2018-2019 Arizona Basketball

[midnightx]

Not a huge loss. The kid was highly ranked coming in, but he has not shown a ton of promise, especially on offense. Still, it was nice to have another body in the rotation. Long term, he was going to lose minutes. Hope this opens up minutes for Doutrive.

[Jefe]

Last time we had 2 transfers/quitters in 1 season?

Miller presser statement: https://www.facebook.com/goazcats/video ... 821173222/" target="_blank

Looks perturbed

[Postmaster]

He got some absolute shit advice, but then again these people told him to shoot like Lonzo, so yeah....

Either way I set the table for why he would leave earlier in this thread, the writing was on the wall, I however, never expected him to just quit after the Spring semester started.

Can you elaborate on the first part?

[Jefe]

He got some absolute shit advice, but then again these people told him to shoot like Lonzo, so yeah....

Either way I set the table for why he would leave earlier in this thread, the writing was on the wall, I however, never expected him to just quit after the Spring semester started.

Can you elaborate on the first part?

Check the Akot thread for more. Getting advice from his AAU coach

[prh]

Sean and the guys can say as many nice things as the press will hear, but you gotta believe they are so pissed off and ready to take that out on someone.

[Alieberman]

Minute distribution going forward...

Something like this?

Coleman 28
B Williams 30
B Randolph 30
Jeter 30
Lee 25
Luther 20
Smith 20
Doutrive 12
Barcello 5

[ChooChooCat]

Minute distribution going forward...

Something like this?

Coleman 28
B Williams 30
B Randolph 30
Jeter 30
Lee 25
Luther 20
Smith 20
Doutrive 12
Barcello 5

I think Desjardins has to get some spot minutes in games with foul trouble for the bigs.

[Postmaster]

Not sure if Jeter can stay on court for 30 against teams with a solid front court.

But I hope he can

[Alieberman]

Minute distribution going forward...

Something like this?

Coleman 28
B Williams 30
B Randolph 30
Jeter 30
Lee 25
Luther 20
Smith 20
Doutrive 12
Barcello 5

I think Desjardins has to get some spot minutes in games with foul trouble for the bigs.

Yeah I think so too... but I'm guessing Miller doesn't really want to play him.... only in emergency situations... which we will probably be in often.

Ira really needs to not play like a bull in a China Shop... I'm optimistic that he has turned that corner.

[3goggles]

I heard the miller presser today on 1290 with Kevin and mike Luke. My god Bruce Pacsoe asks the stupidest questions ever and I love how Miller reacts to him it’s really priceless

[zonagrad]

Sean and the guys can say as many nice things as the press will hear, but you gotta believe they are so pissed off and ready to take that out on someone.

I was thinking the same thing.

[zonagrad]

I heard the miller presser today on 1290 with Kevin and mike Luke. My god Bruce Pacsoe asks the stupidest questions ever and I love how Miller reacts to him it’s really priceless

Bruce is actually a really nice guy. But he’s been asking stupid questions to Lute & Miller for 20+ years now.

He obviously never played the game. Guys that have never competed just don’t understand.

[84Cat]

[PHXCATS]

I heard the miller presser today on 1290 with Kevin and mike Luke. My god Bruce Pacsoe asks the stupidest questions ever and I love how Miller reacts to him it’s really priceless

Bruce is actually a really nice guy. But he’s been asking stupid questions to Lute & Miller for 20+ years now.

He obviously never played the game. Guys that have never competed just don’t understand.

What does playing the game have to do with anything?

[Spaceman Spiff]

I heard the miller presser today on 1290 with Kevin and mike Luke. My god Bruce Pacsoe asks the stupidest questions ever and I love how Miller reacts to him it’s really priceless

Bruce is actually a really nice guy. But he’s been asking stupid questions to Lute & Miller for 20+ years now.

He obviously never played the game. Guys that have never competed just don’t understand.

