2021-22 Open Thread

[waterhead]

Not all college programs have a long history of elite defense, toughness and rebounding as their calling card. Huggins used to bring in football pads and Cronin had Rehfeldt. And we were pretty elite at what Rehfeldt could help with.

While he was here we were an elite D with 3 star talent and a lot of that is due to monster factory. He didn’t want to leave Cincinnati but who knows how often he was approached

 

[TheLongHaul]

definitely not a huge deal. A S&C is way more about how much emphasis the head coach places in it than the S&C coach themselves. Huggins was a huge believer in the strength program, Cronin was pretty big into it too. Brannen was more about conditioning than strength. Miller I'm not sure but assume places a large emphasis on strength based on their style of play.

I'm guessing no one on here can name another S&C coach not affiliated with UC. And the elite defense was not because of the S&C coach. Sure, may have helped some, but again, it really isn't rocket science.

 

[TheRealMick]

Yeah ignore that our teams always seemed wore out come March. That’s not best in business. I’m pretty certain he’s not better than the football team strength coach.

 

[waterhead]

definitely not a huge deal. A S&C is way more about how much emphasis the head coach places in it than the S&C coach themselves. Huggins was a huge believer in the strength program, Cronin was pretty big into it too. Brannen was more about conditioning than strength. Miller I'm not sure but assume places a large emphasis on strength based on their style of play.

I'm guessing no one on here can name another S&C coach not affiliated with UC. And the elite defense was not because of the S&C coach. Sure, may have helped some, but again, it really isn't rocket science.

Most of the success is on the coach and players but you take any and every advantage you can get. If not we would have hired CBJ’s staff and called it a day because those positions aren’t important.

My guess is we were begging Mike R to come back with the style Wes wants to play. But it’s a PR move...yah right?

 

[MDW79]

Would normally have no problem with Oguama commitment. Nothing at all wrong with adding someone like on their own. We need big guys and he was at least decent in the ACC.

BUT... I'm really souring on Wes Miller as this goes on. It seems like he's completely incapable of recruiting anyone who isn't from North Carolina.

We've got 4 guys from UNCG. Now we've got another guy from Wake Forest, which just so happens to be a school where is father is a HUGE booster and has an practice facility with the family's name on it.

Our entire coaching staff has UNCG ties with the exception of Dollar. But even he's another guy from the south.

I would have thought "the best coach in American under 40" would have casted a wider net recruiting wise, and had a bigger network and pipeline to work from. That doesn't appear to be the case at all.

Everything he has done has been done from that region. Maybe we can hope he can build out some connections in the future on the East and West Coast, and of course here in the Midwest. But it looks like he has absolutely none as of right now.

I really thought with the way people were saying he was such a big name in the coaching ranks that he'd pull a couple big(ish) names from the portal. Starters from Top 50 programs. Obviously that hasn't happened.

 

[MDW79]

Now give me Quinn Slazinski and lets get to work. Korval and Ody in the post, Slazinski as a streach 4 who can play inside out with Newman, Davenport on the wings

It amazes me such how far this program as fallen. And not just under Miller, or Brannen.

We used to actually want legitimate big time players to come here. I'm not talking about us being Duke or Carolina, or UK. But still a team pulling some top 25 classes and landing high major players.

Now our fans are calling for Quinn Slazinski, who averaged 6 and 3 for for a UL team that didn't even make the tournament.

We're excited about Ody Aguama who played for a terrible Wake Forest team as their 6th or 7th guy.

We talking about a UNCG transfer because he snuck onto the top 150 on ONE recruiting service that no one can seem to figure out why.

This program is MILES from being anywhere close to a top 25 program. Like not even close. And everyone seems to think we're doing just great. It's like we've turned into Xavier from the 80's or early 90's.

Sorry for the rant, this isn't really just directed at you. I just can't believe people are calling for someone like Slazinski. Our brand new coach has failed to land one legitimate starter form the biggest transfer portal ever and we can't even set our sites higher than this turd for the final spot.

It's depressing. The UC basketball that I knew and loved for 30 years appears to be completely dead.

 

[waterhead]

Just chill and let it play out. You can't land the studs first or the role players and younger guys may not come on board for the quality depth and development we need. We are still going to land a stud from the portal. There is a good chance another spot will open up somehow for a 2nd high quality player TBD.

At that point we will have what we need to be very competitive and still build for the future. It ain't over...the best is likely still to come.

 

[cincrulz11]

Just chill and let it play out.

That guy was killing people for saying they didn't want Eric Martin because he had never been a HC.


Now he spends his time bashing Wes Miller, who was actually hired. I don't even read his posts, but i saw his name and your response, so I'm just taking a wild guess.

 

[cincyalum2014]

It amazes me such how far this program as fallen. And not just under Miller, or Brannen.

We used to actually want legitimate big time players to come here. I'm not talking about us being Duke or Carolina, or UK. But still a team pulling some top 25 classes and landing high major players.

