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Post by gks on Jul 10, 2019 7:25:42 GMT -5
Coach's biggest hurdle will be the culture on the hill. Coaching can only overcome so much.
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Post by hc6774 on Jul 10, 2019 7:50:14 GMT -5
Coach's biggest hurdle will be the culture on the hill. Coaching can only overcome so much. I don't think those in charge of the culture think that, especially in the context of the PL. I think turning out the general student population is more of a challenge... but with 25% of that population involved in varsity sports there may be something brewing... see Coach Chesney's tweet after the presser.
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Post by Ray on Jul 10, 2019 8:30:24 GMT -5
We've sliced and diced attendance numbers before. Historically, the bottom line is that if you win, Hart will start to fill up.
Does that apply to the current crop of students? Hard to say, since nobody on campus has had the opportunity to support a winning team (in just about any sport) since they arrived on campus. Let's put out some good products, and then see how the campus reacts.
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Post by CHC8485 on Jul 10, 2019 9:11:53 GMT -5
Just watched the replay. Wow......I mean, I know games have to be played and won, but.......these guys INSPIRE. Was able to be there in person yesterday and I said I'd add more thoughts yesterday. Dave pretty much encapsulates the overall feeling I had leaving the Luth, particularly after Brett Nelson's prepared remarks. I didn't hear anything that stood out from other introductory press conference I've heard before (at Holy Cross & elsewhere) but when he finished I thought ... Let's go. I'm ready to start workouts and play right now. I hope the players feel the same way. I can't say how that would come across in a phone call, so I hope all of the players - Caleb & Jacob especially - meet him in person. Very much liked that Marcus Blossom mentioned he knows he doesn't know everything and loved that both he and Marcus Blossom mentioned his willingness to adapt his approach to the talent he has. This is one of the things that I think RW did exceptionally well. RW didn't do the same thing at Western Kentucky as he did at HC and each HC team developed differently depending on personnel. I would hope with the connection thru Billy Donovan via Little Ricky (if not HC directly) that Nelson and Willard could spend some time together - not to talk basketball X's & O's per se but to learn some of those things he doesn't know about coaching at Holy Cross in the PL and how to adapt his approach to utilize the strength Holy Cross basketball players will likely always have regardless of scheme - their intelligence. Definitely got the sense he will instill toughness in the group. In two brief conversations - one in a receiving line on the way out of the Doran Auditorium and another more casual conversation at the reception, I found him quite personable and despite the short time runway I got the sense that he was chomping at the bit to get going and had a plan to do so. Did get a little of the Chesney vibe - competitive and optimistic. Chesney talks a LOT faster so seems much more energetic, but both are clearly driven to success. As mentioned, he realizes recruiting will be different. Not sure if he fully gets how different, but he is at least cognizant of that. Stating the obvious, but his emphasis on building relationships within the HC community - academics and admissions - will be vital. Other than thanking the staff in the press conference and mentioning the staff getting on the road this week in the informal conversation, no mention at all about who that staff would be. As Sader 1970 mentioned - his wife Jamie was gracious and appeared genuinely excited to be coming to Holy Cross. His son Eli (8 years old) was exceptionally cute and very well behaved. Him mom told us he couldn't wait to get his new Holy Cross swag from the bookstore on. Spoke briefly with Jehyve and congratulated him on his contract. He's working on his German. Saw Blake Verbeek at a distance - he's definitely added some muscle & weight. With another 2 months training, wild guess he'll be 10 - 15 pounds over what he came in at last year. Overall a good day. Much work to be done and proof will be in the pudding, but it's off to a good start.
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Post by WorcesterGray on Jul 10, 2019 9:30:20 GMT -5
Definitely got the sense he will instill toughness in the group. A characteristic that, frankly, seems to have been in short supply with the group he inherits. Definitely got that sense as well from his choice of words - playing a fast pace, being in "attack mode," and "strong" (even if "wrong") on the offensive end, both "aggressive" and "disciplined" on the defensive end with a preference for m2m - almost necessarily translates to a quantum leap in attention to the glass, too. All would be most welcome changes.
