UAlbany @ Hartford

[OrangeDane]

Well I was down w the flu so we didn't make the trip out..settled for watching online via Hartford website...(for us old timers in the group...interesting to note that KC Jones is the color commentator for Hartford...I wonder what his connection to U Hartford is....) anyways...not one of the Danes best efforts by any shot...I do not think that all is lost however...Harris was definetly involved and the UA defense was generally pretty good throughout...a couple of mental lapses that resulted in easy Hartford buckets but overall good defense...this was game was most definitely lost on the offensive end...the A-E is gonna be far more balanced this year, while its possible that someone might run the table and go 14-2 or 13-3...I think its far more likely that the top seed this year will end up at 12-4 or even 11-5...the key will be strong play at home...and I think the Danes will do well on the home hard wood and even if the shooting does not improve dramatically I think the Danes' defense and rebounding are strengths that give them a reasonable shot to steal a couple on the road and wind up near the top...I hope I am not being overly optomistic...now back to the Day-Quil....

[Oldtimer]

bosiydid you made a mistake going to UA. You should have gone to Brockport or Cortland and majored in PE and become a coach.

I went to the game and tried to cheer the team on, instead of sitting home and sending negative comments to the "board".

Our 3-point shooters are all new to D-I(except Harris). I think they are putting a lot of pressure on themselves and maybe they read this Board and the pressure increases. Hartford is a young but veteran team who beat us at home last year and went to the AE finals and everybody is back. We could have won the game except for the run they had with 3-4 minutes to go. This team does not have a lot of self-confidence and can use encouragement more than criticism. I think they are going to me OK by tournament time.

[Clickclack]

bosiydid you made a mistake going to UA. You should have gone to Brockport or Cortland and majored in PE and become a coach.

I went to the game and tried to cheer the team on, instead of sitting home and sending negative comments to the "board".

Our 3-point shooters are all new to D-I(except Harris). I think they are putting a lot of pressure on themselves and maybe they read this Board and the pressure increases. Hartford is a young but veteran team who beat us at home last year and went to the AE finals and everybody is back. We could have won the game except for the run they had with 3-4 minutes to go. This team does not have a lot of self-confidence and can use encouragement more than criticism. I think they are going to me OK by tournament time.

 

Oldtimer,

 

I appreciate the fact that you went to the game and supported our student athletes. What I don't appreciate is you telling me that I made a mistake going to UA....that sir, is not for you to judge. The fact that I wasn't at the game (been laid up with the flue for a few days now) does not mean I am any less of a fan.

 

I recognize that sometimes as the game ebbs and flows I can be....shall we say less then politically correct (always praising the players/coaches) so perhaps during the game you should consider me (as well as a couple of the other posters in this thread) temporarily insane.

 

You might not believe it.....but I love my Danes and want nothing more then for them to succeed. We might disagree on what behavior is becoming of a "good" fan and you may lecture me on how to act appropriately in a game thread, I'll try to take it as constructive criticism and improve in that regard.

 

Thank you for your thoughts....I agree with the remainder of your post.

[McFan]

bosiydid you made a mistake going to UA. You should have gone to Brockport or Cortland and majored in PE and become a coach.

I went to the game and tried to cheer the team on, instead of sitting home and sending negative comments to the "board".

Our 3-point shooters are all new to D-I(except Harris). I think they are putting a lot of pressure on themselves and maybe they read this Board and the pressure increases. Hartford is a young but veteran team who beat us at home last year and went to the AE finals and everybody is back. We could have won the game except for the run they had with 3-4 minutes to go. This team does not have a lot of self-confidence and can use encouragement more than criticism. I think they are going to me OK by tournament time.

 

Every year on multiple occassions we get this post, or a similar version. Although Bosi answered quite competently on his own, I have a response too.

 

I am not a coach and never have been. This does not preclude me from having an opinion and making commments on this board.

 

I never played D1 basketball. See above.

 

Outside of conference tournaments, Siena games, one Bing game, and two NCAA games, I have never been to an away game and most likely never will. Job, family, and other priorities come first. See above.

 

I have however been a season ticket holder for 10 years, donated to the program, been to two conference tournaments, two UA NCAA games (as well as a number of others). I will at times post my opinion on the players (more specifically their play) and the coaches. Not every comment will be positive. I do fully support the team and their effort. That doesn't mean blind faith in them. And at this moment there remains many negatives, positives, and question marks.

 

None of this makes me (or bosi) any more or less of a fan.

[Clickclack]

What we need is to take it to the chat room....during the game emotions run high and I'll be the first to say, I don't always control my frustration well. That however does not make me or anyone else less of a fan.

 

I say....take it to the chat board to discuss the game as it progresses....I'll be there for the next away game.

[Patch]

No matter if your a fan of certain players or the coach, this team is in a BIGTIME funk.