Now our fans are calling for Quinn Slazinski, who averaged 6 and 3 for for a UL team that didn't even make the tournament.

We're excited about Ody Aguama who played for a terrible Wake Forest team as their 6th or 7th guy.

We talking about a UNCG transfer because he snuck onto the top 150 on ONE recruiting service that no one can seem to figure out why.

This program is MILES from being anywhere close to a top 25 program. Like not even close. And everyone seems to think we're doing just great. It's like we've turned into Xavier from the 80's or early 90's.

Sorry for the rant, this isn't really just directed at you. I just can't believe people are calling for someone like Slazinski. Our brand new coach has failed to land one legitimate starter form the biggest transfer portal ever and we can't even set our sites higher than this turd for the final spot.

It's depressing. The UC basketball that I knew and loved for 30 years appears to be completely dead.

Lol okay, the landscape of college basketball is far different than it was 20/30 years ago, people can't let go of the Huggins era that gave us ONE final 4 and ONE elite 8 and then for the next 12 years Huggins spent his time getting high level guys who also got bounced in the first weekend of the tournament. High rankings doesn't always equate to success especially in the era of the transfer portal. UC doesn't have the mystique is once had when we were the bad boys wearing Jordan and we will never be that again, we are a high mid major in the American Conference. Wes has been the coach for what a month? and he brought with him familiar faces to help build the program that literally had 4 guys on the team and then added a solid big who can help smooth the transition for bigger recruits in the coming classes. Huggins came from Akron and took years before he built the prestige to land high ranked guys. Miller has been here 30 days and you expect him to pull a top 25 class. Unreal

 

[MDW79]

Just chill and let it play out. You can't land the studs first or the role players and younger guys may not come on board for the quality depth and development we need. We are still going to land a stud from the portal. There is a good chance another spot will open up somehow for a 2nd high quality player TBD.

At that point we will have what we need to be very competitive and still build for the future. It ain't over...the best is likely still to come.

Couldn't you say this for any team that lands "studs"? That the role players and younger guys may not want to stay on board for depth? Why is this unique to us?

You say we're still going to land one but I find that highly unlikely. I really hope you're right though.

 

[MDW79]

Lol okay, the landscape of college basketball is far different than it was 20/30 years ago, people can't let go of the Huggins era that gave us ONE final 4 and ONE elite 8 and then for the next 12 years Huggins spent his time getting high level guys who also got bounced in the first weekend of the tournament. High rankings doesn't always equate to success especially in the era of the transfer portal. UC doesn't have the mystique is once had when we were the bad boys wearing Jordan and we will never be that again, we are a high mid major in the American Conference. Wes has been the coach for what a month? and he brought with him familiar faces to help build the program that literally had 4 guys on the team and then added a solid big who can help smooth the transition for bigger recruits in the coming classes. Huggins came from Akron and took years before he built the prestige to land high ranked guys. Miller has been here 30 days and you expect him to pull a top 25 class. Unreal

1.) Not a boomer (my dad is though) but I'm also not a 14 year old who replies "Ok boomer" either.

2.) I don't expect a top 25 class in year 1. I said we used to get excited for players that may exist in those classes. Now we're excited about UNCG transfers, Ody Aguama and Quinn Slazinski.

3.) if you think this team is shaping up to being even remotely decent next year then more power to you. I see a .500 team. I'm not going to pretend any of this impressive.

 

[waterhead]

Couldn't you say this for any team that lands "studs"? That the role players and younger guys may not want to stay on board for depth? Why is this unique to us?

You say we're still going to land one but I find that highly unlikely. I really hope you're right though.

I didn't say STAY on board. I said COME on board.

You should fill the roster depth first and then add the studs at the end. Not the other way around. The stud ain't worried about beating out the roster for their spot and the young developmental guys commit because they don't see a stud at their positions already.

It doesn't always work out this way but in the portal era you can make it work out this way more often than not. I am telling you our best recruit is still to come 90% sure of that. And hopefully two of them.

 

[cincyalum2014]

1.) Not a boomer (my dad is though) but I'm also not a 14 year old who replies "Ok boomer" either.

2.) I don't expect a top 25 class in year 1. I said we used to get excited for players that may exist in those classes. Now we're excited about UNCG transfers, Ody Aguama and Quinn Slazinski.

3.) if you think this team is shaping up to being even remotely decent next year then more power to you. I see a .500 team. I'm not going to pretend any of this impressive.

Its impressive for a guy who has been on the job 30 days and inherited a team whos previous coach was a psycho and only had 4 guys remaining on scholarship. I never said they were going to be good, I said it takes time, just like it took time for Huggins, Wes is laying the groundwork needed to get to the next level of talent in the coming years.

 

[waterhead]

1.) Not a boomer (my dad is though) but I'm also not a 14 year old who replies "Ok boomer" either.

