How are you feeling right now about the team and program?

[Mistachill]

We need bigs who can play and/or have real potential, are hard workers, coachable, etc. Ever since the departure of MSS, there have been plenty of lesser teams in the A10 with better 5’s.

I get the frustration with players like MBJ. He’s more of a PF at our or a P6’s level though.

I agree. We would improve if we had bigs who would just give effort and didn't back down. Other than Tobi (who was being used as a big out of desperation), our bigs didn't consistently go after rebounds. They waited for the ball to come to them. We have bigs who couldn't hold their position either due to lack of size/strength or just don't know how to do it without fouling.

I'm not looking for Shaq out of the portal, just somebody with size who is competent.

 

[rambunctiousrowdyram]

Last season is in the books. I've said numerous times we would've been in trouble without Max this season. I'm focused on doing what we need to do to return to the dance, becoming nationally ranked again, and being in a position to do some damage in the tournament again.

And I'm not looking at simply how he ended the season. I'm looking at the entire season. Max is a talented player. If he comes back, great. But he's not a guy I'm building my team around if I'm looking to do big things next season.

And why would you not build around your best player? Why would you not build around your most versatile player? Besides it being his last year what is the logic? Nevermind it being final year means nothing since it’s all basically one year rentals anyway these days. What has Max not done in your eyes that disqualified him from being the focal point of the offense? Leading the team to a A10 title game? Getting first team while half broken? Single handily saving our a$$ in multiple games? Hitting clutch FTs to ice games all year? Name a person on this team besides Max that earn the right to be the focal point? Don’t simply just say someone in the portal because that’s complete speculation that they pan out.

As far as building there really isn’t building anymore. This isn’t 2007 or even 2017. You might recruit a few high schools but now it’s find a player and plug them in. The mentality of building anything is over in this era. You are building the program. Nothing less nothing more. That’s the only consistent. If it doesn’t work one year you basically start clean the next. This upcoming year looks to be different for us as we will return a lot currently but we need to do get use to significant turnover. We’re lucky enough to have a player of quality that can be a focal point of the team atleast for a year and you are very much against it.

Now if you said I want balance I would be with you. We shouldn’t crumble because Max can’t play or has an off night. What I don’t get is the major objection to Max being built around. You have an elite shooter with elite passing and vision. Basically a combo of Bones and Ace which you don’t want to build around this year.

 

[TampaKAP]

Like I'd love this team even more if we'd get a good bigs coach capable of training/properly utilizing bigs, and defensive coach who can bring us back to our roots.

I don't think I need to advocate that, not like it'd make a difference if I did. But doesn't the play we've seen this last season, and don't the stats, and the amount of exits seeing them move on to thrive elsewhere pretty much speak for itself? Everyone screaming for true bigs here. What would we do with one? Have we shown we can give one a good home? Have we consistency fed them down low helping them have the chance to score?

I must say I am slightly confused by these two post and maybe it’s just me. You state we needs a big man coach. Looking at last year, I would say the staff did well in. Bringing Ferm along. (We can debate the quality of play etc but purely looking at a season to season development he was better). You say we need a defensive coach that can bring us back to our roots. I think the defense for the most part while different than Havoc was better than most expected and certainly was good enough for us to win. So I dont believe the sample size of 1 year is enough to make either of those determinations as to needing something as it hasn’t been proven we dont already have it.

Then here is where I really get confused. You talk about the play we saw last season and the number of exits and successes of those players. All of those players were from the previous staff so I dont know how that is relative to this staff. The only person to move on from this staff hasn’t even chosen a new home yet

 

[RamBoba]

I think Ryan Odom’s team this year would beat MR’s team the year before. We kind of already saw that with the Penn State game. We had more talent on Rhoade’s team, but a lot of them flourished when they left him. I think a big difference between those teams is that the A-10 and Mike Rhoades last year was a cakewalk and this year it got a lot better. I think Rhodes is a good coach and he got a lot better the last year he was with us but I would take Odom any day over him.

