Coaching Options

[Anti-Homer]

Even MMan can’t defend this mess. Heard rumors that Carter might come back, no kidding.

You better be kidding. I haven't been this upset since the time Muskieman got me an iced tea and put Sweet N Low, instead of my preferred Splenda as a sweetener. I forgave, but will never forget.

[edgecliff hall]

Anti, you were right to forgive, but how could you ever forget?

[muskieman]

Anti, you were right to forgive, but how could you ever forget?

at his age, it is easier for him to forget than forgive.

[skyhops]

I’m not kidding about Carter. I did forgive MMan for banning more for six months a few years ago. I’m glad we are at a better place

[X-lucidity]

Thoughts, after first 2 rounds are in the books:
I certainly do not tend to gravitate towards the negative. At least hopefully not. I do believe that in life, in anything, you simply must address a situation with an honest assessment of facts/reality. With that said, I am even more concerned about our beloved X program now after digesting how this current field of 32 was whittled down the past two days. Trying to be as brief as possible, because one certainly could ramble on like ‘A Tale of Two Cities’, I will concentrate on one general theme I see. That is: A system in place & the composure to implement it with the ability to tweak and adjust in-game. I feel we can tend to be a bit myopic with an East Coast bias and Big East goggles. Clearly, teams that we thought were talented and should represent well from our league have not. G-Town and U-Conn easily pushed aside like road kill by teams that are good but not clearly established juggernauts. Creighton, survived by the skin of their teeth against a foe we would have scoffed at if they asked to join our league. Nova? Well coached but the jury is out and they do have legitimate excuses here down the stretch. Not picking on Big East, as ACC has also looked vulnerable and even the mighty Big Ten so far has looked human. The Pac-12 has been equally impressive. But that is really my point. The landscape of College ball is now much more diluted and homogenized. Meaning that coaching & player development, which has always been incredibly crucial, is now even that much more vital and imperative. I was so impressed with the coach from Drake for example. His team, inferior in talent to both teams they played, had a plan in place and executed it superbly and with composure even under duress. I am now watching Loyola Chi, now they may noy beat Illinois, but they are easily the best coached team perform on a big stage that I have witnessed in years. Just about all of these so-called smaller league schools are impressing me with their composure and execution. So we have many 3-star recruits and occasionally we add a 4-star. OK. These smaller league programs come in with 2 stars and sprinkle in a “3” here and there. Makes it rather self-evident that it boils down to three factors aside from recruiting, which seem to be able to trump recruiting to an extent: Coaching, systems & player development. Steele has had three years and I see us below average in all three of those components. When things start going badly on the court for X, our composure melts down because that is direct result of how our kids are coached and the lack of a coherent system being in place. As for our subpar record on recent player development, need we even go down that road? In summation, I went into watching this tournament feeling X was at a crossroads and probably need to cut the cord now, or face a dangerous further descent. Now that the field of 32 is on its way to 16 I am 1000% more convinced of this. I have a love and passion for this program, and I am worried.
Thanks for a venue for this cathartic moment….

[muskieman]

I’m not kidding about Carter. I did forgive MMan for banning more for six months a few years ago. I’m glad we are at a better place

sorry, it was a unanimous decision, most wanted you gone and I talked them into a limited spanking instead of the death penalty. Your other friend was not as lucky because he ticked off the wrong guy. I still have the email from our beloved departed moderator head to Woods telling him he had reached the limits. Be thankful the other Chicagoan is still not a moderator or you would be gone despite my objections

[ChitownSteve]

X-lucidity:

Well stated and in accord. Watching Loyola defeat Illinois today was to witness a phenomenal game plan and bench coaching masterpiece by Loyola Coach Porter Moser. Admittedly, Porter Moser has had several years at Loyola. However, he was also a proven Head Coach and played at Creighton at the college level. He inherited Loyola’s lackluster program and built it back up.

Yes, similar to you, down in the dumps about the Xavier Program. Have not posted since AH confirmed Coach Steele’s Father-In-Law is on the Board. An uninspiring Coach and Board nepotism are a lethal combination. The AD stubbornly refuses to act upon his hire, who has never been above .500 in Big East play has only a declined NIT invite to his resume’.

On a personal level, Coach Steele is likable and sincere. There are times in life when separating the personality and job performance are required. This is one of those instances.

