Well, good evening AU Hoops fans. After a long season full of ups and downs, the train finally chugged along to a stop tonight against the Lehigh Hill Pigeons who looked decidedly un-pigeon-like tonight. We got completely outplayed tonight in virtually every facet of the game. We came out flat against a team that was more experienced, more cohesive, and more talented. The game wasn't really ever that close. Still, we lost in the semifinals, and that's farther than a lot of people thought we would go this season. (I just wanted to host a home game in the quarters, personally). In light of what the team did achieve, I'm only going to focus on the GOOD from tonight's game. There is plenty of BAD and UGLY to point out, but I'll abstain. I imagine we can talk about it in the comments, but for now, join me after the jump.
THE GOOD
The Blue Crew - It seemed like there were quite a lot of Blue Crew members in the crowd tonight. According to Josh, they even sang the fight song a capella twice. Great to see such dedication from our fans. We could hear you chanting "Let's Go Eagles!" on TV. Bravo!
Matt Wilson - In his last career game, Matt had a career high in minutes (I think?) and also kicked in 7 points, 3 assists, 6 rebounds, and only one turnover. He drove into the lane, dove for loose balls, and showed a lot of passion. A great note to go out on, Matt. Thanks for your great contributions the past two seasons. We wish you all the best!
Steve Luptak - On a night when not very much went well for us, Luptak was a bright spot. 5-7 and 4-6 for 14 points with 3 assists and 2 rebounds. He did as well as he could on the defensive end, but we just got steamrolled. If Luptak could consistently string together games like this next season, it'd make us even deeper than we're already going to be.
Nick Hendra - Hendra didn't have a great game statistically, but his three pointers early on were really the only sparks AU had. Unfortunately those sparks didn't get the pilot lit. I hope Nick is feeling okay after he hit his head on the floor. His skull literally bounced off the court as he was making a Superman dive to try to break up a Lehigh pass. They were also looking at his knee. Both head and knee checked out and Hendra came back into the game. Way to be a gamer, Hendra! Don't know if I agree with putting him back in when we're down 17 (you've got to be so careful with head injuries), but I also don't have a medical degree so...yeah.
Lumpkins - Another solid, but far from great, performance for Lumpkins tonight. He did his best, but in the end Carrington is just a beast. Still 15 and 9 are nothing to scoff at. He'll be a force next season.
That's it for tonight. I'll definitely be doing a season recap this week, so be on the lookout for that.
I'll also do some entries on the women's team (who will be in the PL Championship against Lehigh), and also cover the PL men's championship a little bit (at least until we decide who the PL champ will play in the play-in game).
For now though, let's talk about the game and more importantly, start looking toward next season.
Pro deo et patria and GO EAGLES!
I do hope Lafayette smacks Lehigh in the mouth though, especially after CJ "Urkel" McCollum looked into the camera and yelled "No threepeat, no threepeat!" at the end of the game.
ReplyDeletetough loss...lehigh was just flat out better. how about the women's team though? they are rolling...winning their PL quarters and semis by 28 and 25 points. Should be a great game next sat at lehigh. Two 13-1 teams.
ReplyDeleteREAL classy of McCollum considering he was still playing high school hoops during both our league championship runs. Really, the audacity of those comments...I mean, he can PLAY, but still. Really hope some C-USA or A10 school snaps that kid up.
ReplyDeleteI also want to say that with the exception of a few boneheads sitting right near the VERY sizeable AU section, the Lehigh fans were great. The Lehigh student section (which was quite bare, we had about as many students there and we're both on spring break, no kidding) was a little apathetic, but that probably worked in our favor. Most importantly, when Nick fell everyone cheered when he got up and when he got back in the game. Afterwards a number of Lehigh fans told us we were great because it's not often visiting teams bring the kind of spirit and energy the Blue Crew has. I also noticed just how many good cheers the Blue Crew has become comfortable with over the past two seasons, and how comparatively few the Lehigh fans were able to muster together. So kudos to most of the Lehigh fans, but -1 to McCollum for cockiness.
Also I believe it was Zahir Carrington who exhibited very similar behavior to that which got Brian Gilmore a Technical last year after an (admittedly very nice) one-handed dunk. The refs can't call everything, but still...humility is a virtue, dag nabbit!
As much as it sucks to admit...that team was just better than AU
ReplyDeleteAfter our first 20 loss season since 2001, I am really glad the Coach is in the right mindset looking forward.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/07/AR2010030703784.html
It looks like AU is sending the Pep Band to the Ladies game on Saturday. I'm not sure if I'm up for another 3.5 hour trip through the middle of nowhere. :-)
ReplyDeleteLehigh has quite a few things it could teach AU about how to work with students coming into games, affordable food prices, reasonable food policies, the almost total lack of advertising during the game. (They have a bouncy bounce for kids!)
AU has quite a few things it could teach LU about how to cheer, promos during game time, and how not to be obnoxious with music.
Food prices is a comparative cost of living thing. Everything is going to be cheaper in Bethlehem, PA home of dirt farmers and hill pigeons.
ReplyDeletePDUBS - I know a good deal of the athletics admin was at the game, so I hope they were taking notes.
ReplyDeleteAlso just the layout, color scheme, and acoustics of Stabler Arena are just...soul-sucking...not sure what else to call it. I yearned for Bender, which in comparison is like the happy land of (basketball-playing) unicorns in terms of atmosphere. Makes me very thankful for what we have.
Lots of room for improvement from the team. Like buying a fixer-upper. You have to see the potential, all the while you are living in a construction site. Since we add two major transfers for next season, we could have a different look.
ReplyDeleteIn that Washington post link, JJ sounds like he was spoiled from the last two years. The kind of progress that Mercer, Carr and Gilmore showed was unheard of at AU, and is a rarity.
Yeah, I was mentally prepared for a strip search and rude security guards ala how AU treats their students when they come to games. Lehigh was so wonderfully delightful!
ReplyDeleteIf we could have a WaWa so close to campus that would be awesome.
Does anyone go to the Hair Salon in the tunnel?
The Arena could use a revision but in talking with the alumni it seems like football is a big deal for Lehigh. That's a good benefit for us, as an institution, is by not having football we can invest into having a much better basketball team. As you can see with GTown you can have a good basketball team, or a good football team, but not both.
The color scheme sucks. Piss yellow, and an ugly brown? So Happy we're no longer orange and blue.
