WBB. - Horizon league opener @ Wright State

[Crusader03]

if you think we could be considered a threat to green bay (even with a full roster) then you really are skewed on how much talent this team has(had) and how the team is prepared
we are a middle of the pack horizon league team AT BEST

Oh ye of little faith. If we had a full roster, including Ladd, who we planned on, we would have give GB a run for their money. Not a doubt in my mind. Unfortunately, we'll never truly know. I suspect you felt the same about the 6 players we floored and beat a very good EI squad. Winners can't be picked prior to the contest. As they say 'that's why they play the game."
We just have to keep rooting for the Crusaders and hope they can improve week to week at this point.

Jack, I asume you had hit New Years pretty hard before this post.  You are usually pretty "right on" in your analysis but this one is even a reach for 03.

Not a reach at all.

The two guys who watch more Lady 'Saders bball than probably the rest of the board combined keep telling you how good this team could be/could have been and you guys just write it off.  That's too bad.

Hold on there pilgrim, at noon today on another thread you said the following:

"Well, lock the doors and turn off the lights boys, the party's over.  This collection of Lady 'Saders, for all intents and purposes, is done.  I think Keith may need to think about blowing things up.  There are some assistants/managers/trainers that may need to be shown the door.  Nothing personal, but the lack of recovery from injuries, lack of development etc falls on the staff.  (Keith can either take responsibility and be axed or he can pass the buck as he should and gain more time.)  Next, he might need to decide which players are non-essential and "nudge" them to consider other opportunities.  We need every s'ship free we can get so that Keith can bring in HL-level players (*elbow, elbow* and some of these girls ain't it, pal). "

Get rid of all the assistants, dump the managers and trainers, chase non HL level players.....BLOW IT UP!  Yes that certainly sounds like a team that should be competive with GB.

COULD HAVE BEEN.  With Ladd leaving, the injuries and some development issues, we aren't good.  We could have been good if things had broken the right way.  I concede they aren't going to at this point.  You chastised Jack for saying the Lady 'Saders COULD HAVE competed with Green Bay.  They COULD HAVE.  We've said that all along.  But now we are at the point of no return.  Make sense, Kemosabe?

[jack]

I'll concede to Indy V, we need to look at playing more uptempo basketball. I've said that even before this season. I disagree that, if healthy, we still wouldn't have the horses to compete in this league. I felt Keith and the gang did a nice job in recruiting the incoming players. All were bringing something to the table  that's been needed, and 2 were indy all stars. I've always liked their drive to go after local talent. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the injury bug, along with the defection, has taken it's toll. I suppose, if you look at the player we'll get next season when Richardson is elgeable, and the 3 guards who have commited vebally for next season, There's no time like the present to look at picking up the tempo. Scott and Carr both played up tempo ball prior to coming to Valpo, Jansone appears to have some speed, and I'm sure the others left standing after this year can adapt as well. I think it'll be important to go after another big to replace Ladd, and help fill the void when Varner departs.
Green Bay has some well conditioned athletes, and are the class of the HL league. A lot of that comes from confidence, which comes from winning, and buying into the system. Whether you like Freeman's style of play or not, I think we can all agree that he could have totally retooled his game plan with an up tempo program starting this year, and it wouldn't have mattered. You can't play an up tempo style when you on have 6 or 7 players to compete, night in and night out. We can't even work on an up tempo plan in practice when we can't put a 5 on 5 on the floor. I would have loved to have seen what could have been this season, but it wasn't in the cards for us this year. All we can do is continue to play hard, work on the fundamentals, and try to improve every game. We'll get some W's, and be a better team coming in next season.