A Glass Half Full Post From An Old Friend

[hhcdave]

First of all, a continued THANK YOU to HHCDIMES for running this place and making it better than ever over the last three years. It's still the premiere fan site for NCAA basketball on the entire Internet, hands down, and it's for NEBRASKA BASKETBALL, which is the most amazing part about it.

 

I don't chime in very often anymore, and I'm often times guilty of being fired up/upset when I do post. That's why I thought I should chime in tonight for a change.

 

After the St Johns game, I was 99% done with Tim Miles - I'll admit it. I was "up to here" with losing by 20 to mediocre teams on the road - "up to here" with key players transferring or leaving the program early - and "up to here" with coaches leaving and only one post-season appearance.

 

HOWEVER.......... over the last month........ a strange thing has happened.

 

I now believe again.

 

No, seriously, I really do.

 

This team looks the part of a 5th or 6th seed in an admittedly down Big 10, but a Power 5 conference nonetheless.

They will enter Big 10 play 10-5 (1-1) and win nine more conference games, for final marks of 19-12 (10-8).

 

Yes, I have them at 19-12 (10-8), meaning two wins in the Big 10 tournament will get you into the dance, and one will get you "on the bubble" Selection Sunday.

To this point, we are ONE WIN OFF where we need to be to be on target for the NCAA's. We don't have a key out of conference road or neutral site win, with KU our last chance at an IMPRESSIVE nonconference win.

 

Still, we're only one game off the pace, and could VERY EASILY land in the Tournament this year.

The athleticism and depth is the best its been in years. The team has a great chance to be HEALTHY headed into Big 10 play, with a full week off before KU then three patsies. Our team really should be 100% health (or as close as you can be to it) with Michigan State completely out of the way and only one more tough tough Big 10 road game (At Minnesota). I think the league is really down.

That is also good because our nonconference schedule will make EVERY GAME (outside of Kansas) feel winable from here on out. In league, every game will seem like playing Boston College or below, since we have MSU out of the way and played such a killer schedule to prepare us for league.

In short, the schedule sets up VERY NICELY for a run - the team appears to have a great chance to be HEALTHY - and the players have a LOT OF POSITIVE TRAJECTORY. I see Jordy, Roby, Allen, Copeland and Watson all getting much better as the year goes on.

 

GBR!!! Keep the faith - and to Coach Miles, I'll be the first to admit I was wrong about you if you can take this team to the NCAA's.

 

I do think NIT is 90% with this team - floor is 7-11 in league.

Dave

[REDZONEDAN]

I felt the exact same way after that St. John’s game, where I was done with Miles.  But my feelings have changed since then.  I truly believe we have a legit chance to finish in the top 6 of a down Big Ten, maybe even top 4. I’m going to cheer for this team and hope some good things will happen. Even though I’m pissed we lost to Creighton today, I was happy with how we played. If we can get Jordy to start playing how he played late last year, I think we have a chance to be a pretty damn good team.

[Red Don]

13 hours ago, hhcdave said:

After the St Johns game, I was 99% done with Tim Miles - I'll admit it. I was "up to here" with losing by 20 to mediocre teams on the road - "up to here" with key players transferring or leaving the program early - and "up to here" with coaches leaving and only one post-season appearance.

 

HOWEVER.......... over the last month........ a strange thing has happened.

 

I now believe again.

Dave

 

How Strange, but I also experience the same gauntlet of emotions; But maybe over a somewhat lesser period of time  - - Like every game! 

 

But, I also now believe!  I think we are well within the reach of 20+ wins; and a return to the Dance! 

 

 

 

13 hours ago, hhcdave said:

First of all, a continued THANK YOU to HHCDIMES for running this place and making it better than ever over the last three years. It's still the premiere fan site for NCAA basketball on the entire Internet, hands down, and it's for NEBRASKA BASKETBALL, which is the most amazing part about it.

 

Oh, and as to the Above: 

 

 

Edited December 10, 2017 by Red Don

[jimmykc]

Agree totally with you, Dave. The only thing which could push me back off the bandwagon is our (seemingly) annual letdown against a bona fide "cupcake" opponent. Barring major injury problems, this year's team seems to have enough pieces to be on the bubble at the end of the season. Hopefully we will at least be on the cameras on selection day. Being one of the NCAA "play in" teams would be nice.

[hal9000]

That seems more like a 'glass half full' post to me 

[hal9000]

8 hours ago, hhcdave said:

First of all, a continued THANK YOU to HHCDIMES for running this place and making it better than ever over the last three years. It's still the premiere fan site for NCAA basketball on the entire Internet, hands down, and it's for NEBRASKA BASKETBALL, which is the most amazing part about it.

 

Hear, hear! 

 

Thanks to both Dave for starting this site, and Dimes for making it what it is today.   

[hhcdave]

Duh. The thread title was supposed to be "glass half full". I'm a moron. lol 

[huskerbaseball13]

I hope you’re right. Even with a loss yesterday we look far better than we did a month ago. That team who played at St John’s was brutal. I still worry about us not getting enough wins on the road...and IMO we need to find some sort of solution at the 5. A guy as big as Jordy should not be shooting 30% from the field. Roby needs more minutes(yesterday was due to foul trouble.)  If we can get some improvement at the five we should be in contention down the stretch I would hope. 

[HuskerFever]

1 hour ago, hhcdave said:

Duh. The thread title was supposed to be "glass half full". I'm a moron. lol 

 

It doesn't matter if the glass is half full or half empty. What matters is whether or not it's filled with hard liquor.

[hhcmatt]

4 hours ago, hhcdave said:

Duh. The thread title was supposed to be "glass half full". I'm a moron. lol 

 

That's not how I read it  

I hope we give you more reason to post this season