It makes me sad that we care so much and get angry and argue.   And that things never change there.  I zoned out completely during the Ferry years.   Mainly because I could take Ferry or Amodio.   I’m reaching the same point now.   Keep fighting the good fight.   But it’s easier to walk away then to be angry all the time.   And I’m speaking to myself.  Lol.

FAM wrote:

Yes, I love DU BUT...
-I get bothered when folks say we should win by 5 or 10 or 15 and I always say, I'll be happy if we win by just one. 
 

I've thought that.  For four years a lot of the fans on this board have labored under the assumption that we are really a 100-125 RPI team, who think that we should dominate games and win easily.  A way too light  OOC schedule has fed that delusion. This year we finally have an OOC schedule indicative of that position and the truth is being exposed.
 

Points seem about right.

Dome and CLK we have talked about this in the past regarding zone and I think you're right. I think it is great to have man as your base defense or primary defense or whatever you want to call it but you should have alternatives. This is true in any sport for general tactics and if nothing more than a change from what is not working during the game. One criticism of KD that I agree with but I
also   remain a fan overall and want to get a little deeper into this season.  I am  admittedly looking like a wild eyed optimist at 23 wins for the moment,  and I also thought that the Steelers would win the division.After week 1 so did a lot of people. At least I learned not to bet a long time ago! 😀 Go Dukes    and I appreciate all opinions and this board!

I've been a KD guy since his arrival.  The things I'm seeing this year as it pertains to game management/coaching seem different.  I don't understand the Xs and Os of basketball the way a lot on this board do but in the previous seasons I was impressed with his ability to run defensive sets late in the game to give us a chance to win.  This season is mind boggling.  He looks completely in over his head and the team is not prepared or able to adjust to what the other teams are doing.  I wonder how much "coaching" went on in the months leading up to the Rider game.  This team is not prepared.  I see lots of effort and raw talent but no rudimentary understanding of what they are supposed to being doing at either end of the court.  Now that the season is in full swing is there time to get back to the basics and learn the system?  I think Ayers, Easley and Tre are as good or better than any player KD has brought to the bluff.  I have hope but BG game was a sizeable step backward and that just can't happen.  It's on KD

The Dome wrote:

Pistol, Johnson is a talent but you have to agree he can not play defense. Given KD’s aversion to EVER play zone of any type this is a major problem. I thought the color analyst from the tournament hit it on the head when he said Johnson needs to trust giving up the ball to get it back in a better position to score.
Thinking KD is going to change this in your face defensive posture that leads to countless layups by our opponents is wishful thinking. We currently rank 216th in 2pt defense and 317th in 3pt according to KenPom. Every coach in the country has learned to make us of a zone defense. This teams construction screams for it.
A83, like everyone else I feel and understand the frustration. I’m a 45+ year fan. What Harper did to save this program can not be minimized!

JJ is no defensive stopper, that is true. However, after rewatching every minute he has played in the last 4 available games for the express purpose of watching him play defense, I believe it is wrong to say he cannot play defense. His effort on that end was in no way a liability in any of those games. You can see him applying & trying to apply the things he is being asked to do. 

If you have time, take a look at his minutes against Bowling Green & you will see that he is not out of position nor does his man score any points, claim any offensive rebounds, or record any assists during his 7 minutes. You could get on him for not sprinting out to challenge a wide-open 3 but that was Primo's man that had already burned Primo going to the hoop & Primo quit on the play then acted like it was somebody else's responsibility. Really, both guys did not put forth enough effort on that important play. 

This goes nicely with KD's BS about JJ not playing more in the game because you can't come in off the bench & make turnovers. The kid made one turnover being picked from behind in the transition. He also slipped & stumbled due in large part to the horrific offensive spacing & got t

Most of these players have played zone before, especially the transfers.  That is a pretty poor excuse for him to use.  It is not like his exclusive use of man is working, and it is not like he has to play a zone exclusively.     As you said above just about every other coach in the country has managed to incorporate a zone.  Are our players not smart enough to learn, or is our high priced coach unable to teach?   I am so tired of excuses. The job of a manager by definition is getting the job done through other people.  By any reasonable standard Dambrot is not getting the job done so far in his 5th year.   

Dome great point about Dambrot's unwillingness, or inability to incorporate a zone defense. Why is that?  As you pointed out, it could hardly produce worsts results than his one size fits all man, and give the long athletic type of players we have could be more effective at times.  Moreover, it would help players like Hima who will always struggle in a man only defense to give us useful minutes in a zone.

Pistol, Johnson is a talent but you have to agree he can not play defense. Given KD’s aversion to EVER play zone of any type this is a major problem. I thought the color analyst from the tournament hit it on the head when he said Johnson needs to trust giving up the ball to get it back in a better position to score.
Thinking KD is going to change this in your face defensive posture that leads to countless layups by our opponents is wishful thinking. We currently rank 216th in 2pt defense and 317th in 3pt according to KenPom. Every coach in the country has learned to make us of a zone defense. This teams construction screams for it.
A83, like everyone else I feel and understand the frustration. I’m a 45+ year fan. What Harper did to save this program can not be minimized!

A83 wrote:

townsonkid wrote:

I dont understand why there wasnt a box of those balls at that gate.   Its not like I was the only person using it.   And its not just the ball, its that stupid band of 5 people, why have it?   Its no fans.   Its cheerleaders that cant do simple cheers.   Its a team that doesnt listen to their coach, or is coached by a buffoon  Its zero post presence, again.  Most fans that do go dont care.   Its a 3rd rate program top to bottom(minus the building).   Gormley and Harper should be embarrassed, or pissed off.  I wonder why any bball player even wants to go there, must be a last chance kind of thing.   Red Ring is closed too, WTH?

Lol. “ Gormley and Harper should be embarrassed or pissed off.” Gee, If either one ran the place and had decision making abilities to change things.

They are neither embarrassed or pissed off. They both make great salaries. And there are very few people who care enough to bitch to them. And those in the inner circle kiss their asses. Apathy is their best friends.

We pay actual money to see their ineptness year after year. I don’t give a damn about getting a mini basketball. But they tweeted the day before the game about those basketballs and no one gave a damn enough to see if they even arrived

Luckymcd and you said said it best. It has always been a third class operation. And it always will be.

The same third class operation that existed during the Colleary and Amodio eras is alive and thriving under Harper with a staff triple the size of Colleary’s and with significantly more people than Amodio. And they all punch out at 4:30 and could give a damn if any DU team won or lost. Most of them couldn’t even tell you if they won or lost.

But hey we have a social media coach. That doesn’t attend games or promote the team. But spends a ton of time promoting himself and his number one client Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills and Pitt. And promoting himself as the NCAA’s first

…