Friday 11/22 BE game thread

[redmen9194]

Johnny nation lets keep a few thing in mind. First, Lavin always uses these games as trying different things before conference play. The fact is we haven't had a bad loss yet. Usually we have a few. Second Harrison sat most of the first half in foul trouble. Second game in a row. They are taking too many jumpers especially in transition. Hopefully they work that out. They are winning the games they are supposed to. Let's be happy about that for now.

[Bill Marsh]

I mean it was Oklahoma…always a quality program. SHU still should have won and choked, but no offense, SHU was not one of those teams expected to do a lot this year. Pack it up and come out hard next game. It's not like you just lost to NJIT.

And any other Big East team would be winning by 40 right now against Monmouth. We are winning by 1.

Yeah, I know expectations from outside the program are low, but a lot of people around the program really believe that this team is seriously underrated. That's why this one stings. It was a chance to make a statement- and they had it. They had OU beat relatively comfortably, and then inexplicably gave it away. And now instead of being in a can't lose situation tomorrow, they're in a can't win situation.

I actually think that the Hall did make a statement with this one. (I actually switched to another game because I thought Hall had it won.) I know that Oklahoma isn't supposed to be one of the better teams in the Big XII this year, but they're still a top 100 team for a power conference with a very good coach. The loss stings, but to go down to the wire with Oklahoma forecasts some good things for this team. They will grow from the loss. Coaches never mind this kind of loss early in the season and some even prefer the 1-point loss to a 1-point win. It sure gets the team's attention and will make the next week of practice very productive.

[Bluejay]

Coaches never mind this kind of loss early in the season and some even prefer the 1-point loss to a 1-point win. It sure gets the team's attention and will make the next week of practice very productive.

I have yet to meet a coach that prefers a one point loss to a one point win.

[Bill Marsh]

Coaches never mind this kind of loss early in the season and some even prefer the 1-point loss to a 1-point win. It sure gets the team's attention and will make the next week of practice very productive.

I have yet to meet a coach that prefers a one point loss to a one point win.

Depends on the circumstances. Al McGuire was one who certainly preferred the loss if he could use it to improve the team and to have a better chance of achieving his long term goals for the season.

[Bluejay]

Coaches never mind this kind of loss early in the season and some even prefer the 1-point loss to a 1-point win. It sure gets the team's attention and will make the next week of practice very productive.

I have yet to meet a coach that prefers a one point loss to a one point win.

Depends on the circumstances. Al McGuire was one who certainly preferred the loss if he could use it to improve the team and to have a better chance of achieving his long term goals for the season.

Maybe. I will certainly contend that coaches often will prefer a one point win rather than a double digit win because it provides teaching moments and gets kids' attention. I doubt they would rather lose games than win them though.

[Bill Marsh]

Blue Jay, you're arguing against something I never said. Re-read my initial post on the subject: "Coaches never mind this kind of loss . . ."

Of course they prefer a win, but I never said they didn't. I'm saying that good coaches always make constructive use of these kinds of losses. They know that the outcome of their season won't be determined by a 1-point OOC loss in November. A good coach will see a silver lining in this, a coaching opportunity. All I was saying was that it's not the end of the world. I was trying to be encouraging to the fans who were hit hard by this one.

As far as what coaches prefer, you don't have to take my word since Al McGuire spoke publicly on the subject, saying that losses were useful tools to help a coach in building a team. Fans recognize this too when they talk about teams peeking too early and how important it is for coaches to get their teams to peek at the right time. But even in peeking at the right time, McGuire said on the air that he never liked taking his teams into the tournament on a long winning streak. He much preferred - and in this case "prefer" is the operative word - that his teams suffer a loss shortly before going into the tournament. So, yes, even top coaches sometimes "prefer" a loss to a win. As a fan, I never do, but I'm not a coach.