[SuperJon]

The biggest thing that will play against the "my best guys are back next year" argument from Layer is that his best guys aren't that good.

[thepostman]

If Layer is back next year then it becomes very, very clear that men's basketball is not high on the priority list. Even if that is not really the case that is how it appears to outsiders. The sad thing is I really think DL has a better chance at staying another year than he does at getting fired.

[Purple Haize]

The biggest thing that will play against the "my best guys are back next year" argument from Layer is that his best guys aren't that good.

Gielo is pretty solid
Dawson fills a need
Tolbert gives us length
Retic will have experience under his belt

Add them to Theo Johnson, an improved and pleasantly surprising Evan Maxwell and the rest of the now experienced crew and we could easily be above .500

[Bigsouthking]

The biggest thing that will play against the "my best guys are back next year" argument from Layer is that his best guys aren't that good.

Gielo is pretty solid
Dawson fills a need
Tolbert gives us length
Retic will have experience under his belt

Add them to Theo Johnson, an improved and pleasantly surprising Evan Maxwell and the rest of the now experienced crew and we could easily be above .500

Plus Kermite can shoot it!

But the same system? hasn't worked yet, even the championship team had everyone return.

[Neo]

The biggest thing that will play against the "my best guys are back next year" argument from Layer is that his best guys aren't that good.

Gielo is pretty solid
Dawson fills a need
Tolbert gives us length
Retic will have experience under his belt

Add them to Theo Johnson, an improved and pleasantly surprising Evan Maxwell and the rest of the now experienced crew and we could easily be above .500

WTF. Still a little "buzzed" from Saturday night maybe?

[Purple Haize]

The biggest thing that will play against the "my best guys are back next year" argument from Layer is that his best guys aren't that good.

Gielo is pretty solid
Dawson fills a need
Tolbert gives us length
Retic will have experience under his belt

Add them to Theo Johnson, an improved and pleasantly surprising Evan Maxwell and the rest of the now experienced crew and we could easily be above .500

WTF. Still a little "buzzed" from Saturday night maybe?

Gielo and Theo Johnson are 1st team all Big South Caliber talents.

[Purple Haize]

The biggest thing that will play against the "my best guys are back next year" argument from Layer is that his best guys aren't that good.

Gielo is pretty solid
Dawson fills a need
Tolbert gives us length
Retic will have experience under his belt

Add them to Theo Johnson, an improved and pleasantly surprising Evan Maxwell and the rest of the now experienced crew and we could easily be above .500

Plus Kermite can shoot it!

But the same system? hasn't worked yet, even the championship team had everyone return.

There were chemistry issues with the Post Championship team. And you can't always predict that
As for 'the same system' sometimes you run your system to fit the players you have instead of what you expected to have

[olldflame]

The biggest thing that will play against the "my best guys are back next year" argument from Layer is that his best guys aren't that good.

Gielo is pretty solid
Dawson fills a need
Tolbert gives us length
Retic will have experience under his belt

Add them to Theo Johnson, an improved and pleasantly surprising Evan Maxwell and the rest of the now experienced crew and we could easily be above .500

For a minute there I got excited thinking we had another transfer. Then I figured out that when you typed "Tolbert" you were no doubt referring to Ezra TALBERT. We haven't seen him play healthy yet. I think he may be a sleeper.

There is potential next year. Nobody wants to predict anything from the recruiting class, but one of those players, 6'9" 240 German F/C Robin Jorch, could well be an immediate upgrade. This guy has been starting for the senior national team, which is a whole different level from the age-group teams Gielo played on for Poland. Jorch held his own head to head under the basket on the defensive end with Russia's 7 footer Sokolov and then caused problems on offense by taking him outside to shoot 3s. The other Euro big from Poland is younger, and sounds like a taller version of Gielo, so he may be more of a project.

My guess is Dawson will become the starting PG, Dembley will be the backup, and Retic will be moved to the utility role we discussed when we thought we would have Bonds at PG. It hasn't resulted in wins, but Dembley has done a decent job filling in, and our turnovers are way down since he has been starting at PG.

[Purple Haize]

The biggest thing that will play against the "my best guys are back next year" argument from Layer is that his best guys aren't that good.

Gielo is pretty solid
Dawson fills a need
Tolbert gives us length
Retic will have experience under his belt

Add them to Theo Johnson, an improved and pleasantly surprising Evan Maxwell and the rest of the now experienced crew and we could easily be above .500

For a minute there I got excited thinking we had another transfer. Then I figured out that when you typed "Tolbert" you were no doubt referring to Ezra TALBERT. We haven't seen him play healthy yet. I think he may be a sleeper.

There is potential next year. Nobody wants to predict anything from the recruiting class, but one of those players, 6'9" 240 German F/C Robin Jorch, could well be an immediate upgrade. This guy has been starting for the senior national team, which is a whole different level from the age-group teams Gielo played on for Poland. Jorch held his own head to head under the basket on the defensive end with Russia's 7 footer Sokolov and then caused problems on offense by taking him outside to shoot 3s. The other Euro big from Poland is younger, and sounds like a taller version of Gielo, so he may be more of a project.

My guess is Dawson will become the starting PG, Dembley will be the backup, and Retic will be moved to the utility role we discussed when we thought we would have Bonds at PG. It hasn't resulted in wins, but Dembley has done a decent job filling in, and our turnovers are way down since he has been starting at PG.

