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Our Head Basketball Coach- Our time is now- Early thoughts on a long bus ride

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Heisman Winner
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Jul 20, 2004
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I’ve never talked to pikiell individually as of yet but I’ve been to the open practice, watched every game over the last two seasons, listened to the post game pressers and watch the video clips his makes with the team and any interview or piece I can read about the program.

At the open practice last year, the sheer intensity not just by Pikiell but by all the assistants really stood out. I used to watch practices when Bob Wenzel was here and they were good but nothing even close to what I saw with the intensity of Pikiell’s practice.

I know Carino picked us at the bottom this year and without knowing much about the impact of the new faces; I don’t know if it’s accurate. Maybe it is and maybe it isn’t? We play a lot of good teams in the Big 10 and just as we are getting better, so are they. But I haven’t studied the rosters and done any homework to give credence to a better prediction but I’m not sure it’s really possible to start to accurately rate this team at this point. There are a lot of assumptions and guessing and probably many years of losing that still sit in the minds of the media.

These are all formidable opponents we are facing in this conference but let me say this. I’m happy to go to war with coach Pikiell. I genuinely believe that we are going to surprise some people even more this year. With 12 and maybe one late addition to get to 13 scholarship players who can all contribute, we are going to wear teams down with our defense. I think once these new kids get into shape, we will start pressing and trapping more than we’ve seen since the Wenzel years and these kids now are more talented right out of the box. Mix that with a host of shooters we’ve lacked for many years and we can possibly become a real wildcard.

Football is first so welcome back McNulty and back to business on offense. And then the RAC is going to begin to roar again in November. I don’t think this is just another season of frustration. I think we are on the precipice of something real.

If anyone on this board hasn’t gotten season tickets yet, take the plunge if you can. Come to every game not just the big ones. Come to watch Rutgers and not because some star from Purdue is playing, Stay to the end of games and cheer for our kids win or lose. We need to take the next step in this fan base and this should be the year it starts to come together. No record predictions. I don’t want to assume any wins or even mark an L next to any guaranteed loss. We need to play better on the road and steal a few but we have to win Big in these home games.

This is a a different team without Corey and I’m excited to see what it will look like. Come watch it happen.
 
I’ve never talked to pikiell individually as of yet but I’ve been to the open practice, watched every game over the last two seasons, listened to the post game pressers and watch the video clips his makes with the team and any interview or piece I can read about the program.

At the open practice last year, the sheer intensity not just by Pikiell but by all the assistants really stood out. I used to watch practices when Bob Wenzel was here and they were good but nothing even close to what I saw with the intensity of Pikiell’s practice.

I know Carino picked us at the bottom this year and without knowing much about the impact of the new faces; I don’t know if it’s accurate. Maybe it is and maybe it isn’t? We play a lot of good teams in the Big 10 and just as we are getting better, so are they. But I haven’t studied the rosters and done any homework to give credence to a better prediction but I’m not sure it’s really possible to start to accurately rate this team at this point. There are a lot of assumptions and guessing and probably many years of losing that still sit in the minds of the media.

These are all formidable opponents we are facing in this conference but let me say this. I’m happy to go to war with coach Pikiell. I genuinely believe that we are going to surprise some people even more this year. With 12 and maybe one late addition to get to 13 scholarship players who can all contribute, we are going to wear teams down with our defense. I think once these new kids get into shape, we will start pressing and trapping more than we’ve seen since the Wenzel years and these kids now are more talented right out of the box. Mix that with a host of shooters we’ve lacked for many years and we can possibly become a real wildcard.

Football is first so welcome back McNulty and back to business on offense. And then the RAC is going to begin to roar again in November. I don’t think this is just another season of frustration. I think we are on the precipice of something real.

If anyone on this board hasn’t gotten season tickets yet, take the plunge if you can. Come to every game not just the big ones. Come to watch Rutgers and not because some star from Purdue is playing, Stay to the end of games and cheer for our kids win or lose. We need to take the next step in this fan base and this should be the year it starts to come together. No record predictions. I don’t want to assume any wins or even mark an L next to any guaranteed loss. We need to play better on the road and steal a few but we have to win Big in these home games.

This is a a different team without Corey and I’m excited to see what it will look like. Come watch it happen.

