Don't Hang Your Heads (Up your butts)

[oilcan]

I’m optimistic. When Markus graduated and the Housers left I knew we would we were two years away and then Dawson left and DJ left and the others left and everyone bailed left and right.

Smart came on board and  I knew MU was two years away. Still. Nothing has changed. We have some decent recruits. Players good enough to beat the Blue Jays on New Year’s Day.  Players who can compete in the Big East.

Not right now, but soon they will challenge Nova and Seaton Hall. The players are good enough and the coaching is not the problem. The coaching is there. We don’t need Tex Winter or Rick Majerus on the bench. Smart will not turn these kids into D Wades/ unless they have the ability to make plays as a team.

Kolek would look like Travis if other guys made baskets. I never expected Morsell to come in and score. I expected him to help the team learn how to play defense and push back and not fold against the scorers in the BE. Don’t ask him to do too much. He tried because it wasn’t there. BB isn’t run and gun.

It’s team ball and good passes into the post and making short shots and rebounding missing shots.  And making tip ins. Get up. Get up. Get it in. And get fouled. Discovering Oso is obviously a big deal. Oh my.

It will take time but don’t be discouraged.  I’ve seen this crap before. It won’t be shinola for ever. Trust me.

EDIT: PARAGRAPHS ARE YOUR FRIEND.

[Shooter McGavin]

Love the optimism oil can!

[Markusquette]

Correction: Kolek could look a little more like Diener if he made baskets. A lot more of them. I like Shaka and I like these guys, but I am worried it's going to be a few long seasons in the Big East at minimum. He's going to have to work some magic to fill the last to scholarships with some impact guys and also be active in the transfer market again. Agree on Morsell and Oso.

[oilcan]

You have to be optimistic if you're a sports fan. Everyone knows the hope and the disappointment. I finished 10th in my fantasy league this week. How weak is that? But next August, I'll be ready to draft again. I enjoy every minute of it. Go Packers.

[Johnny B]

off topic by why are the badgers at worst solid every year? their recruiting is mediocre on paper most years but here they are making the dance 19 out of like 20 years. on their way again this year. idk why we cant at be at their level.

[oilcan]

I know. I thought Kolek was going to come in and shoot the lights out. It will happen. I'm confident it will happen. But no, he's not Deiner.  Makes nice tricky passes in the lane though. I like him.

[CountryRoads]

off topic by why are the badgers at worst solid every year? their recruiting is mediocre on paper most years but here they are making the dance 19 out of like 20 years. on their way again this year. idk why we cant at be at their level.

It’s crazy how they always have players that make such a huge jump from one year to the next. They will lose Davis and Davison and next year out of nowhere Ben Carlson will average 20 a game.

[Viper]

off topic by why are the badgers at worst solid every year? their recruiting is mediocre on paper most years but here they are making the dance 19 out of like 20 years. on their way again this year. idk why we cant at be at their level.

100%. RED rolls. Every year. Nothing fancy. This version? Davis and a bunch of low-level recruits. Meanwhile, over in Milwaukee , a basketball-only school that’s been mediocre for a decade…and Oilcan preaches more patience. Ridiculous.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

100%. RED rolls. Every year. Nothing fancy. This version? Davis and a bunch of low-level recruits. Meanwhile, over in Milwaukee , a basketball-only school that’s been mediocre for a decade…and Oilcan preaches more patience. Ridiculous.

Well what choice do we have?  Getting mad on a message board isn’t going to do any good. Shaka is going to be given a long leash and plenty of time. This is what we signed up for.

[TedBaxter]

off topic by why are the badgers at worst solid every year? their recruiting is mediocre on paper most years but here they are making the dance 19 out of like 20 years. on their way again this year. idk why we cant at be at their level.

The simple fact is that they don't have players transferring out of the program so you have guys who have been in the program 4-5 years every year.  This year they don't have as much returning experience as normal, but Davis, Davison and Wahl have stepped up and Crowl and Hepburn have stepped in. 

Transfers have killed Marquette and many other programs over the years. 

[#UnleashSean]

100%. RED rolls. Every year. Nothing fancy. This version? Davis and a bunch of low-level recruits. Meanwhile, over in Milwaukee , a basketball-only school that’s been mediocre for a decade…and Oilcan preaches more patience. Ridiculous.

Did you expect Shaka to come in and light up the big east with the 3rd youngest team jn the ncaa? crap people made excuses for wojo for 6 years. Can we give Shaka 1?

[#UnleashSean]

The simple fact is that they don't have players transferring out of the program so you have guys who have been in the program 4-5 years every year.  This year they don't have as much returning experience as normal, but Davis, Davison and Wahl have stepped up and Crowl and Hepburn have stepped in. 

