On MU ... “They don’t cover anyone, they think it is a F’ing Diesase”

[NCMUFan]

We know MUSCOOP is a vital source of info for the team, so I am sure Coach Wojo is digesting this.

[rocket surgeon]

The above quote was from EIU's head coach Jay Spoonhour (Son of the great coach Charlie Spoonhour).

I know this because I sat in row one behind the visitors' bench and EIU does not use stools near the foul line like MU or most other coaches.  They sit on the bench and given my seats, I was literally in the huddle.

The exact quote came mid-way through the second half when EIU was up 7.  Spoonhour had a giant sh!t eating grin on his face and said (paraphrasing but I think I'm close) ...

"They don't cover anyone, they think it is a f'ing disease like their d!cks will fall off if they actually cover anyone."  He then went on tell then to pound the rock into Dama, which they did and it worked.

(How's that for the opposite of a Wojo huddle!)

Question, was Spoonhour wrong?  From what I saw that was a totally accurate statement.

The larger question, we know this team can score, when should we start to worry about their inability to play defense?

   nothing a little regimen of antibiotics can't take care of.  then dama proceeds to foul out-don't think mr. spoondog was smiling too much then.  sounds like he got a little too happy, eeen'er?

[Tugg Speedman]

   nothing a little regimen of antibiotics can't take care of.  then dama proceeds to foul out-don't think mr. spoondog was smiling too much then.  sounds like he got a little too happy, eeen'er?

Dama fouled out with 9 seconds left in regulation.  He paced himself properly for a regulation game.

[Spotcheck Billy]

Dama fouled out with 9 seconds left in regulation.  He paced himself properly for a regulation game.

He paced himself well in the 2nd half maybe. 1st half? Not properly paced.

[naginiF]

He paced himself well in the 2nd half maybe. 1st half? Not properly paced.

Also, do you care if he properly paced himself for a 39:51 game when the game went 45:00? 

[Jockey]

I think it's beyond worrying at this point. EIU shoots 52%? That's pathetic, they should struggle getting a shot off with the Athletes Marquette recruits. The defense is a joke, how can they overcome it is the real question.

EIU had better athletes

[MU82]

The above quote was from EIU's head coach Jay Spoonhour (Son of the great coach Charlie Spoonhour).

I know this because I sat in row one behind the visitors' bench and EIU does not use stools near the foul line like MU or most other coaches.  They sit on the bench and given my seats, I was literally in the huddle.

The exact quote came mid-way through the second half when EIU was up 7.  Spoonhour had a giant sh!t eating grin on his face and said (paraphrasing but I think I'm close) ...

"They don't cover anyone, they think it is a f'ing disease like their d!cks will fall off if they actually cover anyone."  He then went on tell then to pound the rock into Dama, which they did and it worked.

(How's that for the opposite of a Wojo huddle!)

Question, was Spoonhour wrong?  From what I saw that was a totally accurate statement.

The larger question, we know this team can score, when should we start to worry about their inability to play defense?

Assuming any of us believe a word of this ... have you ever sat close enough to one of Wojo's huddles to hear what he actually says - not just what he says during the 10-second clips they show on TV?

So it might or it might not be the opposite of Wojo's huddle. The burden of proof is on you.

The burden of proof is on you to prove that this actually was what Spoonhour said, too. I was sitting one row closer than you were, and I'm sure he said, "I slit the sheet, the sheet I slit, and on the slitted sheet I sit." He said it even better than Navin Johnson did!

[Tugg Speedman]

Assuming any of us believe a word of this ... have you ever sat close enough to one of Wojo's huddles to hear what he actually says - not just what he says during the 10-second clips they show on TV?

So it might or it might not be the opposite of Wojo's huddle. The burden of proof is on you.

The burden of proof is on you to prove that this actually was what Spoonhour said, too. I was sitting one row closer than you were, and I'm sure he said, "I slit the sheet, the sheet I slit, and on the slitted sheet I sit." He said it even better than Navin Johnson did!

Row AAA is the bench

[rocket surgeon]

  "Assuming any of us believe a word of this ..."

   ummm, triple AAA, 'ey?  right back at ya 82.  were you sitting on heisy's lap err something?

[Dr. Blackheart]

Row AAA is the bench

Bought with Apple profits?

[4everwarriors]

Did the ball boys clean up the Johnsons?

Sure, den the little gurkees were shipped ta Arby's and passed on as roast beef, ai na?

[Goose]

Willie

Sounds like SLU to me.

[Tugg Speedman]

Just finished talking to another person I went with that heard the same thing I heard, he had an interesting comment ...

"The don't cover anyone, they think it is a f'ing disease...."

He noted the use of the words "don't" and "think" and concluded the Spoonhour thinks MU is fully capable of covering his players but elected not too ... they don't (not can't) do it.  In other words, he was saying that Wojo defensive schemes suck.  He dissed Wojo.

You agree with this assessment?

[naginiF]

Just finished talking to another person I went with that heard the same thing I heard, he had an interesting comment ...

