uneblinstu's postgame chatter: vol 14; ed 18 - at Purdue

[huskerbill85]

57 minutes ago, hhcdave said:

Honest question. Do we win another game this year? 
 

I’ll say 2 but only if Trey gets healthy. 

Hey 2 more wins would be Freds best season. Progress!

[aphilso1]

1 hour ago, brfrad said:

I would say we have 6 players that give all out effort a great majority of the time.  3 of them are hurt right now.  Keisei, Walker, Trey, Wilhelm, Wilcher, and Lakes.  

Disagree on Keisei. Dude gets complacent ball-watching way too often. Wilcher plays hard but is too small to guard bigs and too slow to stay with anyone else. So it’s almost like his effort level is irrelevant given his athletic shortcomings. That leaves Walker as the only able-bodied, healthy, effort guy. And that is why we stink. 

[Busch Light]

If we had every team in the country on our schedule, Purdue would be one of the top three worst matchups for us. Just a really, really good team and our kryptonite. Outside of the first 6 minutes or so, it went about how I thought it would. The foul trouble early really hampered us. 
 

Meh. This is one of those games where I’m not really upset. Just turn the page and get ready to fight. 
 

Sipple came out and hammered Fred in a column this week and all but called for his head on the radio. Outside of a two year spat with Eichorst, Sip isn’t writing anything that’s not in lockstep with what the athletic department wants. I mean Sipple basically waxed poetic on a 3-win football coach a few months ago. Trev is making a power play on Fred. It’s going to get interesting. 

[LNKtrnsplnt]

Someone mentioned being jealous of Purdue earlier and I completely echo those sentiments. But that is a BASKETBALL school. Crowd was full and very engaged. Was also very knowledgeable. Would love to be a basketball school like that. 

As far as guys coming back. Would love to see kt, 3j wilcher, WB, and especially Quran (qaran??) back. That dudes attitude on the bench has been so fun to watch. I just don’t see brothers McGowens or walker coming back, unfortunately. 
 

Is keon the most disappointing player this year?? Dude has been buried on the bench. Shot a horrible 3 today and really doesn’t bring anything except size to the table. If you look back to preseason posts on this board, many regulars thought he’d be starting by now. 

[HuskerFever]

42 minutes ago, Busch Light said:

Meh. This is one of those games where I’m not really upset. Just turn the page and get ready to fight. 

 

It's another thing to start out the game 16-2. Our team had a little fight in them (and I want to give some credit for that), but it's hard to tell how much of it was just Purdue laying off the gas pedal from time to time throughout the game.

 

This was an expected loss. And by ~20 points. It's not that this game went so poorly as much as it is this entire season playing the same song on repeat.

[FredsSlacks]

is edwards really that bad that he couldn't give us minutes at 3 so bryce could play the 2?

 

we desperately need more size on the wing.

 

it's crazy to me that fred has gone with the same lineup for the last month.

Edited January 15, 2022 by FredsSlacks

[TourneyBound]

Both halves I think we had 6 fouls in like the first 3-4 minutes. That’s just crazy to think about. Damn near in bonus at the first media break..  our only hope was our bigs not getting in fouls trouble but that obviously wasn’t what happened

[hhcscott]

4 hours ago, Ron Mexico said:

I have this rolling joke with my daughter where I say, "I can't even <fill in the blank>" when I get frustrated. She asked me how the game went and I said, "I can't even with this team anymore." She laughs every time. I needed to hear that laugh.

You know why the Huskers prefer the three to the two...because they just can't even.

[Nighthawk]

From the Journal Star article about the game.

 

"We kept fighting, kept battling. I didn't think it was an effort thing tonight," Hoiberg said. "We've got to clean up those two areas. The points off turnovers, we were really good early in the year in that, and when we lose, that's been a huge Achille's heel for us."

 

We should be way beyond the "We've got to clean up" point.  Clean up should have been taken care of at the start of the season. Right now all clean up consists of is to put makeup on a pig to try to make it look less like a pig. This team is way beyond the clean up point. It's at the six million dollar man moments after the crash rebuild point. 

[jimmykc]

If these same two teams play 100 times, we would be 0-100. That's all I have this morning. 

[throwback]

10 hours ago, Busch Light said:

Sipple came out and hammered Fred in a column this week and all but called for his head on the radio. Outside of a two year spat with Eichorst, Sip isn’t writing anything that’s not in lockstep with what the athletic department wants. I mean Sipple basically waxed poetic on a 3-win football coach a few months ago. Trev is making a power play on Fred. It’s going to get interesting. 

