Solution

[edgecliff hall]

Miller as head coach. Steele as coach in charge of recruiting.

[Xavier2005]

NO to Steele staying....if he is removed as Head Coach ...then he needs to leave.

[skyhops]

His recruiting has been one of his problems as well. Basically, three recruits from the last three years that have performed Free, Jones, and Odom. None of them can really shoot either. His inability to recruit bigs in the BE has been horrible.

[pdxmuskie]

This is interesting to me. Is Travis a good recruiter but can't develop players or coach them? Is he a good recruiter but can't fit pieces together to form a team?

I like Jones and Odom. I like the potential of Miles. Zach also has potential but his weaknesses are huge. There are many others that I just didn't see enough of to know.

Travis misused players on a regular basis. He had no idea what he was doing as coach. Completely clueless is an understatement for his coaching acumen.

I'm not against him staying as a recruiter. First, he might be able to keep the class coming in. 2nd, I'm not sold that his recruits can't win in the BE. I believe they have the talent and just need the leadership.

There is some legitimacy to lacking shooters or even scorers. Tandy is the only shooter I can think of recruited by Travis. Tandy struggled to find his shot in limited minutes. He forced the action frequently and didn't play good defense. He played limited minutes so that may have impacted his results. This is a strong argument as a legit team needs shooters and scorers. Johnson is an elite shooter despite his temporary struggles. Kunkel is also a shooter but certainly unpredictable. Recruiting may have been designed around these players and actually strategic.

I would give Travis the benefit of the doubt regarding recruiting, bring in a new coach (Miller) and see if Travis can keep the incoming class. Let the results speak for themselves and then decide if further changes are needed.

[edgecliff hall]

I don't know what Steele says to get them to come here, but whatever it is works. Then once he gets them here he doesn't know what to do with them. Edwards is an example of gross misuse IMO. And we know who the others are. So, to clarify, I see it as Steele gets them to come to Xavier, and Miller would know what to do with them, that is to teach them, develop them, in a word, to "coach" them.
Now they just get lost. Steele should stop clapping.

[thecoach]

Miller is not coming back to X.

[WestCoastMuskie]

The first thing to go has to be this stupid "Xavier Way" crap. What does this accomplish? If they are charting all of these numbers, shouldn't they lead to improvement? The Gold Practice jersey? Maybe for 8th graders this works. The tradition of B.J. Raymond, Jason Love, Sean O'Mara, and on and on of players who came here as freshman, we all scratched our heads as to why they were recruited, and then they graduate as tremendous players ended with Steele's hiring, though I actually think he did a good job his first year. That team improved and peaked in March.

Jones was an NBA prospect, Freemantle was all league, Tandy was a microwave scorer....they all got worse! Scruggs has no improved in 5 years. He still dribbles into traffic and is will wildly inconsistent from 3 and the line.

Thing is, I'm not sure is Steele is a good recruiter. Are these players good? If they are, then let's at least get an assistant coach who knows how to teach the game, and junk the Xavier way crap.

[Anti-Homer]

I don't know what Steele says to get them to come here, but whatever it is works. Then once he gets them here he doesn't know what to do with them. Edwards is an example of gross misuse IMO. And we know who the others are. So, to clarify, I see it as Steele gets them to come to Xavier, and Miller would know what to do with them, that is to teach them, develop them, in a word, to "coach" them.
Now they just get lost. Steele should stop clapping.

edgecliff nails another post! I don’t know what I enjoy more: your insightful takes, or the fact that you also bring a diversified culture to this board with your talent in writing books and movie scripts. Folks, check out eBay if you want some great entertainment when bball season is over. edgecliff, as a Mod, I normally don’t allow free plugs, but please feel free to post the links to your literary work and movies. Great Bday gifts and stocking stuffers 9 mos from now.

[edgecliff hall]

Thanks much Anti for your kind invitation. I will post some links down at my usual spot, Movies, Music and Food. Will let you know when done. This whole tin pot drama with Steele, is more painful than fun, ya know? Everybody's right and everybody's wrong. Me, I have said my say, so now I'll just stay low in my foxhole and see what develops. In general I think it is not good for Xavier, combined with an AD who is pretending that none of this is happening, and a new President who says nothing. Are we sure that she is indeed real and not a digital icon from a virtual lab at MIT?

[edgecliff hall]

Links For My Stuff is now posted at Movies, Music, and Food. Thanks again for the invite Anti-Homer.