2.) I don't expect a top 25 class in year 1. I said we used to get excited for players that may exist in those classes. Now we're excited about UNCG transfers, Ody Aguama and Quinn Slazinski.

3.) if you think this team is shaping up to being even remotely decent next year then more power to you. I see a .500 team. I'm not going to pretend any of this impressive.

The only guys I am excited about now are Newman and Oguama. Because they are starter quality but not good enough that we can't still recruit over them and still get them plenty of minutes. Hensley and McGinnis can either wait their turn or even better prove they are good enough to play right away. I am not worried about any of our returnees being good enough to earn minutes. They have already shown that.

I also don't mind if Koval ends up as 3rd option if we happen to land another big. Wes has done the dirty work of getting role players and bench depth and developmental youth. Now is the time to add the home runs.

 

[MDW79]

Wes is laying the groundwork needed to get to the next level of talent in the coming years.

Yeah, I don't see it. I see him laying the groundwork for a team that falls well outside of the top 50 for 2022 and 2023 as well.

Most of these guys he brought in are going to be here for 2+ years. And if you took all 5 of these guys and moved them to a recuiting class for a Furman or an Elon then that would look about right. He just added 5 guys that would be typical of a Southern Conference team. (Which makes sense because that's where 4 of the 5 of the came from)

I would love to hold out hope that he'll really start recruiting next year but seeing that he can't even recruit outside of the state of North Carolina I'm not going to hold my breath.

 

[MDW79]

The only guys I am excited about now are Newman and Oguama. Because they are starter quality but not good enough that we can't still recruit over them and still get them plenty of minutes. .

Not starter quality for a shitty Wake Forest or a shitty Clemson in 2021 though.

This is exactly my point. We've sunken so low that we have to pretend to be excited for bench players from teams that aren't even tournament quality. Although I guess in comparison to a guy like Koval or McGinnis they look like McDAA's.

 

[cincyguy13]

It amazes me such how far this program as fallen. And not just under Miller, or Brannen.

We used to actually want legitimate big time players to come here. I'm not talking about us being Duke or Carolina, or UK. But still a team pulling some top 25 classes and landing high major players.

Now our fans are calling for Quinn Slazinski, who averaged 6 and 3 for for a UL team that didn't even make the tournament.

We're excited about Ody Aguama who played for a terrible Wake Forest team as their 6th or 7th guy.

We talking about a UNCG transfer because he snuck onto the top 150 on ONE recruiting service that no one can seem to figure out why.

This program is MILES from being anywhere close to a top 25 program. Like not even close. And everyone seems to think we're doing just great. It's like we've turned into Xavier from the 80's or early 90's.

Sorry for the rant, this isn't really just directed at you. I just can't believe people are calling for someone like Slazinski. Our brand new coach has failed to land one legitimate starter form the biggest transfer portal ever and we can't even set our sites higher than this turd for the final spot.

It's depressing. The UC basketball that I knew and loved for 30 years appears to be completely dead.

25 years of never winning in March will drag a program down. Everyone likes to say, “its’random”, blah blah. If that was the case, we would have randomly made a run. The tournament is the biggest thing in college basketball, have to win in it. If not, no one cares about your program

 

[waterhead]

Not starter quality for a shitty Wake Forest or a shitty Clemson in 2021 though.

This is exactly my point. We've sunken so low that we have to pretend to be excited for bench players from teams that aren't even tournament quality. Although I guess in comparison to a guy like Koval or McGinnis they look like McDAA's.

I am sure you are well aware of Newman playing through injury last year. Have you seen his soph tape? When he started and played 80% of the minutes?

Oguama has the toughness and rebounding we needed in our system.

Let's not pretend there are parades in the streets here. It's a good get and there were other big programs after him.

 

[cincyalum2014]

I am sure you are well aware of Newman playing through injury last year. Have you seen his soph tape? When he started and played 80% of the minutes?

Oguama has the toughness and rebounding we needed in our system.

Let's not pretend there are parades in the streets here. It's a good get and there were other big programs after him.

Its only what fits the narrative though. If Kansas or Arkansas gets Ody over UC he complains Wes Miller can't recruit, but since he choose UC over them he obviously isn't good.

 

[MDW79]

I am sure you are well aware of Newman playing through injury last year. Have you seen his soph tape? When he started and played 80% of the minutes?

Oguama has the toughness and rebounding we needed in our system.

Let's not pretend there are parades in the streets here. It's a good get and there were other big programs after him.

I am aware of his injury, yes. And I did watch a couple highlight vids.

I'm also aware that for whatever reason he decided to transfer from Clemson to UNCG. This doesn't suggest to me that him being slowed down by injury is the only reason he didn't play as much in 2020. It leads me to believe he knew he wasn't going to get the minutes he wanted there in 2021, and he didn't have a lot of high level suitors.

If he was that good, and it was just an injury that caused his play to drop, then why commit to UNCG? Why transfer from Clemson at all?