I think you're on to something here - I did not see Sip's column, but Shatel also had a column about Fred this week. I was surprised   1) that Shatel bothered to write solely about NU hoops without throwing in tons of horsesh*t about the bluebirds and   2) that it was somewhat critical of Fred, which was interesting. He gave Fred a significant chance to answer some questions about the direction of the program, and then basically dismissed his answers with this closing line.

 

Quote

Skepticism is growing. Husker fans will say they’ve seen this movie before. The ending is unhappy. And expensive.

 

https://omaha.com/sports/huskers/mens-basketball/shatel-fred-hoiberg-is-1-000-motivated-to-turn-nebraska-around-but-can-he-get/article_d0d96d5c-74d8-11ec-8ee6-dbe0164d5c63.html

 

The first 1/3 of the column was devoted to Moos' penchant for spending cash and the nasty "surprises" Trev is finding as he digs into the various contracts and financial details. Almost read like the "sources" were Trev and no one else.

 

When both Sip and Shatel are on the same page regarding NU hoops in the same week, and considering neither of them typically care all that much about NU hoops until after February football signing day, it's not out of the question to think something is going on.

 

Edited January 15, 2022 by throwback

[hal9000]

It's hard to believe NBA scouts would look at Bryce's defense and think that's a guy we want on our team, but who knows.  

[uneblinstu]

Just now, hal9000 said:

It's hard to believe NBA scouts would look at Bryce's defense and think that's a guy we want on our team, but who knows.  

Well, the old adage goes, you can teach defense but you can't teach the offensive skills he's got. Or something like that. 

 

I'm thinking they see a really nice, raw set of offensive skills to start with and as he and his body matures, the rest of the game will round into form.

[Busch Light]

2 hours ago, throwback said:

I think you're on to something here - I did not see Sip's column, but Shatel also had a column about Fred this week. I was surprised   1) that Shatel bothered to write solely about NU hoops without throwing in tons of horsesh*t about the bluebirds and   2) that it was somewhat critical of Fred, which was interesting. He gave Fred a significant chance to answer some questions about the direction of the program, and then basically dismissed his answers with this closing line.

 

 

https://omaha.com/sports/huskers/mens-basketball/shatel-fred-hoiberg-is-1-000-motivated-to-turn-nebraska-around-but-can-he-get/article_d0d96d5c-74d8-11ec-8ee6-dbe0164d5c63.html

 

The first 1/3 of the column was devoted to Moos' penchant for spending cash and the nasty "surprises" Trev is finding as he digs into the various contracts and financial details. Almost read like the "sources" were Trev and no one else.

 

When both Sip and Shatel are on the same page regarding NU hoops in the same week, and considering neither of them typically care all that much about NU hoops until after February football signing day, it's not out of the question to think something is going on.

 

Yup. Good points. I’m guessing that Trev is putting a lot of pressure on Fred via back-channel PR hits. I’m guessing the end game isn’t to fire him, he doesn’t need to win a PR battle to fire Fred (just look at his record). I’m guessing it’s to push for one of three outcomes. 1. Fred steps down and agrees to restructured buyout. 2. Fred restructures his contract and gets another year. 3. Fred gets another year with virtually no support and the entire country knowing the outcome next season. 
 

I kind of feel for Fred. I don’t think he has anyone in his corner. Frost obviously did. I just can’t imagine Fred getting fired straight up on our dime. But it’s possible I suppose, it’s probably going to get bad enough. I’m still mad at Trev for retaining Frost but I understand the politics of it. To Frost’s credit though, everything he’s done since his disastrous season has been about as good as we could hope for. I don’t think Fred’s going to get that kind of help or support though. 

Edited January 15, 2022 by Busch Light

[uneblinstu]

If I were Trev, I wouldn't cut his legs out from under him like Moos did to Miles. I'd give him every single resource you can give him. Give him every opportunity to succeed. I think everyone wants Fred to work out here. I know I do. I think the restructured deal, probably some staff changes, and with full administrative support for next year is the most likely path. I can't really see Fred stepping down of his own free will and giving up all that cash. It's not his fault Moos handed out the cushy deal.

[cornfed24-7]

46 minutes ago, uneblinstu said:

If I were Trev, I wouldn't cut his legs out from under him like Moos did to Miles. I'd give him every single resource you can give him. Give him every opportunity to succeed. I think everyone wants Fred to work out here. I know I do. I think the restructured deal, probably some staff changes, and with full administrative support for next year is the most likely path. I can't really see Fred stepping down of his own free will and giving up all that cash. It's not his fault Moos handed out the cushy deal.

This isn't to single you out because I agree he is most likely retained. This is more why I don't agree with it.

 

I understand the financial restraints in everyone arguments on retaining Hoiberg. It seems to me though if you retain Hoiberg the end game is still crap. Unless, of course, you believe he's still the guy to get it done.

