uneblinstu's postgame chatter: vol 11; ed 14 - @ Maryland

8 hours ago, Art Vandalay said:

 

Man, you really have negative blinders if you believe all that. hskr4life addressed a lot but could add so much more with ease. I am not saying he is John Wooden but if you can not admit he did a very good job his first two season here I am not sure what you have watched for 27 years. Then he had 3 poor seasons, some of that is squarely on him and some was bad luck. Now he is looking real good again the last two seasons. Tai (absolutely improved to say otherwise is flat wrong), Benny, Rivers, Petteway, Palmer, Evan Taylor, TA, ROBY are all players who have improved here no question at all. 

 

You sound like someone who has a personal issue with Miles, he could win the Big10 and go to sweet 16 and you would want him out. That sounds irrational to me and the kind of argument you see in political discussions, absolutely not considering the other side of the aisle at all.  It will play out soon enough, he gets it done in the tourney and stays or Moos will move on and you will get your wish. No need to pile on every time something bad happens, how is that even enjoyable as a fan?

It's being realistic. Petteway did not improve over time here ... he just had a chance to play. I would argue Miles got in Tai's way developmentally from the get go. Palmer, again, just got a chance to play. Benny was what Benny was. Rivers did improve for sure (strength and conditioning especially helped him). I would also argue Roby has improved (if he has) in spite of Miles and having to play out of position his entire career.

Miles did a really good job injecting enthusiasm his first year and that team played better than the talent for sure. Will give you that. The year we made the tournament we were a mess a lot of the time until that run.

I don't have a personal issue with Miles in the least, just have made my mind up after watching for 7 years now. I travel to follow the team and cheer them on despite what you may believe, so it's not just spouting negativity. Being a fan isn't just putting on blinders and refusing to believe one's eyes.

4 hours ago, Bugeaters1 said:

He's kidding about Tai right?

No. Of course his numbers went up and he was actually able to make a 3 by the time he left but I'd say Miles did a poor job supporting him early in his career and helped make him super tentative. By the time Tai was a senior, Miles had no choice but to let him go and do his thing and his production went up mostly because we had few other options.

14 hours ago, Husker4theSpurs said:

 

It's being realistic. Petteway did not improve over time here ... he just had a chance to play. I would argue Miles got in Tai's way developmentally from the get go. Palmer, again, just got a chance to play. Benny was what Benny was. Rivers did improve for sure (strength and conditioning especially helped him). I would also argue Roby has improved (if he has) in spite of Miles and having to play out of position his entire career.

Miles did a really good job injecting enthusiasm his first year and that team played better than the talent for sure. Will give you that. The year we made the tournament we were a mess a lot of the time until that run.

I don't have a personal issue with Miles in the least, just have made my mind up after watching for 7 years now. I travel to follow the team and cheer them on despite what you may believe, so it's not just spouting negativity. Being a fan isn't just putting on blinders and refusing to believe one's eyes.

Okay, so just to clarify...

1. The players who left the program and improved over their time at Nebraska did so without any help from Tim.
2. The players who left the program and did not improve over their time at Nebraska did so because of Tim.

Just now, Shawn Eichorst's Toupee said:

 

 

Okay, so just to clarify...

1. The players who left the program and improved over their time at Nebraska did so without any help from Tim.
2. The players who left the program and did not improve over their time at Nebraska did so because of Tim.

 

A common trend that I see, not just on this board, is that players get praised for wins at Nebraska and the coach gets chastised for losses.  It's actually a head scratcher really.  And then on top of all of that, when a coach does get praised, it's an assistant who drew up a play or had the scout on the game, etc.  Tim's in a lose/lose situation with some people.  Honestly don't know if those people would ever be happy...

Here is the deal in my mind.  Character of a kid is important.  Work ethic for a kid is important.  Talent matters.  So with those three statements, it isn't really a coach that "develops" a player.  It is up to the coach to provide the platform and foundation for a kid to improve his/her game.  A kid can study his game, see the areas that need refinement and improvement and then work toward making the necessary adjustments.  There are hundreds of "trainers," "coaches" and others that say they can assist a kid, but it takes a kid who wants to make the necessary changes, and is willing to put in the work.  

