Why we lost

[gumby]

Let me count the ways.

1. Outrebounded by 7. Tarc 0. Ashley 3. Those two continue to disappoint on the glass. Meanwhile. TJ had 6. Hell, Johnson had 3 and barely played.
2. Outshot at the line. Down the stretch, we couldn't hit consecutive free throws. Hit 8 of the first 10 in the first half. Then 10-17. Beavers 13-17, all in the second half. Lost by two.
3. Outshot from the field, 38 percent to 51 percent.
4. Couldn't get stops. Two straight-line layups in crunch time, including the game winner, where Stan becomes a statue.
5. Tarc and Bash: 3 for 11. Bash passing up open jumpers.
6. Two quick fouls on Johnson.

The bigger wonder is how we only lost by two. Only TJ and Rondae showed up. This was bad. A well-rounded bad.

[Machina]

Coaching.

Say coaching because the need for time outs and subs was needed at the end and they were unavailable. Also the lack of desire, fire, leadership and preparation.

[gumby]

Yes, because you were at the practices and saw the lack of prep. Go pollute another thread.

[Machina]

Yes, because you were at the practices and saw the lack of prep. Go pollute another thread.

You think Arizona was prepared tonight for the 2-3 zone? Even if the team practiced against it all week, it is on Miller to get the players to do in the games what is practiced on in practice.

Coaching is part of this loss, plain and simple.

[psiclist23]

I just can't figure this team out. Defense is great, but you still have to score more points than your opponent. On paper this team is a monster, but the games I've seen they (mostly) don't impress me. The question I have had all year is, how can such highly rated players not be able to hit the side of a barn? And please don't trot out those stats; the numbers may be good, but we are constantly in close games with (or losing to) teams we should be blowing out. 21 points at half time? Come on!

edit: Tony Hinkle, the great Butler coach, when asked something like what is the secret to winning said "score more points".

[billk78]

Getting outshot from the field 51 to 38 will result in the other team having more rebounds. But I agree with your other statements. I will also add:

- We lack a true scorer. We badly need someone who can take the ball and get a bucket.

- We lack outside shooting. Teams can just pack the paint and defend us with ease.

- People can flame him all they want, but Zeus should have been in at the end of the game. Oregon State's buckets were too easy down the stretch. Simple dribble drive's to the hoop because there was no big man in the way. I don;t care how poorly he is playing. If you have a 7 foot big man his mere presence near the rim will keep most teams from having those easy drives.

- No one has improved from last season. No one has taken a step forward like you would expect. I thought for sure RHJ and Ashley would. I don;t know what's going on with Ashley. Too concerned about showing off his game? Is he an inside presence or an outside shooter? RHJ needs to take on more of a role in the offense. Still plays out of control a lot. Needs to be more patient. Love his D though.

- Our strong non-conference schedule last season was important. We got that early big win against Duke at MSG and the players and fans all got a big boost of confidence. Without a real signature win (you can argue Gonzaga is a good one, but not at last year's Duke level) losses like this one sting a lot more and hurt the confidence of all Wildcat Nation.

- All hope is not lost. We need guys to step up. How can you go a full season with not one returning player showing improvement? It has to come. Maybe it's just too early and the expectations for this team were too high. Stanley or RHJ need to become a go-to offensive threat. And York and Pitts need to knock down the treys more frequently. Our defense will always keep us in games....but we need to score.

Bear Down and improve!

[catgrad97]

Same problems, no adjustments. A re-run of the UNLV loss. When was the last time that's happened?

Color me concerned.

[azcat49]

York and Pitts, awful
Tarc and Bash, worse
SJ foul trouble
FTs what Gumby said
Defense, got exposed again against lessor talent. Too mant breakdowns
SJ gambling on the double team was a killer. Just stay in front
Miller, no issues from me. This stuff happens

Still believe we will get a top 4 seed
Win the pac tourney
Play for a FF

[Harvey Specter]

Coaching.

Say coaching because the need for time outs and subs was needed at the end and they were unavailable. Also the lack of desire, fire, leadership and preparation.

To acknowledge the obvious... Miller absolutely assumes (& deserves) responsibility for tonight's performance, which was horrendous. As do all of the players, save TJ and (maybe) Rondae.

