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Topic: Kudos to Administration
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Joe Green
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Posted: 9/14/2015 7:57 PM
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Wow, what a great Basketball schedule! Great job Bobcat Administration! Way to develop a program that was in the sweet 16 just a few years ago. I can't way to see a packed Convo cheering against Jackson State or Ohio Dominican, woo hoo!
Jeff McKinney
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Posted: 9/14/2015 11:03 PM
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You're mean.
100%Cat
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Posted: 9/15/2015 7:56 AM
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Yea, because scheduling a brutal non-conf schedule stuffed with P5 teams for an inexperienced team with several newcomers coming off a horrible season...THAT would be a great idea.
giacomo
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Posted: 9/15/2015 2:33 PM
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You can't schedule teams to fit your strength, or lack of, from year to year. Schedule tough always and sometimes you take your lumps. I have never agreed with our strength of schedule.
BillyTheCat
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Posted: 9/15/2015 5:16 PM
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giacomo wrote:expand_more
You can't schedule teams to fit your strength, or lack of, from year to year. Schedule tough always and sometimes you take your lumps. I have never agreed with our strength of schedule.
I love this schedule, 200 RPI and a lot of groaning on here when we win 20 and go to the CBI
bobcat2nc
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Posted: 9/15/2015 11:47 PM
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I love Bobcat Basketball and have since the first time I stepped into the Convo to watch a game. Certainly some OOC schedules have been better that others but all in all the the folks have done a pretty good job of getting people in the seats AND giving the expected talent/experience a chance to get experience that will be helpful for the conference.

If this year's team doesn't gel quickly and play competitively in the MAC there won't be many people coming to those games. Watching a blow out loss is much less enjoyable than watching a blow out victory.

The luxury of having year after year top notch OOC schedule is tough sell when each change in coaches means a new era/brand of basketball and means the OOC isn't just a way to work out the kinks but is needed to determine a new rotation. I hope Saul Ball means a schedule worthy of having to get to the Convo early and standing for defense and offense for 40 minutes but for now I will be happy with seeing Winning Team-Losing Team while the teams prepares to be a factor in the MAC.
OUVan
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Posted: 9/16/2015 9:12 AM
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giacomo wrote:expand_more
You can't schedule teams to fit your strength, or lack of, from year to year. Schedule tough always and sometimes you take your lumps. I have never agreed with our strength of schedule.
Just wondering but how did putting ridiculously tough schedules together help Miami's attendance? Running the gauntlet year after year turned a lot of basketball fans into hockey fans in Oxford. You know what puts butts in the seats? Winning. I 100% disagree that you don't schedule around your team.
Speaker of Truth
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Posted: 9/16/2015 9:24 AM
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Why does everyone think it is so easy to schedule big games here?

- Teams don't want to travel to Athens. Tough place to get too and usually a pretty good team and atmosphere.
- Good teams have no reason to do a home and home. They don't owe us any favors.
- Timing: Non-Con games usually fall in weird times during the year. We hvae seen good opponents in the convo at bad times, and that doesn't do any good.
- Coaches Know Best.....
Jeff McKinney
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Posted: 9/16/2015 9:28 AM
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123kid's observations are also noted for the other MAC schools.
OUVan
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Posted: 9/16/2015 9:37 AM
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Jeff McKinney wrote:expand_more
123kid's observations are also noted for the other MAC schools.
Yep

My philosophy would be to schedule the best teams in the land that will give you home and home's. Schedule the big boys in tournaments or in an outgoing Senior's hometown. The more experienced team you have the tougher you can schedule.
giacomo
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Posted: 9/16/2015 10:15 AM
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Getting to the CBI should not be our goal. The big boys will not come here, so go there. We should have at least two of those on the road. They won't come here, so what? We should be able to schedule some home and homes with Horizon league, Patriot and Northeast.
Brian Smith (No, not that one)
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Posted: 9/16/2015 10:43 AM
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Jeff McKinney wrote:expand_more
You're mean.
I laughed.
The Optimist
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Posted: 9/16/2015 12:53 PM
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giacomo wrote:expand_more
You can't schedule teams to fit your strength, or lack of, from year to year.

Why not?
Speaker of Truth
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Posted: 9/16/2015 1:05 PM
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We won't get big dogs to come here, but we do have a realistic shot to do a 2 for 1 with some schools.

Teams in the Valley, American or mid-high level A-10 would be fine for this. Might even get the occasional Big East to bite on this...
giacomo
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Posted: 9/16/2015 2:22 PM
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Why not? WVU knows if we're going to have a good team this year. They may not know three years from now. If you think teams like that don't want to schedule you anyway, what makes you think you can play them only when we can beat them?
OUVan
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Posted: 9/16/2015 2:47 PM
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the123kid wrote:expand_more
We won't get big dogs to come here, but we do have a realistic shot to do a 2 for 1 with some schools.