What does playing the game have to do with anything?

You develop a better understanding of strategy, preparation and overall management of teams.

I mean, a writer who just gets press conference info may not understand like funnel principles based on thirds of the court. You never hear depth like who consistently hits appropriate contact on spacing in closeout situations. You want to be arm's length from the shooter with weight back. Does Miller see Smith doing that more consistentlh than other perimeter guys? Is that why Smith plays even though I constantly shake my head at his offense?

Watch the film sessions. It's a brief glimpse into the depth you can get into with basketball. Instead, we get general questions and general answers. Miller is even more direct than most coaches and it's still blah.

[UAtrue]

So, Akot quits. He's bailing on his obligation, does his scholly get pulled?

I guess I could see Miller letting him keep it so he finishes the semester so our APR doesn't take a hit...

[Spaceman Spiff]

So, Akot quits. He's bailing on his obligation, does his scholly get pulled?

I guess I could see Miller letting him keep it so he finishes the semester so our APR doesn't take a hit...

Just to get back at him?

Pulling it now is just to hurt him in return. We should be better than that. If he wants out, let him go and don't be petty on the way out. Pulling the scholarship would make us the bad guys, fairly rightfully. It doesn't hurt us at all.

[SunnyAZ]

I remember someone saying that Ira just found out he was left handed because of that baseline dunk. In that film room vid tho Ira says he is left handed.

[ChooChooCat]

So, Akot quits. He's bailing on his obligation, does his scholly get pulled?

I guess I could see Miller letting him keep it so he finishes the semester so our APR doesn't take a hit...

Yep and yep.

[SabinoDrifter]

There is a reason why AAU coaches aren't coaching in college. Just because a kid can dominate other kids in an overcrowded gym in the summer doesn't mean he can play at a major division 1 university. It takes a lot of work to be a great basketball player and I'd imagine Akot was not meeting Miller's expectations.

It's a shame some of these guys are told they can show up on campus and dominate.

[EVCat]

You develop a better understanding of strategy, preparation and overall management of teams.

I mean, a writer who just gets press conference info may not understand like funnel principles based on thirds of the court. You never hear depth like who consistently hits appropriate contact on spacing in closeout situations. You want to be arm's length from the shooter with weight back. Does Miller see Smith doing that more consistentlh than other perimeter guys? Is that why Smith plays even though I constantly shake my head at his offense?

Watch the film sessions. It's a brief glimpse into the depth you can get into with basketball. Instead, we get general questions and general answers. Miller is even more direct than most coaches and it's still blah.

To me, there is positive and negative. Former players are too often ensconsed in the culture, don't think beyond how a player thinks, have strong opinions on certain styles of play, and aren't really much of an advocate for the reader/viewer, unless the reader/viewer is a former player. The best former players turned reporters/broadcasters are often the ones who weren't stars, and learn their audience. But many former players have this wall in their head about fans or outsiders, an "us vs them" fraternity of former players, and do a very poor job relating to the audience for which they are employed. A former player can offer color that someone who hasn't played cannot, which is why someone like a Steve Kerr was so awesome on the mic...but there are far too many former players who are well below average in analyzing play or covering a team for an audience. In print media, a former player as a beat writer is too easily sucked into being part of the team rather than covering the team.

People who haven't played obviously have deficiencies in understanding some of the learned behaviors of the locker room, though it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out what is going on both in the offices and on the court. Someone with an above average intelligence, curiosity, and willingness to ask when they don't know, can cover a basketball team just fine.

I think you give and you get, but the role of former player as guide to the fan experience is, to me, waaay overplayed. What Howard Cosell once called "The Jockocracy", dismantling journalism in favor of tales by the campfire.

I'd rather see a former player on the mic than on the print beat. Writing is a skill. All of the game's concepts you just laid out are ones that are readily available to the non-player if they care to learn.

The problem here is Pascoe is lazy. Not that he didn't play...he is just lazy.

