[NU Sports] Moron-oddity

[Weinbaum, Willie]

I've seen nearly every game on TV & can say that Craig Moore's hustle is
exemplary.  He plays his butt off and is thoroughly unafraid to mix it
up (he likely has the bruises to show for it).  He is not just a
shooter, but a leader who is unintimidated by clutch situations.  As bad
as things were, Moore did his utmost to try to rescue his team in many
situations.

There are obviously PLENTY of problems, the season was a big
disappointment, and I really like Thompson, too, but Moore's efforts
shouldn't be overlooked.  

One observation on a very frustrating flaw that pervaded every game: the
team - - including its best guys (the Coble-Moore-Thompson trio) - -
repeatedly picked up its dribble prematurely, leaving players in
untenable situations that allowed defenses to swarm and cut off options.
That haunted the Cats as they blew several leads, including in the final
game against Minnesota in the tournament, when NU was inept down the
stretch (and against the Gophers' press, NU seemed to go backwards more
often than toward the basket, during the final few minutes).  The
inability to complete plays (let alone games) or even get into
advantageous places on offense was a constant.  

Announcers often spoke of how NU's Princeton offense gives other teams
fits, but the Cats got themselves into trouble much more often than they
created difficulties for opponents (and NU's margin for error is tiny). 

Have a good offseason, everyone.

-----Original Message-----
From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com]
On Behalf Of johnadeg at comcast.net
Sent: Saturday, March 15, 2008 9:27 AM
To: Dennis W. Brandt; nwu-sports at tssi.com
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Moron-oddity

The long and the short of it is that we haven't had a coach who can
recruit neither to my knowledge has NU ever given a BB coach payment
incentives for achieving certain objectives.  Looking at the current
team, Thompson is the only guy willing to mix it up, diving for balls,
etc.  Maybe that is the way  Carmody want  to play but it is a sure
loser.

John DeGroat
 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Dennis W. Brandt" <tbng at comcast.net>
> With all due respect to Mr. Moron-oddity . . .   OK, with NO respect
for 
> Moron-oddity, it's always SO-O-O simple for the klutzes like him who 
> sit on the sidelines watching and never doing.  If Carmody is a bad 
> coach, then every coach Northwestern has ever had has been a bad coach

> because none of them has taken a team into the NCAAs.  The damn 
> offenseive style isn't the problem as Georgetown is proving this 
> season.  We ain't got the horses.  If the other team goes into zone,
we don't have the talent to execute plan B.
> We get close only by playing our best while the other team loafs.  
> There is no doubt that had Minnesota played as hard in the first half 
> as they did in the second, we would have been down 13 or more at the
half instead of up.
> Before we start firing coaches, however, we have to know who is going 
> to take over and that he will be better.  So far, we've never hired a 
> successful replacement as basketball coach.
> 
> _______________________________________________
> nwu-sports site list
> nwu-sports at tssi.com
> http://romaine.tssi.com/mailman/listinfo/nwu-sports
> 
> Administrative Note:  Comcast has been bouncing a lot of list traffic
recently.  
> The problem appears to be intermittent and is on their end.  If you 
> get bounced off the list, just resubscribe.

_______________________________________________
nwu-sports site list
nwu-sports at tssi.com
http://romaine.tssi.com/mailman/listinfo/nwu-sports

Administrative Note:  Comcast has been bouncing a lot of list traffic
recently.  The problem appears to be intermittent and is on their end.
If you get bounced off the list, just resubscribe.