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[> [> [> Re: The Stags did a good job?? -- cmaynstag, 11:56:06am 12/12/05 Mon, [1]

I am with You Frank F...they really didn't hang in there at all. One mini-run kept it from being ridiculous but it was a major league blow out from start to finish.

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[> [> [> Thank You cmaynstag -- Frank F, 03:04:35pm 12/12/05 Mon, [1]

Thank You cmaynstag. Sometimes I truly believe that I am crazy reading the comments of others on this team. I followed the game on my computer and I don't remember one minute that I thought we were in it. It was blow out city.

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[> [> [> [> Re: Thank You cmaynstag -- cmaynstag, 03:33:10pm 12/12/05 Mon, [1]

At least you didn't have to watch it like I did! :-)

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[> [> [> [> [> Re: Thank You cmaynstag -- Rave, 10:15:07am 12/13/05 Tue, [1]

Boys, Boys, let,s try to get to a realistic medium here. I will give you my take on the situation, nothing more and nothing less. I have been following the Stags for 40 years. My take on the situation is this. In the 7+ years of TOT's reign, we have lost numerous games because of questionable coaching decisions. I don't think that is debatable at all. I think that the major flaw that TOT has is that he always goes with "his guys" no matter how good or bad they are playing in that particular game. In the horrible loss to Loyola, the same 5 players played the last 12 minutes of regulation and the whole 5 minutes of O/T. It appeared to me that they had no legs at the end. I love M.Bell, but he absolutely gets abused inside on defense. Alvin Carter plays his heart out, however when he is in the game the guards have to double down to help him. That is why 3 point shooters are wide open. In the 11 minutes that Middleton played, we outscored Loyola by at least 10 points. That is because he gives us size and defensive presence so the guards can concentrate on their responsibilities. Herbie Allen's quickness also allows our zone to react much more quickly. I also can't understand why Carter and Middleton always sub for each other. Why can't they play together on occasion? This is the part that bothers me the most. Why aren't we playing the people on any particular night that are performing that night and to hell with the "my guys" philosophy. Do what it takes to win that night..
I also don't understand why the assistant coaches show up on game night. They look like they have no input at all. Perhaps if TOT asked for some input from them, they might be able to offer some sound advice. I don't believe it is healthy to run your program like a dictatorship.
I believe that TOT has gotten good players. He really underestimated that more size is necessary. While I know that Middleton is far from a finished product, I believe he is not being used enough. His playing now will help us at the end of the year and next. Carter's playing time, while admirable for it's grit and tenacity, has gotten us a 1-6 record and will get us nothing in the future. I really believe that this team has promise. We definitely should be 3-4 now. TOT needs to approach every game as a must win and us his resources accordingly. He owes this to the team and the supporters of this program.
P.S. to the athletic administration: We the paying customers really appreciate you starting the men's game at 8:45 so Diane Nolan can fatten up her attendance records. Dissing your paying customers is not good marketing no matter how much you are paying an outside firm.

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[> [> [> [> [> [> Re: Thank You cmaynstag -- cmaynstag, 03:50:36pm 12/13/05 Tue, [1]

BTW, Well said Rave. I agree with your views and think your comments were well thought out!

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[> [> [> [> Re: Thank You cmaynstag -- Frank F, 04:08:09pm 12/12/05 Mon, [1]

Believe me, I am grateful for that. One squash a year - St. Joe's - is all I can handle. They really aren't any fun at all.

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[> [> [> [> [> Re: Thank You cmaynstag -- Alum, 04:25:00pm 12/12/05 Mon, [1]

It could be the Titanic going down but some here would have you believe that Capt. Smith was just stopping to take on some ice.

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[> [> [> [> [> [> Re: Thank You cmaynstag -- Stagman, 04:43:10pm 12/12/05 Mon, [1]

In other words, it's okay to have a negative, fatalist attitude, because the situation is irreparable. Might as well throw in the towel and go home.

God forbid that a fan try to see the sliver of a silver lining. That's not allowed.

I, for one, am a realist ... but I am also a fan. Do I think this team will be .500 this year? No. And I didn't predict that prior to the season either. But at least I hope the team recovers. Not sure that some of you do.

I've really got to question whether some of you guys are fans of the team. Why do you even waste your time looking at these boards if you're going to be so incredibly negative? It's just a bunch of kids playing a game gentlemen. If it makes you that miserable, find something else to do.