[zonagrad]

I heard the miller presser today on 1290 with Kevin and mike Luke. My god Bruce Pacsoe asks the stupidest questions ever and I love how Miller reacts to him it’s really priceless

Bruce is actually a really nice guy. But he’s been asking stupid questions to Lute & Miller for 20+ years now.

He obviously never played the game. Guys that have never competed just don’t understand.

What does playing the game have to do with anything?

Because if you've played and competed in athletics, there are questions that are just stupid to ask. I don't have a specific example -- but I've witnessed Bruce ask some eye-rolling questions of Lute & Miller. And I think the same applies to officiating to some degree. You can understand the letter of the law (rule) but not understand the spirit of the law (rule).

Does that mean somebody who hasn't played the game or competed is ruled out of being a capable reporter (or official). No, it doesn't. But I do think it matters a great deal. It's a perspective you can't understand unless you've been there, done that.

[zonagrad]

You develop a better understanding of strategy, preparation and overall management of teams.

I mean, a writer who just gets press conference info may not understand like funnel principles based on thirds of the court. You never hear depth like who consistently hits appropriate contact on spacing in closeout situations. You want to be arm's length from the shooter with weight back. Does Miller see Smith doing that more consistentlh than other perimeter guys? Is that why Smith plays even though I constantly shake my head at his offense?

Watch the film sessions. It's a brief glimpse into the depth you can get into with basketball. Instead, we get general questions and general answers. Miller is even more direct than most coaches and it's still blah.

To me, there is positive and negative. Former players are too often ensconsed in the culture, don't think beyond how a player thinks, have strong opinions on certain styles of play, and aren't really much of an advocate for the reader/viewer, unless the reader/viewer is a former player. The best former players turned reporters/broadcasters are often the ones who weren't stars, and learn their audience. But many former players have this wall in their head about fans or outsiders, an "us vs them" fraternity of former players, and do a very poor job relating to the audience for which they are employed. A former player can offer color that someone who hasn't played cannot, which is why someone like a Steve Kerr was so awesome on the mic...but there are far too many former players who are well below average in analyzing play or covering a team for an audience. In print media, a former player as a beat writer is too easily sucked into being part of the team rather than covering the team.

People who haven't played obviously have deficiencies in understanding some of the learned behaviors of the locker room, though it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out what is going on both in the offices and on the court. Someone with an above average intelligence, curiosity, and willingness to ask when they don't know, can cover a basketball team just fine.

I think you give and you get, but the role of former player as guide to the fan experience is, to me, waaay overplayed. What Howard Cosell once called "The Jockocracy", dismantling journalism in favor of tales by the campfire.

I'd rather see a former player on the mic than on the print beat. Writing is a skill. All of the game's concepts you just laid out are ones that are readily available to the non-player if they care to learn.

The problem here is Pascoe is lazy. Not that he didn't play...he is just lazy.

I don't think Bruce is lazy. In fact, he's very mechanical and works very hard. But there are aspects of sports that he just doesn't get and it gets him in trouble and makes him look foolish when he asks questions that reveal his naivete. Bruce has covered the men's basketball beat for about 20 years now (maybe longer). He's a really nice guy. But he asks some dumbass questions. Let's just say Bruce has never laced up his shoes and stepped on a court to know what it's like to compete.

[PHXCATS]

I heard the miller presser today on 1290 with Kevin and mike Luke. My god Bruce Pacsoe asks the stupidest questions ever and I love how Miller reacts to him it’s really priceless

Bruce is actually a really nice guy. But he’s been asking stupid questions to Lute & Miller for 20+ years now.

He obviously never played the game. Guys that have never competed just don’t understand.

What does playing the game have to do with anything?

Because if you've played and competed in athletics, there are questions that are just stupid to ask. I don't have a specific example -- but I've witnessed Bruce ask some eye-rolling questions of Lute & Miller. And I think the same applies to officiating to some degree. You can understand the letter of the law (rule) but not understand the spirit of the law (rule).