[AirJordan]

Thoughts, after first 2 rounds are in the books:
I certainly do not tend to gravitate towards the negative. At least hopefully not. I do believe that in life, in anything, you simply must address a situation with an honest assessment of facts/reality. With that said, I am even more concerned about our beloved X program now after digesting how this current field of 32 was whittled down the past two days. Trying to be as brief as possible, because one certainly could ramble on like ‘A Tale of Two Cities’, I will concentrate on one general theme I see. That is: A system in place & the composure to implement it with the ability to tweak and adjust in-game. I feel we can tend to be a bit myopic with an East Coast bias and Big East goggles. Clearly, teams that we thought were talented and should represent well from our league have not. G-Town and U-Conn easily pushed aside like road kill by teams that are good but not clearly established juggernauts. Creighton, survived by the skin of their teeth against a foe we would have scoffed at if they asked to join our league. Nova? Well coached but the jury is out and they do have legitimate excuses here down the stretch. Not picking on Big East, as ACC has also looked vulnerable and even the mighty Big Ten so far has looked human. The Pac-12 has been equally impressive. But that is really my point. The landscape of College ball is now much more diluted and homogenized. Meaning that coaching & player development, which has always been incredibly crucial, is now even that much more vital and imperative. I was so impressed with the coach from Drake for example. His team, inferior in talent to both teams they played, had a plan in place and executed it superbly and with composure even under duress. I am now watching Loyola Chi, now they may noy beat Illinois, but they are easily the best coached team perform on a big stage that I have witnessed in years. Just about all of these so-called smaller league schools are impressing me with their composure and execution. So we have many 3-star recruits and occasionally we add a 4-star. OK. These smaller league programs come in with 2 stars and sprinkle in a “3” here and there. Makes it rather self-evident that it boils down to three factors aside from recruiting, which seem to be able to trump recruiting to an extent: Coaching, systems & player development. Steele has had three years and I see us below average in all three of those components. When things start going badly on the court for X, our composure melts down because that is direct result of how our kids are coached and the lack of a coherent system being in place. As for our subpar record on recent player development, need we even go down that road? In summation, I went into watching this tournament feeling X was at a crossroads and probably need to cut the cord now, or face a dangerous further descent. Now that the field of 32 is on its way to 16 I am 1000% more convinced of this. I have a love and passion for this program, and I am worried.
Thanks for a venue for this cathartic moment….

Let me say this about your post......................It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.

Aw never mind. Good post. Well reasoned.

To me, Steele seems very robotic. It is as though he really doesn't have a feel for the game he is coaching. Like he's watching and observing but not really part of it. Of all the items you mention with which I agree, the thing that bothers me most is the panic that sets into our guys.....like what occurred with Butler. We had a huge lead! I see that panic as a huge strike against Steele. He did nothing to stem it and a part of me thinks the panic in our team reflects a lack of confidence in our coach.

We have a rebuild ahead of us. I have no confidence in Steele now. At first, I thought he just needed experience but this year he showed no progress from his first two years. By progress, I don't mean wins and losses. I mean coaching. His player rotation, in-game decision making....everything seemed so mechanical. I keep asking myself is he in the right profession? Is coaching what he really wants to do or is just stuck in his profession, moving along without really enjoying what he does? He's just so average at his job. But, anyway, back to the rebuild. I would rather, today, recognize we made a bad hiring decision and deal with it. As I have said previously, we really, really have to get the next hire right.

[Anti-Homer]

Tandy, Wilcher, Ramsey.

Three top 100 players lost to a perplexing lack of PT. Top 20 class at least if a team was able to bring in all three. Now, Griffin leaves. I'm sure playing 10 min/gm didn't help. Steele is scouring the transfer portal to find Band-Aids for the huge wounds he created in the program. As of now, the underdeveloped Miles (in two seasons), is our starting center. Maybe Carter coming back isn't such a bad idea.

[Musketeer1]

A veteran coach to stabilize the ship would be ideal. Phil Martelli knows (and likely respects) X from the St. Joe A-10 battles. He has demonstrated that he is a coach who can develop a roster and get players to buy in to a system. He is 66, so this could be his last stop and, thus, the likelihood that he will be hopping to another school in a couple seasons is a somewhat lessened concern. He is right out of central casting for an old-school Big East coach (maybe he could get a loud Blue and White cardigan) yet has credentials, one could hope, with some current recruits given his affiliation with UM and Coach Howard. Days would look brighter with someone like him on board.