Let's just get the expectations out there for hoops........

[DawgatAuburn]

So hoops is nearing, and with it the annual 8-10 daily threads about the team and the coach. So when it is all said and done in March, what would it take for you to be satisfied this year? Just post-season success? An 04 like season with great regular season? Must have both???

I realize it's hard to answer this question because the end is always bitter. For example, if we do make it through to the Sweet 16 as perhaps a 3 seed, and we end up playing a 7 seed instead of a 2 and we lose, of course we are going to be disappointed and complain. Bue we're also going to complain if we are a 3 and lose to a 2 who ends up winning the national championship. Heck, we are going to complain any time when we lose. That's part of being a fan. I complained in 95 when we lost to UCLA because we just didn't play our best game. Every Bulldog fan I know complained about the Syracuse loss in 1996. And all the MSU boards almost melted down in 2004 when we lost to Xavier. We even complained about losing to Duke in 05 and Memphis in 08 and Washington this year. But looking back, most all of those seasons were successful ones, though some more than others.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

So hoops is nearing, and with it the annual 8-10 daily threads about the team and the coach. So when it is all said and done in March, what would it take for you to be satisfied this year? Just post-season success? An 04 like season with great regular season? Must have both???

I realize it's hard to answer this question because the end is always bitter. For example, if we do make it through to the Sweet 16 as perhaps a 3 seed, and we end up playing a 7 seed instead of a 2 and we lose, of course we are going to be disappointed and complain. Bue we're also going to complain if we are a 3 and lose to a 2 who ends up winning the national championship. Heck, we are going to complain any time when we lose. That's part of being a fan. I complained in 95 when we lost to UCLA because we just didn't play our best game. Every Bulldog fan I know complained about the Syracuse loss in 1996. And all the MSU boards almost melted down in 2004 when we lost to Xavier. We even complained about losing to Duke in 05 and Memphis in 08 and Washington this year. But looking back, most all of those seasons were successful ones, though some more than others.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

So hoops is nearing, and with it the annual 8-10 daily threads about the team and the coach. So when it is all said and done in March, what would it take for you to be satisfied this year? Just post-season success? An 04 like season with great regular season? Must have both???

I realize it's hard to answer this question because the end is always bitter. For example, if we do make it through to the Sweet 16 as perhaps a 3 seed, and we end up playing a 7 seed instead of a 2 and we lose, of course we are going to be disappointed and complain. Bue we're also going to complain if we are a 3 and lose to a 2 who ends up winning the national championship. Heck, we are going to complain any time when we lose. That's part of being a fan. I complained in 95 when we lost to UCLA because we just didn't play our best game. Every Bulldog fan I know complained about the Syracuse loss in 1996. And all the MSU boards almost melted down in 2004 when we lost to Xavier. We even complained about losing to Duke in 05 and Memphis in 08 and Washington this year. But looking back, most all of those seasons were successful ones, though some more than others.

 

[Coach34]

SEC West title?? who cares
SEC Regular season or Tourney championship would be nice

But if we don't make the Sweet 16, there is no way to say this season was successfull

 

[DawgatAuburn]

[No message]

 

[fishwater99]

DawgatAuburn[/b]]Heck, we are going to complain any time when we lose. That's part of being a fan. I complained in 95 when we lost to UCLA because we just didn't play our best game. Every Bulldog fan I know complained about the Syracuse loss in 1996. And all the MSU boards almost melted down in 2004 when we lost to Xavier. We even complained about losing to Duke in 05 and Memphis in 08 and Washington this year. But looking back, most all of those seasons were successful ones, though some more than others.

Stans has to prove that he can win outside the SEC and advance to the Sweet 16 for this season to be a successful one. Nothing else matters but the NCAA tourney and how far our coach can take this team. Who cares about winning the West, which we should do again.

 

[SallyStansbury]

Especially with the talent on this team.

Although if we don't, I won't be crying for Coach Stans head. He has given us consistent winners and I have been an MSU fan for long enough to know that is pretty rare around here. I do reserve the right to complain about the following:

1. Having Randy be the go to guy with 8 sec left on the shot clock.
2. Allowing Ravern to continue to start for too long this season after it is apparent that he belongs in the WNBA. (replace with Osby, not Turner).
3. Not starting or getting Phil Turner enough minutes.
4. Allowing Sidney to pattern his game after Ravern instead of after someone good who weighs 275 lbs and should be dominating people around the basket.
5. Forcing minutes for Benock.
6. Abuse of the word Freshmens*
7. Not running opposing teams to death when we have legit SEC talent 2 deep at all positions this year.

 

[DawgBot]

The only thing I care about this season is just finally seeing Stansbury get over this hurdle and making it to the Sweet Sixteen. If he can't do it with this squad, (assuming their is no major injury), he will never make it.

