It is time to stop blaming Crean

[🏀]

1.) No way TC didn't have the team prepared the team to play this game. He is a great coach in that aspect.
2.) No way TC doesn't have them practicing shooting.
3.) TC can't coach against a zone? There's one way to beat every possible zone, passing and three-pointers.

This has been falling on the players that have been every bit disappointing.

DJ has regressed into the bench. No one should buy the 'under the weather' excuse.
If Fitz can't shoot the ball, there's no reason to play him.
Cooby has fallen into a slump that needs to be busted. His defense is his only strong point.
Lazar. Needs to get more looks from behind the arc.
Wes is missing bunny layups all game.
McNeal is playing too hard to bring this team into something. But then some plays just seems to just take off.

[4everwarriors]

Yes, you blame the head coach. Its his program from start to finish. He gets the accolades when they're successful and gets the crapper when they stink.

[AlumKCof93]

I think you can blame the coach when you can list how poorly 6 players played tonight.  I like your point about McNeal, I think its true about him taking some plays off.  Its just a real frustrating night, however you look at it.

[wheresthecake?]

I don't see how you can't blame the coach.  

1.  It is the coach's responsibility to get his guys ready to play, which we weren't.  We looked like we just got done playing cincy a few hours before tip.
2.  It is his responsibility to formulate the game plan, which clearly didn't work.  He was stubborn and wanted to prove that his   game plan from the first game could beat them.
3.  It is his responsibility to make halftime adjustment, which there were none of.

[🏀]

I don't see how you can't blame the coach. 

1.  It is the coach's responsibility to get his guys ready to play, which we weren't.  We looked like we just got done playing cincy a few hours before tip.
2.  It is his responsibility to formulate the game plan, which clearly didn't work.  He was stubborn and wanted to prove that his   game plan from the first game could beat them.
3.  It is his responsibility to make halftime adjustment, which there were none of.

Crean can't make them run any game plan, which they clearly weren't. Should be just bench everyone and make it a 40point blowout? I very rarely were apologize for Crean, but the players were running NO game plan whatsoever.

[mwbauer7]

Our half court offense has reverted to the 2003-2004 form. Guys running along the 3 point line and handing it off at the top.

We need to hit the bunny layins-- or be CERTAIN you will get a call on contact.

Fitz is worthless not hitting 3s.

Too many mental mistakes (picking up the dribble just beyond mid-court, stepping on the baseline)

Honestly, What happened to the team who played Duke so tough?

[wheresthecake?]

I don't see how you can't blame the coach. 

1.  It is the coach's responsibility to get his guys ready to play, which we weren't.  We looked like we just got done playing cincy a few hours before tip.
2.  It is his responsibility to formulate the game plan, which clearly didn't work.  He was stubborn and wanted to prove that his   game plan from the first game could beat them.
3.  It is his responsibility to make halftime adjustment, which there were none of.

Crean can't make them run any game plan, which they clearly weren't. Should be just bench everyone and make it a 40point blowout? I very rarely were apologize for Crean, but the players were running NO game plan whatsoever.

If that is case then he has lost the respect and control of his players (not that I believe he has), which any good coach would never allow to happen.  I think our guys play nervous, just trying to avoid getting chewed out by TC, which leads to overthinking and doubting their abilities.

[🏀]

I don't see how you can't blame the coach. 

1.  It is the coach's responsibility to get his guys ready to play, which we weren't.  We looked like we just got done playing cincy a few hours before tip.
2.  It is his responsibility to formulate the game plan, which clearly didn't work.  He was stubborn and wanted to prove that his   game plan from the first game could beat them.
3.  It is his responsibility to make halftime adjustment, which there were none of.

Crean can't make them run any game plan, which they clearly weren't. Should be just bench everyone and make it a 40point blowout? I very rarely were apologize for Crean, but the players were running NO game plan whatsoever.

If that is case then he has lost the respect and control of his players (not that I believe he has), which any good coach would never allow to happen.  I think our guys play nervous, just trying to avoid getting chewed out by TC, which leads to overthinking and doubting their abilities.

Yeah, I think you may have a great point there. Neither they are scared of Crean, or they see the NBA slowly fading away from their AAU-filled dreams.

