AND EVERYBODY WHO DISAGREES WITH ME IS A MORON!" And then you state them over and over and over, because, hell, that's what people do when they have 100% confidence that they are right and everybody else is wrong about everything.

It's that special way you have that led to you being voted off Scoop Island. And if I were a betting man, I'd wager that you're on your way out again. Because you can't help yourself.

You think Wojo will be a failure. That's your opinion. You are a hater, and what you hate most is being wrong. So MY opinion is that you will be rooting strongly against MU next season so that you can trumpet "I told you so" for years.

You will deny that you will be rooting against our team next season, but that will be a lie. In my opinion.

Have a nice night.

So..now listing the records of Wright at Hofstra and Wojo at MU is opinion and not fact?

I’ve never ONCE rooted against MU in my life nor will I ever. So. Sorry bud..but you are wrong.

I can appreciate your optimistic outlook in life. That is nice. Pleasant in fact. Optimism is a good quality.  Generally I’m an optimistic person. Certainly wish Wojo inspired optimism in me.  But. He doesn’t. As a coach. Seemingly nice enough/solid guy though.

 I was ALL IN on Buzz early his first year on the job..to the point some here got annoyed. So..it’s simply a function of calling it as I see it. If I’m wrong about Wojo, I’ll be more than happy to admit it and revel in his success...as MU basketball is my only sports passion.

[4everwarriors]

Don't minimize the fact that our defense helped Nova look fookin' awesome, hey?

[willie warrior]

Willie, Willie, Willie.

Don't be a nattering nabob of negativism. Our talent is improving and I'd even argue that Wojo is doing a better job of recruiting and developing freshmen than the Hillbilly did.

Like you, I wanted us back in the Final Four a year ago. But patience is a virtue and underlying those records is a touch schedule and some good wins. We just need more of them.

We'll get tIhere. The question is when. I do hope it's soon and I'm optimistic we're going to get there. But if we ever lose to DePaul again, I think Wojo goes for a walk in Lake Michigan with concrete overshoes!

Just kidding Coach! 

Ok. Wojo is greater than Wright, because you believe Wojo has done better than Wright in first 4 years. And we need to be more patient because you believe we will soon be in final 4. When will that be? See no evidence of that, so answer that question, Capt. Patience? And we should give him a 10 extension with a hefty buy out since he is so good, and we need him for the long haul. I feel much better now, knowing that Wojo will have us regularly competing for national championships. Thank you for pulling blinders from my eyes. Competing regularly for national championships is beyond my wildest dreams. Thank you for just sayin that.

[GooooMarquette]

Villanova was ridiculous.  At one point, we had the ball down 14 with 11:42 to go.  We scored on 4 out of 5 possessions, didn't turn the ball over, fouled once and at 8:16 we were down by 21. 

From 11:14 to 5:06, points scored on Nova's offensive possessions were 3 (Paschall), 3 (Spellman), 3 (Brunson), 3 (Spellman), 3 (Bridges), 2 (Brunson, missed the and-one FT), 2 (Paschal), 3 (Bridges), 3 (Spellman).

Nine straight makes from the floor, seven from 3.  25 points in 9 possessions (2.78 pts/possession, including a missed FT). 

Incredible, even if no one was playing defense.

Last night against Butler, these were Nova's possessions from the opening tip to the 11:13 mark:

3 (Bridges),  2 (Bridges), 3 (Paschall), 2 FTs Brunson, [missed 3 by Bridges, but kept possession with offensive board], 2 (Paschall, missed the and-one FT), 2 (Bridges), 2 (Brunson), [TO by Booth], 3 (Spellman), [missed 3 by Booth], 3 (Booth), 2 FTs (Booth), 2 (Booth), 2 (Brunson).

Fourteen possessions, 28 points on 10-12 shooting and 4-5 FTs. Not quite what they did against us in terms of efficiency, but still 2.0 ppp...and the barrage lasted almost 9 minutes.

And they did it against a pretty good Butler team.