Teams in the Valley, American or mid-high level A-10 would be fine for this. Might even get the occasional Big East to bite on this...
We've been getting home-and-homes with the Valley and A10 for years. Would love to see more of these. Good Horizon and Summit League teams are good for the schedule as well. The problem with this year's schedule is we have a four game run at the end of December, all at home, that just isn't that interesting. If you had replaced two of those games with an A-10 school and an MVC school then all of a sudden it looks like a pretty good schedule.
OU_Country
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Posted: 9/16/2015 4:01 PM
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OUVan wrote:expand_more
We won't get big dogs to come here, but we do have a realistic shot to do a 2 for 1 with some schools.

Teams in the Valley, American or mid-high level A-10 would be fine for this. Might even get the occasional Big East to bite on this...
We've been getting home-and-homes with the Valley and A10 for years. Would love to see more of these. Good Horizon and Summit League teams are good for the schedule as well. The problem with this year's schedule is we have a four game run at the end of December, all at home, that just isn't that interesting. If you had replaced two of those games with an A-10 school and an MVC school then all of a sudden it looks like a pretty good schedule.

For this year, I personally have absolutely no problem with the caliber of opponent on the home schedule in Nov/Dec. The tournament in St. Thomas will provide the RPI games everyone wants on a neutral floor.

My only real complaint is that that four game swing in December has zero weekend games on it. When we're hosting Jackson State or the like, I'd be curious to know why we can't do a couple of those on a Sat/Sun in December.

I agree with OUVan - For those that think we should schedule the gauntlet and take the lumps, I just can't see the logic. I'd like to hope in future years, assuming coaching staff stability that I perceive we have with Saul & Co., that we'll be able to lure in a couple good November/December games with some big boys on some 2 for 1's. In 2012-13 and 13-14, I think we had a fine schedule. Sure, I'd rather see us playing UD and Xavier instead of Richmond and UMass, but I'm sure that's easier said than done.

I'd personally enjoy more regional 2 for 1, and 1 for 1 options that make for easier fan travels to away games in the non-conference season. It takes two to tango, and I get the idea that scheduling isn't the walk in the park that we as fans wish it were. Still, I'd love it if we played Bobby Mo, or Wright State more often that some of the A-sun type schools that we can't visit as easily.
OUVan
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Posted: 9/16/2015 4:16 PM
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OU_Country wrote:expand_more
I'd personally enjoy more regional 2 for 1, and 1 for 1 options that make for easier fan travels to away games in the non-conference season. It takes two to tango, and I get the idea that scheduling isn't the walk in the park that we as fans wish it were. Still, I'd love it if we played Bobby Mo, or Wright State more often that some of the A-sun type schools that we can't visit as easily.

Even though I'm not in the region I think this is a great idea.
Deciduous Forest Cat
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Posted: 9/16/2015 7:39 PM
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OU_Country wrote:expand_more
We won't get big dogs to come here, but we do have a realistic shot to do a 2 for 1 with some schools.

Teams in the Valley, American or mid-high level A-10 would be fine for this. Might even get the occasional Big East to bite on this...
We've been getting home-and-homes with the Valley and A10 for years. Would love to see more of these. Good Horizon and Summit League teams are good for the schedule as well. The problem with this year's schedule is we have a four game run at the end of December, all at home, that just isn't that interesting. If you had replaced two of those games with an A-10 school and an MVC school then all of a sudden it looks like a pretty good schedule.

For this year, I personally have absolutely no problem with the caliber of opponent on the home schedule in Nov/Dec. The tournament in St. Thomas will provide the RPI games everyone wants on a neutral floor.

My only real complaint is that that four game swing in December has zero weekend games on it. When we're hosting Jackson State or the like, I'd be curious to know why we can't do a couple of those on a Sat/Sun in December.

I agree with OUVan - For those that think we should schedule the gauntlet and take the lumps, I just can't see the logic. I'd like to hope in future years, assuming coaching staff stability that I perceive we have with Saul & Co., that we'll be able to lure in a couple good November/December games with some big boys on some 2 for 1's. In 2012-13 and 13-14, I think we had a fine schedule. Sure, I'd rather see us playing UD and Xavier instead of Richmond and UMass, but I'm sure that's easier said than done.

I'd personally enjoy more regional 2 for 1, and 1 for 1 options that make for easier fan travels to away games in the non-conference season. It takes two to tango, and I get the idea that scheduling isn't the walk in the park that we as fans wish it were. Still, I'd love it if we played Bobby Mo, or Wright State more often that some of the A-sun type schools that we can't visit as easily.
...Or we could never play Bobby mo again. I think that would be best.
Athens
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Posted: 9/16/2015 10:55 PM
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the123kid wrote:expand_more
We won't get big dogs to come here, but we do have a realistic shot to do a 2 for 1 with some schools.

