[JohnR34231]

Life was so much easier a few years ago.  Back then, there would have been no need for discussion.  Everyone would have agreed:  IT'S ALL DAWKINS' FAULT!!

Surprisingly, this time, there's been very little comment about the coaching over the last 15 seconds of regulation [let alone much of the second half].  Two opportunities to set up inbound plays that would have almost certainly iced the game, and neither seems to have been properly handled by the coaches.  It is, of course, possible that good plays were called and they just weren't executed, but that's never stopped most people from blaming the coach.

On the last regulation inbounds in particular, it seems to me that the final thing the coaches should have told them was, if you're going to throw it long to someone releasing to our basket, make sure you throw it LONG -- i.e., not simply to half court.  If the coaches didn't make that absolutely clear, it's on them. 

I think the team this year has shown a great attitude, and I'm [somewhat] optimistic they will be able to respond.  But this isn't the first game in which they've shown extended periods of incredibly poor basketball.  Indeed, there have been a couple of games where one half has been very good and the other atrocious.  And, it's not just the freshmen [in fact, yesterday, the freshmen -- silly fouls on 3-point shooters notwithstanding -- were probably the least responsible].

Yeah, as I said before. If this were a football game it would all be on Shaw.

Ok, I'll bite. I can't speak for others, but there is a reason why I cut Haase more slack than Shaw. Haase simply strikes me as a much more competitive coach than Shaw. Case in point: Haase will seemingly fly anywhere at anytime to get a recruit. His road travels are legend at this point. Shaw? He somehow mustered the will to fly to Texas to visit EJ Smith when it looked like Smith would sign with A&M. On a related note, I'm sure we've all read Shaw's quotes where he talks about the fact he doesn't ask his assistants to work late into the evenings contrary to what is customary in the profession. 

Then there's the matter of firing - or not firing - assistants. Haase is only in his fourth year so it doesn't surprise me that he hasn't had much staff "turnover," at least to my knowledge. But, Shaw is entering his tenth season and it appears he's never fired an assistant. This offseason was the most galling example: coming off a 4-8 season, after an obvious decline in the program the past few years, he still doesn't make a move in an effort to improve the team. I'm not exactly sure why he doesn't pull the trigger - my best guess is that he has grown attached to the assistants, people whom he probably considers family at this point.

Now, ask yourself this question: does this sound like the behavior of an ultra-competitive head coach?

Look, I'm not arguing that Haase in infallible. He admitted after the game that he could have done a better job of ensuring the team didn't screw up the two inbounds passes at the end. But, I generally find myself gravitating towards a coach who is more "firecracker" and less "wet noodle."

Well when Haase has taken us to the Big Dance 2-3 times and perhaps the Sweet Sixteen once or twice I would be more inclined to agree with you. He has already had more losing seasons in three years than Shaw has had in nine. Now I'm sure some people will excuse this by saying he wasn't "handed the keys to a Ferrari" the way Shaw was, but that only goes so far.
Until then, I beg to differ.

Let me ask you this hypothetical question: if you were an AD and you needed to hire a new football and basketball coach...and assuming (again hypothetical), you had to speak to at least one of Haase or Shaw, which one would you approach first? I would call Haase first, every day, and twice on Sundays.

I would rather have a conservative coach who wins than a dynamic coach who doesn't.
So until Haase provides a little more proof that he can. I would call Shaw first.
To quote our old buddy John McKay
"Emotion is highly overrated in football. My wife Corky is emotional as hell but can't play football worth a damn."

[JohnR34231]

Life was so much easier a few years ago.  Back then, there would have been no need for discussion.  Everyone would have agreed:  IT'S ALL DAWKINS' FAULT!!

Surprisingly, this time, there's been very little comment about the coaching over the last 15 seconds of regulation [let alone much of the second half].  Two opportunities to set up inbound plays that would have almost certainly iced the game, and neither seems to have been properly handled by the coaches.  It is, of course, possible that good plays were called and they just weren't executed, but that's never stopped most people from blaming the coach.

On the last regulation inbounds in particular, it seems to me that the final thing the coaches should have told them was, if you're going to throw it long to someone releasing to our basket, make sure you throw it LONG -- i.e., not simply to half court.  If the coaches didn't make that absolutely clear, it's on them. 

I think the team this year has shown a great attitude, and I'm [somewhat] optimistic they will be able to respond.  But this isn't the first game in which they've shown extended periods of incredibly poor basketball.  Indeed, there have been a couple of games where one half has been very good and the other atrocious.  And, it's not just the freshmen [in fact, yesterday, the freshmen -- silly fouls on 3-point shooters notwithstanding -- were probably the least responsible].

Yeah, as I said before. If this were a football game it would all be on Shaw.

Ok, I'll bite. I can't speak for others, but there is a reason why I cut Haase more slack than Shaw. Haase simply strikes me as a much more competitive coach than Shaw. Case in point: Haase will seemingly fly anywhere at anytime to get a recruit. His road travels are legend at this point. Shaw? He somehow mustered the will to fly to Texas to visit EJ Smith when it looked like Smith would sign with A&M. On a related note, I'm sure we've all read Shaw's quotes where he talks about the fact he doesn't ask his assistants to work late into the evenings contrary to what is customary in the profession. 

Then there's the matter of firing - or not firing - assistants. Haase is only in his fourth year so it doesn't surprise me that he hasn't had much staff "turnover," at least to my knowledge. But, Shaw is entering his tenth season and it appears he's never fired an assistant. This offseason was the most galling example: coming off a 4-8 season, after an obvious decline in the program the past few years, he still doesn't make a move in an effort to improve the team. I'm not exactly sure why he doesn't pull the trigger - my best guess is that he has grown attached to the assistants, people whom he probably considers family at this point.

Now, ask yourself this question: does this sound like the behavior of an ultra-competitive head coach?

Look, I'm not arguing that Haase in infallible. He admitted after the game that he could have done a better job of ensuring the team didn't screw up the two inbounds passes at the end. But, I generally find myself gravitating towards a coach who is more "firecracker" and less "wet noodle."

Well when Haase has taken us to the Big Dance 2-3 times and perhaps the Sweet Sixteen once or twice I would be more inclined to agree with you. He has already had more losing seasons in three years than Shaw has had in nine. Now I'm sure some people will excuse this by saying he wasn't "handed the keys to a Ferrari" the way Shaw was, but that only goes so far.
Until then, I beg to differ.

Let me ask you this hypothetical question: if you were an AD and you needed to hire a new football and basketball coach...and assuming (again hypothetical), you had to speak to at least one of Haase or Shaw, which one would you approach first? I would call Haase first, every day, and twice on Sundays.

I would rather have a conservative coach who wins than a dynamic coach who doesn't.
So until Haase provides a little more proof that he can. I would call Shaw first.
To quote our old buddy John McKay
"Emotion is highly overrated in football. My wife Corky is emotional as hell but can't play football worth a damn."