Up Next: Illinois State

[TommyT]

Re: Up Next: Illinois State

We aren't playing as a team. We aren't focused for 40 minutes. We aren't playing our brand of defense anymore. Can't wait for the 2015 season.

[06panther10]

Re: Up Next: Illinois State

A few quotes from the post game interview with coach Jake.

"A few plays didn't go our way and obviously I'm disappointed, but I saw a lot of things I liked tonight."

"Obviously I would have loved to get the win, but the thing I liked more than anything was our defensive effort got better."

Please don't tell me these were real quotes. I mean, really. If those are real quotes, I am enraged.

Please, for the love of God Jake, call a spade a spade. This team has been SOFT, mentally and physically all year long in these road games. Garbage defense, garbage turnovers, garbage shooting, and inexplicable play.

We have not gotten better AT ALL. It would be generous to say that we have maintained the awful play on the road that we started with, but I think its more likely correct that we've gotten worse.

[06panther10]

Re: Up Next: Illinois State

I'm still not convinced our talent level is the problem.

We have talent. Not enough to mask mental errors and overcome playing like crap (16 turnovers), but the talent level is very good.

Talent isn't the problem. We've recruited really well and we have more than enough high level players to be a legitimate contender.

That's why this is all the more frustrating and inconceivable that we could be this bad. It just doesn't make sense for us to be this unsuccessful.

[BCPanther]

Re: Up Next: Illinois State

Thursday won't happen, we'll have our usual spot at 2:30 on Friday.

That said, i haven't been this down in a long time. I just can't put my finger on exactly what the problem is other than this team having no identity and not knowing what it wants to do. It's almost like there's an attitude that since we're playing fast, we don't need to value the ball.

I have no problem with recruiting to a system, but you can't do that when you don't know what your system is.

Next year is a big year for the program. The pieces are there to be very good.

As for now, when do CIT tickets go on sale? I'll be there, proud of my Panthers. Just like always.

[northwest iowa panther]

Re: Up Next: Illinois State

I'm still not convinced our talent level is the problem.

We have talent. Not enough to mask mental errors and overcome playing like crap (16 turnovers), but the talent level is very good.

Depends on how a person defines talent. As a coach I would often say "he has a million dollar body but a 10 cent brain." As a coach you want all things-- a good athlete with a basketball mentality. With that you need to have players you can "trust." You are able to trust them to get into a defensive position, stop the ball, contest the jump shot, block out, rebound, possess the ball and score from the best possible postion. This year's players seem to be good athletes, good guys, good students, good citizens, but you can't trust them to do the above. This is a team because they are such good guys you want them to be successful, but in the end you can't trust them and as a coach it's totally befuddling.

[Kyle]

Re: Up Next: Illinois State

Intelligence might be the most overrated trait in an athlete. The NBA is chock-full of idiots. I'll take a high vertical over a high IQ any day of the week.

[Kyle]

Re: Up Next: Illinois State

Please don't tell me these were real quotes. I mean, really. If those are real quotes, I am enraged.

They were not verbatim, but very close.

Jake says the same stuff after every loss. He walks through a couple specific possessions where we broke down, talks about shoring up a few things, and mentions how he trusts our guys will do what it takes to prepare for the next game. Tonight I specifically remember him saying "I know our guys will be ready" when referring the WSU game Saturday.

The players are usually the same way. Their voice carries more disappointment, but you can tell they are a product of coach Jake's way of thinking.

[jegbomb52]

Re: Up Next: Illinois State

the 20 win streak being over comments are funny.

our 20 win seasons the last 2 or 3 years have been jokes anyway, just because you pick up a couple worthless wins over Denver in the SBT (sh!tty basketball team) post season tournament doesn't mean you won 20 games. I don't care how bad you are, if you are playing 100 games a year you might get to 20. This problem has been festering for 3 seasons, lack of mental toughness, lack of competitiveness, lack of emotion. But you guys keep drinking your kool aid.

I will continue to support, I will be sitting there Sat as we play a fantastic first half on Sat vs WSU. Our crowd will be so into the game it is going to be an awesome environment. Then the building will be suffocated the way a person being in a garage with a car running is suffocated watching it all fall apart. Go Panther!

[Codytwo]

Re: Up Next: Illinois State

Next year is a big year for the program. The pieces are there to be very good.

I agree with you, but this thought scares me. Two years ago (2011-2012) we were in a similar situation in that we graduated 1 senior (Johnny Moran). In addition, the expectation was that 2012-2013 had the potential to be a great year for the program. Well, 2012-2013 led to pretty much the same result as 2011-2012, except we were in the CIT instead of the NIT.

[achrist70]

Re: Up Next: Illinois State

the 20 win streak being over comments are funny.

our 20 win seasons the last 2 or 3 years have been jokes anyway, just because you pick up a couple worthless wins over Denver in the SBT (sh!tty basketball team) post season tournament doesn't mean you won 20 games. I don't care how bad you are, if you are playing 100 games a year you might get to 20. This problem has been festering for 3 seasons, lack of mental toughness, lack of competitiveness, lack of emotion. But you guys keep drinking your kool aid.

I will continue to support, I will be sitting there Sat as we play a fantastic first half on Sat vs WSU. Our crowd will be so into the game it is going to be an awesome environment. Then the building will be suffocated the way a person being in a garage with a car running is suffocated watching it all fall apart. Go Panther!

Jeg we lost to Denver last year

[jegbomb52]

Re: Up Next: Illinois State

Jeg we lost to Denver last year

[95UNIGRAD]

Re: Up Next: Illinois State

God, thanks for reminding us of that. This is as low as I've been as a Panther basketball fan in years. How did we get here from March of 2010?

[Purrrrrfect]

Re: Up Next: Illinois State

I blame Chris Lowery....set an example and had us follow it

[arealcat]

Re: Up Next: Illinois State

Depends on how a person defines talent. As a coach I would often say "he has a million dollar body but a 10 cent brain." As a coach you want all things-- a good athlete with a basketball mentality. With that you need to have players you can "trust." You are able to trust them to get into a defensive position, stop the ball, contest the jump shot, block out, rebound, possess the ball and score from the best possible postion. This year's players seem to be good athletes, good guys, good students, good citizens, but you can't trust them to do the above. This is a team because they are such good guys you want them to be successful, but in the end you can't trust them and as a coach it's totally befuddling.

Do you have a book of sports one liners and cliches?

[jegbomb52]

Re: Up Next: Illinois State

I blame Chris Lowery....set an example and had us follow it

careful with the Lowery comments, I brought that up last year and was BLASTED!!!!!#