Transfers have killed Marquette and many other programs over the years.

Wisconsin has had plenty of players transfer

[Uncle Rico]

Wisconsin has had plenty of players transfer

Yeah, but all those kids lost their love of the game and wanted to focus on school

[dgies9156]

OK, I'm discouraged.

I don't disagree with Brother Oilcan that Shaka is the real deal and in a couple of years, we'll be a force with which to be reckoned. I trust Shaka, for now.

What bothers me is the close but no cigar moments we've had this year. Saturday just p*ssed me off to no end. There was no reason we should have lost. None. That's on coaching and on failure to execute. I love our Warriors and have been faithful for 50 years. I just don't remember the last time -- if ever -- the team aggravated me THAT much. Failures like last Saturday's are the kinds that cause fans to lose fandom.

I tend to agree with Brother Johnny B, who brings up the Badgers as a role model. They are consistently well-coached and use three-star talent to go sometimes deep into the tournament. Will the Rodents ever win a Natty? Doubtful with the talent Greg Gard gets. But, would I trade their last 10 years for ours? Absolutely.

Some of the difference between us and the Rodents is lack of consistency. We've had three un-related coaches in 10 years. They've transitioned within their program once. To that end, we better hope Shaka is the real deal. Otherwise, the more instability we have, the harder it will be to climb the mountain back to where many                  older Warriors think we ought to be.

[Viper]

Well what choice do we have?  Getting mad on a message board isn’t going to do any good. Shaka is going to be given a long leash and plenty of time. This is what we signed up for.

not mad, more-so frustrated at what’s happened. MU is a proud program. Fans, alums have passion for MU basketball.  Never expected this current coach to work a season 1 miracle. However, and as you are probably aware living in WI, our fall is made worse by the steady winning out of Dane County.

[tower912]

OK, I'm discouraged.

I don't disagree with Brother Oilcan that Shaka is the real deal and in a couple of years, we'll be a force with which to be reckoned. I trust Shaka, for now.

What bothers me is the close but no cigar moments we've had this year. Saturday just p*ssed me off to no end. There was no reason we should have lost. None. That's on coaching and on failure to execute. I love our Warriors and have been faithful for 50 years. I just don't remember the last time -- if ever -- the team aggravated me THAT much. Failures like last Saturday's are the kinds that cause fans to lose fandom.

I tend to agree with Brother Johnny B, who brings up the Badgers as a role model. They are consistently well-coached and use three-star talent to go sometimes deep into the tournament. Will the Rodents ever win a Natty? Doubtful with the talent Greg Gard gets. But, would I trade their last 10 years for ours? Absolutely.

Some of the difference between us and the Rodents is lack of consistency. We've had three un-related coaches in 10 years. They've transitioned within their program once. To that end, we better hope Shaka is the real deal. Otherwise, the more instability we have, the harder it will be to climb the mountain back to where many                  older Warriors think we ought to be.

Brother dgies, get old, stay old.     That is what Wisconsin does very well.    The years they don't are the years they struggle.

MU is not old.    While close losses are always frustrating, don't lose track of the fact that 8 of the 11 active players this year are in their first or second year.    Osa played 38 minutes all of last season.   OMP averaged 10 minutes a game for Clemson.    Kolek was in the A-10.    It is simply not logical to expect them to be a well oiled machine or as good as they will be as upperclassmen.       

[Scoop Snoop]

OK, I'm discouraged.

I don't disagree with Brother Oilcan that Shaka is the real deal and in a couple of years, we'll be a force with which to be reckoned. I trust Shaka, for now.

What bothers me is the close but no cigar moments we've had this year. Saturday just p*ssed me off to no end. There was no reason we should have lost. None. That's on coaching and on failure to execute. I love our Warriors and have been faithful for 50 years. I just don't remember the last time -- if ever -- the team aggravated me THAT much. Failures like last Saturday's are the kinds that cause fans to lose fandom.



I tend to agree with Brother Johnny B, who brings up the Badgers as a role model. They are consistently well-coached and use three-star talent to go sometimes deep into the tournament. Will the Rodents ever win a Natty? Doubtful with the talent Greg Gard gets. But, would I trade their last 10 years for ours? Absolutely.

Some of the difference between us and the Rodents is lack of consistency. We've had three un-related coaches in 10 years. They've transitioned within their program once. To that end, we better hope Shaka is the real deal. Otherwise, the more instability we have, the harder it will be to climb the mountain back to where many                  older Warriors think we ought to be.

This is pretty much where I am. I still have confidence in Shaka but also believe those here who question whether or not he's our savior have legitimate points.

