[JAF_1962]

It is not ours to give. Dayton must claim it.

I think Richmond carries the preseason title another year

 

[Bona84]

I'm good with that, especially with Golden coming back for year 15.

 

[jpschmack]

I'm ridiculously uncomfortable with being preseason A-10 favorites, preseason ranked, preseason NCAA expectations. Quiet underdog is the role I think we thrive in best: Like, pick us 5th, we'll finish 2nd and be in the mix for an at-large. That's comfortable.

I'm terrified of having those expectations and missing the tournament. Because I want this shit so badly and it would legit crush my soul.


But on the other hand, the program we all want us to be, is the program that isn't making excuses about injuries, or no one will play us at home, or shitty draws, or is terrified of failure. It's the program that has lofty preseason expectations, EMBRACES THE FUCKING TARGET and ACTUALLY FUCKING DOES IT.

The same people who told me to chill about "change the narrative to 'Next Gonzaga'" are the same people who are sick and tired of "do more with less" bullshit. NOTHING in sports is harder than turning the corner from "good underdog" to "favorite that meets expectations."

It's a total culture shift. The scrappy underdog is who we are. So the 2022 St. Bonaventure slogan should be "Fuck moral victories, just fucking win."

I hope Mark Schmidt spends every day preparing our team for being uncomfortable, making no excuses and demanding they just find a way. None of our drills should be "fair." It should be "Offense, we're working on our man-to-man offense (Defense, do this zone)." Constant whistles: "Ref just fucked you. Do it cleaner" or "Kyle, you breathed wrong, that's a technical" or "Osun just fouled out, who's stepping up?" I'd be making random guys play and get buckets/stops with one shoe off because shit happens and no one is making excuses for you. Our team should believe they are going to get fucked out of 13 points per game for whatever reason and be prepared to need to win by 14.


I feel like the unspoken negative about "The Bona Cult" is that we give our guys such unconditional love that it doesn't prepare them for the harsh reality outside of the RC/our Campus. St. Bonaventure is a special place. WE cult members know it. No one else cares. It comes down to: Do you want to cry in March, or do you want to cut down nets?

It's tough love time, because we can be great. Holmes was Mr. Positive in his NCAA post-game press conference. And we should be positive about all we accomplished, not criticizing him at all, he was fantastic as a spokesman. But that doesn't make losing in the first round okay.

I'm not comfortable at all with preseason A-10 favorite, or preseason Top 25. But it's time that all of us become okay with being uncomfortable, to accept the pressure and say "bring it." I know our fan base is going to be A LOT OF TALK. I want my team to have the mindset of "talk is cheap, we'll let our results speak" and then back that up for couple weeks longer than this year.

 

[res]

This is a fan base that used to roar at a coffin being walked through the opponent's "lay up" line. You'll adapt quicker than you think if it comes to that.

 

[Bill Russell]

The same people who told me to chill about "change the narrative to 'Next Gonzaga'" are the same people who are sick and tired of "do more with less" bullshit.

Respectfully, jp, one can have disdain for the lazy, surface-based “more with less” while preferring to avoid the type of public chest thumping “Gonzaga of the East” musings elicit. Let’s just keep plugging along in our little corner of New York State, emphasize our unique strengths, avoid coaches, recruits, and employees who have trouble seeing those strengths, and, most importantly...

 

[Bona03]

I am 100% embracing any accolades and if we are the front runner, so be it. If we are on the radar from day 1, we will get more benefit of the doubt. We have a veteran group who wont let it go to their heads. This year is our chance to make some noise and take the next step. Just Winn baby

 

[BrownIndians85]

It's good to have expectations and pressure. 2018 succeeded under great pressure down the stretch. Like '03 said, a veteran group can take pressure. I too am a little uncomfortable about preseason ranks partly because it brings out the worst Bona fan contingent, chest thumping, look at us crowd who just can't STFU and watch games. But in the end, over time, we should want to be the A10 front runner, want expectations of NCAA trips. Why not? Underdog is nice, but if you are successful as underdog the natural progression is to favorite. Otherwise you are a stale underdog and aren't succeeding. Olympic athletes, world champions, they don't set the bar low so they always accomplish a moral victory.

 

[agoo]

Winning a conference tournament with a 14 point average margin of victory and returning the guys who played 90% of the minutes in those games should put us on the top of everyone's preseason poll as the undisputed preseason champs. When its a good conference, that should also come with some of the "too early" top 25 rankings they're getting.

On the flipside, if these guys aren't finding motivation from LSU handing them their asses, they're going to be in for a long season, despite the obvious talent.

Bring on the preseason rankings because I think these guys have the same expectations of themselves, regardless of who else may be publishing them.

 

[paulxu]

and returning the guys who played 90% of the minutes in those games should put us on the top of everyone's preseason poll as the undisputed preseason champs. When its a good conference, that should also come with some of the "too early" top 25 rankings they're getting.

