Zags lose big man for 8 weeks, shouldn't return until after they play Vols

[GoZags]

I kid Brotein shake. When it comes to basketball your program can say whatever it pretty much wants. And sadly the last couple of years you have more right to football props than we do

I know, I know. While your comment wasn't directed at me, I'll admit it WAS pretty weak of me to mention football .... particularly on an SEC member's board.

 

[C/O]

I'm painfully pessimistic so I don't do much trash talking. But plenty of fellow UK fans are acting like this is the start of a dynasty or something. In reality it's just the stars aligning for a great season. Hard to see us getting used to 7+ wins.

I like Gonzaga though. I have my opinions but I still like them at the end of the day.

Same. Programs like theirs and some of the smaller schools are why I love college basketball so much.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

It's still TBD if Gonzaga without Mark Few will be anything. They play in a league loaded with losers. They don't exactly have a grinding regular season and are virtually assured of getting an NCAAT invitation when competing for a spot with those programs. They can pretty much spend the entire regular season preparing for the NCAAT. They don't really have to ever worry about dealing with an extended losing streak when facing a cupcake or two almost every week. Mid-majors have a huge advantage over the P-5s in the NCAAT.

 

[GoZags]

It's still TBD if Gonzaga without Mark Few will be anything ...... Mid-majors have a huge advantage over the P-5s in the NCAAT.

Two questions.

Is Mark Few going somewhere? He's been at GU 30 years (started as a $1,500/year grad assistant). Or are you speculating about "if" Fewie ever leaves (he's 55 years old).

And is it REALLY your belief that "cupcakes" better prepare a mid-major squad for the NCAAT vs a grinding, competitive P5 league schedule? Really?

FWIW when Few first arrived on the Gonzaga campus, he was pulled aside by the campus elders and told "You will never win in this league, and that's okay. Just don't finish last. Last place isn't tolerated around here." He and fellow assistant coaches (and roommates) Dan Monson and Billy Grier set out to change that paradigm, and change the paradigm they did.

If it's SO easy for schools from mid-major conferences to consistently outperform P5 conferences in the NCAAT, how come nobody else has done it?

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

1). Not that I know of. I'm saying that that Gonzaga could fall off the map after he leaves. Kentucky reloads with great coaches.

2). P-5s have a battle practically every game. Gonzaga can sleep walk through half their season. They'll have a few pre-conference opponents that are challenging, but they aren't going to be beat all to hell come 5 months into it in March. Leagues that consistently put 5 or 6 teams into the NCAAT also put 5 or 6 fatigued teams into the NCAAT. They're primed to be upset by the well rested, highly motivated mid-majors. The Witchita States, the Butlers, the VMIs, the Davidsons, the Big East members.

Georgetown came out of nowhere to become arguably the most dominating team in college basketball for a spell. Since JT retired, they've been sliding.

 

[VolDaddy61]

It's still TBD if Gonzaga without Mark Few will be anything. They play in a league loaded with losers. They don't exactly have a grinding regular season and are virtually assured of getting an NCAAT invitation when competing for a spot with those programs. They can pretty much spend the entire regular season preparing for the NCAAT. They don't really have to ever worry about dealing with an extended losing streak when facing a cupcake or two almost every week. Mid-majors have a huge advantage over the P-5s in the NCAAT.

Mark Few isn't going anywhere. He's a GU lifer. Why would he build that program just to leave ?! They can't help who's in their conference, but their out of conference schedule is usually one of the toughest in the nation. They will play anyone anywhere. My wife scored a couple of tickets to the Battle in Seattle when UT played them a while back, awesome experience, and one helluva game.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Mark Few isn't going anywhere. He's a GU lifer. Why would he build that program just to leave ?! They can't help who's in their conference, but their out of conference schedule is usually one of the toughest in the nation. They will play anyone anywhere. My wife scored a couple of tickets to the Battle in Seattle when UT played them a while back, awesome experience, and one helluva game.

I didn't say that Few is going anywhere. My point is that Gonzaga might not be Jack **** without him.

They can afford to take on a handful of challenging OOC opponents early in the season. They get to coast through their conference opponents for the 2 and a half months leading up to the NCAAT. That's a decided advantage over the P-5s pounding on each other over the same time frame. Kentucky plays 1 or 2 very tough opponents every week for 2 and a half months leading up to the NCAAT. Gonzaga plays 1 or 2 light weight opponents every week for the 2 and a half months leading up to the NCAAT.

 

[VolDaddy61]

In

I didn't say that Few is going anywhere. My point is that Gonzaga might not be Jack **** without him.

They can afford to take on a handful of challenging OOC opponents early in the season. They get to coast through their conference opponents for the 2 and a half months leading up to the NCAAT. That's a decided advantage over the P-5s pounding on each other over the same time frame. Kentucky plays 1 or 2 very tough opponents every week for 2 and a half months leading up to the NCAAT. Gonzaga plays 1 or 2 light weight opponents every week for the 2 and a half months leading up to the NCAAT.

I'm not implying that you did. I'm simply making a statement. If memory serves he's had multiple offers from "big time" schools and has turned them down. The little I've gathered from reading about his situation is that his roots run deep in Spokane. The community loves him, and he the community. He has something special going there, and he's not going to give it up any time soon. And I agree with you 100%, if he wasn't there, I don't believe that program would have the same success. He is one of the elite coaches in college basketball, and his track record speaks for itself.