That being said, I'm psyched to see our Lady Eagles do great things!
"To be honest, I think we had several guys that didn't handle this stage -- didn't handle tournament basketball -- the way we would have liked, the way we would have needed them to," Jones said. "They smelled blood, and they came right at us."
ReplyDeleteAbout Vlad, obviously. When he's asked about who he means specifically, he says he doesn't want to single anyone out, but last night was really astonishing in terms of how bad they made him look.
Bill - Yeah, Vlad had a really uninspiring tournament. Fingers crossed that changes a year from now. Now that he's been playing serious college ball again for three months hopefully the offseason will do well for him.
ReplyDeletePDUBS - Saying that there are strip searches in Bender is a bit of a wild exaggeration, no? Those same guards are at just about every DC sporting event, regardless of the level. Not sure if we'd be able to get rid of them, I'm sure athletics doesn't like paying them.
Also a number of schools(and I'm talking schools with HUGE sports programs that put even Georgetown to shame) have successful basketball and football programs. The Big East is primarily a basketball mecca, but it was designed that way. The Pac 10, Big 12, and SEC are all packed with schools that are strong in both major sports.
Now, I wish AU would start a men's lacrosse team. It's something we already have the facilities for, and I think that's the biggest hurdle and would give me something to really enjoy after basketball season ends. Sorry, women's lacrosse just doesn't cut it.
Agreed about the WaWa, that place is magical.
Bucknell pulls off the orange and blue alright, but seriously the color scheme of Stabler Arena almost made me physically sick. Yuck! Also, the guy with the "mountain hawk hair" shooting t-shirts at halftime? Oh man...don't have words to describe that guy...
"Now, I wish AU would start a men's lacrosse team. It's something we already have the facilities for, and I think that's the biggest hurdle and would give me something to really enjoy after basketball season ends. Sorry, women's lacrosse just doesn't cut it."
ReplyDeleteI literally facepalmed when I read that comment. The last thing AU needs is to add another sport that won't have a fanbase to sustain it. Terrible idea to add men's lacrosse here.
You sure? The Patriot League is pretty good at lacrosse and it's a fairly popular sport, especially in the mid-atlantic and northeast, where a lot of our students come from. This isn't AULacrosse.com so we shouldn't get too far into debate on that point, but I disagree on it being a bad idea, if only for the fact that spring is pretty bare here. We have enough women's sports as well that we could add it and not screw with Title IX in the least.
ReplyDeleteThe University considered men's lacrosse before some alumni stepped up to finance the wrestling program. I like the idea of lacrosse - the Patriot League is strong there (look how many PL teams are in the top 20) and the game is popular in the NorthEast where we have alumni and prospective freshmen. I think AU probably should sink more money into the Bender facilities before venturing into men's lacrosse - you'd have to add another women's program to comply with Title IX. Bender needs to look more like a real stadium - scoreboard at center court hung from the ceiling, real seating in a complete oval, better entry, and much better locker rooms and weightlifting areas. Recruits looking at the AU facilities need to use their imaginations too much - it was never really completed at the time it was originally constructed and the efforts since then have been valiant but they hamstring the recruiting effort. If the PL could add one or two schools which would you target - Fordham, Stony Brook (to cater to the NY/LI crowd), William & Mary (to cater to the PL footballers and high academic standards, plus a great soccer program), or Davidson (good school and attracts folks south of Virginia)? I'm sure there are more to consider - let's hope the PL leadership is knocking on doors. Class of '83
ReplyDeleteI think that this blog can be at its zenith come this off season. By deciphering all of these messages we have come across some topics to be explored.
ReplyDelete1) 2010-2011 Season (Don't forget we are in the BB&T Tourny next year)
2) Recruiting and Retention of Talent
3) Schedule
4) Alumni/Student Involvement and Engagement
5) Facilities and Game Day Environment
6) The State of the League & AU Athletics
7) WBBall
I might have missed a few, but this should keep us busy until next season. The boys have some work to do this off-season and we should educate ourselves about what is going on.
-Joe Vidulich '08
Anonymous - Very interesting post. Too bad lacrosse didn't take off then, but very thankful the wrestling program was saved (I heard it might have been on the chopping block) and, better yet, is now one of our strongest programs.
ReplyDeleteAgreed more $ should be sunk into Bender first. Before they can turn it into more a true arena, they need to build secondary gyms for open gym, intramurals, and practices so that the seats in Bender don't need to be retractable and the curtains aren't necessary to partition the arena. They used to have this in the Cassell Center, but now that's gone to make way for Katzen. I can also imagine that in the late 80's, when Bender was built, the school had much less money and was lucky to build just what they did. I know athletics is currently pursuing major projects like these, but as always, money and space are two major issues. Fingers crossed something gets done soon.
As for Title IX, we already have far more womens sports than mens, so I think we can add another mens sport without having Title IX problems, but don't quote me on that.
Finally, I'm not sure if the PL is looking to expand right now. I suppose theoretically they're always looking to expand, but I haven't seen any indication its actively being pursued. I know Fordham might be leaving soon for football, but there would still be an even number of teams for the major sports. One of the biggest reasons they wanted us a decade ago was to balance schedules for sports like basketball - it used to be a nightmare with only seven teams and someone would end up with a bye in the tournament, and with only seven teams that's a little silly. If you've heard anything to the contrary though all of the schools you named (except Stony Brook, which is huge and a little out of the Patriot League's average profile) fit quite well. Not sure if Fordham wants to come back, although it looks like the A10 might not be working so well for them (just looking at basketball, at least). However I'd say that unless they added two schools, which seems unlikely, they wouldn't invite those scheduling problems back onto themselves (Holy Cross' aspirations to go A10 aside.
Very insightful post though and thanks for joining us! Great to see Eagle alumni here!
Whoa, Viddy, where did you see we're going to be in the BB&T next season?? Not that I don't believe you - I do - but that's great news! I've been moaning here all season about how we've been left out of it every year (except 2004 I believe), and that we should be representing the Patriot League there instead of Navy coming in from Annapolis. Thanks for the info!
ReplyDeleteNon-B-Ball comments:
ReplyDeleteLax makes sense for our program. Men's B-ball and soccer are always going to be the revenue generators at AU, so we should not ask nor expect lacrosse to make money. But we certainly could sustain it, I think. I believe--not certain--that JK is correct, and we would remain in compliance with T IX if we added another men's sport.
