Polite Rant

[ElmCityRhody]

I'm tired of losing.

I know we are getting better but my patience is wearing thin.

I was at the UConn women's game in Bridgeport on Saturday..

I HATE UConn, but was there w my gf who is a big fan.

I was shocked to see a fired up and loud crowd of 10k.. Shocked..

Even after they were up 20+, the crowd was loud.

I left there wishing and praying that hurley stays with us and gets us there.

I then got home to watch the GW game.

I'm tired of losing.

To the faithful fans on this board, thanks for your support of Rhody hoops.

Unselfishly, I hope our team starts winning soon and starts to give back for all that you have given to our program.

Go Rhody.

[Rhodymob05]

Same. And unfortunately I'm at the age where I was too young to enjoy any tournament apparence so I want to see them become successful as much as anyone. Still confident in Hurley and his recruits.

Go rhody

[reef]

I am confident it will happen under Hurley, it may take awhile though

[Rhody72]

Perhaps the past is not to be re-lived without a financial commitment that is well beyond URI's means to sustain. URI has become a stepping stone school for those on the way up or rehabilitating their careers. Occasionally, URI can be at the right place at the right time and achieve success for a fleeting moment, but it is not sustainable. There are few schools in the country who get less out of their investment in intercollegiate athletics than URI. Similar to academic programs such as Engineering, Oceanography and soon Pharmacy, URI lacks the financial resources to sustain excellence against wealthier competition. It's the economy stupid! There are far too few courageous leaders to change that and appease the masses to get elected. RI is just a few exits on I95 that prosperity by-passes.

[rambone 78]

So we should just give up?

Tell that to Dan.

Yes it's hard to win here for any length of time. But it can be done.

If Hurley fails, even with the improvements to the program, then it looks bleak. Very bleak.

I don't think he will, though. Just going to take more time to succeed than we hoped.

[ElmCityRhody]

I like the optimism !

I just pray that Hurley sticks around and builds something big here.

It can be done and with time it will be done.

I'll be heading to GM game on Saturday.. Is the news still the go to place post game ?

I assume not many students at this game ?

[RhowdyRam02]

Dorms open up on Saturday, but I doubt they'll be a rush of students coming back for George Mason.

[Running Ram]

Dorms open up on Saturday, but I doubt they'll be a rush of students coming back for George Mason.

if we were 2-0 instead of 0-2 they would be. That's the corner I was hoping the program would turn soon, this team needs some real buzz on campus, young guys trying to gel as a team could use that kind of buzz.

[RhodeIslandBred]

I understand this thread was started as a little venting area because we are not VCU after one year of Hurley coaching. I see this team already turning the corner and playing MUCH better than they were at the beginning of this season AND MUCH MUCH better than last year.

Due to the fact that weve been hindered by injuries and mysterious situations with players (Hare) I'd say the fact that we're still trending up is great for the direction of the program. I was on Hurley at the beginning of the season, but if we keep getting better we're going to win our share of conference games. 15 wins after last year should be considered a Major accomplishment. We should not have to win 20 games to be proud of the team. KEEP PLAYING HARD, GO RHODY!

[rambone 78]

We have been trending upward, if you don't count that massive egg we laid in the 1st half against GW.

Let's hope we don't repeat that.

[Billyboy78]

The first half problems have been happening all year. Don't you remember calling for Mike Powell's head and insisting on getting Biggie into the starting lineup because of terrible starts earlier in the season?

[rambone 78]

I was one of them.

Now Biggie isn't getting it done either.

The more they play, the more you can tell who has it, and who doesn't.

[Rhodymob05]

I was one of them.

Now Biggie isn't getting it done either.

The more they play, the more you can tell who has it, and who doesn't.

Except the fact that we thought Gil was a zero then gets a double double vs LSU. And though X had gone down now Hes one of the top scoreres in the A10, and thought Biggie was nothing then he made some rediculous plays. We also weren't sure about the freshman then look at what happened. But after all that they crashed. It doesn't make any sense.

[rambone 78]

They just aren't meshing as a team, with all of the up and down play.

TJ says that when they do, they'll be good.

But when will they, or will they at all?

A head scratcher, for sure.

[rodfromcranston]

Love '72's doom and gloom.
Maybe we should listen to him and go D3.
Not worried about Hurley going anywhere soon.
We can put that to rest, unless he quits in frustration.

