BobcatAttack.com - For Fans of Ohio University Sports

Welcome Guest!
Create an Account

site search

about us

advertise with us

help

BobcatAttack.com Message Board

Ohio Basketball

Topic: This team is soft

Topic: This team is soft

Author

Message

Wilson Hall Record Holder
General User

Member Since: 11/13/2010
Post Count: 154

Status: Offline

This team is soft

Posted: 1/8/2012 2:30:57 AM

Plain and simple.

This team is like a boxer who only wants to throws jabs and keep the other fighter away from their body and doesn't want to even get tied up.

Robert Morris out toughed us and so did BG.

Even when we get inside looks it is almost always going away from real contact save 1 or 2 Baltic moves where he spun off people but didn't really look to initiate contact but rather just accepted the contact.

When we have momentum trying to shift to our favor do we look to bang inside and drive? No, we look for a 3 (stick and move) where there's no physical price to be paid.

This team tries to win with skill alone.

I will "borrow" a great line from the movie He Got Game. "The will of a man will beat the skill of a man"

Losing always stinks but it is altogether different to lose because of the other guy's desire as opposed to the other guy's talent.

*Disclaimer*

My words are not meant to judge this team as a not good -- they are good, not special, but good.

They just play like they don't want to get their hands dirty.

MonroeClassmate
General User

Member Since: 8/31/2010
Post Count: 2,167

Status: Offline

RE: This team is soft

Posted: 1/8/2012 8:13:55 AM

Soft is not the term I would use but rather sloppy.

I've only watched the last two losses and parts of other games--too many forced passes and not taking care of the ball.

The Bobcats problem is putting the ball in the hole--absolutely lousy to not score +70 every time out. Bobcats have only two areas that they can shoot. In close or out far--BG hit shots around the elbow not Ohio--no mid-range shooter hitting open easy jumpers.

The defense had some breakdowns but for the most part looks solid, aggressive and helping. Rebounding is not a weakness. Crashing the boards has led to put backs. The press is tough, the opponent has to work to score.

Ricardo is a tough kid as is Nick and TJ and Walter. You play with what you have. Ohio doesn't have an athletic big, a type of in your face Phi Slamma Jamma who throws em down in a double team so must rely on bombs and speed.

This game was lost in the moments after going up 6-0 and then having a run of unforced TO's without attempting a shot.

As for coaching, Groce appears to make the same mistake that every NCAA coach makes and that is sticks with the guys who rallied. You see it all the time in OT, in regulation the five guys who tie it up are left out there to keep it going--and they are tired. Bring in the fresh bodies who are jumping on the sidelines at the excitement the guys on the floor have created during the comeback. Two games in a row there is a comeback but then not able to take the lead and create space. The other team took the punch and regained composure. Perhaps at that critical tie moment fresh legs would be the solution to put the hammer to em.

Last Edited: 1/8/2012 8:15:09 AM by MonroeClassmate

OhioCatFan
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Location: Athens, OH
Post Count: 14,762

Status: Offline

RE: This team is soft

Posted: 1/8/2012 8:23:21 AM

JG in his post game show said the defense was horrible, shameful. He said we lacked toughness.

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

Note: My avatar is the national colors of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, which are now preserved in a climate controlled vault at the Ohio History Connection. Learn more about the old 78th at: http://www.78ohio.org

UpSan Bobcat
General User

Member Since: 8/30/2005
Location: Upper Sandusky, OH
Post Count: 3,812

Status: Offline

RE: This team is soft

Posted: 1/8/2012 2:25:03 PM

Groce in the press conference said repeatedly that Ohio is not playing "tough" like it did early in the year. I think that is pretty much saying they are soft. He said it's not a matter that the Bobcats aren't playing hard, just not tough enough.

Andrew Ruck
General User

Member Since: 12/22/2004
Location: Columbus, OH
Post Count: 5,221

Status: Offline

RE: This team is soft

Posted: 1/8/2012 2:30:22 PM

Groce was pretty pissed during the stretch leading up to us trailing up 12 with about 6 to go. I don't know...soft seems a little much to me. They certainly lost the battle on most the 50/50 balls, which one could argue is a characteristic of a soft team. I just think this group plays pretty hard.

Andrew Ruck
B.B.A. 2003

Felix
General User

Member Since: 11/26/2010
Post Count: 124

Status: Offline

RE: This team is soft

Posted: 1/8/2012 2:35:10 PM

Who cares if he's pissed. Does it help?

RSBobcat
General User

Member Since: 8/22/2010
Location: Columbus, OH
Post Count: 4,437

Status: Offline

RE: This team is soft

Posted: 1/8/2012 2:46:57 PM

Some of the toughness issues were on offense as well. Coach demonstratively called out BG's Thomas's effort on a penetration drive and shot as an example of "heart" and toughness, pounding his chest as he paced down the bench exhorting to the team that they needed to play with more toughness and heart.

One of the reason's we end up shooting too many not well selected 3's is that we do not have enough consistent effort of urgent and determined movement in the offense - bodies and the ball. We don't create (through maximum effort/toughness) enough high % scoring opportunities.

RS Bobcat

JSF
General User

Member Since: 1/29/2005
Location: Houston, TX
Post Count: 6,554

Status: Offline

RE: This team is soft

Posted: 1/8/2012 4:41:38 PM

Andrew Ruck wrote:

I don't know...soft seems a little much to me.

In his postgame interview with Russ, I think "soft" were four of the first five words out of Groce's mouth.

"Loyalty to a hometown or city is fleeting and interchangeable, but college is a stamp of identity."- Kyle Whelliston, One Beautiful Season.