Bender is Bender. I seriously doubt there are the funds available for a new scoreboard, courts, etc. It was obsolete the day it opened, which is what a lot of people in Athletics were arguing at the time. They wanted a lot more in the building. But the neighborhood went crazy about it, which is why we have so many bleacher seats instead of hardbacks. I've come around on Bender. It's a bandbox high school gym, but it's our bandbox high school gym.
B-Ball Thoughts:
Very proud of the team, despite poor performances last night from everyone, basically, except Luptak and Nick. Lehigh's just better this year, no sense getting upset about it. Everyone needs to hit the weightroom and come back a little tougher--which is, I think, what JJ was getting at in his postgame comments.
Both Brewer and Hinkle will start next season, which will greatly add to our depth. Nick will likely go back to being a reserve, which is probably the best way to use him, as an energy guy off the bench playing against second-teamers. Lump needs to put a picture of Keister on his mirror and look at it every day before he goes to lift. Hopefully Vlad learned from his first tournament experience and is more prepared next season.
JJ and the coaches also have to come up with some more ways to get Vlad the ball next season. Teams just switched on screen-roll once Vlad went through the league the first time. We have to incorporate some different action to get him loose: double screens, single-double sets, something. Having Brewer on the court will also help; last night showed how desperately we need a slasher on the floor to open things up and to score from the foul line extended. Simon and Matt just had no confidence shooting from there. Those are easy points we gave up.
I hope Blake comes back next year ready to battle Danny. Now he knows what JJ demands from the point guard, and he should respond accordingly. No one questions Blake's talent. If he takes care of the ball and plays D at the other end, you'll hear no argument from me if he gets the job. Same for Bersch, Holton, etc.
"Before they can turn it into more a true arena, they need to build secondary gyms for open gym, intramurals, and practices so that the seats in Bender don't need to be retractable and the curtains aren't necessary to partition the arena."
ReplyDeleteWe've talked about this before, but where exactly is the space for these secondary gyms going to come from? They're not going to take out the amphitheater, and that's the only direction it can go. I don't think Bender is very far from being a true arena now. I have no issues with the retractable seating, I think it makes for a flexible venue. The scoreboards and the weightlifting/locker room facilities are the biggest issues, and to me are both relatively easy to address (capital being easier to create than space, after all). I don't agree that Bender is as close to a glorified high school gym, but that's what I hear a lot. There are some capital improvements that it needs, but they're definitely attainable.
If we're talking real pipe dreams, build a new arena in the Nebraska Lot and convert Bender into a practice facility. I'm sure the ANC will LOVE that idea.
It was in a letter to season ticket holders at the beginning of the season.
ReplyDeleteRe: BB&T: True. We're playing Florida, to reciprocate the home and home agreement. Or, at least that was the plan at the beginning of the season.
ReplyDeleteRe: Nebraska: AU is planning to convert the Nebraska lot...but into more dorms. Also looking to convert the Immaculata/Dublane campus that currently houses the Washington Semester students into the permanent home of the law school (the current one down on Mass is at capacity and cannot expand further). Neighbors, of course, are squwaking. It was in one of the neighborhood papers last week. Sorry to burst the pipe.
Bill, you're right, new gyms and such are pipe dreams. I did say that both money and space are the biggest issues, and arguably space is much worse because like you said, it's easier to create capital than space. However it seems that they're coming up with some very creative ways to fit new facilities into existing spaces (who would have thought to put parking garages underground a few years ago?), so I'm still hopeful for something. Maybe not in the immediate future, but I plan to be a proud Eagle for a damn long time and it would always be nice to have such a place to come to as an alum. Also completely agreed that Bender is certainly not close to a high school gym - anyone been to Holy Cross' Hart Center? Really puts things in perspective. I think a few (relatively) simple touches like a scoreboard would really change that perception, like you said.
ReplyDeleteBB&T: That's awesome! I'll have to try and get a peek at what's sent out to season ticket holders in the future if possible. Has Florida participated in BB&T before? I thought it was more of a showcase for local teams (it's usually like Maryland, GW, Georgetown, Mason, and yes, Navy if memory serves correctly)? Either way, playing Florida in the Verizon center would be pretty cool. I'd be pumped to be able to see that.
@ Josh regarding strip search: I go to a variety of events (NBA, Nationals, speakers) that have the same security guards. Without a doubt AU manages to hire the rudest ticket checkers.
ReplyDelete@ Lacrosse: I have to agree with Bill on LAX being a bad idea for AU. We're like a kid with too many pets, lets take care of the teams we have now before we add more sports.
@ Bender: Bender is an "OK" Arena, it serves its purpose and of the in-city arenas it works very nicely. (The Smith Center at GDUB sucks.) What we need to work on is the game day experience.
The void on the team at the moment is at the PG position. I always thought Blake was our best choice but JJ decided on Danny. With the addition of Brewer and Hinkle we can get up and down and Blake has the talent to lead us. If JJ does give Blake a fair shot no doubt he will be our starter. Just hope the staff has not lost confidence in him. This will be a very important summer for blake and danny.
ReplyDeleteBender was, don't know if it still is, the second largest arena in the District. Next to Verizon of course.
ReplyDeleteI believe it is still the second largest in square footage. However the Smith Center has more seats because it has fixed seating. This makes Bender better for stuff like concerts, though.
ReplyDeleteWhen is Jeff Jones' contract up? Next season, right?
ReplyDeleteCoach Jones has about 5 more yrs. on his contract.
ReplyDeletewhen you visit different mid major arenas, and you see them on TV, one can see that Bender is about average. Many A-10 arenas are about equal or worse compared to Bender. Towson is worse, as is Loyola. What Bender needs is better locker rooms for the players. Ours are awful, and if any money is going to be spent it should be spent there. The coaches are embarrassed to show the locker area to recruits.
Lehigh has a good team and exposed every weakness we have been talking about over the past couple months.
1. Inexperience at point guard. yesterday McCollum so psyched him out Munoz, he could barely hit the rim with his few shots. McCollum blocked his shot, stole the ball while Munoz dribbled, and finally Jones mercifully sat him on the bench. He was shell shocked. Sure we would like him to grow to be a top point guard, but he has a very long way to go. He shot resembles a looping push of the basketball. His shot was blocked at least twice. Let's hope that Jolivette busts his tail in the off season. He is the stronger offensive threat, quick to the basket, and has a quick release when shooting. There is no reason it has to be one or the other. Luptak is a nice player, works hard, but is slow, cannot drive the paint, a below average ball handler, and below average shooter.
