The good, bad, and ugly

[kldm64]

That was the most disappointing game of the season for me so far.  It was very sad that this team (or at least most of them) chose not to compete for the first 25 minutes of the game.  I really like the fact that Miles is calling his team out and challenging them instead of just letting this season go and looking towards the future.  We were a very thin roster to start with and now with the injury bug, it's even more thin.  On the bright side, it's amazing we are even being able to compete against some of these teams with the current roster we have. 

 

Parker - should be playing at a mid-major school

Ubel - very solid role player

Almeida - not athletic enough to hang with the quicker and more athletic big men

Shields - only knock on him that he's a freshman and learning.  Better than I expected him to be

Gallegos - quick leaper but way to inconsistant with his shooting

Talley - has become selfish with the ball and forces some very bad shots

Rivers - Jury is still out on how good he can be. 

 

Those are the main players who get the bulk of the minutes.  Nobody expected much from this team this year and I was no exception to that.  Most coaches can handle losing if he feels like his team gave an effort.  This team has a small margin of error in order to get wins.  It's just very frustrating to me to see them not compete to the level they seemed to against tougher competition.  With that being said, I'll still be at every home game and pulling for this group to succeed and try to still have some feel good moments this season.

[PimpMario]

I think one of the biggest problems is not the quality of the players but the quantity of the players.  When a walkon who hasn't played much was your second leading scorer you are in trouble.

 

If we had JBD this team would be better just based on the rest some of the other guys could get.

[Norm Peterson]

I'm not sure I would say Talley has become selfish with the ball so much as he might think that if he doesn't do it, it's not going to happen.  And when it comes to this team shooting the basketball, he'd be pretty much right.

[Norm Peterson]

Good:  The way Coach Miles responded to the game.  When the officials blew a first half call right before an official timeout (the under 12 timeout?) and the ball went off the Purdue player's knee and out of bounds, Miles went after the two officials.  That call I think came just after another what I thought was a blown call on a foul but I can't remember the call.  Maybe a clean block that was called a foul?  Anyway, Miles is not treating this season as a throwaway season.  He's not treating it as a learning experience and just accepting that we're gonna lose a good share of these games.  He's competing as a coach.  And that shows in the way he worked the refs and didn't just blow off a bad call.

 

It also shows in the way Miles talks about the game and players afterwards.  He's not satisified with moral victories or playing ranked teams close or showing some moxi last night and cutting into a big lead.  He's setting the example that he wants to win.  Every game.  And I think that mindset is going to lay a foundation for the future that will be really beneficial to this team in the long term.

 

As a fan, I can be happy with the moral victory because it shows progress.  As a team, they can never be satisfied with a close loss or they'll end up being satisfied with a lot of losses.  So, I've been very pleased with how Miles is treating this year.  Very pleased.

[HB]

Good:  The way Coach Miles responded to the game.  When the officials blew a first half call right before an official timeout (the under 12 timeout?) and the ball went off the Purdue player's knee and out of bounds, Miles went after the two officials.  That call I think came just after another what I thought was a blown call on a foul but I can't remember the call.  Maybe a clean block that was called a foul?  Anyway, Miles is not treating this season as a throwaway season.  He's not treating it as a learning experience and just accepting that we're gonna lose a good share of these games.  He's competing as a coach. 

 

Norm, with regard to the foul call, I think it was the weak forearm shiver into Hammons' back call on Almeida, after Hammons' traveled into the contact, that you are thinking of.  Pitiful call from where I sat. 

[TheGov21]

Parker - should be playing at a mid-major school

Ubel - very solid role player

Almeida - not athletic enough to hang with the quicker and more athletic big men

Shields - only knock on him that he's a freshman and learning.  Better than I expected him to be

Gallegos - quick leaper but way to inconsistant with his shooting

Talley - has become selfish with the ball and forces some very bad shots

Rivers - Jury is still out on how good he can be. 

 

I kinda disagree with you on Parker.  I do think he's struggling, but I attribute it to him in a rut.  I think he can develop into a very solid backup PG over the next seveal years. 

 

Also, Talley IMO is forcing and may being too selfish, but I think that's what he's been asked to do.  I'm guessing Miles has told him to be agressive and not afraid to shoot.  But Talley has struggled to realize what is a good shot and what is being forced.

 

But those are just my opinions.

[Norm Peterson]

Good:  The way Coach Miles responded to the game.  When the officials blew a first half call right before an official timeout (the under 12 timeout?) and the ball went off the Purdue player's knee and out of bounds, Miles went after the two officials.  That call I think came just after another what I thought was a blown call on a foul but I can't remember the call.  Maybe a clean block that was called a foul?  Anyway, Miles is not treating this season as a throwaway season.  He's not treating it as a learning experience and just accepting that we're gonna lose a good share of these games.  He's competing as a coach. 

