[NU Sports] hoops post mortem

[Jonathan Hodges]

Carmody does get rather into it at times, although its easier to watch him
in person.  His frustration is usually only gets noticed when directed at
the refs - I remember seeing him thrown out on a couple of occasions.  I
don't think motivation is the problem.

I would have to agree with some of the other list members who say that NU
needs more talent.  Of course then comes the circular problem of you can't
get talent unless you are successful, and you can't be successful without
talent.

The fact is that Carmody has put together a string of around .500 seasons
and given some sort of consistency to the program after years of being in
the basement every year, and he has led the team to at least an upset a year
until this season.  This year he had to replace some of the best players
that have been here during his time (Vukusic, Hachad) and the team was very
young.

Still, the team has not become a "success" (i.e. making it to the NCAA
tournament or even the NIT under Carmody), and they have not been able to
get over that hump.  After thinking about it for a number of years, it
basically comes down to the talent level.  Even if NU gets 2 or 3 high
caliber players, the bench isn't deep enough to cover once injuries hit or
the season is in full gear.

In terms of the Princeton offense, it seems to work when the team is hitting
shots and it can produce the occasional upset, but without a bunch of guys
who can nail shots it doesn't produce consistent results against upper
echelon teams.  With the system you are always forced to play good defense
(which NU has been relatively good at recently) to control the flow of the
game completely, but you are always at a rebounding disadvantage and
therefore if you don't make the shots you are in trouble.  And of course the
2-3 zone usually disturbs the flow pretty well (which I think is why NU
always has trouble with PSU despite the fact that the 'Cats are typically
better than them in terms of record).

In my opinion, it's worth keeping Carmody around for at least another couple
years to see how he can shape the current group of players who have a good
amount of potential (Coble, Moore, and the rest of the freshmen and
sophomores).  At the very least he can maintain the status quo and hopefully
make the NIT, although the ultimate goal should be an NCAA tournament
appearance.  A coaching change now would set the program back again despite
the up and coming potential that is in place, and one would think that a new
coach would transition away from the Princeton offense and therefore disturb
the types of players already in place at NU.

The ultimate goal should be to build a successful yet sustainable program.
The fact that small and academically-oriented schools like Duke, Wake
Forest, Stanford, Vanderbilt, etc. can have successful men's basketball
programs is a testament to the fact that it is possible for NU to do the
same.  I hope that NU can find a way to do this - and right now I don't
think firing Carmody would get there unless AD Murphy has found the next
great coach somewhere already.

Jonathan

On 3/9/07, johnadeg at comcast.net <johnadeg at comcast.net> wrote:
>
> I don't know how much of a motivator Carmody is, but he never seems very
> enthusiastic on TV at least.  Compare him to Fitzgerald or Barnett and there
> isn't much of a comparison.  Too often he reminds me of a commuter waiting
> for a bus at a bus stop.
>
> John DeGroat
> -------------- Original message ----------------------
> From: "Dennis W. Brandt" <tbng at comcast.net>
> > <"Maybe that shows the difference between a motivated team and one that
> > doesn't care that much."  John DeGroat
> >
> > <"Carmody's comment that "we're far away but not that far away" seems
> > delusional."  Brad Wilson
> >
> > "Nuts!"  Anthony McAuliffe
> >
> > Anyone who watched the game knows that those guys played their hearts
> out.
> > They just ain't that talented.  Carmody delusional about being close?
> > Please!  If they hit three free throws, they're tied.  Hit one more
> shot,
> > and they're playing again to day.  What should Carmody have said?  We
> sucked
> > all year, and we're going to suck all next season, too?  Even if it's
> true,
> > he's got no business saying it.  You guys are starting to sound like
> Nancy
> > Pelosi's latest anti-Iraq press conference.
> >
> > Both comments stemmed from frustration, which I share.  Indeed it is
> time
> > for the basketball team to execute certain extratory functions or lift
> its
> > posterior body parts from the porcelin goddess.  They ARE close, but -
> > CLICHE ALERT! - that only counts in horseshoes.  (Ask that Oscar-winning
> > rabbit, Al Gore.)  One consistent shooter or one good rebounder, and
> this
> > team would have won six more games in the Big 10.  Add both of those
> > players, and Wisconsin - ANOTHER CLICHE ALERT! - would have had a run
> for
> > their money.
> >
> > I don't have the answer, but firing Bill Carmody isn't it.
> >
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>
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Jonathan W. Hodges
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