2. we all hoped Nick would have a break out year and become a consistent offensive threat, cut down on his turnovers, and overall shine. Instead he gave us more of the same as last year, and got himself in the doghouse. Hopefully he will improve next year with a cast of better skilled players. The Lehigh game was a microcosm of his season.
3. Coach Jones' stubbornness to not expand his rotation to include some of his younger players was very disappointing. For a team that could not shoot a 3 pointer unless Vlad was unguarded, Jones' refusal to spot play Bersch and Jolivette to spark some offense was foolish. This is not like pulling for the "backup quarterback" who has never thrown a pass. We saw Blake and Mike during the non PL season and they obviously could contribute on the offensive end. It's not like the guys who were playing ahead of them were so much better. They got ZERO minutes. Jones was wrong. He is a good coach but is too inflexible when it comes to playing freshmen. He was not willing to apply the same standards to his freshmen as to his regulars. Remember who finished first and second in the League this season- Lehigh with a second year former asst; and Bucknell with a second year D-3 coach. This season AU has been outhustled on the recruiting front by both of those teams. Hopefully our kids will improve and surpass their freshmen- but as of today we are running behind.
4. Vlad not coming up big in the playoffs. (Lumpkin was the only one to come up big- his play in the last 4 to 5 games showed that he was ready to step up and be a force in the middle.) Whether Vlad's european basketball heritage caused him to play soft and not get his shots-or a case of the nerves, or whether the coaches have some role in not adjusting in game to getting him open looks- and his continual stupid fouling caused him to sit out- AU could not win big games without him playing big. His play against Lehigh was an embarrassment. Remember he is not a freshman. His play yesterday was weak, and the big reason we were never in the game.
Yes there were plenty of reasons to enjoy this past season. Our kids played hard despite being out talented by most teams. Lumpkin developed and will be a solid player for the next two seasons. Simon became a solid player on the defensive end. AND- We have hope for next season with our freshmen a year older, and good transfers.
I could not agree more with the post above regarding JJ not playing the freshmen for the most part any minutes in the second half of the season. Bersch and Blake were given as above 0 minutes for most of the second half of the season which no doubt hurt their development compared to the rest of the PL. Bersch can shoot the three and this is a team that needed it this year, in the last few games I think they were close to 20%.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if anyone noticed the class move from JJ yesterday for Bersch and Holton. Their reward for practicing all year .2 seconds. That is right 2/10ths of a stinking second in a twenty point blow-out. Good one Jeff, that will motivate them for next year!!!I was admonished last post for taking a shot at JJ but what was Matt Wilson doing in there when the team is down and offense is needed not defense.
Funny that in the WaPo article Jones blames the players exclusively and not a mention about the coaches and preparation. Not a word like "We didn't have our guys ready".
ReplyDeleteI have seen many coaches like Jones. When things are going good they are "Master and Commander", stalking the sidelines, explaining to everyone within earshot what is going on and in general acting like the players are puppets on a string.
When things go bad, throw the players under the bus. What he said may be true, but class coaches take the blame for losses and give the credit to players for wins.
Jeff Jones' contract runs through 2015?? Wow. That's some serious job security after an 11-20 season.
ReplyDeleteI really was going to refrain from commenting more on this post. And I want to keep it positive and civil. But you all make it very difficult with your constant JJ bashing. He did not "throw the kids under the bus." He said this was going to be the most difficult offseason they've ever had. Meaning, they're going to have to pay the price in the weight room, and in the gym, if we're going to get back on top next season. My God, do you have to assign the worst possible motive to everything he says and does? Why all the hostility? Did he do something personally to you?
ReplyDeleteI've heard enough about Bersch and Blake. This isn't about the two kids; it's about you all using them to rip the head coach. Andre Ingram played 31 minutes a game as a freshman. Derrick Mercer played 32. Jordan Nichols played 17. Nick didn't play a lot during the regular season, but he played every game in the PL tournament and in the NCAA game as a freshman. Lump played in 32 games as a freshman. Munoz played 24 minutes a game as a freshman. So please stop with the "Jones doesn't play freshmen" nonsense. He didn't play the freshmen you wanted him to play. They didn't earn the minutes. BTW, Bucknell lost in the first round, and so did Colgate, and HC lost in the same round we did, so what did all that "experience" for their freshmen net them?
I am not a "JJ, right or wrong" person. I have been critical when I thought he deserved it. But the piling on is ridiculous. To finish .500 in conference and top four is amazing for a group this young. If you can't see that, it's because you don't want to see it.
1. I don't think Jones is throwing anyone under the bus in the WaPo article, it's all about how you read it.
ReplyDelete2. That's job security for TWO twenty-win seasons, the school's first two NCAA tournament berths ever, great showings in both those berths, being named PL coach of the year, developing multiple players/rookies of the year, and most of all, only having TWO losing seasons in 10 years after taking the helm of a team that did not have a single winning season in 10 years.
Look guys, I'm frustrated with that loss too - I didn't expect to win, but it was bad. But ripping on JJ like that for this season isn't really fair. We did host and win a PL quarterfinal game, and we beat a Big East team this season, all things no one expected us to do.
I do agree on the point about Bersch and Jolivette. Big mistake not to play them more. Hopefully they can break out like Garrison and Gilmore did, but that's not guaranteed. Definitely not admonishing anyone here, though.
The nice thing about Bender is it looks 2-3x larger on TV. Now only if it was on TV more...
ReplyDeleteIt would appear that Lord Baltimore has a dog in this fight.
ReplyDeleteA couple of thoughts:
ReplyDelete1. I'll have a new post up tonight, didn't have a chance to do it last night, but it looks like there's enough discussion here to keep everyone occupied. Remember, the record for comments is 55 I think. Just saying.
2. I don't see any real throwing under the bus in JJ's post-game comments. We got outplayed by a flat out better team. We're also going to have to work hard if we're going to want to compete next year. The only person you can say he threw under the bus is Vlad with his comments about people who didn't perform the way we needed them to in the tournament. Given Vlad's performances in the tourney, that was a bus he deserved to be under.