Does that mean somebody who hasn't played the game or competed is ruled out of being a capable reporter (or official). No, it doesn't. But I do think it matters a great deal. It's a perspective you can't understand unless you've been there, done that.

I kind of understand where you are coming from but I think it more that Bruce is just dumb in press conferences. I would venture to say that 98% of the best sports bloggers and reports and columnist did not play sports past high school

[Spaceman Spiff]

You develop a better understanding of strategy, preparation and overall management of teams.

I mean, a writer who just gets press conference info may not understand like funnel principles based on thirds of the court. You never hear depth like who consistently hits appropriate contact on spacing in closeout situations. You want to be arm's length from the shooter with weight back. Does Miller see Smith doing that more consistentlh than other perimeter guys? Is that why Smith plays even though I constantly shake my head at his offense?

Watch the film sessions. It's a brief glimpse into the depth you can get into with basketball. Instead, we get general questions and general answers. Miller is even more direct than most coaches and it's still blah.

To me, there is positive and negative. Former players are too often ensconsed in the culture, don't think beyond how a player thinks, have strong opinions on certain styles of play, and aren't really much of an advocate for the reader/viewer, unless the reader/viewer is a former player. The best former players turned reporters/broadcasters are often the ones who weren't stars, and learn their audience. But many former players have this wall in their head about fans or outsiders, an "us vs them" fraternity of former players, and do a very poor job relating to the audience for which they are employed. A former player can offer color that someone who hasn't played cannot, which is why someone like a Steve Kerr was so awesome on the mic...but there are far too many former players who are well below average in analyzing play or covering a team for an audience. In print media, a former player as a beat writer is too easily sucked into being part of the team rather than covering the team.

People who haven't played obviously have deficiencies in understanding some of the learned behaviors of the locker room, though it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out what is going on both in the offices and on the court. Someone with an above average intelligence, curiosity, and willingness to ask when they don't know, can cover a basketball team just fine.

I think you give and you get, but the role of former player as guide to the fan experience is, to me, waaay overplayed. What Howard Cosell once called "The Jockocracy", dismantling journalism in favor of tales by the campfire.

I'd rather see a former player on the mic than on the print beat. Writing is a skill. All of the game's concepts you just laid out are ones that are readily available to the non-player if they care to learn.

The problem here is Pascoe is lazy. Not that he didn't play...he is just lazy.

I suppose it's somewhat a matter of preference. I prefer an educated take with a bias or point of view you have to tease out. A lot of that is because I figure all writers get biased sooner or later, so you might as well get education with it.

I also think journalism is almost a drawback on the local level. Too many local news media think they're Bob Woodward trying break Watergate about Sean Miller. Ari Alexander, who I find intolerable, is the worst example of this. It's a weird world we live in where sports journalists are seeking to be muckrakers and half of political reporting has faded into worthless 5 second op-ed takes that require no digging or insight.

I honestly don't ever read anything Pascoe writes except for the notebook fact blurbs on occasion. For my money, I get better insight on this board.

[Merkin]

Remember this?

https://tucson.com/sports/college/wildc ... ed03e.html" target="_blank

Q: You had said that you couldn't say anything at first because of what the athletic administrators told you. And then you said the PR firm changed its story?

A: Now you can see why I refer to Bruce as Columbo. Oh (pointing), would you introduce yourself please?

[zonagrad]

You develop a better understanding of strategy, preparation and overall management of teams.

I mean, a writer who just gets press conference info may not understand like funnel principles based on thirds of the court. You never hear depth like who consistently hits appropriate contact on spacing in closeout situations. You want to be arm's length from the shooter with weight back. Does Miller see Smith doing that more consistentlh than other perimeter guys? Is that why Smith plays even though I constantly shake my head at his offense?

