Are you ready to win a title? (Part III)

Home Forums All StateFansNation Are you ready to win a title? (Part III)

Viewing 25 posts - 26 through 50 (of 51 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #80314
    MP
    Participant

    Even though I ‘like’ Gott and have tried to verbally support him in previous threads, I totally agree that (a) the numbers do matter, and (b) season #5 will matter in a large way.

    Beyond the data included in this series, I would be interested in expanding the look at coaches/programs to understand coaching tiers better. For example, say there are 15 coaches nationwide that have statistics that establish them as ‘Tier 1’, 30 coaches as ‘Tier 2’, etc. Then look at salaries for the coaches at various tiers and try to decipher:

    What teams are getting what they pay for?

    Are any teams overpaying for the results they are getting?

    If a team finds itself in (say) ‘Tier 2’ and wants to upgrade, what opportunities exist and what may it cost to make that move?

    #80316
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    But VA – you admitted to being at least mildly and pleasantly surprised this year. It could be a taste of what is to come, or we could revert to the mean (ie, merely a “Prague Spring”). Time will tell.

    And Jigsy, I think you’re totally right in your diagnosis, but the results of this season AND this current roster construction/shift in emphasis (see the benching of our beloved Angel of Death and the minutes for Frenchie) show reason for optimism and a sign that Gott is learning or at least adapting. I think holding the Holes to their lowest output in Nose Dome history was at least 75% about our defensive effort and dedication, and that’s no small thing. Needs to be a harbinger of things to come and again, not a Prague Spring.

    #80318
    choppack1
    Participant

    Bid – think what you are hoping for is that during his purgatory gott realized the critical importance of developing great defensive teams.

    There are a lot of questions to be answered – but I think there’s a high likelihood that the improved d you are seeing results in 2 rare factors – 1) the quickness and intelligent defensive play of cat barber and 2)the presence of a post player with 2nd longest wingspan ever measured by the NBA.

    If both of these guys are back next year and we improve to “good” defensively I don’t think that will necessarily mean that gott has embraced defense and is coaching it well…the proof will be in his future classes.

    Regarding the sendek squad that collapsed vs both vandy and umd – to be fair -scooter didn’t play in either game due to an ankle sprain. Luck is a huge factor in those runs and the team that built sendek’s most successful regular season record included scooter. (And IMHO, scooter was a “winner” who could have been a huge factor in both of those games.)

    #80319
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    Not “great” – but he knows we have to be committed to at least working hard on every possession and being at least “good” that way. That is – NO CIPHERS. He basically started saying (and meaning) if you don’t work on defense, you won’t play. And that’s largely held up. BSW still sucks at many aspects of it, but he positions for rebounds well (which is an element of defense) and does “help” defense/takes charges pretty well. Definitely better than he was. And he’s being replaced with a much more athletic version next year.

    Gottfried has talked about commitment to defense over and over this season, and I don’t think it’s by accident. It doesn’t mean we are going to turn into a Tom Izzo program, and we don’t have to. But we have to have more balance than the first three teams had. That’s the point of this series.

    If you have a couple of elite defenders and everybody else is at least in the B/B+ range (and plays hard), you can be really dangerous, even without being a “pack line” kind of system team.

    #80320
    1.21 Jigawatts
    Keymaster

    I’ll believe it when I see it BJD. Say we look at just the last 8 games, dating back to the Louisville game where they have gone 6-2 since the “change”. If we look at just the good (wins) then we see: OE (112.3), DE (94.4), ODS (17.9). That’s an improvement but still not even in the top 84% of teams that make the E8. But we can’t forget about the bad during this time: OE (96.7), DE (130.0), ODS (-33.3). That isn’t just bad, that’s FUGLY.

    So the best they’ve played over the last 8 games they are still only considered a S16 team instead of a R32 team.

    If we look at all the games during that time: OE (108.5), DE (103.0), ODS (5.5) then we don’t even have a R32 team.

    If State plays like their “best” basketball since their change then they have the potential to be a S16 team but they are equally capable of laying another egg and getting bounced in the first round to a 16 seed. Here’s my point, I’m sure if we went back and looked at an 8 game stretch during any of MG’s teams we can find a good run, the problem is it’s not consistent and his good is very close to his best.

    I’ll reiterate what VaWolf has said in the past few weeks, Gottfried is the coach of NC State and that’s not changing in the next couple of years and I’m always pulling for State to succeed; but MG hasn’t changed his stripes in umpteen years and I’ll believe he has when I see tangible results that last longer than 3 weeks.

    #80322
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    ^ This is why we need that more robust data set. And the confidence to stop shutting down when shit starts bouncing the wrong way. Next year needs to be shit-or-get-off-the-pot in that respect.

