Some Thoughts and a Theory

[BobZag]

A Golden Opportunity slipped through the team's fingers last night. Utah hit the Zags in the mouth early and often, and although wobbly-legged, the Zags came back and had a good chance at the end.

I think the WCC must be this team's focus now. As for Tennessee, if history tells me anything, I harken back two years ago when Gonzaga made its third journey back east to Virginia and 1) looked like tired zombies, 2) played like tired zombies and 3) got wiped-out like tired zombies.

Brace yourselves. Jan. 7th could be ugly. Just going by what history has taught me.

The Zags we are watching now are a shell of the Zags we were watching a month ago. How it got to this point, I'm not sure. Perhaps the UConn game deflated this team more than we knew. All I know is, rebounding aside--

How'd Arizona beat Gonzaga? 3-point shooting.
How'd UConn beat Gonzaga? 3-point shooting.
How'd PSU beat Gonzaga? 3-point shooting.
How'd Utah beat Gonzaga? 3-point shooting.

Um, Hellooooooooooo. Earth to Gonzaga: Please body-up opposing gaurds. Utah's guards made very few points driving towards the hoop. It's much easier to set up and catch-shoot treys.

Anyway...

Gonzaga has always started off seasons looking great, playing great and everybody in sync, the offense clicking nicely and some big wins come as a result. As the games go by, the team gets tighter and tighter until the offense looks constipated and in need of an enima. The fluidity disappears. The confidence shrinks. And a clear deteriation is obvious. Every year, not just this year.

My theory:

Few starts the season with a simple, basic offense. As the weeks go by, more and more complexity is added until it reaches a point where there are 85 plays with 30 variable options to each play. It causes indecisiveness and a plummet in overall confidence in just what exactly to do, hence the Keystone Kops type of appearance in clutch times of games. I've always been a believer in keeping life simple. When it becomes too complicated, performance suffers. As I commented on the Game Thread, it might be a good idea to go back to October/November practices and re-simplify things.

Well, I think this team is what it is. They've hit a rough patch and it's up to the coaches and players to persevere through it. They will, eventually, but this team needs confidence-builders and Tennessee doesn't fit the bill, though we fans will be hoping it does.

One last item to consider... I don't recall four losses like this. What I mean is, the Zags had legit chances to win every one of them. And the guys weren't exactly bringing their A-Games. In past years two of those losses would've been out of reach.

Keep the faith, but be realistic.

This team needs a win...and bad.

[HOOTER]

Gonzaga has always started off seasons looking great, playing great and everybody in sync, the offense clicking nicely and some big wins come as a result. As the games go by, the team gets tighter and tighter until the offense looks constipated and in need of an enima. The fluidity disappears. The confidence shrinks. And a clear deteriation is obvious. Every year, not just this year.

My theory:

Few starts the season with a simple, basic offense. As the weeks go by, more and more complexity is added until it reaches a point where there are 85 plays with 30 variable options to each play. It causes indecisiveness and a plummet in overall confidence in just what exactly to do, hence the Keystone Kops type of appearance in clutch times of games. I've always been a believer in keeping life simple. When it becomes too complicated, performance suffers. As I commented on the Game Thread, it might be a good idea to go back to October/November practices and re-simplify things.

This theory makes more sense to me than anything I've heard thus far. Good call Bob.

This team needs a win...and bad.

...and very soon.

[Ezag]

Great analysis Bob, but I am having a hard time keeping the faith. At this rate we won't even make the NCAA tourney. We could potentially have another 4-5 losses in the WCC and not even win against Tenn and Memphis.

I am not willing to call it a season yet, but if they guys don't wake up soon, this time next month the season will be over.

[jazzdelmar]

sorry bzer

MEE755, u got it rt: This team is not playing like a team. They're playing worse than a few guys who have never met & started a pick-up game. And the FUN is gone. Not one single player seemed to be enjoying any moment of the past few games. I honestly have found it quite painful to watch.



BZer, love ya to death, but ur doing a bit of an ostrich thing here.....there are ORGANIC AND SYSTEMIC probs afoot....not like Ammo is chucking too much or Raivio is dribbling too much or PleaseGo is scowling too much....there are real endemic, programmatic issues (to which u only lightly refer)....tell us what u really think BZer....

[BobZag]

mee, you're right. Not a smile in sight. It's a game. It oughta be some fun. No Micah flying down the lane anymore for a tomahawk jam. It's just all clogged up. Need some Drano or...

[MDABE80]

When will it add up to Few and the kids???......

How'd Arizona beat Gonzaga? 3-point shooting.
How'd UConn beat Gonzaga? 3-point shooting.
How'd PSU beat Gonzaga? 3-point shooting.
How'd Utah beat Gonzaga? 3-point shooting.

Defense and rebounding. The message should be: If you don't do what the coaches want, you SIT! It is just SO obvious what's going on. I can't believe the coaches don't see it. I'm sure they tell the kids. More troublesome: the comaraderie we saw this early season seems to have evaporated. If it's a player gone south, I hope Few separates that out. Nobody smiles anymore. Something's pretty wrong..just watching this.

Final Four talent with a 1 and done temperment. Just no leadership for now.

[jazzdelmar]

which "one"?

When will it add up to Few and the kids???......