That said, take your divisive anti-Miller agenda and shove it up your a$$. Go to the Arcadia Tavern where you can hold a forum to discuss whether or not Miller's anti-Phoenix alumni attitude was responsible for a) Wilbur's demeanor and b) the FB team's bed-$hitting performance against Oregon or the disastrous start against BSU.

But at least you are consistent. You like the one guy on the team that represents the "underdog" you relate to. I love TJ, too - but I love (just about) this entire team.

Coaches deserve responsibility for ALL of the good or bad things that happen under their watch. All of them... Not just the one you have some ridiculous hard-on for. (And just to be clear.. I LOVE both Rich Rod and Miller - and don't have a problem accepting that neither is perfect all the time).

I think Miller is very concerned with this team, because for the first time since he had been here - they do not seem as tough or cohesive. You could see it in his eyes in the 2nd half... And I think he was sending a pretty clear message to his front-court players that you better either toughen up or sit your a$$ down. Stanley needs a wake up call, too - but for other reasons.

That said, posts in other threads already writing off this season and pointing to next year are in inane. I have thought since the first exhibition game this year's team would have higher highs and lower lows than last season... But with a higher ceiling. Whether or not that ceiling is reached remains to be seen, but I have had concerns with Miller's past teams in mid-season every year... And every year they have been ready in the tournament. I still have faith.

But this is not going to be easy street...

[gumby]

Ha! Of course they practiced it. It's on them to execute. Bet they practice shooting and rebounding, too. But who can be sure with a slacker like Miller.

If I taught you how to post, Machina, and you kept putting up crap, that would be on you.

[psiclist23]

"Now, let's get to Arizona. They're 14-2 and 2-1 in the league, and they're still probably the favorite to win the Pac-12. Here's the thing though: the Wildcats aren't playing well in the slightest, and really haven't played well all season. It seems like there are some veritable chemistry issues here. Stanley Johnson was pretty invisible tonight after being benched last week. Offensive creation has been a real problem for this group, as it seems like they very rarely get easy points. It's clear they're missing Nick Johnson an awful lot in the backcourt.

This isn't a top-10 team right now. They now have two losses outside of the top-75 in KenPom in the past month, and haven't yet played well on the road this season. I don't know what the answer is for Sean Miller, but he has his work cut for him in the next few weeks. This squad isn't playing nearly up to the sum of its parts." (emphasis is mine)

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketb ... nked-foes

[BigSkyCatinMT]

Oregon moved on their feet much faster on defense than Arizona.

In the second half, I saw a total of 2 minutes where the team moved without the ball on offense.

Standing doesn't produce W's.

[Budd1e_lee]

"Now, let's get to Arizona. They're 14-2 and 2-1 in the league, and they're still probably the favorite to win the Pac-12. Here's the thing though: the Wildcats aren't playing well in the slightest, and really haven't played well all season. It seems like there are some veritable chemistry issues here. Stanley Johnson was pretty invisible tonight after being benched last week. Offensive creation has been a real problem for this group, as it seems like they very rarely get easy points. It's clear they're missing Nick Johnson an awful lot in the backcourt.

This isn't a top-10 team right now. They now have two losses outside of the top-75 in KenPom in the past month, and haven't yet played well on the road this season. I don't know what the answer is for Sean Miller, but he has his work cut for him in the next few weeks. This squad isn't playing nearly up to the sum of its parts." (emphasis is mine)

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketb ... nked-foes

It's been a few seasons since easy baskets were a thing.

[gumby]

Beavers aren't a good offensive team. But shot 64 percent in the second half. Defense is how we've gutted out road wins in the past. TJ, Rondae and Tarc are good defenders. The rest need work. Ashley, his third year, should be better. Wonder if it's the foot. Miller mentioned the Z word in presser. So you know he's concerned. Freshmen flake on the road, so I'm more concerned with Tarc and Bash. Regressed on the boards. Not good post-up scorers.

[Reydituto]

Coaching.

Say coaching because the need for time outs and subs was needed at the end and they were unavailable. Also the lack of desire, fire, leadership and preparation.

You play too many video games. You act like a coach just sits there and presses buttons on his controller, and the players just do what he says. Gumby nails the rest of it.

