2022-2023 Basketball Season

[Pelado]

I don't believe that social media is ruining the world, but the worst thing about it is reduced respect for and sensitivity to experts and their fields. By the way, if you read about the French and Bolshevik revolutions, the first thing they did was kill all the experts. The masses hate experts.

They should have killed the lawyers first.

[tooblue]

When a guy starts out 0-for-1000 shooting and, when not hoisting airballs and bricks, is turning the ball over willy-nilly, it might be appropriate to try having him come off the bench.

I don't know if Pope broke Lohner, but he was not good offensively this past season.

His rebounding and hustle earned the team five additional possessions a game. No other player offered that.

[tooblue]

Confidence killer? Pope didn't bench him soon enough and gave him the green light to shoot 3's til the end. Lohner failed because he wasn't a very good player, not because Pope crushed his soul. Lohner did one thing well. Rebound. He had no perimeter game. No mid-range game. No post moves. Got more shots blocked for a guy his size than I've ever seen. He didn't play great defense, and he wasn't a great passer. I don't see how any of that is Pope's fault.

That is the definition of "coaching" ... otherwise, why have a coaching staff or practice at all?

[jay santos]

One of the pleasures of college basketball is watching players develop. How many times have I seen a player suck as a freshman and help the team soar when he becomes a real adult. This is why this culture of transfer is poison. There's nothing good about it. Nothing.

Agree. I don't enjoy this new trend. But it is what it is.

Pope has been above average in working the transfer portal. I'm not happy about losing Lohner. But I'd like to see who he lands before I give my verdict.

I disagree with SU on the specific take on Pope. I agree re: the new transfer portal era. I hate what this does for college BB. Half of why BYU was unwatchable for me last year was because all our players are new. You're more invested in a team as a fan and it's more enjoyable when you follow your players from recruitment and growing in the system. Guy like Haarms comes in for a year and feels like a mercenary not your guy. That is going to become the rule more than the exception.

[LiveCoug]

Latest rumor is that Gideon George has changed his mind and is coming back to BYU....

[BigPiney]

Latest rumor is that Gideon George has changed his mind and is coming back to BYU....

I would be ok with that.

[jadesroom]

It's not possible to build a great program and have to change out the team every season. Sheesh. Just look at the programs that succeed and the ones that don't. Key player transfers are program killers. Yes, the rules are different now. But great coaches will learn to manage the system and keep their returning nucleui intact.

The transfer portal is one way championships are created. The nucleus is important for today's championship teams, but so is the transfer portal:

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/kansas-vs-unc-jayhawks-coach-bill-self-built-a-title-contending-roster-by-using-transfer-portal-to-get-old/

https://wacotrib.com/sports/college/baylor/ncaas-transfer-portal-shaking-up-college-basketball/article_475d0b84-cece-11eb-9618-ff95f0ca19ab.html

https://www.slipperstillfits.com/2022/4/11/23019183/gonzaga-bulldogs-transfer-portal

[jadesroom]

Smith has already accomplished what has been thought to be impossible at Utah. He has retained the players everyone agrees are desirable, and he's successfully added players from Wasatch Academy.

Why would that be deemed impossible? Storied program from the Pac 12. In all actuality, it should be easy to recruit to the University of Utah.

[Applejack]

Why would that be deemed impossible? Storied program from the Pac 12. In all actuality, it should be easy to recruit to the University of Utah.

Jade Sroom gets it!

[SeattleUte]

The transfer portal is one way championships are created. The nucleus is important for today's championship teams, but so is the transfer portal:

https://www.cbssports.com/college-ba...al-to-get-old/

https://wacotrib.com/sports/college/...5f0ca19ab.html

https://www.slipperstillfits.com/202...ransfer-portal

Duh. My point is you still need continuity and a system that players buy into.

[SeattleUte]

Why would that be deemed impossible? Storied program from the Pac 12. In all actuality, it should be easy to recruit to the University of Utah.

I never thought it was impossible. I was ridiculing Krystkowiak's apologists.

[BigPiney]

Gideon George has decided to return to BYU. That is good news.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Gideon George has decided to return to BYU. That is good news.

Great news. I like Gideon.

[Non Sequitur]

That is the definition of "coaching" ... otherwise, why have a coaching staff or practice at all?

Lohner received the same coaching that Fous received. There is only so much a coach can do.

[tooblue]

Lohner received the same coaching that Fous received. There is only so much a coach can do.

That's the point: the same lack of coaching will also affect Fous.