How can people be down on this bball team already?

[Modsquad24]

I don't get it, we lost to two top 20 teams in games where we stayed right with them and gave them all they wanted and beat a Kansas team that will be very good come March.  This is a good basketball team that we have and I don't know if people are scared becaue of past seasons or what, but this team will win 20 games this year and be a participant in the ncaa tournament again. Some of the so called hog fans seem to not be up to snuff on what they're talking about and often times come away with completely different things negative to say about the team when everyone on espn and everywhere wlse keeps saying we're good and we'll be a tourney team that competes for the west title, I often believe there are people on these boards that just wanna get a rise out of folks by saying we suck or something dumb like that, GHG!

Up next: Radford on Saturday, Nov. 26th 

[dzeppfan77]

I can say things about this team because it is literally the same players as last years and they are playing the same way. Making the same turnovers, attempting the same bad shots, NOT attempting the open shots but drive to the basket and turn it over. The offense looks totally lost in the half court game. I'm no expert but I watched nearly every game last year and the only improvement I've seen is Steven Hill becoming more aggressive. Will be a bubble buster at best.

[sg56]

Because everyone is still in football mode. 
Dontel,Hill and Thomas are better than last year and Ferguson and Townes didn't play much in the preseason. This tournament will make us better. We are getting a lot of positive exposure. I bet we are ranked by the time we enter SEC play...

[Modsquad24]

I guess this is a young board, we never quit one time and always hustled and had two top 20 teams on the ropes and I cantell you if every sec team played those 3 teams on consecutive days most would of went 0-3 instead of 1-2 with the exception of UK, LSU, Bama  and UF maybe.

[hogfan x]

Because everyone is still in football mode.
Dontel,Hill and Thomas are better than last year and Ferguson and Townes didn't play much in the preseason. This tournament will make us better. We are getting a lot of positive exposure. I bet we are ranked by the time we enter SEC play...
 
Well put.

[Net Hog]

We are down on this team b/c it looks like the same team from last year, just with a little more experience.

Sure we "hung" with UConn.  So what?  We "hung" with Illinois last year.

We play lazy defense for the most part.  We get steals b/c we have rangey guys on the team, but we fail to get back on D.

We stand around on offense and take poor shots.

The guys we have down low with the exception of Thomas, are not much of a factor physically.  Hill stands on his toes to block shots and get boards.  He doesn't jump.  He is slow.  Townes is soft down low.

We have nobody that can hit an outside shot.

I'm still gonna watch this year.  The SEC sucks this year so we should win more conference games than we did last year.

It's just painful basketball to watch.  Ugly, ugly games.

[mikeirwin]

Some people on this board don't form opinions as if last year and the year before and the year before didn't happen.
It's nice if you can just toss all that away but some of us can't. Until we see clear evidence of a change we will remain skeptical.
That game today was no different than typical SEC game against one of the better league teams they'll face in January and February. On a neutral floor Arkansas lost by double digits.
I'll warm up to this team when they beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa or LSU in Baton Rouge. I'd settle for Auburn at Auburn.

[nwarazfan]

Few SEC teams can match the athleticism, depth and skill of the 3 teams we just played.  KU might be young but their Fr are McD AA.  The 3 teams we played are great defensive teams which makes it tough on a team trying to learn and implement a new offense in games 2-4.  Patience is still needed just a little longer.  We are such a spoiled basketball fan base.  Our inside game has gotten better and their experience gained against this competition will pay off.  Few SEC teams are even close to the 3 we just played.

I guess Md getting to play Chaminade yesterday vs us playing KU made no difference in the last 5 minutes today.

[3kgthog]

This team has already beaten LSU in Baton Rouge even though one ref said we did and the other said we didn't.   

I'm beginning to look at it like this.  I think our big men should be able to do better against SEC teams that aren't so stingy on defense.  I don't see anyone in the SEC that can handle Brewer.  We should, barring the worst coaching job in history, win enough games to get a lower seed in the Big Dance.  While it won't be like the glory days, it will still be like kissing a new woman since we haven't been there in so long.  After that, I figure Stan will stock the cupboard with more talent than we've ever seen on the hill.  If Stan should get fired at some point then I have no worries that a new coach would at least have something to work with his first year. 

My point of view allows me to be happy about going to a postseason tournament as well as not being too gloom and doom about the future should something happen in terms of coaching.  I think I'll continue to feel this way until our two main liabilities (Ferguson and Modica) are gone.  I have convinced myself that this team will grow by leaps and bounds once we have 1) a PG that is simply a solid shooter and doesn't make stupid decisions and 2) a Modica replacement that actually knows what defense, shooting, and ballhandling are.  Once Modica and Ferguson are in the game, most true basketball skill goes right out the window.  When those two are on the floor we are getting two empty jerseys most of the time.  I know some, perhaps all, may not agree, but I have seen Dontell Jefferson turn into a totally different player while Ferguson and Modica are obvious weak links. 

