More Athletic and Better Chemistry

[Herman Cain]

I have been pointing out during the off season that MU will be more athletic and have better team chemistry. With the net result a very strong year being possible.

Last night we saw the first  example of how that team descriptive scenario played out. Our guys worked hard , clawed and scratched their way after every lose ball. They used their strength, length  and pogo sticking ability well.  It was nice to see them not lose out on account of physicality against a team with a lot of that going for it.

We also saw the guys looking for the open man and moving the ball. The more collaborative attitude produced clean looks and open lanes. That kind of team first attitude is what is needed to help build confidence and compete successfully at the higher levels. It tends to feed on itself as well, as it is actually more fun for the guys to play when they are getting the highest and best use out of their skills.   

[tower912]

I think the Hausers are very talented players, great shooters.     Not great on ball defenders.    Not great at creating their own shot.     Last year, during the tailspin, what was the common denominator of all the teams that beat MU down the stretch?    Big guards who attacked off the dribble.    Due to injuries and the make up of that team, MU did not have defensive options.      In the Murray State game, Sam was shut down by a 6'4 defender who spent all the time that mattered in that game up under his chin, knowing Sam could not go by him.   
    I am not certain both Hausers would have started if they had stayed and nobody else (Sacar grad transfer) left.     Having guards with size makes a team so much more versatile.    A muscular, quick 6'4 player can guard 4 positions.    A slow 6'9 player cannot.      If the 6'4 player can dribble and shoot, he can play 4 positions on offense.    It goes back to switchables.     A switchable is a big guard who can play and defend multiple positions.   Yes, you want PG's and post players, but you have to have versatile wings, too.   
   I am more optimistic about this team than I was a year ago after Greg got hurt.   I think his absence cost MU on many levels, in ways that show up on stat sheets and ways that don't.    Look how he  impacted the game yesterday putting up modest numbers.      If Symir is able to come up to speed in the next few weeks, this will truly be a deep, dynamic, versatile team that is actually set up better to make a tournament run than last year.   Assuming health.   

[BrewCity83]

They used their strength, length  and pogo sticking ability well. 

We also have a team with great necks.

[#UnleashSean]

We also have a team with great necks.

*excellent

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

I think the Hausers are very talented players, great shooters.     Not great on ball defenders.    Not great at creating their own shot.     Last year, during the tailspin, what was the common denominator of all the teams that beat MU down the stretch?    Big guards who attacked off the dribble.    Due to injuries and the make up of that team, MU did not have defensive options.      In the Murray State game, Sam was shut down by a 6'4 defender who spent all the time that mattered in that game up under his chin, knowing Sam could not go by him.   
    I am not certain both Hausers would have started if they had stayed and nobody else (Sacar grad transfer) left.     Having guards with size makes a team so much more versatile.    A muscular, quick 6'4 player can guard 4 positions.    A slow 6'9 player cannot.      If the 6'4 player can dribble and shoot, he can play 4 positions on offense.    It goes back to switchables.     A switchable is a big guard who can play and defend multiple positions.   Yes, you want PG's and post players, but you have to have versatile wings, too.   
   I am more optimistic about this team than I was a year ago after Greg got hurt.   I think his absence cost MU on many levels, in ways that show up on stat sheets and ways that don't.    Look how he  impacted the game yesterday putting up modest numbers.      If Symir is able to come up to speed in the next few weeks, this will truly be a deep, dynamic, versatile team that is actually set up better to make a tournament run than last year.   Assuming health.

Mu is a completely different team last year with Greg Elliott. Potentially agreat team.  He does everything Chartouney was incapable of. 
Probably lose last night with the Hausers, especially in the second half MU thwarted virtually every Purdue drive with strength, length, quickness and size.  Who on the Purdue roster could Sam or Joey have guarded without looking like a turnstile? I say no one!

[Jockey]

 
   I am more optimistic about this team than I was a year ago after Greg got hurt.   I think his absence cost MU on many levels, in ways that show up on stat sheets and ways that don't.    Look how he  impacted the game yesterday putting up modest numbers.

Funny how a skinny 6'3" guard is the junkyard dog of this team.

[seakm4]

*excellent

*neckcellent

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Funny how a skinny 6'3" guard is the junkyard dog of this team.

He should also probably be the last person on this team to flex, but here we are.

[onepost]

Any team without Sam Hauser is a worse team, don't care what anyone says.

[PGsHeroes32]

*excellent

*solid

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

Any team without Sam Hauser is a worse team, don't care what anyone says.

Loser

[MU82]

I think the Hausers are very talented players, great shooters.     Not great on ball defenders.    Not great at creating their own shot.     Last year, during the tailspin, what was the common denominator of all the teams that beat MU down the stretch?    Big guards who attacked off the dribble.    Due to injuries and the make up of that team, MU did not have defensive options.      In the Murray State game, Sam was shut down by a 6'4 defender who spent all the time that mattered in that game up under his chin, knowing Sam could not go by him.   
    I am not certain both Hausers would have started if they had stayed and nobody else (Sacar grad transfer) left.     Having guards with size makes a team so much more versatile.    A muscular, quick 6'4 player can guard 4 positions.    A slow 6'9 player cannot.      If the 6'4 player can dribble and shoot, he can play 4 positions on offense.    It goes back to switchables.     A switchable is a big guard who can play and defend multiple positions.   Yes, you want PG's and post players, but you have to have versatile wings, too.   
   I am more optimistic about this team than I was a year ago after Greg got hurt.   I think his absence cost MU on many levels, in ways that show up on stat sheets and ways that don't.    Look how he  impacted the game yesterday putting up modest numbers.      If Symir is able to come up to speed in the next few weeks, this will truly be a deep, dynamic, versatile team that is actually set up better to make a tournament run than last year.   Assuming health.