3. I don't agree with all of this wishful thinking that Blake busts his ass and takes over the PG position from Danny. Blake wasn't a particularly prolific scorer when he was getting minutes. He can slash inside, yes, but more times than not I saw him lose the handle or toss up a circus layup than do any damage on the scoreboard. Danny, for all his faults as a scorer, did a hell of a job for us this year as a freshman PG. He didn't play well against superior guards on Sunday, true, but it's not like he was dead weight for us. He's got a lot of court smarts and for the most part makes good decisions; that's only going to get better. I think the commenters calling for Blake to take over from Danny are throwing DM under the bus. Blake should work hard so that Danny has some competition for the PG spot. Blake at a minimum could take some minutes from Luptak, but this whole sentiment I'm getting of "Danny is an inferior PG to Blake and he's just a placeholder until Blake gets his shit together" is bogus. Danny GOT his shit together and that's why Blake rode the bench.
Free Mike Bersch.
If JJ did nothing but get the Eagles into the NCAA for the first time (and twice in a row), and play more than competively against Tenn. and Villanova, he would deserve our praise and votes of confidence.
ReplyDeleteI have my critiques of Coach Jones and when I have them I do them with my user name. (So grow a set anonymous @ 12:53.)
ReplyDeleteThe contract through 2015 is, I think, a good thing. Will Brown went to the NCAAs just as his contract was expiring and schools came in to try to poach him. A 2015 contract should get us through our third and fourth trips to the NCAAs (2012 and 2013 respectively .)
Jones has shown that he can get results and his recruitment is good. Even our getting to the semis this year as a rebuilding year was a good thing. (and we're going to lose to better basketball programs like Gtown, UMD and the American East Conference)
We are the largest school in the Patriot League and by far have the best location (DC). Anyone ever traveled to Lehigh?:)
ReplyDeleteAU's name and reputation as a school is on the rise. Recruiting should not be an issue. We should be a dynasty in the Patriot League every year. Top 1 or 2. Come on, guys, this is the Patriot League! Not the ACC. It seems people are too willing to call this a "rebuilding" year instead of calling this year's performance "inexcuseable."
Mediocrity over so many years has seemingly taught us to accept this. I think creating a basketball dynasty in the PL is very realistic and should be what we come to expect.
I have no dog in any race except for AU to have a program -year in and year out- that hopefully can be a finalist for the PL crown. A # 1 or #2 seed has always won the PL title and gotten to the NCAA. Nothing below that. It comes down to the last 3 games, and there is always an occassional upset (like this season with HC vs.Bucknell). Yet Bucknell's upset does not change the stark fact that our recruits this year did not perform as well on the court as Lehigh's or Bucknell's. I don't care who the point guard is as long as he can play good defense, distribute the ball, and score- all at a higher level than the kid he is matched up against that game. Whether he is Munoz or Jolivette, i could care less. I just express my opinion, based on what i see the team needs.
ReplyDeleteNJJ- If you really think Jones does not have a hard head when it comes to freshmen, then you have your head in the sand. he had no other point guard (like this year) when Mercer was a freshman. He played Linus at point for nearly two years before Mercer- when it wasn't even his proper position. Like i said in a previous post, if Jones was so perfect then he would not have gotten fired at UVa. Two second year coaches and their teams won 4 of 4 from AU this season. Bucknell and Lehigh both had better freshmen point guards than ours-as of today. I see more potential with Jolivette than i see with Munoz- it's that simple. But i want the best player to play- and if our player is not as good as his opponent then it's time to ask- why? If we got out recruited then you do have to look at the coaching staff. There is no final verdict on this years crop of 6 or 7- they have got a ways to go. We can only view one year.
Coach Jones deserves our support. He is a quality coach with a good track record- but when i think he is wrong i will express it on this blog. If he had recruited wisely in previous years, he would now have a quality upper classman as starting point guard this season, and could break Munoz or Blake in. He recruited Luptak instead- who as a junior is not good enough to start, and as a sophmore was not good enough to even spell Mercer for 5 minutes a game. But according to you NJJ we should still all be grateful that we won two titles in 9 yrs. This season Jones could have expanded his rotation to include Blake and Bersch for spot duty to spark a lousy offense, and take the pressure off of Vlad. When I sat at the Lehigh game and watched Lehigh daring Wilson, Munoz, and Luptak to shoot a three- then there is something wrong. No one is throwing the Coach under the bus. But do not give me another 7-7 or 8-6 season next year or I will really be lighting up this blog. When you drive thru the woods to Lehigh or into small town USA to go to Colgate, Lehigh, or Holy Cross- then you see all the advantages AU has in recruiting most high school kids. There is something wrong if we cannot beat them out most of the time. Our coaches have the better product to sell, and they have to take sdvantage of it.
Changing topics:
ReplyDeleteI believe in the concept of women's sports. I don't follow AU's women's team because I don't have the time. (I have a hard enough time following the men's team and keeping up with everything else.)
I and about 40 other people went to the last regular season game. (Our super-talented and supportive VP of Campus Life was the honorary coach!) and that's been my extent of supporting our women's team.
What level of hypocrisy is it for me to now bandwagon on and pretend like I really care about the women's team?
I ask myself "Self, if the men's team was still in it would I care about the women's team?" and I come back to "no." Am I being a total hypocrite? Is there absolution for fair weather fans?
PDUBS: You can support the women's program at whatever level of intensity you like. I don't think they will especially care if you're jumping on the bandwagon now; winning draws people to any program. Trust me, there weren't 1,000 people coming to see the men during the Art Perry Era.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 1:54 p.m and LB, let me get this straight: because we're the biggest school, we should automatically dominate the conference. Right, and that explains the South Florida, Rutgers and Cincinnati dynasties in the Big East--'cause they're bigger than everyone else--and why the third-smallest school in the Big 10 has never won anything--those slackers at the University of Michigan. Oh, and location is everything, too, which explains the countless times Northwestern has made the NCAA tournament, and its dozens of Rose Bowl appearances--because everyone would rather play in Chicago than East Lansing, or Columbus, or Bloomington.
And, Anonymous, AU's posting a 7-7 record, finishing in the top half of the conference, and hosting a tournament game is "inexcusable" the year after it lost seven of its top nine players.
I'm sorry. Those arguments are absurd.
LB, again, your animus toward JJ is obvious to many of us who've followed the blog this season. These constant threats about how you're really going to be hard on him next year if we go .500 again only drive that home. It's like you're eager for us to be bad next year so you can really go after him. You were the one who said you were criticizing him last year, when we went 13-1. So, clearly, it doesn't matter what he does, you'll find fault with it.
