When we actually have some success in the NCAA tournament. It’s the only glaring thing missing in the Willard era.
Make no mistake, we have seen many good things...a Big East tournament title, four consecutive NCAA selections, some great wins over big opponents, great players like Whitehead, Delgado, Powell etc.
But in the NCAA tournament we have accomplished zippo. One win. Bad seedlings? Distant regions? Late start times? All true. But at the end of the day those are excuses. Really good teams overcome that stuff.
I am not a negative fan or a whiner or any of the other names often used by the posters who see everything through rose-colored glasses. I have been following the Hall since the Werkman days.
I am also a realist and I refuse to be satisfied with one win in a total of 4 NCAA’s. I don’t follow recruiting closely but I can count stars (whIch of course aren’t everything) and I have trouble getting thrilled about the addition of three-star players when I see us routinely missing on higher-rated kids...some of whom we’ve been schmoozing for a couple of years.
Yes, we have done well in developing several players. But in the scheme of things it would be ideal if we signed a PG who already had a jump shot versus one who doesn’t. And I say that with zero disrespect toward our latest recruit.
This post is already longer than I had hoped but I just wanted to try and clarify why some of us are still a tiny bit underwhelmed.
Penetrate the NCAA bracket past the first weekend a couple of times and I will happily change my tune. Meanwhile I’m still watching all the games and cheering and living and dying with every game. That will never change.
Make no mistake, we have seen many good things...a Big East tournament title, four consecutive NCAA selections, some great wins over big opponents, great players like Whitehead, Delgado, Powell etc.
But in the NCAA tournament we have accomplished zippo. One win. Bad seedlings? Distant regions? Late start times? All true. But at the end of the day those are excuses. Really good teams overcome that stuff.
I am not a negative fan or a whiner or any of the other names often used by the posters who see everything through rose-colored glasses. I have been following the Hall since the Werkman days.
I am also a realist and I refuse to be satisfied with one win in a total of 4 NCAA’s. I don’t follow recruiting closely but I can count stars (whIch of course aren’t everything) and I have trouble getting thrilled about the addition of three-star players when I see us routinely missing on higher-rated kids...some of whom we’ve been schmoozing for a couple of years.
Yes, we have done well in developing several players. But in the scheme of things it would be ideal if we signed a PG who already had a jump shot versus one who doesn’t. And I say that with zero disrespect toward our latest recruit.
This post is already longer than I had hoped but I just wanted to try and clarify why some of us are still a tiny bit underwhelmed.
Penetrate the NCAA bracket past the first weekend a couple of times and I will happily change my tune. Meanwhile I’m still watching all the games and cheering and living and dying with every game. That will never change.
