COLUMN: Four-point loss to KU didn't feel that close
- Thread starter ChrisMWilliams
- Start date
Somehow I don't think what little happened last night would blind a recruit to the fan support at Jack Trice or Hilton. Easy to fill the Phog when you're winning. Less easy when your team is struggling. And by struggling, I don't mean losing four games. I mean having a string of seasons with no post season. Wait a minute, that would be KU football. Don't even TRY to lecture us on fan support.
Questionable fan behavior...by their own fans Sure they'd point out if we booed our own guys, or threw things on the court in disgust with our play. But that's not what happened.
Listen, I'm not condoning it, but to suggest that questionable fan behavior not geared towards our players would have ANY impact on a recruit choosing us in nonsense.
First, I like the idea of Prohm competing for the same players as Self.
Second, I think the recruit would have his own feelings about the Hilton experience that would overshadow a little incident like this.
Third, you think we don't have things to say negatively about the bad fans at the Phog?
At no point did I think ISU was going to win last night, none, not once. Right now ISU is a solid NIT team...ISU is about 50 in the RPI and has zero wins against RPI top 50 and we are over halfway through the season.
NIT is very disappointing but when you have a chucker as one of your main options, a team that refuses to attempt to rebound on the offensive end and guys that don't seem to know how to play defense (both of those have carried over from Hoiberg era) you can't expect to win a ton of games unless you have a once in a generation player like Niang.
NIT is very disappointing but when you have a chucker as one of your main options, a team that refuses to attempt to rebound on the offensive end and guys that don't seem to know how to play defense (both of those have carried over from Hoiberg era) you can't expect to win a ton of games unless you have a once in a generation player like Niang.
The ole "shame on the fans for leaving early" crowd cracks me up. Last time I checked they purchased the ticket to go to the game and are free to come and go as they please. Sure you hope every fan at the game cheers and stays until the end but the fact that people left early doesn't affect the players or their chance to win at all. It's just a silly stupid argument.
I would argue that effort wasn't the issue, elite talent -- in the form of size, speed and hops - was. NWB, Monte, Naz, Matt, D-Jack -- these guys were playing hard; they hung in with the #2 team in the country even after missing their first 8 3's.
I saw a lot of guys playing hard but getting killed in the paint.
After giving up 50+ points in the paint the last 2 games, how low must the coaches' opinions of Holden and Carter be to not give them a single minute of PT?!
I've been with ISU fans in a number of arenas. In general, they are well-behaved and pretty positive. I'm not happy about reports of objects being thrown and that reffing crew didn't swing that game in either team's favor.
I've also heard announcers and refs say good things about ISU's fans so let's hope we don't see a lot of this.
Couple of thoughts:
If the team is struggling, it must be disheartening for then to see that the fans have given up on them.
The steady stream of people standing up, putting on their coats, saying their goodbyes, filing down the stairs makes it VERY difficult for the fans who are remaining to even see the court. And when you're short like me and sit by the aisle, it means I can't see the court even when standing, and I'm forced to watch it on the jumbo tron. I paid for my seat too...and I didn't pay to watch the game on a screen because people can't carry their coats down to the concourse to put them on, or insist on leaving from the middle of the row without waiting for a time out or break in the action.
Point being: there's two sides to every story.
This team is not an NIT team. It is an NCAA tournament team. We have pushed 3 top ten teams to the brink so far this year. I knew the loss of Niang would be rough, but with all of the seniors, I thought we could still push for a 4 or 5 seed. Right now we are projected at a 7. We just need to win the games we are supposed to, and get over the hump against a couple of the better teams in conference like Baylor at home and WVU at home and we will be just fine. Sure I'm a little disappointed, but in my opinion, there is very little chance we fall to the NIT.
The announcers pointed it out on TV last night. I don't think it affects the game whatsoever, but I don't understand the mindset. Will you turn into a pumpkin if you don't get home by 10:30? 10:25 is fine, but . . .
I didn't go to the game last night, so I don't have a lot of room to talk. But I was raised to finish what you started. Whether that be your dinner plate, a game, or just about anything in life.
The thing this years team lack compared to Fred's teams is a guy who can shoulder the load and get their own shot when things are struggling. Last night there were tons of times KU lead by 7 or 8, we'd score, get a stop and then with them up 4 or 5, we'd take an awful shot or turn the ball over, totally throw away any chance at momentum, that was essentially the entire second half.
In the past, we obviously had a guy like Georges but we also had a coach who specialized on that end of the floor, even prior to Georges, Fred was a coach who could always get you in to a really good play when you needed it. We dont have the go to guy or the offensive mind we are used to. You can tell by this teams lack of focus or discipline in crunch time that they haven't figured out how to win without Georges or Fred.
I'm not bashing Prohm but it's pretty hard to figure out why a team who plays 6 seniors (one an AA PG)can struggle so much at the end of games, if we were even .500 in close games, we'd be a top 25 team and a tourney lock. As of now, on paper this is still an NCAA tourney but I'm not sure they pass the eye test. We'll have to win 3 road games, I'm not sure there are three road wins on the schedule.
In the past, we obviously had a guy like Georges but we also had a coach who specialized on that end of the floor, even prior to Georges, Fred was a coach who could always get you in to a really good play when you needed it. We dont have the go to guy or the offensive mind we are used to. You can tell by this teams lack of focus or discipline in crunch time that they haven't figured out how to win without Georges or Fred.
I'm not bashing Prohm but it's pretty hard to figure out why a team who plays 6 seniors (one an AA PG)can struggle so much at the end of games, if we were even .500 in close games, we'd be a top 25 team and a tourney lock. As of now, on paper this is still an NCAA tourney but I'm not sure they pass the eye test. We'll have to win 3 road games, I'm not sure there are three road wins on the schedule.
It's hard to watch this team in the halfcourt. Then you have Frascilla piling on during the broadcast. Not the best advertising during a prime time game.
I'm still confident in Prohm. I think he's making a best out of a tough situation with personnel. I just expected better x's and o's to maximize this groups skill set.
I'm still confident in Prohm. I think he's making a best out of a tough situation with personnel. I just expected better x's and o's to maximize this groups skill set.
I agree, but Oklahoma and Texas are not even close to what they have been, and TT seems to be going straight down the gutter. K-State always worries me over there, but we certainly have more talent than they do but we would have to play well to win over there.