Although I agree with most of this, I do think Sam would have started for this team and been very good for it. Joey I'm less sure about. Defensively, it hurt the team to have both Hausers on the floor together for long stretches.

If Sam took the first-half shots that those not named Markus took last night, maybe we're not down 13 at halftime.

As you know, I am not one of this board's Hauser apologists. I believe they were at least as much to blame for Hausershima as Wojo was, and I think Joey was a big baby. I just happen to think Sam was/is a very good college basketball player, one who would have helped this year's team in many, many ways.

But yes, I am excited about the potential of this season's team. Here's hoping that potential gets fully realized.

It's fun that we're even talking about a team with great potential given that halfway through our first real game, numerous Scoopers were calling Marquette the worst team in the history of mankind.

[Charley Farley]

Any team without Sam Hauser is a worse team, don't care what anyone says.

Sam is an excellent basketball player and it is disappointing he left.  They are a less talented team without him.  Whether they are a worse team is still to be determined.   Team chemistry can help teams transcend their talents.  We'll see what happens with this team but so far they seem very close and willing to sacrifice for each other.

[MUHoopsFan2]

Sam is an excellent basketball player and it is disappointing he left.  They are a less talented team without him.  Whether they are a worse team is still to be determined.   Team chemistry can help teams transcend their talents.  We'll see what happens with this team but so far they seem very close and willing to sacrifice for each other.

Excellent points Charley. I concur...

[MUHoopsFan2]

Any team without Sam Hauser is a worse team, don't care what anyone says.

...Yeah too bad he thought so too, and left. Moving on.

[brewcity77]

Any team without Sam Hauser is a worse team, don't care what anyone says.

They can be worse than they would've been with him, but that doesn't mean they aren't better than they were a year ago. Adding Koby, Greg, & Jayce is potentially a lot of positive pieces.

[tower912]

MU82, I wasn't clear.   I think the starting lineup would have been Theo, Koby, Sacar, Markus, Hauser.   I think the Hausers would have been competing with each other for minutes.   I think this would be a better team if they had stayed.   But I think it will still be a good team without them.

[Nukem2]

MU82, I wasn't clear.   I think the starting lineup would have been Theo, Koby, Sacar, Markus, Hauser.   I think the Hausers would have been competing with each other for minutes.   I think this would be a better team if they had stayed.   But I think it will still be a good team without them.

Their minutes may have gone down, but the Hausers would have both started.  No doubt about that.

[MU82]

MU82, I wasn't clear.   I think the starting lineup would have been Theo, Koby, Sacar, Markus, Hauser.   I think the Hausers would have been competing with each other for minutes.   I think this would be a better team if they had stayed.   But I think it will still be a good team without them.

Fair.

Sam is an excellent basketball player and it is disappointing he left.  They are a less talented team without him.  Whether they are a worse team is still to be determined.   Team chemistry can help teams transcend their talents.  We'll see what happens with this team but so far they seem very close and willing to sacrifice for each other.

Also fair.

"Chemistry" is one of those overused, undefinable words, but there have been many cases of teams that got along well, played for each other and executed their roles well turned out to be more than might have been expected were one to have merely taken a sum of their parts.

Last year's Virginia team was an excellent example. A very good team, to be sure, but almost certainly less talented than several others.

So yes, a few months from now, we might be able to say: "Although the Warriors might have been more talented had the Hausers not quit our program, our team turned out to be better without them."

Here's hoping that is exactly what we're saying!

[TheREALwrk]

They can be worse than they would've been with him, but that doesn't mean they aren't better than they were a year ago. Adding Koby, Greg, & Jayce is potentially a lot of positive pieces.

Great point. Onepost is a Hauser Stan though.

[BubbaWilliams]

I like to imagine the boys in the locker room after the game yelling, "@$#& the Hauser sisters!" I know they're classier than that, but I'm not.

[MU82]

9-9-9 is in the anti-Wojo camp. I do hope he realizes that one reason teams develop chemistry is because the head coach creates an environment for good chemistry.

Just as Wojo deserves a heaping helping of blame for the poor chemistry by last year's Lettermen & Co., he would deserve a large slice of credit if this team ends up having a winning chemistry.

There ... did I use the word "chemistry" enough in those 2 paragraphs?

[JakeBarnes]

I like to imagine the boys in the locker room after the game yelling, "@$#& the Hauser sisters!" I know they're classier than that, but I'm not.

Why?

This post...not who we are. Cmon now

[Lennys Tap]

Why?

This post...not who we are. Cmon now

???

Bubba's post is precisely who a few of our posters are.

And not all that far from many, many more who feel the same but don't express it quite as crudely.

[BubbaWilliams]

???

Bubba's post is precisely who a few of our posters are.

And not all that far from many, many more who feel the same but don't express it quite as crudely.

You're ignorant if you don't think this team resents them and uses their leaving as an excuse to fuel the fire.