How'd Arizona beat Gonzaga? 3-point shooting.
How'd UConn beat Gonzaga? 3-point shooting.
How'd PSU beat Gonzaga? 3-point shooting.
How'd Utah beat Gonzaga? 3-point shooting.

Defense and rebounding. The message should be: If you don't do what the coaches want, you SIT! It is just SO obvious what's going on. I can't believe the coaches don't see it. I'm sure they tell the kids. More troublesome: the comaraderie we saw this early season seems to have evaporated. If it's a player gone south, I hope Few separates that out. Nobody smiles anymore. Something's pretty wrong..just watching this.

Final Four talent with a 1 and done temperment. Just no leadership for now.

doc---which "one" u talking bout? NIT?

[zagfan1]

So the zags are following the standard pattern as they start off really well and then as a few games come along they get stiff and slacken up their defense a bit. I agree with Bobzag that simple is better. We have the horses to do the work but we don't need to have them thinking about 95 different play sets. Some observations that I have are that the team really doesn't know how to get the ball inside. We saw them actually try a little bit at the end of the Utah game which I was really happy about as everyone was trying to just drive to the hoop. They need to keep doing that. Lets get the nice easy layins. Also, one thing the zags could do is focus more on the defense. Why not use the full court press they used at the end of the Portland State and Utah games for the whole game. Run the team until they need to go to the sideline for oxygen. Lets make teams uncomfortable bringing the ball forward. I also think Few should not tighten up the rotations and let Ira Brown, Will Foster, and Meech play more minutes. Finally, the team needs to get a chip on their shoulder. Take it personal. Be passionate. Final finally, Lol, burn Poling's redshirt. I am sorry, my personal belief that the team' needs come before the players. They need another big period. Players that we bring in should be good enough to play right away. You have 4 years to get the job done. I also think Few needs to commit to playing the guy rather than leaving him on the bench for full games. Lets be risk takers and lets make it happen.

[roxdoc]

Its not just the players not doing what the coaches tell them. They seem like they don't care. I suppose you loose confidence but I agree with Jazz - ORGANIC and SYSTEMIC. This has been a problem for several years

[HillBillyZag]

Look, no one appreciates the post skills Andy will bring to this team when he is ready to play more than HBZ, But unless he can get up to at least 235-240# and move people around,he will just be another skinny perimeter jumpshooter to go with the ones we already have, one of those who is not really skinny, but thinks he is a 265# guard. Let Andy alone, next year he will pay big dividends.

[sullyzag66]

Its not just the players not doing what the coaches tell them. They seem like they don't care. I suppose you loose confidence but I agree with Jazz - ORGANIC and SYSTEMIC. This has been a problem for several years

I really hate to admit this, but midway through the first half I ceased to care. But, then, I always throw the queen under the bus early in chess. I want the Zags back.

[MickMick]

My theory is simple.

Rebounding.


To divert attention away from that will cloud the picture.

The Zags simply do not rebound.

You have to take care of what you can best control. It is much more difficult to control another player from shooting lights out at distance than controlling the boards when he misses. How many of those three point shots came from a second chance?

On another note, I have always thought of Austin as a spot up shooter. I shudder when he puts the ball on the floor. He gets away with it enough to think that it is viable. The NBA will cure him of that thinking quick. The tall slow dribble allows the defense time to not only react to him, but to recover from bad defensive positions across the entire court.


The Zags played great defense early in the season. A lot of it had to do with blocking shots. It seems that the Zags have stopped blocking shots.

[AustinDayeFan]

When will it add up to Few and the kids???......

How'd Arizona beat Gonzaga? 3-point shooting.
How'd UConn beat Gonzaga? 3-point shooting.
How'd PSU beat Gonzaga? 3-point shooting.
How'd Utah beat Gonzaga? 3-point shooting.

Defense and rebounding. The message should be: If you don't do what the coaches want, you SIT! It is just SO obvious what's going on. I can't believe the coaches don't see it. I'm sure they tell the kids. More troublesome: the comaraderie we saw this early season seems to have evaporated. If it's a player gone south, I hope Few separates that out. Nobody smiles anymore. Something's pretty wrong..just watching this.

Final Four talent with a 1 and done temperment. Just no leadership for now.

Zero leadership is the problem Standing in a circle dancing around before a game doesn't cut it for me.

[roxdoc]

I don't think personnel are the issue, but HBZ, our poor little tyke Andy is listed at 232# in the Roster.

IMO the SYSTEM is creating the opportunities for opponents 3's and to a degree the lack of rebounding. Yes the guys are undoubtedly down, and yes they could try harder....but what has happened is clearly at the feet of the guys with the ties (or polo shirts).

[zagfan1]

Our team plays soft. Remember Mark Spink. He was a tall skinny kid out of Sehome but he was fierce on the boards going against guys a lot bigger than him. We need guys like Daye and Heytvelt going for the rebound with recklass abandonment like Spink. So I hope we don't use skinny bodies as an excuse. We need attitude most important. If they get a few extra fouls so be it. It will force Few to go to his bench more. Lets act like we own the ball. Mabye the players should be carrying a ball personally and keeping it with them everywhere they go including meals and classes. Steve Nash use to dribble a tennis ball every where he went on the campus of Santa Clara u. We need to provide an environment that will create this attitude. Lets think outside the box.