TheTastyGreek

Quoted so that CBL doesn't forget to add it to the list.

I remember last year when you posted a logical frustration about not ever having a conference winning year where we finished with 3 or 4 losses (out of 18). I agreed then, and I agree now. These conference losses are killer, and I want exactly what you want. The thing that keeps me from snapping and killing people (or going through with a murder/suicide pact with CBL) is that we can still finish well (not perfectly, but well) and end up with a year that still qualifies as a successful one. Also, we've got talent coming in that makes me confident that there isn't going to be a tremendous dropoff or extended rebuilding process. The semi-miraculous year didn't happen this year, but we've got guys coming in that still make that sort of season a possibility for us after a year or two. And, as much as I love this team and the guys on it, and appreciate the wonderful things they've done for this program... It's not inconceivable that winning 70-75% of our games with them is pretty much the ceiling of what our team is capable of. That's just close enough to greatness that only being quite-to-very good is so frustrating. (edited to fix an "of" that should have been an "or")

I don't think I've been hyping up another undefeated run to close out this season... If it seems that way to other people, I'm sorry because I certainly don't expect it. I mentioned it here because last year, one specific person stopped by to ask the WHAT IF?!?!? question, and then he was answered with that run. But no, I don't expect us to win out on the rest of the regular season, and I'm not trying to convince anyone that it's going to happen. There is something between JJ worship and JJ sucks. It's taking the 13-2 start and the 3-5 run since, appreciating the good, trying to process the bad, and trusting that the guy obviously knows something about what he's doing to continually finish seasons as well as the last half decade indicates he traditionally does. We've got somewhere between 7 and 17 games left in this season, and even this miserable stretch isn't cause for giving up on it entirely yet. I'm pissed off, disappointed, frustrated... Insert almost any negative emotion of helplessness you can think of into describing how I feel about the way things have gone in conference this year. But I'm also annoyed by the drive by "eff this team, this sucks" that pops up whenever we lose a couple of games. Last year, we won out in February. The year before, we won 5 games. The year before that, we won 5 games. The year before that, we won 6 games. If we win 5 games this February, matching the worst we've done in the past 5 years... We'll go 10-6 in conference and almost certainly get a bye in the tournament. And at this point, that's an overall disappointment but at least a realistic hope for what could still be a good finish to the year.

We were asked by one person here last January "What if February doesn't go well?? WHAT THEN?!?!?!" And we won every game we played that month, swept the tournament, and went to the NCAA tournament. And anyone who sees this team struggling and thinks the solution would be 8-10 minutes of Colin Mangrum... Well, I love Mangrum as much as anyone... But you're wrong.

I'm just glad that a 3 game losing streak and a bad run in conference has served as a rallying point for people who don't usually seem to give much of a damn about basketball to come and complain about what a disappointment the team is. At least our recent misery can bring people together.

Well, damn. I refuse to believe this football team can succeed until I see us get a pure "1".

Quoting Simpsons is like quoting scripture. People tend to get angry when you do it wrong. And having at least a basic familiarity with the most frequently cited passages from both is essential to understanding cultural discourse in America. I'm not saying I'm declaring holy war on you if you don't buy some DVD sets and get caught up... But I *do* know where you tend to sit at basketball games.

Nobody "fixes" Simpsons quotes. All anyone can do is ruin them. You are now worse than Jimmy Carter.

He's history's greatest monster.

The Bracketbusters TV schedule is out now, and here's the list of non-televised matchups. Some pretty terrible thrown together matchups among those schools that don't have good ESPN conference deals. Have fun at Northern Illinois, Seattle. Pack warm for Eastern Michigan, Jacksonville State. Delaware State goes to Tennessee State, Pacific goes from Oregon to Oral Roberts... If we had been involved this year, it looks like our best case scenario would have been a road game at NMSU or La Tech. Just as likely, we'd have been shipped out somewhere else like Southeastern Missouri State.

In football, when North Texas goes on the road and beats a .500 team from a power conference, people still talk about it as the crowning achievement of the athletics program 36 years later. In basketball, when North Texas goes on the road and beats a .500 team from a power conference (by more than anyone has in 20 years)... They aren't "good" and our team is a disappointment. Beating Tech and LSU is a big deal, whether they make the NCAA tournament or not. These recent losses suck and they're very disappointing, but beating two power conference teams in one year is still a major achievement.

In non SBC action, Missouri State lost at home to Northern Iowa. We now have the 5th longest home win streak in the country, behind Duke, Kentucky, Utah State, and VCU.

Basketball would be so much easier if it weren't for having to actually go out and beat the other teams. Many times, they want to win the game, too. Either we'll get a bye in Hot Springs, or we won't. Either we'll win the tournament, or we won't. Just like two days ago, they're both still possibilities. Anyone who wants to flip out and overreact, I'm not really bothering to read. Bad loss to a bad team. And we play another game tomorrow. Looking forward to that one.

Whitfield is an RB commit in this year's class. You're welcome.

Bold. It's about time someone told it like it is.

Are you criticizing someone for dunk driving?

Wait, did WKU just knock us out of the Sun Belt tournament? Because it seems like I get a pep talk from you every time they have in the recent past. Please tell me our season didn't end without me realizing it. Seriously... Thanks to both of you guys for trying to give us some perspective and encouragement.

Looks like what he said to me. Damn CMJ.

Thank you. You're awesome. Still frustrating as hell.

Brett Vito = Professor Griff?

If his grades are in order, there's no negative impact whatsoever. Leaving for a professional opportunity doesn't hurt like leaving for another school, there's no retention penalty. They designed the rule to accommodate the pro factories. It's the reason Calipari isn't constantly posting single digit APR scores.

What do you mean, "YOU PEOPLE"???

Jarion Henry, much like Nolan Dennis, may be an option for us 2 years after graduating high school. At least a future Jarion Henry transfer wouldn't involve a sit-out year. Even if Jarion does get D1 eligible, I'd take Nolan Dennis.