TNET: Brownell makes final NCAA Tournament appeal on ESPN

BigChief2000

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Re: TNET: Brownell makes final NCAA Tournament appeal on ESPN

Mar 12, 2023, 3:04 PM [ in reply to Re: TNET: Brownell makes final NCAA Tournament appeal on ESPN ]

tiger_swimmer® said:

It’s so formulaic that Brad knows, absolutely knows, that you can not lose to Louisville. You just can’t. By double digits no less. And to Loyola-Chicago by 18. And to the lousy coots. It’s not mysterious. It’s formulaic. He knew what he had to do and failed. Badly.

How did HE fail? Did he fail to hold practices. Did he inflict physical pain on players that resulted in their injury? Did he extort the team to take a dive? No, he didn’t, and you know I’m just being facetious, so I apologize for being silly.
Anyhow . . .

Look, the Louisville game was bad luck. Yes, the team shot horribly, and Louisville did not. When the game is actually played on the court, neither coach has any control as to whether jump shots are accurate. However, the bad luck I’m referring to is the fact Clemson had to play Louisville when they were honoring their 2013 national title team. The fan attendance wasn’t like one would expect for a team that had only won 2 games at that point. Their team was able to feed off that big crowd energy, and that guard they have (who is a very good player anyway) played out of his mind. Do I think Clemson should have won that game? Oh yes, but I had a bad feeling about it when I learned it was a “special and commemorative” day for Louisville. I just had a feeling that they were going to be all pumped up and full of pee and vinegar and Uber motivation. And, sadly, they were indeed. So, that game was a bear trap of a game anyhow, and Clemson shot horribly bad, and Louisville did not. The result, while unfortunate, wasn’t THAT unpredictable.

The SC game was a last second shot winner, on the road, against the main rival. It was also very early in the season. That loss is completely understandable, especially at the time with Hall not up to his standard physical ability. Again, I hope they win every game, but I don’t think it is fair to hold that loss against their attending the NCAA Tournament.

If we really want to hold a game or two against them, I’ll give you the Loyola of Chicago and BC games. I don’t care who is the coach or how awfully bad Clemson basketball history is, and even with the increased parity in college ball in the last 25 years, I don’t think ANY ACC team should ever lose to a team with a name like that. It just shouldn’t happen. I know I’m being “Power 5 fan elitist” in that regard, but that one made me angry. However, again, they shot 3’s out of their mind, and Clemson couldn’t hit the ocean throwing off the pier. Nevertheless, I’ll give you that one. That was a very bad loss. No question about it.

The BC game was infuriating because they had them by the gonads in the first ten minutes of the game, and then it was like they suddenly got all afraid and timid. I agree with Coach’s assessment with that game. They got behind, and they started playing panicky. They were chucking 3’s and such without the appearance of proper offense structure at times. I can see how that game could be on both the players and the coaches. So, that’s two. But, neither of these games should keep Clemson out of the NCAAT. That wouldn’t be proper or fair, in my opinion.

Ultimately, Coach Brownell did a great job this season. I look at it this way: if he were to have been canned last year, and the new coach came in and had the EXACT same year as Coach Brownell did this past season, would he get the same kind of heat from the fans? No way. Disappointment? A little, but most everyone would be HIGHLY optimistic. If that’s the case, and I think it very much is, why not be just as optimistic about Coach Brownell’s past season? He took a 17-15 (or was it 16?) team from last year, lost several players to the portal, brought in his new class, and did DEMONSTRABLY better. 23-10 at Clemson, historically, is outstanding. 14-6 and 3rd place in the ACC? That’s rarefied air no matter how “down” the conference might be at present.

Yesterday, I read someone’s comments from a thread on this site stating they felt Coach Brownell has shown he can actually be successful using the portal. Another poster agreed, and I do as well. They stated how that might be a way to make up for the fact that getting Top 10, blue chip classes in basketball is very difficult at a school with Clemson’s history. While I very much agree with that sentiment, recently Coach Brownell has brought in a few 4 stars in the last few years. Hall, Middlebrooks, and Hunter were all 4 stars, I think. I also think he had one four star in this current playing year’s class as well. Did he? I think so, but I could be wrong.

All that being stated, I think Coach Brownell has shown there are reasons to be just as optimistic about his continued tenure at Clemson as we would be for a new coach. Also, historically, the last two Clemson coaches who had success at Clemson bolted for the door as soon as a good opportunity arose. I think that would happen all over again, and it would be rinse and repeat yet again. Coach Brownell is showing improvement, and it appears he actually wants to stay at Clemson. Otherwise, i think he would have high tailed away from here after the 2017-2018 season when he got that big extension. I’m sure he had suitors coming off that great year. And, that’s why, to me, if Clemson is ever going to have long term consistency and success in men’s basketball, they MUST get a good coach who is willing to stay rather than just “program build.” The coach has to be someone who realizes that Clemson basketball is very much a developmental program similar to what Wake Forest is like in football. Very five years, you have to understand that you will take your lumps in years 1 and 2. By year 3, you’ll see marked improvement, and in years 4-5, very good to outstanding seasons can be achieved and expected. And, with the successful use of the transfer portalI, you might be able to do it very 3 years as opposed to 5. I still believe Coach Brownell can do that.

P.S. One more thing I’ll grant you, as far as criticism toward Coach Brownell this season is concerned, would be the UVA game this last Friday. Jay Bilas actually made a very valid and good point during that game, and he mentioned it again last night in the Championship game. In the last ten minutes or so of the semifinal game, Brownell finally started putting pressure on the Wahoos in the backcourt and putting pressure on the inbound pass, as well as running the traps and such. While it wasn’t foolproof, it did appear to have a more detrimental effect on the Wahoos when compared to the defense from most of the game. Why he didn’t do this sooner, I think, is a very valid criticism.

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TNET: Brownell makes final NCAA Tournament appeal on ESPN

Re: TNET: Brownell makes final NCAA Tournament appeal on ESPN

Re: TNET: Brownell makes final NCAA Tournament appeal on ESPN

Re: TNET: Brownell makes final NCAA Tournament appeal on ESPN

Re: TNET: Brownell makes final NCAA Tournament appeal on ESPN

Re: TNET: Brownell makes final NCAA Tournament appeal on ESPN

Re: TNET: Brownell makes final NCAA Tournament appeal on ESPN

Re: TNET: Brownell makes final NCAA Tournament appeal on ESPN

It’s sad that CBB feels he has to lower himself…

It's like the Hunger Games

That’s what happens when

Re: It’s sad that CBB feels he has to lower himself…

Re: TNET: Brownell makes final NCAA Tournament appeal on ESPN

Re: TNET: Brownell makes final NCAA Tournament appeal on ESPN

Goodness, what’s your deal?

When did lilac become one of our colors?

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