Watch the film sessions. It's a brief glimpse into the depth you can get into with basketball. Instead, we get general questions and general answers. Miller is even more direct than most coaches and it's still blah.

To me, there is positive and negative. Former players are too often ensconsed in the culture, don't think beyond how a player thinks, have strong opinions on certain styles of play, and aren't really much of an advocate for the reader/viewer, unless the reader/viewer is a former player. The best former players turned reporters/broadcasters are often the ones who weren't stars, and learn their audience. But many former players have this wall in their head about fans or outsiders, an "us vs them" fraternity of former players, and do a very poor job relating to the audience for which they are employed. A former player can offer color that someone who hasn't played cannot, which is why someone like a Steve Kerr was so awesome on the mic...but there are far too many former players who are well below average in analyzing play or covering a team for an audience. In print media, a former player as a beat writer is too easily sucked into being part of the team rather than covering the team.

People who haven't played obviously have deficiencies in understanding some of the learned behaviors of the locker room, though it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out what is going on both in the offices and on the court. Someone with an above average intelligence, curiosity, and willingness to ask when they don't know, can cover a basketball team just fine.

I think you give and you get, but the role of former player as guide to the fan experience is, to me, waaay overplayed. What Howard Cosell once called "The Jockocracy", dismantling journalism in favor of tales by the campfire.

I'd rather see a former player on the mic than on the print beat. Writing is a skill. All of the game's concepts you just laid out are ones that are readily available to the non-player if they care to learn.

The problem here is Pascoe is lazy. Not that he didn't play...he is just lazy.

I suppose it's somewhat a matter of preference. I prefer an educated take with a bias or point of view you have to tease out. A lot of that is because I figure all writers get biased sooner or later, so you might as well get education with it.

I also think journalism is almost a drawback on the local level. Too many local news media think they're Bob Woodward trying break Watergate about Sean Miller. Ari Alexander, who I find intolerable, is the worst example of this. It's a weird world we live in where sports journalists are seeking to be muckrakers and half of political reporting has faded into worthless 5 second op-ed takes that require no digging or insight.

I honestly don't ever read anything Pascoe writes except for the notebook fact blurbs on occasion. For my money, I get better insight on this board.

Unfortunately, this isn't new.

Lute had his detractors in the mid-80's, before the first final four. Rich Dymond and another writer thought they had the scoop of the century because of a shoe deal and thought Lute was taking illegal kickbacks. It pissed Lute off so much it nearly contributed to him bolting for Kentucky. And Dymond and the Daily Star's editor/writer got canned.

As for local tv sportscasters, there's nothing, absolutely nothing they report that hasn't already been reported on social media. They're no longer useful.

[Alieberman]

Remember this?

https://tucson.com/sports/college/wildc ... ed03e.html" target="_blank

Q: You had said that you couldn't say anything at first because of what the athletic administrators told you. And then you said the PR firm changed its story?

A: Now you can see why I refer to Bruce as Columbo. Oh (pointing), would you introduce yourself please?

Holy Shit, I had never heard / read that. My goodness Coach O was feisty!!!!!!! That was awesome.

[Longhorned]

Remember this?

https://tucson.com/sports/college/wildc ... ed03e.html" target="_blank

Q: You had said that you couldn't say anything at first because of what the athletic administrators told you. And then you said the PR firm changed its story?

A: Now you can see why I refer to Bruce as Columbo. Oh (pointing), would you introduce yourself please?

Holy Shit, I had never heard / read that. My goodness Coach O was feisty!!!!!!! That was awesome.

Wasn't that the press conference when Lute was a little affected from the stroke and was behaving differently from his usual self, and later apologized? Like his filter was momentarily down and he said everything on his mind?

[CatFanOneMil]

Remember this?

https://tucson.com/sports/college/wildc ... ed03e.html" target="_blank

Q: You had said that you couldn't say anything at first because of what the athletic administrators told you. And then you said the PR firm changed its story?