 

[Seinfeld]

but I'm still not seeing why it's required this year. Out of 3 preseason polls that I just looked at, we're ranked 18th(ESPN), 26th(CBS), and 26th(Rivals). It seems that most of the country sees us a lower Top 25 team right now, so apparently our own fans are the only ones that think we're Sweet 16 caliber at this point. I'll be thrilled if we do it, but I'll say again that without Sidney, this is the same team that squeaked into the Dance last year by having to win the whole SEC Tournament just to get a bid.

The only way I'm pissed about this year is if we come out flat at the beginning of the year with this much experience or if we go on tear through the year and then completely flop in the tournament. One thing's for sure. If this team doesn't explode out of the gates with the amount of returning experience and a fairly soft schedule, I'll definitely want an explanation.

 

[BriantheDawg]

would be pretty sweet.

 

[baderdawg]

....but ravern johnson has the ebst natural talent on this team. what happened to him towards the end of last yr? whos to say? but i bet people will be praising this kid come march!!

 

[Center Z]

when we lose a game we shouldn't during the regular season, and everybody thereafter will be freaking out about how Stans sucks so much ***, you will be on here saying that the loss doesn't matter and that we should all chill. Right?

 

[DawgatAuburn]

you are from Coahoma County.

 

[ArrowDawg]

......we go into the tourney is anyone's guess, although a 1st round exit would be utterly disappointing. I wouldn't call for Stans' head though.

 

[Coach34]

"Out of 3 preseason polls that I just looked at, we're ranked 18th(ESPN), 26th(CBS), and 26th(Rivals)."

You don't think that we are ranked lower due to Sidney being in limbo by any chance do you?

"but I'll say again that without Sidney, this is the same team that squeaked into the Dance last year by having to win the whole SEC Tournament just to get a bid."

How many teams out there would like to have everybody back? With another year of maturity and experience? Plus new recruits? You damn right its the same team, plus some new guys. In most people's line of thinking, this is a very good situation for us to be in. Most people would expect us to improve on the 23 wins from last year with everybody back- plus new recruits.

 

[jamdawg96]

...give or take a game or two in SEC play. And, of course, subject to change if we can get Sidney eligible.

I'm predicting one loss in the non-conference for the hell of it, but to be honest, I just don't see it. Unless we completely come out tanking, there's no reason we can't go through the pre-conference slate unscathed. We're better than all 15 opponents.

As for conference play, four losses is a good number to start with. We're good enough to do better, but the conference is improved enough to make it that much tougher. The losses I have in mind right now are one of the games in Oxford/Fayetteville, one of the games in Columbia/Nashville, one of the games at home against Kentucky/Tennessee, and one more for good measure. Again, we're talented enough to be in every game, but that's a lot to ask of a team that was extremely inconsistent last year.

Now, for the postseason, let's say we get back to the SECT title game. That puts us at least 28-6 on Selection Sunday, which translates to a 2-seed playing our first weekend of games in New Orleans. Maybe Louisville's a 7-seed there and we stick it to Pitino and Delk in the process of getting Rick to his first Sweet, Sweet Sixteen.

Sounds about right, eh?

 

[Rabid]

We could very easily come out of the non-conference schedule with three losses. Road trip to UCLA, neutral site versus DePaul and a neutral site tourney? Yep, three possible losses. Easy. Probably won't happen, but it could.

I think you guys are going way overboard in trying to place any "expectations" on this team. What happens if someone gets hurt? Heck, umiss lost three of their best players to injury last year. Sure, they ended up playing better than anyone could have imagined. However, I still think any "expectations" are misplaced at this time of the year.

And what happens if we run into a team that just has a hot hand in the early rounds of the NCAA tourney? It has happened to us before. If we run into a team that can't miss a shot like Xavier in the first or second round, does that mean we didn't have a good year? I just don't see how anyone can "expect" to avoid those things at this time of the year.

I'm just going to be a fan. Sit back and enjoy the games. Root for my team. Support. Encourage. Scream. Shout. All of that. Yet, I only "expect" ... or hope ... that they would give their best each and every time out on the court. The coaches and the players. If we win, great. If we lose, then it's out of my hands anyway. I think that is the most a fan can realistically "expect".

 

[baderdawg]

i grew up mostly in memphis

 

[Hotel Roosevelt]

I'm not going to lose my mind if we come up short of that, but my hopes are for even better.

 

[MSUCostanza]

Really? They went 0-18 in the Big East a couple of years ago.

 

[Rabid]

Please don't act like we haven't gone on the road and lost to a lesser opponent before. I think even the trip to San Diego has the potential to be dangerous.

I don't think we have the luxury of overlooking anyone on the road. Some of you fans may think you have that luxury. But, Coach Stansbury surely doesn't. Nor do our players. The luxury of chalking up victories just because of who we are. That's not reality no matter what you "expect".

 

[SallyStansbury]

He flat out disappeared.

After shooting for unreal 3 pt %'s (NCAA leading I might add, yes he is insanely talented) against lesser competition early in the year....some SEC team figured out that if you put a stronger player on him and "rough him up" and get in his face (I think it was Arkansas who first did this last season) he folds like a deck of cards.....disappears, gives up.

