Re: Seton Hall

[tmh8286]

One other point of interest that I wanted to make for those that weren't able to listen to the game, or at least listen to the ORU announcers, was regarding the officiating.  Steve Cooper commented on the fact that the SH coach, Bobby Gonzalez, was in the faces of the officials all night, and was harassing them constantly.  He made the point before the technical, and and again when he got the technical, commenting that he was surprised that he hadn't gotten one earlier.

Then after the game Cooper said that he thought that the officials reacted in a negative way to the constant harassment by Gonzalez, and that it probably had a negative impact on the game for his team.  He was probably right.

In relation to that, I've read the Seton Hall message board, and have found the reaction to the officiating over there very interesting.  While there are a number of fans complaining about it, as I probably would, there are an equal number that say that it was clock management and coaching that cost them the game, not the officials, or that when you go into places like Utah you should be aware of the differences you might run in to with regard to officiating and adjust accordingly (I think addressing the three technical fouls that all came from remarks from players and the coach). 

In fact, most criticisms on their board about the game last night are balanced with an equal number of posts taking the opposite position.  It's the most balanced message board I've ever read.

AND NOT ONE POST ABOUT A 900 FOOT JESUS!  How about THAT!!

[ORUIsbig]

Wonder how they feel about the activity on our board after this post.  They had a post about our lack of activity.  We step up when it matters.

[tmh8286]

While looking for an article about last night's game, I found this article in the NYT:

Seton Hall Ticket Perk: Elbow Room Aplenty

That would be a little depressing.  Too big of a venue for the number of fans.

Article here.

[Gold*]

I felt the same way tmh, but he really does add to the broadcast.  He uses a lot of advanced coaching terms that really take it to the next level.  He is also good at predicting what will happen next.  I hope they keep him around, and it's really nice that he travels.

I have to say I've wondered about why you guys hired him. My understanding is that he's actually a good guy and very knowledgable, but he's also probably the most attacked assistant coach in TU history.  He was never popular with a lot of the TU diehards and he'll forever be associated with JP's mediocrity.

I remember looking over at the TU-ORU game and seeing him -- my eyes about jumped out of my head.  It was like seeing the ghost of Keith Burns.

[tmh8286]

If I remember correctly, when Steve Bontrager was doing the same thing, the job didn't come with a paycheck.  That was one of the reasons that Steve didn't do away games.  That was my understanding - someone more knowledgeable can correct me if I'm wrong.

I've always thought that the two man broadcast was better than the lone announcer.  A lot of the time what Cooper says is fairly basic basketball, but hearing his perspective really adds to the broadcast.  For instance, just telling what they want to try to do coming out of a time out or whatever adds to the interest, especially when they do exactly what he said.  And as I said before, I think he's really gotten better with time.

I've seen him around ORU for a while, maybe since leaving TU. Mike Minyard pointed out that he had a relationship with some of the ORU coaching staff from some time back, which is undoubtedly the reason for the migration over to ORU. 

[djenkins13]

Coop is one of the nicest guys you will ever want to meet and is very knowledgable about the x and o's of bb. Don't know why he would come under attack at TU; he did not recruit one kid while he was there. That was Coach Phillips and the 2 young assistants at the time. It is my understanding that at least one of those guys played at TU during the glory years. Coop is one of Hankins closest friends and has been around those guys for years. Big win for the team last night and hopefully they can gut out one more win!!! Jordan is a tough minded kid who has gotten better but still may be in over his head as far as the talent level. 

[Gold*]

The other two assistants were past TU players, Pooh Williamson and Kwanza Johnson.  Pooh was very popular and there was a movement to keep on the staff when Wojcik was hired.

The NCAA changed the rule regarding the third non-recruiting assistant while Cooper was there and he started to recruit.  He is responsible for Yusef Baker, IIRC -- and some of you diehards may recall what happened there.  He was seen as having few connections in the college world. 

And don't forget the Graham brother debacle...