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[> [> [> [> [> Re: Thank You cmaynstag -- Frank F, 04:49:02pm 12/12/05 Mon, [1]

Stagman: Ive been following this team as a fan for 35 years+ .... throughout most of those years, this has been a losing team. So I don't have to take a backseat to you as a fan in any regard. I am tired of the losing. I am tired of poor recruiting and coaching. Sorry if I am not as positive as you would like. I really feel that it is people like you - that settle for medicore or less than medicore basketball - that have played a large role in keeping this program minor league.

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[> [> [> [> [> [> Re: Thank You cmaynstag -- Stagman, 05:08:13pm 12/12/05 Mon, [1]

I've been following the program for 33 years, and TOT's record is a heck of a lot better than Cormier, Buonaguro and O'Connor's. You've got to give him some credit for making some improvements. You guys don't give him an ounce of credit though.

Year in and year out he has played a tough OOC schedule. Would you rather that he play Bridgeport, Sacred Heart and New Hampshire? If he did, he would probably have averaged 20 wins a year over the last three years. He has put the team consistently near the top of the league recently.

Don't get me wrong. I don't think that he has done a superlative job. But he isn't nearly as bad as you guys make him out to be. He's a far better coach than a few years ago. He has brought in some quality big men but now that he doesn't have as many ... the Stags are like the rest of the MAAC and will likely finish out of the top three for the first time in a while. Is that reason to jump ship? Did you forget the 53 wins over the last three seasons? When is the last time this program won that many games? What am I missing?

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[> [> [> [> [> [> [> Re: wow, misery loves company :) -- FUAlum, 05:35:58pm 12/12/05 Mon, [1]

Wah wah, stop crying Frank F, you and cmaynstag go have a pity party somewhere. Don't tell me you honestly thought we'd beat Georgetown, get real. Who do you think we are, Duke?? But the team played its guts out despite being thoroughly outmanned, and I'm sorry but that's all you can ask for right now, and I'm proud of the effort. Unless the Duke Blue Devil's entire front line is planning to transfer here for the 2nd semester, this is what we are, a small team, so get used to it.

I'm just glad we finally got G'Town to give us a game, and even more thrilled they're apparently coming to Harbor Yards soon. And unlike you, I'll actually go and enjoy it!

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[> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> Frank F and his comments -- cmaynstag, 09:52:02am 12/13/05 Tue, [1]

Guys, why are we kicking Frank off?? He didn't swear or attack anyone? He is just more critical of the program and its current state. If you are happy just having a game aginst Georgetown or winning 15 games in an avg. MAAC, then I disagree with your thoughts as well.

Pity Party??? No, I try to support the team but felt everyone from our ticket office to the coaches looked like second class citizens with this Gtown debacle. I have been attending games for years and proud that we had Darren Phillips, Deng, Greg Francis, etc. help put us on the map...but I would like to stay there and not be the #258 ranked team in the country. See where I am coming from?

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[> [> [> [> [> [> [> Thank you Stagman -- JoeStag, 05:57:39pm 12/12/05 Mon, [1]

"throughout most of those years, this has been a losing team"

Frank, Yes we have had a lot of losing seasons in the last 25 (not 33). But not the last 3, and very few MAAC losing seasons under TOT.... incase you did not notice. Yes, we still need to improve and reach the ultimate goal of a MAAC Championship and NCAA berth.

Your tired of losing because of poor recruiting and poor coaching...... and you imply that you are a better fan because you are tired of losing, than and others that are settling for mediocrity and they are the problems with the program. I don't think so. Hey, I can set the goal that Fairfield should win the NCAA Championship every year.... does that make me a better fan, does demanding an NCAA Championship mean we will get there any faster????

BTW nobody probably demands more of the program than TOT. I doubt that many of you out there would schedule a tough schedule like he has with your job on the line. What did everyone expect how we would do vs G-town without Maxwell and MOS. Be realistic.

And how can we have both poor recruiting and poor coaching and still finish in the top 3 in the MAAC the 3 last years. We have got to be doing something right.

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[> [> [> [> [> [> [> Re: Thank You cmaynstag -- Frank F, 06:14:49pm 12/12/05 Mon, [1]

Despitely modestly good years in 2 of the last 3 (do you think 15-15 with an NPA quality Big Man is a good year?),
I'd like to remind you there are no MAAC championships, no NCAA games. Not one significant win.
Do you think programs like Villanova, or BC or Providence got to where they are by finding the 'silver lining' in a 1-6 team? (Did you note that Central CT beat St Francis by 15 at St. Francis, while Providence and Iowa haven't won a game since they beat us?)Our schedule has NOT been that tough.
Where are those of you that were predicting a winning season this year? Why are you wrong year after year with your predictions?
This club is awful. The coach and coaching staff could have seen these problems 12-18 months before now (like a few of us did) and did nothing about it.
Many of the people who were critical of this program no longer post here ... They have become indifferent. I still care, although- I must admit- not as much as I used to.
Somebody around here (the Athletic Director...yea, the AD) has got to start demanding some excellence in this basketball program. Maybe someday, going to AHY will be an exciting experience. Right now, its a dreadful one.

