The Noles ACC season begins with a dud
by Michael Rogner on Jan 7, 2012 6:40 PM EST
in FSU Basketball
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PrintIn the recap following the Stetson game (3rd game of the season) I seriously questions the staff's ability to motivate this team. Then in the Auburn post-game comments Leonard Hamilton partially let the cat out of the bag by publicly questioning his seniors. This was a big moment for Hamilton as this is something he doesn't do. He never names names but he was referring to Jon Kreft, Xavier Gibson and possibly others. Regardless, in their first ACC game of the season FSU traveled to Clemson and put forth what may be the least inspired defensive performance I ever recall from a Leonard Hamilton coached team. Clemson, the 193rd ranked offense in the nation, was consistently allowed wide open shots, and consistently allowed to drive the lane with absolutely no help defense to get in their way. And with the offense struggling to make shots FSU was blown out 79-59 in a 67 possession game.
Clemson entered the game shooting 47.5% on 2s and that includes games against cupcakes. Today they shot 60%. Clemson entered the game 303rd in FTAs (16.5 per game) and today shot 33. Had FSUs defense simply been the average of Clemson's opponents (and this included cupcakes) then the score would have been 66-59. But FSUs defense is supposed to be elite. It's supposed to win them games like this one. If the defense goes away, this is a really bad team.
Now the Noles go on the road to face Virginia Tech, and two of their three following games are vs UNC and at Duke. If the staff can't figure out a way to motivate this team then 6 seniors will be finishing their careers in the CIT.
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I think these seniors should be finishing their careers in the SIT
by Meehl on Jan 7, 2012 6:50 PM EST reply actions 4 recs
Towards the end of the first half of that Stetson game, the Hatters went on a 16-0
run to close the gap to 33-30. That was the first warning sign for me that something was off about this team this year.
Today’s game was the Goodyear Blimp floating over Tallahassee with WARNING: BUNCH OF BUMS BASKETBALL SQUAD BELOW on the bottom in flashing red lights.
By the way, this was the first game I remember where Coach Hamilton did not show up for the postgame interview with Deckerhoff and Jones. They kept waiting and waiting, and then just signed off.
Come and see the violence inherent in the system!!!
I'll never understand
why Hamilton’s seat is never hot. We can do better, and I realize we are a football school, but we can do better. Its groundhog day for life when it comes to FSU bball. The most painful team to watch. I can barely get through a game and I’m a bball guy.
"I dont hate people. I just feel better when they aren't around." -Bukowski
3 straight Tourneys will have a cooling affect on ones seat
by Michael Rogner on Jan 7, 2012 7:49 PM EST up reply actions
I think they have quit on Ham. During warm ups they looked ready but as soon as the ball tipped of its like the off switch was flipped.
by NOLEisticscience on Jan 7, 2012 7:53 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
If he's questioning the seniors in an attempt to motivate them,
His plan failed miserably. His next move should be to sit them entirely, and go thru the growing pains with younger guys and figure out the best way to tell his buddy Stan Jones to move on.
by FSUActuary on Jan 7, 2012 8:03 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Ham takes a lot of pride (with good reason) in preparing kids for life after college.
I think he feels he’s losing a few battles in that regard and doesn’t know how to fix it. I’ve never seen him this dejected.
by Michael Rogner on Jan 7, 2012 8:46 PM EST up reply actions
i wish CHam would advertise this part of his coaching a bit more. when you do get a chance to listen to him talk about his players he embodies everything you would want in an ambassador for the university.
this season you can hear the dejection in his voice. but even more so, you can hear the disappointment. i think he had high hopes for this team and for this class of seniors… and obviously is just isnt there.
Yeh I think may have failed there. If that's his intention.
No way we should be that bad. I bring the warm up session back up because I wa watch JK50 do a number of post moves, hitting mid range jumpers good ball handling annnnnnnnnd he got hops. But when the game started he went brain dead and that goes for Gibson and I hate to say it but James too. You know it bad when the Clemson fan pat you on the back and say they know how I feel after the product they put on the field the other night
by NOLEisticscience on Jan 7, 2012 9:19 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Just about any high major kid can do that.
I bet Dulkys hits around 75% of his 3s when he’s just shooting in a gym.
by Michael Rogner on Jan 7, 2012 9:25 PM EST up reply actions
Lol yeh he was nailing a few. I was more impressed with Kreft though
He’s go some skill but what happens at tip off I can’t wrap my mind around that one.
by NOLEisticscience on Jan 7, 2012 9:32 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
That is not good enough
I’m sorry, it just isn’t.
Shot a Gator in Jean Shorts just to watch him die.
by AMFKNole on Jan 8, 2012 12:32 AM EST via Android app up reply actions
Its a shame.
I’m sure we’ll scratch into this year’s tourney once again thus saving Ham’s job and the cycle will continue. How long has it been since we’ve seen good offense under Ham? Oh ….never. I think we can find a coach who can get us to the tourney and who expects solid play on both sides. Our bigs dont even shoot the ball. They catch and just throw it up hoping for the best. Its embarrassing.
"I dont hate people. I just feel better when they aren't around." -Bukowski
They said the same thing
When Pat Kennedy was here. There is an important and oft overlooked question when you want to replace the coach, “who ya gonna git?” And you have to have guy who can’t make us worse, can recruit to LCCC, work for virtual peanuts, and not jump ship when he wins.
The football's like a one-man cold to Rashad Greene. Rashad Greene's the only man catchin' it, Rashad Greene's the only man comin' down wid it.
