Coach Pikiell Apologizes for Actions in Rough Week
- Thread starter NiTeKnight
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Will be interesting to see how the team responds. Sounds like he went into a complete tirade for the lackadaisical effort. It Has to drive Pikiell crazy that this is unraveling on the defensive side. Sounds like postgame, Pikiell had his Matt Damon from Good Will Hunting moment.
Who knows maybe this ends up being the the best thing to happen to this group if it means coming together and playing inspired ball.
Wouldn’t be surprised with a starting line up switch although it is Senior day. At the very least, I think we’ll be able to tell who hasn’t mailed it in by playing time going forward.
One game, one offensive set, one stop on defense at a time. Too much talent on this team to completely count them out. Not how we would have scripted this season going, but still time to make it an all time March to remember
I like Coach Pikiell because he is a great spokesmen for Rutgers University.At the same time head coaches are evaluated based on wins/losses, team rankings and NCAA bids.With the expanded number of teams in the B1G Ten Rutgers will have a very difficult time breaking into the top ten.There are too many obstacles to overcome in the NIL and transfer portal environment.
I like Pike also. Came here when RU was rock bottom. Team played with grit all the way to 2022. You loved his teams. Not so much now. He's a good guy but it all comes down to wins/losses. Of course he's trying to win. Can't figure it out though. I'm getting old. I don't want to wait another 10 years for a NCAA berth.
Not sure why he thought he needed to apologize for anything (other than coming up short this year).
He needs to apologize for the dumpster fire that was this season. Shameful.
"OK fine. He talked to the media and faced the music and did everything we were asking about. But...NOPE! Should've done it after the Purdue game not now. Means nothing to me. Just another example of him not being the right guy for the job. The Spencer's warned us and I said it before the season started and got BLASTED for it. Run one play on offense and then come talk to me. Had 450 days to find one billionaire and couldn't do it."
-Half the board, probably
-Half the board, probably
This made me literally laugh out loud. Thank you.
I like that Pike showed some emotion so give him credit here for stepping ip and apologizing rather than ignore
This. I actually love that he is showing this kind of emotion. IMHO long overdue. Perhaps using a tool from the box he hasn't often used yet. Let's see how the team responds. Can't be a good start then revert. Control the game, win, and get these two studs ready to shine in a Tourney setting. Something I think they will be good for. Final time to shine.
Why did he apologize?
Because he cares. He cares about the kids, the University, the job, the fans. He cares what people think about him as a person because he is a very good guy. Good luck finding someone who doesn't like him as a man.
He is a stand up guy. He has integrity. He truly felt bad for the profanity, not the rant itself, but the words he used. He is a professional that can express himself without sinking to that level on the radio. He is a professional that knows he should have sat and done his job with the media after the Purdue debacle.
Say what you want about the job he has done on the court, that's all fair, but please don't question his integrity.
Because he cares. He cares about the kids, the University, the job, the fans. He cares what people think about him as a person because he is a very good guy. Good luck finding someone who doesn't like him as a man.
He is a stand up guy. He has integrity. He truly felt bad for the profanity, not the rant itself, but the words he used. He is a professional that can express himself without sinking to that level on the radio. He is a professional that knows he should have sat and done his job with the media after the Purdue debacle.
Say what you want about the job he has done on the court, that's all fair, but please don't question his integrity.
“I haven’t forgotten how to teach defense,” Pikiell said. “Some teams pick it up quicker than others – teams have different personalities. Not having continuity goes into that. This is the first time they (the freshmen) have been taught four different ball screen coverages. That has been extremely challenging.”
I don't question his integrity or deny he's a good guy. But that's not what he's being paid millions for.
Pike's a great guy and a good coach who gets the most out of 3* type kids. sucks that's not this world anymore. this just isn't the place for him. he needs to find a mid major fit, nothing wrong with that. Colgate, Merrimack coaches should be moving up soon, those are great spots for Pike.
This thead to me reiterates that
1) A STRONG, P4 experienced AD needs to be hired by the new Prez
2) Pike is the guy for RU
a) He can coach players up, but they have to be his type of players, the 2 1 and dones are not Pike type of players.
b) with the new and ever changing NCAA enviroment, a politically savvy, experienced AD is needed to handle all the "off the court" issues and RU will be a top 30 team sooner rather than later
1) A STRONG, P4 experienced AD needs to be hired by the new Prez
2) Pike is the guy for RU
a) He can coach players up, but they have to be his type of players, the 2 1 and dones are not Pike type of players.
b) with the new and ever changing NCAA enviroment, a politically savvy, experienced AD is needed to handle all the "off the court" issues and RU will be a top 30 team sooner rather than later
This thread lead me to none of the conclusions you articulated above…but hey….in hope your right
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just like in football, if they can connect to the RU Wifi, they are considered "in the house" 😁
Should be a real nostalgic and sentimental senior day. What's point of honoring guys who passed by for a season. Might as well include DH and Ace in the festivities as well.
