Has Steele lost the team?

[Anti-Homer]

Honest question.

Has Steele lost the locker room? I responded in the UConn thread last night a response to a question posed by N76er. He asked if Stsnley was healthy, as he wondered why he hasn't gotten any PT. Below was my response:

"Excellent question and the answer is yes he is. After listening to Steele's show tonight, someone in the crowd asked him why Stanley hasn't played since winning coveted Gold Jersey. I kid you not, his response was paraphrasing, "He has not amassed enough Xavier Way Points." I also suspect he forgot to wear a costume on their Halloween practice day. How does one win the coveted GJ if they don't practice The Xavier Way.?

I didn't realize how tone deaf and cowardly the answer from Steele was until today. He loves to act like the tough guy, since the city lost the Clifton Heights pseudo-bulldog when Cronin went to the majors. Steele threw a guy under the bus who came back from a serious ACL injury by questioning his work ethic publicly. Fu7@ing BS. Not so coincidentally, Stanley put out a cryptic tweet that my nephew sent to our XU Twitter group. It has since been taken down, but fortunately it is still in our thread for posterity. Here was Stanley's tweet from today:

"An acl injury takes 10-12 mos to fully recover from some people don't feel like the same player until month 12-15. I was available for practice at that 10-month mark maybe I should a just sat until I felt how I feel now...but someone said it was good for me to practice. lol." Based on the timing, and sting he felt getting shade from someone who doesn't live up to his word frequently, I suspect we know who that someone was. Apparently, several current X players like Stanley's tweet. That speaks volumes. The answer to my question has definitively been answered.

I have no doubt they see how he coddles his favorites (Carter, Freemantle) and selects whipping boys like Tandy, and now Stanley. Fu867ing coward.. I never advocated for his firing despite his piss poor record, but when you start throwing players under the bus, especially exemplary teammates like Stanley, I fully support it now. This is the first time I can say I will be conflicted if X makes it to the tourney this year. Unfortunately, his BOT FIL will probably save his double talking SIL with the Napoleonic complex. Funny how X didn't allow Miller to put his accomplished brother Archie on the staff but turned a blind eye to nepotism when someone wrote a big check.

I don't care if we lose all the recruits if it means Steele is gone. Being a subpar coach is one thing. Being a POS of a human being is worse. Hopefully, no one treats his son Winston Howell the third the same way his father treats young men under his mentorship. Wake up Christopher. You are not in Bowling Green OH anymore. #TeamStanley.

[Anti-Homer]

Another Steele nugget. A guy X could have used last year but couldn't see the court, because he probably didn't agree with Steele's opinion that Carrot Top is the greatest, most original entertainer ever, Daniel Ramsey, is averaging: 7 pts, 4 rbs, in 17 minutes a game. Oh, and he is shooting 52% from two, and 69% from the free throw line. This is the same guy Steele made it seem like was going to appear on Jerry Lewis' Musc Dyst Marathon, until he played a great 6-7 minutes ag. Butler, showing great athleticism and mobility. Then, Steele pulled another vintage disappearing act on him. Steele still has nightmares about that. Exposed again. Thankfully for Ramsey, petty grudges no longer are keeping him off the court. Edwards, take notice.

[oldhoopster]

I do think Steele has lost this team and posted that question in another string. I can’t speak for Travis as a person since I don’t know him and don’t know about any player tweets. But I don’t think he has the ability to coach in this high level of a league. And it sure seems the players aren’t enthused about playing.

[skyhops]

Steele has lost the team as many on this team have no respect for him and enjoy extra curriculars more than most should during the season. Agree with AH on Ramsey, Edwards, and even Miles. How can Miles be a potential BE defensive player of year according to him and not see the floor at all? How can Edwards ride the pine when he is the most physical player at practice the last month? How about calling Scruggs a warrior and the heartbeat of the team yet he can play a consistent 20 mins? This is why he is a used car salesman, not even Byron Larkin believes him anymore. His handling of Tandy (one of our only shooters) has been terrible as well. We won't make the tourney this year, so cut bait and move on with an experienced coach or someone that has played at a high level.

[pdxmuskie]

The team is not playing with the same energy and intensity they were earlier. There were moments against providence where they seemed like they were having fun but that was when some of these bench guys got opportunities. Then suddenly those players vanished.

Rotations seem a bit racist from what I've seen. Zach can't defend anyone and gets huge minutes despite rarely playing efficiently offensively. Carter got big minutes despite struggling frequently last year and having other options that played well when given the opportunity.

The Xavier way might simply be a cover to discriminate against players given that the fans don't see practice. I'm sure some will argue that Scruggs, Johnson, etc are black but that doesn't mean racism is not a factor. First only so many white players. 2nd a coach needs to at least seem like he is trying to win and will ride players that can make a difference. The fringe players can easily be benched without drawing obvious attention. When they play well and disappear, say they didn't practice hard.

I'm not saying Travis is racist but it seems to be a possibility. At a minimum, he is a terrible coach and a poor judge of ability. Either way, time to move on.

[longliveskip]

The team is not playing with the same energy and intensity they were earlier. There were moments against providence where they seemed like they were having fun but that was when some of these bench guys got opportunities. Then suddenly those players vanished.

Rotations seem a bit racist from what I've seen. Zach can't defend anyone and gets huge minutes despite rarely playing efficiently offensively. Carter got big minutes despite struggling frequently last year and having other options that played well when given the opportunity.

The Xavier way might simply be a cover to discriminate against players given that the fans don't see practice. I'm sure some will argue that Scruggs, Johnson, etc are black but that doesn't mean racism is not a factor. First only so many white players. 2nd a coach needs to at least seem like he is trying to win and will ride players that can make a difference. The fringe players can easily be benched without drawing obvious attention. When they play well and disappear, say they didn't practice hard.

I'm not saying Travis is racist but it seems to be a possibility. At a minimum, he is a terrible coach and a poor judge of ability. Either way, time to move on.

if you're talking about the 4-5 games before this, i agree. however, there were MORE THAN MOMENTS last night. this team played with energy, heart, etc from the start. that's one of the most COMPLETE games they've put together in that regard. it just so happened to be against the #1 team in the league on their home court and they were just a LITTLE bit better than us.

i shouldn't even read any more of your post when you start with the racist stuff. it's complete BS and has no place here.

i don't see how any objective fan can look at the effort our boys put out there last night, on the road, to one of the best teams in the country, take them to the wire, and then legitimately question whether Steele has lost this team.

it's mind-boggling.

[muskieman]

I'm not saying Travis is racist but it seems to be a possibility.

Really, people complained he played Naji and Q too much and now complain he plays Paula and Hunter but you need to play the racist card as a possibility. Maybe you see race too much

[X-lucidity]

agree 1000% with MM. let's leave uneducated speculations on racism to the good Lord above. We have enough to chew on with X's & O's & strategies.

[thecoach]

You will definitely get an answer to the "lost this team question" as the transfer portal definitely has made that factor very real.

[muskieman]

Does anyone here think that last night the team quit on TS? If you do I suggest a competency test is in order.