JARED, I TRULY HOPE YOU ARE RIGHT AND I AM WRONG, BUT THE
RECORD CONTINUES TO SPEAK FOR ITSELF IN SPITE OF THE SO CALLED GREAT RECRUTING. I SEE OTHER TEAMS WITH YOUNG PLAYERS DOING WELL, BUT NOT BYU. IS IT AGAINST SOME RULE FOR A FRESHMAN TO PLAY WELL? MAYBE, JUST MAYBE THE COACHING ISN'T THAT GREAT.
I SAW MARK BIGALOW LOOK SUPER AS A FRESHMAN, SO IT CAN BE DONE BUT ISN'T BEING DONE. I KNOW THEY PLAYED A GOOD TEAM LAST NIGHT,BUT THEY LOOKED AWFUL EVEN FOR A YOUNG TEAM. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT IT WOULD BE NICE IF THE EXCUSES WOULD STOP AND THE CREAM BEGIN TO RISE FOR A CHANGE. IT HAS BEEN EONS SINCE BYU WAS A NATIONAL THREAT. THEY HAVE THE BEST FACILITES
AND BEST FANS IN THE COUNTRY AND CONTINUE TO UNDERACHEIVE
IN BOTH FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL.

I agree with Jared that the "young talent" is on this team and this is definitely a "rebuilding year." The problem I have though is that this is Cleveland's 8th season and we should be at a point where we don't have any rebuilding years. I was honestly shocked at how poorly the team played. I have followed Y basketball VERY close for 15 years now and that performance last night was on par with the 1-25 team. I could see Clevelands frustrations clearly as he sat there watching his team look terrible.

I also agree that last years team underachieved and you have to start wondering if Cleveland and his staff really do have what it takes to build a team that can compete at the highest level. This year to me will tell us if Cleveland is worth keeping as a coach. The reason is if he can turn this into a good season, not a great one, then he will have won some respect at least in the fan's eyes.

Let's hope things improve today against Stanford. I have a feeling they will. I guess it would be hard to do worse

I agree with most of these posts--we didn't even compete last night. The last time the Y. faced UNC (when they had Rasheed Wallace, Jerry Stackhouse, Eric Montross) we played them straight up, and were actually in the game. And I remember Randy Reid dropped 26 on the Tarheels. Last night we were completely overmatched--at the guardline especially. But sadly, our players were not put in a position to keep the game close. We ran up the floor and jacked up shots without any control--as if we were going to try and match them at their game. Poor coaching.

I also agree that the past two years we have had some of the most talented teams in the past several decades--and last year what did we have to show for it? No league title, tourney title, or Big Dance victory! Certainly that comes down to coaching.

In my opinion the team looks alright except for two things....

Our points guards just got blown away. Way two many turnovers and that screwed up our offense.

And we didn't get back on defense. That is just not acceptable. Jensen just doesn't the size/athletic ability to play at a higher level. Hall looked rusty.

When out young guys came in... you saw their talent. They started several good plays but weren't strong enough to quite finish. With Hall and Young on the floor at the same time our perimeter defense is better then I can ever remember.

And about last season... Araujo wasn't that good. Our bigs now have more talent.

I agree that our backcourt is a MAJOR concern this year. Nashif is a good back-up but he is not a big-time playmaker. Aingle looked lost last night. several dumb passes and dumb mistakes. I think Reisman must have gone into Cleveland's dog house or he is just a bust. I can't see how he isn't better than Nashif and Ainge...or at least equally as good. Rose and Burgess at wing looked pretty weak last night. I was disapointed in both.

Nor_Cal_Coug

... Aingle looked lost last night. several dumb passes and dumb mistakes....

Ainge is the future. Give him the time. He'll come around. He just needs playing time.