My Concern For This Team

[BobZag]

What I saw take place in San Diego was a complete reversal of what I had just seen less than a week before. The Zags had gone from (seemingly) peaking to some of their worst basketball of the season. In less than a week.

Well, I have a lot to say, but alas, the PC Police will come out of their caves in swarms to object, so I'll simply leave it at this:

Those were the worst, most embarassing efforts by a Gonzaga team in a WCC Tournament that I've ever seen.

[HOOTER]

What I saw take place in San Diego was a complete reversal of what I had just seen less than a week before. The Zags had gone from (seemingly) peaking to some of their worst basketball of the season. In less than a week.

Well, I have a lot to say, but alas, the PC Police will come out of their caves in swarms to object, so I'll simply leave it at this:

Those were the worst, most embarassing efforts by a Gonzaga team in a WCC Tournament that I've ever seen.

I agree Bob. I just can't figure this team out. I wouldn't be surprised if they lost badly in the first round of the tourney, and I wouldn't be surprised if they advanced to and beyond the sweet 16. I'm just so confused and I don't know what to think right now. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[GU32]

My concern is Micah Downs. I would love to know what happened to his shot/offensive ability. Don't get me wrong the kid plays extremely hard and has become a very good defender but he shouldn’t have a tough time scoring the ball. Maybe his wrist is injured more than we know?

[zagco]

Not to beat a dead horse, but Zagco's been concerned for about 2 years, probably starting with the UCLA game but not really crystallizing until last year. He's not going to blame anyone, but he just thinks something is very wrong. If you go down the list of talent we have recruited, it's simply ridiculous that we struggle fairly regularly with many teams that have talent that is by all measures recruiting-wise, far inferior. The chemistry, offensive scheme, player roles, and excution are puzzling. What gets Zagco the most upset is the almost constant appearance of being unprepared for the intensity of the other team--seeing balls getting swatted away while we stand there acting as though it's an insult and things like that.

[MickMick]

Consistency is what it is all about. The Zags may be able to beat just about any team in the tournament. I could see them easily losing to any team in the tourney as well.

Which Zag team is going to show up? The one that handled SMC and SCU with ease? Or the one that couldn't keep pace with San Diego....while Brandon Johnson was taking a rest?

[HRZag]

Excruciating

Those were two of the worst games I have EVER seen a Zag team play.

What happened to our offense. Do we have more than one play? You know, the one where our only rebounder sets a screen three feet outside the three point line and then nothing happens until we shoot another jump shot.

Austin sitting until the last five minutes?

Josh sitting the last six minutes?

Couldn't Sacre come in at SOME point and changed a shot, gotten a rebound?

Why don't we ever screen the guy with the ball? (except, of course, our only rebounder, outside the three point line)

Pendo is a warrior but he got torched by Jones....again and again.

What is up with this pissing contest between Few and Josh. It is really getting old and Josh I don't see what the problem is. Anybody?

One week and we regressed about 85%.

Wasted opportunity. Slim Jim with all the Zag fans and even the USD fans jamming the place really made it loud. Really fun. Except we didn't have much to cheer about after the first 10 minutes.

Oh Zags!

[SunDevilGolfZag]

I agree with you Bob and prefer to be more blunt. Our coaches are great, but they really prepared (or not) a team that looked like crap for two nights in March. I'm concerned too.

[siliconzag]

Evanescence

Connecticut loses to West Virginia, Memphis loses to Tennessee, Tennessee loses to Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt loses to Arkansas. Only a few constants remain. They include: North Carolina who looks unstoppable to me. Also Kansas who at times is frightening. UCLA who may not be that good, but they are lucky and figure out how to win even if it means mesmerizing the officials. Memphis and Tennessee are pretty good too. But lets face it, after those elite teams almost every body has been up and down and all over the place. Marquette and Xavier have shown vulnerability, Washington State who at one time looked like a possible Final Four Team has become quite inconsistent. Stanford drops two in the Southland. Etc., etc., etc.

Not meaning to hijack this thread. I think those performances were very weak Bob Zag. I wish I had the five hours I wasted watching them back. When we lost to SD in 2003, at least we had a good reason (the severe injury to Corey). This time the only excuse was that we played poorly and didn't execute.

Things may be changing in the WCC right before our very eyes. We lose Pendo and Kuso next year. Where will the fire in the belly come from? If they are this listless with them, how will they do without them? This team will more than likely win one tournament game this year. Then the long off season begins, but without the prospect of a better team next year. The playbook needs to be modernized. The system needs to adapt to the players we recruit rather than the players we recruit to the system. Sometimes you can't turn a sows ear into a silk purse, and vice versa.

Sili

[Zag By the Bay]

Quit dwelling on something you can't change

How many more threads are going to start about this team not clicking?
It really is a downer to see all these posts.
Plain and simple. the boys didn't shoot well at the WCC tourney...it happens.
It also very very hard to beat the same team THREE Times in the same season.
It funny because not so long ago the Zags would have one been one of the "bubble teams" for the Big Dance this season, but now we are considered a near lock to go dancing again for the 10th straight season!