You conveniently ignore the fact that he DID PLAY A FRESHMAN at point guard this season. I named SIX freshmen he's had in his rotation since 2002, almost one every season. Now you split hairs about what position Mercer played. Incredible. Was he out there 32 minutes a game as a freshman, or not? Did Ingram play 31 minutes a game as a freshman, or not? Did Lump play in 32 games last year as a freshman, or not? Did Munoz play 24 minutes a game this year, or not?
We had all these same supposed "advantages" for 20 years when we were in the various ECC incarnations (and were playing a lot of these same schools that we're playing now, including Bucknell, Lafayette and Lehigh) and Gary and Lynam and Tom Young were coaching. How many tournaments did we win? ZERO.
And when we "moved up" to the CAA, Tap and Knoche and Perry didn't do jack, either, against schools located in the hotbeds of Fairfax, Williamsburg and Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Wilmington and Greenville, N.C. Forget titles; how many FINALS did we make in 17 years in the CAA? ZERO.
So, yes, I'm damn grateful for five title games, and two championships, in nine years (I guess you blame JJ for Stephen Miles's jumper off the side of the backboard, right?) Just like I was damn grateful for Pete Mehlert, and I'm damn grateful now for Barry Goldberg, and Steve Jennings, and Matt Corkery.
And, yes, I'm going to look at the positive instead of always carping about moves JJ didn't make, and kids JJ didn't play, and games JJ didn't win. No, he's not perfect. He makes mistakes. And, God forbid, yes, he occasionally gets outrecruited. But he's the best we've ever had, by a lot, and one bad season doesn't make me think any differently.
I liked seeing Simon take charge in a couple of huddles- had intensity and was getting in some of the other guys faces.
ReplyDeleteMercer was out there 32 minutes a game BECAUSE JONES HAD NO ONE ELSE TO PLAY WHEN HE WAS A FRESHMAN ! MUNOZ IS PLAYING BECAUSE JONES HAS NO ONE ELSE WHO IS OF STARTER QUALITY - NOT BECAUSE HE(or anyone else) LOVES THE WAY HE PLAYED.
ReplyDeleteHistory check for you NJJ- It seems Juan Jones is as far back as you go ! St. Joe, Temple, and La Salle are not exactly backwoods programs in podunk USA. They won titles almost every season when AU was in the MAC and ECC. When a recruit was shown Leonard Gym (Cassell Ctr)- they ran for cover- or to the bus stop- to ride 20 minutes to view our home court- ice cold Ft. Meyer-an Army Base for God sakes. Ever been there? Some recruiting advantage we had there. Chris Knoche took a successful Tapscott program and ran it quickly into the ground. Knoche is a much better tennis player than recruiter. Had to go to West Va. to get his prize recruit Nathan Smith. Remember no high SAT's required then. Get a quality kid from D.C.?- forget it. Knoche is well suited as a commentator. If he did not have his head up our incompetent A.D. O'Donnells butt- he would have been fired after 3 seasons-Soon as O'Donnell was gone, so was Knoche. but they could not even afford a better coach. Who hires a coach (Art Perry) who goes 3-21 his previous season at Delaware State? Only AU.
Here is the naked truth for you to digest- AU stepped down in class like a $ 25,000 horse running in a $ 10,000. claiming race when we joined the PL. If we can't win 2 titles in 9 yrs then we should move to D-3. 5 championship games is right ! Want naked facts: The first two titles and co-titles were won with CAA players and 2 transfers (Miles and Stokes) who the PL AD's fought like Hell against AU admitting because their transfer grades were not PL caliber. They only relented when AU told them they were previous commits. And we still lost those 2 games, and the next yr against lehigh with Eastern European kids. we should be the Ohio State of the Patriot League.
Being in sales for 40 yrs. i can tell you this- if you have a better product than your competition, it makes your job a lot, lot easier. AU has it! I expect our coaching staff to take advantage of it. I expect them to know and have made contact with every academically qualified kid within 150 miles. for several yrs. Jones thought he could short cut the recruiting process with Eastern European kids. Just how often does one contact them in Croatia, or even see them? Coach Jones does not enjoy recruiting. That is okay as long as he has assistants who are out there digging for him. Not every CEO is a great in every area. And you are damn right - i expect winning and excellence. 9-5 is a bottom rung as far as i am concerned- and it should be for everyone associated with AU basketball. Men's basketball is our showcase sport-no football, no baseball. I can accept a down year after two great ones, but next year has to be a championship caliber one. That is the bottom line. Enjoy !
I feel like I want to take the two of you out for a beer.
ReplyDeleteLinas Lekavicius went to The Miller School in Charlottesville and received recruiting attention from Wake Forest. They got their first choice for PG, and they stopped recruiting him. He came to AU as a PG and was considered to be a sharpshooter. I sat next to and talked with his high school coach at the AU / VCU game in Richmond when Andre Ingram had a career night. Linas started at PG for a year before Mercer. He was a tough defender from the beginning, handled the ball well and was fearless about driving to the basket. But he had no shot in the college game and did not run the offense as well as Mercer. JJ had a choice, and he chose Mercer.
ReplyDeleteRecruiting is not an exact science. Bucknell found that out with G.W. Boon, who was their first big recruit coming off the two NCAA victories.
Maybe nothing wold have worked against Lehigh, bit I saw two teams on TV this week pull out a 1-3-1 and it was quite effective. It would have hindered the Lehigh guards from driving, though I can't say it would surely stop their offense as a whole. First things first.
So let's see:
ReplyDeleteIn 9 years in the PL, Jones' teams have won roughly 66% of their league games.
In 9 years Jones' teams have finished the regular season with the best record 4 times.
In 9 years Jones' teams have played in 5 championship games.
In 9 years Jones' teams have never had a losing season in the league and have never finished lower than 4th.
In 9 years Jones' teams have always advanced to the semi's or further of the tournament.
In 9 years Jones teams have 152 overall wins and 82 PL wins, the 2nd most of anyone in the league over that same period (HC 170 & 88, Bucknell 146 & 81)
In 9 years Jones' teams have had 7 winning records (total reg. seaosn games)
In the 9 years prior to Jones being hired, AU had 9 straight losing seasons.
