WAKE UP CALL STAFF AND FANS - REALITY CHECK TIME

Polito · Post by **Polito** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 5:31 pm

Ok people, let's get to it - time to look at the truth of this season - this is for us fans and those connected to the program who browse here (looking right at you ph2015)

Best brace yourselves folks and reset your expectations, this team is not the best team in the CAA. And this squad as it stands now is not winning the CAAT, nor making the NCAAT. And that was my impression from *GAME 1* where they looked like many other HU teams that left opportunity on the table. You cannot in any sane mind believe you are taking this conf with no D and no Depth - anyone with any delusions otherwise is just fooling themselves. And if anyone on this staff thinks they're cutting nets and kissing babies on their way to the NCAAT with 6-7 guys, 0 bench production, and a swiss cheese D, they should exit and stop wasting the time and $ of everyone involved.

They wanted the expectations... they got them... and they're not living up to them. We all know the reasons, the causes, for what's happening - a blind bat could figure it out - but this yr it's no excuses, and NONE will be accepted.

Defense
Anyone still joking around about the D? Still funny, or no? Yeah...didn't think so. Fixing the D is something they should have worked on in the OFFSEASON, not halfway through a live one. Please learn this hard lesson for next yr.

Depth
The Djambo situation stinks, but that is no excuse to not play the rest of your bench. You are literally gambling away Green's final yr and your best shot at the dance in YEARS - knowingly taking that risk is mind boggling - it's going to fail... it IS failing. If this is still a problem in Year 4 the staff needs to be spoken to about what it really takes to win the CAA. And I mean that.

Cannot stress enough how important this 2016 class is. On a richter scale of 1-10, I'd say it's about a 400.

Winning the CAA
As others have mentioned, have seen NOTHING that gives any confidence they can win 3 in 3 - seen plenty of the opposite - if this is what they're going with in terms of rotation, and the D stays as is, it ain't happening. You cannot run through all of CAA play with the same 5 guys every game, then expect them to shoot lights out AND play some level of effective D in 3 straight high-intensity games - they're not doing that in SINGLE games right now. Feels like we are watching the season goals slip away, and it's frustrating.

Overall
20+ wins is doable but FAR from a lock, and if they don't get the above in order asap, when we get to season end they will either be sitting at home or playing in another crap tourney

Like I've said, it's their butts on the line, they have to live with their choices and results - I get to just be a fan. Love the players and the staff, and do believe they all really want to be great for everyone involved - and I KNOW they are working hard - I have a big heart for the whole program, and I am pulling for them badly!

It's certainly not over yet, IF they make IMMEDIATE changes - BUT if they keep beating their heads against the wall come CAA play, well then the sad reality is that's all she wrote.

garyg · Post by **garyg** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 5:55 pm

Love it Polito...keep em coming!! Did you ever email JAM??

daHUPride · Post by **daHUPride** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 5:58 pm

I have a hard time with what this staff was planning in preparation for this season.

If they were going to go with Djambo as our primary big man and then found out that he wasn't going to be available until 2nd half - why not get Walker some minutes while Djambo is trying to get back here. Giving Walker minutes early in the year 1) lengthens a very short bench 2) gives us another big to go along with our only other big 3) get him ready for the possibility that Djambo doesn't play at all. What is the benefit of giving NO MINUTES to Walker??? Cant redshirt him (I don't think).

Robinson is a bit different. Prior to the season start I thought with the idea of having Djambo and Walker upfront and Buie and JFW in the back court we were deep enough that Robinson would have more value redshirting and giving us 2 years after this season. I can't explain the thinking of what this staff thinks - but if this is to be the year for us to contend and properly constructing and utilizing the roster to win this year was paramount - well to this point it has been a failure.

To win the CAA this year - we have our work cut out for us.

joeg1 · Post by **joeg1** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 6:08 pm

1) We need to abandon ship on the Robinson redshirt...we need him in the lineup now

2) Unless there is some deep, dark attitude/discipline issue with Walker, and by all accounts there is not, he needs to get in the rotation. He cannot make the defense much worse.