Tablert - Tolbert. Tomato - Tomatoe
I don't know anything about the incoming recruits but Jorch sounds like an impact player to add to the mix.
DL has a case to be made.....if you can over look 80+ losses in 4 years

[comet]

With Ethan having one year left and a $300k salary, I wouldn't be surprised that Layer pushes to stay another year.

One thing that hasn't been addressed too much: Perhaps Layer himself thinks a change would be mutually beneficial. He has been successful before. He can be successful again.

[olldflame]

With Ethan having one year left and a $300k salary, I wouldn't be surprised that Layer pushes to stay another year.

One thing that hasn't been addressed too much: Perhaps Layer himself thinks a change would be mutually beneficial. He has been successful before. He can be successful again.

I have no doubt the idea of moving on has occurred to Dale, but coming off the last few years there is no way he will get a deal to make anywhere near $300,000 as an assistant like McKay did, so it would involve a big pay cut. Stranger things have happened though.

[4everfsu]

Funny thing about potential. SS Titanic had potential also.

[JakeP50]

Funny thing about potential. SS Titanic had potential also.

[Purple Haize]

Funny thing about potential. SS Titanic had potential also.

So did Tom Brady
So did Mike Piazza
So did the 1980 US Hockey Team

[TheGovernor]

There were chemistry issues with the Post Championship team. And you can't always predict that

Who?

[Purple Haize]

The back court

[VAGolf]

6 consecutive years of mediocrity or worse and you lose excuses. Especially when those excuses are the same each season.

[Purple Haize]

6 consecutive years of mediocrity or worse and you lose excuses. Especially when those excuses are the same each season.

But he made the Tourney 2 seasons ago. Demonstrating he CAN get it done

[comet]

That tourney run a couple of years ago was amazing; the team would have likely won its opening round game if that late foul got called.

But... that run is proving proving to be an anomaly in the six-year picture. Even then, it was the second time in the history of the tournament that a team with 20 losses advanced to the dance.

[flameshaw]

6 consecutive years of mediocrity or worse and you lose excuses. Especially when those excuses are the same each season.

But he made the Tourney 2 seasons ago. Demonstrating he CAN get it done

Losing 20 games in a season is not getting it done, regardless of getting into the tourney play-in game. Would you be happy with that every year? Personally, it is embarrassing. Maybe my expectations are too high.

[Purple Haize]

6 consecutive years of mediocrity or worse and you lose excuses. Especially when those excuses are the same each season.

But he made the Tourney 2 seasons ago. Demonstrating he CAN get it done

Losing 20 games in a season is not getting it done, regardless of getting into the tourney play-in game. Would you be happy with that every year? Personally, it is embarrassing. Maybe my expectations are too high.

Id take making the play in game every year.

[flameshaw]

After a 20 loss season? No thanks.

[comet]

Well, at 20 losses in a year, the only possibility is a play-in game. Or, we can build a winning program year in and year out like Winthrop did, and see our seeds as high as 11 or better.

[VAGolf]

I wish we would have lost in the first round of that conference tournament. ESPN spent a whole week discussing how we were one of the worst teams to ever make the tournament. It was embarrassing. Then the next season, we ended up with a team full of prideful players that didn't know how to handle themselves after one small success. Being terrible all season and winning four straight games isn't getting it done, it's getting lucky. Personally, I'd rather have 10 straight 20 win seasons, be relevant and never make the tournament than go through that again.

If I was this bad at my job, for six consecutive years, I would have been fired. Getting lucky and landing one big account once in 5 years wouldn't cut it. Heck, it wouldn't cut if I only did that once every 5/6 months.

I don't care what we *think* his potential is with a healthy team. I've heard that BS for years now. I care about what we've seen every year he's been year, which is constant underperforming. There are coaches out there who not only could but would do better. Layer built a decent, not great, team at division 2. He had one good season at Colorado State and then they fell off the map. I have absolutely no reason to believe that anything with this team will change in the future. It's over.

[Purple Haize]

I wish we would have lost in the first round of that conference tournament. ESPN spent a whole week discussing how we were one of the worst teams to ever make the tournament. It was embarrassing. Then the next season, we ended up with a team full of prideful players that didn't know how to handle themselves after one small success. Being terrible all season and winning four straight games isn't getting it done, it's getting lucky. Personally, I'd rather have 10 straight 20 win seasons, be relevant and never make the tournament than go through that again.

If I was this bad at my job, for six consecutive years, I would have been fired. Getting lucky and landing one big account once in 5 years wouldn't cut it. Heck, it wouldn't cut if I only did that once every 5/6 months.

I don't care what we *think* his potential is with a healthy team. I've heard that BS for years now. I care about what we've seen every year he's been year, which is constant underperforming. There are coaches out there who not only could but would do better. Layer built a decent, not great, team at division 2. He had one good season at Colorado State and then they fell off the map. I have absolutely no reason to believe that anything with this team will change in the future. It's over.

And the Bolded is a BAD thing? You know 10 straight 20 win seasons with out a Tournament appearance will get you 0 days of coverage on ESPN. Or coming in consistently as a 16-14 seed.

Thanks for pointing that out