SHOOTOUT game thread 12/7/19

[longliveskip]

just to be fair - i'm all for constructive criticism and it's obviously easy for us here, on MM, to say "he should have done this" or "Steele should have called TO there", etc., which i why i try to resist the urge to go that route after games. we are not at practice. we are not in the heat of the moment on the sideline in games. Steele isn't perfect and has a lot of growing to do. however, in regards to the players - Steele is only in his 2nd year and has 4 guys that he's going to ride and lead this team for this season. i've heard people on here say "we need more shooters". well, Steele can't just magically come up with 5 great shooters who can contribute immediately in one season of recruiting. that will take time. on the other hand, he certainly isn't going to tell Q or Naji "just don't shoot 3's at all". he will find a way to get through to them so that they balance out the bad from the good.

as i said before, we know who we are. so does Steele. he has said that they are nowhere near how good they can really be yet. that's the sign of a coach who understands his team and knows where he needs to get them to.

we are 9-1. i'll take 9-1 with a coach who thinks that his team isn't anywhere near as good as they can be yet.

should be a fun but grueling season as the Big East looks as good as its ever been from top to bottom.

strap in, boys.

it's gonna be a great ride.

#getontheSteeleTrain

[X-Expert]

completely agree regarding the shooters. Steele didn't recruit these players-mack did. they are all very good slashers and elite defenders but their offensive game is limited beyond that. I just hope they are selective in how many shots and types of shots that are taken. For example, Goodin was 0-3 on Saturday from 3 but really hard to blame him for two of them. One was end of half and the other was when they threw him the ball with 2 seconds on shot clock. His other 3 was against a sagged defense and no one was going to get a better shot.

[X-lucidity]

Last two posts excellent. Great point by X-expert on Gooden's 3's, I was muttering that to myself after each shot, none were poor decisions. Plenty of other games where I have cringed but Q played a solid game! (save his poster posing moment after that dunk)

[muskieman]

Typical nitpicking AH, Hey AH was he wrong to flex, yes. Did I hear you complain about Naji when he does it or when he beats his chest? It is a shame, we all cannot be as sanctimonious as good old AH. He has it in for Q and no matter what Q does because AH feels it is because of low IQ forgetting that JP Macura had his moments and Jones has had his. I don't know if Q didn't sign AH's program one night or maybe he wouldn't sign AH's bare chest which I heard players find disgusting or maybe it was worse he didn't acknowledge AH as the self-acclaimed expert of what, he thinks, the Xavier basketball program should be each year.

I am sure TS has addressed it with Q without the help of AH posts. I am sure that Q may make other mistakes this year but go ask that same BLark about Q's D on the guards of UC and how that helped the overall D in making UC turn the ball over 17 times.

Lastly, it is a shame AH cannot enjoy a win because Q got 37 minutes of playing time and KyKy only got 7. BTW you also have a weird sense of how long three-seconds is so why don' you check the tape!

He has it in for Q and no matter what Q does

Mman,

In all honesty, I love your unconditional support for X players, even though you confuse criticism with a lack of support. If that were the case, it would mean no coach in X's history truly supported his players. However, if my kid ever played at X, I'd rather he be exposed to someone like you, than me.

BTW, did you miss my objective, balanced comments about Q in the previous post? "To his credit, he wasn’t tone deaf in the 2nd, and limited his shots, taking 7 for the game. He made 2, both labs, which is where he needs to take most of his shots. He also hit two free throws, played very good defense, and had a 4:1 assist to t.o. ratio. Nice comeback."

For some reason, you have to always ride AH. When it first started, I thought it was just part of the hazing I had to endure when I was entering the Moderator training program. However, here we are, three years later, and your insults continue. BTW, I've never asked Q to sign a program or my bare chest. I once asked Romain Sato to do so, and he wrote the lyrics to Barry Manilow's Weekend in New England on my back. It was in permanent marker, so it remains to this day. I'll show it to you at Dilly's, unless it leads to unholy thoughts. Not that there's anything wrong with it!

a string of three posts concerning mm tough love given to AH shows that I live rent-free in his head. I will tell you all there is plenty of room here but bring some cleaning material because it can use a good srubbing.

[Anti-Homer]

Thankfully, I remembered to Dvr the Shootout, as I was distracted when I watched it last week. I was multi-tasking as I edited Muskieman’s upcoming book: “Zebras: 40 year conspiracy against Xavier.” I was happy to see his delusion has subsided somewhat, as he now acknowledges that 2 of the 23,618 called fouls against X players were legitimate. Both happened during XU-UC Manager’s scrimmages, one in 1987, and one in 2006. Baby steps.

Marshall’s defense was even more impressive watching on replay versus real time. He was caught in switches against Voght on several occasions, and pushed him out of the lane. He guarded 1-5 equally well. Cumberland was able to get only one clean shot off near the basket without the aid of a screen, but otherwise, was frustrated all night. I’m happy he had his best game of his career on a national stage, because he played like an NBA player.

Carter and Goodin also played very good D, Carter deflected some balls, and also did a very credible job when switched onto smaller guys. Goodin bullied their freshman pg, and also physically defended both Williams and Cumberland. He also should have had 10 assists, but a couple of guys missed a few short jumpers. I was happy that he played very well in the 2nd half, after a very forgettable 1st. I initially thought his flex after his dunk was selfish and uncalled for, but changed my mind after Mman’s verbal undressing. However, I’m really confused. Both Byron and Steele chastised Q for flexing during the Coach's Show. Mman, I know you always show great courage and are always objective, but I beg you to not call out either of them when you take out their cans on trash night. Let sleeping dogs lie.

AH out.

[muskieman]

Thankfully, I remembered to Dvr the Shootout, as I was distracted when I watched it last week. I was multi-tasking as I edited Muskieman’s upcoming book: “Zebras: 40 year conspiracy against Xavier.” I was happy to see his delusion has subsided somewhat, as he now acknowledges that 2 of the 23,618 called fouls against X players were legitimate. Both happened during XU-UC Manager’s scrimmages, one in 1987, and one in 2006. Baby steps.

Marshall’s defense was even more impressive watching on replay versus real time. He was caught in switches against Voght on several occasions, and pushed him out of the lane. He guarded 1-5 equally well. Cumberland was able to get only one clean shot off near the basket without the aid of a screen, but otherwise, was frustrated all night. I’m happy he had his best game of his career on a national stage, because he played like an NBA player.

Carter and Goodin also played very good D, Carter deflected some balls, and also did a very credible job when switched onto smaller guys. Goodin bullied their freshman pg, and also physically defended both Williams and Cumberland. He also should have had 10 assists, but a couple of guys missed a few short jumpers. I was happy that he played very well in the 2nd half, after a very forgettable 1st. I initially thought his flex after his dunk was selfish and uncalled for, but changed my mind after Mman’s verbal undressing. However, I’m really confused. Both Byron and Steele chastised Q for flexing during the Coach's Show. Mman, I know you always show great courage and are always objective, but I beg you to not call out either of them when you take out their cans on trash night. Let sleeping dogs lie.

AH out.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Gad you dvr the game to correct your errors