3) Buie has been eased in appropriately. JWF will still play like a freshman next year unless he gets some minutes under fire. Freshman should have some minutes under their belt so they can be useful in March

4) This is a WIN NOW team...use whatever you have. Besides FSU, we have been underwhelming

joeg1 · Post by **joeg1** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 6:11 pm

Drop the MAAC mentality where you can win with three good guards...we cannot finish games like this

stuball888 · Post by **stuball888** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 6:15 pm

BY burning his redshirt you have destroyed Robinsons junior year. Truthfully I expect Djambo not to play for us ever. Another foreign student not taken care of. I would love to see one year when we have a deep bench. so what happens next year when I predict Walker will be gone and you have Gustys at 6ft9 and Sabity at 6ft8. Unless we get another big we are one injury away from another front line disaster.

Post by **Jojogunne** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 6:16 pm

I would add the heavy reliance on one- and two-year transfers as another shortcoming. Hard to build continuity when players are here for only two years or less.

The Djambo situation (losing a scholarship for one and possible two years for someone who may never suit up for us) is a disgrace.

garyg · Post by **garyg** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 6:25 pm

Almost like we lost scholarship for 2 years with Walker as well with his lack of playing time....I really believe the kid could contribute if they would start giving him a few minutes each half...

daHUPride · Post by **daHUPride** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 6:35 pm

joeg1 wrote:Drop the MAAC mentality where you can win with three good guards...we cannot finish games like this

your right we play like a MAAC team - we could get eaten up when we play W&M and NE and their roster and style of play - 6'7" snipers that move without the ball

bobe13 · Post by **bobe13** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 8:10 pm

Jojogunne wrote:I would add the heavy reliance on one- and two-year transfers as another shortcoming. Hard to build continuity when players are here for only two years or less.

The Djambo situation (losing a scholarship for one and possible two years for someone who may never suit up for us) is a disgrace.

You are right on JOJO

dutchalum01 · Post by **dutchalum01** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 8:40 pm

If we're able, we need to burn robinsons redshirt. This season is shaping up to be another disappointing Hofstra season when the expectations have been set high. Robinson is a good quality player who's riding the bench and could definitely be used NOW. This teams short bench absolutely will not cut it come March.

Hofstra · Post by **Hofstra** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 12:13 am

Really agree with the above sentiments.

A promising season has again turned into despair. Maybe we can make it to Monday in Baltimore this year, but this team is not set up to win at all. I am sure the Mack will be empty again, and people will not get to see Green in his final year. Sucks. Really does suck

Wags · Post by **Wags** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 2:23 am

Let me try and get some of you guys back in off the ledge.

All of you guys have been watching CAA basketball long enough to know that OOC play may or may not be an indication of what will happen in conference play. Correct?

I understand why the sentiments above were stated. They are not without some validity at all, based on what we've seen to this point.

But that's the key... TO THIS POINT.

We have never seen teams over the years underachieved in OOC play before turning it on in CAA play and becoming what they thought they'd be? Or vice versa?

I'm not sure how when everyone in the CAA stands at 0-0 in CAA play we can say for certain that Hofstra or any other CAA team won't contend for a league title this year.

My own rule of thumb as an early gauge is that you need to give it six CAA games, one-third of the CAA schedule, when HU is in league play exclusively and playing on a regular basis, on a regular schedule -- rather than playing one night and not again for another 11 days, and not playing a single game at home for five weeks (and understandably being out of rhythm) -- before you pass judgement on what kind of a season it looks like it might become.

It's December, fellas. December.

Let this play out for at least six CAA games. I don't know how HU will do. Maybe it WILL be an underachieving year. Maybe after those first six CAA games, they'll be 3-3 or 2-4 and the concerns now will be amplified by then. But what if HU is 5-1? Then everyone here, I am sure, will overreact the opposite way and start complaining why Lunardi doesn't have HU as a higher seed than he does and how HU can win a fictitious matchup to knock out a big-time seed and gain national attention with its first NCAA tourney win.

Patience. This is why you play an OOC schedule throughout November and December and learn about your team before going through an 18-game CAA slate over January and February. We've been through this before. Year after year. Let it play out a little. Especially while everyone is still at 0-0.

HUSID80 · Post by **HUSID80** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 10:48 am

Wags wrote:Let me try and get some of you guys back in off the ledge.

All of you guys have been watching CAA basketball long enough to know that OOC play may or may not be an indication of what will happen in conference play. Correct?

I understand why the sentiments above were stated. They are not without some validity at all, based on what we've seen to this point.

But that's the key... TO THIS POINT.