[NavinRJohnson]

I can't put a whole lot of blame on Crean either...I have been beating this drum for a long time, so why stop now(especially because it is entirely true)? This group of players continues to let their offensive success or failure dictate how hard or how well they defend. That is unacceptable, and its pretty obvious that it is a serious source of frustration for Crean himself. Instead of turning up the defense when things aren't going well on the offensive end, they do just the opposite. I give a lot of credit to James in the UC game...the shots weren't falling, but he went out and defended the crap out of Vaughn.

UL is clearly a terrible match-up for us, but that is not an excuse to not play defense. Missing shots is not an excuse to not play defense. You wanna make shots? Go out and stop the other team, and get yourself more/better opportunities. The defense from the 4/5 spots was pathetic last night. McNeal's body language said everything that needed to be said about his play last night, and by the ens of the game, nobody even wanted the ball. Offense will come and go, but defense should be there every night. With rare exception, good offense is a result of good defense, and until this group of players figures that out, and learns to put defense first, we'll see more games like last night, UConn, WVU, etc.

[The Lens]

I think you can blame the coach when we hold the ball until 12 seconds to go on the shot clock, repeatedly.

Lets see, we have no shooters and no big man, yet we want to play half court with a Rick Pitino defense?

Push it.  I wanted to puke when I saw DJ & Mo look over at TC for a play late into the clock...that's being micro managed into a 14 point loss.

I also think you can blame the coach when Lazar picks up his 4th foul 35 feet from the basket.  When a team defensive philosphy is predicated on deflections, you are bound to have stupid and too many fouls.  This deflections thing is the dumbest thing I have ever heard of in hoops.  You play defense with your feet not your hands.  The fact that we have a PA guy who screams DeeeeeeeeeeeFLECTion MAR-Quette shows that a) our defensive priorities are whacked and b) our coach is waaaaaay to involved in the "game day" experience.

Finally, I'm 32 years old.  I have a family, job etc...I have some perspective, I don't think MU losing is the end of the world but every time we've lost this year we've been blown out.  This team show you nothing in the resilency department.

PTM we credit him with The Al, The Big East, Dwyane, Steve & Travis, 25 mill from some family for engineering last week, big crowds, higher application rates etc etc etc...I think he can take the blame when we lose and lose ugly on Natl TV. 

[NavinRJohnson]

When a team defensive philosophy is predicated on deflections, you are bound to have stupid and too many fouls.  This deflections thing is the dumbest thing I have ever heard of in hoops.  You play defense with your feet not your hands. 

Actually, its both, and this complaint frankly makes my hair hurt. There is absolutely nothing wrong with tracking deflections, or setting goals for deflections. But, I do agree that you have to move your feet first and foremost, and they didn't do that very well last night, or in any of our losses.

Also, in one breath you say we need to push the ball, and in another you say we should not be going for deflections/steals. If you want to beat them down the court (as I very much wanted them to do), you have to create opportunities to do that. Missed shots or turnovers are the way to do that. In one respect you're right, better defense theoretically would lead to more missed shots - they failed badly in that regard last night. Tough to push the ball when your opponent shoots 50% from the field. As has been stated here many, many times, we don't have great shooters, or a dominant post player which mean to make the scoreboard blink we need to create some easy basket opportunities, and in order to do that, we need to force some turnovers.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Yes, you blame the head coach. Its his program from start to finish. He gets the accolades when they're successful and gets the crapper when they stink.

I can agree with this... but often when Crean gets a ton of accolades, there are naysayers (Wade made Crean, etc.)... the same is true that when people try to absolve him (the players just need to shoot better!, etc), there are still people blaming Crean.

That's probably a realistic look at it... and it happens to all head coaches.

Ultimately, the coach is responsible for almost every aspect of the program (for better or worse).

I still believe that when MU is "hot" and or just shooting well that they can beat almost any team... the question still remains how the coaches can motivate and put the players in positions to be successful. It's a mix of strategy, preparation, mental toughness, player execution and a little luck.

ND will be a VERY interesting game. IF MU wins, are all of the naysayers suddenly going to be thrilled? Probably not... which is a little disappointing.

In any given season, most teams are probably going to lose 2-4 games that they "should win" and win 2-4 games that they "should lose". That's just the way it is, especially in the Big East.

Upsets happen ALL OF THE TIME in college athletics. Sometimes you are the "upsetter" sometimes you are the "upsettee".

Elite teams are able to avoid upsets, good teams usually suffer a couple.