Did this team exceed your expectations?

Just for this thread, please put aside your hate or support of  Norm,Monasch and Father Harrington and try to think if this team exceeded your expectations for them this season? I for one did not expect this team to beat Georgetown or Notre Dame this year or come away with a nice win in the play-in 1st round game. That being said I did think St Johns would grab a win verse Cincinnati and 1 of the 3 from the ACC not named Duke(BC,Va Tech,Miami). So right now Im on the fence and look forward to reading your responses to sway me either way.
Keep in mind that this years Big East is the best Conference ever in the history of college basketball

Just for this thread, please put aside your hate or support of  Norm,Monasch and Father Harrington and try to think if this team exceeded your expectations for them this season? I for one did not expect this team to beat Georgetown or Notre Dame this year or come away with a nice win in the play-in 1st round game. That being said I did think St Johns would grab a win verse Cincinnati and 1 of the 3 from the ACC not named Duke(BC,Va Tech,Miami). So right now Im on the fence and look forward to reading your responses to sway me either way.
Keep in mind that this years Big East is the best Conference ever in the history of college basketball

Seems like everyday is a slow day for you, and you need this toget off and get you through the day. If this is really what does it for you , then enjoy.

Quote from: Marco Baldi on March 12, 2009, 10:10:32 AM

Just for this thread, please put aside your hate or support of  Norm,Monasch and Father Harrington and try to think if this team exceeded your expectations for them this season? I for one did not expect this team to beat Georgetown or Notre Dame this year or come away with a nice win in the play-in 1st round game. That being said I did think St Johns would grab a win verse Cincinnati and 1 of the 3 from the ACC not named Duke(BC,Va Tech,Miami). So right now Im on the fence and look forward to reading your responses to sway me either way.
Keep in mind that this years Big East is the best Conference ever in the history of college basketball

Seems like everyday is a slow day for you, and you need this toget off and get you through the day. If this is really what does it for you , then enjoy.

For a guy with 9 posts you seem to know alot of what happens here, but thanks for the contribution

I am going to say no.

I thought we would have a winning record and make the NIT. I know we had injuries, but any time we do not have a winning record and at least make the NIT the team did not meet expectations.

Hey Marco - in my opinion, we shouldn't use that "how many posts" canard on folks - makes for a closed circle jerk of posters berating any outside thought.  At least it has on other message boards.

As for the question, which is an interesting one, considering folks thought the team would win 4-5 conference games, and they won 6: by actual wins and losses, they exceeded or matched my expectations.

But by the real improvement I thought we would see would be in the efficiency margin within conference play, which is a predictor of how a team should have done (but not as sharp as some of the statheads like to think it is). In terms of that, this team really let me down. 

The scoring is one thing, and it's sad that they can't score; but I expected about this level of points per possession.  But I expected more points from Justin and Rob Thomas, fewer turnovers from Justin and Malik Boothe.  Dele exceeded expectations in terms of shot blocking, but it would be nice if he reduced the fouls more.  Evans, Kennedy, and Paris exceeded expectations.

But on defense?  I'm PISSED, as much as I can be about results I do not control.  Norm's second year team was a defensive animal.  They got blown out at times.  But they managed the pace and stifled scoring.  Some of that is probably due to a lot of top level talent in the league, but the Big East is not the Greatest Of All Time conference; the ACC doesn't have the bottom feeders the BE does. 

Anyway, with this new talent, closer to what Norm wants, why are opposing teams just killing the Johnnies on defense?  Why, with this new talent, are the defensive results worse than in 2006?

That is how I think the team as a whole has really regressed.  And the offense is barely getting better, with better talent.

Yes I expected us to suck and we sucked worse than I expected!

Just for this thread, please put aside your hate or support of  Norm,Monasch and Father Harrington and try to think if this team exceeded your expectations for them this season? I for one did not expect this team to beat Georgetown or Notre Dame this year or come away with a nice win in the play-in 1st round game. That being said I did think St Johns would grab a win verse Cincinnati and 1 of the 3 from the ACC not named Duke(BC,Va Tech,Miami). So right now Im on the fence and look forward to reading your responses to sway me either way.
Keep in mind that this years Big East is the best Conference ever in the history of college basketball

My expectations were very low before the season. While I didn't expect them to even be in the game against ND or GTown, I also expected those programs to perform like top 25 teams.

We lost alomost every game we were supposed to lose. Not sure where you're going with this. Street and Smith and everyone other pre season pub had us finishing either dead last or 15th, so finishng 13th is a surprise.

It's hard to be proud of that.

I, Mr. Positivity, had 7 conference wins and a winning record as doable so they didn't even meet my expectations.

Well, I guess they did but that's not really saying much since most of us thought they'd be dead last. So "not quite dead last" is a step up.

I'd say met expectations or slightly exceeded it...only cause Mason got hurt.  Hard to say anything positive after yesterday.

I'd say met expectations or slightly exceeded it...only cause Mason got hurt.  Hard to say anything positive after yesterday.

After every season under Roberts we've all said, we would have won more if it weren't for _________ who got hurt.

I think it shows just how careless the administration is because they don't realize that after 5 consecutive seasons of beig the walking wounded, they aren't smart enough to realize that there should be blame applied here.

Am I saying that it's Norm's fault that Mason Jr got hurt?
Yes, I am.

I expected the record.

What I didnt expect was the blowouts.

Thought that was sometin in the past. But it occur far too often this year.

Its one thing to lose. Its another to lose yo dignity.

-Choz4Life

The team exceeded my win prediction.  However, I tempered my expectations because of how lousy a coach Norm Roberts is.

There is no excuse for a Big East team to ever finish below .500 with an OOC schedule as weak as what we played and how bad the bottom of the league is. 