A: Now you can see why I refer to Bruce as Columbo. Oh (pointing), would you introduce yourself please?

Holy Shit, I had never heard / read that. My goodness Coach O was feisty!!!!!!! That was awesome.

Yea I had never rad thart before either and Lute certainly was fiesty...the thing that stood WAY OUT to me was his comments about his health issue:

"This issue, though, has raised my blood pressure all the way up to 113/65 and my resting heart rate has gone from 60 to 62. So I'm concerned about my health (smiling)."

This is some serious fucking shade he is throwing...imagine a guy in his what 60's (at the time) saying his BP went UP to 113/65...

He was either being as sarcastic as possible or healthier than a teenager.

[prh]

Remember this?

https://tucson.com/sports/college/wildc ... ed03e.html" target="_blank

Q: You had said that you couldn't say anything at first because of what the athletic administrators told you. And then you said the PR firm changed its story?

A: Now you can see why I refer to Bruce as Columbo. Oh (pointing), would you introduce yourself please?

And this for Hansen

Q: I'm just curious why you didn't go through the SID department to announce your leave in November, instead going through a Phoenix public relations firm?

A: Why didn't I go through sports information? Why, do you think I should have?

Q: Yes.

A: OK, so that's my fault. I thought the most important thing was that I would indicate why I was requesting the leave and ... Greg (Hansen), there's a lot of things I wouldn't go through you with, too. Because I've seen and heard plenty of things. So the good thing is you're not going to have to talk to me and I'm not going to have to talk to you. We're back where we were a few years ago.

[EVCat]

Coaches have a tendency to suffer from God Complex, and so do reporters, so it is an effective check-and-balance system to me.

I really don't believe you have to have played to refrain from ignorant questions. I also think the "ignorant questions" are purposeful at times, designed to elicit a quote.

I believe Pascoe is lazy. Maybe a better term is "too familiar". He allowed online and out of town media take the lead on one of the biggest stories in the sport last year. Those timeline questions Scheer was asking? Pascoe was not limited in figuring them out. Not from a "we didn't do it" fan perspective, but from a "this doesn't make sense" reporting perspective. I use one of Pascoe's co-workers to frame my opinion...Michael Lev works hard, both in print and through social media, to provide up to date information and detail on our football team, without descending into the online fan-site driven madness. He is always well-prepared and working on some new angle to cover the team. We are so lucky to have him...lucky the industry is in such a flux now and we can have his talent in this sized market. Anthony Gimino used to grind to find angles that were interesting to us fans...still does...without turning into Woodward or Bernstein, but I am guessing he would have been equipped to handle a big story had one dropped on us. Charles Durrenberger was a FANTASTIC beat reporter, going back a few years. He pissed coaches off here and there, but he never appeared to lose sight of who the reader was or where an interesting story might be found. There have been others...but Pascoe has consistently underwhelmed. I won't bother to drag those who have left the beat that also lacked...

Hansen? He is an entirely different animal. He isn't a reporter...he is a writer. Sadly, he writes non-fiction in a genre where facts matter, but sometimes he is neither particularly motivated, or maybe capable, of finding those facts that should guide his opinion.

Radio/TV color commentary is a different beast. I don't really want former players doing beat writing, but on the mic, it is much more natural.

[Spaceman Spiff]

One of my big criticisms of the local media during the FBI and ESPN issues is the extent to which they got locked on the idea of scandal and uncertainty in Miller's future. We got a ton of rotating articles implying the hammer was about to drop.

That's about when I stopped reading local takes. The Daily Star must have had some mandate that every article about Arizona basketball had to mention the FBI investigation regardless of the topic. We got stuff like "Amid growing concerns over Sean Miller's future in the light of a FBI investigation, several Wildcats visited young cancer patients at UMC to hand out posters."

The handling of that really slammed home that there's minimal actual investigation or journalism going on in local outlets. Instead we get shoddy, sensationalized repackaging of widely available info in the guise of being something new.

