McRae is playing an absolutely horrid game on both ends

[101stDad]

You and 101stdad missed my point. It has nothing to do with playing well because of the size of the crowd. It simply means that we, as fans, knew this game didn't mean jack; that's why we weren't there. Why are we surprised that the players might have felt similarly?

Btw, those who blame a bad performance on a team's lack of character probably aren't taking into account the exhibition games where teams typically turn in a less than stellar effort.

No, I'm not missing anything.  Every time you play it means something, or at least it should mean something. 

What was saw tonight we saw over and over this year.  It wasn't just a one time thing in a game which you seem to think didn't mean anything. 

[Creek Walker]

Without Googling, tell me who won the NIT last season. 

Yeah, that's what I thought.

[JeffCountyVolFan]

Without Googling, tell me who won the NIT last season. 

Yeah, that's what I thought.

I understood your point. I simply disagree with it. Whether I care if they won, played well, gave effort or not - someone who is a 'winner' will never give less than their best effort in competition.

Whether or not I, you, or any other fan knows who won the NIT last season is irrelevant - the guys who played in that game know, and will never forget it.  For a true competitor, imo, the motivation is from within. I am reminded of the motto: 'If winning was easy, losers would do it!'

[BanditVol]

Have you ever played competitive sports?

yes.  I should probably resent the implication, but I don't.  LOL!   

[BanditVol]

To go to your point Creek, don't read in to what we - or I should say I, because I don't speak for everyone - are saying as some massive indictment of the team or Martin.  It isn't.  It's simply a statement on this one game.  I didn't like the effort.

I am pretty much in the mainstream in my attitude to Cuonzo and the team's prospects for next year.  There was good and bad this year - this last game definitely was bad.  I have no respect for a team that dials it in just because "it's the NIT".  I should say SOME of the team.  I do think there were some good individual efforts but overall they stunk it up.

It's funny because I see a big contrast in your attitude about "it's just the NIT" vs. the "we might not even go to a bowl game" statement that it was allegeda  football player made before we lost to UK in 2011.  Quick, who won the Liberty Bowl in 2011?  Yeah, no one gives a shizzle about that either, but that's no reason to lose to Kentucky.

And if you lay down against Mercer in the NIT, likely you don't have the stones to beat bammer next year when the NCAA is on the line again, or your first round opponent in the NCAA, or.....

[Creek Walker]

To go to your point Creek, don't read in to what we - or I should say I, because I don't speak for everyone - are saying as some massive indictment of the team or Martin.  It isn't.  It's simply a statement on this one game.  I didn't like the effort.

I am pretty much in the mainstream in my attitude to Cuonzo and the team's prospects for next year.  There was good and bad this year - this last game definitely was bad.  I have no respect for a team that dials it in just because "it's the NIT".  I should say SOME of the team.  I do think there were some good individual efforts but overall they stunk it up.

It's funny because I see a big contrast in your attitude about "it's just the NIT" vs. the "we might not even go to a bowl game" statement that it was allegeda  football player made before we lost to UK in 2011.  Quick, who won the Liberty Bowl in 2011?  Yeah, no one gives a shizzle about that either, but that's no reason to lose to Kentucky.

And if you lay down against Mercer in the NIT, likely you don't have the stones to beat bammer next year when the NCAA is on the line again, or your first round opponent in the NCAA, or.....

Bowl games and the NIT is an apples to oranges comparison. Besides, I just didn't like Tyler Bray, so there's that...

[JeffCountyVolFan]

Bowl games and the NIT is an apples to oranges comparison. Besides, I just didn't like Tyler Bray, so there's that...

One man's trash is another man's treasure.  I actually think the bowl game example is 'spot on'.  Playing for a lower level bowl or playing in a lower level tournament... seems relevant to me. 

[Creek Walker]

One man's trash is another man's treasure.  I actually think the bowl game example is 'spot on'.  Playing for a lower level bowl or playing in a lower level tournament... seems relevant to me. 

I guess the biggest difference between the NIT and a lower-tier bowl, at least to me, is that you typically know mid-way through the season whether you have a shot at a major bowl. If that's all you're playing for, you can cash it in right then. It isn't like Bray and Rogers woke up after the Vanderbilt game and said, "Hey, wait a minute. We're not going to a major bowl." It's completely different when you've battled for weeks to put yourself in position for an NCAAT bid, win 9 of 11 games, and then find out that you aren't getting in and have to turn around and play an NIT game in 72 hours. It's just an apples to oranges scenario.

[JeffCountyVolFan]

Ok, from that perspective I can see your reasoning.  As far as from being competitive in either, though, I see a correlation.

I want to state that I am not in the "trash Martin" mindset.  I saw great effort and good hustle through the end of the season stretch.  I also know that working with young people is challenging, especially so when trying to convince them to give their all for an effort.  That said, it is his job to find ways to motivate and inspire his players to achieve their best.  I simply do not feel that we saw that in the last two games this season.

[Black Diamond Vol]

I can see both sides of the argument.  You never want to think that your team is giving less than 100%, but in cases like this, it's just human nature.  If I had time, I'd look up the last 10 years of teams that had a legitimate hope of going to the big dance on Selection Sunday and see how they fared in the NIT.  I'd bet it's not very good.  When you think you're going to get a chance to play for all the marbles and then have the rug yanked out from under you at the 11th hour, it's going to affect your mental state.

And if you think that the idea of spending their Spring Break in Provo, Utah didn't enter their subconscious, well, think again.

[BanditVol]

And if you think that the idea of spending their Spring Break in Provo, Utah didn't enter their subconscious, well, think again.

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