Gman and SBH, is this some sort of mind game you two are playing? You said it yourself, Coach Danny Nee recruited the very people that elevated the program. At the end of the Coach Bandy era, the program had really fallen from the lofty heights left by Coach Synder. Coach Nee elevated it. The cupboard was bare when he arrived! Again, Coach Phillips has far more talent than the team that was left for Coach Rick Majerus at Ball State when he arrived in Muncie. Yet, Coach Majerus took those same supposed duds from the team he inherited that went 14-14 his first year and they went 29-3 his second year. The complete opposite of what Coach Phillips has done. Again, if the late Coach Majerus and Coach Charlie Coles were alive they would have done far more with this Bobcat squad than has been done by the current coaching staff.

This is precisely why I used the Simon Cowell American Idol analogy. The current coaching staff is in over their heads, much like a singer who tries to sing something they can't in front of a national audience. It doesn't mean they are bad people, but this just isn't their calling, which is why Simon Cowell said it is better to be blunt when people are in over their heads because they have already wasted enough time and money. They need to do something else.

Coach Phillips might have been able to steer the ship forever in North Dakota, because of low expectations. However when he left North Dakota and went into uncharted waters, he was literally lost at sea. Short of going back to North Dakota, I just don't think it is going to work for him. Again, as has been said here time and time again, he is a very good man, but he can't seem to motivate his team and make on the fly adjustments in real game time. These are two vital components if you want to win.

LOL. You say Reed went down and was out. I guess Dartis and Gollon don't count this year. As far as salary comparisons between Hunter and Phillips.. maybe, just maybe you need to look at the time lapse and change in salaries between 1997 and 2019 . I mean it's only 20+ years.

And you summed up the Saul era perfectly. He is the Ho Hummest coach of the last 25 years. We are now at the point where most of us are bored with it. I listened to the game (ho hum). We have Wight and McDay coming (ho hum). We have 2 road wins (ho hum). The message board is now a fighting ground for everyone who has a singular love of Ohio University (ho hum). Torey James played finally (ho hum). This blah feeling about Bobcat hoops is on Saul and shame on him for setting us back.

This statement, my lord: "This blah feeling about Bobcat hoops is on Saul and shame on him for setting us back."

Shame on him? Lol. What a joke. If anything, shame on all of us for being obnoxious, bad supporters of OUr program - myself included. Shame on him....to me that implies intent to set the program back in the way that has occurred. Clearly there's no intent on the part of anyone, it just went sideways in the last couple years.

One of the longtime posters on the MiamiHawkTalk mentioned that this was the "shi*iest" Ohio team he's ever seen.

I guess it depends on how you see it - if the goal was for him to be a 10 and 10 guy, he's fallen short. But I doubt that was the goal. It wouldn't shock me if the goal was for him to be what he is right now while Dartis, Gollon, BVP, Block and Carter all did their things.

I saw the same thing on Twitter. Woof.

Brighter days ahead, I hope.

I don't know about this Taylor bashing. He's one of my favorite Bobcats. It's true he doesn't contribute a great deal on the offensive end, though he's been trying to do more this year. He really shouldn't have to be relied on for offensive input, as his defensive skills are excellent. The best shot blocker we've had for a long time. The problem, in my view, is the surrounding cast. If our other bigs were contributing greater offensive output, his lack of offense wouldn't be minded, and he could concentrate more on his defensive talents. I've always liked his attitude and the way he conducts himself on the court. He plays very hard and seldom see him not giving 100 percent.

It's also the second time this season this has happened during MAC play. We never led against Kent (were tied 41-41), trailed the entire game against Toledo, then didn't get the lead vs WMU until the 9:40 mark of the first half (trailed at one point 15-1). That's 90 minutes and 20 seconds without leading.