 

Norm, with regard to the foul call, I think it was the weak forearm shiver into Hammons' back call on Almeida, after Hammons' traveled into the contact, that you are thinking of.  Pitiful call from where I sat. 

That was it.  That was a pitiful call.  There weren't a ton of them but that was certainly one.

[FredsSlacks]

Parker - should be playing at a mid-major school

Ubel - very solid role player

Almeida - not athletic enough to hang with the quicker and more athletic big men

Shields - only knock on him that he's a freshman and learning.  Better than I expected him to be

Gallegos - quick leaper but way to inconsistant with his shooting

Talley - has become selfish with the ball and forces some very bad shots

Rivers - Jury is still out on how good he can be. 

 

I kinda disagree with you on Parker.  I do think he's struggling, but I attribute it to him in a rut.  I think he can develop into a very solid backup PG over the next seveal years. 

 

Also, Talley IMO is forcing and may being too selfish, but I think that's what he's been asked to do.  I'm guessing Miles has told him to be agressive and not afraid to shoot.  But Talley has struggled to realize what is a good shot and what is being forced.

 

But those are just my opinions.

parker's numbers this season per game:

pts reb ast  min  fg%   3pt   FT%

3.2 1.5 2.4 24.3 37.5 22.2 72.2

 

I think that parker won't be around long unless he is ok with backing up Biggs and Webster for the next 2 years.

[Silverbacked1]

Yep,  Let's just back up the moving van and get him the hell out of here, he sucks.

 

I think he has just hit the wall, but what do I know.

 

Look at Rivers numbers and play.  Have they gotten better this year?

 

Don't give up on a kid this early.  At the end of the season he will sit down with the coaches and they will figure out what is best for both him and the team.

 

Just hate to see a Freshman who is a bit undersized be kind of  thrown under the bus so much.

 

(Jumps off of soap box and quickly walks down the street)

[tcp]

Yep,  Let's just back up the moving van and get him the hell out of here, he sucks.

 

I think he has just hit the wall, but what do I know.

 

Look at Rivers numbers and play.  Have they gotten better this year?

 

Don't give up on a kid this early.  At the end of the season he will sit down with the coaches and they will figure out what is best for both him and the team.

 

Just hate to see a Freshman who is a bit undersized be kind of  thrown under the bus so much.

 

(Jumps off of soap box and quickly walks down the street)

 

I agree that it's too early to be tossing Benny to the barracudas. Look at Rivers from last year, and Gallegos from two years ago. It might not work out, but for freshmen, it's wise to give it a little time. Shavon's emergence is wonderful, but it is unusual as well.

[colhusker]

Count me as one that thinks Benny is a bit overwhelmed right now.  Agree with others saying the speed of the game has got him in a funk.

[FredsSlacks]

Not saying he won't get better, but I think it's possible he leaves on his own. Is he going to want to play behind biggs and webster?

[hhcmatt]

As far as his confidence goes, Parker looks like 2011 Ray Gallegos right now.

 

 

He needs some health, practice, strength, and confidence.  

I don't think he'll be the star of the team but he can definitely be a contributor.

[uneblinstu]

Not saying he won't get better, but I think it's possible he leaves on his own. Is he going to want to play behind biggs and webster?

I don't think it's a given that both those guys play the point.

[bkamler]

Parker absolutely refuses to penetrate which will disrupt the defense and create good close in shots and wide open three's. other than shields and occasionally talley no one drives on our team. Twice in the first half Parker was one on one with an open lane to the basket for a right handed dribbler and he dribbles once or twice and makes a meaningless pass. He would be better in a fast paced run and gun offense.

[lang]

Folks seriously, ever since the Barry Collier  era began we have pretty much had no business being on the floor with any kind of a good team within our conference.   We were sometimes competitive b/c we played our guts out or played a different style that gave people trouble while playing our guts out.   As kdlm64 points out in the OP, this is perhaps the most challenged roster yet.  And yet people act like we should be winning games ?   Now don't get me wrong, I want the coach and team to fight to the death and not concede a thing.  

 

On a slightly different topic, but related in this case.....I rarely buy the notion that a team wasn't playing hard or didn't come ready to play.   It's such a lame, shallow thing to say or think IMHO most of the time.   People are saying that about last night for example.  I haven't heard everything coach has said about the game and I know he wasn't happy about some things and was going to really make them work today.   All that aside, I think it's just as logical to conclude that the game got away from us and at that point the team went into ultra-desperation mode and some things worked out and we got back into the game.  This, despite our roster overall talent, despite missing Ubel, despite now really really tired guys b/c of how few are getting playing time.   We took some chances, played our guts out and got back into the thing.   Let's not forget the boost from Jordan.   All I am saying is we've got to have a ton of things go right for us to JUST BE IN THE GAME against most anybody in our league at this point.  Just b/c you "want it more", it doesn't mean automatically that you will get... calls your way, shots to fall, overcome injuries, overcome a challenged roster etc etc.