You think Arizona was prepared tonight for the 2-3 zone? Even if the team practiced against it all week, it is on Miller to get the players to do in the games what is practiced on in practice.

Coaching is part of this loss, plain and simple.

Again with the mindless "Miller must get the players to follow his commands" bullshit.

I am 100% certain Miller did everything he could to coach his players on how to attack a zone D. The recognition and the execution on the floor by the PLAYERS just wasn't there.

Getting outshot from the field 51 to 38 will result in the other team having more rebounds. But I agree with your other statements. I will also add:

- We lack a true scorer. We badly need someone who can take the ball and get a bucket.

- We lack outside shooting. Teams can just pack the paint and defend us with ease.

- People can flame him all they want, but Zeus should have been in at the end of the game. Oregon State's buckets were too easy down the stretch. Simple dribble drive's to the hoop because there was no big man in the way. I don;t care how poorly he is playing. If you have a 7 foot big man his mere presence near the rim will keep most teams from having those easy drives.

- No one has improved from last season. No one has taken a step forward like you would expect. I thought for sure RHJ and Ashley would. I don;t know what's going on with Ashley. Too concerned about showing off his game? Is he an inside presence or an outside shooter? RHJ needs to take on more of a role in the offense. Still plays out of control a lot. Needs to be more patient. Love his D though.

- Our strong non-conference schedule last season was important. We got that early big win against Duke at MSG and the players and fans all got a big boost of confidence. Without a real signature win (you can argue Gonzaga is a good one, but not at last year's Duke level) losses like this one sting a lot more and hurt the confidence of all Wildcat Nation.

- All hope is not lost. We need guys to step up. How can you go a full season with not one returning player showing improvement? It has to come. Maybe it's just too early and the expectations for this team were too high. Stanley or RHJ need to become a go-to offensive threat. And York and Pitts need to knock down the treys more frequently. Our defense will always keep us in games....but we need to score.

Bear Down and improve!

I like the cut of your jib billk78.

I think the Gonzaga win is as impressive as the Duke win, because as we found out, Duke was a paper tiger last year.

But yeah, Miller has some work to do. Still time.

Same problems, no adjustments. A re-run of the UNLV loss. When was the last time that's happened?

Color me concerned.

Can we Color You Badd?

Coaching.

Say coaching because the need for time outs and subs was needed at the end and they were unavailable. Also the lack of desire, fire, leadership and preparation.

To acknowledge the obvious... Miller absolutely assumes (& deserves) responsibility for tonight's performance, which was horrendous. As do all of the players, save TJ and (maybe) Rondae.

That said, take your divisive anti-Miller agenda and shove it up your a$$. Go to the Arcadia Tavern where you can hold a forum to discuss whether or not Miller's anti-Phoenix alumni attitude was responsible for a) Wilbur's demeanor and b) the FB team's bed-$hitting performance against Oregon or the disastrous start against BSU.

But at least you are consistent. You like the one guy on the team that represents the "underdog" you relate to. I love TJ, too - but I love (just about) this entire team.

Coaches deserve responsibility for ALL of the good or bad things that happen under their watch. All of them... Not just the one you have some ridiculous hard-on for. (And just to be clear.. I LOVE both Rich Rod and Miller - and don't have a problem accepting that neither is perfect all the time).

I think Miller is very concerned with this team, because for the first time since he had been here - they do not seem as tough or cohesive. You could see it in his eyes in the 2nd half... And I think he was sending a pretty clear message to his front-court players that you better either toughen up or sit your a$$ down. Stanley needs a wake up call, too - but for other reasons.

That said, posts in other threads already writing off this season and pointing to next year are in inane. I have thought since the first exhibition game this year's team would have higher highs and lower lows than last season... But with a higher ceiling. Whether or not that ceiling is reached remains to be seen, but I have had concerns with Miller's past teams in mid-season every year... And every year they have been ready in the tournament. I still have faith.

But this is not going to be easy street...

Ha! Of course they practiced it. It's on them to execute. Bet they practice shooting and rebounding, too. But who can be sure with a slacker like Miller.

If I taught you how to post, Machina, and you kept putting up crap, that would be on you.

