DEATH MARCH OF THE PENGUINS 2015

LaPorteAveApostle · January 18, 2015, 07:05:58 PM

Is it that time again? Yes it is.

(Am I tempting fate? Karma? Good; those aren't real things.)

Introducing DEATH MARCH OF THE PENGUINS 2015: The Quest To Be the Worst Team In Horizon League History Or At Least Hopefully Better Than UIC Last Year. Throughout the conference season we'll all be watching to find whether or not YSU can at least be the best—at being the worst. You may have thought UIC was absolutely wretched last year (and they were), but at least they won amidst the many beatings they absorbed. No, to be truly the worst, YSU has to lose ALL their games just to tie 2003-04 Cleveland State (0-16).

The Horizon League has also never had a team with RPI below 2004-05's Youngstown St (321 out of 327, or 1.8 percentile). YSU is 287/351, or 18th percentile—losing out would leave them 319/351, or 9.1%.

Third: in conference play, 2004-05 YSU was outscored by 13.2 ppg; 2014-15 YSU is being outscored by 12.2 ppg.

Can they pull off the Pu Pu Platter, the Trifecta of Awful? Doesn't look promising, since they're not quite as gawdoffal as UIC last year, but they keep underwhelming...ladies and gentlemen, your 2015 HL YSU Penguins!

oklahomamick · January 18, 2015, 09:02:13 PM

Could you have done this after the our game?

historyman · January 18, 2015, 11:40:51 PM

Maybe you could do an elimination thread.

Let us know exactly when each team is eliminated from gaining the #1 seed. Then when Valpo, err, I mean the #1 seed has it locked up we will all have a party or a "better luck next year" commiseration event.

Is it possible that YSU has already been eliminated from that seed?

LaPorteAveApostle · January 19, 2015, 09:01:54 AM

Quote from: historyman on January 18, 2015, 11:40:51 PMIs it possible that YSU has already been eliminated from that seed?

as of January 1st, yes

LaPorteAveApostle · January 20, 2015, 07:57:15 PM

0-7.

Outscored 12.6 ppg in conference (13.0 until that late 3).

RPI: 272.

Not going to be able to get the lowest RPI even if they lose out, but a legit shot at the other two.

LaPorteAveApostle · January 23, 2015, 10:35:31 PM

IN OTHER NOOZ...

UIC @ YSU TOMORROW!

WATCH LIVE as DOZENS OF FANS, many of them insomniacs in desperate search of a cure,
CHEER ON TWO TEAMS each in DESPERATE NEED of a WIN

PROBABLY one of them will WIN

(STRANGER things have HAPPENED)

DEATH is NOT an option!!1!

Kyle321n · January 24, 2015, 11:55:40 PM

The death march is dead. Long live the death march.

LaPorteAveApostle · January 25, 2015, 05:50:26 AM

Oh good. That'll free up 90 seconds of my week right there!

Seriously...when was the last time the HL so clearly--and so evenly--divided into thirds of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly?

LaPorteAveApostle · February 12, 2015, 07:32:40 AM

Not that it matters that YSU lost, because it doesn't change the must-win of Friday (if we lost that, we'd be tied with GB except they have the tiebreaker).

But here's what YSU did after going up 10 with 8:14 to play (58-48):

Foul.
Missed shot--foul on other end.
Missed shot--foul on other end.
Turnover.
Turnover.
Missed shot--turnover.
Turnover. (tied at 58 with 2:09)
Turnover.
Made jumper! Steal--2 FTs! Up one (62-61) with :37 to play!
Then, Keifer, missed shot, game.

Never change, YSU. Never change.

FWalum · February 12, 2015, 08:13:51 AM

Yes, Yes I know that Green Bay switched to a full court zone trap back to a zone after YSU went up by 10, but Slocum was content to play not to lose and it cost them big time. You still have to look to attack the basket before the shot clock reaches 8 seconds..... Talk about putting pressure on your own team, as the possesions were pissed away you could just see them seizing up as the clock ran down and GB got closer and closer.

