Here are a few points that has crossed my mind these past few weeks.

My memory goes back to my time at OU as a 1971 grad.
Our 1970 team was very special, beat many Big 10 teams, and rising to #5 in the rankings.
Next was the the Gary Trent years, as Boals remembers well.
Later on we went to the NCAA's 2 straight years with the second to the sweet 16.
Last years team wins the MAC Tournament and goes on to win the first game in the NCAA Tournament.
Now we have a team that we all were concerned before the season started, due to JP leaving & DW out due to surgery.
Fast forward to now and our boys are 21-4, the best start to a season ever, with 6 games left. WOW
From my perspective we need to be most appreciative of our success this year. This team has learned "How to Win". This is not a simple concept. The bend don't break statement from coach has resonated with the team. Our coach talks plainly to our guys which is clearly received.
I don't know how far we will or can go this year. What I do know is all associated with this team feel something very special is going on in Athens.
If BVP & DW were both willing to come back for another year we would only loose 2 guys from our top 10 players. This situation along with our good looking freshman class and another year from our current freshman should continue with our great winning tradition.




GO BOBCATS

MAC though is not what it once was. Low major Net rankings for many squads filled with low major type talent. Back in Trent's time there was a talent difference each night in the MAC from the lower rated conferences.

This hollowing out of talent is the reason why its the same 4-5 programs at the top of the MAC each year. Its good from the aspect of program building with the talent differential from top to bottom vast. The difference maker back in the day was senior guards as the talent was more even. At least this is my perception.

This is an aberration and has only been true the last couple seasons. The MAC in the past two decades has been tough because the bottom teams were good... usually not having teams rated lower than about 220, with most teams bunched between 90-190. I think the MAC will get back to this with the coaching staffs at Central, Eastern, Western and Northern.

Its also an incredibly likeable group of players and coaches. Easy to root for. Hope that continues with this group coming in next year.

I would say the opposite applies as the previous few seasons the MAC didn't have too many sub 300+ teams but they do this season. Back in 1998-2004 the MAC had roughly 6-7 in the top 100. There was during that time about 100 less D1 programs out there to compete with.

The idea of levels in mid major basketball has disappeared. Good programs are now built out of bottom tier conferences as Belmont has done. Its hurt the bottom half of traditional 10 to 15 rated conferences.

That 1998-2004 era is also when the MAC had a couple of two-bid teams in the field, and probably should have had a couple of more. BG in 2002 certainly comes to mind and 2003 Kent just to name two that should have gotten the MAC a second bid.

I, like many of you, are disappointed with last nights result with many of us taking to this board to vent our feelings.
Making this game out to be more then it was, in my opinion, was not appropriate.
Did anyone think that the Boston Celtics, on a 9 game winning streak and a 34-26 record would lose to the Detroit Pistons with a record of 13-45? It happens to every team, it's called an off night.
Sometimes a team needs to get a reality check and last night was just that.
Some of us did a good job at pointing out where certain players deficiencies have been exposed lately. All true. Some of these same players were identified in other games as stoppable.
After each loss to Toledo we were able to regroup and this team will do the same on Tuesday.

Boals has demonstrated he is a good coach and we need to show some trust in his decision making, after all we are 22-5.





GO BOBCATS

You skipped a whole decade, or at least a good portion of one, when Danny was here. That was a great run with huge crowds and great opponents in the Convo.

Danny's teams delivered some real clunkers, too. See Ball State game in the MAC tournament in 1985-86. I also remember getting blown out by a pretty bad Kent team.

Actually 2 out of 3 years, but we get your point.