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Post by admin on Nov 11, 2004 11:09:43 GMT -6
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dutchpthr
Junior
ain't much if it ain't dutch
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Post by dutchpthr on Nov 11, 2004 11:19:02 GMT -6
well didn't expect to see anything liek that but good news for us then. I'm sure we will find some way to try and tatsefully get on their backs about that one. But we wouldn't want to over-step anything and offend anyone, right ?
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Post by dunzz on Nov 23, 2004 14:23:27 GMT -6
You have heard about the psychological tactic used in police interrogation. Now consider the basketball definition.
Bad cop: The coach who generally raises a player's antipathy, who yells and screams and dispenses discipline like PEZ does candy.
Good cop: The coach who offers support, understanding, sympathy, a shoulder to lean on while rebuilding a battered psyche.
They didn't worry about such labels at Air Force last year.
Front page news. Espn.com. Nice Human Interest Peice.
"Bascially," says Chris Mooney, "it was more like bad cop, worse cop."
Mooney is the new head coach of the Falcons, having replaced Joe Scott when the latter departed for Princeton. Last season, the two led Air Force to an outright title in the Mountain West Conference and the school's first NCAA Tournament berth in 42 years, led it to center stage and under a bright spotlight as the nation's feel-good story.
Led it in a very specific way.
"You're never really patted on the back much here, unless you win a conference championship," said junior center Nick Welch. "Then, you get a quick pat and start hearing about the next game. ... You might hear 'Nice pass' or 'Good steal' once in a while, but that's it. You can make a 30-footer and the attitude (from coaches) is like, 'You made a shot. That's what you're supposed to do.' "
The best part: Air Force players wouldn't have it any other way.
The Falcons won 22 games last season and are already 3-1 under Mooney because they get it. They understand strengths and weaknesses like they do combat survival training. They know if wins and losses were decided exclusively on heights and weights and vertical leaps, theirs would be a short list of accomplishments.
"We recognize our limitations, that we need to be so good at what we do to have a chance at competing with people on our schedule," said senior guard Tim Keller. "You have a job to do and need to do it and at the same time don't always need someone telling you how good you are. We realize how well we have to perform to have a chance. We've always know that."
Know this: Anyone who believes Air Force will take a colossal tumble from its Mountain West perch this season is badly misguided. Already, the Falcons have routed Mississippi en route to a place in the Black Coaches Association Coaches Classic final, where they lost to Marquette by four in Milwaukee. Road games against Georgia Tech, Iowa and Saint Mary's await.
Not much has changed because Mooney wouldn't allow it. He hadn't been named coach a few hours before players hit the floor for individual workouts. Idea being, they needed to hear his voice as the one in charge. Like Scott, he played for legendary Princeton coach Pete Carril. Like Scott, he is religious about running the deliberate system that is a maze of back-door cuts and three-point shots.
"If teams are still surprised we're going to take 35 seconds to shoot, there's something wrong," Mooney said of his team which was picked third in preseason Mountain West polls behind UNLV and Utah. "I think the novelty has worn off and people recognize we have our league's returning co-Player of the Year (in Welch) and two others (Keller and point guard Antoine Hood) who received all-conference recognition.
"We'll do the same things as always. It's not a set system of plays as much as a way of playing. If my guys went out to play pick-up ball, this is how they would play. (Scott) is certainly very intense, off the court more than I am, but in a manner of coaching, we're pretty similar. At Princeton, there wasn't much patting on the back, either. Coach Carril was very rough and his assistants, too."
Said Welch: "It's almost as if we didn't lose Coach Scott."
Mooney was last a head coach at Division III Beaver (Penn.) College and before that Lansdale Catholic High in Philadelphia. He can't yet say how he will react to certain late-game situations, when the Falcons are trailing a conference opponent by one with under 20 seconds left on the road, when he can't hear his own voice over the deafening cheers in places like Albuquerque and Provo.
He is certain of a few things, though.
"On one hand, I have a lot to learn," Mooney said. "But many things -- preparing your team for a game, talking to it after a loss, dealing with the media, preparing for an off-season conditioning program -- are universal."
And what about non-conference scheduling?
Will we soon see Air Force against Princeton?
"No way," Mooney said. "A final score of 22-21? We don't need that in college basketball."
Ed Graney of the San Diego Union-Tribune is a regular contributor to ESPN.com. He can be reached at ed.graney@uniontrib.com.
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Post by uwmfan04 on Nov 24, 2004 10:20:47 GMT -6
This is the non-conference home game of the year for UWM. We play a lot of great road games, but there is no doubt that this is the biggest home game. If UWM can get out to a GREAT start and control the tempo, I think we will win the game. We saw last night that when Ed has an "off-night" we have a lot of other guys who can pick up those points.