 

[Valley drop step]

As far as big men, its more about who’s being coach than whose coaching. The last legitimate sized center VCU had who was actually good was Ju 10 years ago. There are far less good big men than good guards and wings. The chances of VCU landing and keeping a good big man isn't that great. Shorter big-bodied post players who can actually play like Cox and Silva are about as good as VCU will consistently do. Add a wiry 4 like a Tillman or Brown Jones and that should be fine. But I would guess VCU will continue to be guard/wing focused moving forward.

 

[Ramdog]

I think Ryan Odom’s team this year would beat MR’s team the year before. We kind of already saw that with the Penn State game. We had more talent on Rhoade’s team, but a lot of them flourished when they left him. I think a big difference between those teams is that the A-10 and Mike Rhoades last year was a cakewalk and this year it got a lot better. I think Rhodes is a good coach and he got a lot better the last year he was with us but I would take Odom any day over him.

Not a debate on the better coach but last years team, with the year gained of maturity, would roll this years product
Ace, Nunn ,Watkins, Deloach, Kern…throw in Johns & Shriver …not even close

 

[Ramdog]

As far as big men, its more about who’s being coach than whose coaching. The last legitimate sized center VCU had who was actually good was Ju 10 years ago. There are far less good big men than good guards and wings. The chances of VCU landing and keeping a good big man isn't that great. Shorter big-bodied post players who can actually play like Cox and Silva are about as good as VCU will consistently do. Add a wiry 4 like a Tillman or Brown Jones and that should be fine. But I would guess VCU will continue to be guard/wing focused moving forward.

The rest of the A10 seems to land some pretty good ones

 

[Mistachill]

And why would you not build around your best player? Why would you not build around your most versatile player? Besides it being his last year what is the logic? Nevermind it being final year means nothing since it’s all basically one year rentals anyway these days. What has Max not done in your eyes that disqualified him from being the focal point of the offense? Leading the team to a A10 title game? Getting first team while half broken? Single handily saving our a$$ in multiple games? Hitting clutch FTs to ice games all year? Name a person on this team besides Max that earn the right to be the focal point? Don’t simply just say someone in the portal because that’s complete speculation that they pan out.

As far as building there really isn’t building anymore. This isn’t 2007 or even 2017. You might recruit a few high schools but now it’s find a player and plug them in. The mentality of building anything is over in this era. You are building the program. Nothing less nothing more. That’s the only consistent. If it doesn’t work one year you basically start clean the next. This upcoming year looks to be different for us as we will return a lot currently but we need to do get use to significant turnover. We’re lucky enough to have a player of quality that can be a focal point of the team atleast for a year and you are very much against it.

Now if you said I want balance I would be with you. We shouldn’t crumble because Max can’t play or has an off night. What I don’t get is the major objection to Max being built around. You have an elite shooter with elite passing and vision. Basically a combo of Bones and Ace which you don’t want to build around this year.

Everything you said is fine. Here's the bottom line for me: do you have confidence in the big spot and in the big game he's going to be the guy to come through with the performance and effort when we need him most?

Not debating his talent, skill set, how important he was this season, his accolades, etc. Is he the type of player who will provide the margin needed when a championship or a tournament birth is on the line? Nothing else you're referencing is of interest to me with regard to our alpha, #1, franchise player. And if the answer is we are not going to have that type of guy, the team will be structured for multiple guys to assume that role on any given night (i.e. the final four team), fine. That's a different discussion.

 

[MobileMunchies]

I must say I am slightly confused by these two post and maybe it’s just me. You state we needs a big man coach. Looking at last year, I would say the staff did well in. Bringing Ferm along. (We can debate the quality of play etc but purely looking at a season to season development he was better). You say we need a defensive coach that can bring us back to our roots. I think the defense for the most part while different than Havoc was better than most expected and certainly was good enough for us to win. So I dont believe the sample size of 1 year is enough to make either of those determinations as to needing something as it hasn’t been proven we dont already have it.

Then here is where I really get confused. You talk about the play we saw last season and the number of exits and successes of those players. All of those players were from the previous staff so I dont know how that is relative to this staff. The only person to move on from this staff hasn’t even chosen a new home yet

It's been a thing for us for many years, so its nothing new, but sure would be good to see us get strong again in the paint. We weren't this year. Good bigs eat us alive. We don't have an answer for most of them. We were far from consistently strong on D. Talking about addressing noticeable deficiencies.

