Holloway on NCAAT Chances
- Thread starter Piratz
- Start date
Thanks for the post. Actually think Sha is correct that this year's team might have a shot seeing as it is potentially deeper and better than last year's which with a few breaks could have made the field.
There are a lot of negative posters being very critical but I think there is room for hope. We all need to see them play a few games to get any feel at all as to how the season might unfold.
There are a lot of negative posters being very critical but I think there is room for hope. We all need to see them play a few games to get any feel at all as to how the season might unfold.
Without knowing anything about our Bigs and Freshmen, it is impossible for me to make any kind of prediction. The sad thing is, it's pretty much going to be like this every year with a new roster each season.
I have heard from a reliable source that he really likes this group and the way they are responding to his coaching. We’ll see!! But it’s much better sounding than last year at this time.
There is some deserved criticism in the new Sha-era, but the SPC run was no fluke. You don't beat three teams that were much higher seeds by accident. If Sha is bullish on this squad, I will share his optimism until I see differently.
I'm always a glass-half full view until I see enough basketball to inform my view otherwise. We all speculate and make preseason predictions, of course, but ultimately you really do not know until a substantial number of games have been played.
I agree with you. Nevertheless, I am optimistic but Richmond's injury history and the lack of depth at point guard are cause to temper enthusiasm.
This is a strong point that I have heard as well. Holloway almost always leans toward the negative as a glass half empty kind of guy. Meaning the platitudes we are hearing take on a stronger note in this case.
When official practice commences soon I will see up front and personal the potential of the team.
Oh I agree. Look any fan that views this team preseason like most of the later Willard teams is divorced from reality. We certainly have many of our eggs firmly in the Richmond basket. There are questions on him besides injury risk - he is a talent but one who has never made an all conference team and hasn’t been the easiest kid to coach. The front line generally. Who can be reliable scoring options or a second playmaking option behind KR. All of that.
I’m old enough now where I’ve seen it all. So while I have plenty of concerns and we all engage in the preseason prediction business, I’ve learned never to judge anything until we get fairly well into the season.
I've been following the Pirates since the Richie Regan days and have yet to hear a coach say, before the season began, that the team stinks & expect a poor showing this year. Of course there will be the usual optimism and negative posts galore on this site but I will not voice an opinion as yet. Just facts--
Face it, anything will be an improvement over the abysmal display of shooting of last season--The same can be said for the total lack of rebounding from the front line. Hopefully the injury bug stays away & all the new faces will blend with the few returning ones to become a quality product.
The major problem is that the conference as a whole has stepped up & become much improved, at least on paper, while we are a major question mark. Thank you P4P !! Hope for the best but be prepared for the worst
Face it, anything will be an improvement over the abysmal display of shooting of last season--The same can be said for the total lack of rebounding from the front line. Hopefully the injury bug stays away & all the new faces will blend with the few returning ones to become a quality product.
The major problem is that the conference as a whole has stepped up & become much improved, at least on paper, while we are a major question mark. Thank you P4P !! Hope for the best but be prepared for the worst
There's a difference between comments made to the public and comments made internally.
The fact that Holloway is giving such positive vibes this season as opposed to last year is promising.
The fact that Holloway is giving such positive vibes this season as opposed to last year is promising.
Good. We as fans don't have to believe it if we don't want to, but as a coach you can't expect to motivate your team if your own attitude before the season is that you don't have a chance.
Hopefully his optimism is well placed. Maybe a different reality will set in once games are played, but even then there's no sense in beating yourself now.
Hopefully his optimism is well placed. Maybe a different reality will set in once games are played, but even then there's no sense in beating yourself now.
My biggest concern is losing Femi & Ndefo toughness. Neither was very polished but their grit kept us in a lot of games.
Also our two best defenders, one of which was our best rebounder, and the other our second best ball-handling option.
The challenge is that the BigEast will be unbelievably strong this year. Maybe in another year this exact roster could make the tournament, but at the end of the day you need to win games to make the tourney. Even if you are a top 45 team (in theory) if half your league games are against top 15 opponents it’s going to be tough to stack up enough wins….
How is it that Sha is always complaining about not having his roster healthy enough to practice. Is this a sign that he works them too hard or are these guys too soft? Or has the medical staff grown extremely gun-shy after some lawsuits?
What could they have done about strep throat?
I do think we’re always best as a program when no one is expecting much. So I’ll continue to keep expectations low and set myself up to be pleasantly surprised if the team does perform well.
Nothing about the strep throat but he constantly states that he has issues getting his full team to practice.
"We got 13 guys now and we’re trying to get everybody on the same page, but I can never get everybody in the gym at the same time because there’s always something going on.”
I read that quote as just how he is. Most coaches are like this. I think it’s very different than last offseason in that regard.
I believe its better than last year for sure. Just having Kadary be a full participant over the Summer is massive. How can a team improve and come together without their PG?
But in 18 months on the job, Sha has constantly mentioned not having a full team for practice as an issue that is preventing the team from meeting its full capability. In season or offseason, "there's always something going on."
Like many coaches, they get frustrated by one specific issue and constantly complain to the press. Like Willard's constant schedule complaints, Sha constantly complains guys are not available to practice.
The question is why? Do we think Sha is exaggerating the problem and it effects all teams equally? Maybe its a combonation of bad luck and today's load management beliefs that Sha doesn't agree with?
It can often be because as a coach, he‘s not constantly complaining, but just being asked the same question repeatedly. Thus the same answers to the same questions get interpreted as constant complaining.
It‘s also unfair to say he constantly complains about anything when you’re basing it on one season.
The Willard schedule thing was a constant for a decade. That’s an entirely different matter. When a guy has been on the job for one year, there’s no pattern of anything.
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