We have never seen teams over the years underachieved in OOC play before turning it on in CAA play and becoming what they thought they'd be? Or vice versa?

I'm not sure how when everyone in the CAA stands at 0-0 in CAA play we can say for certain that Hofstra or any other CAA team won't contend for a league title this year.

My own rule of thumb as an early gauge is that you need to give it six CAA games, one-third of the CAA schedule, when HU is in league play exclusively and playing on a regular basis, on a regular schedule -- rather than playing one night and not again for another 11 days, and not playing a single game at home for five weeks (and understandably being out of rhythm) -- before you pass judgement on what kind of a season it looks like it might become.

It's December, fellas. December.

Let this play out for at least six CAA games. I don't know how HU will do. Maybe it WILL be an underachieving year. Maybe after those first six CAA games, they'll be 3-3 or 2-4 and the concerns now will be amplified by then. But what if HU is 5-1? Then everyone here, I am sure, will overreact the opposite way and start complaining why Lunardi doesn't have HU as a higher seed than he does and how HU can win a fictitious matchup to knock out a big-time seed and gain national attention with its first NCAA tourney win.

Patience. This is why you play an OOC schedule throughout November and December and learn about your team before going through an 18-game CAA slate over January and February. We've been through this before. Year after year. Let it play out a little. Especially while everyone is still at 0-0.

Well said, Wags, couldn't have said it better myself...after all we have NOT BEEN HOME for more than a MONTH...and already our wins against Florida St and St. Bonaventure ae looking pretty good now.

joeg1 · Post by **joeg1** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 10:55 am

I'm not jumping ship because this team has the talent to win but JM seems to be undermining this with some suspect personnel decisions...hoping he has a plan in mind for CAA play, because this team is underperforming. A seven-deep squad will not win this league.

hofstrahall · Post by **hofstrahall** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 11:29 am

Polito wrote:Ok people, let's get to it - time to look at the truth of this season - this is for us fans and those connected to the program who browse here (looking right at you ph2015)

Best brace yourselves folks and reset your expectations, this team is not the best team in the CAA. And this squad as it stands now is not winning the CAAT, nor making the NCAAT. And that was my impression from *GAME 1* where they looked like many other HU teams that left opportunity on the table. You cannot in any sane mind believe you are taking this conf with no D and no Depth - anyone with any delusions otherwise is just fooling themselves. And if anyone on this staff thinks they're cutting nets and kissing babies on their way to the NCAAT with 6-7 guys, 0 bench production, and a swiss cheese D, they should exit and stop wasting the time and $ of everyone involved.

They wanted the expectations... they got them... and they're not living up to them. We all know the reasons, the causes, for what's happening - a blind bat could figure it out - but this yr it's no excuses, and NONE will be accepted.

Defense
Anyone still joking around about the D? Still funny, or no? Yeah...didn't think so. Fixing the D is something they should have worked on in the OFFSEASON, not halfway through a live one. Please learn this hard lesson for next yr.

Depth
The Djambo situation stinks, but that is no excuse to not play the rest of your bench. You are literally gambling away Green's final yr and your best shot at the dance in YEARS - knowingly taking that risk is mind boggling - it's going to fail... it IS failing. If this is still a problem in Year 4 the staff needs to be spoken to about what it really takes to win the CAA. And I mean that.

Cannot stress enough how important this 2016 class is. On a richter scale of 1-10, I'd say it's about a 400.

Winning the CAA
As others have mentioned, have seen NOTHING that gives any confidence they can win 3 in 3 - seen plenty of the opposite - if this is what they're going with in terms of rotation, and the D stays as is, it ain't happening. You cannot run through all of CAA play with the same 5 guys every game, then expect them to shoot lights out AND play some level of effective D in 3 straight high-intensity games - they're not doing that in SINGLE games right now. Feels like we are watching the season goals slip away, and it's frustrating.

Overall
20+ wins is doable but FAR from a lock, and if they don't get the above in order asap, when we get to season end they will either be sitting at home or playing in another crap tourney

Like I've said, it's their butts on the line, they have to live with their choices and results - I get to just be a fan. Love the players and the staff, and do believe they all really want to be great for everyone involved - and I KNOW they are working hard - I have a big heart for the whole program, and I am pulling for them badly!

It's certainly not over yet, IF they make IMMEDIATE changes - BUT if they keep beating their heads against the wall come CAA play, well then the sad reality is that's all she wrote.

