Nightmare in Newark: The Sequel
by Mike Rutherford on Jan 22, 2010 9:32 AM EST
in Basketball
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PrintThe two un-whistled infractions that should have both given us the ball down two with 0.7 seconds to go was dressing me in a sparkly purple vest for my wake after murdering me two days earlier. The final sequence made the lingering taste that much more bitter, but the fact of the matter is Louisville had no business having a shot to win this game.
The Cards have been successful in the Big East for the past three seasons primarily due to defense and rebounding, a pair of facets of the game this year's group seems to have zero interest in.
This wasn't like the game in Newark a couple of years ago, which many people immediately and correctly labeled as a fluke. Jeremy Hazell again hit some wild shots, but the bulk of the Pirates' points in this season's loss came via uncontested lay-ups, uncontested put-backs or uncontested outside shots.
I think the situation right now is much simpler than a lot of people are making it to be: if the Cards refocus and adapt properly they'll make the NCAA Tournament, if nothing changes they go the NIT. The group is lucky in that they enough talent to make the proper changes turn into victories, but if they refuse to re-dedicate themselves beginning today then it doesn't matter.
Another game, another loss that still stings just as much the morning after.
I think we're all getting a little too used to this.
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getting way too used to this
these games should not come down to a couple blown calls.
i miss being this happy:
So your goal is to make me cry, I guess
Not appreciated
by Mike Rutherford on Jan 22, 2010 9:57 AM EST up reply actions
sorry
when the classless (and possibly autistic) seton hall fans behind us were talking shit, this picture was all i could think of to stop the tears. remembering the good times and that the season isn’t over yet. this is just an extra long november slump, right??
The fact is, we're not very good.
This may be the most unathletic U of L team I’ve seen in years. Slow afoot doesn’t come close to describing it. We’re slow a-head, too, in that we seem to be slow thinkers, slow reactors. We couldn’t not keep anyone out of the lane last night, and what little fire could be seen — a flash here from Preston or Siva, another over there from the woeful Jerry Smith —and that was it.
And Sosa? I’ve given up trying to explain what’s happening there and what he’s possibly thinking. If he’s thinking at all.
theoldman
Really wish we'd beaten Michigan State
by Mike Rutherford on Jan 22, 2010 11:52 AM EST reply actions
With the immediate future this bleak,
I can’t blame you for turning to nostalgia and what-could-have-been.
by sarasota-card on Jan 22, 2010 12:00 PM EST up reply actions
I keep thinking the same thing over and over again.
2 Final Fours for the Pitino era would make everything feel a lot different. And unlike the UNC loss in ‘08, I felt positively robbed last year. Yeah, MSU had a good team, and yeah, they beat UConn, but we were more talented, had an enormous de facto home-court advantage (similar to UNC’s advantage when we played them in ’08), and it was probably our best team of the last two decades (which was not true of MSU).
The bitter taste of that disappointment still lingers, and it makes everything about this season more difficult, including the runaway train in Lexington.
by cardsinindy2010 on Jan 22, 2010 1:29 PM EST up reply actions
Close games against Pitt, NOVA, and UK...
I don’t think its out of the question, but we’ve shown an inability to win as well.
Biggest play to me
1 half, sosa steals the ball when it’s still a 6 or maybe 5 point game. 3-1 break, sosa keeps it instead of giving it up, foul, no basket.
Clanks both FT’s, we get an over the back on the second miss, they go down and hit 2 FT’s. 4 point swing, over needless stupidity, from an F’in senior.
Jerry and Sosa are so dissapointing. Just so unbelievably dissapointing. I honeslty hope we refuse an NIT bid if that’s what it comes down to, unless we can play at the gardens. FH deserves better than to go out in a Fraking NIT game.
never ever refuse a chance to keep a team practicing and coaches teaching
stop being spoiled and selfish its not about you.
What kills me is we shouldnt have
even HAD to worry about a botched in bounds play that almost won the game…
Its Seton FRIGGIN Hall…last time I checked they havent finished or even sniffed the top 1/4 of the BE conference. Are we not supposed to be contenders?
If you think this is bad, 2010-2011 season will be worse
If the game comes down to a blown in-bounds call, we never deserved to win in the first place.
I am pretty disappointed in last night’s game, but in the big picture we dont have the horses to consistently win in the Big East this year. With our program, I could deal with an “off-year” every once in a while…it can happen, but given that all we have next year is Russ Smith committed, next year will be even worse and that is positively frightening. As inconsistent as Edgar has been and as awful shooting the ball Jerry has been, next year will be even worse.