I figure the best way for him to overcome this is to get bigger physically and after looking at him the other day he hasn't. Maybe he could enroll in some sort of Sanderson Center boxing class to make him meaner or tougher? Maybe you could take him to the human society and adopt a dog and have him beat the dog to death with his bare hands? Maybe he could shadow Greg Byrne for a few weeks to see how he kicks *** ninja-style? I am neither a basketball coach nor master motivator so I don't know what do do with him, but he has to do better than last year. His streaky shooting and lack of defense damn near killed us down the stretch. My simple answer is to have Osby ready to come in and start at the three. It looked like he was up for the task the other day.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

DePaul not only went 0-18 in the Big East LAST YEAR, but also lost their best player (Dar Tucker) to the draft. Their coach is probably on the hottest seat in America right now, and their outlook is not much better this year. This isn't 1979. Mark Aguiree isn't walking through that door. Terry Cummings isn't walking through that door. Even Dallas Comegys is not walking through that door. We will roll DePaul.

As for the rest of your if if if if if post......I think the intent in a thread like this is to presume no catastrophic spate of injuries like Ole Miss had last year. And the question was not "if" we run into a hot shooting team and get knocked out of the NCAAs, how will you feel. The question is what round do we need to be in for you to consider the season a success. Thanks for trying to make it difficult though Debbie Downer.

 

[fishwater99]

Dickie V has us at number 18. You are talking about pre-season polls. Wait until the AP and USA today polls come out and we will be top 20 in each. MSU has top 16 talent and there is no excuse for this team not to make the Sweet 16, except maybe for coaching...</p>

 

[MSUCostanza]

the coaches and players won't overlook anyone. Now shut the 17 up.

"Some of you fans may think you have that luxury"

Might be one of the dumbest phrases ever uttered on this message board. For several reasons. If you can't figure out why, then I can't help you.

 

[gtowndawg]

nm

 

[DerHntr]

are they foreign words to you that you don't use so you have to quote other people when using them? very strange</p>"just sayin"

 

[JohnDawg]

Here comes a RebelBruiser length post about how his/her feelings and emotions are important too and you shouldn't disagree or make fun of them!

 

[Rabid]

Unlike you, I have no "feelings" when it comes to sports. Sports is just entertainment to me. Nothing to get emotional about.

I said what I have to say.

I don't know what I said to hurt your feelings, but I noticed that you never miss an opportunity to take a swipe at me. It's so funny to me. I don't know whether to apologize to you or just enjoy your attempts at payback. Seriously, did you take it personally? Did it really hurt THAT bad? *snickering*

 

[memphisbulldog]

I am optimistic about the season.

HOWEVER,

If Sidney does not qualify (and right now the odds are against him), we have the same team as last year except for adding Riek. I know we have another year's experience but last year's team had a mediocre year and was not going to make it to the tournament until we won the SEC tourny.

I say we have a good (not great) team without Sidney. A contender with him.

 

[JohnDawg]

that's all.</p>

 

[tenureplan]

Shaun Smith. I think he will definitely contribute this year. He was a High 4 before the hip injury from which he is now 100% recovered from.

 

[JohnDawg]

he'll probably get some playing time this year. Heard Smith wasn't as good as advertised, but then again, it was just a scrimmage. Way too early to tell.

 

[Rabid]

And you're still driven to read and respond to what I have to say. I see. I've never paid that much attention to someone who "sucks". Heck, I don't even notice you now until you bring my username up. You're a non-entity to me.

Look, let's kiss and make up. Kneel before me, kiss my ring and I'll forgive you. Okay? Does that make you feel better?

*laughing*

 

[fishwater99]

We have the same team as last year except for adding Riek. I know we have another year's experience but last year's team had a mediocre year and was not going to make it to the tournament until we won the SEC tourny.

Name one team in the NCAA that has all 5 starters and almost all of the bench points coming back this year that made the NCAA and won their conference tourney. Then you bring in Lewis, Riek, and Smith. I am not even counting Sidney. How in the hell can you not have High Expectations for this year's team?
Are you Stans in disguise already making up excuses?

 

[Berserker.sixpack]

Stansbury's coaching ...

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

[No message]

 

[memphisbulldog]

We have the same team as last year except for adding Riek. I know we have another year's experience but last year's team had a mediocre year and was not going to make it to the tournament until we won the SEC tourny.

Name one team in the NCAA that has all 5 starters and almost all of the bench points coming back this year that made the NCAA and won their conference tourney. Then you bring in Lewis, Riek, and Smith. I am not even counting Sidney. How in the hell can you not have High Expectations for this year's team?
Are you Stans in disguise already making up excuses?

Good points guy!

 

[BriantheDawg]

.

 

[Stormrider81]

/Rabid
//Cannot believe someone actually posted that on this message board. Might be worse than lol.</p>