Emotional high

[75unlgrad]

I am still on an emotional high as I consider all the new talent that is joining our team this year. I am 69 years old and have followed Husker basketball for most of my life. I enjoyed the Danny Nee years and didn't realize that it would be 40 years before we had the talent to challenge for a conference title. All I had was 'hope' that somehow, someway things would change. 'Thank You' Lincoln for building the Pinnacle and 'thank you' Moos for hiring Hoiberg and Matt. I think this incoming group of players can become the 'core' or 'nucleus' of a team capable of finishing in the top 1/3 of the conference. We need to add another recruiting class of 3-5 players similar in quality to this year's class of recruits and transfers (I like the list of visitors coming in June). Anyway, the only point I am trying to make is that for a long-time fan, I think 'hope' has finally arrived. ON PAPER, we have real reasons to be optimistic about our future. Add another quality recruiting class to this one and 'hope' might become 'reality.' I'm pumped up and haven't felt this good in a long time.

[basketballjones]

2 minutes ago, 75unlgrad said:

ON PAPER, we have real reasons to be optimistic about our future. Add another quality recruiting class to this one and 'hope' might become 'reality.' I'm pumped up and haven't felt this good in a long time.

Agreed. Probably best on paper roster we've had outside of Miles' two best teams. And even those rosters had some serious holes and depth issues. 

[millerhusker]

2 hours ago, basketballjones said:

Agreed. Probably best on paper roster we've had outside of Miles' two best teams. And even those rosters had some serious holes and depth issues. 

That 2017-18 team, on paper, had us really excited. 

G - Glynn Watson (Jr) - He had stretches during his Soph. year when he looked like the best pg in the conference. 4-star, top 75 recruit

G - James Palmer (Jr) - Former 4-star, top 100 recruit

G - Anton Gill (Sr) - Former 4-star, top 50 recruit.  Contributor on very good Louisville teams.

G - Evan Taylor (Sr) - Elite perimeter defender and leader

F - Isaiah Roby (Soph) - 4-star recruit with NBA potential 

F - Isaiah Copeland (Jr) - Former 5 star recruit who produced at Georgetown.

C - Jordy Tshimanga (Soph) - Former top 150 recruit coming off a very promising freshman season.

C - Duby Okeke (Sr.) - Grad transfer, finally got the rim protector we thought we needed. 

 

That's a solid 9-man rotation. There's NCAA tourney experience and guys who had proven themselves at this level. There's size, length, offense, defense, rebounding, shot creators, etc. 

Edited April 19, 2021 by millerhusker

[basketballjones]

7 minutes ago, millerhusker said:

That 2017-18 team, on paper, had us really excited. 

G - Glynn Watson (Jr) - He had stretches during his Soph. year when he looked like the best pg in the conference. 4-star, top 75 recruit

G - James Palmer (Jr) - Former 4-star, top 100 recruit

G - Anton Gill (Sr) - Former 4-star, top 50 recruit.  Contributor on very good Louisville teams.

G - Evan Taylor (Sr) - Elite perimeter defender and leader

F - Isaiah Roby (Soph) - 4-star recruit with NBA potential 

F - Isaiah Copeland (Jr) - Former 5 star recruit who produced at Georgetown.

C - Jordy Tshimanga (Soph) - Former top 150 recruit coming off a very promising freshman season.

C - Duby Okeke (Sr.) - Grad transfer, finally got the rim protector we thought we needed. 

 

That's a solid 9-man rotation. There's NCAA tourney experience and guys who had proven themselves at this level. There's size, length, offense, defense, rebounding, shot creators, etc. 

I would even argue the team that returned from the first round exit against Baylor was an even a better team. Maybe not from a "on paper" talent perspective... but they're easily one of the most disappointing Husker teams of all time. 

[Dean Smith]

32 minutes ago, millerhusker said:

That 2017-18 team, on paper, had us really excited. 

G - Glynn Watson (Jr) - He had stretches during his Soph. year when he looked like the best pg in the conference. 4-star, top 75 recruit

G - James Palmer (Jr) - Former 4-star, top 100 recruit

G - Anton Gill (Sr) - Former 4-star, top 50 recruit.  Contributor on very good Louisville teams.

G - Evan Taylor (Sr) - Elite perimeter defender and leader

F - Isaiah Roby (Soph) - 4-star recruit with NBA potential 

F - Isaiah Copeland (Jr) - Former 5 star recruit who produced at Georgetown.

C - Jordy Tshimanga (Soph) - Former top 150 recruit coming off a very promising freshman season.

C - Duby Okeke (Sr.) - Grad transfer, finally got the rim protector we thought we needed. 

 

That's a solid 9-man rotation. There's NCAA tourney experience and guys who had proven themselves at this level. There's size, length, offense, defense, rebounding, shot creators, etc. 

Yes I am old enough to have watched Nee's teams and they were entertaining but was my favorite Nebraska team to watch and root for. How does a 4 seed in the Big 10 tournament not make the dance? 

[Norm Peterson]

We have had a ton of good news the last few weeks but we probably need to all pump the brakes a bit on expectations.

 

While I have been among the many who have been blown away by what we've somehow managed to put together during this off season, it should be noted ...

 

We will still be VERY YOUNG next year. They don't say "get old and stay old" to succeed in basketball for nothing.

 

Sure, most of those freshmen will be "seasoned freshmen." But given the relative inexperience of the roster overall, it's probably best to assume we're still a year away.