"Now, let's get to Arizona. They're 14-2 and 2-1 in the league, and they're still probably the favorite to win the Pac-12. Here's the thing though: the Wildcats aren't playing well in the slightest, and really haven't played well all season. It seems like there are some veritable chemistry issues here. Stanley Johnson was pretty invisible tonight after being benched last week. Offensive creation has been a real problem for this group, as it seems like they very rarely get easy points. It's clear they're missing Nick Johnson an awful lot in the backcourt.

This isn't a top-10 team right now. They now have two losses outside of the top-75 in KenPom in the past month, and haven't yet played well on the road this season. I don't know what the answer is for Sean Miller, but he has his work cut for him in the next few weeks. This squad isn't playing nearly up to the sum of its parts." (emphasis is mine)

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketb ... anked-foes

I disagree to an extent with Vecenie. UA played well on the road 3 days ago, for one. I think UA has played well in several games this season. Oregon most recently, ASU for the first half, Michigan, Gonzaga when they needed to, a few others. But, aside from Michigan and the 1st half against ASU, they have not been dominant. Which is what was expected out of a Preseason Top 5 team.

I don't think chemistry was an issue tonight, execution was. Maybe chemistry from the stand point of people playing their roles and how those roles fit (or not) on the court, but in a two-point loss, execution usually matters.

Are they a Top 10 team? Maybe. Maybe not, that's for the voters to decide, but it doesn't really matter much in January. Judging solely by the UNLV and Oregon St games, they are not, and those are glaring losses. Judging by the whole season is another story, much of which has yet to be written.

[Puerco]

51% vs. 38%
46% vs. 24%
32 vs. 26

The question isn't how we lost but rather how we stayed in the game. OSU should have blown us out.

[CalStateTempe]

Whats the Z-word?

[Machina]

Whats the Z-word?

I believe it means Miller saying Arizona would play zone.

[CalStateTempe]

Whats the Z-word?

I believe it means Miller saying Arizona would play zone.

ha! I'll believe it when I see it.

[WildcatStunner]

Only unfinished business is falling short of expectations now. We have very serious issues that need to be fixed. The scary thing is that these issues may not be able to be fixed in the season. Will Bash magically become a better defender? Will our two guards do what is required and hit the open 3's when they are there? Will we actually play as a cohesive unit for an entire game instead of in spurts? Will we execute when faced with adversity? Will our senior leaders rise to the task and steer the ship? Not saying we can't solve these issues. But some are gonna require a lot of work.

[Merkin]

What game was it where the Cats played zone for a couple of minutes and executed it so badly Miller said that was the last time you will see it?

[CalStateTempe]

What game was it where the Cats played zone for a couple of minutes and executed it so badly Miller said that was the last time you will see it?

I believe it was against Duke MSG 2013.

[Machina]

What game was it where the Cats played zone for a couple of minutes and executed it so badly Miller said that was the last time you will see it?

UCI this year?

[gumby]

"Hey, coach, it's Game 16. What if they go zone?"

"We'll work on that later."

[Merkin]

What game was it where the Cats played zone for a couple of minutes and executed it so badly Miller said that was the last time you will see it?

UCI this year?

Yea, think so. Miller was not pleased at the effort and results.

[salim'sheadband]

If I taught you how to post, Machina, and you kept putting up crap, that would be on you.

Early candidate for line of the year.

[Bear Down Vegas]

I'm convinced the reason we lost is me. Allow me to explain.

I quit drinking over two weeks ago (not for good - maybe 4 or 5 weeks but I'll get back to that). Also, I'm a lifetime Denver Broncos fan. UofA sports & The Broncos are the only teams I claim to be a fan, anything else I enjoy - but far from a diehard.

I was so excited (& anxious) for both the playoffs AND the Cats playing afterwards, as well as seeing how I handled a huge sports day for me sans booze. The Bronco game was so bad (possibly worse than the Super Bowl, as it was a death knell) that the only glimmer of hope I had was to swap out my gear, grab another iced tea & wait for Arizona to pick me up a little bit.

