Bzdelik: "We expect to win."

[Buffnik]

“We expect to win,” CU coach Jeff Bzdelik said. “This is not about being competitive. Please understand that. That’s why it hurts.”

He said his team’s lack of an inside scoring threat compounds its challenge, yet CU has now shot 50 percent or better against three ranked teams in a row. It shot 53 percent Saturday. And he concluded if CU had grabbed defensive rebounds when Kansas State missed shots, it could have held the Wildcats in the 30s.

The solution?

“How we solve that problem falls on me to recruit,” he said.

http://www.timescall.com/sports_story.asp?id=20327

************

That is exactly the way I want our coach responding in an interview. Go get 'em, Coach. Let's break through on the road Wednesday night at OSU this week.

 

[HotRack]

If only he and Hawk would have a heart-to-heart...

I've got a man-crush on Bzzzzzzz, he effin' ROCKS!

 

[OUBuff]

I too like Bz. He has made noticeaible improvements in the program. He takes responsibility and he seems to know what to do to make the program better.


So, I ask, does the success of this hire give Bohn a reprieve in the minds of those that are looking for the AD's head?

 

[sackman]

I too like Bz. He has made noticeaible improvements in the program. He takes responsibility and he seems to know what to do to make the program better.


So, I ask, does the success of this hire give Bohn a reprieve in the minds of those that are looking for the AD's head?

Two things: First, I'm not sure what success you're referring to. CU currently sits 1-2 in the Big 12 and lost to CSU and got absolutely gang raped by Tulsa. Lots of moral victories, not too many actual ones. Second: the folks who are calling for Bohn's head need to have their own head examined. Four years ago, a 10-6 CU squad would never get 10,500+ into the CEC to watch a game against KSU. That's all Mike Bohn and a glimmer of hope from Bzdelik right there. The football team is abysmal, yet we averaged over 50K per game last year. Tell me how that happens.

 

[SBG]

Two things: First, I'm not sure what success you're referring to. CU currently sits 1-2 in the Big 12 and lost to CSU and got absolutely gang raped by Tulsa. Lots of moral victories, not too many actual ones. Second: the folks who are calling for Bohn's head need to have their own head examined. Four years ago, a 10-6 CU squad would never get 10,500+ into the CEC to watch a game against KSU. That's all Mike Bohn and a glimmer of hope from Bzdelik right there. The football team is abysmal, yet we averaged over 50K per game last year. Tell me how that happens.

Bohn is putting butts into seats and it must pain him to see our teams struggling. I'm glad the support for CU hoops is growing, especially on a weekend when people could go skiing. I think Bz will do well here, but I'm glad he's taking responsibility about getting the proper guys in here that he needs. We are one 4* center away from being a pretty good, not great, BB team. Given CU's lack of history w.r.t BB that's only something positive.

 

[Bisonic]

Pain Mike Bohn to see our team struggling? How about fans like me that have been paying money to watch losers? Mike makes a great salary to make this program successful. HE NEEDS TO CRY FOR THE FANS, NOT VICE VERSA. Please spare me that.

Mike's been here 4 years now (or is it 5?). Regardless of how this season turns for the MBB program, I do believe Jeff deserves time to get it going. That means at least 1 year, maybe 2 (his 5th). If we're still a bottom dweller after this year and into next, then we need to look at this whole situation. That starts with Bohn.

Anyway, back to basketball. "The solution? How we solve that problem falls on me to recruit,” he said.

While I agree ... eesh. There is this thing called coaching. Remember everyone ripping Ricardo for not coaching players up? Jeff: Teach guys to get an ASS on the opposing player early and often. Teach guys to pick a man and fence him out. Since you're getting nothing (and I mean nothing) in the way of rebounding from the tandem of Harris-Tunks, Eckloff, Crawford, or Dufault (the 4 biggest people on this team), can't you pay a little to get Jamal Moseley up from Denver to teach guys how to be badasses? I bet he'd do that for free.

During the KSU game, not only were they beating us to rebounds on their end, they were camped out under the basket before shots went up.

Point: Recruit rebounders? Jeff - coach up the players you already brought her, for fck's sake.

