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Post by sudog03 on Jul 30, 2020 9:24:05 GMT -5
I don't think anyone begrudges a coach doing a podcast. It's a free opportunity to help market the program. But anyone new to Samford MBB has got to understand that marketing has been all that the people who have been involved have gotten for their investment over the last decade. That obviously is not the new coaches fault, but it doesn't change the reality either. Also, when I see/hear people (and I've heard it quite a bit) talking about Bucky not being at Samford long before getting a better job, I think it shows quite the naivete about the situation. One, your talking about a program that historically has had very, very little success in MBB. Two, it's coming off a tied program record for losses in a season. Three, the conference is very difficult. Lastly, the coach has never coached in a game with a shot clock or managed anything involving a college program. I hope he can get the program turned around, but acting as if it is some forgone conclusion, well Samford fans have seen that before as well.
He has assembled what appears to be a fine staff, and I feel has improved the talent on the roster. And in reality, that is all he could do at this point. But, acquiring talent has not been the issue over the last 10 years in Samford MBB, keeping it has been and getting them to play within a team concept has been. Bucky did a great job in doing what any really successful HS coach does. He came in, got really involved in the youth levels of MB basketball, got kids bought in at a young age, and then added talent to the HS roster. Rush Propst did the same thing when he got to Hoover. Unfortunately, that model does not transfer to the college level. Kids come in expecting to play, and if you recruit in over their heads, they are more than likely going to leave. And their attitudes when they see it happening, before leaving can destroy your culture. Can Bucky adapt? Possibly, and I hope so. Time will tell. I will say, I am a firm believer that an up and down pressure system where you are trying to maximize the number of possessions is not going to work at a high level at Samford. But, maybe I am wrong, or maybe that will get realized at some point and the philosophy will change.
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Post by Cujo on Jul 30, 2020 11:20:23 GMT -5
I want to go on record to state I am not making fun of Bucky when I make fun of "Bucky Ball" or the claims he's a "great recruiter". I am, however, making fun of the spin that Samford always seem to place on . . . well anything and everything. Samford has invested more time and resources in trying to appear to be something than being something. The focus is in the wrong place for all the wrong reasons and the substance, or lack thereof, is starting to shine through.
I hope Bucky is successful and that after he has a track record of really good recruiting he is labeled as a good recruiter based upon reality. I hope his brand of basketball at the college level is successful so that when people label it, it has a basis in reality. But, you don't have to think too far into the past when we "witnessed" the beginning of a debacle with the plan that a hot shot new D1 college coach who was a great recruiter was going to win big and move on in 3 to 5 years and be replaced by Scott Padgett. That plan had multiple layers of . . . . "stuff" wrong with it.
But, here is the reality, when I post, reality can be suspended (in my discretion) for the sake of making the story better or for my entertainment.
Keep posting, Bucky poster supporter. Don't let our cynical and jaded mood on the board dissuade you from sharing your thoughts and expressing your ideas. It gets old reading SU Dog's posts (Kool-Aid meets finger tips).
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Post by 77SU on Jul 30, 2020 12:46:42 GMT -5
As I have posted before, I have a perpetual calendar in my office. The title on the calendar is "To Every Dog There Is A Season." It's amazing how the daily sayings seem to always come around at the most appropriate time. This morning when I flipped to July 30, this is what I read:
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Post by samdot19 on Jul 30, 2020 19:17:44 GMT -5
The skepticism is warranted. No doubt about it. SUdog you hit the nail on the head with Samford's attempts to portray itself as a contender. Bucky and Samford have a big hill to climb if we are going to be a contender in a really tough league. But I am encouraged by the hire. Given where the program stands, I think Bucky is exactly the guy that has any chance of climbing the hill -- in time.. Hopefully, he gets that time. I have little doubt Bucky has the awareness and the recruiting ability to get guys to campus that will want to be there. This has been lacking, for sure. Whether that will produce wins is yet to be determined. If you ignore the in-house buzz and think about how Bucky generated success at Mountain Brook of all places, I think there is something to be hopeful about.
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Post by SU DOG on Jul 31, 2020 9:34:26 GMT -5
My intentions were not to say these blogs, interviews, and press conferences were detrimental in any way. Each time one is held, the word SAMFORD gets out there. As others have alluded to, we, as Samford Fans, have been the recipients of massive failures from hype and our hopes and expectations. YES, we will see a vast improvement in team play compared to last year. Let's face the fact, however, that if the coaching staff had consisted of myself, cujo, 03, smurf, 77(and Mrs. 77 - a proven winning coach), we would probably have fielded a team that was as competitive as what we witnessed. I think we all liked Scott, but what took the floor was a group of disorganized players who had little resemblance of playing like a team. I guess I will be accused of Kool-Aiding when I say we will be far better, and this may very well be a great hire - time will tell. More talent or not, I want to see a TEAM on the floor at the PHC, and Bucky may be just the coach to give us that. In the meanwhile, after what we Samford Fans have endured, it's only natural for us to be skeptical, and not proclaim "hail to the chief" just yet. [For cujo - the only 2 teams that I raved(Kool-Aided) about last year were Volleyball and WBB...hmmm... how did those turnout?] GO DOGS!!!!!
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Post by 77SU on Jul 31, 2020 10:09:54 GMT -5
My intentions were not to say these blogs, interviews, and press conferences were detrimental in any way. SU Dog's intentions are always honorable. At least that what he told the dads of his dates.
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Post by Cujo on Jul 31, 2020 12:15:38 GMT -5
SU Dog, to your credit, you were right about women's basketball before anyone else was on board. (gag, spit, dry heave, spit, choke--hard for me to admit SUD was right--just saying it leaves a nauseatingly bad taste in my mouth)
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Post by SU DOG on Jul 31, 2020 13:21:02 GMT -5
My intentions were not to say these blogs, interviews, and press conferences were detrimental in any way. SU Dog's intentions are always honorable. At least that what he told the dads of his dates. Yeah, those guys back then could be gruff and intimidating. But the girls looked so cute in their petticoats and bonnets.
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Post by SU DOG on Jul 31, 2020 13:26:48 GMT -5
SU Dog, to your credit, you were right about women's basketball before anyone else was on board. (gag, spit, dry heave, spit, choke--hard for me to admit SUD was right--just saying it leaves a nauseatingly bad taste in my mouth) I feel the same way about proclaiming your classic 'Cry Freedom' as the greatest post ever seen on the Board.
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Post by Cujo on Aug 2, 2020 11:19:41 GMT -5
It is August and I just wanted to break the lid on August posting since it seemed to have an impediment. It should be time for fall camp to resume.
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