An hour or so before tip I started quietly chuckling to myself thinking - Arizona is going to lose tonight & I'm going to have to rank today on a 'worst day of my sports life' scale. Side note - it's got to be close to #1 - maybe March 2005 was worse....yeah, that was worse. Damn...to have both of them shit the bed on the same day, one in such a grand scale it could (should?) be the end of an era, that is the epitome of suck. (No Machina - not Miller's era - The Donkeys)

So you're welcome. No need for hard hitting analysis or arguments over blame. The world revolves around me & I believe I've shown pretty clearly why Arizona lost last night. I'm simply being punished by the sports gods for attempting to reboot my liver.

All Apologies,

BDV


PS - If I didn't have a drink after that clusterfuck of a sports day - I may not have another one for longer than I thought. PAC 12 Tourney anyone?!?

[Olsondogg]

Just wondering when the last time that an Arizona team didn't lose a game in January...

[Catstatic]

OSU's coach is doing a tremendous job. They lost their top 5 scorers and still took us out to the woodshed last night. Our guys look absolutely lost against the zone. Miller calls a TO, inserts a shooter or two, and OSU immediately switches to man-to-man. Once again, our guys looked lost.

OSU also completely carved up our defense in the second half. Miller adjusted his game plan (no bigs to be seen at the end) to counter OSU. Can't remember a game in the last couple of years where the entire team, coaches included, seemed to be counter-punching all night long ... and not very well at that. That game is a blueprint on how to beat this team.

Oh, well. Miller gets the big bucks to figure it out, not us. We'll see what he does.

Go Cats!!

[catgrad97]

ESPN.com's Chantel Jennings actually believes crazy stuff like road stays and slow defense trump Bear Down Vegas' karma. Set her straight BDV.

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketba ... n-the-road

The team that played better won. That message came clear from Arizona coach Sean Miller.

“I credit Oregon State,” Miller said. “They earned their victory.”

The road is tough with a target on your back and this weekend was made no easier on the Wildcats who spent the weekend in Eugene after beating the Ducks 80-62 on Friday evening. Perhaps the lack of normalcy played a role as the Wildcats looked far from normal on the court on Sunday, too.

Point guard T.J. McConnell followed up his 21-point performance against Oregon with a 13-point output against the Beavers. Kaleb Tarczewski didn’t get a single rebound and didn’t score until the second half. Stanley Johnson snagged only three boards even with the benefit of a serious height advantage.

The Wildcats -- like the Blue Devils and Badgers, Cardinals and Longhorns -- didn’t look like themselves. Or rather, the opponent turned them into a team that wasn’t really within their true DNA.

In the first half Miller said it was “amazing” that Arizona held a lead at the half after shooting 6-of-23 from the floor (including 1-of-10 from range), but was happy with how the Wildcats finished from the stripe (8-of-10) and took care of the ball (two turnovers).

But the second half was an entirely different story.

The Wildcats were 11-of-22 from the floor and 3-of-7 from range while still committing only three turnovers in the second stanza. But the problems came when the Wildcats where on defense when they couldn’t seem to come up with an answer on the road for the Beavers during that half.

Oregon State’s perimeter players stepped up and after failing to reach the free throw line in the first half, the Beavers made 17 trips in the second.

“If we would’ve been able to get any kinds of stops we would’ve been able to open up a four-, six-, eight-point lead,” Miller said. “Because on offense we really did settle in.”

Overall, the Wildcats shot 12 percent below their field goal percentage, 13.5 percent below their 3-point field goal percentage and were out rebounded 32-26.

It won't just be the Wildcats' unlikely play that drops Arizona in the rankings. This weekend will surely shake the top 25.

But just halfway through the year it seems like nothing to be too upset about. If anything, there’s a slight reason to be grateful. The losses are coming early enough that these teams can right themselves and go their merry ways through their conferences schedules.

And for fans? Fans got some March Madness in January.

“This is an 18-game conference season,” Miller said. “You don’t win or lose a conference championship even on a single game, especially on the road.”

[scumdevils86]

Coaching.

Say coaching because the need for time outs and subs was needed at the end and they were unavailable. Also the lack of desire, fire, leadership and preparation.

fire miller!!!! you are such a dolt.

gumby is right. 0 rebounds for tarc is an abomination.

