If the women's coach makes this statement, "the next step" is obvious: Get into the NCAA Tournament. I have no clue what Ferry means by this, though, and as a reporter I might have asked for clarification.

Ferry poised to turn around fortunes for Duquesne basketballNovember 13, 2015 12:00 AM

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/duquesne/2015/11/13/Ferry-poised-to-turn-around-fortunes-for-Duquesne-basketball/stories/201511130146

...none of which is specific. 15-14 is a winning season, stepping on the court for all of the A-10 games is competing, and getting in the top half of the conference means finishing in 7th place. While all would represent significant progress, there are people predicting 18-20 wins for this team this year. That's a completely different picture than the one Ferry paints.

Let me say it this way. Every organization should have a goal, and objectives towards achieving that goal.

The goal is a future, lofty aspiration of what you want to be. Whatever that is. The best team in the A-10. An annual participant in the NCAA Tournament. A top 20 team in the nation. Stuff like that.

Objectives measure the milestones you will need to achieve to get there. So if your objectives for this season are as soft as the ones I described above, then maybe for next season you target 17-18 wins, a top five finish in the conference, and a low level postseason tournament. "Competing," well, that's just not an objective to me. There's no outcome tied to it, there's no timeframe that's measurable, and if you get through the season in one piece you're patting yourself on the back while your fan base continues to disappear.

Our board, I would hope, would look at things in a similar way. But I don't have the inside knowledge you have.

Since I actually already provided an example, I'd be more curious what you and other posters would have liked the coach to say. If you're happy with "we're going to compete and get into the top half," then OK, but again, those words do not jive with predictions of 18-20 wins. I picked them to win 10 games, and I don't feel persuaded to upgrade that selection based on what Ferry said.

The first two "goals" he elucidated are vague and weak. The part about being in the upper half of the conference is fine, and would be a sizable step up as an objective for this year.

What we don't want at the end of the season is anything like "well, we reached two of the three goals this year, so it's a success."

ElDuque wrote:

Since I actually already provided an example, I'd be more curious what you and other posters would have liked the coach to say. If you're happy with "we're going to compete and get into the top half," then OK, but again, those words do not jive with predictions of 18-20 wins. I picked them to win 10 games, and I don't feel persuaded to upgrade that selection based on what Ferry said.

I feel like no matter what Ferry said you would not be happy about it. Then again, I feel like any action the program does you have nothing but negatives to say about it. I think you guys are reading to much into what he said. Its not like hes waking up every morning saying these three goals. He's going to try to get as much as he can from every player and try to win every game for the University. To be made at him for not saying "Be the best in the A10" is silly because he is being realistic. And you know more than anyone to stay realistic. (Predication-10 Wins)

currentstudent wrote:

ElDuque wrote:

Since I actually already provided an example, I'd be more curious what you and other posters would have liked the coach to say. If you're happy with "we're going to compete and get into the top half," then OK, but again, those words do not jive with predictions of 18-20 wins. I picked them to win 10 games, and I don't feel persuaded to upgrade that selection based on what Ferry said.

I feel like no matter what Ferry said you would not be happy about it. Then again, I feel like any action the program does you have nothing but negatives to say about it. I think you guys are reading to much into what he said. Its not like hes waking up every morning saying these three goals. He's going to try to get as much as he can from every player and try to win every game for the University. To be made at him for not saying "Be the best in the A10" is silly because he is being realistic. And you know more than anyone to stay realistic. (Predication-10 Wins)

CurrentStudent, you have to realize that since the 1977 NCAA team, we have heard variations of the same coachspeak from every coach that has been here. That 38-year span has resulted in 2 NIT tournament appearances. If, 38 years from now, you are still on this board and another CurrentStudent starts giving you grief, I hope that you can respond with more than those 2 NIT appearances in 76 years. For the rest of us, we will be long gone and somewhat at peace.
 

Last edited by KenOTR73 (11/13/2015 3:33 pm)

KenOTR73 wrote:

currentstudent wrote:

ElDuque wrote:

Since I actually already provided an example, I'd be more curious what you and other posters would have liked the coach to say. If you're happy with "we're going to compete and get into the top half," then OK, but again, those words do not jive with predictions of 18-20 wins. I picked them to win 10 games, and I don't feel persuaded to upgrade that selection based on what Ferry said.

I feel like no matter what Ferry said you would not be happy about it. Then again, I feel like any action the program does you have nothing but negatives to say about it. I think you guys are reading to much into what he said. Its not like hes waking up every morning saying these three goals. He's going to try to get as much as he can from every player and try to win every game for the University. To be made at him for not saying "Be the best in the A10" is silly because he is being realistic. And you know more than anyone to stay realistic. (Predication-10 Wins)

CurrentStudent, you have to realize that since the 1977 NCAA team, we have heard variations of the same coachspeak from every coach that has been here. That 38-year span has resulted in 2 NIT tournament appearances. If, 38 years from now, you are still on this board and another CurrentStudent starts giving you grief, I hope that you can respond with more than those 2 NIT appearances in 76 years. For the rest of us, we will be long gone and somewhat at peace.
 

Four NIT appearances in the last 38 years, not 2. 1980, 1981, 1994, 2009.

ElDuque wrote:

Last season, duq81, there was so much optimism over the cupcake OOC. The "ought to win 9 of 10" or whatever it was quick turned to "ouch."

Well, if they can't win 9 of these games, there is no way they will finish in the top half of a league as strong as the A10.