23-7

[Pardner]

...was the pre-season median prediction of this board.  I was a bit less optimistic (22-8).  A 7-2 finish seems unrealistic, 6-3 would be a very good finish with an upset or two--barring a "February Swoon"--but not too far off to date. 

But, with our recent play, it looks like a 21-9 or 20-10 finish--which is where many of the posters were at.  So, aren't we at the point where many of our expectations are being met for this team?  Early on, expectations soared, but maybe we are just returning to a level of realism.  Granted, TC needs to regroup, look in the mirror, and reset midstream here. 

Al never focused on the negatives after a loss, but only on how to win the next game because that was something he could do something about.

[HarveysWallbangers]

Losses are painful, but understandable. Being on the receiving end of a bare-assed spanking is a different story altogether.

[Pardner]

Losses are painful, but understandable. Being on the receiving end of a bare-assed spanking is a different story altogether.

We handcuffed, hog tied and sent the Domers through the spanking machine, yet they are 6-2 in the BE.  I didn't enjoy sitting through last night, sipping on my $7 beer either, but the reality is, "we are who we thought we were".

[HarveysWallbangers]

We handcuffed, hog tied and sent the Domers through the spanking machine, yet they are 6-2 in the BE.  I didn't enjoy sitting through last night, sipping on my $7 beer either, but the reality is, "we are who we thought we were".

It's been my experience that Notre Dame guys like that kind of thing.

[mu_hilltopper]

With the exception of picking a vs. Duke win, and @UW Loss .. my predictions have been spot on, heading for a 22-7 season, 11-7 in BE.

However .. we've played 6 top teams -- and that's IF you count UW (I think UW is way over-rated) .. and have come away with 5 spankings, where we just didn't appear to be remotely competitive.

So now .. I had previously picked wins vs. Pitt and GTown at the BC.  Now, I'd say those are probably losses.  That leaves us at 9-9, very much on the bubble. -- Which is about right.

We're far overrated as a top 20 team.  We're probably more like a #35-45 team. -- Which has really been the name of the game for several seasons.  We're often better on paper.

[Pardner]

Bump...MU Scoop Board knows all:  a 23-7 overall record is within reach.  We would have been delighted with 7-2 finish to the season just a month ago (or 6-3).

[Marquette84]

Bump...MU Scoop Board knows all:  a 23-7 overall record is within reach.  We would have been delighted with 7-2 finish to the season just a month ago (or 6-3).

I'm still amazed--not picking on anyone individually--at the general attitude that we would lose 5 to 7 games in conference, but if those losses were to teams ahead of us in conference, well that is sign of great disappointment.

Yeah, we're 1-5 against the teams ahead of us, but we're also 11-1 versus the teams behind us.  I would think that if you're going to predict 5-7 losses, you'd rather they come from the Georgetowns and Louisvilles of the world, not the Rutgers or South Floridas (or even he Pitts or DePauls or  Villanovas). 

The only math I can figure is that people expected us to post a 3-3 record versus the teams ahead of us, but only 9-4 to the teams behind behind us.

[TJ]

Bump...MU Scoop Board knows all:  a 23-7 overall record is within reach.  We would have been delighted with 7-2 finish to the season just a month ago (or 6-3).

I'm still amazed--not picking on anyone individually--at the general attitude that we would lose 5 to 7 games in conference, but if those losses were to teams ahead of us in conference, well that is sign of great disappointment.

Yeah, we're 1-5 against the teams ahead of us, but we're also 11-1 versus the teams behind us.  I would think that if you're going to predict 5-7 losses, you'd rather they come from the Georgetowns and Louisvilles of the world, not the Rutgers or South Floridas (or even he Pitts or DePauls or  Villanovas). 

The only math I can figure is that people expected us to post a 3-3 record versus the teams ahead of us, but only 9-4 to the teams behind behind us.

I think if you replace the 3 blowouts (Lou, @Lou, and UConn) with single digit losses, I think there would be much less disappointment. 

[Coobeys Oil Depot]

Bump...MU Scoop Board knows all:  a 23-7 overall record is within reach.  We would have been delighted with 7-2 finish to the season just a month ago (or 6-3).

I'm still amazed--not picking on anyone individually--at the general attitude that we would lose 5 to 7 games in conference, but if those losses were to teams ahead of us in conference, well that is sign of great disappointment.

Yeah, we're 1-5 against the teams ahead of us, but we're also 11-1 versus the teams behind us.  I would think that if you're going to predict 5-7 losses, you'd rather they come from the Georgetowns and Louisvilles of the world, not the Rutgers or South Floridas (or even he Pitts or DePauls or  Villanovas). 

The only math I can figure is that people expected us to post a 3-3 record versus the teams ahead of us, but only 9-4 to the teams behind behind us.

I think if you replace the 3 blowouts (Lou, @Lou, and UConn) with single digit losses, I think there would be much less disappointment. 

Yeah, but, aren't the people who claim some sort of solace in a one possession loss derided with the words "a loss is still a loss"? It seems there's never any consistency. When the team loses one like GTown, and people lament it being by only 2 in overtime, the response is a loss is a loss no matter what the score. When people complain about how poor MU looks when they get blown out, and others explain that a loss is just a loss, somehow it still comes back to how much they lost by.

Confusing.

[mu_hilltopper]

True, but the metrics for losses and frustration can change.  We weren't in the UL games, UConn, or WVU games.  They were lamented because we just didn't look competitive .. and the 2nd UL loss was at home, adding salt to the wound.

The loss to GTown .. while close .. was a last chance for a high quality, late in the season win, to make our Top 50 W/Ls and upper BE half W/Ls look a bit better, as it is sub-.500

Sure people complain.  But no doubt there's a spectrum of pain depending on the circumstances.  Had we lost to GTown that way in the first quarter of the season, folks would have felt "better" with hope for future games.