As to the men, there were too many problems with this year’s team. There were too many flaws, and too many pieces which didn’t fit together well. They had several forwards who couldn’t score, a point guard so inconsistent that one game you loved him and another you hated him, a defense which could not defend the three-point shot and made heroes out of garden variety players on opposing teams, a pathetic inability to shoot free throws, and a system dedicated to running and gunning and hoping only to outscore the opponent, not bothering with the defensive side of the game. With all that said, the Cougar men won more than twenty games, and came close in games against tourney teams such as Iowa State, and even beat Texas and Stanford, other tourney teams. In the end, though, the Cougars were more frustrating than fun to watch.
In other news, the Cougar football team has its spring scrimmage tomorrow. There is great optimism in Cougar town, because the duo of Taysom Hill and Jamaal Williams is back for another year. The optimism should be tempered by a dose of reality, since the offensive line is also back. Last year they were, in a word, mediocre. If they can’t block, and hold their blocks, it will be a long year for Taysom and Jamaal. But hope always springs eternal among the Cougar faithful, and hundreds will turn out for the glorified scrimmage tomorrow. This reporter will be there.
Finally, as Cougar fans, we need to be measured in our optimism. This reporter has been accused of being a “Pollyanna,” and of thinking that the Cougars always have a chance to be in the top 25, both in football and basketball. As one close to this reporter has said, “they are what they are” and “don’t get your hopes up too much.” The honor code does limit the recruits they are able to get, and the “niceness” of the university sometimes wears off on the teams, and they don’t have the “kick butt, take names” mentality we wish they would have. But we shall see what this season brings.
JudgeWood
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