 

There is only two player playing with any consistency are Connelly (he's banged up) and Hastings who gives us solid defense when ever he steps on the court.

 

Blame it on the coach or blame it on individual players it makes no difference, this group will have to find a way to fight through its struggles and become a TEAM.

 

Harris, Ambrose and McCrae haven't shown any consistency but have shown great potential, you don't win with potential you win with consistency.

 

Raffa hasn't proven he can make those around him better, he has a lot of maturing to do.

 

Johnson at times seems selfish or maybe just too self confident.

 

Barazza and Allen are shooters who are in a big time slump at the same time. Until they believe their shots are going in they won't.

 

Gifford has to make the few layups he gets.

 

If most of these guys pick up their game a little we'll be much improved, remember we're 8-6 (that may be a good sign) and yet we're playing like crap.

[UA_MA_2000]

When I go to the basketball games and especially to any road games in different venues, I try to take some pictures of the game and arena so that my friends and family, who can't always make the games, can get a feel for the game setting, etc. For example, a friend of mine is a Hartford alumnus, who at times served as the Hartford mascot during his academic tenure. As such, I felt compelled to share with him the following photo, which I took shortly after the final buzzer sounded.

 

Since I'm a terrible picture-taker, most of the pictures I take stink, but every now and then a funny one reveals itself, like this post-game ritual (?) performed by the Hartford mascot and a loyal H.U. fan.

 

[danes05]

When I go to the basketball games and especially to any road games in different venues, I try to take some pictures of the game and arena so that my friends and family, who can't make the games, can get a feel for the game setting, etc. For example, a friend of mine is a Hartford alumnus, who at times served as the Hartford mascot during his academic tenure. As such, I felt compelled to share with him the following photo, which I took shortly after the final buzzer sounded.

 

Since I'm a terrible picture-taker, most of the pictures I take stink, but every now and then a funny one reveals itself, like this post-game ritual (?) performed by the Hartford mascot and a loyal H.U. fan.

 

 

That is hilarious!!!!!!

[haggyland]

I definitely need to be talked down from the edge. With the tepid three point shooting, turnover woes, and the inconsistent contributions by the players, I had a bad feeling going into the Hartford game. Couple that with my feelings on the other gender's program, and the apparent failures of Project 2020, er Project 2010, I didn't find it the greatest time to be a Danes fan.

 

That said, I will be there Thursday night rooting to see a three pointer (they must have a lot of those free shirts still hanging around), and I will do my best to play the part of the good soldier. It should be an interesting season.

[DANEDoggyStyle]

RECRUITING PRIORITY.....a shooter....anyone, please!

 

Defenitly need to get a shooter or shooters into the program ASAP. You can't win the college game without shooters that stretch the Defense out. This team has struggle all year shooting always in the 30% range. Have the Danes cracked the 40% mark this year? The offense needs to be addressed and worked on the defense and rebounding are great but the offense has been abismal. I also feel that Gifford should see minimal minutes maybe 2 -5 minutes a game, he is awful on the offensive side and fouls to much on Defense.

[Phoenix]

While it might not seem believeable after the past 8-10 games, the team is actually shooting 40.2% this year..as Coach Brown has said, two of the main 3-pointer shooters recruited this year, Aronhalt and Lindfors, aren't playing this year..also, if my memory serves me correctly, Barraza shot nearly 50% from downtown last year as a JuCo in Arizona..I don't know if recruiting needs to change, or if some players just need to shoot as well as they have in the past!

[Clickclack]

For the record....I made that comment purely out of frustration as we were unable to buy a bucket. We are undoubtedly going through a rough stretch right now but I have faith that the offense will come around. Hopefully we'll start to break out of it on Thursday.

 

Reading my comments as well as some others, you'd think we were 5 games under .500. We are 8-6 0-1 in the league, long way to go yet this season. We need plenty of work on the offensive end coaches realize that....take a look at the latest TU blog. The fact that we are 8-6 with our offensive struggles is a minor miracle in itself.

 

Until we find a way to shoot team out of the zone, we should expect allot of zone. We should continue to shoot it, it will come......it has to. You don't go from making shot after shot after shot in warm ups and practice and then totally forget how to shoot in a game. At this point it appears to be all confidence. Hopefully the coach leaves kids even in if they happen to miss a shot or two (or a defensive assignment) and have the guys play through it. Of course that's just my opinion FWIW....gotta get the collective confidence up.

 

Can't wait for this Thursday!

[Clickclack]

Apparently Will will move to the 4 against BU with Brian moving to the 5. Billy will probably start at the 3....complete guess there though.

[haggyland]

Apparently Will will move to the 4 against BU with Brian moving to the 5. Billy will probably start at the 3....complete guess there though.

Maybe Logan drank some healing water and will save the season from the 3 spot.