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A FUN 5 YEARS
PostPosted:Sun Jan 01, 2023 1:13 pm
by apaladin
First many thanks to CBR, his staff and players for giving us the last 5 years of exciting, enjoyable basketball and making Furman basketball relevant again. When that shot went in last March I feared that was not only the end of the season but the end of a great run. With losing AH and CG and possibly JS and MB, those fears were certainly warranted. As JS and MB eventually announced they would return, hopes again were back on the table. The mindset was we will turn heartbreak into a positive and motivation would be at an alltime high. That hasn’t happened. Then in the off season we continue to get reports on how hard the team is working, this player and that player is so much better yada yada yada so natuarally expectations were high again for the “run” to continue. Couldn’t wait for the season to start and see the improvement all the players had made not named Slawson or Bothwell. Unfortunately that improvement turned out to be negligible at best.The obvious huge problem is defense. We are not good at man to man defense. That is blatantly obvious and I know it irks CBR to no end. A good example yesterday is WCU had the ball at the baseline with 6 seconds on the shot clock. They throw in to the left of the foul circle. Player takes the ball dribbles around the top of the foul circle and down the opposite side of the foul lane and lays it in uncontested. Don’t know if our one on one defense ineptness is mental or physical but probably both. Losing 2 great 3 point shooters certainly hurts but is those same 2 players defense missed more? Certainly looks that way. Some more thoughts as I ramble on.
RECRUITING-CBR’s first 2 classes were nothing but stellar. It produced great dependable players, leaders, the mainstays of the program. The next 3 classes basically produced roll players and those roll players are now taking turns showing up game to game. CBR hit a homerun in his first venture into the transfer portal. His second venture has yet to produce but there is still time. I expect a player or 2 to move on. If that is the case CBR needs to hit the portal hard.
THE SEASON- Even tough we are 10-5 I think no one is currently pleased especially after yesterday’s debacle. All season I think most of us tried to ignore what we were seeing and tried to keep thinking things would get better and this player or that player was really going to step up. That has not happened. I think we are all tired of player x having a good game and said player disappearing the next game. Still a long way to go and still have a chance to turn it around but really see nothing to base that hope on. Optimism has turned to skepticism. Still hoping for a top half finish in the SoCon.
LAST 5 YEARS- It has been fun to receive so much positive publicity, rankings etc. Checking the daily rankings of kenpom and the ncaa net rankings and seeing Furman listed in the 50’s and 70’s has been exciting. We just dropped out of kenpoms top 100 for the first time in a long time. We have dropped out of the Net’s top 150. Looks like those days are behind us but it was a good ride.
FUTURE- After this season we will be left with no obvious stars, mainstays, leaders, go to players, whatever you want to call them, just basically roll players. Regardless of how this season plays out the foreseeable future does not look bright but things can change, but again the last 5 years were awesome to follow. Hoping CBR can do something but have no idea what that would be.It is what it is. Beat Citadel.
Re: A FUN 5 YEARS
PostPosted:Sun Jan 01, 2023 1:44 pm
by FUBeAR
Re: A FUN 5 YEARS
PostPosted:Sun Jan 01, 2023 2:29 pm
by Furmanoid
When you think about it, why did we expect to be better this year? Last year we improved because Hunter got more involved, Garrison was who he was supposed to be, Slawson improved a crazy amount. It was silly to think Slawson could just keep improving like that. Those other guys are gone and there was no reason to believe we had replacements who were as good as them, let alone better than them. So where was the improvement supposed to come from?
It turns out that Slawson is about the same, and we haven’t replaced the guys we lost. So we have regressed a little. All very predictable. I thought the conference would regress even more and leave us in good shape. Guess not.
Looks like we just aren’t athletic enough to play man to man. We don’t have the shooters to run our offense. So I guess we have to somehow get more athletic or just try to out score people. I guess we need to also somehow start shooting better.
I don’t know you do about the lackadaisical stuff.
The real bummer though, is thinking about next year.
Re: A FUN 5 YEARS
PostPosted:Sun Jan 01, 2023 2:31 pm
by Affirm
Although much of what has been said is true, I still think this is going to be a fun and special season. It has been "A FUN 5 YEARS", but I think after this season is over we'll be referring to "A FUN 6 YEARS".
Re: A FUN 5 YEARS
PostPosted:Sun Jan 01, 2023 4:01 pm
by apaladin
affirm wrote: ↑Sun Jan 01, 2023 2:31 pm
Although much of what has been said is true, I still think this is going to be a fun and special season. It has been "A FUN 5 YEARS", but I think after this season is over we'll be referring to "A FUN 6 YEARS".
I guess it depends on your definition of “fun” and “special”. If winning some games and losing some games is it then I agree!
Re: A FUN 5 YEARS
PostPosted:Sun Jan 01, 2023 8:01 pm
by Affirm
apaladin wrote: ↑Sun Jan 01, 2023 4:01 pm
affirm wrote: ↑Sun Jan 01, 2023 2:31 pm
Although much of what has been said is true, I still think this is going to be a fun and special season. It has been "A FUN 5 YEARS", but I think after this season is over we'll be referring to "A FUN 6 YEARS".
I guess it depends on your definition of “fun” and “special”. If winning some games and losing some games is it then I agree!
