Stonybrook Redux

The Maroon · Stonybrook Redux

Let's face it....
Most of you (And I mean YOU) aren't expecting much of anything out of Fran's team this year. The championship years of the dot-com boom are a distant memory. We have only one senior because the other main recruit discovered he could dominate at Dickinson rather than fill the gaps at Lafayette. We're mising a couple of juniors who showed some serious promise for reasons that were never explained. Virtually all of our main players from last year are gone--and we're left with some REALLY skinny sophomores and (save Mintz, you gotta have beef if you are going to play in the Toronto Jewish league) and a promising (Aren't they all?) bunch of freshmen.

Nobody, even the murderers row of fans that sit facing the Leopard, think this team will get to 10 wins.

Well we now have 2.

I remember when Stefan Ciosici blew out his knee and had to miss a season Fran had a nice quote: "I don't spend much time thinking about what we don't have."

I don't know why we aren't consistently landing great recruits (although I'm starting to think we may have misunderestimated some of these guys). I don't know why we seem to lose good players at a regular, if not alarming pace. What I do know, and I will take this debate up with anyone: Fran O'hanlon gets the most out of the hand he is dealt year in and year out.

So enter Stonybrook on a cold night in Easton. Stonybrook took it to Maryland Eastern Shore--the worst team in the MEAC--over the weekend. The Seawolves are a physical team and they don't suck. They have athletes, good athletes, but they had nothing resembling cohesion on either end of the court.

If you are going to have one senior, you would want it to be a point guard and Andrew Brown is a good one. His 25 points came on only 14 shots and his penetration drew...EVERYBODY so he spent a good amount of time at the foul line. HE's level headed and the new 3 point lane doesn't seem to be cutting into his mojo.

The big problem with Fran's teams over the past few years are where the hell we're gonna get rebounds. In that regard, highly touted frosh Ryan Willen was my "Aaron Player of the Game' 10 boards against a fairly physical team while picking up only 1 foul. He didn't get much in the way of help from Mintz who had an off night. He seemed upset with how the Seawolves were playing him...Fran just seemed upset with him. I like Jared Mintz---we'll get more out of him.

Koltun's at a point where he can give us 10-15 good minutes a game--and that ain't half bad.

Benbow had two layups early on and then got into foul trouble. He's an ideal 3---Looking at him tonight I'm gonna say he's 195.

The tenacious defense was easily the story of this one. Even when we would give up a boneheaded turnover on offense the Seawolves couldn't capitalize. NOTHING came easy---you gotta like a team that plays like we do.

I tell you the unsung heroes of our athletic program have GOT to be the cheerleaders. I can't think of a more thankless job than trying to get some spirit out of a crowd that, for the most part, sounds about as loud as a church before the pastor enters. And they have to do the women's games too!!!! I will make it a point to be louder at these affairs---I hope the brotherhood that is this board will join me. Not that we can blame ourselves entirely, save a half dozen students that I guess make up this years "zoo crew"---most of the students seemed to be there to pick up extra credit for a class.

Our sports marketing has improved exponentially since I was a student, as have the cheerleaders (watching them in my day was like watching an elementary school band, you cringed and hoped nobody wound up in an ambulance)--but it's DEAD in the stands. What's the next step? Hiring professional cheerers?

I didn't get a chance to meet you clowns (and don't think I don't know who most of you guys are, I have sources and ways too!) because the concession stand beckons....We dropped $20 at that damn stand...Me and my 4 year old. I can't wait until my 9 year old hits the games. I'll have to take out a loan.

Andy · Re: Stonybrook Redux

Xboreturns

Max is my protege.

carney2 · Re: Stonybrook Redux

Lafalum

Can I make a suggestion regarding school spirit? When I first entered Lafayette part of the orientation was the encouragement of school spirit. Freshman classes sat together in the stands, in their area, and arrived on the field to greet the team as a class.
Orientation has become the purview of the faculty, reading controversial books and discussions and maybe a trip to the Mall, some entertainment and freshmen who are on the teams cannot participate in practice. Maybe a day to emphsize the history of the college and its traditions would encourage some spirit and getting them to realize that their education is there not only because of their tuition, but through the generosity of generations of alumni and the expectation when they become alumni they must give back.
I undersatnd the alumni association tried to put a program like this together several years ago and the faculty vetoed it.