 Saturday's loss haunted me for an entire day, and I pride myself in being able to move on after a loss and not brood over it but not this time!

We all hate the rodents but it's interesting to read that some here are giving the devil its due. About 2-3 years ago, some scoopers were laughing about UW giving Gard an extension, thinking that it was the beginning of the end of UW bball as a major power.

 I love oilcan's optimism but some of us, including me, struggle with the reality of where we are and where we have been for over eight years.

[MU82]

Projecting the previous 8 years onto Shaka, and the long-term program-building that he is trying to accomplish, is unfair and unproductive.

Buzz's last season and Hausershima and Wojo's worst seasons have nothing to do with Shaka.

I get it. I wish we were winning these close games. All 3 BEast games so far have been frustrating. I understand why some hate that patience is being "preached."

But what is the alternative? Is it time to assemble the rich alumni and get 'em to fire Shaka?

Right now, in Year 1 -- and that's what it is, not Year 9 -- patience and hope are all we have.

[Goose]

Scoop

We cannot change the past eight years of performance and can only look forward. IMO, we have shot the ball poorly and shot ourselves in the foot in three BE games, yet still had a chance to beat three good teams.
I am not a moral victory guy and pissed off that we lost, especially I have been saying for months the need to steal some games and they did not get that done the last three games. That being said, I wonder if all the naysayers believed going into those games that we would be in the game in last two minutes. If they can hang with the big boys with horrible shooting and rebounding that gives me optimism, they are on the right track.

[Shooter McGavin]

Scoop

We cannot change the past eight years of performance and can only look forward. IMO, we have shot the ball poorly and shot ourselves in the foot in three BE games, yet still had a chance to beat three good teams.
I am not a moral victory guy and pissed off that we lost, especially I have been saying for months the need to steal some games and they did not get that done the last three games. That being said, I wonder if all the naysayers believed going into those games that we would be in the game in last two minutes. If they can hang with the big boys with horrible shooting and rebounding that gives me optimism, they are on the right track.

Yep.  What Goose said.

[panda]

Brother dgies, get old, stay old.     That is what Wisconsin does very well.    The years they don't are the years they struggle.

MU is not old.    While close losses are always frustrating, don't lose track of the fact that 8 of the 11 active players this year are in their first or second year.    Osa played 38 minutes all of last season.   OMP averaged 10 minutes a game for Clemson.    Kolek was in the A-10.    It is simply not logical to expect them to be a well oiled machine or as good as they will be as upperclassmen.       

A top 5 player in the country hides a lot of their blemishes this year. But yes generally this is correct.

[Uncle Rico]

A top 5 player in the country hides a lot of their blemishes this year. But yes generally this is correct.

The rest of that team isn’t very good.  It’s role players like the current Marquette roster.  Someone will probably take a leap for them next year and that’ll happen here, too.

[panda]

The rest of that team isn’t very good.  It’s role players like the current Marquette roster.  Someone will probably take a leap for them next year and that’ll happen here, too.

Yep saying they’re good because they’re old this year is far from the truth. But generally, that is their path to success.

We need a guy or two to take a leap next year.

[Stretchdeltsig]

OK, I'm discouraged.

I don't disagree with Brother Oilcan that Shaka is the real deal and in a couple of years, we'll be a force with which to be reckoned. I trust Shaka, for now.

What bothers me is the close but no cigar moments we've had this year. Saturday just p*ssed me off to no end. There was no reason we should have lost. None. That's on coaching and on failure to execute. I love our Warriors and have been faithful for 50 years. I just don't remember the last time -- if ever -- the team aggravated me THAT much. Failures like last Saturday's are the kinds that cause fans to lose fandom.

I tend to agree with Brother Johnny B, who brings up the Badgers as a role model. They are consistently well-coached and use three-star talent to go sometimes deep into the tournament. Will the Rodents ever win a Natty? Doubtful with the talent Greg Gard gets. But, would I trade their last 10 years for ours? Absolutely.

Some of the difference between us and the Rodents is lack of consistency. We've had three un-related coaches in 10 years. They've transitioned within their program once. To that end, we better hope Shaka is the real deal. Otherwise, the more instability we have, the harder it will be to climb the mountain back to where many                  older Warriors think we ought to be.

You are spot on. I agree with how you feel. It blew my mind that Shaka blew the game on Saturday. Ruined my weekend and shook my confidence in him as a coach. So far there aren't signs of our players being coached up like the Badgers. Expected Shaka to do so. Lewis played listless on Saturday, especially in the first half. He played like he didn't care. He had no fire. So far, it hurts to watch this team. They can't shoot and play with little energy.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Little energy? What team are you watching Stretch?