"The don't cover anyone, they think it is a f'ing disease...."

He noted the use of the words "don't" and "think" and concluded the Spoonhour thinks MU is fully capable of covering his players but elected not too ... they don't (not can't) do it.  In other words, he was saying that Wojo defensive schemes suck.  He dissed Wojo.

You agree with this assessment?

You went to the game with your psychiatrist?

The only explanation i can think of for why he would dissect the use of 'don't' and 'think'

[connie]

To this point we have beaten every team we were supposed to and lost to every team we were supposed to this season. That is no reason for a coach's seat to get warm, let's see how the rest of the season plays out.

Unless we finish in the bottom two of the Big East (assuming no major injuries), Wojo's seat will not be warm by the end of the year. Next year is his make or break season.

I don't understand the point.  So what if we have beaten "who we were supposed to?"  If we finish 7th in conference "like we are supposed to" is that sufficient? I think after 4 years we can begin to demand the bar be higher.  Our defense is sad, has been since year 1, and Wojo should feel heat for that.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I don't understand the point.  So what if we have beaten "who we were supposed to?"  If we finish 7th in conference "like we are supposed to" is that sufficient? I think after 4 years we can begin to demand the bar be higher.  Our defense is sad, has been since year 1, and Wojo should feel heat for that.

Fair point. Demanding more than a 7th place finish in year 4 isn't unreasonable. The way I see it, there are games you are supposed to win, games you are supposed to lose, and games that are toss ups. Seasons are usually determined on how you fare in those toss ups. I don't think we've had any toss ups yet...the closest one to a toss up was VCU and we won that one. If we start to lose games we shouldn't or lose a disproportionate amount of toss ups, then I will start to get disgruntled. 6 games in with two losses to better teams? Doesn't get me there.

I also understand the angst about the defense but it doesn't bother me. I don't care how we win on the court. I just care that we win. If we win with an elite offense and terrible defense, so be it. If we win with elite defense and terrible offense, I'd be bored, but so be it. If we win with above average in both categories, so be it.

[connie]

Thanks for being gracious.  I have a bit of built up frustration over the idea that everything is fine because we re performing to expectations, when I think the expectations in year four should be higher.  Didn't mean to single you out.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Watching the game on-demand tonight...Jiggsy, some good face time.

[MU82]

Just finished talking to another person I went with that heard the same thing I heard, he had an interesting comment ...

"The don't cover anyone, they think it is a f'ing disease...."

Well, that proves it.

[Lennys Tap]

EIU had better athletes

+1000, Jockey, and therein lies the problem - in years 4 a below average mid major has better athletes than us. Yikes!!!

[BM1090]

Amazing that we were able to make the tournament last year and beat two solid teams in Maui with no good players and terrible coaching.

[dgies9156]

I also understand the angst about the defense but it doesn't bother me. I don't care how we win on the court. I just care that we win. If we win with an elite offense and terrible defense, so be it. If we win with elite defense and terrible offense, I'd be bored, but so be it. If we win with above average in both categories, so be it.

Thank you Brother TAMU. No truer words have ever been said.

[NorthernDancerColt]

EIU had better athletes

They certainly looked to be our equals, but don't sell short Greg's ability to get to the rim, and to disrupt on D, along with Sacar's D and driving ability as well.

Reading the Charleston, Il newspaper pre-game  article I was struck with the beautiful simplicity of Coach Spoonhour's game plan: 1. Limit MU's ability to get off good shots, especially 3's. 2. Don't give MU extra possessions. 3. You do that by looking for long rebounds off their 3's and limiting turnovers. The guy will coach at a very high level before he is done...too many coaches overcomplicate things. Refreshing when one doesn't.  Can def see him saying what he is alleged to have said.

Calm down, Warrior Nation. This had "post Maui letdown" and "trap game" written all over it. It does suck losing HC though. Class act, really represented MU well. Wojo had a better coaching game than people are giving him credit for. Movement on Offense created mismatches, especially with Sam.

[lurch91]

Wojo had a better coaching game than people are giving him credit for. Movement on Offense created mismatches, especially with Sam.

Don't you watch tv, the man grunts the same three words over and over in the huddles during a timeout!!!  Now that Scoop is on to him and has demanded better, any win the rest of the season is due to Scoop's work of calling Wojo out!!! You're welcome Warrior Nation!

[brewcity77]

In 2015 we switched to a zone defense with three 6'1" guards as our top-3 players in terms of minutes. I know zone doesn't seem to translate well with Rowsey and Howard on the perimeter, but man isn't exactly doing wonders.

It would also play to the strengths of long, quick athletes like Anim, Cain, and Elliott who will be more important with Haani gone. And zone made Luke look like a solid defender because he was able to focus more on shot blocking than hedging screens. I imagine it would help Matt and Theo similarly.

I know it's not what Wojo wants to do long term, but we had a top-75 defense in zone with lesser athletes. It simplifies assignments for the young players. Might at least be worth trying.