    #80323
    wufpup76
    Keymaster

    … I’m simply laying out an emotion free case for what to expect from Gottfried as well as the realistic likelihood of advancement into the NCAAT for any team, especially NC State

    This, to me, is what makes it beautiful.

    There are no ‘catch-alls’ assigned and the numbers are what they are – results-based and predictive.

    #80324
    VaWolf82
    Keymaster

    But VA – you admitted to being at least mildly and pleasantly surprised this year. It could be a taste of what is to come, or we could revert to the mean

    I’m absolutely thrilled that this year didn’t turn into a bonfire. All of last year with the ACC Player of the Year, State had exactly one Top-25 win. This year, they beat Duke and UNC in the Dean Dome. Even if you had nothing else to go on, those two facts show unarguable improvement over last year.

    So what led to the improvement? Options include:
    – Trevor Lacey
    – Improved output from returning players
    – Gott
    – Some combination of above

    There is really no way for any of us to proportion credit for the improvement. If Gott’s coaching was a significant contributor, then the results will show up year after year. If not…

    #80325
    Whiteshoes67
    Participant

    ^not to nitpick, but I think kw’s diminished role is less about his poor defense (and he is bad), than about the emergence of Abu and more consistent play of Anya on both ends. Freeman and kW got the bulk of early season minutes. Gottfried experimented a lot in conference play, even reducing Freeman’s time at one point

    My point is that gottfried wasn’t exactly sacrificing offense for defense. Xphoenix, I think, authored fantastic post about our defensive ineptitude, and trade offs with the bigs.

    My biggest problem is that we generate very few turnovers. Gott talked a lot early about pressuring the ball, but aside from cat, we don’t.

    #80326
    Wulfpack
    Participant

    We’ll see. I know that isn’t very interesting, but we are close(r). If we show the same improvement next year, the results will speak for themselves. If not, and we’re bubble material (or slightly better) next year), then we’ll know it’s probably not going to happen. Maybe once in a 10 year span (which might work for some) but nothing consistent. We really are close, but you have to also be objective. He’s our guy. Agree not going anywhere any time soon with these results.

    #81152
    Heelh8r
    Participant

    Put that second half in your IUD% efficiency analysis and smoke it! They never scored another field goal the last 10 minutes. Absolutely BRILLIANT coaching job by GOTT. I know it hurts, but give him some credit. C’mon, you can do it.

    #81154
    Rick
    Keymaster

    Put that second half in your IUD% efficiency analysis and smoke it! They never scored another field goal the last 10 minutes. Absolutely BRILLIANT coaching job by GOTT. I know it hurts, but give him some credit. C’mon, you can do it.

    What about last nights game changes the substance of the original article?

    BTW I don’t really expect a substantial response.

    #81164
    1.21 Jigawatts
    Keymaster

    So wait, LSU pulls a State, snatches defeat from the jaws of victory and I’m supposed to give Gottfried credit? Please show me where one game, which btw my article clearly shows they were above the -1Sigma line to reach the Round of 32, negates everything over the last 13 years.

    #81165
    TheCOWDOG
    Moderator

    Actually last night’s game was an example of a phenomenon that had me questioning the reliability of data used for Adjusted #s to begin with.

    Was State’s defense efficient? Or was LSU’s offense horribly inept?

    The same might be said when examining OE. Where is the data that reflects whether a team just ran into a buzzsaw of a defense, or flatout farted its offense away?

    Being that the emotionaless numbers speak for themselves, maybe the above poster was commenting on the irony of using those numbers as a justification/confirmation bias?

    #81168
    VaWolf82
    Keymaster

    A friend put this on my office door at work. Can you imagine?

    #81170
    VaWolf82
    Keymaster

    Where is the data that reflects whether a team just ran into a buzzsaw of a defense, or flatout farted its offense away?

    Pretty much a judgement call…or that whole eye-of-the-beholder thing.

    This was a comeback or a crash, depending on your point of view, but from the neutral bird’s eye, it looked more like a crash. LSU was 0 for its last 12, hitting its last field goal with 10:26 left in the game, and missed six consecutive free throws in the final three minutes. LSU stopped attacking the rim with gusto, settling for layups instead of going to the rack with authority, and that opened the door for the Wolfpack, who happily charged through it.

    That said, credit NC State for staying with it. The Wolfpack trailed by 14 at the break and looked out of sync offensively for much of the first half and overwhelmed by the Tigers’ size and athleticism. But NC State ramped up its defense in the second half, limiting the Tigers to just 29 percent shooting, and systematically chipped into the lead.

    http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/105140/five-observations-n-c-state-steals-one-from-lsu

    But the bigger point is that one game…good or bad…doesn’t change any long-term conclusions….or the minds of those that have already made them up. I still remember one frequent poster that left in a huff because everyone was being mean to Lowe. Now they’re both gone.