If you don't want a member of the jockocracy who has some knowledge, you at least need some vestige of real journalism. We got a sad masquerade of pseudo-investigative journalism based in saber rattling in hopes of a scandal. Then, the scandal didn't really pay off and we were left with scores of articles that ultimately meant jack shit and might as well not have been written.

[Spaceman Spiff]

In case it's not clear, I'm not a fan of Tucson sports media.

[zonagrad]

Coaches have a tendency to suffer from God Complex, and so do reporters, so it is an effective check-and-balance system to me.

I really don't believe you have to have played to refrain from ignorant questions. I also think the "ignorant questions" are purposeful at times, designed to elicit a quote.

I believe Pascoe is lazy. Maybe a better term is "too familiar". He allowed online and out of town media take the lead on one of the biggest stories in the sport last year. Those timeline questions Scheer was asking? Pascoe was not limited in figuring them out. Not from a "we didn't do it" fan perspective, but from a "this doesn't make sense" reporting perspective. I use one of Pascoe's co-workers to frame my opinion...Michael Lev works hard, both in print and through social media, to provide up to date information and detail on our football team, without descending into the online fan-site driven madness. He is always well-prepared and working on some new angle to cover the team. We are so lucky to have him...lucky the industry is in such a flux now and we can have his talent in this sized market. Anthony Gimino used to grind to find angles that were interesting to us fans...still does...without turning into Woodward or Bernstein, but I am guessing he would have been equipped to handle a big story had one dropped on us. Charles Durrenberger was a FANTASTIC beat reporter, going back a few years. He pissed coaches off here and there, but he never appeared to lose sight of who the reader was or where an interesting story might be found. There have been others...but Pascoe has consistently underwhelmed. I won't bother to drag those who have left the beat that also lacked...

Hansen? He is an entirely different animal. He isn't a reporter...he is a writer. Sadly, he writes non-fiction in a genre where facts matter, but sometimes he is neither particularly motivated, or maybe capable, of finding those facts that should guide his opinion.

Radio/TV color commentary is a different beast. I don't really want former players doing beat writing, but on the mic, it is much more natural.

I don't disagree with any of this, except I don't believe Pascoe to be lazy. He puts in the time. He's just not good. He also has an editor who converses with Hansen. So it would be great to be a fly on the wall in those conversations. The Daily Star put their chips to the middle of the table and bet on the ESPN report being true and tried to get ahead of the call for Miller's head. They bet wrong because they abandoned real journalism. Sheer and everyone else were just asking for facts and not heresay. And the facts never came out. Big miscalculation. And that's why a majority of people who follow Arizona basketball have zero respect for the Star.

[ChooChooCat]

When is the last time Arizona held a team to under 60 points at McKale and lost??

[ASUHATER!]

When is the last time Arizona held a team to under 60 points at McKale and lost??

December 15, 2018 against Baylor

[ChooChooCat]

When is the last time Arizona held a team to under 60 points at McKale and lost??

December 15, 2018 against Baylor

Hahahahaha I obviously seared that one out of my brain. Ok how about before this season?

[rgdeuce]

2011-2012 season. Lost 59-57 to Oregon at home. Also lost to San Diego St that season at McKale 61-57, just above the threshold.

[Spaceman Spiff]

2011-2012 season. Lost 59-57 to Oregon at home. Also lost to San Diego St that season at McKale 61-57, just above the threshold.

This season does have a lot of parallels to 11-12, from the weak Pac, to a down year for us, playing small, rough shooting, tourney bubble...

[EVCat]

If you don't want a member of the jockocracy who has some knowledge, you at least need some vestige of real journalism. We got a sad masquerade of pseudo-investigative journalism based in saber rattling in hopes of a scandal. Then, the scandal didn't really pay off and we were left with scores of articles that ultimately meant jack shit and might as well not have been written.