Exactly....year 3, we finally have a roster that really fills most needs. And the entire team returns for year 4, except Shaq doorson. Do NOT underestimate this. Plus we add a 4-star transfer, a four star frosh, with one more to give ...and I bet we get another 4 star. The recruits in year four allow us to upgrade the base in year 3. Plus, with only one more left, we are all on the kids that are just finishing those sophomore year. Truly Ahead of the recruiting cycle

As for 18-19, I think a winning record is very possible. I think we very well could end up being 4 games over .500 instead of 4 games under like last year. Setting up for a possible ncaa season in year 4

The trajectory is there...the question will be how long it will take these guys to learn to win

Remember Schiano’s third, fourth seasons ...5-7 and 4-7 with a lot of close losses that could have had reversed records. They learned how to win those close games in year 5 and got to the bowl game and then year 6 it was a big year

Same thing here. The competitiveness gap is about to close real fast.

How fast coach P gets these guys to learn how to win close games will make the difference in when we get over the hump
 
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I would copy that OP and save it and post it again this time next year, because I think you'll be pretty close to right.

As for this year, way too much learning to be done. We went 3-15 and lose a guy who thinks he belongs in the NBA. This team will take time to figure out what it is. I think some people are getting way, way too excited over a couple of games in the Garden.

But hold that thought. Because I am a big Pikiell fan and can't wait to watch this team grow this year and take that step next year.
 
I would copy that OP and save it and post it again this time next year, because I think you'll be pretty close to right.

As for this year, way too much learning to be done. We went 3-15 and lose a guy who thinks he belongs in the NBA. This team will take time to figure out what it is. I think some people are getting way, way too excited over a couple of games in the Garden.

But hold that thought. Because I am a big Pikiell fan and can't wait to watch this team grow this year and take that step next year.
Yes. That’s my feeling. I’m putting the blinders on and just looking forward to watching all these new players because you just never know.

Fans are waiting for the next time we make the NCAA tournament and those people are going to miss a lot of great basketball and the fun of watching the process. We didn’t have a process for many, many years and now we a base of players..... finally. When we add Mulcahy, he’s an important piece and so will that last spot for 2019 who I hope is Massoud.

The 2020 recruiting class will really be at another level because of what kids will see on the court in 2018 and 2019.
 
Exactly....year 3, we finally have a roster that really fills most needs. And the entire team returns for year 4, except Shaq doorson. Do NOT underestimate this. Plus we add a 4-star transfer, a four star frosh, with one more to give ...and I bet we get another 4 star. The recruits in year four allow us to upgrade the base in year 3. Plus, with only one more left, we are all on the kids that are just finishing those sophomore year. Truly Ahead of the recruiting cycle

As for 18-19, I think a winning record is very possible. I think we very well could end up being 4 games over .500 instead of 4 games under like last year. Setting up for a possible ncaa season in year 4

The trajectory is there...the question will be how long it will take these guys to learn to win

Remember Schiano’s third, fourth seasons ...5-7 and 4-7 with a lot of close losses that could have had reversed records. They learned how to win those close games in year 5 and got to the bowl game and then year 6 it was a big year

Same thing here. The competitiveness gap is about to close real fast.

How fast coach P gets these guys to learn how to win close games will make the difference in when we get over the hump

I like the comparison to the football team in the 2003-2006 time frame. It was a slow, frustrating build in 2001-2002 (Buffanova, Temple OT loss in the 33 degree rainstorm, I'm still shivering from that one); but you started to see the signs of life in 2003 and 2004, with strong games against Miami (tied 17-17 early in 3rd quarter, but then UM scored four straight TDs) and MSU in those years.

But it was still fits and starts in those years, with a great defensive victory against MSU but then "the UNH debacle" the following week. We start out 5-2 in 2004 but then the wheels fall off after the Homecoming night car accident took out much of our defensive backfield, and we closed the season on a five game losing streak.

In 2005 we finally started to take people's lunch money (Glen Lee clotheslining the KO returner against Pitt on Friday night comes to mind), looking very competitive against some good teams and finally getting to a bowl game, before the floodgates opened with a glorious 2006 campaign.

I don't know where we are in this time line from a hoops perspective, but I know this -- it's going to be RU football circa 2005 in the RAC some time very soon.
 
It's comparing apples to oranges, but I firmly believe Pikiell will have a lot more success than Ash.

I hope they both do very well. It is very clear what Pikiell wants. I still am unsure what Ash wants out of the program.
 
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