Just got back from Birmingham late last night, so I'm just now getting caught up on things. Henry Hammond and I went down there Tuesday and saw all four games up close and personal. Thought I would throw my two cent's worth in. I'll comment on the tournament/conference/town in another post.
Due to the poor attendance, we were able to move around and sit right behind the Marshall bench ever game. I came away impressed that Danny D'Antoni is an even better coach than I thought he was.
He DOES emphasize defense. Sometimes the kids just don't do what he tells them -- I can think of one case where he told a contributing player exactly what to do three straight times and he never executed. In another situation, a kid made three straight turnovers before he was pulled; he saw no further action in the tournament. I thought Danny coached excellent floor games in all four events: He and his assistants (Cline especially) master every time out and have the respect of their players; it is obvious that our kids, managers, et al, love them and one another.
Our kids fought hard -- every one of them. Just when one thought they would have been exhausted after having the most severe rest times in between the first two games, they ran Louisiana Tech until their tongues were dragging.
In the first two games, Danny was pale-looking with that virus he caught off the kids. You could tell that he didn't feel well. Elmore sprained his ankle pretty severely vs. LT, yet sucked it up and gutted it out in the final.
Middle just had the inside talent and depth at the front line positions. It is obvious that it is Reggie Upshaw's team: He is the man that controls their ethos and makes them go, no matter how good you think Jacory (an obvious one-year manchild) is. It will be interesting to see how Giddy does without them next year.
I wish the Blue Raiders well in the NCAA and hope they do the conference proud. I don't see any of the other returning C-USA teams matching their caliber. Perhaps that bodes well for us...
Some where in Fever's original post, I recall that some got to arguing over whether or not Jon Elmore was out of position as a point guard. Boys and girls, HE IS the best Marshall point guard I've seen since Mike D'Antoni, an extension of Danny as a coach on the floor.
If Bennett is not immediately eligible, we need a graduate transfer to fill the middle and shut down the lane. Perhaps West -- a coach's son -- will bring some maturity and can step right in to spell Jon and C.J. Peneva and Terrence will be even better after another year in the weight room. Hopefully, a Loop-like shooter is already in house. Who knows about Alexsa (from the beginning, I have been his champion and hope he finally rises to his potential), Milan and K'yre?
As for the seniors, it was a pleasure to watch Austin (who can ever forget those scintillating three-point bombs!) and Ryan (despite the ref's letting opposing teams beat him to death inside, he worked at turning his attitude around) play. Pound for pound, inch for inch, and heart for heart, I think Stevie will be missed the most.
So we won 20 and would have likely earned an NIT bid, had not Thompson's injury, the flu-bug and Duhon's departure cost us 4-6 games. That's progress to me. I see the program as coming together, rather than falling apart.
Due to the poor attendance, we were able to move around and sit right behind the Marshall bench ever game. I came away impressed that Danny D'Antoni is an even better coach than I thought he was.
He DOES emphasize defense. Sometimes the kids just don't do what he tells them -- I can think of one case where he told a contributing player exactly what to do three straight times and he never executed. In another situation, a kid made three straight turnovers before he was pulled; he saw no further action in the tournament. I thought Danny coached excellent floor games in all four events: He and his assistants (Cline especially) master every time out and have the respect of their players; it is obvious that our kids, managers, et al, love them and one another.
Our kids fought hard -- every one of them. Just when one thought they would have been exhausted after having the most severe rest times in between the first two games, they ran Louisiana Tech until their tongues were dragging.
In the first two games, Danny was pale-looking with that virus he caught off the kids. You could tell that he didn't feel well. Elmore sprained his ankle pretty severely vs. LT, yet sucked it up and gutted it out in the final.
Middle just had the inside talent and depth at the front line positions. It is obvious that it is Reggie Upshaw's team: He is the man that controls their ethos and makes them go, no matter how good you think Jacory (an obvious one-year manchild) is. It will be interesting to see how Giddy does without them next year.
I wish the Blue Raiders well in the NCAA and hope they do the conference proud. I don't see any of the other returning C-USA teams matching their caliber. Perhaps that bodes well for us...
Some where in Fever's original post, I recall that some got to arguing over whether or not Jon Elmore was out of position as a point guard. Boys and girls, HE IS the best Marshall point guard I've seen since Mike D'Antoni, an extension of Danny as a coach on the floor.
If Bennett is not immediately eligible, we need a graduate transfer to fill the middle and shut down the lane. Perhaps West -- a coach's son -- will bring some maturity and can step right in to spell Jon and C.J. Peneva and Terrence will be even better after another year in the weight room. Hopefully, a Loop-like shooter is already in house. Who knows about Alexsa (from the beginning, I have been his champion and hope he finally rises to his potential), Milan and K'yre?
As for the seniors, it was a pleasure to watch Austin (who can ever forget those scintillating three-point bombs!) and Ryan (despite the ref's letting opposing teams beat him to death inside, he worked at turning his attitude around) play. Pound for pound, inch for inch, and heart for heart, I think Stevie will be missed the most.
So we won 20 and would have likely earned an NIT bid, had not Thompson's injury, the flu-bug and Duhon's departure cost us 4-6 games. That's progress to me. I see the program as coming together, rather than falling apart.
