Bonnies @ URI-Kingston (Wed. 12/30/20 at 4:00 pm)

I'm waiting for the explanation of the theory of the 2nd best.

Citizen X?
 
You simply can’t be holding 1-2 every year in this climate. Many cite the desire to keep one in case a mid-year transfer becomes available. I’m sick of that shit. When has the Schmidt staff EVER successfully landed an impact player (or any player?) in that manner?
Whether you give Schmidt 8 schollies or 58, he's only going to play 8 anyhow.
 
Whether you give Schmidt 8 schollies or 58, he's only going to play 8 anyhow.
Yeah, it’s not just filling 13 scholarships, it’s filling those scholarships with the right blend of players. Finding a backup PG to play behind guys like Lofton or Adams has to be a challenge. I struggle with the inability to land and keep big guys though, especially considering Schmidt’s record of developing them.
 
I appreciate all the responses, and the reasoning too. I actually am not thinking the splash hire route, and maybe embracing the fact that we might be a stepping stone program. I think it's easy to get complacent, especially with what transpired 03-07, and say well this is good enough. And maybe it is. When you have an HC making serious bank on a lifetime contract (essentially) you should expect results commensurate with that compensation and job security. Look what Schmidt has done, it is remarkable, and I am very happy that he became and is our coach, don't get me completely wrong. But we have a lot of resources tied up in staff compensation right now, and results that aren't actually any better than JB days. Just saying beware complacency. I'm not calling for heads by any means, just floating thoughts out loud.
 
I know people loved Baron because he was a Bona guy, but Schmidt's results are much better than Baron. Granted, only two NCAA bids in 13 years, but could have been four bids in seven years.

Baron won 39% of his A10 games while at Bona compared to Schmidt's 53%. A10 is not a strong now as it was 20 years ago, but still is a three bid league.

But I am 100% with you, 85. Schmidt makes a ton of money and we have a very strong budget amongst the non P5s, so there is not much of an excuse to not be in the NCAAs once every four years, which I think is a reasonable goal.

Porter Moser at Loyola went from being on the cusp of being canned to a Final Four now very strong Mid Major program. We have the fan support, budget and conference affiliation to net us bids more frequently than once every 20 years.

I am not sure what our ceiling is because we have not been too good since we joined a conference 40 years ago. Do we as Bona fans overvalue this program or are we selling ourselves short? I can't give you that answer, but there are quite a few schools in our conference that do much less with "more."
 
Do we as Bona fans overvalue this program or are we selling ourselves short?
Both. And it's not either/or. Too many of us jump the fence too often after a couple of impressive victories or frustrating losses. Or after a good or poor season.

Some of that is endemic to all sports fans but we take it to a new level.
 
Getting back to nitty-gritty, do you anticipate Schmdt picking someone off the transfer wire this week? A ton of guys there (some pretty good due to schools ending season etc.). It seems to me they MUST get a big body of some kind, even if just for 3 minutes every other game and possibly more--who is behind Osun and Shaw now???? No one, and either or both could get hurt or in foul trouble, any time. And even without that--vs. some teams you can't go with a "four guard" defense. Or is Schmidt such a nut about his system that he would never ever add anyone to begin with??? Even just for emergency? He never played Carpenter last year except a big here and there due to injury or foul trouble. But at least he was there on the bench.
 
Getting back to nitty-gritty, do you anticipate Schmdt picking someone off the transfer wire this week? A ton of guys there (some pretty good due to schools ending season etc.). It seems to me they MUST get a big body of some kind, even if just for 3 minutes every other game and possibly more--who is behind Osun and Shaw now???? No one, and either or both could get hurt or in foul trouble, any time. And even without that--vs. some teams you can't go with a "four guard" defense. Or is Schmidt such a nut about his system that he would never ever add anyone to begin with??? Even just for emergency? He never played Carpenter last year except a big here and there due to injury or foul trouble. But at least he was there on the bench.
He’s never done it, so I don’t expect it. Admittedly, these are unprecedented times, so unprecedented action could always take place; however, I’ll be pretty surprised if Schmidt takes a mid-year transfer.

Carpenter (like Winston, I suspect) jumped the gun in transferring. Had he gutted it out, I suspect he would have had an increased role this season. Not many guys approach things like LaDarien Griffin did. That guy barely played as a freshman and sparingly as a sophomore, yet persevered (Coach Baron’s favorite word), worked his rear off each offseason, and became a key contributor on an NCAA at-large team. If only more kids had similar testicular fortitude.

Honestly, though, Schmidt really needs to figure out a way to rotate more kids in to keep them happy. There’s no reason for the rosters of the past five or so years to stick to a seven-man rotation. Playing nine consistently and going to 10-11 in certain games is almost a necessity today if you don’t want a lot of roster turnover.

Oh, and as for Baron... I love the guy and really liked him as a coach, but his track record at Bona has been pretty firmly surpassed by Schmidt. Like I said a few posts ago, it’s perfectly fine to love and appreciate your current coach while simultaneously wanting a little bit more in some areas of the program.

I’m rambling. Beat the Spiders.
 
1
Both. And it's not either/or. Too many of us jump the fence too often after a couple of impressive victories or frustrating losses. Or after a good or poor season.

Some of that is endemic to all sports fans but we take it to a new level.

Up yours, res. This Bonnies team will be 19-1 come A-10 Tourney time.
 
He’s never done it, so I don’t expect it. Admittedly, these are unprecedented times, so unprecedented action could always take place; however, I’ll be pretty surprised if Schmidt takes a mid-year transfer.

Carpenter (like Winston, I suspect) jumped the gun in transferring. Had he gutted it out, I suspect he would have had an increased role this season. Not many guys approach things like LaDarien Griffin did. That guy barely played as a freshman and sparingly as a sophomore, yet persevered (Coach Baron’s favorite word), worked his rear off each offseason, and became a key contributor on an NCAA at-large team. If only more kids had similar testicular fortitude.

Honestly, though, Schmidt really needs to figure out a way to rotate more kids in to keep them happy. There’s no reason for the rosters of the past five or so years to stick to a seven-man rotation. Playing nine consistently and going to 10-11 in certain games is almost a necessity today if you don’t want a lot of roster turnover.

Oh, and as for Baron... I love the guy and really liked him as a coach, but his track record at Bona has been pretty firmly surpassed by Schmidt. Like I said a few posts ago, it’s perfectly fine to love and appreciate your current coach while simultaneously wanting a little bit more in some areas of the program.

I’m rambling. Beat the Spiders.

I agree with all of this, Bill. One thing is for sure; both Baron and Schmidt did a great job leading Bona's back from the abyss. Schmidt stuck around longer after doing so to continue the success and overtake Baron.
 
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