Sorry I've been pissed since Saturday. Bzdelik can be a winner here, but "recruit rebounders"? And how much longer would you like me to wait for that to happen, Jeff? The last guy got fired because the fans got tired of hearing that exact same tune.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

 

[BehindEnemyLines]

Rebounding is an art whose palette and easel are made of positioning and attitude. Perhaps bzzz needs to change one (or more) of his assistants - someone who specialized in the art.

 

[Junction]

CU currently sits 1-2 in the Big 12

Let's not forget that those 2 losses were against 2 teams ranked in the top 12 in the country. Hell, the 1 win was against a ranked team. Some pretty decent teams in those other losses, too...

Still can't figure out how they managed to lose that CSU game, and the loss in Tulsa was ugly. But Tulsa isn't a bad team either...

Pain Mike Bohn to see our team struggling? How about fans like me that have been paying money to watch losers? Mike makes a great salary to make this program successful. HE NEEDS TO CRY FOR THE FANS, NOT VICE VERSA. Please spare me that.

Mike's been here 4 years now (or is it 5?). Regardless of how this season turns for the MBB program, I do believe Jeff deserves time to get it going. That means at least 1 year, maybe 2 (his 5th). If we're still a bottom dweller after this year and into next, then we need to look at this whole situation. That starts with Bohn.

Anyway, back to basketball. "The solution? How we solve that problem falls on me to recruit,” he said.

While I agree ... eesh. There is this thing called coaching. Remember everyone ripping Ricardo for not coaching players up? Jeff: Teach guys to get an ASS on the opposing player early and often. Teach guys to pick a man and fence him out. Since you're getting nothing (and I mean nothing) in the way of rebounding from the tandem of Harris-Tunks, Eckloff, Crawford, or Dufault (the 4 biggest people on this team), can't you pay a little to get Jamal Moseley up from Denver to teach guys how to be badasses? I bet he'd do that for free.

During the KSU game, not only were they beating us to rebounds on their end, they were camped out under the basket before shots went up.

Point: Recruit rebounders? Jeff - coach up the players you already brought her, for fck's sake.

Sorry I've been pissed since Saturday. Bzdelik can be a winner here, but "recruit rebounders"? And how much longer would you like me to wait for that to happen, Jeff? The last guy got fired because the fans got tired of hearing that exact same tune.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhh hhhhhhhh.

The last guy had 11 years. Bzdelik has had 2. And, to quote a popular phrase, the program was burned to the ground when he took over.

The last guy couldn't teach a player to shoot free throws for 11 years running. The last guy couldn't put together an offense if his child's life depended on it. The last guy rode Billups to the NCAA tourney, then rode that appearance for 10 years. The last guy had the highly recruited seven footer Bzdelik says he will look for. Under the last guy that player regressed throughout his stay in Boulder. Bzdelik took Air Force, a perennial doormat, to the NCAA tourney. The last guy has taken his new school to a 16-42 record.

The last guy is gone. The new guy has a good thing going. How about giving him a chance?

 

[dio]

I love me some Coach Bz and I hope we don't lose him. I think with a little bit of time, he could be something special.

 

[Sexton Hardcastle]

I love me some Coach Bz and I hope we don't lose him. I think with a little bit of time, he could be something special.

I wish that were true, but we lost to KSU. The season is over! :lol:

 

[L Buff]

Let's not forget that those 2 losses were against 2 teams ranked in the top 12 in the country. Hell, the 1 win was against a ranked team. Some pretty decent teams in those other losses, too...

Still can't figure out how they managed to lose that CSU game, and the loss in Tulsa was ugly. But Tulsa isn't a bad team either...



The last guy had 11 years. Bzdelik has had 2. And, to quote a popular phrase, the program was burned to the ground when he took over.

The last guy couldn't teach a player to shoot free throws for 11 years running. The last guy couldn't put together an offense if his child's life depended on it. The last guy rode Billups to the NCAA tourney, then rode that appearance for 10 years. The last guy had the highly recruited seven footer Bzdelik says he will look for. Under the last guy that player regressed throughout his stay in Boulder. Bzdelik took Air Force, a perennial doormat, to the NCAA tourney. The last guy has taken his new school to a 16-42 record.