The year after losing 84% of the scoring and 81% of the minutes played off of a team that went to its 2nd straight NCAA tournament, the team struggled mightily (as was to be expected) but still finished 7-7 in the league, in 4th place and went to the semi's of the league tournament.
Those numbers may not equal a dynasty but they do point to AU consistently being one of the top teams in the league. Who's numbers are better? Holy Cross'. The same Holy Cross who finished 8th in the league 3 seasons ago and 7th this past season. No one else in the league hasn't had a losing PL season in the last 9 years. No one else in the league hasn't finished lower than 4th in the league in those same 9 years. In fact, every other team has done that at least twice in the same 9 year span.
Is AU a dynasty in the PL? No. Is AU one of the top 2 programs in the league? It seems that way to me.
On another note, Vlad was one of the best players in the league this year wasn't he? Does Jones not get any credit for recruiting him? Who cares if the players are Eastern European or from the Northeast or from California, or if they are freshmen or transfers? I care about winning and it seems to me that this program has done a whole lot more winning under Jones than they haven't.
I wonder, for all of the Jeff Jones haters out there, who do you think we could get that is better than Jeff Jones? When teams switch up head coaches you wind up with issues the first couple of years out. (Sean Kearney anyone?)
ReplyDeleteJeff may have his issues, his problems, his quirks, a couple of seasons where he doesn't do too hot. Yet, that's the way it is with any coach. Is Jeff Jones a Mike Krzyzewski, Will Brown, Roy Williams, Bobby Knight, Fran McCaffery, or Jim Calhoun? No.
But none of those amazing superstar basketball coaches would come to AU we lack the infrastructure and culture to support these type of great coaches.
Worse as we saw at that community college with ego problems at Binghamton, sometimes a new coach brings tons of baggage with them. Kevin Broadus was viewed as being a great pick up for SUNY Binghamton, he got results, but then imploded their program and brought state oversight on the other two DI schools in SUNY. Jeff Jones is stable, and pretty darn good.
Besides can you imagine the politics that could enter the search for a head coach position at AU?
PDUBS let's be honest, the only real JJ hater is LB. I just want to remind everyone that the usual formula for non-BCS league college basketball teams is to compete/challenge for the league title 2 years and develop/rebuild 2 years before competing for 2 years again and so on. It's not run table through the PL 3 years and mediocrity 1 year.
ReplyDeleteSchools like Gonzaga (and maybe St. Mary's), Butler, Winthrop, and Siena that have consistently good programs are rarities.
I do not hate Coach Jones. I like Coach Jones,and i have said that many times. Unlike many of you, i am pointing out where he has come up short in my opinion. My criticisms are valid and shared by many. I support AU basketball, Coach Jones, and every kid who has ever played at AU. If you do not see these areas that need improvement then i believe you are missing my point. Would you be happy to have your business or dept. have two good years and then 2 mediocre years ? Read the book "From Good to Great" by Jim Collins (which has been a best seller for about 8 straight years)- and you will see how one builds a great organization.
ReplyDeleteIf Jones has come up short, then so has every coach in the Patriot League. And the reason why I pointed out the 2-on/2-off cycle is because that's just the way it works in mid-major (aka non-BCS) basketball. I'm not saying that's how it should work, or that it's the model AU should follow, but it's just how it is in a lot of places. I'll throw out "The Last Amatuers" by John Feinstein which highlights the struggles of small school college basketball (it's even about the Patriot League!). Simply put, schools like American and PL schools don't have the money to be able to recruit as well as we would all like. Not only is American recruiting against the Patriot League, but oftentimes also the Ivy League, not mention the entire country. As someone mentioned, Bucknell had better success than we did a few years ago winning 2 NCAA tournament games and yet they fell right back to the pack of the Patriot League when those classes graduated. It happens. I would love for American to go 24-7 each season and win the Patriot League tournament, but it's not going to happen. If 7-7 and a 4th place finish in the PL is the worst that's going to happen, I'll happily take it.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I think we will be much better this year. Almost everyone is coming back and we get 3 new players, all of whom seem promising. And that would be 3 "competing" seasons out of 4, which is pretty good.
I was criticizing the anonymous poster than Lord Baltimore or SH.
ReplyDeleteI just talked to my intern who is a GWU fan and was very pleased to hear that they got knocked out of their tournament. What the heck is up with GWU? They haven't been back to the tourney since what 2006? Are they misplaced in their league or is that a school in need of a shake up or two?
Although "From Good to Great" is probably a great book, I'm not sure if lessons of hiring from within and avoiding celebrity CEOs(among other things) can be applied to PL b-ball success. Circuit City was identified as one of eleven 'good-to-great' companies before it filed for bankruptcy.
ReplyDeleteIt's probably more valuable to read Pete Carrill's book or maybe even Steve Alford's. But like many sports books by coaches or players, they are pretty badly written (although they are easy to read).
LB, I neither need, nor have I requested, a lecture or lesson from you about AU basketball. I spent more nights than I care to remember in the Fort watching the men, or in Cassell watching the women play in front of 50 people. And I'll bet a substantial sum that I've invested more time, money, blood, sweat and tears in support of this program than you (unless your last name is Bender or Cassell) or damn near anyone on this blog over the past decades.
ReplyDeleteI was going to go on a long, fact-based diatribe refuting, yet again, the conclusions you make, but others have said it better than I. (Okay, just one, can't resist): Where did Temple and St. Joe's and LaSalle play their home games during the ECC era, when AU, according to you, simply couldn't compete? Oh, yes, the incredible revenue-generating, state-of-the-art...Palestra. Built in 1927. And if you've been or worked in Philly, you know that those campuses are recruiting magnets! Kids from all over the world want to go to 16th and Oxford and hang out with the homeless. Well, I could see how AU could never have competed with schools like that!
Right.
I'll say it again:
ECC/ECAC South Titles, 20+ years: 0
CAA Titles/Finals appearances, 17 years: 0
Patriot League Titles/Finals appearances, nine years: 2/5
AU has been, since JJ got here, the most consistent, winning program in the conference. Never lower than fourth. Never under .500. Never lost a first-round game. No one else can say that. No one. Not even Sainted Ralph Willard. I'm really sorry that's not good enough for you, LB. But I'm fine with it. Our kids go to class, most of them graduate, and we haven't had a hint of scandal in a decade. After 30 years of nothing, I just want our kids to have a chance to get to the NCAAs. Jeff Jones gives us a chance. Every year.