If you guys like him, more power to you.  We love Bruce, our play-by-play guy, but many take issue with JV Haney, the color guy... including Wojcik.

[tmh8286]

I really do like Bruce Howard - he's a great announcer for you guys.

Poor JV takes a beating on your board.

[tmh8286]

Here's a link to a Seton Hall blog that offers a fair amount of info about last night's game, probably more than I've been able to find any where else - and it has links to other articles.  Some interesting reading:

Pirates Plank

[Guest Blevins]

Nice to know someone's using my handle.

[djenkins13]

The other two assistants were past TU players, Pooh Williamson and Kwanza Johnson.  Pooh was very popular and there was a movement to keep on the staff when Wojcik was hired.

The NCAA changed the rule regarding the third non-recruiting assistant while Cooper was there and he started to recruit.  He is responsible for Yusef Baker, IIRC -- and some of you diehards may recall what happened there.  He was seen as having few connections in the college world. 

And don't forget the Graham brother debacle...

If you guys like him, more power to you.  We love Bruce, our play-by-play guy, but many take issue with JV Haney, the color guy... including Wojcik.

[Mike Minyard]

The other two assistants were past TU players, Pooh Williamson and Kwanza Johnson.  Pooh was very popular and there was a movement to keep on the staff when Wojcik was hired.

The NCAA changed the rule regarding the third non-recruiting assistant while Cooper was there and he started to recruit.  He is responsible for Yusef Baker, IIRC -- and some of you diehards may recall what happened there.  He was seen as having few connections in the college world. 

And don't forget the Graham brother debacle...

If you guys like him, more power to you.  We love Bruce, our play-by-play guy, but many take issue with JV Haney, the color guy... including Wojcik.

I don't think the NCAA changed the rules so the third assistant could recruit.  I think the rule had more to do with allowing the Director of Basketball Operations to watch recruits in person.  I don't know a whole lot about the rules though.  I just don't think that was the rule change because ORU would have had the third assistant on the road if possible.  Coach Phipps would make an excellent recruiter in my opinion.  The only three people that can really actively recruit are the head coach and two assistants.  Right?

[djenkins13]

I knew about Pooh wasn't sure about Johnson. Met both guys a couple of times in Dallas and both really nice guys. Did not know about the Yusef Baker situation and i can't imagine Coop having many connections in the college world. I still think of both he and Coach Phillips as being very good x and o's guys who probably belonged in the high school ranks. Coach Phillips was a great high school coach and i know that Coach Self thought highly of him. Heard he has a nice gig working for a TU booster up there now. He probably should have brought a more experienced assistant in to help with everything, was really a big step up for him. i think that you can have 3 guys out now recruiting. Conley does recruit some; although mostly done by Hankins and the "CLOSER" Williams. You would think i would get a free shirt for being Corey's promotional adviser!!!

[Gold*]

I don't think the NCAA changed the rules so the third assistant could recruit.  I think the rule had more to do with allowing the Director of Basketball Operations to watch recruits in person.  I don't know a whole lot about the rules though.  I just don't think that was the rule change because ORU would have had the third assistant on the road if possible.  Coach Phipps would make an excellent recruiter in my opinion.  The only three people that can really actively recruit are the head coach and two assistants.  Right?

I think that's how it works a lot of times, but I'm pretty sure Coop was able to start recruiting at some point.  Everything on Baker (he was the JUCO transfer, top 100 out of high school, who never qualified at TU) seemed to say Cooper recruited him.

[Gold*]

I knew about Pooh wasn't sure about Johnson. Met both guys a couple of times in Dallas and both really nice guys. Did not know about the Yusef Baker situation and i can't imagine Coop having many connections in the college world. I still think of both he and Coach Phillips as being very good x and o's guys who probably belonged in the high school ranks. Coach Phillips was a great high school coach and i know that Coach Self thought highly of him. Heard he has a nice gig working for a TU booster up there now. He probably should have brought a more experienced assistant in to help with everything, was really a big step up for him. i think that you can have 3 guys out now recruiting. Conley does recruit some; although mostly done by Hankins and the "CLOSER" Williams. You would think i would get a free shirt for being Corey's promotional adviser!!!