Another new guy, so take my opinion as you please

This team exceeded my expectations by a game or two

The fact that they met my ridiculously low expectations does not make me feel any better about this season

I understand the history of this program doesn't tell me I should be expecting deep runs into the tourny every year, but I also know they should be better than this

Just because expectations are lower, doesn't mean they are acceptable or should be celebrated when met

Quote from: jumpinjohnny on March 12, 2009, 01:56:31 PM

I'd say met expectations or slightly exceeded it...only cause Mason got hurt.  Hard to say anything positive after yesterday.

After every season under Roberts we've all said, we would have won more if it weren't for _________ who got hurt.

I think it shows just how careless the administration is because they don't realize that after 5 consecutive seasons of beig the walking wounded, they aren't smart enough to realize that there should be blame applied here.

Am I saying that it's Norm's fault that Mason Jr got hurt?
Yes, I am.

How on Earth is it Norm's fault the Mason got hurt?...u have to be crazy to even consider that

I had them at 14 wins, so they exceeded my expectations.

But I want to add one comment.  Whether or not Norm is back next year, I want this program to start scheduling legitimate teams again in their OCC schedule.  Over the last 2 years, the OCC schedule has been an absolute disgrace and there is no arguing that point.  Substituting NJIT for Hofstra, LIU for Manhattan, and Howard for Fordham might add to your win total, but every basketball fan knows what a true embarrassment it really is.  How nice it was of Dick Vitale to point that out during a Pitt game earlier in the season when he said that "St. John's scheduling NJIT is a absolute disgrace."  I understand the school doesn't want to be upset by local rivals, but I'd rather lose to them than lose the school's reputation and dignity (too late).

Quote from: Poison on March 12, 2009, 02:10:23 PM

Quote from: jumpinjohnny on March 12, 2009, 01:56:31 PM

I'd say met expectations or slightly exceeded it...only cause Mason got hurt.  Hard to say anything positive after yesterday.

After every season under Roberts we've all said, we would have won more if it weren't for _________ who got hurt.

I think it shows just how careless the administration is because they don't realize that after 5 consecutive seasons of beig the walking wounded, they aren't smart enough to realize that there should be blame applied here.

Am I saying that it's Norm's fault that Mason Jr got hurt?
Yes, I am.

How on Earth is it Norm's fault the Mason got hurt?...u have to be crazy to even consider that

Not crazy. I'm what's called dead-on-balls accurate.
Let me explain.

If Mason getting hurt was an isolated incident, Norm would not be responsible for that. But every season since year one, we lose a player that breaks us. He's built a roster loaded with guys that can't shoot, he set them up for disaster when they lost the one guy who could.

So Mason's injury did them in, because they had no answer for a zone defense without a decent three point shooter on the roster.

How many Big East programs go into a season with one guy that can shoot?
Just ours. 5 years in, and we have one shooter.

So now, because of his inability to recruit, evaluate and develop talent, Roberts is to blame when a guy goes down. Players on every team get hurt. Ask Marquette what it felt like to lose a senior like Dominic James?

We lost a marginal talent in Anthony Mason Jr, and all we hear about from Roberts is how that loss is the reason why this team isn't sitting pretty right now.

And BTW-Malik Boothe's injury, and the results of that injury are also Norm Roberts' fault. Now, do you understand why?

Quote from: Poison on March 12, 2009, 02:10:23 PM

Quote from: jumpinjohnny on March 12, 2009, 01:56:31 PM

I'd say met expectations or slightly exceeded it...only cause Mason got hurt.  Hard to say anything positive after yesterday.

After every season under Roberts we've all said, we would have won more if it weren't for _________ who got hurt.

I think it shows just how careless the administration is because they don't realize that after 5 consecutive seasons of beig the walking wounded, they aren't smart enough to realize that there should be blame applied here.

Am I saying that it's Norm's fault that Mason Jr got hurt?
Yes, I am.

How on Earth is it Norm's fault the Mason got hurt?...u have to be crazy to even consider that

I'm probaby the biggest Mason fan on this board, but we lost every game except Duke by 10 or more points.  We replaced Mase with Paris in the starting lineup.  Some can argue we were better with Paris than Mase.  In any event, Mason is not going to take us from losing by 10-29 points 16 times to winning those games.  Not happening.

  Not even close to exceeding expectations. We had 4 mediocre wins over 3 mediocre teams ALL year.  Won  1 road game this year. 1!!!.  And our average margin of defeat was in the 18pt range.  A complete disgrace IMO. If your happy with this, you are way to easy to please. 

Quote from: MCD Red Storm on March 12, 2009, 07:58:20 PM

Quote from: Poison on March 12, 2009, 02:10:23 PM

Quote from: jumpinjohnny on March 12, 2009, 01:56:31 PM

I'd say met expectations or slightly exceeded it...only cause Mason got hurt.  Hard to say anything positive after yesterday.

After every season under Roberts we've all said, we would have won more if it weren't for _________ who got hurt.

I think it shows just how careless the administration is because they don't realize that after 5 consecutive seasons of beig the walking wounded, they aren't smart enough to realize that there should be blame applied here.

Am I saying that it's Norm's fault that Mason Jr got hurt?
Yes, I am.

How on Earth is it Norm's fault the Mason got hurt?...u have to be crazy to even consider that

I'm probaby the biggest Mason fan on this board, but we lost every game except Duke by 10 or more points.  We replaced Mase with Paris in the starting lineup.  Some can argue we were better with Paris than Mase.  In any event, Mason is not going to take us from losing by 10-29 points 16 times to winning those games.  Not happening.

Having no decent three point shooters on the roster is unacceptable.
Having one is also unacceptable.