The B1G and the case for still having optimism

[GatoLouco]

Been seeing a lot of comments here about how the B1G is stacked and why we are in so much trouble. After last night, hard to really feel very good about our team.

Here are some of my thoughts, taken from and admittedly small sample size of a very young and weird season:

1) The B1G is very good. No doubt. Very tough. But it is not as hard as it was last season. 6-1 first day of challenge? 0-5 second day.
> Iowa - better than last season, not a lot of ppl would argue otherwise
> IL - Same as IA
> WI - Same as IA
> Rutgers - Same as IA
> MI - As good as last season. I believe you can find ppl believing MI is better, worse or the same as last season
> NE - Same as MI. At this stage, who knows, they surprised ppl in the beginning of last season to fall apart after. They are being not terrible right now, but not surprising anyone
> IN - Same as last season. Debatable for sure
> MSU - Worse. Tillman and mostly losing CW is not the same as adding Hauser. Regardless, very good team and not even close to use being comparable
> OSU - Worse, probably by not as much as losing Wesson would suggest
> PSU - Same as OSU, substitute for Lamar Stevens and losing a coach. Remains to be seen. Game against VT is a sample of 1 game.
> Purdue - Much worse than last season
> MN - Same as Purdue
> MD - Same as Purdue

So my assessment is that there might be 4 better teams, 3 same and 6 worse that last season. With emphasis that last season we only had NE (and us) as clearly behind the pack. This year we add MN and Purdue.

So the question is, how are we compared to last season?

On paper, Kopp/Nance/Beran/Young/Buie have one more year of experience. And that was our core (with Spencer) last year. Gaines is Gaines as gives us what he gives us. Audige is a good addition with, for now, terrible shot selection. Beyond what the players can give us, can the coaching be adequate?

I'm not very optimistic, but talking about 3-5 wins as I've read here is not acceptable.
> We should win 3-4 games against NE/MN/Purdue
> We should win 1-2 against PSU/MD
> We should steal 2-3 against others

It all adds up to 7 wins minimum. Less is really, really being mediocre. Hoping we do not see last year's continuous pouring of excuses:
> We're learning, it will click
> So many games in so few days
> Injuries
> Luck
> Blah blah blah, pound the rock, blah, blah, blah. At what point does it move from being a mantra or resilience and not giving up, to an excuse for accepting mediocrity...

 

[TheC]

Been seeing a lot of comments here about how the B1G is stacked and why we are in so much trouble. After last night, hard to really feel very good about our team.

Here are some of my thoughts, taken from and admittedly small sample size of a very young and weird season:

1) The B1G is very good. No doubt. Very tough. But it is not as hard as it was last season. 6-1 first day of challenge? 0-5 second day.
> Iowa - better than last season, not a lot of ppl would argue otherwise
> IL - Same
> WI - Same
> Rutgers - Same
> MI - As good as last season. I believe you can find ppl believing MI is better, worse or the same as last season
> NE - Same as MI. At this stage, who knows, they surprised ppl in the beginning of last season to fall apart after. They are being not terrible right now, but not surprising anyone
> IN - Same as last season. Debatable for sure
> MSU - Worse. Tillman and mostly losing CW is not the same as adding Hauser. Regardless, very good team and not even close to use being comparable
> OSU - Worse, probably by not as much as losing Wesson would suggest
> PSU - Same as OSU, substitute for Lamar Stevens and losing a coach. Remains to be seen. Game against VT is a sample of 1 game.
> Purdue - Much worse than last season
> MN - Same
> MD - Same

So my assessment is that there might be 4 better teams, 3 same and 6 worse that last season. With emphasis that last season we only had NE (and us) as clearly behind the pack. This year we add MN and Purdue.

So the question is, how are we compared to last season?

On paper, Kopp/Nance/Beran/Young/Buie have one more year of experience. And that was our core (with Spencer) last year. Gaines is Gaines as gives us what he gives us. Audige is a good addition with, for now, terrible shot selection. Beyond what the players can give us, can the coaching be adequate?

I'm not very optimistic, but talking about 3-5 wins as I've read here is not acceptable.
> We should win 3-4 games against NE/MN/Purdue
> We should win 1-2 against PSU/MD
> We should steal 2-3 against others

It all adds up to 7 wins minimum. Less is really, really being mediocre. Hoping we do not see last year's continuous pouring of excuses:
> We're learning, it will click
> So many games in so few days
> Injuries
> Luck
> Blah blah blah, pound the rock, blah, blah, blah. At what point does it move from being a mantra or resilience and not giving up, to an excuse for accepting mediocrity...

I would put Illinois and Rutgers in the Better column. I would put Maryland in the Worse column. I would put MSU in the Worse column for now, but they'll be great as the season goes on. They have a ton of talent. Michigan is a mystery. They have a lot of talent too and probably the best new big man in the conference, but they tend to underperform at times.

After last night, I just hope we win a damn game in the conference. But whether we win 1 or 3 or 7, its just not all that exciting to look forward to. This perpetual state of being near the bottom of the conference is so defeating, especially after the short, sweet taste of what it felt like to be relevant for once.

 

[GatoLouco]

Edited. I see how putting "same" in front of IL and Rutgers was confusing. Meant "same as above" ie, just like IA, better than last year. I don't think there's much debate IA, IL, WI and Rutgers are better.

Right now to me it appears IA and IL would duel for B1G title, with MSU becoming better and better and you can't ever count an Izzo team out. But this is going to be a strange season. Who stays healthy and Covid healthy will have a lot to do with the outcome of the conference. That's my guess

 

[TheC]

Edited. I see how putting "same" in front of IL and Rutgers was confusing. Meant "same as above" ie, just like IA, better than last year. I don't think there's much debate IA, IL, WI and Rutgers are better.

Right now to me it appears IA and IL would duel for B1G title, with MSU becoming better and better and you can't ever count an Izzo team out. But this is going to be a strange season. Who stays healthy and Covid healthy will have a lot to do with the outcome of the conference. That's my guess

What you wrote is obvious now that I go back and read it more carefully.