[rambone 78]

True Rod, true. Even I'm not that negative.

Dan will here for a while. He's got work to do, a lot of it. I love the comment that he made a while back, when he said IF he ever gets another job offer, etc. etc.

I'm sure he will at some point. Maybe when we get good, he'll look back at all this and laugh.

[Gonebarongone]

You guys are fighting on the margins. Meshing. Free throw shooting in practice. End of game frustration. Whatever the gripe du jour is. And, believe me, I dive in to these, too. It's like the political blowhards trying to carve out 1% of the discretionary spending from the federal budget to prove they are serious when they won't touch social security, medicare, medicaid.

This team is talent deficient. The problems begin and end with this. Do I think the staff could use a Yoda type Blaney or Keady to actually install an offense? Of course. It drives me nuts who gets the shots and where the shots are taken. But freaking Bobby Knight couldn't win with this roster. And next year's roster looks to be no better. Short of EC morphing into a lottery pick (not putting it past him), next year will be more of the same.

More players in 2014, please. And make sure they can play. And don't be afraid to pass on JUCOs and transfers.

[Seawrightspostgame]

Bobby Knight in what year. I would bet there are at least a handful of coaches that could get this team on the bubble as is. One of those guys is Gene Hackman. However, I am a big DH fan, excited to see what happens every game, recruiting cycle, press conference, summer. For now DH still keeps things interesting and exciting for us.

[Gonebarongone]

Bobby Knight in what year. I would bet there are at least a handful of coaches that could get this team on the bubble as is. One of those guys is Gene Hackman. However, I am a big DH fan, excited to see what happens every game, recruiting cycle, press conference, summer. For now DH still keeps things interesting and exciting for us.

This offense is like the interim coach in Hoosiers before Norman Dale takes over.

211th in offensive efficiency in 2012-13
212th in offensive efficiency in 2013-14

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

[bressler3south]

INSANITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Iggy1979]

I, too, think Gil will be much better and more consistent next year, so that's three players to build around: Gil, EC and Martin. If they can get a PG like Garrett to team with EC. I think Watson will immediately jump ahead of Aaman and Iffy on the depth chart and contribute.
I think they can make a big jump next year.

[rodfromcranston]

I know there was a lot of excitement in Wichita, when they signed
Watson last spring.
They were a final four program, and that he was pursued by them, speaks to the
caliber of player he is.
We need tough inside players, not soft ones. Watson is a pogo stick with muscles.

[rambone 78]

GBG, don't want to get political, but cutting SS wouldn't shave one cent off the federal budget.

It's not an entitlement. It's a trust fund. It's paid for by people like you and me, out of every paycheck we make.

Now welfare, that's another story altogether.

Enough of that, though.

You are right. Almost everybody is right here. We need talent. More of it. Lots of it.

More talented TJ's. That's what we need. Guys who want to learn, are able to learn, and have the talent and work ethic to make it happen.

[Gonebarongone]

GBG, don't want to get political, but cutting SS wouldn't shave one cent off the federal budget.

It's not an entitlement. It's a trust fund. It's paid for by people like you and me, out of every paycheck we make.

Now welfare, that's another story altogether.

Enough of that, though.

You are right. Almost everybody is right here. We need talent. More of it. Lots of it.

More talented TJ's. That's what we need. Guys who want to learn, are able to learn, and have the talent and work ethic to make it happen.

Technically, you are right, but don't mince words. Social Security is an entitlement. Medicare comes out of your paycheck, too. Even better, there is no cap. And, if you are lucky (read: unlucky) like me, you get whacked for the full 15% if you are self-employed. The discussion of our federal government's long term financial health has to include social security, even though it isn't a line item like other expenses. Without any changes, that trust fund you talk about will no longer exist and it will become an annual budget item.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming.......

[rambone 78]

The gov't will raise the retirement age again. Just a matter of time.

If the trust fund ever were to run low enough to pay less than full benefits, the shit will truly hit the fan.

The AARP is a powerful lobby, and only getting bigger. That is part of the problem. The average age of the country's population is getting older. Less people [as a percentage] paying in, more people taking out.

But you know that.

[Obadiah]

What has been written about people who use the word "entitlement" is not very flattering.