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Post by hc87 on Feb 28, 2024 21:21:05 GMT -5
It is what is but as I've said forever on this and past forums, HC hoop will never be successful overall in this type of league.....hoop-wise, HC belongs in a more high-profile league. This league just isn't the right "fit" for HC basketball.....it never has been. We belong with other similar nationally-known Catholic/Jesuit schools in the Big East or A-10 if we're really serious about basketball.
The problem is, how do we separate the rest of the athletic programs in the PL from the hoop program?
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Post by hc87 on Feb 28, 2024 21:01:02 GMT -5
HC hoop is never going to approach past levels of success in hoop, be it the 40s and 50s or the late 70s and early 2000s.....the hoop world has changed. A school like HC, an academic-first school in a league that prizes that, is never going to be a factor in this NIL college-hoop D1 world. Sad, but that's the reality.
Not saying we can't cheer them on etc....but they are probably never going to a factor moving forward sadly.
It will be interesting how long Paulsen deals with this moving forward.
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Post by hc87 on Feb 28, 2024 20:47:07 GMT -5
I think the Patriot League has both buried HC hoop and buoyed HC football.
It's a great fit for our football program at the FCS-level....but it has buried our hoop program. It is what it is.
I actually don't mind it quite frankly.....a school like HC isn't going to be a player in the NIL-world of college hoops in 2024. More interesting having a viable football program at the FCS-level today imo.
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Post by hc87 on Feb 28, 2024 20:30:06 GMT -5
Seriously....not expecting instant results but a "basketball turn-around" shouldn't be this arduous....15 years and counting.....Chesney turned football around in like 2 years.
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Post by hc87 on Feb 28, 2024 19:45:01 GMT -5
Fortunate to be down just 10 actually.....again, our front-court is just overwhelmed essentially
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Post by hc87 on Feb 28, 2024 19:28:17 GMT -5
This is so disheartening.....we simply don't have the Jimmys and the Joes right now.....how can Holy Cross, a school steeped in basketball excellence, be continually schooled in the PL? It really has to change.
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Post by hc87 on Feb 27, 2024 23:24:44 GMT -5
I'm curious about MAC basketball. Just 15-20 years ago they were actually in the same ballpark as the A-10 and Missouri Valley. For whatever reason (not mass defections) they have slid quite a bit over the last decade. MAC basketball is probably a solid, underrated conference at its peak and a run-of-the-mill one-bid mid major at its worst. Always been respectable. I remember some Top 40-ish Central Michigan, Kent State and Buffalo teams in the 2000's and 2010's. Kent and CMU both had Sweet 16 runs IIRC. Kent in 2000 or 2001 and CMU maybe in '07 or '08. Ohio U. was definitely a well respected team when we beat them at Hart in December 2007 on a late shot by Kyle Cruze. Cant remember an NCAA win from them but a few of 20 win seasons and MAC titles for sure. Going down a rabbit hole the other day, I saw where Kent St actually made the Elite 8 in 2002....I really don't remembah it but it happened. Lost to a Mike Davis coached Indiana who lost to Maryland in the title game.
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Post by hc87 on Feb 26, 2024 13:28:31 GMT -5
I thought this thread would be about moving forward next year. Miracles do happen, but I think the 23-24 post-season campaign lasts one, maybe two games at best. I know some good guards/wings are coming in next year but our primary need is upfront. Kenney has been terrific but imagine how good he'd be if had more help upfront both offensively and defensively? Hopefully the Hare kid pans out and the other bigs improve but a good transfer 4 or 5 could change things dramatically for this program. Back to work....carry on.
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Post by hc87 on Feb 26, 2024 13:20:58 GMT -5
I think it's fair to say that Batch has had a very disappointing Sophomore season and, with the freshmen coming in next year, I'm not sure where he fits. I have wondered the same thing but the incoming frosh have a lot of adjusting to do and to count on frosh to be major contributors is a questionable strategy. For every Chris Potter, Mike Vicens, RP Jr and Garry Witts, we have had oodles of guys who contributed next to nothing as frosh. (I know, I am dating myself). As Pitino would say: "Potter, Vicens, Perry and Witts aren't walking through that door fellas...."
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Post by hc87 on Feb 25, 2024 20:36:40 GMT -5
I'd be shocked if Matt didn't start right away out there. Be fun to watch late night on Saturdays next Fall.
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Post by hc87 on Feb 25, 2024 16:01:02 GMT -5
Killer foul there.....it was correct too unfortunately....ballgame.
Disappointing.....these were the type of games I thought we'd win this year which we lost last year.
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Post by hc87 on Feb 25, 2024 15:50:20 GMT -5
you gotta be kidding me....banked 3 for the Midshipmen.....sort of emblamatic of this affair
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Post by hc87 on Feb 25, 2024 15:48:15 GMT -5
Alright last shot here....4 left.....so far it's been one of those frustrating games where we can't hit the big 3 or secure a defensive rebound.
