OSU's Declining Basketball Program

[mathboy]

There is an interesting thread over on Peegs about how Matta may be on the hot seat at OSU. (Don't waste your time reading it. It quickly slips into a melodrama between posters for no visible reason). It seems people think Matta's recruiting has fallen off, and his teams seem to have locker room issues of late. IIRC a number of highly rated players left OSU this year. Maybe Matta's health problems are slowing him down.

IMHO, Matta's teams are most dangerous when, and only when, he has a lottery pick type player. That featured player forms the entire focus of the team and centers around only that player. Without that level of player, OSU is not very good generally. Of course, it is easy to draw the same parallel to our team in that we centered around Hammons. OSU always seems more single star centric that our team, but that is debatable.

The bottom line is that Matta might be pressuered to retire soon, especially if his teams continue to slip in performance. Any thoughts?

 

[Bigohh]

There is an interesting thread over on Peegs about how Matta may be on the hot seat at OSU. (Don't waste your time reading it. It quickly slips into a melodrama between posters for no visible reason). It seems people think Matta's recruiting has fallen off, and his teams seem to have locker room issues of late. IIRC a number of highly rated players left OSU this year. Maybe Matta's health problems are slowing him down.

IMHO, Matta's teams are most dangerous when, and only when, he has a lottery pick type player. That featured player forms the entire focus of the team and centers around only that player. Without that level of player, OSU is not very good generally. Of course, it is easy to draw the same parallel to our team in that we centered around Hammons. OSU always seems more single star centric that our team, but that is debatable.

The bottom line is that Matta might be pressuered to retire soon, especially if his teams continue to slip in performance. Any thoughts?

One could only hope. Keep in mind he has the best funded b-ball program in the BT if not the country. When his guys start bailing I have to wonder if it is because they see better players coming in who will get the pt.
PS In addition to the funding, they seem to have the best system to get the $$ from the funds to the players without getting sanctions.

 

[Cevol03]

they would be stupid to get rid of him. he is a great coach and only 48. He just had a little bit of bad luck with two signing classes after Craft left

 

[pboiler18]

One could only hope. Keep in mind he has the best funded b-ball program in the BT if not the country. When his guys start bailing I have to wonder if it is because they see better players coming in who will get the pt.
PS In addition to the funding, they seem to have the best system to get the $$ from the funds to the players without getting sanctions.

Your point about being recruited over is valid.....but....look at the teams that have high level success. They are either LOADED with 1 and done or 2 and done type players or they have a few role players mixed in with developmental stars (like Wisky with Frank Kaminsky). If you aren't doing #1, you can have success but you have to be committed to developing those role players. Purdue IS a place this can work because we can surround the Dakota Mathias types with a Swanigan, Edwards and potentially other top guys.

 

[Dakota Girl]

There is an interesting thread (Don't waste your time reading it. It quickly slips into a melodrama between posters for no visible reason).

Thank God we don't do that here

 

[BoilerBulldog]

Thank God we don't do that here

Shut up jerk.

 

[nat100]

they would be stupid to get rid of him. he is a great coach and only 48. He just had a little bit of bad luck with two signing classes after Craft left

I didn't realize he was that young. Wow

 

[tjreese]

Shut up jerk.

I don't think Dakota Girl's comments were meant to anyone...just that this forum gets a few wrinkles from time to time that many don't understand...

edited...doing other things and missed the humor part

 

[M51]

There is an interesting thread over on Peegs about how Matta may be on the hot seat at OSU. (Don't waste your time reading it. It quickly slips into a melodrama between posters for no visible reason). It seems people think Matta's recruiting has fallen off, and his teams seem to have locker room issues of late. IIRC a number of highly rated players left OSU this year. Maybe Matta's health problems are slowing him down.

IMHO, Matta's teams are most dangerous when, and only when, he has a lottery pick type player. That featured player forms the entire focus of the team and centers around only that player. Without that level of player, OSU is not very good generally. Of course, it is easy to draw the same parallel to our team in that we centered around Hammons. OSU always seems more single star centric that our team, but that is debatable.

