I was referring more to the program overall. Is there another program out there that is a good benchmark of what CU can consistently be?
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Four Reasons We'll Be Dancing
- Thread starter Goose
- Start date
Oregon and West Virginia come to mind.
Maybe a Maryland or Pitt. Most years hovering in the sweet 16 / elite 8 range but every now and then based on team chemistry and talent at guard, make a run for more.
I don't know about that anymore. D1 Basketball has certainly flattened competitively since the 90's. Is this team less talented than 2011 VCU, or 2006 George Mason? 2013 FGCU? All those teams had exactly zero NBA draft picks, and only one guy is playing in the NBA now after a stint in the D league. We have at least a much talent as any one of those teams.
Good point.
There will be a few programs that get outstanding talent every year (Kentucky, Kansas, etc.) and a few who have a system that will keep them close to the top with next level talent.
The rest are hard to predict because if they get one or two guys who are NBA quality talents they are likely to only have them for one or two years. The guys with NBA futures who stick around are now the exception rather than the rule.
I can see Tad getting a solid group of next level talent and sustaining a team that can win some tourney games in multiple years. Problem with this is that they are also likely to not be able to get past the teams that have first level talent so final 4/8 appearances will be rare.
scoob
Well-Known Member
I'd like to think Gonzaga. Tad would have to step up his recruiting a bit, and frankly his coaching as well to be at Few's level, but Gonzaga is not loaded with blue chips every year and they are a perennial top 25 team.
I think Tad would really like to emulate Gonzaga. I know he's pretty close with Few, and really respects him. Gonzaga has come in for preseason scrimmages a couple times since Tad has been here. The conference structure is obviously different, but Gonzaga has built up enough clout that their weaker conference doesn't hurt them, and in fact they've lifted the entire tide of the WCC (adding BYU helped too).
jumped ship
Well-Known Member
Two things.
First, not sure where to post this, but the Buffs received one vote in the coaches poll this week. With BYU, Penn State, and potentially SMU coming up, we are in a prime position to be ranked sooner than later.
Secondly, in regards to programs that we should emulate, I think the key to this discussion is consistency. Gonzaga is a bit too close to blue blood status under Few, for us to look towards them...but West Virginia, UNLV, Oklahoma/Okie Lite, Butler, and Xavier are programs that come to mind who have had great (albeit volatile) success with similar recruits to the ones Tad can pull in. I also believe that we have yet to see how good of a coach Tad can be. He'll continue to attract a great staff and his individual player development/assessment is really trending positive with how guys like Fletch, Wes, King, and Fortune have looked this year.
In coference, I don't liken us to Oregon at all. I more look to Cal and UW...wouldn't you love for Tad's name to eventually be synonymous with guys like Monty and Romar (despite recent struggles).
First, not sure where to post this, but the Buffs received one vote in the coaches poll this week. With BYU, Penn State, and potentially SMU coming up, we are in a prime position to be ranked sooner than later.
Secondly, in regards to programs that we should emulate, I think the key to this discussion is consistency. Gonzaga is a bit too close to blue blood status under Few, for us to look towards them...but West Virginia, UNLV, Oklahoma/Okie Lite, Butler, and Xavier are programs that come to mind who have had great (albeit volatile) success with similar recruits to the ones Tad can pull in. I also believe that we have yet to see how good of a coach Tad can be. He'll continue to attract a great staff and his individual player development/assessment is really trending positive with how guys like Fletch, Wes, King, and Fortune have looked this year.
In coference, I don't liken us to Oregon at all. I more look to Cal and UW...wouldn't you love for Tad's name to eventually be synonymous with guys like Monty and Romar (despite recent struggles).
I can agree with UW a little but they have a lot of history with that basketball program. Cal is a different story since they are sitting in such a hotbed for talent basketball wise. Very different situation.
Obviously didn't expect the Pac to be that good with us only getting a 10 seed.
Birch1
Well-Known Member
2 seeds off. Damn. Rep.
In all seriousness, obviously Josh Fortune has been a bit of a disappointment this season and not what I expected (I expected more of a low usage/high efficiency player, not Ski Jr.), and Dom has struggled, but this was a hell of a coaching job by Tad & Co. I know there are morons who scream for his head during every game, but we are SERIOUSLY lucky to have him as our coach.
Goose should get lot's of likes/rep for his prediction that we dance. He called his shot before the season when it was not the popular call.
The rest of us dumb asses should listen when the goose speaks.
The rest of us dumb asses should listen when the goose speaks.
whatthebuff
Club Member
This season went far better than I ever thought it would considering we were missing our second best player for the entire year. I feel like a lot of people lost sight of this with regards to their expectations of this team. Regardless of what we do against UConn, I think this season was a nice accomplishment for Tad.
We tied the regular season record for wins, and lost almost all of our games to teams that were at one point ranked, knocked off a tourney 1 seed, and did almost all of our losing away from Coors. If you offered that up in October most of us would have taken it in a hart beat.
I also think you were exactly correct about this season's results resting on Dom's shoulders.
Where you were off with that and no one would have anticipated this, is that CU's success baseline without getting consistent or plus PG play was still tying the school record for regular season wins and making the NCAA tournament. The upside if Dom had made a Spencer frosh-to-soph type leap was scary good this season in terms of what this team would have achieved so far.
aghcsm
Well-Known Member
Wait, does Goose have a second account called sockdolager?
Crazy to think about this. I'm also on record as to thinking the buffs would dance, but I'm pretty sure it's only in an email chain with buddies (not trying to rain on goose's good work here). I thought the main key to this prediction would be Dom making the leap to be clearly the buffs 2nd best player behind Josh. That didn't happen, but oh man what might have been if that leap was made.
Dom did not make the jump consistently but when he plays well, damn he can be special. Consistency is the next leap we need him to make. He will get pushed next year with the new talent coming in at the guard spot. Competiton is a great motivator and I think Dom will respond and continue to grow. The Mayor was special and not everyone is going to make the complete jump at once like he did.