Ummmmm, no
It will be better… replacing Sosa and Smith (which at the moment are our two biggest letdowns) with Siva and Preston? It can only be better next year at the guard spot.
As for rebounding… who knows
Respectfully disagree
I understand that fans are disillusioned with Edgar and Jerry, but having 4 quality guards that can play the total 80 minutes, vs 2 real good guards and 1 unknown in Smith? Sorry, but playing a fullcourtpress I prefer the depth. But, I hope you are right.
So who are we replacing Siva and Preston with?
They gone have to stop sleeping on me one day.. I gotta be one of the best
About 3 hours ago by Eric Wright Cleveland Browns – Cornerback
Also I hope Smith plays well as well
But most of what I read is that he is an athletic gun who doesn’t play defense.
They gone have to stop sleeping on me one day.. I gotta be one of the best
About 3 hours ago by Eric Wright Cleveland Browns – Cornerback
I tend to think that '11 will be better, but I am worried.
I expect Siva to be an upgrade, and I expect that Rock will make big strides in the offseason. And more Preston can’t be a bad thing.
But there are plenty of question marks. Will Marra and C. Smith be good enough to provide the necessary backcourt depth? Will we have anyone good enough to play the 3? And in the realm of the completely catastrophic, what if Samardo takes some really bad advice and turns pro? What if TJ gets pissed about playing time and transfers? Yikes. I consider both of these things to be unlikely, but if either happened, we would be in a world of hurt.
On the optimistic side, rivals.com and scout.com both have us listed as the leader for Justin Coleman. A top-50 wing would make me feel a whole lot better about next year.
by cardsinindy2010 on Jan 22, 2010 1:40 PM EST up reply actions
a simple plan
play defense, block out on defense and rebound, and (cross your fingers) shoot better than 25% (exaggeration) every freakin’ game out.
Maddie in Portland, Oregon
Personaly Im getting fed up with Rick' s Bullsh*t ,,,,,,
Now what could Kuric have done so wrong in practice to not get any playing time when he is one of our better rebounders and we were getting killed on the boards….. Rick plays mind games with these players which he calls motivational tactics…. Also it was one point in the second half were we shot like 7 or 8 three pointers in a row and missed everyone….Our offense is so one demensional… Everyone knows when were not shooting the three well were going to lose because there is no such thing as a mid range shot in this system unless your forced into it by the shotclock… Last time I checked the 15 – 18 foot jumpshot was still worth 2 points which is better than nothing on an offensive possesion…. I keep hearing lets just wait until we get the 2011 class in but what about next season…. And if we keep playing like this ( everybody stand around the three point line and see who can get a 3 pointer up the fastest and pray Samardo gets the rebound so we can do it again ) on ESPN when you know those 2011 recruits are watching there going to start de-committing…….This offense isnt as appealing to these recruits as it once was now with the emergence of the dribble drive and offensese similar to it.. Were not shooting it from 3 very well so why not adjust instead of cosistantly launching it… Encourage the guards get points off the dribble, there all capable of getting to the rim… Encourage Jerry to start shooting the mid range maybe if he starts knocking those down he will get his confidence back… Get a steady starting five that your going to stick with through good and bad so they can form that bond as a unit…. We shouldnt still be shuffling the lineup in late January…..SORRY FELLOW CARDS FANS FOR THE LONG POST BUT I HAD TO VENT,,,,,
I understand the need to vent
So go ahead, this is a good place to do it. I understand why you’re frustrated, but I don’t think that this is all Coach P’s fault. To a couple of your points.
-I wouldn’t worry about losing recruits because of how we play offense or anything like that. Guys come here because of the program, and because Rick can get them to the NBA. One of the best things that happened to recruiting was that Earl and TWill were both lottery picks. Rick can point to those guys and say, “Hey, I can get you to the NBA, look at where those guys were when they first got here.”
-Our offense may be one-dimensional, but we don’t have the personnel to run something like the dribble drive. Outside of Siva (who still is probably a little injured and can’t shoot) and Preston, we don’t have guys who can create off the dribble, especially on the wing. Our guys are just too slow. In theory our guys are better shooters, and Pitino has always said he prefers 3’s to 18 footers, because it’s only an extra 2 feet but is worth more if you shot from 3.
