Pumped for Tuesday!!!

[Oh8ch]

I can't remember the last time I was this excited about seeing the BBall team take the court.

I had very high expectations last season, but by the end of the year felt the talent on the team had been vastly over sold. However, in retrospect I am engaging in a little revisionist history:

Obie was trying to implement an up-tempo game to take advantage of the players he had (most of whom were new). Up-tempo wasn't his natural stye. Then he has the throat surgery and can't clearly communicate with his players. His primary assistant for almost 20 years is gone. Factor in that Obie's normal coaching style involves a lot of screaming and 'negative' reinforcement. Add half a cup of flour and bake at 350 for 45 minutes and you have a disaster. Or at least you have a season that doesn't allow you to accuratley asses the talent level of the team.

Now we have a positive coach (the players really sound positive in everything they say about him) whose natural game is up-tempo and every reason to believe the natural talent is there.

I am pumped!!

[Clarity]

Agreed, I'm very excited about this season. Looking forward to seeing how this new look plays.

[BuckeyeTillIDie]

Should be interesting to see the new-look Buckeyes on Tuesday. I'm thinking there will be a lot of excitement this year, and for years to come with the basketball program back on the rise.

[Bestbuck36]

Already bought my tickets to next Monday night. Hopefully its the championship game. I just want to see a Buckeye basketball team that is going to give it all they have for an entire game.

[blufftonbuck]

Already bought my tickets to next Monday night. Hopefully its the championship game. I just want to see a Buckeye basketball team that is going to give it all they have for an entire game.

Effort, Defense, and then offense...that is what I want to see.

[Bucktastic]

I cant wait for tomorrow......

Heres to a good season!!!!!!

[BuckeyeNation27]

Or at least you have a season that doesn't allow you to accuratley asses the talent level of the team.

theres no need to call anybody on the team names Oh.

[buckeyefool]

Look at what Matta did with X and Im think that before you know it We may be back in a natioal limelight. The only thing that could have made it better was if the football team was doing better because then he could have built the team quitely, and then in March We would all be like holy crap We are good this year.

In all seriousness I am going to really make an effort to get back into basketball this year, Ever since the national chapionship in football I have had trouble really getting into college basketball for some reason.

[OilerBuck]

I am excited as well, but be careful not to get your hopes too high. This teams problems extend beyond "quick fixes". Bad shot selection, turnovers and boxing out killed us last year. These types of mistakes are usually magnified when changing coaches and going to a new scheme.

Coach Matta also made a comment around a friend of mine that has deflated my high expectations going into the season. It just seems like this may be year one of a rebuilding process. I do think we will get an idea of what the future will hold, and I think we will finish strong this year as people mature, take on leadership roles under the new regime and learn what Matta has to teach. I just expect a VERY slow start.

[Padraig]

I'm hopeful and looking forward to seeing some serious improvements in effort/enthusiasm, discipline and defense. But with that said, I wonder if we have enough size/physical presence to "hang" in the Big Ten.


Show me team Basketball...show me improvement from game to game...and show me a coaching staff and players excited to be part of Buckeye Basketball and I'll be excited to watch them play (even through a "rebuilding" year) which is something that I definitely was not last year.

[JCOSU86]

Originally Posted by Oh8ch

accuratley asses

Is that some sort of butt target?

[Sambuck]

FWIW, I called the ticket office for clarification on the games for the Guardian Classic since there are 4 teams in our sectional playing games here which include Ohio State. According to the girl at the ticket office, tickets to the Guardian Classic games are for both games that particular day.

November 15
==========
1) Robert Morris vs Morgan St - 5:30pm
2) Ohio St vs Towson St - 8:00pm

November 16
==========
3) game 1 loser vs game 2 loser - 5:30pm
4) game 1 winner vs game 2 winner - 8:00pm

It should be a nice primer for the college basketball season. Four games in two days, with two of those games having the Buckeyes play. I think I will have to leave work a bit early those two days to take in the early games.

i cant believe there is no tv for these games.....i mean the first game in the matta era goes untelevised???

couldnt they of at least let the osu av kids do the game???

[Oh8ch]

I am excited as well, but be careful not to get your hopes too high.

My optimism is 'cautious' (I was burned last year) but I don't think unjustified. I am not looking for these kids to over-achieve, but only to live up to their original expectations (last year they looked like a bunch of asses).

Billings and Harris in particular were very highly rated but played a TOTAL of 25 minutes a game between them - on a very bad basketball team.

I always felt that JT and Obie were similar in that you have to master his 'system' before you can contribute. Matta has gone into two programs and gotten results immediately with other peoples recruits. (I don't think the talent pool is that much shallower here than it was at Xavier.) I don't know enough about his style to suggest it is easier to learn, but I am hopeful that his more positive style will make it easier for kids to go out and create within the context of that style.