You were tasked with having at least one actual reason to believe this team will ever be any different than it is right now. You presented none.
I didn't know I was given a "homework" assignment...
I present facts, figures, statistics and analysis often on this board. These were opinions and thoughts. Big differences.
Those are not reasons, they are excuses. And, as explained, not everyone in this league does not have the same goal in basketball.
Not everyone has the same goal in basketball? Isn't the object of the game to score more points than your opponent thus the goal is to win the game? Are you saying some teams in CUSA don't try to win each and every game? If so then why even field a team or have a scoreboard?
Again, no reasons, EXCUSES. Winners win, losers make excuses.
Woulda, coulda, shoulda... There is definitely a difference between critical assessment of a team and coach without a negative bias than making excuses. That is the only way you can improve.
K. So DD's teams hit the court unprepared and "peak" at the right time, which is DD sycophant speak for "one time, from 4th place, we got hot for 8 days, it might happen again."
Is it "peaking at the right time" or improving more over the course of a season than your opposition does?
"Fun." In other words, you accept mediocrity.
I have said it before and will say it again I treasure the games I attend with a very dear friend who happens to be in his mid 80's. I don't know how much longer I will get to do that. We have had "fun" watching games during this re-emergence of MU basketball under Coach Dan. My friend has probably done more for MU athletics than virtually anyone. It is frankly insulting for you to equate us having fun with accepting mediocrity.
And while I'm at it there are much more important things in the lives of these young athletes than winning less than what you believe are the necessary amount of games. No one wins every point, every game or every situation. There are many defeats along the way of life and many life lessons to be learned. It is how you respond to these defeats is what measures your character. How you pick yourself up and respond to the adversity. I have seen this year's team lose the first game of a series and then regroup and win the second.
I saw Adjin Penava work to improve his game to an amazing level under Coach Dan. His efforts were a major reason for the CUSA title and 1st NCAA tournament win. I have posted his NBA scouting videos here to illustrate how much he spread the court to make those successes possible. Go back and look for yourself.
Without Penava the following year it was not the same team and struggled before improving late in the season and winning the CIT. I figure you likely dismiss this tournament and in the process "diss" the 20 year-old Herd players and their efforts that continued to play through the disappointment of that season by going out winners. Over the course of his career I saw C.J. Burks play well for 38 minutes and struggle down the stretch. In this tournament C.J. applied some life lessons learned on the court and finished games strong. He was able to accomplish this by perseverance, hard work and likely Coach D'Antoni's positive attitude and left a winner. But you want to say his efforts, successes and life lessons learned don't matter because you think the CIT is a tournament for "losers"?
After losing two of the top 5 scorers in MU history and their related leadership, Coach D and the Herd had to regroup and again improved over the course of the next season and were playing their best basketball until COVID shut down the season.
This year has followed the same trend as prior seasons with players developing along the way and the team improving in the process. David Early has really improved as a true freshman. Mikel Beyers has developed into a more complete player (finally) and is no longer just a streak shooting 3 point threat. Taevion Kinsey is emerging as a possible 1st round NBA pick. And Andy Taylor has emerged as a team leader and outstanding player in his sophomore year.
So yeah, I'm having fun and don't apologize to you or anyone else for having it. I like our chances this week and hope I am more right than you are.