12-01-2020, 07:21 PM
I am all in on the close loss is a great sign for this season.
I am all in on the idea that a close loss to UNC in North Carolina should help with national respect, media coverage, and more this season.
HOWEVER, Stanford is being fueled by a likely one and done talent, so I am not quite all in on the idea that the program is now on a good trajectory. There is an opportunity to parlay this season into a favorable multi-year trend, but I am not sure that is the program's fate just yet.
The team has been here with impressive losses to great programs early in the season before, the catch for Coach Haase has been to convert early season optimism into wins at the end of the season. Hopefully it will happen with Ziaire on the court this season, but even if it happens Coach Haase would need to show he can do that without Ziaire in the 2021-2022 season.
I would rather have Ziaire and a hopeful 2020-2021 season than seem destined to stumble around in the middle third of the Pac-12. But Stanford basketball under Haase has been here before and it didn't end well in those other seasons.
I am all in on the idea that a close loss to UNC in North Carolina should help with national respect, media coverage, and more this season.
HOWEVER, Stanford is being fueled by a likely one and done talent, so I am not quite all in on the idea that the program is now on a good trajectory. There is an opportunity to parlay this season into a favorable multi-year trend, but I am not sure that is the program's fate just yet.
The team has been here with impressive losses to great programs early in the season before, the catch for Coach Haase has been to convert early season optimism into wins at the end of the season. Hopefully it will happen with Ziaire on the court this season, but even if it happens Coach Haase would need to show he can do that without Ziaire in the 2021-2022 season.
I would rather have Ziaire and a hopeful 2020-2021 season than seem destined to stumble around in the middle third of the Pac-12. But Stanford basketball under Haase has been here before and it didn't end well in those other seasons.