[Olsondogg]

Arizona played awful again, just like at UNLV. Typically, when teams play awful they lose. Most of the time they get blown out when playing awful. The interesting fact is that as bad as Arizona has played in their two losses, they had a chance to win both games.

UK is undefeated with their last two wins coming in extra minutes...one at home. They are unblemished, and a lock for #1. However, this is January and championships aren't decided in this month...so it really means nothing, aside from noting that they pulled out back to back wins, that easily could have been losses.

People can debate whether or not this team can shoot, or Miller can coach, or can whine about a loss on the road against inferior competition. We've done it in the past, present and will surely do it in the future.

I'd much rather win then lose, as would the team and coaches. I disagree that this team lacks a scorer, heart, or has some chemistry issue. Teams get beaten. Losses happen. Effort & desire are not always present.

Give credit to the teams that find something to exploit and use it to win a game. Games like the one last night will pay dividends in later weeks and months.

[Bear Down Vegas]

ESPN.com's Chantel Jennings actually believes crazy stuff like road stays and slow defense trump Bear Down Vegas' karma. Set her straight BDV.

I was attempting to be sarcastic, self-deprecating & humorous because yesterday sucked so badly for me. Sorry if that didn't come across correctly. I think the reasons we lost were spelled out pretty clearly already in the thread. I also tend to side with ODogg that losing a game on the road in January isn't the end of the world. Plenty to work on - I have confidence the team will be.

[Olsondogg]

I'm a crazy homer that thinks a January road loss is not the end of the world.

[Merkin]

Lute used to say win all your home games and half your away games.

The only caveat this year is don't end up in the same bracket at UK.

[Olsondogg]

Lute used to say win all your home games and half your away games.

The only caveat this year is don't end up in the same bracket at UK.

UK is beatable. Everyone is.

[catgrad97]

ESPN.com's Chantel Jennings actually believes crazy stuff like road stays and slow defense trump Bear Down Vegas' karma. Set her straight BDV.

I was attempting to be sarcastic, self-deprecating & humorous because yesterday sucked so badly for me. Sorry if that didn't come across correctly.

It did. My humor is pretty dry, sorry.

[Bear Down Vegas]

It did. My humor is pretty dry, sorry.

My man!!

Stupid sports has got me sideways today.

[az91]

Somebody in another thread suggest this team had a resemblance to the 2004 team that lost to Seton Hall in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

[Merkin]

Somebody in another thread suggest this team had a resemblance to the 2004 team that lost to Seton Hall in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

That team was one of the worst defensively the UA has ever had, besides 2 players (Iggy, Hassan) auditioning for the NBA.

Maybe they had the same no sense of urgency attitude, but don't see any other resemblance otherwise.

Believe all 5 starters from that UA team had NBA minutes.

[Jefe]

0-2 when Ristic and PJC are benched for the 2H

Anyone hear Bozo the clown during the pregame show? He said TJ is not a good defender. Was waiting for him to apologize during halftime but no luck. Once a drunk always a drunk

[SCCat]

Can we Color You Badd?

[gumby]

I'm a crazy homer that thinks a January road loss is not the end of the world.

Not true. You're a crazy homer for other reasons.

[gumby]

Oregon moved on their feet much faster on defense than Arizona.

In the second half, I saw a total of 2 minutes where the team moved without the ball on offense.

Standing doesn't produce W's.

So this does happen to other teams.

[Olsondogg]

I'm a crazy homer that thinks a January road loss is not the end of the world.

Not true. You're a crazy homer for other reasons.

Of course.

Homerly speaking, this team is built for March.

[Chicat]

I'm a crazy homer that thinks a January road loss is not the end of the world.

You and me both brother. I've already moved on.

[Olsondogg]

I'm a crazy homer that thinks a January road loss is not the end of the world.

You and me both brother. I've already moved on.

Furthermore, this is a huge week in Tucson. Rado and Tah...interesting that the one big game is on P12, while the other is on ESPN.

[Reydituto]

Only unfinished business is falling short of expectations now. We have very serious issues that need to be fixed. The scary thing is that these issues may not be able to be fixed in the season. Will Bash magically become a better defender? Will our two guards do what is required and hit the open 3's when they are there? Will we actually play as a cohesive unit for an entire game instead of in spurts? Will we execute when faced with adversity? Will our senior leaders rise to the task and steer the ship? Not saying we can't solve these issues. But some are gonna require a lot of work.

