Starting to understand the coach's plans

[parquet]

First off, let me say that Lick and I got off to a bad start. Watching that first year with the shot clock running down under 10 seconds time after time and not using players where I thought he should be using them (I know, I know), really set me against his style of basketball.

Last year didn't do a lot to alleviate that except for Kelly and Tate when he was healthy, two kids I liked from day 1. After the last three Big Ten games (have trouble counting Tenn. St.), a dim bulb is starting to come on. This system, originally created to equalize teams with different abilities, is intended to really mess with the heads of other teams. The clock-using offense as defense is a part of it. The sending all the players back against extreme fast-breaking teams like MSU is another. And taking advantage of teams that are fairly weak or short or slow underneath is another. That last one just hasn't happened very often. Last year's home game against Penn State, Sunday's Indiana game are the best examples.

The thing is, I still don't enjoy the first 36 minutes very much, but anything that can fairly consistently annoy Tom Izzo can't be all bad. Still not convinced this can work, but starting to get the idea.

 

[FreddyBrown]

One of the challenges is to get really good players interested in playing this "annoying" style as you describe it. I'd like to think that over the long run the goal would be to have teams talented enough to play anyone straight up, rather than just by annoying them.

 

[BA96MA99]

FreddyBrown: "...over the long ruin..."

uh, Freudian slip?

 

[JHHawk]

Yes, I would like to not have to just ''endure'' most of the game, hoping to stay close enough for a last 3 minute miracle...now, the IU and PSU games were enjoyable, but we need to do it vs someone not buried in the bottom tier with Iowa to really have it mean anything. MSU was a good effort,from the ten minute mark to the last 6 minutes, we were getting hammered and looked overmatched.

OSU will be interesting...with a big crowd,hopefully, and newfound confidence, can the Hawks upset the Bucks? I think they have a punchers chance if OSU shoots below average from distance...that is their lifeblood. I wish Lick would shock them with a little zone like West Va did after halftime to jumpstart their comeback vs OSU on Saturday.

 

[olivecourt]

don't forget that iowa dominated michigan state for the first ten minutes of that game. it was awesome to watch.

 

[parquet]

I wish Lick would shock them with a little zone like West Va did after halftime to jumpstart their comeback vs OSU on Saturday.

That seems to be another aspect of the system. We never play zone but we switch so often and sag so much television announcers sometimes say Iowa has switched to a zone. Wish he would use it now and then but it seems to be a deep moral belief or something that man-to-man is the only way to go.

 

[NewMexHawk]

Perhaps that is what this style of ball is..." trying to endure most of the game" to get to exciting parts, which there are, or to hold better teams down so that you have a chance at the end.

Tomorrow we will see how far this team has come and whether this team can hang a full game with OSU. I want to see a team that can stay with OSU for a full game. If Iowa gets down by 15, I want to see them come back against OSU and have a shot at them at the buzzer. If Iowa is determined to play man, then I want to see them play man for a full game and play it tough for a full game against a top Big 10 team. What I don't want to see is an offense that holds the ball so that OSU can't score like we have seen in some games in the past.

If they can do this then I concede that they are making some nice strides as a team.

 

[MisterHappy]

Awww, come on guys, it's so simple maybe you need a refresher course. It's all ball bearings nowadays. Now you prepare that Fetzer valve with some 3-in-1 oil and some gauze pads, and I'm gonna need 'bout ten quarts of anti-freeze, preferably Prestone. No, no make that Quaker State.