Bring on NSD and Baseball
"It's great to beat a Florida Gator...It's great to beat a Florida Gator..."
by garnet and golden in jax on Jan 7, 2012 10:38 PM EST reply actions
I recorded the game
After the first 10 (?) minutes, I “watched” the rest on fast-forward.
I really have no hope for FSU basketball until Ham leaves. I think he’s a great guy, but I can’t watch his no-offense teams anymore. And when they stop playing defense, like tonight, well, it’s even more depressing to watch.
He’s just got to go. I wish he would retire.
GPD: To correct and to serve.
by csfuu on Jan 8, 2012 12:36 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
This a million times.
If were going to be on the low end of mediocre, let’s get someone in here that will run a system thats fun to watch and at least gives the fans something to get behind. I dont even get excited when we make the tourney anymore because we’re not going to make any real noise.
"I dont hate people. I just feel better when they aren't around." -Bukowski
that wasnt an offense problem. that was an intensity problem.
ultimately the blame for that falls on CHam… but the players share an awful lot of that responsibility IMO.
Look on the bright side.
At least this frees up March for St Patty’s day. No worrying about the Noles. I mean let’s be honest, being the best team in the NIT is kind of like being the best football team in the big east. Yeah you won, but really, who cares? Other then Clempson obviously.
by FSU Pope on Jan 8, 2012 5:41 AM EST via iPhone app reply actions
Seniors
The seniors have been really disappointing this year. The worst part is besides the UConn game, they have shown no leadership and have melted when times got hard i.e Florida, Mich St, Harvard games. The big men, besides Shannon are all turnover prone which is why running the offense through them leads to so many turnovers. Gibson is a shoe in for this season’s Jordan DeMercy award. Gibson went from NBA prospect two years ago to just well…winning the Jordan Demercy award. Dulkys has provided nothing, Kreft has provided nothing and Loucks has been extremely passive and not taken advantage of his chance to finally start. Loucks inability to drive the ball and create for his teammates is another huge liability for this team. The one bright spot for the Noles at that the most talented players all tend to be young (White, Miller, Whisnant, Shannon, Snaer) and will return next year. FSU’s top recruit is a point guard and it looks like Hambone’s recruiting strategy has shifted to getting talented guards. (Thomas, Brandon, Miller, Whisnant, Snaer) Hambone has done a great job turning this program into a relevant one, but I suspect the pressure will be on him next year to produce a more watchable product. It wont hurt next year that Loucks, Gibson, James, Dulkys, Peterson and Kreft will all be gone.
I agree. Let's put a watchable product on the floor if were to remain mediocre.
More guards and get up and down. We have a roster full of “tall but that’s all”.
"I dont hate people. I just feel better when they aren't around." -Bukowski
Exactly
That also goes w/ the “Wow, they look like an NBA team when coming off the bus.” How many times have we heard that one when watching them on ESPN etc?
I’ve heard it to many times and I’m ready for a new product.
"It's great to beat a Florida Gator...It's great to beat a Florida Gator..."
by garnet and golden in jax on Jan 8, 2012 9:44 AM EST up reply actions
considering the hype, numbers, early production, and obvious potential of this senior class when they got here… this has to be the most disappointing senior season (by far) that i can remember in the last 20 years?
fair point
i thought the uche class had some. i selectively block most fsu basketball memories from my active conscious though.
I think the 2008 seniors - Rich, Swann, Mims - were far more disappointing
by Michael Rogner on Jan 8, 2012 10:09 PM EST up reply actions
i know he had the knee injury
but i was really disappointed in swann’s sr season
he had all the tools, a lot (too much?) of confidence and never seemed to shy from the big moment -
but he seldom got it done consistently
I have nothing tangible to back this up, but my opinion is that, when Hamilton was talking
about players who were more concerned with next year, XGibson was prominent in his thoughts.The guy is lazy. I think at some point, he was convinced by someone that he is not getting drafted, but has some physical tools, so don’t injured and take the free agent/D-League route to the NBA. He’s tossed in the towel on the season.
Dulkys is more of a non-entity on offense than he was last year.
The army may have saved James from being dead or in prison, and he has a great story, but I am not sure how much of a leader he is. Does seem like the strong and silent type.
I’ll say this about Kreft: I had a low-level misdemeanor conviction back in my twenties that involved a few meetings and once-a-month meetings with a probation officer for 6 months. Even that small bit of interaction with the criminal justice system affected me. I always think back to that time in my life when I think about a situation like Kreft’s. That is, I have no idea what kind of effect a full year of incarceration might do to a person. I can’t see it being good.
What all this means to me is, we might have some significant dysfunction amongst the senior class on this team.
Come and see the violence inherent in the system!!!
FSU Basketball
Just another season under Coach Ham.
Yeah, that's not even remotely true
With the exact same seasons, but with a couple breaks from the selection committee or a slightly smarter schedule, we could easily be in a run of six straight tournaments or five years out of six.
We have been very competitive. It may be ugly, and it may not be enough, but you can not compare this team with the past five-six years.
I don't necessarily mind losing so much
if we’re just getting beat by better teams. That happens. What really bugs me is that many of the players (especially seniors!) don’t seem excited about being out there and trying their hardest the whole game. If we’re going to lose anyway, maybe it’s time to put some of the underclassmen out there who actually are willing to work and play hard. At least they’ll be getting experience.
I didn't see the game....
did the kids quit? If a team quits on its coach a team can almost never recover from that….. I hope they didn’t quit.
It's all about the process
I'm not sure they quit on the coach
But I’m not sure they aren’t quitting on each other. Just no leadership out there.
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