Game 7, Rhode Island, Nov. 30th, 4 PM, MASN

[Patriotfan49]

Tom O'Connor will not stand for mediocrity, which is why he made such a solid hiring in a coach that mediocrity will never be associated with. Hell, Hewitt went to the NCAA Championship for crying out loud!

 

[gmutom]

I'll never fall into the category where I am satisfied with maybe being able to compete with vcu. That's not acceptable.

You seemed to accept it fine under Coach L's regime, because I can't recall a big game he ever won against vcu — and they were nowhere as talented as they are now. In fact, we would have had about three more NCAA appearances if he found a way to beat them in the CAAT. Why all of a sudden is this something new to you?

For discussion purposes, let's acknowledge that Hewitt is likely here for at least two more years. In order to compete against vcu and the upper echelon of the A10, we need to bring in a different type of recruit. I'm not talking about 4- and 5-star athletes who score 25 points a game, because they aren't walking through the door anytime soon even with Hewitt's recruiting history.

I'm talking about guys like Marko and Jenkins, who aren't afraid of the guys on the other team. Guys who punch back when they are punched in the face. Guys who want to make their teammates and team better by setting screens, getting assists, diving for loose balls and committing to stopping their man of defense (something Marko is getting a little better at but still needs to work on).

I don't like that we might be an average team this year, but I do like the direction we seem to be going in with players like Marko, Jenkins, Lockett and Mayimba. We might lose a little scoring next year with Holloway and Gray replacing Allen and Wright, but Jenkins showed last night that you can be a defensive-first player and still put points on the board.

 

[Pablo]

Tom O'Connor will not stand for mediocrity, which is why he made such a solid hiring in a coach that mediocrity will never be associated with. Hell, Hewitt went to the NCAA Championship for crying out loud!

There have been many coaches who have had outstanding careers after being fired for being "mediocre". I guess that you are unable to accept that fact. IMO, the jury is still out with respect to Coach Hewitt's career here.

 

[Patriotfan49]

Good plan. Im hopeful in waiting even more years for Hewitt to "bring in his guys" and to probably give him an extension. That way, in maybe 5 more years, not only will his guys be here, but then he will also have the players he needs to "run his system".

 

[Patriotfan49]

There have been many coaches who have had outstanding careers after being fired for being "mediocre".

Youre right. Here is to hoping that the 7 years at GT and the past couple at Mason were a fluke, and that he will go on to have an outstanding career here.

 

[Dawgs99]

Not drinking the Hewitt Kol-aid either but I do think its funny how much of the fan base on these boards thinks the guy can't coach a lick and he has over a .600 winning percentage here. Its not like he came in and all of a sudden the wheels fell off. In his first year here were we actually pretty good and probably the second best team in the CAA behind vcu. If Hewitt flops over the next 2 years he will be gone.

 

[Pablo]

What I find most interesting is that the posters who live outside the area and do not attend home games seem to be the most critical. Sure, I get frustrated watching the inconsistent play. But, when I get home and read the in-game posts on this board, I have to wonder if they are watching the same game as I am. Oftentimes, they quit on the team long before the outcome is decided.

 

[Patriotfan49]

My section all seem to be in agreement at how painful the games have been to sit through minus the UNI game. But its probably because they are ungrateful for wins, and probably dont understand basketball.

 

[GMUgemini]

True, PL, and as I stated, I am not happy with it either, but we are not a program that can afford to be picky about wins. The season is going on now. That's what I am worried about now. The other stuff we complain about, we can't do anything about until the off season.

Us complaining about the same thing over and over again without having any power to do anything about is like a crazy man yelling at the ocean that it is too salty.

And when there is something that goes right, like getting a win, it kind of a buzzkill to get back on the boards and see nothing to acknowledge that rare positivity about this program.

Lumping St. Francis (PA.) in with URI is also ridiculous. I think there needs to be a little bit of realism on both sides of the equation here.

 

[Pablo]

My section all seem to be in agreement at how painful the games have been to sit through minus the UNI game. But its probably because they are ungrateful for wins, and probably dont understand basketball.

So, now you speak for an entire section!

 

[Patriotfan49]

So, now you speak for an entire section!

Not an entire section, let me clarify for you mr literal. Those that we have talked with each game to the rows a few in front, to those that sit on the side/next to us, and a few behind all share the same sentiments. It was also the same thoughts of some people in my old section as well (that were in my vicinity).