I agree. I have a few points that others have touched on. This is fairly early in the season and it is OOC schedule. The defense is improving.
The program is improving but as the flagship sport of the University it really is not as good as it should be. Hofstra does not spend anywhere near what other schools do.
I also think Hofstra getting penalized unfairly by other local schools who fail to schedule us because they think Hofstra is not serious about sports and fear a LOSS to Hofstra.
I support the team and the sports but you have to see the reality. Hofstra is in a conference that is football dominant. HOFSTRA belongs in the A-10 or the Patriot League (we beat all those PL schools consistently and routed them in basketball and football in the 80s and 90s and PL denied us multiple times.) Football is gone. Basketball was never as successful as football was and the school is transitioning to a Basketball Flagship with not enough money in a conference where we are outspent.

The reality is Hofstra needs more money so the coaches and the staff can get better recruits to play and have more money to get better opponents. Hofstra needs to win to get out of the CAA. It can win but money is needed.
The staff's hands are tied.

When the head coach states that no local school wanted to play us in the Holiday Festival it shows me that Hofstra is at least trying but the other area schools have their agendas and more money.

Think of it like this: You buy a 200K loaded sports car and the car is fueled. You have a trip planned. Your have your destination but you are driving and all the exit numbers have changed because the GPS system you use cannot upgrade to the new system because you ran out of money. You see your destination but you cannot get there. You look for a map and it is the same you always use and it flies out the window.

Hofstra sees the destination but the resources are limited.

Wags · Post by **Wags** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 11:46 am

hofstrahall wrote: Think of it like this: You buy a 200K loaded sports car and the car is fueled. You have a trip planned. Your have your destination but you are driving and all the exit numbers have changed because the GPS system you use cannot upgrade to the new system because you ran out of money. You see your destination but you cannot get there. You look for a map and it is the same you always use and it flies out the window.

Hofstra sees the destination but the resources are limited.

As long as they ultimately find the exit for Royal Farms Arena the first weekend in March and don't get back on the road until the following Tuesday, everything will be fine.

ProudofPride · Post by **ProudofPride** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 11:55 am

I have to disagree with Hofstrahall's argument about money. I think our budget is just fine. The latest data released is for 2014. Hofstra actually had the 3rd largest MBB budget in the CAA, at $2,701,104. That also puts at the 122nd highest budget of all D1 schools. The only 2 schools in the CAA that spend more than us are Drexel (116th in D1) and UNCW (120th) in D1. Last year, we had enough money in the budget, demonstrated by the fact that we paid to host the post-season game against UVM, and would've paid to host subsequent rounds had we won. Maybe the money isn't being budgeted properly within the MBB program, but there certainly is money. http://bbstate.com/all/budget-mbb

dutchalum01 · Post by **dutchalum01** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 11:58 am

I don't think anyone is arguing the fact that we'll be at or near the top of the CAA during regular season, the problem lay in Baltimore. With the depth we possess vs other high CAA teams - WM & NE, we simply will not have the legs for three straight games unless we get some more help off the bench. Now is the time to be playing Walker, JWF, Buie, etc. to get added depth. We also could use Robinson NOW while we have Tank and Greene on this squad.

And the argument with regard to money is simply not true - take a look at Monmouth vs Hofstra and I guarantee we eclipse them. It comes down to coaching and the ability to recruit the right style of player for the league you're in.

Wags · Post by **Wags** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 12:07 pm

dutchalum01 wrote:I don't think anyone is arguing the fact that we'll be at or near the top of the CAA during regular season, the problem lay in Baltimore. With the depth we possess vs other high CAA teams - WM & NE, we simply will not have the legs for three straight games unless we get some more help off the bench. Now is the time to be playing Walker, JWF, Buie, etc. to get added depth. We also could use Robinson NOW while we have Tank and Greene on this squad.

Too early to know how the staff plans to use everyone over the course of the season. Maybe they figured a shorter rotation was called for with the OOC schedule spaced out so much, and as they begin (soon) to get on more of a regular schedule for the rest of the regular season, maybe they plan to work other guys into the rotation. HU has done that in the past, even under Pecora. We've seen this before, so we've all got to take a step back and breathe, in December. Again, we're still 3 games away from even opening the CAA schedule. Let's let this unfold a bit.