Question for AdamtheFlyer

[Murph85]

Not trying to start a war or anything, just would like your thoughts as I saw you are viewing this board.

Do you want Gregory gone or do you hope he will stay??

Read some rumor stuff about him going to Depaul.

[vee4xu]

Wow, if this isn't troll baiting, what is? Though I must say I am interested to see if he responds. :rolleyes:

[jdm2000]

I'd say if you want to know, you should check out the A10 board. He's been pretty critical of Gregory's inability to win road games over there, though I don't think he's called for Gregory to go.

[Murph85]

and for that reason I would like to hear what he has to say.

X fans have not been in that terrible predicament of having a team perform at that point where you are close but never going to get there without a change. The change has the attachment of risking the departure of players and a negative effect on recruits.

I was in massive depression when we had the situation of a change last year. While we lost a few recruits, we ended up on our feet. Not only did we land on our feet, we have a great recruiting class, a coach that we know can coach and maybe a shot at playing a few weeks after the A-10 tourney.

While I don't like Dayton, predominantly because of the fans I have encountered, they are loyal to their program and Adam has been even keel in his posts and comments.

Adam, I would like to know if Dayton fans really think there is something better out there than BG taking into consideration that beyond the kids that grow up in the area, it appears to be a tough sell getting top notch players to visit and buy into the school and city of Dayton.

[waggy]

The question is probably a bit premature, since a lot can still happen this year.

[bobbiemcgee]

Adam has gone into rehab.....will emerge as X fan.

[AdamtheFlyer]

Adam has gone into rehab.....will emerge as X fan.

They're sending me in with that monkey from Montreal.

To answer the question in what will surely be a long ramble:

No, I don't want Gregory fired, but to be honest I wouldn't shed a tear if he left. I'm not that attached to him, or any coach really. Overall he's been good for the program. Took Purnell's leftovers to the dance his first year, then had to completely rebuild around freshmen. Things happened and maybe the rebuild took a year or two longer than we'd have liked, but he got the team into the dance last year and got UD the first tourney win in 20 years.

His strengths and weaknesses are there for all to see. He's a fine recruiter, a good defensive mind, a good motivator and "leader of men". He's also very loyal, would run through a wall for his players.

But he's loyal to a fault. He sticks to the "system" so much that his team doesn't ad-lib whatsoever, to the point opponents know what the offense will do in just about every situation. His sticking to the system has led to him really lacking in the preparation and adjustment areas.

BG's record in A10 road games is 20-35, essentially a 3-5 record every season. Impossible to compete for league titles with those numbers.

His inability to adjust is most obvious with Kurt Huelsman. Let me preface this by saying that I love Kurt for what he is, a hustle/role player. Problem is BG uses him as if he were Jason Love. Leaving Kurt on Saunders at Duquense was a horrendous decision, and was a major reason why UD lost. The Temple game was just sad. Kurt impotently took shot after shot, bricking all but one while Josh Benson played three minutes. The Saint Louis game saw Searcy, Benson, and even Kavanaugh looking very good in the first half, then in the second Kurt was in there sucking it up while the others sat.

I don't think BG is solely to blame for this season, the seniors deserve some as well. They've been atrocious. Lowery came back from the injury playing YMCA pickup basketball. Marcus Johnson went from all-league caliber to being worse than he was as a freshman. Perry played so well down the stretch last year and now can't hold the ball without fumbling it. London Warren is the only senior playing like a senior, but it's tough for a pass first, second, and third PG to have success when everyone else is pitiful.

I hate being in the "next year" mode, but the cold reality is that there's no other place for Dayton fans to be right now barring a near miracle win at Richmond. We'll see what kind of adjustments to the system BG will make with next year's talent. The PG and center positions will be the best they've been in his tenure. Assuming Wright returns, and probably even if he leaves, the sheer talent level on the roster will be the best in his tenure. But given the youth and inexperience it's a blank canvas with which to work. We'll see what he does with it.

[Murph85]

Thanks Adam. That was a very good evaluation. You are a credit to your school and above the fray of childish back and forth.

One question. You mention you will be better at the point. Is that because of Staten or is there someone else?

[AdamtheFlyer]

Thanks Adam. That was a very good evaluation. You are a credit to your school and above the fray of childish back and forth.

