We knew intellectually coming into this year that we would be a poor team. We forgot how bad it feels to go through a season like this.

FAM wrote:

-When you are up by 17 pts. and don't call a time out when the other team starts coming back and cuts it to single digits
-When the other team starts pressing and your team has trouble getting the ball in the first 3 times and you don't do anything
-When you are up by 17 playing a man to man so you decide to go to a zone
-This loss is on Ferry - too bad GA's first choice, the coach from Akron didn't want to come here.

Going zone was the one thing I liked. Their PG was out of the game and I thought it was effective for a  stretch. Going small on the other hand.

Ferry needed to insert Binney earlier and talk about how to support the breakout. A couple of the turnovers were on terrible execution but at least settle the team down. You needed a timeout at around the 8 minute mark to remind his team who had the lead if nothing else and talk about changing the tempo in the half court. When he finally did call a timeout with about 3 minutes left to play, his team couldn't get the ball in bounds. Finally with 9 seconds left in OT down two and last possesion, he doesn't set a play up.

My only excuse for how bad the coaching was in the final 10 minutes is that he was letting his team learn.

Of course you take the good with the bad and I thought Ferry did a nice job most of the first hald the up until middle of the second. There were a few well executed plays with Abele setting a screen that led to some wide open threes and I thought the Dukes executed the final possession of the first half well. But then again that doesn't matter.

Scotchngars wrote:

Steve, they have already learned to lose, I don't think they needed to learn it again, cmon man!

While protecting a big lead? Don't think they've lost that way just yet.

Not trying to suggest that what Ferry was trying to do tonight. Just the only remotely reasonable thought on why he completely left it on his team down the stretch.

And I firmly believe you can learn as much by losing as you can by winning.

Last edited by steve19981 (3/07/2013 12:10 am)

Westender wrote:

steve19981 wrote:

Scotchngars wrote:

Steve, they have already learned to lose, I don't think they needed to learn it again, cmon man!

While protecting a big lead? Don't think they've lost that way just yet.

Not trying to suggest that what Ferry was trying to do tonight. Just the only remotely reasonable thought on why he completely left it on his team down the stretch.

And I firmly believe you can learn as much by losing as you can by winning.

 I admit I'm a RE supporter and I'm not here to beat up on Ferry, but Steve I find your comments in support of Ferry are off the charts - outrageous really. I know you think it was time for RE to go but I have to ask if what you are saying is some kind of joke?

Did you read my first post? I thought I was strongly critical of his coaching tonight. If it didn't come out clearly in the first post, I put the loss squarely on Ferry's shoulders tonight. He was awful.

I was partially joking with my original "My only excuse for how bad the coaching was in the final 10 minutes is that he was letting his team learn" comment. It must not have translated. I'm not defending him if he was allowing the team to sink or swim. I think it's a bad idea, but I could at least see where he is coming from if that was his rationale for stepping aside and just letting them play.

However, I will stand by my point about learning from a loss. I think failure is as good if not a better teacher than success. If this team is capable of learning, they got a very good lesson tonight.

And could we please for the love talk about Ferry on his own merits and leave Ron out of it. His name doesn't even need to enter this conversation and it begs for another comparison thread. I've had that conversation with all of you by now. I like Ferry. I hope he is successful, but when I do compare the two I just get called a Ron basher even if I am making valid points. Tonight, I'm being objective as I try to be most of the time when I evaluate a coaching performance. There was good at times from the coach. The game plan worked. The half court set plays worked better than they have all season. I don't think there is anything wrong with me recognizing that. When it counted though, he was terrible and left his team hanging. Again, this loss is on him. 

Last edited by steve19981 (3/07/2013 1:48 am)

xlopjoe wrote:

Thank God this season is almost over. Whether you were a fan of Everhart or not, at least the team was competitive (yeah, I know, game went into OT) on a regular basis. This ineptitude is really hard to see.