[BigHog396]

A couple of things...  KU is weak, and just having McD AA's doesn't mean squat.  I seem to recall a recent Hog great being a McD AA, think his name was Olu.  Where o where will we find someone to replace that great McD AA.

As far as the post referring to needing a pure shooter... seems like we have all been saying that the entire time Heath has been here.  If he is such a great recruiter, why haven't we been able to get a SINGLE pure shooter on this team in Heath's 4th year?

Those of us scrutinizing the problems we see with the team are not necessarily anti-Heath, nor are we saying there can't be a turn-around.  What we are saying is, especially based on past experience with these same players, we are concerned about the same fundamental mistakes being made over and over.

[nwarazfan]

Having McD AA does mean squat.  I seem to recall that recent Hog great McD AA blowing out his knee at the end of his HS career and never being the same.  Has KU's McD AA's had to come back from major knee surgery?  They'll be in the NCAA T and would finish easily in the upper half of the SEC.

[BigHog396]

Having McD AA does mean squat. I seem to recall that recent Hog great McD AA blowing out his knee at the end of his HS career and never being the same. Has KU's McD AA's had to come back from major knee surgery? They'll be in the NCAA T and would finish easily in the upper half of the SEC.

So we are going to blame Olu's lack of understanding of the concept of "team" on him blowing his knee out?  Olu had considerable issues that were in no way affected by his knee being blown out.  The point was, KU had 3 McD AA's that were all freshmen.  If you are telling me you think most freshmen McD AA's are better than players that have been at a major D1 program for 3-4 years, give me a break.

[nwarazfan]

Sure they are better than some 3 or 4 year players. 

[abq]

This team has already beaten LSU in Baton Rouge even though one ref said we did and the other said we didn't.

I'm beginning to look at it like this. I think our big men should be able to do better against SEC teams that aren't so stingy on defense. I don't see anyone in the SEC that can handle Brewer. We should, barring the worst coaching job in history, win enough games to get a lower seed in the Big Dance. While it won't be like the glory days, it will still be like kissing a new woman since we haven't been there in so long. After that, I figure Stan will stock the cupboard with more talent than we've ever seen on the hill. If Stan should get fired at some point then I have no worries that a new coach would at least have something to work with his first year.

My point of view allows me to be happy about going to a postseason tournament as well as not being too gloom and doom about the future should something happen in terms of coaching. I think I'll continue to feel this way until our two main liabilities (Ferguson and Modica) are gone. I have convinced myself that this team will grow by leaps and bounds once we have 1) a PG that is simply a solid shooter and doesn't make stupid decisions and 2) a Modica replacement that actually knows what defense, shooting, and ballhandling are. Once Modica and Ferguson are in the game, most true basketball skill goes right out the window. When those two are on the floor we are getting two empty jerseys most of the time. I know some, perhaps all, may not agree, but I have seen Dontell Jefferson turn into a totally different player while Ferguson and Modica are obvious weak links.

Absolutely excellent post! I think you nailed how most of us are feeling.

[razorback903]

Considering the fact that we played three good teams in a span of about 66 hours I feel that we did very well.  We were were staying with MD up until about 5 minutes left.  Perhaps we just ran out of gas.  This will improve as the season goes on.

I'm out.

[rococco]

I think people are forgetting that we ARE installing a new offense and with this being only its 3rd or 4th real game it is not going to be ready yet, hell it looked like when we got tired we just reverted back into our tand-around-and-hope-something-hppens offense.

[abq]

I think people are forgetting that we ARE installing a new offense and with this being only its 3rd or 4th real game it is not going to be ready yet, hell it looked like when we got tired we just reverted back into our tand-around-and-hope-something-hppens offense.

I wonder if that kid in your avatar realizes that he'll never receive a hummer. Poor bastard.

[Razorback88]

I don't get it, we lost to two top 20 teams in games where we stayed right with them and gave them all they wanted and beat a Kansas team that will be very good come March. This is a good basketball team that we have and I don't know if people are scared becaue of past seasons or what, but this team will win 20 games this year and be a participant in the ncaa tournament again. Some of the so called hog fans seem to not be up to snuff on what they're talking about and often times come away with completely different things negative to say about the team when everyone on espn and everywhere wlse keeps saying we're good and we'll be a tourney team that competes for the west title, I often believe there are people on these boards that just wanna get a rise out of folks by saying we suck or something dumb like that, GHG!

Up next: Radford on Saturday, Nov. 26th

GREAT post.  We play in a tough tourney and compete, and the fans don't like it.  Maybe we should have done like last year and played Prairie View and Gardner Webb this week instead.  This tourney will make the team better.