The last guy is gone. The new guy has a good thing going. How about giving him a chance?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
THIS!!!!


BRILLIANT post!!!



THAT's something you don't hear from me often, is it? :smile2:

 

[OUBuff]

Still a lot of season to go, success or failure are both possible outcomes.

Although they currently sit at 1-2 in the B12, it is hard for me to not recognize improvement in the team through the season and over the seasons. With only 3 games into conference play, the Buffs are ahead of last year for wins and have at least a decent shot of a winning season. Not where we want the program to be, but headed in the right direction. I would guess that we would all love to say the same general things about the football program.

Rebounding is mostly about effort, but CU clearly lacks the size to compete consistently through an entire game. My perception of the recruiting comment was that he needs to work to get a true center on the team. Seems to make sense to me.

I just think Bz is headed down the right road and I fully believe he will deliver a competitive team to Boulder. National Champion....? paleeeze, set reasonable expectations. An NCAA tourney invitee... certainly.

 

[dcbuffman]

There's no question that coaching can help rebounding, but no amount of coaching or effort is going to turn second and third tier players into players who can win the rebounding battle against some of the best teams in the country. There is a talent gap for the Buffs bigs, and Bz is being honest when he says he's going to have to solve that problem through recruiting.

But, the good news is that this team is competitive in games when it's getting crushed on the boards. The offense, with no contribution from the post, is really good. There's no talent gap when it comes to Higgins, Relphorde, Burks and Thorne. Those are legit players who came to the program with a lot of talent and upside. Bz has done a great job to elevate their level of play. If they had one big who had Thorne's level of talent, this team would be top shelf. If they had a big with Higgins' level of talent, this team would be in the top three or four in the B12.

 

[Buffnik]

That's the thing. Bzdelik said in every single interview up to this one that rebounding was about effort and defensive positioning... and that he needed to coach these guys up. He reached a point where he has seen the effort the past few games and the defensive positioning has been pretty good. And we're still getting killed on the boards (albeit against 3 of the best front courts in the Big 12 with UT, BU and KSU). We simply do not have guys capable of consistently winning rebounding battles with the bigs on our schedule. So instead of criticizing his players unnecessarily, he took it upon himself. Some of the comments in this thread must have come out of ignorance of Bz's past comments.

 

[coereg]

I really trust Bzdelik and feel that he's in this for the long-haul, hopefully (I say that w/some chagrin of course).

I trust that he clearly recognizes the need for post presence on top of what they've got.

CU needs to find a couple warriors. And I'm not talking about some 6"10, 190lb. HS kid thats gonna take 2 years to add bulk and experience. I'm talking about finding a couple 6"8 to 6"9, 230 to 250 lb. JUCO boys ... athletic, experienced, stronger, with no fear ... and all they'll do is get after people on defense and on the glass. Thats their job, period.

 

[coereg]

That's the thing. Bzdelik said in every single interview up to this one that rebounding was about effort and defensive positioning... and that he needed to coach these guys up. He reached a point where he has seen the effort the past few games and the defensive positioning has been pretty good. And we're still getting killed on the boards (albeit against 3 of the best front courts in the Big 12 with UT, BU and KSU).

You can be big & tall and rebound decently (maybe 5 a game) but it requires so much more to be a good/great coll. rebounder. You gotta have a player with some tenacity. You've gotta find someone who isn't afraid to bump elbows, heads, noses with the opposition. Someone who takes it seriously and demands results on the glass.

 

[coereg]

CU needs to find a couple warriors. And I'm not talking about some 6"10, 190lb. HS kid thats gonna take 2 years to add bulk and experience. I'm talking about finding a couple 6"8 to 6"9, 230 to 250 lb. JUCO boys ... athletic, experienced, stronger, with no fear ... and all they'll do is get after people on defense and on the glass. Thats their job, period.

It's not as easy as this post by me makes it sound. But I do trust coach Bz and his ability to go find these guys, wherever they are.