Maybe it's not quite the depths of the Nee era, but it's nowhere near what we've had for the past 4 out of 5 years either. At least there's some hope for the incoming recruits (although that's always the story too).
With some added size next year, along with playing in an extremely diluted A10 conference, I see the Dukes as having a chance to be a .500 team.

 
Ron was very good at getting the most out of what he had.  People can say what they want about his recruiting, the bottom line was he won.  I have been very critical of Ferry's game day coaching all season, and it was horrible again last night, however the loss was on the players who choaked at the free throw line.  Indy Jones, Colter, and Johnson all missed key free throws.  Still his decision to go small ball is just totally incomprehensible to me.  It was so easy for Charlotte to get the ball down low to score.  I have said this several times Ferry will need to recruit exceptionally well to win here,.

Last edited by CLK (3/07/2013 8:27 am)

Charlotte was on a 4 game skid thought the Dukes would win. Up 17 although I did not watch or listen just moving on much to painful.Whats the expectations & timeframe for the future? Only Dr. D knows.Not a gambler but give the points if your Richmond that guy is a hell of a coach.

I read the article by Zeise and though he makes some good points, the coach is the reason for this one. Yes, one can look at free throws, a missed lay-up, a bad rebound, hands of stone, etc.  But the facts are the facts.  They were up by 17 playing man to man and he went to a zone.  Some people like that.  I understand, but it DIDN"T work.  It was so obvious they couldn't get the ball in bounds when they were pressed.  Yes, that was the players issues.  So wouldn't you think a time out was warranted the first few times this took place?  Now, I am not saying Ferry is a bad coach, because who am I to say that is who he is and he has been successful at a lower level league.  But last night's game, sorry, but he is as much to blame as the kids - up by 17 - it is easy to pull out some specifics - look at the big picture, a dark picture of poor coaching.

Last edited by FAM (3/07/2013 10:39 am)

Westender wrote:

 
Steve, I usually find your posts to be objective and rational, but some seem to disclose unfettered support for Ferry which in my opinion is premature by 2 to 3 years. I believe there are posters here who support Ferry's coaching to validate RE's firing, and your comments about Ferry's coaching in the Charlotte game were highly suspect.

Again, my evaluation of what Ferry did last night had nothing to do with Ron. Ron did not once enter my mind as they were collapsing. At this point, you can like Ferry in snapshots and you dislike him in snapshots. You can think he has the program headed in the right direction or you don't, but that can't be based on much more than feel and opinion right now and I think that's all you can glean from his tenure so far. Based on recruiting and philosophy, I have confidence in Ferry, but again, Ron does not enter my mind when I forumate the opinion. 
 

I can't count the number of times our former coach (will not use name or initials) was harshly criticized for his game day coaching. I can't count how many losses were laid at his feet for poor strategy in the final moments of games. It doesn't matter who the coach is, he will be severely criticized here and elsewhere by those who don't happen to agree with a move or moves made during a game.

Did we take a huge step backwards this year?  The obvious answer is a resounding yes. Was it anticipated? Again....YES!  Should we throw up our hands in disbelief or call for a new coach. Of course not. The coaching move was made to enhance the program long-term. It was not intended as a quick fix. As to whether I agree with the move or not is irrevelant at this point. As to whether this will pan out, we will have to wait at least two more years to find out. I realize that this topic is popular and gives us much to discuss and even argue about, but come on. Let's be reasonable here. I was a huge fan of our previous coch. He's gone and he's not coming back. I am still the DU fan that I've been for the last almost fifty years. That won't change. Let's settle back and watch the new regime do it's best to right the ship.

"As we discussed in a prior post, if this team does not win in the short term, the long term effects will just continue to mount up. Season tickets are down, some Alum's have given up their support of the program, recruits that come here will be the bottom of the barrel, media coverage is at minimum, no sports broadcasters or talk shows talk of Duquesne, only to give the score, fan attendence is a joke, corporate sponsors are leaving, the list goes on and on."