[Norm Peterson]

Nice post, Lang.  You don't post often, but when you do ...

[Silverbacked1]

There long...  

 

 

 

 

I kid, I kid. :D

[49r]

Nice post, Lang.  You don't post often, but when you do ...

 

...he drinks Dos Equis?

 

Stay thirsty my friend.

[hhcmatt]

On a slightly different topic, but related in this case.....I rarely buy the notion that a team wasn't playing hard or didn't come ready to play.   It's such a lame, shallow thing to say or think IMHO most of the time.  

 

That's the message Miles sent. Purdue was getting want they wanted on offense.  He called a time out before letting Purdue run out the clock to illustrate the point to the team.

 

I listen to all the post games shows on the way back from home games.  It was the first time I heard Miles sounding disgusted.

He decided to practice the next day after previously planning on a day off.

 

Yeah we had a great comeback to get back into the game....after we basically let a offensively challenged Purdue team score at will.  

Talent level is not an excuse for lack of execution.  

A raise in talent level at Nebraska without execution is the difference between a blowout today and a upset tomorrow.

[uneblinstu]

Look for as good an effort as we've seen all year tomorrow.

[hugh42]

On a slightly different topic, but related in this case.....I rarely buy the notion that a team wasn't playing hard or didn't come ready to play.   It's such a lame, shallow thing to say or think IMHO most of the time.  

 

That's the message Miles sent. Purdue was getting want they wanted on offense.  He called a time out before letting Purdue run out the clock to illustrate the point to the team.

 

I listen to all the post games shows on the way back from home games.  It was the first time I heard Miles sounding disgusted.

 

Miles didn't look too happy during the post game interview with the media:  http://nebraska.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1461079

[lang]

Look for as good an effort as we've seen all year tomorrow.

 

I hope like heck you are right.  I'm guessing Penn State is thinking the same thing.  But, let's say we play our guts out tomorrow and we just can't shoot it in there to save our lives and Shavon gets some cheap quirky fouls called on him and is a non factor and some guy the scout says "can't shoot a lick" so we decide to take our chances and sag off him big time in order to help inside b/c we are playing our small line up and he nails 3 key treys at various crucial points in the game and the game gets away and we end up losing by 20.  The analysis will be fun after that. 

 

Miles is certainly giving all he's got ( thanks for posting that Hugh ) and I tend to think the team is to.   Coach is not conceding anything and I really appreciate that fight.

[AuroranHusker]

Good:  The way Coach Miles responded to the game.  When the officials blew a first half call right before an official timeout (the under 12 timeout?) and the ball went off the Purdue player's knee and out of bounds, Miles went after the two officials.  That call I think came just after another what I thought was a blown call on a foul but I can't remember the call.  Maybe a clean block that was called a foul?  Anyway, Miles is not treating this season as a throwaway season.  He's not treating it as a learning experience and just accepting that we're gonna lose a good share of these games.  He's competing as a coach. 

 

Norm, with regard to the foul call, I think it was the weak forearm shiver into Hammons' back call on Almeida, after Hammons' traveled into the contact, that you are thinking of.  Pitiful call from where I sat. 

That was it.  That was a pitiful call.  There weren't a ton of them but that was certainly one.

The 3 triples by D.J. of Purdue really cost NU a shot at the end.  Tough to lose at home playing so poorly for so long!

 

Wish the Huskers had fought for an entire 40 minutes, instead of letting the 'Boilers dictate the game in 1st half.  

 

Almeida needs to be a presence on the interior if he's going to be effective at all.

 

Talley isn't turning it over (thankfully), but he needs to set up other players better to be able to be a better option as a point-forward threat.

[uneblinstu]

Look for as good an effort as we've seen all year tomorrow.

 

I hope like heck you are right.  I'm guessing Penn State is thinking the same thing.  But, let's say we play our guts out tomorrow and we just can't shoot it in there to save our lives and Shavon gets some cheap quirky fouls called on him and is a non factor and some guy the scout says "can't shoot a lick" so we decide to take our chances and sag off him big time in order to help inside b/c we are playing our small line up and he nails 3 key treys at various crucial points in the game and the game gets away and we end up losing by 20.  The analysis will be fun after that. 

 

Miles is certainly giving all he's got ( thanks for posting that Hugh ) and I tend to think the team is to.   Coach is not conceding anything and I really appreciate that fight.

Little bit of a slow start, but hasn't really been an issue since.