100

But local print media is dying, so no one goes hard. I see Lev working the football angle, but he is so much better than his market, and you can see his online presence still has him throwing up interesting stuff about USC even though it isn't his job. He just did that job well, too. He is a dying breed.

But, yeah...if we can't get a good, professional beat writer who doesn't really look to break stories unless they are huge, and reports big stories from a fan and program perspective, then I'd rather not have one...

Pascoe's lack of balls on the Miller story frustrated me. Their young issues reporter, Katelyn (?) Schmidt, ran circles around him, and others when she was assigned to the Title IX issues with RichRod and also adding color to the ABOR story. She was definitely a little too pre-determined in the backbone of what she was reporting, but her instincts as a reporter appear to be solid. She basically made Pascoe into a non-entity. I mean, hell...summer in Tucson...what are you going to write? Pascoe had the opportunity to write the ultimate longform detailing the investigation, the timeline, what we know and don't know, the ABOR and president/AD seemingly sudden reversal and the weight that carries in stepping up for an embattled coach, etc. Could have been the SI story mixed with a local angle and killed.

But we got nothing.

That's what I mean by lazy.

[EVCat]

In case it's not clear, I'm not a fan of Tucson sports media.

I think I am clear in liking Lev, and some of the online stuff like Gimino and Morales.

Pascoe and Rivera leave me cold.

I like that Ryan kid getting out and covering minor sports that aren't minor to me (soccer, softball)...

[PieceOfMeat]

So this team isn't making the ncaa tourney is it.

[ChooChooCat]

So this team isn't making the ncaa tourney is it.

Depends on Vegas.

[Merkin]

I like that Ryan kid getting out and covering minor sports that aren't minor to me (soccer, softball)...

Good write up here:

https://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketbal ... BQcnwuHuvU" target="_blank

Randolph is shooting just .350/.375/1.000 in Pac-12 play. As Arizona’s highest usage player, he has to start finding his groove if the Wildcats are going to become a decent offensive team and win the Pac-12 title/make the NCAA Tournament.

Right now they rank 123rd in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency, per KenPom. They have never finished worse than 87th under Miller.

[PieceOfMeat]

So this team isn't making the ncaa tourney is it.

Depends on Vegas.

I have a very hard time believing that this team could/would win 3(possibly 4) games in as many nights in the pac12 tourney.

[EVCat]

So this team isn't making the ncaa tourney is it.

Depends on Vegas.

Really, those three days are almost certainly our only way in.

Unless we really go on a run and last night is a rare loss. Which is possible in this conference, but not likely.

Get a good seed, make the first game a "should win", then see if you can be like Wofford and play your way in...

[EVCat]

So this team isn't making the ncaa tourney is it.

Depends on Vegas.

I have a very hard time believing that this team could/would win 3(possibly 4) games in as many nights in the pac12 tourney.

The "possibly 4" is not realistic.

It would be from a likely top 3 seed getting a 7 or lower first.

Then, two games where someone has to win both. No one else in this conference has shown they can be at their best for 3 nights. There are 3 or 4 teams that realistically can do so vs this field...we are one of them, last night considered. But we are no favorite.

[Spaceman Spiff]

So this team isn't making the ncaa tourney is it.

Depends on Vegas.

I have a very hard time believing that this team could/would win 3(possibly 4) games in as many nights in the pac12 tourney.

Possibly 4? Good lord with the overreactions. We're 4-1 and a half game out of first in the conference.

I'd slate our tourney chances the same way as our regular season chances. Every game is winnable and every game is loseable.

[PieceOfMeat]

So this team isn't making the ncaa tourney is it.

Depends on Vegas.

I have a very hard time believing that this team could/would win 3(possibly 4) games in as many nights in the pac12 tourney.

Possibly 4? Good lord with the overreactions.

you also realize i was just filling in the length of the tournament, right?

talk about overreactions.