I totally agree, and here is where we are going downhill...and you can't blame anyone connected with any of these issues, which are true.  What I can't wait to see is if Duquesne Raises ticket prices for next year - won't that be a joke!  You don't even hear it announced if they are playing a game, and you don't hear the results of their games.  That is the Athletic Department's fault - Heck - let's talk about their long losing streak and make that a focus - at least it is PR.  Have you checked out the floor seats which some people paid extra money for - they are empty!  Same old - same old.
Maybe the AD should have made sure the guy from Akron would have wanted to come to Duquesne BEFORE he fired RE.  Heck, we are definitely the 3rd team in town - can't beat Robert Morris - who by the way again, has a better coach than we do.

Last edited by FAM (3/08/2013 11:54 am)

president wrote:

I can't count the number of times our former coach (will not use name or initials) was harshly criticized for his game day coaching. I can't count how many losses were laid at his feet for poor strategy in the final moments of games. It doesn't matter who the coach is, he will be severely criticized here and elsewhere by those who don't happen to agree with a move or moves made during a game.

Did we take a huge step backwards this year?  The obvious answer is a resounding yes. Was it anticipated? Again....YES!  Should we throw up our hands in disbelief or call for a new coach. Of course not. The coaching move was made to enhance the program long-term. It was not intended as a quick fix. As to whether I agree with the move or not is irrevelant at this point. As to whether this will pan out, we will have to wait at least two more years to find out. I realize that this topic is popular and gives us much to discuss and even argue about, but come on. Let's be reasonable here. I was a huge fan of our previous coch. He's gone and he's not coming back. I am still the DU fan that I've been for the last almost fifty years. That won't change. Let's settle back and watch the new regime do it's best to right the ship.

Why are you OK with Ferry taking us long term, and not RE? I did not bash Ferry and not saying you were responding to my post, but will ask if you were. As far as revelant, I just can't get the answer of why we decided by some to be OK with the program being sent backwards and not stay with a winner. Don't tell me plataued, if that's the case Huggins, Calapari, Howland, etc... should be fired. In this League you can not always be in the NCAA, players at the higher level leave in a year, or two, or three, and they have down seasons. RE gave us to much success to early and some on this board could not grasp that achievment and could not suffer through winning seasons, after being a door mat, and that's the truth!!!!

Last edited by Scotchngars (3/08/2013 1:35 pm)

Scotchngars wrote:

Well I must disagree with us losing again, and again, and again, and again. If what your saying is they have to lose in many different ways to learn something, well sell it to the Airforce cause the Navy ain't buying it. Yes you can learn from a loss, but 16 of the last 17 and I think you would agree, we haven't learned diddly.

As we discussed in a prior post, if this team does not win in the short term, the long term effects will just continue to mount up. Season tickets are down, some Alum's have given up their support of the program, recruits that come here will be the bottom of the barrel, media coverage is at minimum, no sports broadcasters or talk shows talk of Duquesne, only to give the score, fan attendence is a joke, corporate sponsors are leaving, the list goes on and on.

So last nights loss did not teach a thing to the team. I feel Ferry owed the seniors his best to get that win, and when the momentum turned he did nothing. If its not broken doen't try to fix it. The man to man was working, he went to zone, and it blew up in his face.
 

Arguing with you makes my brain hurt. You dismiss other people's thoughts off hand without providing any evidence. You make claims without any evidence. You contradict yourself from one post to the next. You look at NOTHING but surface causality.     You speak in definitive statement when you're stating an opinion.

What evidence do you have that the team didn't learn anything from this loss or isn't learning from losses? Please demonstrate that the team is getting less media coverage. What sponsers are leaving? What recruits are bottom of the barrell? How does fan attendance compare to last year? To 2006-07? How has the NCAA tournament effected season ticket sales? What percentage are they down? How does the list go on and on?