LaPorteAveApostle · February 12, 2015, 10:15:29 AM

playing not to lose = playing to lose

valpo64 · February 12, 2015, 12:53:44 PM

Waiting until the shot clock reaches the 10 second mark or less before attacking the basket or attempting a shot continues to amaze me. Waiting that long appears to be a failure 95 to 100% of the time. Why do teams wait that long? Valpo is no exception.

vu72 · February 16, 2015, 10:50:57 AM

I'm pretty sure both YSU and WSU are just trying to get the first pick in the draft!

blackpantheruwm · February 23, 2015, 07:27:46 PM

I've posted on PantherU about 15 times that we should drop YSU from the conference. Since 2001 when they joined, they haven't been a total drag on the RPI exactly ONCE. Their best year ever, they finished 5th out of 9 teams. That's right; they've never, never, ever ever been a help to the Horizon League.

oklahomamick · February 24, 2015, 07:32:40 AM

Yes, but they have other sports besides men's basketball. They are decent in track?

If we gave them the boot, it would take two years to find a replacement....

LaPorteAveApostle · February 24, 2015, 12:17:49 PM

i just wanted to post this again. i like it.

hey, you don't get 4k+ posts by coming up with consistently great original content.

blackpantheruwm · February 24, 2015, 03:15:13 PM

Quote from: oklahomamick on February 24, 2015, 07:32:40 AM
Yes, but they have other sports besides men's basketball. They are decent in track?

If we gave them the boot, it would take two years to find a replacement....

Northern Kentucky, still in their D-I infancy, will be a better program within 3 years in basketball and baseball. Our limited baseball membership is the only thing that would give me pause in booting YSU, but give me NKU and another baseball school and we'll have a cushion.

covufan · February 24, 2015, 03:46:10 PM

Quote from: blackpantheruwm on February 24, 2015, 03:15:13 PM
Quote from: oklahomamick on February 24, 2015, 07:32:40 AM
Yes, but they have other sports besides men's basketball. They are decent in track?

If we gave them the boot, it would take two years to find a replacement....

Northern Kentucky, still in their D-I infancy, will be a better program within 3 years in basketball and baseball. Our limited baseball membership is the only thing that would give me pause in booting YSU, but give me NKU and another baseball school and we'll have a cushion.

I would like to think that the new YSU President, with a prior background in athletics, might have the ear of the AD saying "we need to be competitive in everything!".

bbtds · February 24, 2015, 05:15:16 PM

Quote from: oklahomamick on February 24, 2015, 07:32:40 AM
Yes, but they have other sports besides men's basketball. They are decent in track? Mid-level FCS football program.

If we gave them the boot, it would take two years to find the "correct" replacement....

If the HL doesn't find the correct replacement they end up with another YSU.

a3uge · March 01, 2015, 12:16:14 AM

"No surprise, but YSU AD Ron Strollo told me tonight that Slocum will return next year. Slocum signed through 2015-16, YSU option for 16-17."

[tweet]571887058551087104[/tweet]

What a joke of a program.

LaPorteAveApostle · March 01, 2015, 05:43:21 AM

I don't think there's much of an option for 16-17

more likely 8-25

wh · March 01, 2015, 08:59:17 AM

Why would YSU fire Slocum and pay 2 head coach salaries? They've been a failed program for years. What difference does another year of misery make to a school that places about as much importance on men's basketball as other schools put on women's bowling. Also, they didn't force their way into the HL. They were actually recruited (believe it or not) by Commissioner Jon LeCrone and voted in by the other conference members. Remember too that according to BigD the conference accepted YSU only after Valpo turned them down. Just like a bad hire, the people who brought them in share responsibility for their failure to return any value to the conference.

a3uge · March 01, 2015, 09:00:32 AM

Quote from: wh on March 01, 2015, 08:59:17 AM
Why would YSU fire Slocum and pay 2 head coach salaries? They've been a failed program for years.

Exactly. They're a joke.

LaPorteAveApostle · March 01, 2015, 11:47:32 AM

Quote from: wh on March 01, 2015, 08:59:17 AMa school that places about as much importance on men's basketball as other schools put on women's bowling

HEY! Valpo places WAY more emphasis on our bowling, thank you very much.

agibson · March 01, 2015, 01:12:37 PM

Quote from: wh on March 01, 2015, 08:59:17 AMRemember too that according to BigD the conference accepted YSU only after Valpo turned them down. Just like a bad hire, the people who brought them in share responsibility for their failure to return any value to the conference.

This is the first I remember hearing this. Is it credible? Why would Valpo turn down the HL? Were the arguments about geography and increased competition any less true back then, compared to when we _did_ join? Maybe the Midcon wasn't yet _as_ spread out as it became. But, still...