It's an "emperor's new clothes" thing, CLK. I'm certainly happy to see the Dukes in postseason, but to paint the regular season picture -- especially the conference portion -- as some kind of success is nonsense. And with all those years left on his contract, he can continue to spin whatever he wants without having to worry about accountability. It would have been more believable if he'd recruited guards who can dribble, players with skills other than "can shoot as soon as he crosses midcourt," and developed some players along the way, instead of the long limbo line out the door. I think he's lost his top recruit from every class now.

ElDuque wrote:

“... I can tell you that to go from ground zero to a winning record in four years, and for these guys to be rewarded for it, I think is great. It's a national tournament. It's a good tournament. The teams in this are no jokes,” Ferry said. (Source: Chad Harlan, Tribune-Review).

1. It was ground zero because you decided in advance that you didn't want to build on Sean Johnson and Jerry Jones in year 1. You were disappointing the year you had Soko, and a lot of us expected a winning record last year. This year, people were predicting 18-20 wins from this team.
2. Your winning record is tainted by the fact that one win is against a DII team. You're only .500 vs. DI teams, and you had to play Mutual of Omaha to get there.
3. The CBI is filled with teams that have played DI ball for 5 years or less. It's good for them. We've been around 100 years. We want to be in the NCAAs or NIT.

Stop handing out participation medals, Jimmy, there are still 10 teams ahead of us in the A-10.

That's exactly why I rooted for them to lose this game. I knew Ferry would point to the above .500 record and that is so misleading. He is a politician, not a coach. Tells you what you want to hear, not the truth.
 

rittersdiner wrote:

ElDuque wrote:

“... I can tell you that to go from ground zero to a winning record in four years, and for these guys to be rewarded for it, I think is great. It's a national tournament. It's a good tournament. The teams in this are no jokes,” Ferry said. (Source: Chad Harlan, Tribune-Review).

1. It was ground zero because you decided in advance that you didn't want to build on Sean Johnson and Jerry Jones in year 1. You were disappointing the year you had Soko, and a lot of us expected a winning record last year. This year, people were predicting 18-20 wins from this team.
2. Your winning record is tainted by the fact that one win is against a DII team. You're only .500 vs. DI teams, and you had to play Mutual of Omaha to get there.
3. The CBI is filled with teams that have played DI ball for 5 years or less. It's good for them. We've been around 100 years. We want to be in the NCAAs or NIT.

Stop handing out participation medals, Jimmy, there are still 10 teams ahead of us in the A-10.

That's exactly why I rooted for them to lose this game. I knew Ferry would point to the above .500 record and that is so misleading. He is a politician, not a coach. Tells you what you want to hear, not the truth.
 

I have been as critical of Ferry as any on this board, but Ritter that's just not right.  Do I wish Ferry was a better coach? Yes.  Am I tired of hearing excuses? Yes.  But as a die hard fan for almost a half century I can never bring myself to root against the Dukes.  I really do not care who is the coach, I just want to win and be proud of my team.  I actually am hoping that Ferry runs the table and win this damn thing.  If he can right the ship and win and be successful I am all for that.  Do I think based on watching four years of his ineptitude that he can ever be successful in the A10?  I don't think so but still I can't root for him to lose.  If Harper is any kind of AD he can see through the BS.  So at this point, whatever Ferry says is irrelevant it is what he does on the court that counts.  If he can spin his performance to get better recruits, good for him.   Bottom line is he will still be our coach next year and his fate is squarely in his own hands. 
 

Last edited by CLK (3/17/2016 12:04 pm)

Of course with the NCAA looking for ways to INCREASE SCORING - maybe they can just tell teams "Play "defense" like Duquesne.

I remember many years ago - UVA with Ralph Sampson against UNC in the ACC title game - Carolina "held the ball trying to get UVA out of their zone"  UVA refused and the half time score was like 6-4. That is credited with bringing the shot clock into college basketball. Maybe THIS game will go Viral and some coaches will finally STOP LETTING TEAMS ROLL THE BALL UP THE FLOOR UNCONTESTED!!  (80 POINTS IN ONE HALF????)

The Dome wrote:

Solution would be to call 5 seconds since technically speaking the ball was not inbounded.

Good point Dome. I thought the 5 seconds ended when the ball was touched unless that has changed.

I wonder if Gregg Marshall (Wichita St. head Coach) has a summer coaching clinic?  If so Ferry should attend and learn how to coach defense.  Just watched WS hold Arizona to 19 points in first half, what defense, WOW. 

My friend Coffee, are you being facetious about "the best backcourt in 100 years?" Ferry has never recruited anyone to the level of TJ, Ron always had plenty of backcourt depth, James and Pipkins were pretty talented, BB and Silk Dixon would have chewed these guys up, and Norm Nixon and anyone would top the cake. That's just 39 years' worth. Not to take away from any of your valid and accurate points!

Imagine if the Dukes hadn't shot, what, 70% from the floor? A normal 30% shooting night and we're looking at a 100-68 loss on our court.

rittersdiner wrote:

coffee wrote:

Plain and simple-
If this coach can not post 20 wins with the best back court in 100 years and an acceptable front line, he doesn't belong coaching in the A-10.

If this coach allows any team to score 80 points in a half with this personnel, he can not coach in the A-10.

If this coach keeps blaming R.E. So many years after he took over...

If this coach thinks the CBI is our goal...

On and on... He should not be coaching in the A-10.

HE HAS NO CLUE HOW TO COACH DEFENSE!

I agree with everything you said except the fact that these are the best guards in 100 years. These are one trick ponies. They score but that's about it. They won't be remembered that way.
 

 
Willie Somerst, an All-America, come on man!

duq81, you should be able to read the irony in that entire post of mine. James and Pipkins would have chewed this team up, even without any front court help.

duq81 wrote:

ElDuque wrote:

duq81, you should be able to read the irony in that entire post of mine. James and Pipkins would have chewed this team up, even without any front court help.

OK. I thought you were being dismissive of them as opposed to having your tongue in your cheek. I just get so pissed thinking about those teams. Pipkins, James, Bosnic, and Price was a very nice core. Three sophomores, and a junior. Not many coaches could screw that up, but Edgar did. Goodness, that group is way better than what we have now, and probably better than any top four Ron ever had, yet his best record was worse than all but Ron's first year. Amazingly, even three of Ferry's four seasons were better than Edgar's best year. What a disaster Brian Colleary was.
 

It has been two decades, and perhaps I have tried to blot it from my memory, but I seem to recall Edgar continually tried to bring in JC big men, often with problems. I seem to recall a thug named Neil Hood, who used to score about one point, grab one rebound and usually picked up four fouls in about six minutes.
 

PhoenixRising2 wrote:

duq81 wrote:

OK. I thought you were being dismissive of them as opposed to having your tongue in your cheek. I just get so pissed thinking about those teams. Pipkins, James, Bosnic, and Price was a very nice core. Three sophomores, and a junior. Not many coaches could screw that up, but Edgar did. Goodness, that group is way better than what we have now, and probably better than any top four Ron ever had, yet his best record was worse than all but Ron's first year. Amazingly, even three of Ferry's four seasons were better than Edgar's best year. What a disaster Brian Colleary was.
 

It's ironic that the two best coaches, Carroll and Everhart, that the Dukes have had over the past 30 years were both undermined and fired by their AD - and were replaced with the two worst game day coaches of the last 30 years in Edgar and Ferry.

 
And I have pointed out as well, both fired one down year after their best success.

Price always had back problems though. I had such high hopes for him.