Larry Krystkowiak and the 2011-12 Utah Utes

[MartyFunkhouser]

See, it's remarks like these that make me wonder if we're more concerned about perceived style over proven substance. Because the offense in Giac's last year was a joy to watch. If shooting 49 percent from the field and 42 percent from 3 is "ward ball," then give me ward ball over what we have now. Under Ray, it was the defense that was an atrocity.

When I hear people say, "Well, at least we're running an offense," my first response is, "So what? These guys spend hours every day running an offense, and Larry is no dummy." You might as well and try and give me hope by saying our players hustle and give great effort. It's false praise, at least from the perspective of the fan, and to a player's face, if that's the best thing you can say about them, it's condescending and borderline insulting.

I used to think there was a way that we should win. I used to want a structured Majerus offense and a dominating Majerus defense. I used to make jokes about street ball teams like a Roy Williams coached team. Now, I don't give a damn how we win, just win games. I don't care if we win playing pure street ball with a ton of talent. I don't care if we win playing defense. I just don't care. I just want to see Utah winning basketball games again.

[LA Ute]

See, it's remarks like these that make me wonder if we're more concerned about perceived style over proven substance. Because the offense in Giac's last year was a joy to watch. If shooting 49 percent from the field and 42 percent from 3 is "ward ball," then give me ward ball over what we have now. Under Ray, it was the defense that was an atrocity.

When I hear people say, "Well, at least we're running an offense," my first response is, "So what? These guys spend hours every day running an offense, and Larry is no dummy." You might as well and try and give me hope by saying our players hustle and give great effort. It's false praise, at least from the perspective of the fan, and to a player's face, if that's the best thing you can say about them, it's condescending and borderline insulting.

By "since the Giac days" I meant post-Giac. My bad.

One final effort to make my point in such a way that it's hard to distort. During LK's 7-month tenure we have seen:

• Discipline of the players (e.g., Jiggy benched during practice);
• Some pretty good and creative recruiting under almost impossible circumstances (including prominently Loveridge, but not limited to him);
• A "my way or the highway" message sent to Clyburn and O'Brien;
• A head coach who comments on defensive fundamentals and seems really to mean it; and
• Young players who are noticeably improving and maturing before our eyes, only a few games into the season.

These stand in sharp contrast to the recent history of the program, IMO.

To be clear, I am not saying it's time to start singing "Happy Days Are Here Again." I'm just saying there are decent grounds for hope. Is that such a stretch?

[Top Ute]

By "since the Giac days" I meant post-Giac. My bad.

One final effort to make my point in such a way that it's hard to distort. During LK's 7-month tenure we have seen:

• Discipline of the players (e.g., Jiggy benched during practice);
• Some pretty good and creative recruiting under almost impossible circumstances (including prominently Loveridge, but not limited to him);
• A "my way or the highway" message sent to Clyburn and O'Brien;
• A head coach who comments on defensive fundamentals and seems really to mean it; and
• Young players who are noticeably improving and maturing before our eyes, only a few games into the season.

These stand in sharp contrast to the recent history of the program, IMO.

To be clear, I am not saying it's time to start singing "Happy Days Are Here Again." I'm just saying there are decent grounds for hope. Is that such a stretch?

OK, let's break this down:

1. Yeah, Jimmy didn't bench Drca for a game above and beyond what the MWC handed down for his cheap shot against Blake Griffin. He also didn't run Cyphers out of town, either, and tolerate his shenanigans. We've had discipline in the program. Let's quit pretending otherwise.

2. We need a lot more than Loveridge, but I'm encouraged here.

3. Play the heavy with marginal, mediocre players, not with your established players (although we could've hired John Freakin' Wooden and it wouldn't have kept Clyburn around, who was pussy-whipped into coming back to Iowa).

4. I have no idea what you're trying to say here, but I've never known of a gainfully-employed coach who wasn't committed to playing defense.

5. We've played four games against horseshit competition. Spare me the hyperbole.

Hope for me comes with notches in the column marked with a 'W'

You cannot sell me (or the majority of the fanbase) on improvement based on single-digit losses to Big Sky teams at home, preceded by blowout losses to horrible MWC teams and one-possession games against D-II and NAIA teams -- games we split on our home floor.

I will gladly take a Poppinga victory if we can keep Harvard from beating us by more than 20. I guess that's improvement. But all of you banging this improvement drum are going to look silly if we pull a goose egg in Pac-12 play, because improvement either leads to wins, or there's no improvement being made.

[LA Ute]

OK, let's break this down:

1. Yeah, Jimmy didn't bench Drca for a game above and beyond what the MWC handed down for his cheap shot against Blake Griffin. He also didn't run Cyphers out of town, either, and tolerate his shenanigans. We've had discipline in the program. Let's quit pretending otherwise.