This sounds bizarrely similar to talk of the Spiders this year.

 

[Bona03]

This sounds bizarrely similar to talk of the Spiders this year.

It does and that concerns me a little. Not trying to be a dick here but this Bonnies team just made the NCAA so they have the pedigree. I also believe if Richmond didnt have their covid and injury issues they would have made the NCAA easily.

 

[PYBonnie05]

Respectfully, jp, one can have disdain for the lazy, surface-based “more with less” while preferring to avoid the type of public chest thumping “Gonzaga of the East” musings elicit. Let’s just keep plugging along in our little corner of New York State, emphasize our unique strengths, avoid coaches, recruits, and employees who have trouble seeing those strengths, and, most importantly...

View attachment 21133

Yes!

 

[PYBonnie05]

Winning a conference tournament with a 14 point average margin of victory and returning the guys who played 90% of the minutes in those games should put us on the top of everyone's preseason poll as the undisputed preseason champs. When its a good conference, that should also come with some of the "too early" top 25 rankings they're getting.

On the flipside, if these guys aren't finding motivation from LSU handing them their asses, they're going to be in for a long season, despite the obvious talent.

Bring on the preseason rankings because I think these guys have the same expectations of themselves, regardless of who else may be publishing them.

Yepppp.
These guys are different. They’ve been talking about winning the A10 since their first summer here. I’m convinced any rankings won’t affect their own goals for this upcoming season and possibly the following year.

 

[JAF_1962]

I'm ridiculously uncomfortable with being preseason A-10 favorites, preseason ranked, preseason NCAA expectations. Quiet underdog is the role I think we thrive in best: Like, pick us 5th, we'll finish 2nd and be in the mix for an at-large. That's comfortable.

I'm terrified of having those expectations and missing the tournament. Because I want this shit so badly and it would legit crush my soul.


But on the other hand, the program we all want us to be, is the program that isn't making excuses about injuries, or no one will play us at home, or shitty draws, or is terrified of failure. It's the program that has lofty preseason expectations, EMBRACES THE FUCKING TARGET and ACTUALLY FUCKING DOES IT.

The same people who told me to chill about "change the narrative to 'Next Gonzaga'" are the same people who are sick and tired of "do more with less" bullshit. NOTHING in sports is harder than turning the corner from "good underdog" to "favorite that meets expectations."

It's a total culture shift. The scrappy underdog is who we are. So the 2022 St. Bonaventure slogan should be "Fuck moral victories, just fucking win."

I hope Mark Schmidt spends every day preparing our team for being uncomfortable, making no excuses and demanding they just find a way. None of our drills should be "fair." It should be "Offense,
we're working on our man-to-man offense (Defense, do this zone)." Constant whistles: "Ref just fucked you. Do it cleaner" or "Kyle, you breathed wrong, that's a technical" or "Osun just fouled out, who's stepping up?" I'd be making random guys play and get buckets/stops with one shoe off because shit happens and no one is making excuses for you. Our team should believe they are going to get fucked out of 13 points per game for whatever reason and be prepared to need to win by 14.


I feel like the unspoken negative about "The Bona Cult" is that we give our guys such unconditional love that it doesn't prepare them for the harsh reality outside of the RC/our Campus. St. Bonaventure is a special place. WE cult members know it. No one else cares. It comes down to: Do you want to cry in March, or do you want to cut down nets?

It's tough love time, because we can be great. Holmes was Mr. Positive in his NCAA post-game press conference. And we should be positive about all we accomplished, not criticizing him at all, he was fantastic as a spokesman. But that doesn't make losing in the first round okay.

I'm not comfortable at all with preseason A-10 favorite, or preseason Top 25. But it's time that all of us become okay with being uncomfortable, to accept the pressure and say "bring it." I know our fan base is going to be A LOT OF TALK. I want my team to have the mindset of "talk is cheap, we'll let our results speak" and then back that up for couple weeks longer than this year.

JP, I think that the Bonnie’s need to take things one year at a time.

 

[urmite]

This is a fan base that used to roar at a coffin being walked through the opponent's "lay up" line. You'll adapt quicker than you think if it comes to that.

Did the coffin contain the corpse of an opposing player from the upcoming game?
Now that would be something...

 

[res]

An occasional live body would occasionally jump out only to be summarily dispatched by the Brown Indian.

 

[Bona03]

I wish they still did that. It made for a fun pregame activity.

 

[Bill Russell]

I wish they still did that. It made for a fun pregame activity.

I can't imagine that would fly in this delicate era, unfortunately.

 

[res]

It also doesn't fly in the years you are 8 - 7 at home.

 

[urmite]

I can't imagine that would fly in this delicate era, unfortunately.

I’m sure that using an IED on an opposing team bus an hour before the game to gain a forfeit wouldn’t go over either...

 

[Bill Russell]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1380326203148623877