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[> [> [> Lets see what the Stats Say -- Frank F, 06:37:49pm 12/12/05 Mon, [1]

Here are cumulative stats for 7 games

We are being outscored by 10 1/2 points per game
Shooting percentage FF .401 Opposition .514 (My goodness- this is an incredible differential. Remember people were telling us this would be a great shooting team? Do you remember who those people were?)

3 point shooting FF .385 Opposition .389
Rebounding FF 29.3 Opposition 35.3 (you cannot win games with a stat like this)
assists (heres a real surprise) FF 11.4 Opposition 17.4 (!)

Fairfield does have the advantage in turnovers and steals, which means to me that we are getting good hustle effort from the players.

Now remember our schedule has not been as tough as it looks.
St Francis NY was just beaten in their own gym by Central CT by 15 points (We lost by 5!). Iowa has just lost (badly) to two unranked teams. Providence hasn't beaten anybody since they came into Bridgeport and beat us. Loyola (which beat us at home), just lost to Manhatten by 15 at their place!

The stats tell a story of a completely overmatched basketball team.

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[> [> Re: Back from DC -- Stagman, 07:21:06pm 12/12/05 Mon, [1]

Frank,
Frank,

Full disclosure please.

Who did Providence just lose to?

Florida and Memphis (#3 and #4 in RPI).

And Iowa?

Northern Iowa (#14) and archrival Iowa State (#44).

Bunch of bums those guys are playing.

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[> [> [> Re: Back from DC -- Frank F, 07:35:17pm 12/12/05 Mon, [1]

Full Disclosure - Well, Here It Is:

Providence has lost 4 straight games since they beat us. They lost to Wichita St by 8, Rhode Lsland by 8, then Florida and Memphis. Most people see Providence coming in last in the Big East. Their record: 3-4

Can you remember the last time Iowa lost to Northern Iowa?

I notice you had no comment sabout Central CT beating St Francis by 15 at ST. Francis (where we lost by 5)

Full Disclosure- There It is!

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[> [> [> [> For what it is worth Wichita St. can be pretty good -- Menzies, 08:10:46pm 12/12/05 Mon, [1]

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[> [> [> [> [> Re: For what it is worth Wichita St. can be pretty good -- Frank F, 08:17:15pm 12/12/05 Mon, [1]

Yea, Wichita St can be good. None of those teams are 'chopped liver' but the fact is the Friars have lost 4 in a row.

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[> [> [> [> [> [> Can I Remember the Last Time... -- Stagman, 08:56:21am 12/13/05 Tue, [1]

That Northern Iowa beat Iowa? Uh, yeah I can.

They've beaten them three straight times at home and four of the last six. Why? Because Northern Iowa is good. As is Wichita State. Rhode Island. Memphis. Florida.

The Stags have two distressing losses this year. St Francis and Loyola. The rest were completely expected by everyone. St Joes, Providence, Iowa and Georgetown. Pretty good set of programs if you ask me.

If they lose consistently to Siena, Marist, Canisius and the rest of the MAAC, then I will begin to be very distressed. I just don't think that it's time to jump ship.

Frank, you obviously think that it's time to jump.

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[> [> [> [> [> [> [> Re: Can I Remember the Last Time... -- Frank F, 09:43:01am 12/13/05 Tue, [1]

Frankly, I thought it was time to jump ship last year, because I knew we couldn't compete this year with the players we had upfront.
Yea, losing to St Francis and Loyola is pretty awful.
I think last year's club would have beaten the weak Providence team that came in here this year.
If we play .500 in the MAAC it will be half a miracle.

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[> [> [> [> [> [> [> Re: Can I Remember the Last Time... -- Observer, 02:30:41pm 12/13/05 Tue, [1]

At this point, would agree with Frank, there is little if any silver lining. Team is 1-6. The RPI is dreadful. Sacred Heart might finish with more wins than Fairfield this year, which is not good news. Goal should be to become what Iona and Manhattan have been in the MAAC, not just to finish third. Maybe if you finish third in the ACC it's OK. Nobody remembers or cares that a team can finish third in the MAAC. Might as well finish sixth.