 

We should be a lot better in year 3 than we were in year 2, but we could improve a ton year over year this coming season and still not be very good.

[Red Rum]

This is basically how I feel about all the seemingly positive news coming this offseason. 

 

[kldm64]

17 hours ago, Norm Peterson said:

We have had a ton of good news the last few weeks but we probably need to all pump the brakes a bit on expectations.

 

While I have been among the many who have been blown away by what we've somehow managed to put together during this off season, it should be noted ...

 

We will still be VERY YOUNG next year. They don't say "get old and stay old" to succeed in basketball for nothing.

 

Sure, most of those freshmen will be "seasoned freshmen." But given the relative inexperience of the roster overall, it's probably best to assume we're still a year away.

 

We should be a lot better in year 3 than we were in year 2, but we could improve a ton year over year this coming season and still not be very good.

 

I have to disagree as I don't think we need to pump the brakes on expectations.  When you start lower expectations, that is ultimately what you become.  I'm sure Coach Hoiberg has high expectations going into next season and goal is to win every game.  I've been a die-hard NU basketball fan my entire life and so tired fan base in the state of Nebraska only caring about football and having no expectations for the basketball program.  We built a new practice facility, built Pinnacle Bank Arena, and hired a top notch nationally known basketball coach.  It's time to have higher expectations.

[hhcmatt]

Comparison is the thief of joy

[hugh42]

3 minutes ago, hhcmatt said:

Comparison is the thief of joy

 

Only when you compare to teams that underachieved.

[Norm Peterson]

1 hour ago, kldm64 said:

 

I have to disagree as I don't think we need to pump the brakes on expectations.  When you start lower expectations, that is ultimately what you become.  I'm sure Coach Hoiberg has high expectations going into next season and goal is to win every game.  I've been a die-hard NU basketball fan my entire life and so tired fan base in the state of Nebraska only caring about football and having no expectations for the basketball program.  We built a new practice facility, built Pinnacle Bank Arena, and hired a top notch nationally known basketball coach.  It's time to have higher expectations.

 

So, if next year is a 30 game season, what's your expectation for wins? What's your expectation for how we'll finish in conference?

[kldm64]

1 minute ago, Norm Peterson said:

 

So, if next year is a 30 game season, what's your expectation for wins? What's your expectation for how we'll finish in conference?

 

So total number of wins depends on the non-conference schedule which we haven't seen yet.  With the core group we have coming back, I would think we can get to 20 wins and finish in the top half of the conference.

[atskooc]

2 hours ago, kldm64 said:

 

I have to disagree as I don't think we need to pump the brakes on expectations.  When you start lower expectations, that is ultimately what you become.  I'm sure Coach Hoiberg has high expectations going into next season and goal is to win every game.  I've been a die-hard NU basketball fan my entire life and so tired fan base in the state of Nebraska only caring about football and having no expectations for the basketball program.  We built a new practice facility, built Pinnacle Bank Arena, and hired a top notch nationally known basketball coach.  It's time to have higher expectations.

Except fan expectations don't have anything to do with the success of the team.

 

Yes, it is important for those within the program to have high expectations. But if you, Norm, or I (or anyone else here) think we're going to stink out loud, how is that going to change the program in any way?

 

Big time donors? Sure, they've got some influence in the program. But a bunch of us sitting behind our Ebay screens aren't going to change the direction of the program. If we could, the program woulud have won a heck of a lot more games up to this point.

[kldm64]

20 hours ago, atskooc said:

Except fan expectations don't have anything to do with the success of the team.

 

Yes, it is important for those within the program to have high expectations. But if you, Norm, or I (or anyone else here) think we're going to stink out loud, how is that going to change the program in any way?

 

Big time donors? Sure, they've got some influence in the program. But a bunch of us sitting behind our Ebay screens aren't going to change the direction of the program. If we could, the program woulud have won a heck of a lot more games up to this point.

 

I totally get your point but that is not entirely true.  If fans in this state have low expectations already going into this season and you start to lose a few games, most your "fair weather" fans will jump off the bandwagon fairly quickly and quite attending games.  Then your arena will only be half full with no atmosphere, not as much fun to attend games, and fans will post negative comments on social media about the team.  It can have kind of a snowball effect.  Did you ever think you would see it in football but you are now seeing the fans/media lowering expectations to where it's a good season to even make a bowl game.  Fans are posting negative comments about the team and coaches.  I understand what you are saying but it can have a negative effect if fans don't have any expectations and suddenly nobody cares and your program can become irrelevant.

[atskooc]

8 minutes ago, kldm64 said:

 

I totally get your point but that is not entirely true.  If fans in this state have low expectations already going into this season and you start to lose a few games, most your "fair weather" fans will jump off the bandwagon fairly quickly and quite attending games.  Then your arena will only be half full with no atmosphere, not as much fun to attend games, and fans will post negative comments on social media about the team.  It can have kind of a snowball effect.  Did you ever think you would see it in football but you are now seeing the fans/media lowering expectations to where it's a good season to even make a bowl game.  Fans are posting negative comments about the team and coaches.  I understand what you are saying but it can have a negative effect if fans don't have any expectations and suddenly nobody cares and your program can become irrelevant.

What you’re talking about goes deeper than just expectations. Expectations are thoughts. If I think/expect the team to be good or bad, it won’t change anything with the team. 
 

Everything you’re talking about deals with actions. If I act on those expectations, then I can have a minimal effect on the team. 
 

Splitting hairs, I know.