To answer your questions, in order:
No.
Unlikely.
Maybe, given time, which UA still has.
Maybe (see immediately above and below).
Yes. I trust TJMC.

Bottom line, like you said, some work to be done.

If I taught you how to post, Machina, and you kept putting up crap, that would be on you.

Early candidate for line of the year.

Standing ovation worthy.

I'm convinced the reason we lost is me. Allow me to explain.

I quit drinking over two weeks ago (not for good - maybe 4 or 5 weeks but I'll get back to that). Also, I'm a lifetime Denver Broncos fan. UofA sports & The Broncos are the only teams I claim to be a fan, anything else I enjoy - but far from a diehard.

I was so excited (& anxious) for both the playoffs AND the Cats playing afterwards, as well as seeing how I handled a huge sports day for me sans booze. The Bronco game was so bad (possibly worse than the Super Bowl, as it was a death knell) that the only glimmer of hope I had was to swap out my gear, grab another iced tea & wait for Arizona to pick me up a little bit.

An hour or so before tip I started quietly chuckling to myself thinking - Arizona is going to lose tonight & I'm going to have to rank today on a 'worst day of my sports life' scale. Side note - it's got to be close to #1 - maybe March 2005 was worse....yeah, that was worse. Damn...to have both of them shit the bed on the same day, one in such a grand scale it could (should?) be the end of an era, that is the epitome of suck. (No Machina - not Miller's era - The Donkeys)

So you're welcome. No need for hard hitting analysis or arguments over blame. The world revolves around me & I believe I've shown pretty clearly why Arizona lost last night. I'm simply being punished by the sports gods for attempting to reboot my liver.

All Apologies,

BDV


PS - If I didn't have a drink after that clusterfuck of a sports day - I may not have another one for longer than I thought. PAC 12 Tourney anyone?!?

I feel ya. Although with a name like Reydituto, I feel like the world actually revolves around me. As such, my day was worse.

I preface this with I have not quit drinking, although the idea of a 6-week slow liver cleanse without alcohol is appealing, maybe for Lent if I decide to take up Catholicism again, but I digress. I did not drink yesterday, but I certainly was driven to after the Sports day I had, which ranks in my Top 3 as Worst Ever. A recap:

- Slept in until 8:45, made some coffee and sat down to watch what was sure to be an Epic Day of Sports ...

- Manchester United Fan, since 1998 when I was in grad school and would VCR their Champions League games to watch in between study sessions as a diversion. Cole and Yorke, Keane, Becks, Scholes, and Peter the Great. Good times. 9:00 AM game against 4th place Southampton, at home. MU Lost 1-0 as I watched them waste chance after chance, and privately wondered if they'll ever shoot straight the rest of the season. Epic Day of Sports not off to a good start, but the game ended 7 minutes before Green Bay-Dallas at 11:00...

- Dallas fan here. At least they covered by a ½ point (Cha-ching!). Enough said.

- Little time for sadness, Broncos were on tap. Denver has always been my "AFC Mistress" since the days of Haven Moses and Rick Upchurch. I refer to Elway as "ElGod", and have seen more Broncos games live in the Old & New Mile Highs than I probably ever will see Dallas play in JerryWorld. Not the fervor I have for Dallas, but I follow them pretty closely. That game was an exercise in frustration, as you could sorta tell in the 2nd Quarter Denver was never going to put it together. I think you captured it BDV, in that it was the End of an Era, even if Manning comes back, as I think he's done - no mustard on his fastball, and unlike the NBA where you can sit Tim Duncan and let him accrue 10-15 "DNP-Old"s in a season, your starting QB needs to play every game he can. So that was sad. Also, lost the "cha-ching" I had previously won the game prior, even with teasing down the spread to -4. Grumble.

