MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[stillfamily]

HASANOVA,

GREAT RESPONSE!!!! I JUST WANT THE TRUTH TO BE TOLD, I KNOW YOU CAN RESPECT THAT!!

REGARDS.

[hasanova]

HASANOVA,

GREAT RESPONSE!!!! I JUST WANT THE TRUTH TO BE TOLD, I KNOW YOU CAN RESPECT THAT!!

REGARDS.

Hey, stillfamily.  Thanks.  I completely respect your message, that's why I gave you the positive attributes of a three-pointer, a two-pointer and a block, respectively, on enthusiasm, content and intent.  On the other hand, I hope you can respect my candid observations about the somewhat less than artful style of your response.  Let's just say you "won ugly." 

I hope you won't mind, but I'm going to send you a PM.  Peace

[stillfamily]

hasanova,
I completely agree with you. But, for someone to totally take everything away from Kirby Dean, who has put everything he has into building a program at EMU (not saying he is where he wants to be yet) and for somebody to write negative press on something so positive. Especially from someone who is claiming to be a fan!  That just bothers me, so I did like your posts and respect it! I just wanted a little justice for EMU.

[sludge]

Well, winning ugly is still winning.  Just without any style points.   

[hasanova]

hasanova,
I completely agree with you. But, for someone to totally take everything away from Kirby Dean, who has put everything he has into building a program at EMU (not saying he is where he wants to be yet) and for somebody to write negative press on something so positive. Especially from someone who is claiming to be a fan!  That just bothers me, so I did like your posts and respect it! I just wanted a little justice for EMU.

I think Kirby Dean is doing a great job.  The embryonic stages of EMU's metamorphosis were evident to me last season ... I was impressed with the Royals when I saw them even though they lost to the Quakers.  With Eastern Mennonite's recent history of less than stellar basketball, winning, regardless of the margin, is beginning to set the positive attitude that's been sorely needed.  To me, a team evolves from expecting to lose, to hoping to win and, finally, to expecting to win.  EMU, in my opinion, has climbed from the bottom rung of that psyschological (and athletic) ladder to between the second and third rungs ... and that's great progress! 

[hasanova]

Well, winning ugly is still winning.  Just without any style points.   

Yeah.  I give 'em an 8.5!  It was good to see you at the VWC game on Saturday afternoon, sludge.  I'm also glad you had a great trip to Israel.

[stillfamily]

Hasanova,
Well said!!  I agree with you completely. Some teams beat themselves before they go out on the court, and other teams win games in warmups b/c they are winners and have the winning mindset!!! 

[FortyFour]

JWW,

I wish I knew what's ailing the Fish thus far.  It looks to me like Macedo is trying to figure some things out with the young team.  I've only been able to see them against CNU so far, and they looked pretty good then.  It does look like everyone is back now, so I am thinking Macedo might shorten up that lineup and get a consistent rotation going forward. 

Here's hoping for a strong rest of the year...

[jdubyadubya]

FortyFour - I'll see them for the first time next Wednesday against Shenandoah in Winchester. I'm disappointed with their start. Several posters have written it off to youth and inexperience but I don't buy that. You have got to be ready to play. This is the ODAC, one of the toughest conferences around. I'll be interested to see how the Marlins perform against a USASouth team.

[baselinejam]

JWW,

I wish I knew what's ailing the Fish thus far.  It looks to me like Macedo is trying to figure some things out with the young team.  I've only been able to see them against CNU so far, and they looked pretty good then.  It does look like everyone is back now, so I am thinking Macedo might shorten up that lineup and get a consistent rotation going forward. 

Here's hoping for a strong rest of the year...

Maybe they were reading the pre-season chatter on this board and actually believed it

I'm sure they'll be in the thick of it over the course of the season. I wish them good luck - just not enough good luck to beat my Generals.

[eagleslam]

I am seeing a lot of optimism from the EMU fans, which is fine, but I hope it is guarded optimism.  I'm a EMU hater, although I do respect Kirby Dean, and don't pretend to be anything else, so here it is.

I remember a few years ago, EMU started 5-3 in the conference, and all the Royals fans were saying it had been turned around.  And they did beat some good teams at the start.  I said wait until the end of the season because my thought was that EMU had crept up on teams, and that with their record, would not do so anymore.  All the EMU fans said it was jealousy that EMU was doing better than BC and that I was too biased.  Well, in the final 10 ODAC games, EMU went 3-7.  Not saying that it will happen this year, I'm just saying wait before saying EMU has climbed any rungs on a ladder.

I know EMU has a better record than BC right now, but in their respective tip-off tournaments, both went 2-2.  EMU beat and BC lost to Southern Virginia.  The Royals beat the Marlins, much like they beat Macon early a few years ago.  But, looking at the shooting stats, EMU shot 11 more free throws.  All Wesleyan had to do was go 6-9 from the line in the 2nd half, and they win.  So, did EMU win or did VWC beat themselves.  Typically, when a team shoots 48% and the other 40% from the field, 45% compared to 23% from beyond the arc, and has a 52-37 advantage on the glass, they win.  But, EMU shot more free throws in the second half than VWC shot in the 1st and 2nd combined.  I wasn't there, so I'm not going to say it was bad officials, but it was probably some bad defense on the part of the Fish.  And, Wesleyan had 18 turnovers compared to 6 for the Royals.  Some of those turnovers were surely forced, but I doubt all of them were. 

And beating LC?  Big deal.  Again, out shot 59%-47% and outrebounded 40-26.  Great three point shooting in the second half I'll give you (9-15, 60%).  But yet again, 25 free throws in the second half compared to LC shooting 20 the whole game.

Again, I'm not saying you shouldn't be pleased.  2-0 is 2-0 no matter how you slice it.  But I'd wait until the end and win some ODAC games on the road to say any part of a ladder has been climbed.   

[jdubyadubya]

C'mon Slam, how do you really feel about the fighting emus?

[eagleslam]

J-Dub...

This is a family-oriented website.  I can't answer that question with 100% honesty and full disclosure!

[jdubyadubya]

Slam - so how do you think the Fish will stack up against the Eagles on Jan. 3? I hope to be at that one in Bridgewater.

[eagleslam]

J-Dub...

I think the game will be competitive.  BC has more experience, but are still learning a new system.  VWC freshmen are still learning the college game.  I think the game will come down to which teams upperclassmen (Rice, Oblitey, and Trawick vs. Hassell, Fields, and Dixon) play better.  The Fish get a break playing them when the students are not there, so the freshmen should have an easier time. 

I think if BC can get on the freshmen early, they might be able to frustrate them.  It seems, from the play-by-play, EMU was able to get on them early in the OT and Guilford got on them early in the game.  That's why the upperclassmen have to produce for Wesleyan.

The last thing I would say is that Eagles need to attack the rim.  The Marlins already have 8 foul-outs and are giving up 21 free throws per game.  Four of those foul-outs are from McDuffie and Hassell, with two each.  I am guessing those two are VWC's main two in the post, and one or both of them in foul trouble gives the Eagles a big advantage.

It will be an important game for both teams, but it may be more so for the young Marlins.  Going 0-3 in the ODAC, even with all three on the road, is never a good thing.