I suspect it will also mean we get to the line a lot more, another weakness of the past few years, and one of the deficiencies that was a particular issue in PL play. Of the players who logged 200+ minutes last year, the returning player who had the highest free throw rate in conference competition was, unsurprisingly, Austin Butler (~30%).
The two lowest? Green and Grandison (~15%).
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Post by timholycross on Jul 10, 2019 10:04:09 GMT -5
“Half the team is in summer school and half the team is at home so a lot of it has been over the phone,” said Nelson who has to assemble a staff and recruit. “It’s going to be hard to out our system in because it’s our last week of summer school. When August and September hits we’ll be able to really do that.”Well, that's one more thing that I hope Nelson rectifies by next year -- half the team should not be home for the Summer. The culture in the program really deteriorated under Carmody, and Nelson appears to be exactly what the doctor ordered to get that back on track to where HC used to be. For what's coming up to $280,000 for the 4 years, no they should not be home!
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Post by bison137 on Jul 10, 2019 10:19:19 GMT -5
“Half the team is in summer school and half the team is at home so a lot of it has been over the phone,” said Nelson who has to assemble a staff and recruit. “It’s going to be hard to out our system in because it’s our last week of summer school. When August and September hits we’ll be able to really do that.”Well, that's one more thing that I hope Nelson rectifies by next year -- half the team should not be home for the Summer. The culture in the program really deteriorated under Carmody, and Nelson appears to be exactly what the doctor ordered to get that back on track to where HC used to be. I recall that HC70 used to complain about players not being on campus during the summer prior to Carmody arriving, so maybe it's not just him. I'm not sure how critical it is, however, to have the team on campus for the summer. Many of Bucknell's players don't spend summer on campus and, despite that, they have managed to take 8 of the last 9 PL regular season championships. Working out with a good personal trainer at home and playing in a good summer league at home works. As for chemistry, if a team can't build that in the nine months they are on campus, then that is a different problem.
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Post by rickii on Jul 10, 2019 10:43:25 GMT -5
Coach's biggest hurdle will be the culture on the hill. Coaching can only overcome so much. Agree. Pine's efforts plus the LAC have helped but as I've said before, you don't change this in a couple years after nearly 3 decades of total neglect by inept administrations.
Chesney has made HUGE strides on this very, very quickly. Nelson has unfortunately been dealt an initially bad hand with the losses of Floyd, Grandison and Green.
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Post by hchoops on Jul 10, 2019 10:46:42 GMT -5
Granderson and Green are gone ? Do you have inside info ?
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Post by Non Alum Dave on Jul 10, 2019 11:16:30 GMT -5
You can’t get a small size for him ? Will have to check with cfrivals, but I think the mold is broke (destroyed?). On the other hand, if the Nelson Era takes off he may have a Rocco's Donut named after him!
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Post by longsuffering on Jul 10, 2019 11:29:08 GMT -5
My hope is that the students turn out for the teams - win or lose. Sometimes at some schools, it becomes very fashionable for students to "put down" their teams, sort of as a mark of intellectual superiority (similar to atheism, etc.) and they attend games rarely, if at all. True story: My late wife & I were at a Columbia football game in lethargic, largely empty Baker. She told me that while a student at Columbia, she went to one-half of one football game. It was against Dartmouth at Baker. She related how her group breezily walked into half empty stands, yukked it up and mockingly laughed at the ineptitude of the Columbia team and left at halftime without a care. Well, coming from my background in HS and at HC, her story did not go over very well at all. Overbearingly perhaps, I told her that I thought that kind of student behavior was terrible. The players were her fellow students who busted their tales balancing hard practices with their studies and playing in tough games. And, I pointed out that for many students the games can be fun to attend with other students, even at Columbia. She rolled her eyes! Shortly, thereafter, we went to Fitton to watch HC football. It was during the glorious run of the '80's. The difference was amazing! The stands were packed with students, alums and local folks cheering on dear old Holy Cross. It was an awakening for her. She was brilliant but all her fashionable disregard of college sports evaporated. She loved it and instantly became an HC sports fan. However, I must admit that the game in which HC thrashed Columbia led to a very quiet ride home. Afterwards, we attended many HC games. She even got pissed off in Hanover at the behavior of the Dartmouth students. We went to a few Columbia games too and wonder to behold, she enjoyed those games too.