- And then UA. Even before the 3 prior fiascos I described above, I had a weird feeling about this game - relatively young team, on the road, late on a Sunday, before school starts, team been in Oregon since Wednesday - that I kept to myself lest I be accused of wearing tin foil on my head. I wasn't sure whether the focus or the legs for UA would be there, and it just seemed to have the same feel of a game UA could lose, despite all rational analysis to the contrary. So I refused to put any money on it (-9 felt really high, didn't want to tease it with anything else), and 5 minutes into the game, I knew my suspicions were correct. I truly don't think it was a lack of physical effort, to me they gave what they were mentally prepared to give. I'm not completely chucking this game in the crapper and dismissing it as an outlier, but I am with those who think losing a road game in January to an 11-4 team that was undefeated at home in January, isn't the worst sin in the world.

So I have you beat. 0-4. No lack of alcohol to blame it on either. Sleep didn't come easy either, so I feel like $10 today.

ESPN.com's Chantel Jennings actually believes crazy stuff like road stays and slow defense trump Bear Down Vegas' karma. Set her straight BDV.

I said as much at TOS' premium game thread, and got accused of being an condescending arrogant douchebag by some ignorant pissant that wasn't worth my time ... but anyway ...

The road is tough with a target on your back and this weekend was made no easier on the Wildcats who spent the weekend in Eugene after beating the Ducks 80-62 on Friday evening. Perhaps the lack of normalcy played a role as the Wildcats looked far from normal on the court on Sunday, too.

...

The Wildcats -- like the Blue Devils and Badgers, Cardinals and Longhorns -- didn’t look like themselves. Or rather, the opponent turned them into a team that wasn’t really within their true DNA.

...

Overall, the Wildcats shot 12 percent below their field goal percentage, 13.5 percent below their 3-point field goal percentage and were out rebounded 32-26.

It won't just be the Wildcats' unlikely play that drops Arizona in the rankings. This weekend will surely shake the top 25.

But just halfway through the year it seems like nothing to be too upset about. If anything, there’s a slight reason to be grateful. The losses are coming early enough that these teams can right themselves and go their merry ways through their conferences schedules.

And for fans? Fans got some March Madness in January.

“This is an 18-game conference season,” Miller said. “You don’t win or lose a conference championship even on a single game, especially on the road.”

That about sums it up for me. Not only did the tangibles not accrue for a UA victory, but as I suggested above, the intangibles weren't in UA's favor either. Such is life.

Can we Color You Badd?

YES!!!!! Thanks for that!

Arizona played awful again, just like at UNLV. Typically, when teams play awful they lose. Most of the time they get blown out when playing awful. The interesting fact is that as bad as Arizona has played in their two losses, they had a chance to win both games.

UK is undefeated with their last two wins coming in extra minutes...one at home. They are unblemished, and a lock for #1. However, this is January and championships aren't decided in this month...so it really means nothing, aside from noting that they pulled out back to back wins, that easily could have been losses.

People can debate whether or not this team can shoot, or Miller can coach, or can whine about a loss on the road against inferior competition. We've done it in the past, present and will surely do it in the future.

I'd much rather win then lose, as would the team and coaches. I disagree that this team lacks a scorer, heart, or has some chemistry issue. Teams get beaten. Losses happen. Effort & desire are not always present.

Give credit to the teams that find something to exploit and use it to win a game. Games like the one last night will pay dividends in later weeks and months.

After a poor night's sleep, that's about where I'm at. I think some people (not you OD), need to read or re-read SHB's fabulous "Stanley Johnson" piece, and come to the realization that much of this season's hopes - maybe too much - ride on his shoulders, as he is the only player on UA's team (who plays regular and substantial minutes) that isn't what he will be or become. Maybe Ristic makes a leap forward on defense to allow his offensive skills to impact the game, maybe PJC and Pitts can shake perimeter slumps or climb over that January wall, but really, all of the other key players are what they are, good, bad or inconsistent. IMNSHO, Stanley is the only one who can alter the equation by himself. Buckle up, because there is turbulence ahead.

[illcat]

Just a comment and question the Cats always seem to have a problem against the zone. So what is the best way to attack the 2-3 zone where they pack the inside.

[Merkin]

So what is the best way to attack the 2-3 zone where they pack the inside.

Not go 1 for 10 in 3 point shots the first half.

Pitts and York had open looks too. TJ is not going to make them no matter what.

Kadeem Allen isn't a long distance shooter either, so hopefully Trier can come through next year.