My definition of “fun” is winning some games and losing some games, as we have the last 5 years. My definition of “special” is winning the SoCon Tournament, which becomes “extra special” if we do not lose our coach.
Re: A FUN 5 YEARS
PostPosted:Mon Jan 02, 2023 10:28 am
by fu77fan
I would enjoy this season , because I expect a significant drop in performance next year when we lose Bothwell and Slawson.
Re: A FUN 5 YEARS
PostPosted:Mon Jan 02, 2023 11:07 am
by apaladin
fu77fan wrote: ↑Mon Jan 02, 2023 10:28 am
I would enjoy this season , because I expect a significant drop in performance next year when we lose Bothwell and Slawson.
Agree. In the past few years when we lost a really good player or two there was always another star or two ready to emerge. As of now, just don’t see anyone ready to be the mainstay next year, hope that changes.
Re: A FUN 5 YEARS
PostPosted:Mon Jan 02, 2023 2:48 pm
by DoomedDin1127
Respectfully, y’all are so negative.
Re: A FUN 5 YEARS
PostPosted:Mon Jan 02, 2023 3:35 pm
by Louis Tully
It’s like the Dr. Pepper Fansville commercial where the adults are freaking and the kid has perspective. Get a grip. Get a life.
Re: A FUN 5 YEARS
PostPosted:Mon Jan 02, 2023 5:06 pm
by FUBeAR
DoomedDin1127 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 02, 2023 2:48 pm
Respectfully, y’all are so negative.
What’s so negative about baked goods?
Re: A FUN 5 YEARS
PostPosted:Tue Jan 03, 2023 4:17 pm
by apaladin
Been replaced in bracketology by uncg. Really can’t argue with that.
Re: A FUN 5 YEARS
PostPosted:Tue Jan 03, 2023 4:49 pm
by Affirm
apaladin wrote: ↑Tue Jan 03, 2023 4:17 pm
Been replaced in bracketology by uncg. Really can’t argue with that.
Not relevant to who deserves to be there this year, but it can be noted that they have been in the bracket 4 times in the last 25 years (0 for Furman).
Re: A FUN 5 YEARS
PostPosted:Wed Jan 04, 2023 10:21 am
by Davemeister
We know what we have to do to make the bracket. The devil is in the details.
Re: A FUN 5 YEARS
PostPosted:Wed Jan 04, 2023 9:41 pm
by PaladinPower
apaladin wrote: ↑Sun Jan 01, 2023 1:13 pm
First many thanks to CBR, his staff and players for giving us the last 5 years of exciting, enjoyable basketball and making Furman basketball relevant again. When that shot went in last March I feared that was not only the end of the season but the end of a great run. With losing AH and CG and possibly JS and MB, those fears were certainly warranted. As JS and MB eventually announced they would return, hopes again were back on the table. The mindset was we will turn heartbreak into a positive and motivation would be at an alltime high. That hasn’t happened. Then in the off season we continue to get reports on how hard the team is working, this player and that player is so much better yada yada yada so natuarally expectations were high again for the “run” to continue. Couldn’t wait for the season to start and see the improvement all the players had made not named Slawson or Bothwell. Unfortunately that improvement turned out to be negligible at best.The obvious huge problem is defense. We are not good at man to man defense. That is blatantly obvious and I know it irks CBR to no end. A good example yesterday is WCU had the ball at the baseline with 6 seconds on the shot clock. They throw in to the left of the foul circle. Player takes the ball dribbles around the top of the foul circle and down the opposite side of the foul lane and lays it in uncontested. Don’t know if our one on one defense ineptness is mental or physical but probably both. Losing 2 great 3 point shooters certainly hurts but is those same 2 players defense missed more? Certainly looks that way. Some more thoughts as I ramble on.
RECRUITING-CBR’s first 2 classes were nothing but stellar. It produced great dependable players, leaders, the mainstays of the program. The next 3 classes basically produced roll players and those roll players are now taking turns showing up game to game. CBR hit a homerun in his first venture into the transfer portal. His second venture has yet to produce but there is still time. I expect a player or 2 to move on. If that is the case CBR needs to hit the portal hard.
THE SEASON- Even tough we are 10-5 I think no one is currently pleased especially after yesterday’s debacle. All season I think most of us tried to ignore what we were seeing and tried to keep thinking things would get better and this player or that player was really going to step up. That has not happened. I think we are all tired of player x having a good game and said player disappearing the next game. Still a long way to go and still have a chance to turn it around but really see nothing to base that hope on. Optimism has turned to skepticism. Still hoping for a top half finish in the SoCon.
LAST 5 YEARS- It has been fun to receive so much positive publicity, rankings etc. Checking the daily rankings of kenpom and the ncaa net rankings and seeing Furman listed in the 50’s and 70’s has been exciting. We just dropped out of kenpoms top 100 for the first time in a long time. We have dropped out of the Net’s top 150. Looks like those days are behind us but it was a good ride.
FUTURE- After this season we will be left with no obvious stars, mainstays, leaders, go to players, whatever you want to call them, just basically roll players. Regardless of how this season plays out the foreseeable future does not look bright but things can change, but again the last 5 years were awesome to follow. Hoping CBR can do something but have no idea what that would be.It is what it is. Beat Citadel.
Hang up your Furman gear, ap. Don’t come back cheering when this team continues to be great and soon cut down the nets in Asheville. See ya