Is La Salle a Powerhouse school for basketball?
ReplyDeleteHere's an interesting article about women's basketball and why Saturday's game, regardless of who wins, may not be worth it:
http://deadspin.com/5488540/should-connecticut-womens-basketball-be-disbanded
NJJ- now i know you are missing some marbles, and do not know squat about BB venues either. The Palestra in Philly is and will always be one the one of the top basketball venues of all time. It is the Cathedral of College Bssketball today and since 1927. Ask any college coach or player to name the top 10 hallowed gyms in this country, and the Palestra is on that list along with Cameron, Madison Square Garden, Pauly Pavilion, and Freedom Hall. Just ask Jeff Jones !
ReplyDeleteESPN weighs in:
ReplyDeletehttp://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=1974962
ESPN would seem to agree with Lord Baltimore
ReplyDeletehttp://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=1974962
Um, the point wasn't about the historical importance of the Palestra--the point was whether an 18-year-old kid would come to Temple or LaSalle or St. Joe's because he could play in the Palestra. If you think a basketball-playing teenager is swayed by history, why doesn't everyone play in Hinkle Field House? Come on, you can do better than that, guys.
ReplyDeletePoor NJJ- yes 18 yr old kids cared then and care now. It may not be the only factor, but it sure is a factor when showing a recruit. Who is more impressionable than a 17 yr. old? gary williams called fort meyer the only gym in the world with a "wind chill factor". ask ed tapscott how tough it was to show a kid "The Fort". He immediately took out the plans for Bender Arena even before there were funds appropriated for zoning. Boy you have a tough time when i am right.
ReplyDeleteRumor had it that a coach walked a recruit past the Library while it was under construction and told him it was the gym - the recruit signed and stayed. Getting back to Title IX - I understand that a school must field more women's teams than men's when necessary to reflect the composition of the student body. AU has many more women students and so the women's teams will outnumber the men's. That would be the hitch in forming a lax team - what women's program would you add? As far as facilities - one former AD suggested that we build on top of Bender to make room for recreational gym space, and certainly some locker room space could be moved to a building nearer the soccer and field hockey fields - say if the physical plant building was renovated. Kerwin (I'm a big fan) and others need to get creative to capitalize on the recent success. We will get a good replacement coach if we need to but Jones has does a tremendous job and should be rewarded both in terms of a long term healthy contract and in terms of resources and facilities with which to consistently recruit high quality student athletes. Is he the best coach we ever had - I still like Gary Williams and the Boo Bowers era when we were a top 30 program (the NCAA tournament was more restrictive back in the day), and of course the coach who brought in and developed Kermit Washington and Wil Jones is worthy of being part of the discussion. Jeff Jones has delivered on every level and I'm very glad he's here - and when does his son hit the radar screen for recruiting? Class of '83
ReplyDeleteGood discussion here, and we hit a new record for comments on this string.
ReplyDeleteLB and NJJ, I get that you have different opinions about Jeff Jones (and indeed, most aspects of AU basketball). I love the passion that both of you show, the dialogues you both have had, and the energy that you will hopefully continue to contribute to this board.
But both of you, and everyone here, will keep this conversation civil.
I don't mean all snuggly cuddly let's all get along and be friends, but the sniping isn't productive or conducive to an environment where all kinds of fans (casual or hardcore, new (even relatively new like me) or old) can feel comfortable in discussing AU sports.
If one or both of you is a current or former assistant coach, Jeff Jones himself, or Neil Kerwin, then I guess I'm content to have you carry on, though admittedly I'd prefer a weekly interview (it would make Speculation Tuesday a hell of a lot easier).
Assuming the above isn't true, I'm asking you and everyone else, keep that passion and commitment, but don't turn it into bickering. We're all trying to build something here, whether it's more interest in AU basketball, AU athletics, AU as an institution, etc. Let's keep that goal in mind and find ways to civilly keep moving it while simultaneously getting our views out there.
My housemate just pointed out the extreme irony in me trying to play peacemaker. I can't believe it myself to be honest.
Pro deo et patria and GO EAGLES.
Yes, you hear so many kids on ESPN talk about how they went to Temple not because of Chaney or LaSalle because Speedy played up and down, but because they got to play in the Palestra. (I'm pretty sure that's what got Lionel Simmons to play there.) I'm amazed the Sixers don't play there, such is the incredible sway the building has on basketball players. Maybe they can get LeBron James this summer: "you can play in the Palestra!"
ReplyDeleteOh, please.
The point--which you, of course, either don't get or ignore--is that our facilities stunk back then, but we didn't FAIL TO WIN A SINGLE ECC TOURNAMENT because of them. Bottom line: Gary, Lynam, Young--all great coaches--didn't get it done. JJ got it done. You can argue about conference strength, scholarships, blah, blah, blah. This is, as Bill Parcells says, a results-oriented business. JJ has delivered. They didn't.
BTW, Tapscott is a friend of mine. (So is Knoche, for that matter. Just because he wasn't a good coach doesn't mean we didn't get along.) I know what our recruiting budget was compared with JMU's. I know what our assistant coaches got paid compared to Lefty's, okay? I know that Tap paid out of his own pocket for warmups. But even Tap would tell you that he came on a bit strong as a head coach. (You think Jones curses up a blue streak?) The bottom line is Tap was able to get Ron Draper in under the strenuous objections of Admissions, and for two years, we were pretty good. But that's about all.
At any rate, I leave you with this: I agree with you, LB.
I think they should upgrade the locker rooms in Bender.
And, B-Cubed, you're right, again. No one cares about all this minutae. We're all AU fans in the end, and this is why I always feel bad about hijacking the posts. We all want AU to win and I know LB is just as passionate about them as I am. I mean no offense. Jesus, I'M tired of reading me.
ReplyDeleteB-Cubed,
ReplyDeletePlease update the color scheme and type face for this blog in the off-season, it makes my head hurt.
Thanks for putting this together.
Matt
billy stone might help you with the color scheme and type face
ReplyDeleteDefinitely game to hear about the color scheme/font. Email me at AUHoopsBlog@gmail.com and let me know what's no good. I'm bankrupt in terms of aesthetic judgment, so I could use the help.
ReplyDeleteI heard a rumor that Simon is dating a girl from HOLY CROSS. If true, I am demanding resignations and public punishments.
ReplyDelete