This coaching staff seems to provide the platform and foundation.  They have brought in a number of kids who appear to have the talent and the wherewithal to improve their games. 

I have had a number of debates over the years as to what makes up a great coach.  What are the traits that have established Wooden, Coach K, Knight, Auerbach, Riley or Jackson as a top level basketball coach.  Coach Miles, like any coach, has flaws.  The question then is, what does he do or who does he hire to offset those flaws?  And as important, does he let those individuals do their thing to help hide those flaws?  

One last thought, it is easy to opine for or against a coach.  Heck, I am hearing today about all the flaws that Coach Saben has...really???  Tom Osborne was almost ran out of town on a rail, as was Devaney?  I like Miles as a coach.  Heck, I liked Doc as a coach.  I look at the talent we now have, I look at the talent coming in next year; it seems as if this program is going the right direction.  I guess if you attend games on the road, or travel with the team, you are more informed then me, but I am still all in on this team.  I am impressed with the character of the kids, their work ethic and the talent I am watching.  I am still convinced, despite a few bumps in the road, that we are going to the NCAA tournament, will win at least one game in the tournament and are a team nobody will want to face in the last third of the season.  Again, it is just my humble opinion.

 
A common trend that I see, not just on this board, is that players get praised for wins at Nebraska and the coach gets chastised for losses.  It's actually a head scratcher really.  And then on top of all of that, when a coach does get praised, it's an assistant who drew up a play or had the scout on the game, etc.  Tim's in a lose/lose situation with some people.  Honestly don't know if those people would ever be happy...

2 hours ago, Bugeaters1 said:

 

Yes they will be when is no longer coaching for Nebraska.
 

No...they won't be happy with Tim's replacement either.

*edited to add*

They will be happy for about a week after the announcement is made that Miles is no longer coach at NU...participating in threads about who his replacement will be.  Constructing lists of all the hottest names in basketball.  Hot up and coming mid-major coaches that made a deep tourney run as a cinderella...hot assistant coaches at blue blood programs...NBA coaches fired or on the hot seat.  All the usual suspects that have absolutely no interest in coaching at Nebraska for any number of good reasons.  Talking about checkbooks and how far to open them, the lot.

Then when the announcement is made regarding the new coach at NU and it's inevitable disappointment they'll go back to being unimpressed with the hoops program, and just waiting for the team to lose so they can make posts about how the coach fails to develop players and they don't run an offense or whatever jibber jabber they think makes them sound like they know what the hell they're talking about.

3 minutes ago, 49r said:

 

No...they won't be happy with Tim's replacement either.

Unless it's a joint head coaching committee of Dana Altman, Tyronn Lue, Fred Hoiberg, and James Naismith.

4 hours ago, Shawn Eichorst's Toupee said:

 

 

Okay, so just to clarify...

1. The players who left the program and improved over their time at Nebraska did so without any help from Tim.
2. The players who left the program and did not improve over their time at Nebraska did so because of Tim.

 

You forgot the players who transferred into our program and became much much better than they were did so all by themselves and in spite of the completely incompetent guy running our program. I really do not know what to say it’s so amazing.

10 hours ago, Shawn Eichorst's Toupee said:

 

 

Okay, so just to clarify...

1. The players who left the program and improved over their time at Nebraska did so without any help from Tim.
2. The players who left the program and did not improve over their time at Nebraska did so because of Tim.

 

I said most haven't improved--most haven't stayed as they were reaches in recruiting in the first place. Someone like Jacobsen left and is obviously in a better situation to improve. I don't see the development we need here.

He's had plenty of time. Seven years is plenty. We've seen our ceiling under Miles I believe. We're not out that much money to let him go if needed. Time to see if we can do better.

6 hours ago, Art Vandalay said:

 

You forgot the players who transferred into our program and became much much better than they were did so all by themselves and in spite of the completely incompetent guy running our program. I really do not know what to say it’s so amazing.

Getting playing time because you have no one else isn't improving ... it's just getting an opportunity to play. No one knows if one has improved or not if they hadn't even had a chance (Petteway, Palmer).