Nothing against the individuals, but couldn’t agree more. It would mean more to me if there’s a 4 year walk-on or student manager.
That's great. And it can and will go away overnight if this continues. I expect to see an impact next year already. No one is going to be fighting for tickets to see a perennial .500 team that misses the tournament more often than not.
Our 3 most important players playing the most minutes and scoring the most are freshman and all poor defenders, prob our poorest. Dylan, Ace and Lathan. They all are critical in ball screen defense, lathan is the biggest culprit
It’s that simple. He just can’t say that. But we can.
It’s just amazing that they haven’t been able to improve after 6 months of practice, that’s on Pike.
It’s that simple. He just can’t say that. But we can.
It’s just amazing that they haven’t been able to improve after 6 months of practice, that’s on Pike.
People who always bring up salary or how much money players are making sound like jealous little girls! No one on here is paying anything towards the salary so grow up
Huh? Coaches making millions and players being paid as professionals (and making more than a lot of us) isn't relevant to the conversation? As we as fans are being asked to subsidize them? Got it. Great take.
Absolutely disagree! After 9 years of mediocrity Pike has shown that he won’t succeed. Time to move on.
Pike always has emotion and fire. Anyone who watches games in person and pays attention sees this. Yes he may not be Fran or Brad level. He does plenty of yelling and screaming and is emotional. He’s not a butterflies and sunshine coach some seem to think he is.
Playing a bunch of freshmen in this day and age is not a thing for Pike. To turn things around, in this new reality of college basketball, Pike needs to drastically step it up in his portal recruiting. Get veteran guys who play Pike's style. Guys who know how to defend and rebound. Pike has proven this year he cannot coach an "offense first" team and get them to win. We're stuck with him and that big contract so we might as well get back to what works for him.
He has shown he can coach an offense first team as we are averaging 76 points and # 48 in Kenpom in offensive efficiency. The disconnect has been almost totally on the defensive end.
he can get them to score but he can't win with them and he can't get them to play defense
Pike has emotion if you mean taking a defensive stance along the baseline and clapping hard. He doesn't have to be one of those maniacs but he's gotten exactly 2.......TWO technical fouls in his 9 years here. Working the refs is part of the game and part of the job. Besides trying to change the whistle, get a call, or protect the players.
For a class guy (who I think he is) I believe he has some leverage, he never plays plays that card HARD. . I think it makes a difference. Did you watch Tom Izzo last night? I would have loved to choke his ass. BUT there is a canyon between that guy and Pike. Regardless. Perhaps Pike is starting to get it.
Not even close to reality. In 9 years, he has yet to even attempt to run a functional offense. We legit don't even try. Please name a worse offensive coach in college basketball. Just because you have 2 unicorns who can make a few shots in iso ball doesn't mean he has 'shown he can coach an offense '. I don't think anyone here outside of you thinks that's true. Your takes are so bad. I don't even know what you are trying to say most of the time.
Because you are not watching closely. Most schools play iso ball and high pick and roll for offense. Name it. Houston , Iowa State , St. John’s , Alabama , Texas A& M . Arkansas , Memphis , San Diego State , BYU , That is about 75% of college basketball. There are about 25% of coaches that run a lot more screens, pin downs, flair screens , back cuts , double screens and really move the ball well making it more difficult for defenses . Wisconsin comes to mind , Notthwestern used to run offense like that , Iowa , Kentucky this year , Auburn , Duke running a lot of cuts and screens. Lots of mid major coaches. Why Pike doesn’t do it , I don’t know. But he is in the majority of teams that run offense basically with high pick and roll.
I didn't read your incoherent run on paragraph, but since it's you, I will just assume it's wrong
Sure is from where we came and top 50 of 365 schools is not bad. It has been enough to win almost every game this year. If only we played a lick of defense this year.
We are 37 on Torvik which is decent enough. Feels somewhat strange for the two sites to have that kind of discrepancy in March