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Post by hc87 on Feb 25, 2024 15:43:41 GMT -5
Awful call....big one too
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Post by hc87 on Feb 25, 2024 15:17:33 GMT -5
We need HC87 to post that "We suck" so we can start our comeback. LOL.....I will say our half-court offense sucks right now...
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Post by hc87 on Feb 25, 2024 14:58:18 GMT -5
We continue to stagnant on offense imo.....we just seem to fiddle and diddle (as Johnny Most used to say) on the perimeter and then someone either decides to take it to the rim or hoist up a 3. We don't seem to get as many clean looks as our opponents do because of this. I don't know where we'd be without Kenney stepping up his play this year.
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Post by hc87 on Feb 25, 2024 14:52:43 GMT -5
I'd love to see them get home/home with W&M or Richmond. Random thoughts after seeing what 2 FBS near-misses did ( or didn't do ) for us on Selection Sunday this year ( granted, if we had beaten Laffy or Harvard it wouldn't have mattered )...It would seem that 1 FBS near miss and win over an OOC FCS perennial contender ( Furman, Viilanova, Richmond ) would serve us better if that scenario ( 8-3, 7-4 ) repeated itself in the future If we all agree we wish to have a national presence moving forward, here is a template, involving moderate travel ( travel expenses are always underestimated ) Eliminate the likes of CCSU, Bryant, Merrimack Eliminate non-P4 FBS matchups.....not sure what Miami ( OH ), SJS, or Buffalo add to the equation One P4 buy game a year, understanding that BC will be scheduled at least once every 4 years......others in that rotation could include UVa, Duke, Northwestern, Wake, Vandy.....throw Tulane, Army and Navy into that mix as well One Ivy a year ( preferably Harvard ) Strong, Eastern FCS OOC schedule of perennial contenders for the remaining 3-4 games to enhance our post season resumes for Selection Sunday.........W & M, Richmond, Villanova, Furman, UNH, URI, perhaps on an every other year basis We'll meet the Montanas and Dakotas in the post-season !! I like the thought in general, but that is a daunting schedule week after week after week.....5 or 6 very difficult games. Nice to mix in a CCSU, SHU etc to work on things, build some confidence etc. I would only schedule one of these a year though.
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Post by hc87 on Feb 22, 2024 16:03:20 GMT -5
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Post by hc87 on Feb 22, 2024 15:28:07 GMT -5
Good idea.....Dartmouth High always has a tremendous band, they travel all over for competitions....would put on a good halftime show and be entertaining during the game.
For HC, ideally, I think, we should have as we have in the past, a spirited "good time marching band"....not a big band, but a spirited "pep band" that could get the crowd going during the game "Mamie Reilly" type songs etc and put on a fun half-time show.
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Post by hc87 on Feb 21, 2024 21:37:34 GMT -5
After the game (#500 win for HCDP) The interviewer asked about the "turning point" of the game. My theory was that the turnaround came after the post that proclaimed "this team stinks." It seems that same line has led to a turnaround, comeback and a win on more than one occasion. If the team goes on to win (and even rto dominate at the end) I welcome a team that "stinks" in that way. You're welcome all
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Post by hc87 on Feb 21, 2024 20:14:11 GMT -5
Nice comeback so far.....if nothing else, this team keeps fighting
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Post by hc87 on Feb 21, 2024 19:27:57 GMT -5
We suck right now.....no sugar-coating it....offense is awful, getting killed on the boards
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Post by hc87 on Feb 21, 2024 18:53:33 GMT -5
I remember him bitching about the apathy at BU in the early '80s....he said something to the fact that "We just beat Holy Cross in the ECACs, that's a big thing and no one here cares." He went to the NBA shortly thereafter.
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Post by hc87 on Feb 21, 2024 13:58:40 GMT -5
In an 11 game season ('26, '27 and '28) the template seems to be an FBS, Yale and most likely Harvard....leaves 2 more games. 12 a game season ('25 and '29) template is 1 or 2 FBS games, Yale and again probably the Johnnies...if 2 FBS, that leaves 2 openings. Yale is scheduled annually through '28. Harvard is only scheduled for '24 right now but I have to think this will continue annually but who knows? UMass might be a good 2nd FBS game in 2005. Looking now, they have a crazy mish-mash of games against MAC, SEC, other G5 games right now, fbschedules.com/ncaa/umass/
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Post by hc87 on Feb 21, 2024 13:42:05 GMT -5
Urban (and suburban) public education is quite the challenge today for a variety of reasons. I know of many friends and colleagues who are counting down the days to their retirement.
I don't know the exact in's and out's of what is (or not) going on at Brockton High but knowing many who are teaching in the New Bedford and Fall River public school systems I hear many of the same problems going on in Brockton: teacher shortage, ineffective administration, disengagement of the students for a variety of reasons (tough home life, cell-phones, after effects of the Covid interruption of their education and many other obstacles.)
Many administrators don't want kids to be expelled or have them drop out or sent to an alternative school because it will reflect on their graduation rates.
All that being said, Massachusetts, by most measures, is one of the leading states in the country for public education K-12.
There are no easy answers to the issues of public education in the urban districts I'm afraid.....it's going to take awhile when and if the ships can be righted there.
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