Like Carlon Brown repeatedly being told to do one thing, then going out on the floor and doing another, and remaining in the game?

2. We need a lot more than Loveridge, but I'm encouraged here.

Ah! We share a ray of light!

3. Play the heavy with marginal, mediocre players, not with your established players (although we could've hired John Freakin' Wooden and it wouldn't have kept Clyburn around, who was pussy-whipped into coming back to Iowa).

Which "how I became a great coach" book did that little nugget come from?

4. I have no idea what you're trying to say here, but I've never known of a gainfully-employed coach who wasn't committed to playing defense.

It takes too much time to explain. He's made statements in post-game interviews that are just talk, but are encouraging.

5. We've played four games against horseshit competition. Spare me the hyperbole.

What I said is true, unless you can show me how it isn't. I said we need to not get carried away over it. Baby steps.

Hope for me comes with notches in the column marked with a 'W.' You cannot sell me (or the majority of the fanbase) on improvement based on single-digit losses to Big Sky teams at home, preceded by blowout losses to horrible MWC teams and one-possession games against D-II and NAIA teams -- games we split on our home floor.

I hope the straw man you just demolished didn't cost you too much!

I will gladly take a Poppinga victory if we can keep Harvard from beating us by more than 20. I guess that's improvement. But all of you banging this improvement drum are going to look silly if we pull a goose egg in Pac-12 play, because improvement either leads to wins, or there's no improvement being made.

Man, you are angry. Your paragraph above, read alongside my post, makes no sense at all. What on earth did I say that suggests we should like Poppinga victories, or that a goose egg in PAC-12 play wouldn't be a disaster? Put your gun down and take a few deep breaths. We're all just being fans and looking for signs of hope in a rotten situation.

[falafel]

Which "how I became a great coach" book did that little nugget come from?

Ha! That made me laugh.

[Top Ute]

Which "how I became a great coach" book did that little nugget come from?

Well, I know Rick Majerus' sell-by date arrived when he ran off Marc Jackson. Don't know how anyone could disagree with that.

Angry? Nah, just quit trying to blow sunshine up my ass when the forecast strongly suggests otherwise.

[TripletDaddy]

LA Ute's basketball insight Top Ute

[Flattop]

In Boylen's first two years his system was incredibly obvious: get the ball in to Neville. In his last two years, absent a center who could score, his system was a complete mystery, to the fans and, apparently, to the players.

I guess it's nice if LK's system is not a complete mystery and is at least somewhat identifiable. But let's be honest here, the only encouraging sign we have really seen since he was hired was when Loveridge signed on the dotted line.

After the departure of Henderson and Brown, I just wanted a team that played defense, played hard, and played as a team. I was actually encouraged until the team went to Hawaii and coughed up a lung.

LK may yet succeed at Utah but, as it looks now, it's going to be a long, hard road to that destination.

[LA Ute]

Well, I know Rick Majerus' sell-by date arrived when he ran off Marc Jackson. Don't know how anyone could disagree with that.

RM did a lot more than just insist that Jackson do things the coach's way.

Angry? Nah, just quit trying to blow sunshine up my ass when the forecast strongly suggests otherwise.

LA Ute's basketball insight Top Ute

You're a USC fan. By definition you know nothing about basketball.

[LA Ute]

This is a good take by a UF.net poster who I wish would post here:

http://utefans.net/message.php?id=1285482

[cougjunkie]

Utah fans I come not to mock your terrible 2011-12 season. I come to show you a glimmer of hope. (One that I am jealous of)

[YOUTUBE]je3NqRiQ460[/YOUTUBE]

[KillerDog]

Foster just told me he is contemplating whether to try and come back or get a medical. He is essentially graduated and has a kid on the way. My take on his comments is that he's going to try and come back but is leaving after this year unless he sees a light and hears a voice.

[LA Ute]

Foster just told me he is contemplating whether to try and come back or get a medical. He is essentially graduated and has a kid on the way. My take on his comments is that he's going to try and come back but is leaving after this year unless he sees a light and hears a voice.

Well, the Utes need some miracles, but Foster leaving isn't what we had in mind....

[KillerDog]

Well, the Utes need some miracles, but Foster leaving isn't what we had in mind....

He did mention staying and doing a double major so there is hope that he's at least contemplating staying.

[LA Ute]

This is a very interesting interview with Steve Cleveland. He talks about Utah's current situation and what he did to rebuild BYU's program. The part about Utah starts at about 2:00.

http://espn.kall700sports.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Steve-Cleveland-12-2-11.mp3