Folks, GU also holds the distinction of being one of only nine schools to have reached each of the past nine NCAA tournaments - the only school not from a major conference to do so.

Now let's look at Maryland, Syracuse and Florida who have won National Titles in 2002, 2004 and 2006 and 2007 respectively.
This season each one of those teams has a very slim chance of EVEN getting to the dance this year
I guess all these posts allow for us Zag fans to vent, but I think that this is case of over reacting.
When is the last time we have won a National Championship?
We all know that answer, but seriously if the Zags were ever crowned National Champs, would we Zags fans actually be satisfied?
I am very proud to say I am GU alum whether we win or lose a basketball game.
This is suppose to be fun time of year for us Zag fans, yet some of use feel the need to look back on dwell on the negative.
Move on please....let the boys play and the coaches coach.
If we win awesome, if we lose, well let's not hang our heads and dwell on what could have been.
Go Zags!

[zag buddy]

Could you be a little more direct
BZ.

[zagcheer78]

I have stayed away from this board for a few days as I needed time to process what I saw the other evening.
What I am left with is confusion. I thought that maybe the team blew off the championship game for various reasons known only to them. Now I am truely worried that something is seriously wrong with the "heart" of this team.
I cannot understand how a team can be focused, improving and strong and then regress back to the unorganized and destracted team that we saw earlier this season.
I truely want our team to work out whatever it is that's bothering them as this rollercoaster they are on must be extremely hard on them as it is for us.

[BobZag]

How many more threads are going to start about this team not clicking?
It really is a downer to see all these posts.
Plain and simple. the boys didn't shoot well at the WCC tourney...it happens.
It also very very hard to beat the same team THREE Times in the same season.
It funny because not so long ago the Zags would have one been one of the "bubble teams" for the Big Dance this season, but now we are considered a near lock to go dancing again for the 10th straight season!

Folks, GU also holds the distinction of being one of only nine schools to have reached each of the past nine NCAA tournaments - the only school not from a major conference to do so.

Now let's look at Maryland, Syracuse and Florida who have won National Titles in 2002, 2004 and 2006 and 2007 respectively.
This season each one of those teams has a very slim chance of EVEN getting to the dance this year
I guess all these posts allow for us Zag fans to vent, but I think that this is case of over reacting.
When is the last time we have won a National Championship?
We all know that answer, but seriously if the Zags were ever crowned National Champs, would we Zags fans actually be satisfied?
I am very proud to say I am GU alum whether we win or lose a basketball game.
This is suppose to be fun time of year for us Zag fans, yet some of use feel the need to look back on dwell on the negative.
Move on please....let the boys play and the coaches coach.
If we win awesome, if we lose, well let's not hang our heads and dwell on what could have been.
Go Zags!

I comment once on these two games and I get this. Btw, most here are GU alums and are proud of our school, no matter what. This is about our team, not Maryland. I don't care about the Terps.

[dim4sum]

Fun

What I fail to see on this team is a sense of fun. The players should be out there having fun and I don't see it. It seems that every time they put the ball up they are half way looking over their shoulders at the bench. They aren't playing with controlled abandon. In fact, they seem more reactive to the other team, rather than playing their game. In the San Diego game, Jeremy reverted to over-dribbling, which seems to take the air out of the ball and the spirit out of everyone else. The movement without the ball was awful.
And on the d end it was even worse. A lot of gawking while San Diego gobbled up rebound after rebound. I can't see more than a one and done with this kind of play.

[BobZag]

What I fail to see on this team is a sense of fun. The players should be out there having fun and I don't see it. It seems that every time they put the ball up they are half way looking over their shoulders at the bench. They aren't playing with controlled abandon. In fact, they seem more reactive to the other team, rather than playing their game. In the San Diego game, Jeremy reverted to over-dribbling, which seems to take the air out of the ball and the spirit out of everyone else. The movement without the ball was awful.
And on the d end it was even worse. A lot of gawking while San Diego gobbled up rebound after rebound. I can't see more than a one and done with this kind of play.

This was my first post regarding the two tourney games, and it'll be my last regarding these games. Good luck to the team.

[McZag]

:

Those were the worst, most embarassing efforts by a Gonzaga team in a WCC Tournament that I've ever seen.

And the most impressive and inspiring efforts from a USD team since 2003. I can't help but believe its not just coincidence.

Now for some good news. Our roster hasn't changed. We are EXTREMELY fortunate to have the talent we have this year. Dare I say BLESSED. These guys still have it in them to play with the top 5 in the country. We know that because they HAVE.

Last year many of these guys were around when we beat UNC. This year they hung around with Memphis and Tennessee. This is not a bunch of SCABs. These guys are for real and have it in them to prevail.

We owe it to them to BELIEVE and I for one DO. GO ZAGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!