TheRock90

I think the LSN (Lafayette Sports Network) has contributed to the decline in attendance at both football and basketball. How many people stayed home on Saturday because they thought is was going to rain? How many stayed home last night because it was cold? Maybe if the Temple game wasn't on TV Friday, Carney might even show up.

I'll be the first to admit I enjoyed watching the Liberty game this year and the Holy Cross away games because I'm unable to make those trips and, quite frankly, I don't care what effect TV has on attendance at opposing teams home fields.

I suspect they broadcast the home games because its local businesses that sponsor the broadcasts, or at least pay a significant portion of the cost. So I guess we can't have it both ways. Personally, I'd rather see more people at the games.

Maybe they could do the local telecast on a delayed basis.

Lafalum

There has not been a decline in attendance for football!! Only we are noticing a lack of enthusiasm and in some cases attendance by students. I can't believe a student would rather watch LSN then walk 10 minutes to the Fisher or Kirby. Attendence is also down at Metzger, nothing to do with LSN just motivation.

carney2

The Maroon

Kiltedpard

Having RCN hasn't deterred me from attending games. I usually watch the replay because nothing, IMO, takes the place of being there. I agree with Maroon that Fran gets the most out of his players, I just don't understand the recent string of years where we have faded down the stretch. Maybe it's a lack of quality depth and maybe we are going to see that change. I think Willen is a player and all these guys appear to be able to drain 3's which Fran loves. I missed the second half stretch where we had 4 froshmen in at once. I wanted to see Pelham and see how he moves. If we can get some inside play...maybe...???

Steve

Some thaughts on Tuesday's game:

--The play I liked the best occurred after Mower turned over the ball, then got back on D to prevent Stony Brook from scoring on the resulting fast break. I love that he didn't hang his head after the turnover, that he had the speed to get back in time to break up the play, the timing and leaping ability to block the layup, and the alertness and quickness to prevent the trailer for Stony Brook from scoring on the follow-up.

--I don't think I've ever seen a game where the refs were so quick to call offensive fouls for guys pushing off or hooking their defenders with their arms. It wasn't biased in favor or either team -- they called it equally tough against both teams -- but it hurt both teams' ability to establish any low-post game. Mintz and Koltun were in foul trouble most of the game due to these calls, as were one or two of the Stony Brook big men. Mintz and Koltun are our only two big men with much bulk, so hopefully, foul trouble won't be a regular problem for them.

--Although I was encouraged with how the team played overall, it was a bit disappointing to see turnovers continue to be a problem, most obviously during that 90 second stretch with about 5 minutes left in the game, when SB closed our lead from 22 to 12. (Although some of the high turnover numbers for both teams were attributable to the many offensive foul calls.)

--Willen did seem to have a good instinct for knowing where the ball will be rebounded after a missed shot. Hopefully, that will prove to be a consistent trait from him. On offense, his confidence in his 3-point shot seemed to grow with each shot he took in the second half. The release of his shot looked a little unusual to me -- it looks like he pushes it forward a bit on the release, which could make it easier to block. Hopefully, his height will prevent his outside shot from being blocked much.

--Brown had a very efficient offensive game. He got his points without ever looking like he was forcing his shot. The longer 3-point line really didn't seem to affect him, although he hit one shot in the second half that was just inside the current line that would've been a 3-pointer last year.

--I liked the fact that Kari had such a strong scoring game, especially with his 3-point shot.

--Koltun seemed to me to be a step quicker than last year, although quickness is always going to be a bit of a weakness for him, and he had some trouble guarding his man away from the basket.

--Petkovich hit two nice catch-and-shoot attempts in the second half when our offense was struggling a bit.

--Pelham had a brief run later in the second half, but it was hard to tell much about his game from that brief stretch.

--The attendance was disappointing. I noticed that the stands behind our own bench were particularly empty. The noise/enthusiasm level was quite low. Hopefully, this will pick up as the season progresses.

The Maroon

Kiltedpard

Speaking of attendance, I saw Marty Z back in his usual spot. That's great to see. I'm going to the Sun afternooner with Rider which I'm positive will be poorly attended. 1 PM on a Sun.?

Kiltedpard

Oh hey, and we outreabounded both of our first 2 opponents! The Seahawk, the Seawolves, let's have a good showing against the Sea Owls!

Stonybrook Redux

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