 

[RamBoba]

Not a debate on the better coach but last years team, with the year gained of maturity, would roll this years product
Ace, Nunn ,Watkins, Deloach, Kern…throw in Johns & Shriver …not even close

On paper yes but I am not sure if that would really play out that way. I am not trying to hate on Mike because 1) I get the PSU move for him 2) he got a lot better as a coach 3) I think he is just a good guy. However, his success would also be when the A 10 conference was bad. It kind of feels like the last team was his ceiling and this year was RO’s floor.

 

[Ramlove81]

It's been a thing for us for many years, so its nothing new, but sure would be good to see us get strong again in the paint. We weren't this year. Good bigs eat us alive. We don't have an answer for most of them. We were far from consistently strong on D. Talking about addressing noticeable deficiencies.

For years now, at least ever since Shaka arrived we have played a style that takes mobile, athletic players at all five positions on the court. Whether it means the ability to play the hard hedge on the high ball screen, or switch on D at all five positions, or play in the front of a diamond press, it take mobility that most "true 5's" don't possess. So, we end up playing smaller more mobile players at that position.
A good PF with some bulk seems to work best for us. See MSS and Mo.
Odom's system is different, so let's give him a few years and see what happens when he has more of a chance to recruit his guys. But even his 4 out, one in system takes skilled and mobile 5's. Where is the next Avila kind of guy?

 

[MobileMunchies]

Getting a new big that isn't fast enough for us and how we drive explains everything from my youth. Til that '71 Chevelle came along. I could barely handle her.

 

[VCU Finance 2008]

Last season is in the books. I've said numerous times we would've been in trouble without Max this season. I'm focused on doing what we need to do to return to the dance, becoming nationally ranked again, and being in a position to do some damage in the tournament again.

And I'm not looking at simply how he ended the season. I'm looking at the entire season. Max is a talented player. If he comes back, great. But he's not a guy I'm building my team around if I'm looking to do big things next season.

Maybe building the team around him is the hang up here. Before you seemed to be saying that you didn't really want him back and would reluctantly take him if he decided to come back. I don't know that we have ever really built a team around any single player and I don't think we would do it with Max. He would certainly be a big piece of the puzzle though.

 

[Mistachill]

Maybe building the team around him is the hang up here. Before you seemed to be saying that you didn't really want him back and would reluctantly take him if he decided to come back. I don't know that we have ever really built a team around any single player and I don't think we would do it with Max. He would certainly be a big piece of the puzzle though.

To clarify, I said I was fine with him coming back, wouldn't lose any sleep if he decided not to return. And I said I'm good with him coming back as long as he isn't our #1 guy in spite of his accolades this season. In other words, I don't see him as being indispensable as some others seem to consider him.

Let me also clarify this (because I know some people with selective memory would bring this up if it happened), if Shulga walked and we didn't bring in better players and we struggled, I don't want anybody playing the "see, I told you" card. All of this is predicated on Ryan working this portal and upgrading our talent. Of course if Ryan swings and misses in the portal I would desperately want to see him back.

I just don't see Shulga as the type of player we can heavily lean on to lead us to where we want to the program to be (i.e. the dance). He can absolutely be a piece of the puzzle as I've told others numerous times.

 

[Mr X]

To clarify, I said I was fine with him coming back, wouldn't lose any sleep if he decided not to return. And I said I'm good with him coming back as long as he isn't our #1 guy in spite of his accolades this season. In other words, I don't see him as being indispensable as some others seem to consider him.

Let me also clarify this (because I know some people with selective memory would bring this up if it happened), if Shulga walked and we didn't bring in better players and we struggled, I don't want anybody playing the "see, I told you" card. All of this is predicated on Ryan working this portal and upgrading our talent. Of course if Ryan swings and misses in the portal I would desperately want to see him back.

I just don't see Shulga as the type of player we can heavily lean on to lead us to where we want to the program to be (i.e. the dance). He can absolutely be a piece of the puzzle as I've told other numerous times.

Yep, If we have him as a third option as opposed to a #1 option we are way much better off. Yes?