-With the lineup… I mean have you seen 5 guys on the floor that look like they’re much better together than another 5 guys? I don’t blame him for trying to ride the hot hand. I don’t think guys are going to “gel” just by playing together a lot. Pitino pulls guys for really bone-headed plays, not just for missing shots or anything, but for missing defensive assignments, lack of hustle, etc. I like that he sat Sosa for most of the second half, because Sosa was being bad Edgar. Before this past game I thought Edgar gave us the best chance of winning this year, but that doesn’t meant I’d leave him out there ’til a fault. He looked horrible last night.
by Chris Redman is my hero on Jan 22, 2010 3:03 PM EST up reply actions
a five on the court
No I haven’t seen one. BUT I have one I’d like to see. 5- TJ, 4 SS, 3 KK, 2 JS, 1 ES, with Swop rotating in as 3 or 4. PK and PS coming off for 1 and 2.
I think this would help rebounding and athleticism.
Have TJ and Samuels ever seen consistent minutes together? I think they could easily Samuels could stay low with TJ picking, flash posting and rebounding.
Going fishing instead of just wishing
This might be the time to re-connect with loved ones. Try a new hobby. Anything but basketball. Give it a week.
What gets me is that we seem to be able to play with anybody...just not beat them.
We always seem to have something or somebody screwing things up at the critical times.
Missed layups and dunks, with several rebound misses to follow
Fouls called or not called and always at the wrong time
Rebounds that go off our foot or bounce right to the other team (Hey look what I found)
Steals that we then turn right back over
Seniors playing like Freshmen
Freshmen playing like Freshmen
Everyone playing like Freshmen
Free throw shooting that leaves one searching for the next shot of Bourbon
Pintino substitution patterns that make god’s plan for the universe seem simple
Needless to say, I am one frustrated Card fan. Thank heaven for Charlie Strong.
Okay. So we realize the Cards are in deep trouble. So let's consider who can beat UK
The thought of that cheating snake-oil salesman going undefeated and winning a title in his first season there in sleavesville makes me nauseous. So who can beat them? Kansas? Perhaps, though I’m not convinced their big guy is all that good. Michigan State? On a given night, perhaps. Texas probably matches up as well as anybody and they play like their scalps are on fire half the time.
Any other nominations for a team that might make this season a little brighter for this aging fan?
theoldman
anyone can beat them
but will they? They have had too many close games this year to not lose…I say Ms ST, TN or Ole Miss will do it first
by twistedwedge on Jan 22, 2010 6:49 PM EST up reply actions
i like where this is going.
maybe the vols. or even ole miss might surprise them. they had that win at kansas state- which was early, but still.
or maybe uk goes undefeated the regular season and then are the first 1 seed in history to lose to a 16. and maybe it’s the play-in team.
You know panic has reached an all time high when we are trying to figure out....
who will be able to beat the Wildkittens….Lets just be glad we have Charlie doing what he’s doing to ease some of the pain….. Imagine going through this and still having kragthorpe on board…..Now were talkin mass suicides throughtout cardinal nation…….lol
Done for the year, Mr. Goode is.
At least I think I read that’s what Pitino said somewhere. But as I said yesterday, that could be true or it could be that I only imagined it while dreaming about the early bird special at the Blue Boar.
theoldman
After much deliberation,
the guy running the baseline pisses me off much more than the guy stepping inbounds. The inbound play was fucked up with the whistles and everyone walking to the bench. But, the guy clearly ran and the official did nothing. Pisses me off. We should have at least been able to see Swop’s shot that would have hit the shot clock.
At least
the new season of Burn Notice started last night.
by REALISTICCARDSFAN on Jan 22, 2010 6:46 PM EST reply actions
The missed call at the end of the game got brought up on PTI
Watching made me feel a little better, since I found Tony Kornheiser’s opinion funny
Pretty much everybody on ESPN today said it was ridikculous.
Doesn’t make me feel better, but it’s there…
by CARD_G6 on Jan 22, 2010 11:25 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
SportsCenter had a highlight of the SHU inbounds play after the Arkansas game ended
They stopped the action 3 different times, one to highlight SHU’s Keon Lawrence for stepping over the baseline, then him stepping back and the ref giving him the ball back, then highlighting Rick Pitino going apeshit immediately afterward. But no mention or video evidence of the second violation after that hot mess.
by UL is my hot hot sex on Jan 23, 2010 1:17 AM EST up reply actions
Kuric
Pitino must be playing some crazy mind games in his own head with this one, I am almost 100% that Kyle didn’t do anything to deserve a benching. PLAY THE GUYS YOU NEED TO WIN THE GAME!
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