My blog about depression and mental illness: https://bit.ly/3buGXH8

Wilson Hall Record Holder
General User

Member Since: 11/13/2010
Post Count: 154

Status: Offline

RE: This team is soft

Posted: 1/8/2012 6:08:21 PM

JSF wrote:

Andrew Ruck wrote:

I don't know...soft seems a little much to me.

In his postgame interview with Russ, I think "soft" were four of the first five words out of Groce's mouth.

Wow -- I didn't even hear the the postgame interview or read anything about the comments. Nice to know we both see the same thing.

I'm very confident that Coach Groce's words are not solely in reaction to one game but rather a commentary of the team as it is recently from an on court competition (and perhaps in practice) perspective.

Coaches are not tolerant of their teams being "punked" It will be addressed.

Casper71
General User

Member Since: 12/1/2006
Post Count: 3,090

Status: Offline

RE: This team is soft

Posted: 1/8/2012 9:06:34 PM

Soft is one way to put it on the players...

I just saw the headline about the oglesbee dunk on the alley oop and I say: Why do we have our 6'8" guy jump out on a 5'6" point guard 28 feet from the basket and let his guy "roll" to the hoop for an alley oop? Our primary defender did not get thru the pick and allowed the pass. To further exacerbate the problem the rotation was slow and not only allowed the dunk but fouled. Part of this is philosophy (on the Coach) and part is on the players (execution). I still don't like all the standing around and inability to set up against the 2-3 BG zone. Again, part strategy and part execution. I think instead of glaring at the players, the coach needs to become a better game day coach AND the players do need to execute better.

Wilson Hall Record Holder
General User

Member Since: 11/13/2010
Post Count: 154

Status: Offline

RE: This team is soft

Posted: 1/8/2012 9:49:59 PM

Casper71 wrote:

Soft is one way to put it on the players...

You're wrong ....no disrespect to you personally but you're wrong.

If I was the coach I would put it on me but if you think being soft comes down to one particular play then as I said, you're wrong.

Being soft is about how you compete throughout the entire game...from game to game. and it shows up in too many different scenarios to write them all down.

I have no idea how you can suggest that simply having players positioned on a floor has anything to do with how hard you compete when that positioning doesn't happen the way it's designed to happen.

To extrapolate, every defensive transition that has a team out numbered is on the coach for not having to designed his offense to prevent the other team from beating his team down the floor the other way.

Again, you're just wrong.

bornacatfan
General User

Member Since: 8/3/2006
Post Count: 5,716

Status: Offline

RE: This team is soft

Posted: 1/8/2012 11:22:16 PM

Casper71 wrote:

Soft is one way to put it on the players...

Exactly what Ivo has been doing for years. I said it last year and I will keep saying it...... he does not execute the defense of that particular play consistently. . It is an execution problem that has never got cleaned up and I can probably pull out tapes that show it over and over and can recount countless arguments about this same error. It is wholly different than any other big who has played in this system. DWash, KVK, JT, JOn Smith, reggie etc have not got caught in this switch because they do not play it the same way.

Generally when he hedges the screen somehow he turns his shoulders and then it becomes a switch, the guard or wing never gets back to his man because Ivo bumps him off and Ivo stays with the man while the other big has a mismatch or is uncovered. It has bugged me for some time but I have never figured out why it is still there after all this time.

I immediately reacted when the folks around me were lamenting the baseline bigs and said ...."that one was on IVo" and got folks defending him and saying he was no where near the play. Same as has been happening for years. Maybe I am wrong here but I keep seeing the same outcome with regard to this. If anyone happened to dvr the game slow it down and see how he treats the screen. Does he hedge and let the guard come through or does the guard not make it through and Ivo has to stay? There has to be some logic to it because it has happened for 3 years.

never argue with idiots, they bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.

Winter comes and asks how you spent your summer.....

The game loves and rewards those who love and reward the game

Wilson Hall Record Holder
General User

Member Since: 11/13/2010
Post Count: 154

Status: Offline

RE: This team is soft

Posted: 1/8/2012 11:40:36 PM

bornacatfan wrote:

Casper71 wrote:

Soft is one way to put it on the players...

Given that Johnson was there at the time of arrival of the pass I would imagine that at the very least the help side defense was not caught by surprise. I don't know for certain but maybe Ivo's positioning is personnel specific and not just a by the book X and O thing.

Of course in last night's case I'm sure getting the help posterized was not the outcome Groce would leave an opening for by design.

JSF
General User

Member Since: 1/29/2005
Location: Houston, TX
Post Count: 6,554

Status: Offline

RE: This team is soft

Posted: 1/9/2012 12:07:52 AM

Wilson Hall Record Holder wrote:

JSF wrote:

Andrew Ruck wrote:

I don't know...soft seems a little much to me.

In his postgame interview with Russ, I think "soft" were four of the first five words out of Groce's mouth.

Again, in his postgame interview, he talked about how the team hasn't defended "worth a darn" since Christmas, so it's very much on his radar.

Monroe Slavin
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Location: Oxnard, CA
Post Count: 9,121

Status: Offline

RE: This team is soft

Posted: 1/9/2012 1:32:06 AM

Offense seems initiated from the left side too often...Do we have anyone who is physically tough inside (either by posting up or driving into the lane? Do we have anyone who drives and draws defenders such that we get favored rebounding position because the defense has been broken down/forced to over-commit?

Where's the band?!
WHERE"S THE BAND?!

DesignspiritUSA.com
The Pets On The Go Collection of pet gear travel bags
The Holiday Tote Bigg Bagg Collection--over-sized, reversible, extra pockets; now love carrying packages as much as you love shopping!

Showing Replies:	1 - 15 of 15 Posts
Jump to Page:	1

View Other 'Ohio Basketball' Topics

There are 258 Active Visitors on BobcatAttack.com

256 Guests
2 Registered Users:
	Doc Bobcat, Jonesy1017

There are no other users looking at this page.