[Bomis Hawg]

Maryland is a GOOD team.  UConn is a GREAT team.  Kansas is a step or two below Arkansas, right now.

It's good to see people are willing to give this team a chance.  Four games is a lot, i guess. 

This team is putting in a new offense.  Not completely new, but has some new parts.  I think Arkansas has about three potential good OOC games left.  Texas Tech and Souther Miss.  Rice isn't far behind.  Missouri?  Well, they aren't good.

This team will have bumps in the road.  I don't think its time to throw in the towel after losing (after hanging tough) to one of the best in the nation and a top 25 team.

But, sometimes if you can't say something negative, you can't say anything at all.

[silvertip]

I can see that the offense is different. I can also see that Modica doesn't get it. The ball is being whipped around nicely until Modica catches it. Just watch. Once Modica catches the ball, confusion sets in. I agree with an earlier post. I'll be releived when Modica & Ferguson are gone.

Also remember that Hunter will be coming back. He can add some offense.

One reason people think this is the "same team" as last year is that McCurdy, Hunter, & McGowan haven't played yet. Heath was trying to win these 3 tough games. For the rest of the preseason, these guys will get some work. It will make a difference if we can use McCurdy at PG & get the ball out of Eric's hands at crunch time.

In the 6 minutes McGowan played today, he looked like a stronger rebounder than most of our big men. So yeah, change is happening. All these people that think the season is decided after seeing 2 games are rather immature. I read one post here saying that Hunter won't do anything this year. Even though this genius hasn't seen him play yet. Some people need to grow up.

[abq]

It's funny how we all see different things during a game. On McGowan, I thought he played some piss poor defense and let folks underneath. However, I'm fairly pleased with the way things went overall. There are some good takes in this thread. Let's wait some, my take is things are getting better, I just don't understand why things went to hell in the second half. I would love some honest discussion about that from folks who understand basketball better than me and I'll be the first to admit I'm no basketball expert.

[WilsonHog]

I don't think it's as much about Razorback fans giving up on the basketball team as Razorback fans just being pissed off in general.  I suspect that if our football team was 7-3 or 8-2 right now, the tone about today's loss to Maryland would be completely different.

[_Collin1]

It's funny how we all see different things during a game. On McGowan, I thought he played some piss poor defense and let folks underneath. However, I'm fairly pleased with the way things went overall. There are some good takes in this thread. Let's wait some, my take is things are getting better, I just don't understand why things went to hell in the second half. I would love some honest discussion about that from folks who understand basketball better than me and I'll be the first to admit I'm no basketball expert.

Thought I would throw my 2 cents in as a guy who watches every Basketball game the Razorbacks play....  except when I went overseas last year and I listened to the LSU game at 4am over Yahoo Broadcast...

Here is my thoughts after the Maui Tourney.....
*Townes still has major lapses of hustle
*Steven Hill looks much much improved on the offensive side, and he changes everyones shot down low
*CRAP!!!!  Are we still giving up 3 alley oops per game?
*McCurdy is the Jefferson of 04-05
*Jefferson was much improved until today I realized he will NEVER SHOOT unless there is 15 seconds left and no time on the shot clack
*Where was Modica all week?? Still in 04-05 season?
*McGowan needs to hit the weights
*Including Portland St the other night, I have seen Thomas hustle more in 4 games than he did his entire Freshman Year

[weevilhogg]

I'd much rather us go 1-2 in maui than 3-0 against the Po-dunk 7th Grade girls in BWA.

I remember alot of folks getting up in arms about last years super duper cupcake schedule.   Well, now we've played a couple of big boys and say it will only help our kids out.   

[94 Hawg]

I don't think it's as much about Razorback fans giving up on the basketball team as Razorback fans just being pissed off in general. I suspect that if our football team was 7-3 or 8-2 right now, the tone about today's loss to Maryland would be completely different.

I certainly agree with that, winning fixes a lot of things. I think Maui will make us a better team, we were exposed in several areas, but  those are things that we can improve on. We should play with more confidence throughout the year. A little optimism is refreshing, especially after the football season we have had. It will be exciting to watch selection Sunday again in March.

Go Hogs!

[Dumb ole famrboy]

They run a Helter Skelter offense - with the only inside penetration coming off the dribble. They are slow in transition from defense to offense (and vice-versa) - taking perimeter shots when no one is under the basket. When there is inside penetration and pass back to the peremiter - it usually results in a turnover. They Don't set screens and what little ball movement exhibited in the half court is either a drive off the dribble or in an arc around the three point line. Its as if no one has any idea where to move on the court unless thay have the ball in their hands.

[BigoBoys]

I'm with you!  We'll be in the tournament this year