Teams in the Valley, American or mid-high level A-10 would be fine for this. Might even get the occasional Big East to bite on this...
I've never noticed too much trouble trying to pick up 1 for 1's with the MVC. All the A-10 schools will do it except Dayton. American schools vary so much in quality that unless its Cincy, Temple, Memphis or UConn fans will better recognize a Horizon League team.
Athens
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Posted: 9/16/2015 11:58 PM
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OU_Country wrote:expand_more
I'd personally enjoy more regional 2 for 1, and 1 for 1 options that make for easier fan travels to away games in the non-conference season. It takes two to tango, and I get the idea that scheduling isn't the walk in the park that we as fans wish it were. Still, I'd love it if we played Bobby Mo, or Wright State more often that some of the A-sun type schools that we can't visit as easily.
Play Wisconsin or Illinois 1 and done at the United Center. Its good for both schools to play a game in downtown Chicago. A schedule of a post season tournament, 1 big neutral site game and two good MVC/A10 teams home/away is fine. Marshall should be on the schedule. Take this years schedule and replace Ohio Dominican at home with Illinois at the United Center (ESPN) and it would be a perfectly fine schedule with 4-5 games to pad the win/loss record.
OU_Country
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Posted: 9/17/2015 10:31 AM
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Uncle Wes wrote:expand_more
I'd personally enjoy more regional 2 for 1, and 1 for 1 options that make for easier fan travels to away games in the non-conference season. It takes two to tango, and I get the idea that scheduling isn't the walk in the park that we as fans wish it were. Still, I'd love it if we played Bobby Mo, or Wright State more often that some of the A-sun type schools that we can't visit as easily.
Play Wisconsin or Illinois 1 and done at the United Center. Its good for both schools to play a game in downtown Chicago. A schedule of a post season tournament, 1 big neutral site game and two good MVC/A10 teams home/away is fine. Marshall should be on the schedule. Take this years schedule and replace Ohio Dominican at home with Illinois at the United Center (ESPN) and it would be a perfectly fine schedule with 4-5 games to pad the win/loss record.

Wouldn't you assume that if it were easy to get Wisconsin or the Illini on the schedule, that Groce or Christian would have done something like this? I totally see why the schedule is set the way it is this year having 5 freshmen on the roster. Going forward, I'd hope and believe they will schedule up a little more.
OU_Country
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Posted: 9/17/2015 10:56 AM
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Uncle Wes wrote:expand_more
We won't get big dogs to come here, but we do have a realistic shot to do a 2 for 1 with some schools.

Teams in the Valley, American or mid-high level A-10 would be fine for this. Might even get the occasional Big East to bite on this...
I've never noticed too much trouble trying to pick up 1 for 1's with the MVC. All the A-10 schools will do it except Dayton. American schools vary so much in quality that unless its Cincy, Temple, Memphis or UConn fans will better recognize a Horizon League team.

Why do we have to schedule so many games with "name recognition"? SMU would be a fantastic game for us in a year or two, and getting Houston, USF, and UCF wouldn't be a bad thing. I personally think Groce and a little bit more, Christian, did a nice job scheduling teams that were at the top of their conference, and teams that likely were going to the tournament, or did the year before. I guess the point I'm making is that I highly doubt most of the games we schedule are done with the concern to name recognition. Instead, I'd assume they're looking for a mix of winnable SOS/RPI boosters against quality opponents, and other games that should easily be winnable at home just before MAC play starts. I'd be interested to know all the thought processes that go into how an AD and Coaching staff build a schedule.
OUBobcat13
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Posted: 9/17/2015 11:14 AM
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1) Saul has a pretty good track record of scheduling to increase his team's RPI. He actually mentioned it in his introductory press conference (although I haven't done the research to back that up).

2) We won 10 games last year. OTHER teams are also considering their RPIs. We may not look very good in that regard, therefore it may be less desirable for them to play us.

3) We might just have a coach that is trying to BUILD a program. Whether or not you agree we under-performed last year with the roster we had or not, we are still in a building mode. Why on earth would you want a super tough schedule in year two with SEVERAL new personnel? We have ONE returning starter.

4) I don't think I, Saul, or any other rational person is expecting us to make it to the big dance this year...and certainly not based on our RPI (at-large). If it happens, it will be because we win the MAC tourny. We will NOT win the MAC tourny if we start the season with demoralizing losses.

5). I would expect to see a more appealing schedule next year...based on a better season this year.
OU_Country
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Posted: 9/17/2015 11:25 AM
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Agree with all your points, and really like #2, which I had not considered.
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