The bottom line is that Matta might be pressuered to retire soon, especially if his teams continue to slip in performance. Any thoughts?

Slip in performance is a reach. They were 11-7 in the big this past year with a roster dominated by freshman and sophomores. Was Painter pressured to retire when he had crap results? OSU has a decent class coming in, they will be very good this yr. Take into account your source, the pig sty down south.

 

[GetReelGetFish]

Thad Matta is the oldest 48 yr old I have ever seen....

 

[BoilerRam]

I didn't realize he was that young. Wow

He does look older, plus he sweats like crazy

 

[GetReelGetFish]

I would have guessed 60...

 

[pu1985]

I would have guessed 60...

It's the Chicken Hawk look that does it....

 

[purdue4sure]

It's the Chicken Hawk look that does it....

Yeah, the schnoz...

 

[tjreese]

He does look older, plus he sweats like crazy

unless the game is a blowout the intensity and quickness of the game makes a lot of coaches sweat

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

He does look older, plus he sweats like crazy

60?

Looks like I picked the wrong week to start.......

 

[mathboy]

Slip in performance is a reach. They were 11-7 in the big this past year with a roster dominated by freshman and sophomores. Was Painter pressured to retire when he had crap results? OSU has a decent class coming in, they will be very good this yr. Take into account your source, the pig sty down south.

What you say is true. Maybe it is just my impression, but they were not a major factor this year. With the turn over OSU is seeing, they will be very young next year too, and may struggle again. I guess it does say something positive about Matta when we compare their actual record to our unspoken expectations and think 11-7 is underwhelming for the OSU team.

The Peegs OP I was paraphrasing said he was "close to the program". For all I know he might have meant that the little paper "program" they publish for a game was struck in his back pocket... and was somehow imparting its wisdom through the seat of his pants.

 

[lbodel]

There is an interesting thread over on Peegs about how Matta may be on the hot seat at OSU. (Don't waste your time reading it. It quickly slips into a melodrama between posters for no visible reason). It seems people think Matta's recruiting has fallen off, and his teams seem to have locker room issues of late. IIRC a number of highly rated players left OSU this year. Maybe Matta's health problems are slowing him down.

IMHO, Matta's teams are most dangerous when, and only when, he has a lottery pick type player. That featured player forms the entire focus of the team and centers around only that player. Without that level of player, OSU is not very good generally. Of course, it is easy to draw the same parallel to our team in that we centered around Hammons. OSU always seems more single star centric that our team, but that is debatable.

The bottom line is that Matta might be pressuered to retire soon, especially if his teams continue to slip in performance. Any thoughts?

I think their heat is on the same level as Painter heat on here - the message boards may complain, but it's not exactly serious.

The thing about basketball is that you can quickly make up for past mistakes. It's happened here and it's happened at most schools. They have had some negative things occur within their program, but also somewhat explainable. They had a few freshmen transfer who thought they should be getting minutes over the players that were. Is that Matta's fault? Eh, I am not sure any of them were world-beaters, but obviously not just losing that number of guys, but also all of them being that young is not good.

So it looks bad and makes it difficult (your roster disheveled), but they still have good players and could be pretty good next year.

They are definitely at a crossroads - but it's just a matter of how it plays out.

 

[indianphil]

I'll buy the crossroads comment. If, after this year, the transfers continue then something is going on. As was also mentioned, because the players are so well provided for over there, it would suggest Matta's health IMHKO. There have been rumors about his health ever since the season ended in Columbus.

Sincerely hope the man is ok healthwise.

 

[boilerzz]

Slip in performance is a reach. They were 11-7 in the big this past year with a roster dominated by freshman and sophomores. Was Painter pressured to retire when he had crap results? OSU has a decent class coming in, they will be very good this yr. Take into account your source, the pig sty down south.

Yes, but only 2-7 against teams that ended the B1G season with a winning record. They only had 3 RPI 100 wins all season. They got fat on cupcakes and that's why they weren't even on the NCAA bubble.