(Still, there were very few students in attendance. I believe student attendance at the games has grown since those days.) I relate this story with the belief that attendance at college games, win or lose, can be a wonderful, life affirming, bonding experience for many students. And, the more the merrier as students can create an aura, especially in a packed gym, that is hard to beat. At one time HC was highly regarded for its student attendance, students chanting in unison, "Chu, Chu, Rah, Rah" and singing school songs. I realize that many of today's students have other interests, academic load, various activities but maybe the real underlying issue is that attending their school's games is simply not a priority for many. There just is little interest and no appreciation of the experience. My hope is that the coaches and players can drum up interest among the student body. I know, don't bet the house on it happening. Maybe, if HC builds a winner, the students and others will come. A winning brand goes a long way, look at ND, Duke, etc. Maybe, these are the silly musings of an older guy, yearning for a return to days long gone. We can never go back. Times have changed! But I still believe that college sports, if done right, can be a wonderful experience. My hope is that large numbers of students take advantage of the opportunity to create their own thing by attending HC games(M&W) en masse. In my view attendance at games would enrich their college life and someday help to create the same kind of wonderful memories that I have kept to this day. LoveHC Great story MM, I could almost see the fall foliage colors deepen as you progressed in your drive from NYC to Hanover, NH. What a great Autumn weekend trip.
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Post by joe on Jul 10, 2019 12:21:17 GMT -5
“Half the team is in summer school and half the team is at home so a lot of it has been over the phone,” said Nelson who has to assemble a staff and recruit. “It’s going to be hard to out our system in because it’s our last week of summer school. When August and September hits we’ll be able to really do that.”Well, that's one more thing that I hope Nelson rectifies by next year -- half the team should not be home for the Summer. The culture in the program really deteriorated under Carmody, and Nelson appears to be exactly what the doctor ordered to get that back on track to where HC used to be. I recall that HC70 used to complain about players not being on campus during the summer prior to Carmody arriving, so maybe it's not just him. I'm not sure how critical it is, however, to have the team on campus for the summer. Many of Bucknell's players don't spend summer on campus and, despite that, they have managed to take 8 of the last 9 PL regular season championships. Working out with a good personal trainer at home and playing in a good summer league at home works. As for chemistry, if a team can't build that in the nine months they are on campus, then that is a different problem. When HC wins as many championships as Bucknell, I'd be fine if they all went home. For now, show up.
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Post by joe on Jul 10, 2019 12:24:11 GMT -5
. . . She even got pissed off in Hanover at the behavior of the Dartmouth students . . . I learned after one game that my family had almost walked out when they incorporated Catholic/pope satire into their little halftime sketch.
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Post by hchoops on Jul 10, 2019 14:43:20 GMT -5
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Post by Crucis#1 on Jul 11, 2019 20:49:32 GMT -5
Video clips from before and during press conference.
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Post by hchoops on Jul 12, 2019 7:05:08 GMT -5
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Post by hchoops on Jul 12, 2019 9:13:31 GMT -5
Guess Ryan W. is on board He retweeted this
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Post by flutiewasrejected on Jul 12, 2019 9:46:15 GMT -5
He reminds me of Lou Holtz...
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Post by cfrivals on Jul 13, 2019 19:20:48 GMT -5
Wonder if young Eli would like an extra large YOU YOU YOU t-shirt (he could grow into it). Dave, seeing "NELSON" on back of jersey, Do you think the new regime will go with names on back?? Just a thought!!
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Post by WorcesterGray on Jul 13, 2019 20:22:14 GMT -5
Guess Ryan W. is on board
Dad is also warming to the idea . . .
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Post by hchoops on Jul 17, 2019 13:52:42 GMT -5
As the old song goes, “Getting to know you..”
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Post by hchoops on Jul 25, 2019 9:34:43 GMT -5
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Post by lou on Jul 25, 2019 9:45:28 GMT -5
Great! Maybe we'll get Bridges
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Post by hchoops on Jul 25, 2019 9:58:08 GMT -5
Great! Maybe we'll get Bridges 😊
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Post by purplehaze on Jul 29, 2019 11:40:12 GMT -5
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