Does Style Matter?

[Digetydog]

It is one thing to lose lots of basketball games (under Doherty - that is a given), it is another to offer fans a horrible product to watch.

I know that offensive rebounding is not part of the Princeton offense, but it makes me crazy that we don't even try. Living in CT, I watch a bit of Big East BB and nobody plays anything resembling our system.

When SMU rolls into the XL Center (or Gampel Pavillion) in 2013 to play Uconn, I don't want to see our boring system. It would be like JJones bring the Ponies to town running the winged T.

[LHS81]

I think substance matters more. If you want to attract the casual, I want my face to be seen in the front row fan, you need a team that plays uptempo basketball.

[hoopmanx]

It is one thing to lose lots of basketball games (under Doherty - that is a given), it is another to offer fans a horrible product to watch.

I know that offensive rebounding is not part of the Princeton offense, but it makes me crazy that we don't even try. Living in CT, I watch a bit of Big East BB and nobody plays anything resembling our system.

When SMU rolls into the XL Center (or Gampel Pavillion) in 2013 to play Uconn, I don't want to see our boring system. It would be like JJones bring the Ponies to town running the winged T.

First off, the princeton was beautiful to watch last year w/experienced kids running it. Its slow & ragged this year w/9 newcomers running it. Kill Doh all you wish, but SMU playing fast in the Big East is a death sentence. The Big East itself plays slow and rugged, its not a finesse or running league at all. Why would you want to try & go athlete for athlete w/UCONN? You need a system to compete w/them, not just roll the ball out vs them.

As for JJones bringing the winged T, I'd rather have had Paul Johnson 10 times out of 10, so that argument falls on deaf ears. Winning is substance, not style. Also, Georgetown plays similar to SMU, as does BC, Wake, Richmond & UVA. Lots of solid clubs having good success in good leagues playing tempo control

[Digetydog]

It is one thing to lose lots of basketball games (under Doherty - that is a given), it is another to offer fans a horrible product to watch.

I know that offensive rebounding is not part of the Princeton offense, but it makes me crazy that we don't even try. Living in CT, I watch a bit of Big East BB and nobody plays anything resembling our system.

When SMU rolls into the XL Center (or Gampel Pavillion) in 2013 to play Uconn, I don't want to see our boring system. It would be like JJones bring the Ponies to town running the winged T.

First off, the princeton was beautiful to watch last year w/experienced kids running it. Its slow & ragged this year w/9 newcomers running it. Kill Doh all you wish, but SMU playing fast in the Big East is a death sentence. The Big East itself plays slow and rugged, its not a finesse or running league at all. Why would you want to try & go athlete for athlete w/UCONN? You need a system to compete w/them, not just roll the ball out vs them.

As for JJones bringing the winged T, I'd rather have had Paul Johnson 10 times out of 10, so that argument falls on deaf ears. Winning is substance, not style. Also, Georgetown plays similar to SMU, as does BC, Wake, Richmond & UVA. Lots of solid clubs having good success in good leagues playing tempo control

If SMU went undefeated running the Winged T in 2012, I would be very happy. As long as JJ wins, I don't care how he does it (unless it involves handing out Trans Ams again). Like you, I though Johnson was the guy to hire.

Under Doherty, we have a team that doesn't win and looks horrible doing it.

[Mustangsabu]

The Princeton can be great to watch when well executed. Personally, I think if you want to watch running, shooting, high scoring B-Ball yuo go watch the NBA which I find pretty unwatchable. I love watching our kids when they have got it going, and I will confess that I like it when they mix in some more up-tempo stuff, but I think that when they get good, the Princeton will be played at a higher tempo and with more success.

[LHS81]

I prefer the Paul Westhead, get the ball up the court and put pressure on the defense to make a quick decision. I guess we can agree to disagree.

[hoopmanx]

I prefer the Paul Westhead, get the ball up the court and put pressure on the defense to make a quick decision. I guess we can agree to disagree.

It's fun to watch, but it's never won at any level, and would get decimated by rugged, grind it out, BE teams. You have to D up at some point

[SMUer]

No defensive rebounding, no slam dunks, 90% perimeter passing...I just don't know how this is appealing to recruits

[hoopmanx]

No defensive rebounding, no slam dunks, 90% perimeter passing...I just don't know how this is appealing to recruits

You just recruit to system not best available. It's very easy to sell the a princeton like offense during an in-home. Basically, everyone gets the ball facing the basket, has a hard ball screen to work off of, where they get to dribble/shoot or pass. That's the actual reality of the offense, not how its being run by us this year. Its like we're so intent on running our stuff, that we've taken all the freedom out of the offense. Just too rigid.