Saul's "Please believe me, this team is really good!" speech

[DjKyRo]

I guess then the thing that Tim (and later Saul) failed to see was what happens AFTER these seniors, Woody, Nelly, Moorman, Winks, take us to the Dance?? I'm not saying they would have been able to reload right away, but I gotta tell you, it has been a DIFFICULT 18 months for this program.

We need to get an NBA prospect one of these days. Tap that Twin Cities pipeline, I keep saying. but apparently the people recruiting don't seem to listen...

If you honestly think Tim and Saul didn't consider the season after the Dance run then you're straight up being a numbskull, and that's the nicest way I can put it. These guys get paid the big bucks to make those sorts of decisions.

As for the NBA comment, do you not think that every program in the nation wants an NBA-caliber player? Seriously?

It's a battle. We took a gamble, succeeded with it, but there's going to be some fallout. We're still seeing higher-caliber recruiting and that's going to take time to pay off.

[Bison bison]

If you honestly think Tim and Saul didn't consider the season after the Dance run then you're straight up being a numbskull, and that's the nicest way I can put it. These guys get paid the big bucks to make those sorts of decisions.

As for the NBA comment, do you not think that every program in the nation wants an NBA-caliber player? Seriously?

It's a battle. We took a gamble, succeeded with it, but there's going to be some fallout. We're still seeing higher-caliber recruiting and that's going to take time to pay off.

I would rather have a well-rounded student-athlete from a good family with strong morals --- KIDDING!

[NDSUstudent]

Patience, it is how you finish this season is what matters. This team still has a chance to do some things but they need to dig deep and start playing with an edge.

[HandoEX]

Yeah, but Butler is predicted to go to the Dance again this year by Joe Lunardi, albeit as an 11 seed.

I think if Oakland can have a season where they have prospects of repeating as Summit champs a year after they did so, I see no reason why NDSU can't do the same thing at some point. Oakland can string together a couple of NCAA years, and they don't go in the toilet (11-18 like we did last year) a year after they make the Dance,
why can't we??
I guess I'm more pissed at last year than anything. We never should've been that bad.

Oakland DID go 11-18 in '05-'06, which was a year after they made the dance. That program seems to be ok now.

[TheBisonator]

Oakland DID go 11-18 a year after they made the dance in '05-'06.

Woops, then my mistake.

I still think anything less than .500 should never be acceptable with the conference we play in.

[DjKyRo]

Woops, then my mistake.

I still think anything less than .500 should never be acceptable with the conference we play in.

Who on earth said <.500 is acceptable?

[TheBisonator]

Who on earth said <.500 is acceptable?

Seems like we accepted it on the whole last year. Played it off to Dance hangover, youth excuses, etc.

[NDSUstudent]

Last year was acceptable. The team lost basically all their scoring and then lost multiple players to injury. They did battle every night, they just had a lot of tough breaks. That team was never destined for greatness.

I will not be happy at all if this team finishes below .500. This team is clearly more talented and should have two more wins. This team has had some issues with effort and consistency, Saul needs to get them playing with an edge again(especially on the road).

[Mr. Burgundy]

Seems like we accepted it on the whole last year. Played it off to Dance hangover, youth excuses, etc.

Ok, someone tell me how to put cartoon on ignore. Thanks.

[silkamilkamonico]

Seems like we accepted it on the whole last year. Played it off to Dance hangover, youth excuses, etc.

How about 2nd year of being a legitimately eligible D1 basketball program?

I still don't understand why that escapes some fans here.

I also think the "we went to the big dance so any years of struggling is unacceptable" is utterly ridiculous, like we were somehow a major factor in D2 and then expected continued success in D1.

In 2.5 years of being tournament eligible in Division 1, we have already been arguably more successful than we ever were in Division 2.

But yea, let's just go ahead and continue to ignore that, being the ignorant moronic fans we know we can be.