 

I may not have this right at all but I understand it that Hoiberg is due 18.5 million if he is let go this year and 3.5 million less each season thereafter. 

 

To your point about Trev continuing to give Hoiberg every resource he needs to succeed if he is retained I agree.  But I will also point out Hoiberg has had the most resources of any Nebraska basketball coach ever. Its a big leap for me to think thats the issue.

 

Which brings me to my view. What is a season worth? Whats 2 seasons worth? Again, if you think he's the guy I get it. Disregard what I'm saying. But if you don't I can't understand the justification that a 15mil buyout vs a 18.5mil is worth an entire basketball season. Or a 11.5mil buyout is worth 2 seasons. 

 

I just can't believe that the 3.5mil or 7mil Nebraska saves for 1 or 2 years makes up for the losses in revenue other places. I hope to win the lotto and I hope Hoiberg restructures his contract if he's retained but I give both close to the same odds.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 15, 2022 by cornfed24-7

[hhcmatt]

Fred needs some guidance, not just a checkbook.  Hopefully Alberts and Co are the answer, assuming that the answer isn't Fred resigning. 

 

At one point I wondered about what sort of training wheels he had at Iowa St. Now I'm wondering how much juice Matt A had over the roster then vs now.  He was probably bringing in pieces at Iowa St; seems like he's the GM here.  He's just got to go.

 

Give Hoiberg the ability to bring in a guy like Danny Manning, who might be available, to replace Matt A.  Then decide if Gates is part of the solution or the problem. Keep Loenser for continuity.  At the end of the day, maybe someone will be there who can effectively point out we don't have a GD PG.

 

[uneblinstu]

31 minutes ago, cornfed24-7 said:

This isn't to single you out because I agree he is most likely retained. This is more why I don't agree with it.

 

I understand the financial restraints in everyone arguments on retaining Hoiberg. It seems to me though if you retain Hoiberg the end game is still crap. Unless, of course, you believe he's still the guy to get it done.

 

I may not have this right at all but I understand it that Hoiberg is due 18.5 million if he is let go this year and 3.5 million less each season thereafter. 

 

To your point about Trev continuing to give Hoiberg every resource he needs to succeed if he is retained I agree.  But I will also point out Hoiberg has had the most resources of any Nebraska basketball coach ever. Its a big leap for me to think thats the issue.

 

Which brings me to my view. What is a season worth? Whats 2 seasons worth? Again, if you think he's the guy I get it. Disregard what I'm saying. But if you don't I can't understand the justification that a 15mil buyout vs a 18.5mil is worth an entire basketball season. Or a 11.5mil buyout is worth 2 seasons. 

 

I just can't believe that the 3.5mil or 7mil Nebraska saves for 1 or 2 years makes up for the losses in revenue other places. I hope to win the lotto and I hope Hoiberg restructures his contract if he's retained but I give both close to the same odds.

I do thing Fred has the coaching chops to get it done. I don't think he currently has the roster to do it. But that's part of the job.

 

I don't think this is a resource question. What I'm saying there is don't take that away, which is part of what happened towards the end under Miles. Don't withhold anything that could help Fred get the job done.

 

Everything I've heard about Trev is that he's very fiscally savvy. He's not going to let things get out of control and where things need to be cleaned up, he'll do that. IT sounds like that's been a big part of what he's been doing since he got here. I expect there to be some very pointed conversations between Fred and Trev in March. I'd expect some have happened already and many will happen between now and then.

[hhcmatt]

14 hours ago, FredsSlacks said:

is edwards really that bad that he couldn't give us minutes at 3 so bryce could play the 2?

 

we desperately need more size on the wing.

 

it's crazy to me that fred has gone with the same lineup for the last month.

 

Edwards a lot of time looks like someone out there during one of those beer goggles demonstrations to detour people from drinking and driving.  

[hhcmatt]

This poster has been sitting around my house since November. I was going to hang it up in my kid's room and didn't get around to it, mostly because I like to procrastinate.

Besides the being the literal poster of dysfunction by placing a WE>ME logo on a poster where we didn't bother to show the entire team, I couldn't quite figure out why these 7 players were chosen.  Why Bryce and not CJ for example?

 

Finally it occurred to me today that it's probably the poster of the seven guys who won't be here next year. If that's the case we as a program figured out who wasn't coming back next year and then someone make a poster about it.  Remarkable. 

 

[Silverbacked1]

I watch Walker every game and he is by far our best player.  He worked very hard last night he just didn’t have the heights to stop The giant.  But he has a whole lot of dog in him.  Really, really, really hopes he comes back next year…

[BjoeHusker]

Wilcher should be starting.