TSpoke said:
Jeez. I must be in the minority but I was slightly impressed with last night. Its hard to have a chance to win when you are down 3 starters on a team that already lacks reliable returning players. I was ready for the blowout once the second half started but I saw us battle back and make it a game. We had chances to tie it up just missed shots and free throws when we needed them. Yes BC isn't a great team but I bet they are the best team we have played yet.
I see a team that is beginning to figure itself out with players figuring out their roles and playing together. It really sucks that we are missing 3 major players but in the long run when they get back we will be better for it I have to believe. I need to see a lot more from this team before I give up on them or make any sort of declarations about their lack of talent.
I hope Maldo's back spasms don't become an issue all year. Both games we have traveled to he has had issues and not started.
I suppose I should clarify since I was the one who commented about the lack of talent that was available to the Pokes LAST NIGHT....
The Pokes trailed by 21 in the first half..... Boston College was undermanned just as we were. Boston College completely let their foot off the gas in the 2nd half and while I'm very proud of the fight the Pokes displayed and the fact that we very nearly came all the way back and had a chance to win the game, I credit a lot of our comeback to Boston College completely sleepwalking in the 2nd half. If it wasn't for Bowman saving their skins time and time again Pokes would've probably won because no one else for them did squat in the 2nd half.
My comment regarding the talent the pokes had available to them LAST NIGHT, was just that.... no Maldonado, no Thompson, no Naughton..... only the players available to play last night. Going into last nights game, I saw 3 players on the entire Pokes healthy roster that I was confident would be factors on the offensive end of the floor, and a big chunk of that, as has been thoroughly discussed, is because Edwards has seemingly no ability to develop the talent that he does have. Awful hard to improve your game sitting on the bench. Was I wrong? Look at the stats from the game.... We scored 76 points. 60 of our 76 points came from the 3 players that I figured would have an impact..... 3 players! Credit to Redding for going 8-8 from the foul line which accounted for half of our remaining points but I haven't seen a guard with an aversion to shooting the ball like him since Jaydee Luster. The roster that was available to play LAST NIGHT would be lucky to win 10 games this year unless JJ and Hendricks are each scoring 30+ a night which would be herculean. Thus, I stand by my comment that the Pokes team that took the floor LAST NIGHT, in my opinion, which we all our allowed to have, and doesn't need to be agreed with, was one of the weakest teams I've ever seen the Pokes field on a given night in terms of available talent. Which makes it all the more noteworthy to me just how impressive the Pokes comeback was in the 2nd half.... truly undermanned and undersized at multiple positions and the grit and fight displayed by the Pokes to get themselves in a chance to win last night makes me proud to be a Pokes fan, regardless of how inept our coach is.
If being objective when looking at this team makes me a bad fan, so be it. Wyoming basketball is my favorite sport on the planet, which I know puts me in a giant minority, but I try to watch every game and hope for wins every time out regardless of how good or bad we are. When Shroyer was here destroying the program I tuned in every game I could just because I'm a basketball junky and bleed brown and gold just like most everyone else here does.
By saying that I felt that last night "miiiiight" have been the least talent I'd seen Wyoming put on a basketball court, in no way do I feel that the players on the roster do not have the talent to compete at a high level, but is a reflection of Edwards completely refusing to develop the talent that we do have. Thus, when we are beset by injuries.... as we currently are, we have no one to step in and fill the void. I can't fault the players for that in the slightest, the players gave it everything they had last night, and no one appreciates that effort more than I, but our coaching staff has a long, long, long way to go in learning how to develop and utilize correctly the talent that is available to them.
If I look at the talent this team has as a whole, with everyone healthy, I see a lot to be optimistic about, AN ABSOLUTE TON of potential on this team. A vast amount of talent available to be put to use on a basketball floor. I currently have very little faith in Edwards ability to develop and utilize that talent as he should.
I very much hope I'm wrong, and if Edwards turns this program into a perennial MWC champion, I'll be the first to eat crow, but til then, I stand by every word I said.
, or maybe just spoiled by seeing Josh Adams turn into such a monster that I wan't to see that out of everybody when it simply isn't possible..... As for Maldonado, the improvement we've seen from him I guess is about what I'd expect out of any player who's had the role thrust on him that he has, with just natural experience and maturity running their course, more so than anything Edwards has done. 
