No need for anyone here to defend our players or coaches

[avid1010]

But some here feel the need to chastise posters here who see serious problems and are willing to acknowledge them publicly.

Why? Why do some here think it best to simply accept and, thus, ignore our team's play and our coaches' coaching, which in the same game can range from terrific to woeful?

It is still true that you have to acknowledge serious problems before you can fix them, right?

I don't really care what gets said on this board, but don't fool yourself.  99-100% of the posters on this board (myself included) really have no clue as to if the coaching is terrific or woeful. We have no idea what MU's "serious problems" are.  I manage positions I don't fully understand every day.  I work with those employees to set goals, and I monitor their progress.  If MU is consistently a top 20 team, in the NCAA tournament, and in the top 1/2 of the BEAST I'm feeling like Buzz is doing alright.

[Lennys Tap]

Lennys Tap, you really believe that "Buzz and the players don't give a spit" about what people like us think about them and their efforts?

Golly, I hope that is not true. I would think they have at least a passing interest in how their audience and customers feel about them and their success.

The coaches and players care about each other, their families and their friends. "Customers" who are on the bandwagon in good times but throw them under the bus when times are tough don't fall under any of those categories.

[NavinRJohnson]

You're right, the number 20 team in the country shouldn't be expected to be able to hang on to a 17 point lead with less than 13 minutes to go.

So only Marquette is allowed to play a half that is superior to their opponent? Marquette did to GU in the first half, what GU did to MU in the second half. Why is one acceptable, but not the other? The other team gets a say too, you know? Would you prefer that they fell way behind and then came back to lose by 3? Would that make the loss somehow better? Why do I get the sense that the same people would be here complaining about how they fell behind by so much?

[Golden Avalanche]

The coaches and players care about each other, their families and their friends. "Customers" who are on the bandwagon in good times but throw them under the bus when times are tough don't fall under any of those categories.

They do care about the "customers" who buy their kool-aid at Costco, right?

[MattyWarrior]

I think the MU players just thought GT would miss at some point or run out of time! Why not at least use Juan Anderson
as DG was totally gassed.

[Lennys Tap]

They do care about the "customers" who buy their kool-aid at Costco, right?

It has nothing to do with kool-aid, Lanche. I was every bit as frustrated and angry watching last night's game as anyone on this board. And like any fan, I'm apprehensive about the immediate future.

That said, MU basketball is one of my passions, something that I love. I think the things you love in life need your support in difficult times much more than they need you fawning over them when things are "seashells and balloons".

Your best friends, the ones you truly come to value, are those there for you in tough times. So do I think the coaches and the team care about and appreciate the fans who have their backs during adversity more than those who kick them when they're down? Yeah, I do.

[79Warrior]

I think the MU players just thought GT would miss at some point or run out of time! Why not at least use Juan Anderson
as DG was totally gassed.

Buzz obviously feels Juan is not ready or he would be playing.

[Hards Alumni]

Buzz obviously feels Juan is not ready or he would be playing.

That is where you went wrong.

[Windyplayer]

Their motto is "Grind together, shine together." That does not include a single member of this board. I guarantee they do not give a frack, and frankly I don't think they should.

Buzz doesn't. 18-,19, 20-year-old kids probably do.

[Golden Avalanche]

.

[hepennypacker5000]

Buzz doesn't. 18-,19, 20-year-old kids probably do.

I'm not denying that they're exposed to some of the hate (although I doubt any of them check this board), but I think they brush it off with a sort of "unnatural carnal knowledge you, you don't play the game" attitude. For example after the GT game Gardner re-tweeted "This is my favorite time to be on twitter...to watch all the "MU fans" talk about #mubb... Why don't y'all go out there and try to play???".

[dgies9156]

For everyone who is complaining, there's a couple of things you're forgetting:

1) It's basketball, not life. Sure, we'd like to be undefeated, ranked fifth in the country or better (which we would be if we defeated LSU, Vanderbilt and Georgetown) and we certainly have had a sniff of what could be this year (and get really irritated when we see TV Tommy doing what we think Buzz should be doing). But we're still growing and games like Georgetown and Louisville last year are the growing pains we must endure.

2) I still think Buzz could benefit from a "Hank Raymonds" type guy sitting next to him. He's a young coach and even after four years, he's finding his way. But whether he enhances his coaching staff or not, he's going to make mistakes. Al certainly did and the team back then blew some games that made the heartbreak of this week pale by comparison. In 1974, we were playing NC State for the National Championship when Al got hit with two technical fouls in less than minute. NC State then blows open a close game. In 1969, a missed free throw and defensive weaknesses in overtime sent Purdue to the Final Four rather than us! And we won't even talk about the 1978 game in which Hank lost control of the team and Miami of Ohio ends our efforts to defend our National Championship. Face it, Buzz's mistakes are especially likely in games where he is coaching against grizzled coaching vets, like John Thompson III. But whether he gets the bench coach or not, he's a good one and we have to accept the fact that the guy is human and the results from time to time may be disappointing.

3) Virtually every poster on this board tends to underestimate the loss of Chris Otule in our defense. Life takes turns like this and in the case of Otule, injuries happen. I'm sure Chris would much rather be playing and kicking some Hoya a-s! If he had been there, I don't think we would have lost. We would be a much better team as we prepare for Syracuse if Chris were playing. I also think we probably would have had a better defensive game against Vanderbilt and might have had a chance!

Overall, this is still a good team and an NCAA candidate. A Top 10, probably not. Overrated? Probably