So in the Post article,Christian says the team wasn't hungry because of prior success. What do you think of that?

This is something that has been on my mind about this team all season.  As much resentment as there was within the team leaders when Groce left, how well are they going to "buy in" to what JC is preaching and teaching?  I'd like to think that a group of seniors like this group would be able to get past a coach leaving, chasing the money, but what if they didn't?  People here seem quick to jump on JC and blame him for the year's disappointments, but why do we assume the players were on board with Christian?  You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.

I'm in no way saying that is, for a fact, what happened...simply questioning why it has not really been considered on here as a possible explanation.

Huh?  We came out like gangbusters, winning our first five games by an average margin of 25 points.  The only lackluster effort until the Robert Morris game was against Hampton.   Then we got punched in the mouth and never really recovered our swagger.

Not hungry enough?  So, who were those guys that looked like Offutt, Kellogg, Stevie, Baltic, and Ric at the Little Dribblers camp saying how much they want to prove to the nation they are better than Sweet 16?  You know who wasn't in attendance?  Your "coach of the year" Christian.  I just think he wants another type of team with his players to coach and not worry much about this team.  I am happy with the results we were given even though it could have been more.  But, I am not feeling good about JC.  It's the same feeling I had with O'Shea.  I hope I'm wrong but only time will tell.  

Are we supposed to be surprised that there are possible incongruities between a new coach and players he didn't recruit? This is natural. And they almost won 25 games with those incongruities. I thought that spoke well of the players and the coach.

JC should author a book of excuses.  He always seems to have one handy.


I would prefer a coach, who says "The buck stops here."

The Messenger article of a few days ago was more detailed and I think gives a better overall picture. 

Agreed. I don't see those comments as criticism of particular players as much as observation of humans in general. To the extent it is about particular players, I don't think it's inaccurate to observe that there were some growing pains between these players and this coach.

But I think that it's basically a Rorschach. If you're inclined to disapprove of JC's performance in Year 1, you're probably inclined to take offense at the quote. If you're inclined to be patient with JC, you're probably inclined not to give the quote much thought.

Yes, we won our first five games by an average of 25 points, and in each of those games it seemed like we started slow and sloppy, not going out there and playing with great passion until the game got underway:

Portland - 1-point game at the 10-minute mark, tied at the half, up 15 at the 30minute mark
UNC Wilmington - Checking the box score, we came out on fire and never looked back
Wofford - Tied/1-point game for the first 9 minutes, then we took off
Hampton - We trailed by 1 13.5 minutes into the game before taking off
Richmond - We went up 2-0 and didn't lead again until there were 4.5 minutes left in the 1st half, didn't take the lead for good until about the 14 minute mark in the 2nd half.

So yes, I'd say that with one exception we started our first few games slow.

redurustler, by your definition, the team that beat Georgetown actually came back to go 19-16 with a loss in the CIT.

How did the NCAA Tournament became an Ohio birthright after two aberrant runs? Those three tourney wins defied all measures of the regular seasons they followed. Neither the 2010 team nor the 2012 team won the MAC in the regular season. They both had middling RPIs and mediocre KenPom ratings. Neither had a true signature win until the tournament.

The only difference between making the tournament and not making it was the fact that Akron improved enough win all three match-ups. Just like the only thing that allowed us to even make the tournament was an OT win in 2010 and a missed jumper in 2012.

Recovering, you are missing the point. Tthe team did not reach "the next level" this year, which it had reached the year before. JC blames "human nature." The point is that JC obviously felt a need to explain the reason for this, and rather than say, as you suggest, hey, you need a lot of luck to get there, Akron was a better team, Akron dramatically improved themselves, they were a different team than last year, and Coach Dambrot got all his guys playing on all cylinders, I can accept that. But that is not what he said. He did not claim Akron dramatically improved, instead he blamed his players' lack of hunger, and then tried to throw them a bone by claiming that their lack of hunger is really not their fault, but rather their "human nature" is to blame. Which is complete, and utter, B.S. That is not the statement of a leader for whom a player will march into the trenches.

If this is his public position when the season is over, it makes me wonder what his disposition was like during the year, in private, when nobody was watching. It may also explain why JG's teams played better in March when it was time to separate the men from the boys.

Geez Louise! I apologize that he was not good before March!  And what tournament that we are not in, starts in March?

2008 HONORS

Third team All-Big Ten selection as chosen by the conference media and coaches.

SOPHOMORE (2007-08)

Led the Big Ten in three-point field goal percentage (45.4) and fifth in the league in 3-pt. field goals made (2.38) • ninth in the league in assists (3.31)

The Terre Haute native played one season for the Bobcats. He led the Bobcats in scoring with 17.1 points per game and won the MVP award in the Mid-American Conference Tournament, which OU won.

Bassett scored 32 points during Ohio’s 97-83 victory against Georgetown in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

How about we agree to disagree.


Been a long time, but  if my memory serves me, I believe DJ was more consistent his freshman year, than his sophomore year.

You don't think he didn't look up to the 23 year old has a mentor?

That was a pretty good back court, and naturally it was harder to key in on DJ, with Armon back there.