We should probably report them to the season ticket office for being too negative and probably not fans. Nevermind they are season ticket holders as well, off with them.

 

[Dawgs99]

My section all seem to be in agreement at how painful the games have been to sit through minus the UNI game. But its probably because they are u
ngrateful for wins, and probably dont understand basketball.

I actually thought we played our best game last night, if we could have knocked down some of those good looks from three we probably pull away a bit. Until some people face that facts that we have largely been a mediocre program since the FF they are going to continue to think the sky is falling.

 

[MasonFanatic]

This argument is getting really old and stupid. Just because certain posters comment on positives from the game and say they are happy with one specific win because they saw small, incremental progress does not mean that anyone is accepting mediocrity. If they were accepting our current level of mediocrity, why are they pointing out signs that our team might be getting better? If our current level were acceptable, there would be no need to look for signs of improvement. I don't read anyone here to be happy with our current level of play. One positive game is just a small step along the path to where we all want to be, but it's still a good thing, isn't it? Can't we all appreciate incremental progress? It's the only kind we're going to get.

 

[gmutom]

Good plan. Im hopeful in waiting even more years for Hewitt to "bring in his guys" and to probably give him an extension.

Now you're just being ridiculous. Of course the man doesn't deserve an extension; but like Dawgs99 pointed out, he does have a .600 winning percentage at Mason and also doesn't deserve to be fired like you, Jim, lawdog and three other people here think.

Let the man bring in his own players and finish out the contract. If it hasn't worked out, then by all means bring in a new coach.

Note: The people in my section were high-fiving and fist-bumping one another during and after the game, so I probably sit in a very positive section of the arena. lol

 

[Patriotfan49]

I actually thought we played our best game last night, if we could have knocked down some of those good looks from three we probably pull away a bit. Until some people face that facts that we have largely been a mediocre program since the FF they are going to continue to think the sky is falling.

I thought it was the UNI game that was our best so far. We flowed alot better than game, and the guys played pretty well as a unit.

URI we won, and to be honest I never really was concerned with them even when they took the lead. It was just that it was sooo ugly and choppy and the mistakes make it hard to sit through. Jenkins was a very good thing from the URI game.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

I actually thought we played our best game last night, if we could have knocked down some of those good looks from three we probably pull away a bit. Until some people face that facts that we have largely been a mediocre program since the FF they are going to continue to think the sky is falling.

This. Most of the Debbie Downers here think that before Hewitt we were constantly in the NCAAs and had vcu's card and forget some of the humbling debacles and lack of offense that occurred under OCM.

Fact is we are getting players that are far bigger and stronger than we ever got under OCM and still have a better offense. I am thinking that if the defense could get more solidified - we will be doing quite well.

 

[Patriotfan49]

This argument is getting really old and stupid. Just because certain posters comment on positives from the game and say they are happy with one specific win because they saw small, incremental progress does not mean that anyone is accepting mediocrity. If they were accepting our current level of mediocrity, why are they pointing out signs that our team might be getting better? If our current level were acceptable, there would be no need to look for signs of improvement. I don't read anyone here to be happy with our current level of play. One positive game is just a small step along the path to where we all want to be, but it's still a good thing, isn't it? Can't we all appreciate incremental progress? It's the only kind we're going to get.

The devils advocate to this would be the constant "sky is falling", "Debbie Downer", "Hewitt Hater", "too negative" or "repetitive" comments to anybody who points out a flaw gets old as well. Its a message board and people have their right to their opinion and people are going to fall on both sides of the conversation.

To you, people pointing out tiny little "improvements" are a showing of them not accepting mediocrity, to others its grasping and showing that they have to sift through all the negatives to find some tiny silver lining to find something.

 

[Pablo]

Jenkins was a very good thing from the URI game.

Good, now you're learning to be open-minded!

 

[Dawgs99]

Its like beating a dead horse but we have got to get more out of the PG spot. Bryon is not the same guy when he is forced to play the 1. CE needs to get his sh*t together and hopefully MM is close to returning.

 

[Patriotfan49]

Good, now you're learning to be open-minded!

I said that in my very first post about this game as well. Not my fault that you skipped over it or missed it. Here it was:

"I liked how Sherrod came out and Jenkins played in his minutes."