I remember after we lost to Wisconsin in the tournament, Mike Decourcy of the Sporting News wrote an article attacking JP and his staff.  A lot of us sent him hate mail and he stood by his word.  Then, after all was said and done, I sent him another email basically admitting he was right.  It was really interesting what he had to say -- basically, JP was very well thought of in the basketball world, but that he hired the completely wrong assistants.  You need guys who want to move up, who are accountable, and who are expendable if things don't go right. TU couldn't fire the former player assistants after the first 9-20 season and JP wasn't about to get rid of Cooper.

Ashvid frequently praised Cooper's scouting ability -- I remember he claimed we would win games if Cooper scouting the opposing team.

[djenkins13]

They were complete opposites of Wojcik and his staff; not very agressive and at that level you really have to get out and work to get the players to cpmpete with. I have heard very good things about what a hard worker Wojcik is. Nothing against Coach Phillips who is one of the most honest and straightforward guys i had ever met. You are right just bad choices in assistants and loyal to a fault. It is still wierd to see some of the things that Kansas runs that Phillips ran in high school.

I think the ORU staff has been together around 8 or 9 years now which nowdays is amazing! If the 2 guards had qualified they would be pretty darn good this year. Still think they make the tourney and beating Kansas and Seton Hall in the same year is a big accomplishment!! Gaines will still end up at ORU in a couple of years and is having a very good year at NEO.

[tmh8286]

I read on the Seton Hall board that their coach, Bobby Gonzalez, had been critical of officiating in the post-game interview, and I've been trying to find out what it was that he said.  The only references I've been able to find came from the Pirate's Plank blog that I linked to before.  Here are the quotes I found:

""When the game was in the balance, we just couldn't score," Seton Hall coach Bobby Gonzalez said. "The whistle turned on us and Green was murder."

And a quote from the blog:

"Laing was hit with a technical foul for taunting following a Eugene Harvey basket to put the Hall up 7 points late in the game. In the post-game interview, Bobby Gonzalez said Laing told the coach the only thing he said was "Let's go NuNu" in reference to Eugene Harvey. Gonzo was also displeased with the technical foul called on Stan Gaines, saying the senior was frustrated at Caleb Green never getting called for a 3 second violation when Gaines made a comment (without any four-letter words) while leaving the floor. Gonzo was hit with a "T" for good measure in a game that saw Seton Hall take only 15 free throws to Oral Roberts' 39.

In post game comments, Bobby Gonzalez expressed his disappointment that the team played so well only to have late calls hurt the squad. Still, he acknowledged the Pirates could not make the late baskets necessary and were hurt badly when Gaines and Bilmeier fouled out early and especially when Laing was sent to the bench late."

One Seton Hall fan had commented that his complaints were bush-league, and that he should take responsibility for the defeat, but unless he said more than what is quoted here, I don't see too much wrong with it. 

[tmh8286]

Here is a very interesting quote from their message board:

"Over at another site an ORU fan who claims to have been at the game left this comment for SHU fans on the game. Just their point of view...

Your coach lost that game. He started barking at the refs when the game started and didn't let up until it was over. Every trip down the floor for ORU, he was screaming for a three second call, wanting a travel, yelling for an offensive foul, sarcastically congratualting the refs for missed calls. I was embarassed for him, his program, and your University at his conduct. He can cry all he wants about the free throw difference, but he only has himself to blame."

This kind of goes along with what Cooper was saying on the radio.  Most responses on the board seemed to go along with this comment.  There seems to be a little concern among the Seton Hall faithful that Gonzalez' constant complaining to the refs might lead to similar results in future games.  I've been unable to find the source of the quote, but I thought it was interesting.