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Post by PantherU on Mar 10, 2011 12:52:29 GMT -6
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Post by Hack on Mar 10, 2011 14:01:31 GMT -6
"If anything, I hope that our program realizes that if we eliminate as much as four RPI torpedoes, we’re in the discussion for an at-large bid. Turn losses to Western Michigan, DePaul, Loyola and Buffalo into victories, and the team’s RPI is hanging in the forties range with a 23-9 record, and three top-50 wins compared to one sub-125 loss."
Excellent, excellent point.
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Post by lashmo on Mar 10, 2011 14:03:07 GMT -6
I have some thoughts too after giving a couple days for the hangover to wear off. There was no alcohol involved just sadness. First I would like to thank the students who did all they could to show up and push their Panthers on. As we saw it was not enough. You have to realize this was a new environment for the players as well. Butler has faced this type of environment before many times. The effect wasn't the same as it would have been vs a Clev St. Butler played well and looked focused. They are a tough team and no one can take away the regular season sweep. I told a couple of the players after the game that 12 games ago if I would have told them they were going to the NIT they would have thought I was tipsy as they stood 4-5 8-9. Then through an INCREDIBLE run with some TOUGH road wins and a few breaks (ie GB knocking off Valpo) they got themselves to one game from the chance at the dance. Not to be. Perspective changes rapidly. Winning cures everything. The second season has begun and many a team around this country are begging for a post season chance. We earned ours. They are a part of history. They can never take the 2010-11 league title off the banner nor the NIT banner (whatever it will read at the bottom!!!!) Any loss during that run and there would never have been the chance.
CONGRATS TO YOU 2010-11 MILWAUKEE PANTHERS!!!!!!!!!!!!
CONGRATS TO THE STUDENT SECTION!!!!!!! The players need you ALL season! Wouldn't that be a great atmosphere for every home game? Opposing teams would hate to come here. Our players would become used to it. You would make the difference on the regular season games which as we saw this year could seal the deal. That sea of yellow was awesome! Only you together can make that happen!
Now let's get this NIT thing STARTED!
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Post by PowerCrazy on Mar 10, 2011 14:40:48 GMT -6
Great read, really needed a pick me up as I've still been down in the dumps over the loss.
As a first year student, the experience I had this year was phenomenal. When I was in high school, I really didn't have a whole lot of school spirit and didn't really care too much about how our school was doing in sports, even when our basketball team when to state two years in a row. I love this burning passion for a team that I've never felt before, and I'm excited for the years to come.
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Post by panthersteve on Mar 10, 2011 15:55:28 GMT -6
Here are my thoughts :
*Great season despite the early hiccups and the other night.
*Recruiting has steadily and incrementally improved and the pieces are fitting together bit by bit with strong signs of continuity.
*Coaching staff has learned and improved. This year was just a great example. The way things turned around and these guys truly played as a real team. Someone different stepping up every night. Responded to coaches and each other. That has to be a great learning experience and will pay dividends in the future.
*We saw the other night that given the right situation there is great potential to keep building fan base. Despite the loss I can not believe most people looking back did not love the experience and would like to attend more games. We just need to keep consistent and solid.
*Bottomline, after the first few difficult years the program has finally shown that it is capable of being a solid Horizon League program and actually seriously challenge for conference title, indeed we captured the Regular Season championship. I and others certainly had doubts along the way hoping that things would get on track. I think now after the way things progressed the program is on solid ground and we should optimistically move forward , support the current regime and encourage all our friends, fellow alumni etc to come to Panther games. Despite the Butler loss extremely proud of this group and UWM in general.
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Post by Super King on Mar 10, 2011 18:11:37 GMT -6
Now that we're all saying these things, let's not overreact if things go wrong in the early season. There will still be some rotation issues to iron out -- how many of our four substantial power forwards see significant minutes and how those minutes are allocated, for instance -- and if things don't get started as swimmingly as we'd like, let's not turn against each other and start out umpteenth "fire Rob Jeter" thread.
Don't stop thinking this positively, ever.
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Post by Hack on Mar 10, 2011 18:26:31 GMT -6
Now that we're all saying these things, let's not overreact if things go wrong in the early season. There will still be some rotation issues to iron out -- how many of our four substantial power forwards see significant minutes and how those minutes are allocated, for instance -- and if things don't get started as swimmingly as we'd like, let's not turn against each other and start out umpteenth "fire Rob Jeter" thread. Don't stop thinking this positively, ever. Conversely, let's also realize that the entire season -- not just the conference season -- is important for a variety of reasons, one of which Jimmy pointed out in his article. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 10, 2011 19:19:22 GMT -6
Couldn't agree more with Hack and BP (yeah, you read that right BP!) : )
In fact, this is routinely my biggest complaint of Rob is our terrible starts each year. He has improved tremendously over the last two years, so I expect this problem will be fixed in the near future.
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Post by PantherU on Mar 10, 2011 20:11:34 GMT -6
Couldn't agree more with Hack and BP (yeah, you read that right BP!) : ) In fact, this is routinely my biggest complaint of Rob is our terrible starts each year. He has improved tremendously over the last two years, so I expect this problem will be fixed in the near future. Let's hope that now the regular season championship hill has been climbed, we now turn our attention to putting together a complete season. |
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Post by panthersteve on Mar 11, 2011 8:46:07 GMT -6
Agree with all of the above. Has been an issue and we can not over-react... I am looking in the mirror on this one... the difference to me personally now is I had doubts all along because this staff never really seriously competed for a true championship with all their own guys... well... to me they have finally and definitively proved themselves... They are capable... we are back on solid ground.. can not ask for much more... bottomline THEY DID IT!! They are HL regular season champions... they showed they can win the conference because they did!!! Program is back and future bright....I was a doubting Thomas believer hoping my doubts would be erased...I am now a true believer... we also showed in that game that we can get the fan interest back after some fairly nondescript years in between. Great new AD...everything looking very positive.
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Post by ghostofdylan on Mar 11, 2011 9:48:15 GMT -6
I agree and empathize with much of what Steve writes.
It's taken me a couple of days to adjust my expectations again, but an NIT berth is our fifth postseason bid in 21 (or 28 or 29, depending on the source) years of Division 1 basketball.
This isn't the watered-down CIT or CBI, but a bona fide postseason invitation.
Now, let's go win some games!
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Post by panthersteve on Mar 11, 2011 9:52:36 GMT -6
Paul.. I am with you... I am very proud and excited for the NIT...this is a positive step forward
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Post by Pounce Needs Pals on Mar 11, 2011 10:15:11 GMT -6
Keep in mind, it's harder than ever before to get into the NIT. I really like the new rule they put in four years ago that if you win your league and don't go to the NCAA's, you will get the bid to the NIT.
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Post by Hack on Mar 11, 2011 10:24:16 GMT -6
Keep in mind, it's harder than ever before to get into the NIT. I really like the new rule they put in four years ago that if you win your league and don't go to the NCAA's, you will get the bid to the NIT. Plus the reduction of the field from 40 back down to 32. |
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Post by uwmplanner on Mar 11, 2011 10:51:15 GMT -6
I totally agree with overreacting. The staff has shown by the end of the year we will have a highly competitive horizon league team.
But I still would rather see us play better early on in the season. As the article pointed out if we played better early in the season we may have had a chance to put ourselves on the bubble. The NCAA should be a goal and it would be nice if we wouldn't struggle early on in the season. Also I think winning early on would attract more fans, as Tuesday night showed everybody likes a winner.
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