palestra38
Professor
Posts: 32834
Reg: 11-21-04
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Re: Next three games
01-17-22 11:26 AM - Post#333466
In response to UPIA1968
Ya just think it might have something to do with inexperienced guards taking on a schedule of top 100 teams (or in the case of a team like Towson, a couple of 5th year transfers) to start? My goodness, the reliance on a stat like that when the schedules of the teams are so dramatically different is mind boggling.
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palestra38
Professor
Posts: 32834
Reg: 11-21-04
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Re: Next three games
01-17-22 11:36 AM - Post#333467
In response to palestra38
And just to document the change, in only 4 conference games (out of 17 overall), the steals have increased by over a steal a game and turnovers decreased by over 3. It makes a difference on whom you are playing.
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LyleGold
PhD Student
Posts: 1712
Reg: 11-22-04
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Re: Next three games
01-17-22 12:39 PM - Post#333472
In response to palestra38
I’m sure you’re not doing it intentionally, since you’ve railed against it incessantly, but you’re validating Donahue’s claim that the non-conference schedule prepared us for the Ivy League season. I agree with him about that. Rather than crush our young, inexperienced players, it likely furthered the development of George Smith and Clark Slajchert.
As a season ticket holder, I hate not having many home games (they charged us for 14 while giving us 11, but only 2 actually happened because of the backloaded schedule). But as a fan who wants us to win the league, I support SD in his efforts to get us there. That includes the weird schedule that infuriated us early, but may be paying off now.
By the way, in a televised interview, Steve took full responsibility for the schedule, recognizing that many have blamed him for its drawbacks. He explicitly stated that he created it to get us ready for league play. All that stuff about a wealthy university selling itself for money through its basketball schedule is nothing but speculation. The shortsighted ticket policy, which will likely kill off what little interest remains in Penn basketball, is a disgrace. I don’t know that you can toss the schedule into that same basket.
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Streamers
Professor
Posts: 8257
Loc: NW Philadelphia
Reg: 11-21-04
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01-17-22 12:59 PM - Post#333475
In response to LyleGold
I'm mostly with Lyle as it relates to the schedule. The two perhaps unavoidable aspects that I hate were the travel demands and the impact on us as season ticket holders. I have always felt that a strong OOC schedule is, on balance, a very good thing and we do not fail to cry when Penn (or any Ivy) schedules cupcakes. Incidentally, as P38 points out, it can distort the ratings, but I have never relied much on those anyway. I believe SD when he says the schedule was primarily about experience and less about $$$.
We will know in the next few weeks if it worked. This is exactly the wrong time to evaluate it.
What us not known is whether SD feels this is an anomaly coming off the lost year or something he would do again.
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