Hopefully we can pack the cell with both students and fans. I think that the attendance will be better than the game against SIU last year which was also on Thanksgiving weekend and drew 3,269. That game was on a Saturday before most students come back to Milwaukee. Most students should be back or might make sure they are back in time for the game against Aire Force. I am looking for a crowd in the 5-6,000 range. Just curious what others are expecting.
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Post by PANTHERfan on Nov 24, 2004 10:36:20 GMT -6
i'll be disappointed with anything less than 6,000. i know we need to be patient in expecting fans to show up, but when you're running away with games and showing the promise that the panthers are showing, you better be able to draw a crowd for your premiere non-conference game. i think the timing should be ok. it's late afternoon on a sunday, no packer game, no other game going on in town... we own this one. everyone on this board should be doing all they can to put butts in the seats on sunday!
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Post by PantherLou on Nov 24, 2004 10:37:37 GMT -6
I think we can get 7,000 on Sunday, but as has been posted, WE NEED TO GET THE WORD OUT!
I challenge everyone to try to get 4 people to come to the game. I think this is reasonable and is consistent with what we have to do if we really want to have solid attendance.
We need to sell this program! Bring it up at thanksgiving dinner! Tell your parents, your siblings, your grandma, your crazy uncles, whoever that the best game in town is Sunday at 4pm!
Remember, no Packer game on Sunday. People will be looking for something to do.
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Post by PANTHERfan on Nov 24, 2004 10:57:25 GMT -6
that's a great point PLou. tell your family. i know i'm hoping to get my parents to come to this game, and others. i'm hoping our normal group of 4 is going to be more like 8 for sunday. let's all try and bring in some new faces. if you're a student, make sure you get the word out to other students. more than anything, we're going to need a rowdy, loud, and unified student section.
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Post by uwmfan on Nov 24, 2004 11:15:20 GMT -6
I hate to be the downer on the attendance subject, but honestly I wouldn't expect more than 4,500. My honest opinion is that it will draw less than 4,000. We're simply not on the radar screen yet for "traditional" fans that they'll come out because they're curious.
I agree each of us needs to sell the team, the game, the environment, the facility, the diehard fans, the beer, the dapper and handsome PA guy,.....well, that might be why attendance hasn't risen.
I hope the timing will allow for a larger student crowd; but even so, the bigger crowds will come when the games have more of a significant meaning (ie, conference games, rivalries, etc.). Air Force is a great team, but they're not a rival with any history.
Let's keep plugging away. Tell the story one by one, and our fans will jump on board.
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fan
Sophomore
Don't shoot so much Tone.
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Post by fan on Nov 24, 2004 14:28:42 GMT -6
why not go with an orange hunter theme this weekend? It goes along with the time of year and the state. Its more visible. I know its been done in the past and this seems like the prime canidate of a game to use it. Just a thought.
If only we could pronounce that player's name. Why can't he be a Smith or Jones?
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Post by PantherEuph on Nov 24, 2004 15:05:08 GMT -6
I would vote against a hunting theme, seeing as how 5 of our kinsmen were just slaughtered by that lunatic "hunter" from MN. Just my two cents. Who the drek "hunts" with an assault rifle?
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Post by dunzz on Nov 24, 2004 15:45:46 GMT -6
I am still interested in gather some writters to make a rebel news paper and blanket the dorms. This will be our own way of creating a buzz and information for the the fans. However, we need at least 4 writters. Including myself. So send me a message and lets try and get something out by next week wed. DO IT
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Post by panther0405 on Nov 25, 2004 1:03:21 GMT -6
AIR FORCE STATS COMPARED TO 2003-2004 TEAM (03-04) (04-05) Offense - 59.9 to 62.8 Defense - 49.3 to 47 FG% - 48.1 to 48.8 3% - 37.9 to 40.9 FT% - 71.2 to 64.6 AST - 13.3 to 12.5 STL - 7.8 to 7.0 TO - 10.9 to 10.0 PF-16.5 to 15 Reb - 21.5 to 25
I know its early and they really didn't play anybody but marquette but their team is pretty much even statistically then they were last year even though they have a new coach and their best player is hurt. Maybe they will be tired after playing a game on the road on friday night and having to play again sunday afternoon.
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Post by admin on Nov 25, 2004 14:37:06 GMT -6
Goolsby's - 12:00pm. Sunday, vs. Air Force...
See ya'll there!
Later, UWMfreak
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Post by fan22 on Nov 25, 2004 15:16:12 GMT -6
I think there will be a turnout of 4500 for the game. I also hope that they bring it inside more. The game against parkside they were relying way to much on the 3. If all they do is shoot the 3 we are going to be in trouble. However, listended to Bruce on ESPN 1510 yesterday and he said he needs to get the ball to Ford and McCoy more.
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Post by admin on Nov 26, 2004 13:42:33 GMT -6
Juniors Antoine Hood (G) and Nick Welch (C) seem to be the threats for the Falcons.
-UWMfreak
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