    #81171
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    Like Sterling Mallory Archer would say “Little Column A, Little Column B.”

    Also, that’s how you get ants!

    #81173
    VaWolf82
    Keymaster

    Here’s a quote that I’ve always thought should be adopted by more message board posters:

    When my information changes, I alter my conclusions. What do you do, sir?
    John Maynard Keynes

    #81177
    Rick
    Keymaster

    Here’s a quote that I’ve always thought should be adopted by more message board posters:

    When my information changes, I alter my conclusions. What do you do, sir?
    John Maynard Keynes

    I love that quote. I have never understood the whole dig your heels in and never change your mind. Or even making fun of someone who does change their mind.

    #81178
    TheCOWDOG
    Moderator

    Didn’t Keynes also say conclusions made over the long run are misleading?

    “…In the the long run we are all dead.”

    #81184
    1.21 Jigawatts
    Keymaster

    A friend put this on my office door at work. Can you imagine?

    I’d put it up on your door laughing the entire time just because I’d know it to be the opposite of reality.

    #81231
    Heelh8r
    Participant

    Let me explain myself. I am just a long time Wolfpacker, like most everybody on here, who loves pulling for my team. Until I started participating on this forum, I liked Gott just fine and felt that he had done a very good job of building our program back up from the bottom of the barrel, but it’s not like I was one of his biggest supporters. Then I started seeing some of the stuff being said about him and some people already championing a replacement for him. I couldn’t believe it and found myself speaking out in his support. Normally, I would never call anybody out the way I did in my original post, but what some did last night was to me inexcusable. You were actually pulling for State to lose because of your extreme dislike for Gott and to prove you have been right in discrediting his coaching. I went back and read some of the posts again to make sure I had not misunderstood your intentions and it is unmistakable what your motives were. Some of you only post derogatory comments when we are getting beat, but then go absolutely mute when we win. I understand the idea that everyone has their own opinions and people are free to post whatever they like (thanks Pup), but pulling against our team makes you look ridiculous and by association makes us all look ridiculous. You are missing one of the funnest seasons State Fans have had in a long long time.

    #81263
    1.21 Jigawatts
    Keymaster

    I was going to take the time to respond to each of your “points” but why? You pulled out the “not a real fan” card and once someone has played that it’s pointless discussing anything with them because they have nothing to stand on or any intellectual honesty.

    #81268
    Heelh8r
    Participant

    I’ve already been called stupid, but I don’t know what not having any intellectual honesty means as it relates to my post.
    I’m not saying you are not a fan and I didn’t say that. I’m saying that you want to destroy Gott and are pulling for the team to lose to accomplish that. I had not read the “Anya” thread where others expressed similar sentiments so I guess I posted on the wrong forum. The reason I was moved to post on this one was that the whole “Are you ready to win a title” thread was a thinly veiled plot to bash Gott. I realize you used statistical analysis to do that, but you already knew what you wanted to prove when you started.

    I realize people post things during the heat of the game that are negative and that that is part of pulling for your team and the “therapy” thing. That’s cool. Many even come back and say they were wrong and are proud of the team for fighting back and not quitting and they are glad to eat crow, etc. That is not what I am talking about. Your last post was a whole line Hahaha to anyone who thought our defense was going to help us win. When they did just that, nothing from you. Then today you say Gott gets no credit for the win because LSU gave it to us. In the second half, we out rebounded them, we had 1 TO, and we kept them from getting a field goal for over 10 minutes.

    You can respond or not. I’m going to bed. I’ve never been a poster before so I’m sure I don’t know all the rules. To me, we should all be family here and I’m not trying to make an enemy with you or anybody. It’s just that Gott and the team are all part of the family too and when someone attacks them, I feel compelled to respond.

    #81342
    VaWolf82
    Keymaster

    I saw a lot of posts like yours during the Great Herb Debate. You chose to cast dispersion on a great piece of work after a game that State won…that they were SUPPOSED to win. How is that proof of anything?

    Accusing someone of bias without any proof tells me that you have no info to support your emotional position. The conclusions reached in this very detailed analysis are supported by the RPI table I posted above as well as Gott’s career record. If you have any objective evidence to support your position, you should have presented it instead of making accusations.

    There is a huge difference in hoping for State and Gott to succeed and believing that they will. Even though the past doesn’t always predict the future, it is all we have to go on.

Viewing 25 posts - 26 through 50 (of 51 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.