14 minutes ago, Husker4theSpurs said:

Getting playing time because you have no one else isn't improving ... it's just getting an opportunity to play. No one knows if one has improved or not if they hadn't even had a chance (Petteway, Palmer).

Or maybe, they did improve.  Petteway and Palmer were 1st team all conference.  If playing time were an indicator, everyone that played more would be all conference. 

Yes, players have better numbers when they play more.  

There are numerous examples of players improving.   White was not any better for Syracuse than Nebraska.  Does that mean Boeheim is terrible at developing players?

18 hours ago, 49r said:

 

No...they won't be happy with Tim's replacement either.

 

*edited to add*

 

They will be happy for about a week after the announcement is made that Miles is no longer coach at NU...participating in threads about who his replacement will be.  Constructing lists of all the hottest names in basketball.  Hot up and coming mid-major coaches that made a deep tourney run as a cinderella...hot assistant coaches at blue blood programs...NBA coaches fired or on the hot seat.  All the usual suspects that have absolutely no interest in coaching at Nebraska for any number of good reasons.  Talking about checkbooks and how far to open them, the lot.

 

Then when the announcement is made regarding the new coach at NU and it's inevitable disappointment they'll go back to being unimpressed with the hoops program, and just waiting for the team to lose so they can make posts about how the coach fails to develop players and they don't run an offense or whatever jibber jabber they think makes them sound like they know what the hell they're talking about.

Excellent observation.

And once that new coach is hired, don't forget the group that rushes to be first to say "this guy will never work here" or some variation. Then when the coach eventually is fired or leaves, they can brag about how they were the first to jump off the bandwagon, they always knew this would result in failure, etc, etc.

The crowing over eventually "being right" isn't as ground-breaking as they may think though, since 90%+ coaches get fired or leave for another job. I mean I could say I knew from the start that Iba, Nee, Collier, and Sadler would all fail here and I'd have been batting 1.000. No matter how this season finishes, the odds of Miles retiring from NU on his own terms in a decade or so are incredibly small.

The odds of eventually being right about a coach failing are nearly a lock ... even if it takes several years, I guess. Just a strange way to go about being a fan. 

21 hours ago, hskr4life said:

 

A common trend that I see, not just on this board, is that players get praised for wins at Nebraska and the coach gets chastised for losses.  It's actually a head scratcher really.  And then on top of all of that, when a coach does get praised, it's an assistant who drew up a play or had the scout on the game, etc.  Tim's in a lose/lose situation with some people.  Honestly don't know if those people would ever be happy...

To be fair...many also do the reverse and lay no blame on the coach and put all the blame on the players.  Many times it is said “well if the players should just hit shots.”  

With that said, I can’t think of a game this year(even Tech) where I was thinking Miles got out coached. Mind you, I didn’t get to watch the Iowa game. 

6 hours ago, huskerbaseball13 said:

To be fair...many also do the reverse and lay no blame on the coach and put all the blame on the players.  Many times it is said “well if the players should just hit shots.”  

 

With that said, I can’t think of a game this year(even Tech) where I was thinking Miles got out coached. Mind you, I didn’t get to watch the Iowa game. 

I think maybe the Minnesota game and not going to zone probably cost them the game.  Other than that I agree, he's done a decent job.

We desperately need a win over PSU.  (basically need to play like Creighton).  We have a chance to reel off 7 straight wins after that.  @ Indiana is a winnable game (much like Maryland), MSU is a winnable game at home.  @ Rutgers I will be disappointed if we lose.  OSU and Wisconsin at home should be wins.  @ Illinois like Rutgers will be disappointed in a loss.  Maryland at home should be a win.  Heck, even @ Purdue is a winnable game.  Then, we get Minnesota and Northwestern at home.  @ Penn State, another disappointment if we lose.  Purdue at home is winnable.  About the only 2 games left, @ MSU and Michigan will be super tough.  Iowa at home should be a win.  12 - 4 in that stretch is very achievable.  23 - 8 with a win in the Big 10 tourney (24 - 9) gets us a 3, 4, or 5 seed in the dance.  It all starts with playing well against PSU tomorrow night.