One question. You mention you will be better at the point. Is that because of Staten or is there someone else?

There's also Josh Parker, a transfer from Drake. Good scoring PG (10PPG, 43% from three) as a sophomore, and is getting a year of practice in this system.

Staten's going to be a stud. Dayton hasn't had this caliber of PG enter the program in a long, long time. I think he'll be a lot like Kevin Anderson at Richmond. Maybe not right away, but within a couple of years.

Combine the newcomers and it will be a massive upgrade the day Warren and Lowery leave and Staten arrives, without either new guy even playing a game.

[DC Muskie]

Staten's going to be a stud. Dayton hasn't had this caliber of PG enter the program in a long, long time. I think he'll be a lot like Kevin Anderson at Richmond. Maybe not right away, but within a couple of years.

Combine the newcomers and it will be a massive upgrade the day Warren and Lowery leave and Staten arrives, without either new guy even playing a game.

Adam with all due respect...

I would be very cautious about proclaiming a player with be as good as the top pg in league play before he even finishes his high school games. Even with the caveat that it might not be until four years from now. I would say especially with that caveat.

I think history, and I would argue especially at Dayton, where the expectations of "Next Year" always outweighs the overwhelming evidence that "Next Year" never comes to fruition.

A young back court will be difficult to demonstrate success, as we saw at Xavier last year. It will be up to players like Chris Wirght, Chris Johnson, Paul Williams, Benson, Searcy to step up as leaders and more importantly, set up in skill. That's a pretty good nucleus for sure.

So while Staten may be in fact a stud in three to four years, or even one or two, it's more important that the players coming back next year improve.

[boozehound]

There's also Josh Parker, a transfer from Drake. Good scoring PG (10PPG, 43% from three) as a sophomore, and is getting a year of practice in this system.

Staten's going to be a stud. Dayton hasn't had this caliber of PG enter the program in a long, long time. I think he'll be a lot like Kevin Anderson at Richmond. Maybe not right away, but within a couple of years.

Combine the newcomers and it will be a massive upgrade the day Warren and Lowery leave and Staten arrives, without either new guy even playing a game.

I think that Adam will agree that it won't take much to be better at the point next year (at least offensively...), so I understand the optimism.

Dayton really needed more than they got from Lowry this year...

[AdamtheFlyer]

Adam with all due respect...

I would be very cautious about proclaiming a player with be as good as the top pg in league play before he even finishes his high school games. Even with the caveat that it might not be until four years from now. I would say especially with that caveat.

I think history, and I would argue especially at Dayton, where the expectations of "Next Year" always outweighs the overwhelming evidence that "Next Year" never comes to fruition.

A young back court will be difficult to demonstrate success, as we saw at Xavier last year. It will be up to players like Chris Wirght, Chris Johnson, Paul Williams, Benson, Searcy to step up as leaders and more importantly, set up in skill. That's a pretty good nucleus for sure.

So while Staten may be in fact a stud in three to four years, or even one or two, it's more important that the players coming back next year improve.

Oh, you're definitely right. I certainly don't have any thoughts of either PG being all-world right away. They'll be set up players. With Staten and the other freshmen, they'll be freshmen. It appears all of them are more talented than the guys they'll replace, but they'll still be freshmen.

But with the exception of Warren, who's only had a couple of off games, the seniors have been playing like freshmen all year. You can't figure those guys out. Sometimes like last night and the Xavier home game these guys do no wrong, and other times you have the Temple debacle.

Marcus Johnson has been the biggest disappointment. There's an argument to be made that BG doesn't develop players as well as he could, but I can't blame the coaching with him. He developed into an all-league type player, and then out of nowhere he just lost his talent.

[Pete Delkus]

Since it's ask a question to a flyer fan...What is with the grief Lowery is getting for not knowing "Donnie May, Roosevelt Chapman and Mike Kanieski"?

I think I have a pretty good handle on college basketball and I have no clue who these guys are or when they played (before I looked them up). I do remember the name Roosevelt Chapman...I think.

I mean I would be surprised if Jeff Robinson knew who Derek Strong or Aaron Williams were and they had long NBA careers and made millions of dollars.