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Post by ADG'99 on Oct 22, 2014 20:40:47 GMT -5
This is a GREAT article. I love everything he has to say. www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/24757610/mike-dunlap-returns-to-his-roots-at-loyola-marymount"I wanted to take a program that hasn't been very good for a long time and flip it to see if we can get it going the other way," Dunlap said. "As an alum you can give your money, which I certainly will do over time, but you can also give your time and attention to something [that was] very special to you in your formative years. I know that sounds corny, but that's my goal." . .Using his 1-1-3 man/zone hybrid along with a press, the key to Dunlap's system is high pressure defense that forces ball-handlers into bad decisions and turnovers. While NBA players with agents behind them might not appreciate it, it's the perfect system at a level where he'll be able to recruit the type of player who will buy into his system.
"I don't want to be one of those guys who doesn't press," Dunlap said. "We're gonna press, that's it. That's the way we do it. They're probably all licking their chops saying 'You'll learn' but I won't. We're gonna press. That's how I'm built, that's where we're recruiting to, and that's our style.
"We're gonna play zone too. A lot of people say it's not fashionable to play zone with the way the 3-point line is. But it's not a typical zone, there's a lot of trapping, a lot of this and that. Some coaches don't want to put their team in harm's way with the trap and they're more conservative. I'm not known as a conservative dude as a coach. We're going to play hard and press and trap and run off of our misses." . ."I just want to have a higher standard of play, a higher standard of academics than they've had for a while here, and I want to have a higher standard of citizenship," Dunlap said. "You can go crazy thinking about the past. There have been good times here and a LOT of bad times, no matter what style it was. Even in the Westhead days they couldn't sustain their success. . .
"For us, that means I just want to get out of last place. Maybe we get to 7th, 6th, 5th, 4th, but that's our goal. The bridge to great is good, not the bridge from bad is great. I could care less about great. I could care less what Gonzaga does, that's later in the process."
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Post by uncurselmu on Oct 23, 2014 10:46:56 GMT -5
Music to my ears. Many of us have been complaining for years, "why don't we press earlier and more consistently?" and "why don't we mix in a little zone?"
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Post by ironlion on Oct 23, 2014 11:13:15 GMT -5
I love teams that press. Let's just hope there aren't as many injuries again so we can have guys on the floor who can actually execute the press.
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Post by fanblade on Oct 24, 2014 21:08:47 GMT -5
Great article, thanks for sharing. Dunlap's pitch sounds authentic.
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Post by LIONS90045 on Oct 25, 2014 12:18:32 GMT -5
Glad to see Dunlap will use a zone defense also Many teams excel with primarily a zone especially if the opponents outside shooting isn't strong
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Post by thx4leavinjimlynam on Oct 25, 2014 22:48:47 GMT -5
The pressing and trapping is indeed music to my to ears!
There is a lot to be said about returning to your roots.
I have a feeling this will be a very entertaining and fun season.
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Post by lion90 on Oct 28, 2014 16:20:02 GMT -5
Unfortunately, he implies that the academics and citizenship needed to improve. I'm not sure that was the case, and if it was shouldn't be mentioned for the sake of blowing his horn.
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Post by ironlion on Oct 28, 2014 17:17:50 GMT -5
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Post by LIONS90045 on Oct 28, 2014 18:28:39 GMT -5
There was Nino who couldn't handle the academics last season but that's the only case I'm aware of.
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Post by ironlion on Oct 28, 2014 18:35:30 GMT -5
I believe it only counts against you if a player transfers and does not graduate. So transfers like Given Kalipinde, Bruce English, and Kevin Young and Quincy Lawson will not count against the graduation rate. Nino is at a JC now...but who knows where he will end up.
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Post by longtimelionfan on Oct 28, 2014 21:08:31 GMT -5
I think two different subjects are being mixed here - graduation rates and academic achievement. Graduation rates at LMU and under Max were very good for those that stayed. That properly acknowledged, academic achievement needed improvement. Kevin Young went to Santa Monica College to get academically eligible to transfer. Nino dropped out. Others mentioned above were suddenly ineligible after the semester break. The MBB team cumulative GPA wasn't very good and lately rarely was an LMU MBB player on the WCC all-academic team. Academic improvement, like won/loss record improvement, should be a goal. I'm sure it was for Max and he wanted his players to succeed academically. There should be no question about that. But, improvement on both counts was necessary.
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Post by ironlion on Oct 28, 2014 23:07:12 GMT -5
Getting talent and academics the challenge for every coach. I find it interesting that CMD talks about improving acadmics and at the same time recruiting several junior college players. That being said I think anyone with the right support system and guidence and effort can succeed at LMU.
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Post by guarddad on Oct 29, 2014 14:15:43 GMT -5
Geez!!! Just because a kid goes to junior college he's not worthy? There are several reasons a kid goes to a JC, academics being one, becoming a better player, politics that kept him under the radar, etc. Doesn't mean they're not smart or can't handle the circriculum of a DI school. Since the coaches are accountable for his athletes, I'm sure Coach Dunlap is going to make sure his ball players are going to take care of their academics. Let's just be positive for this team moving forward. If anyone on this board doesn't like what's going with this direction of the team, then don't be involved with LMU basketball! I'm already tired of the negativity and the season hasn't even started. I'm with them win or lose....period!
GO LIONS!!
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Post by LIONS90045 on Oct 29, 2014 21:24:31 GMT -5
well said guarddad lots of good kids start at JC due to economics also - if not on a scholarship, private schools are a handful for the pocketbook and not all parents can afford $50K per year personally, I'm glad my children all graduated some 20 years ago when things were relatively "expensive" but not like today's costs
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Post by slblions08 on Oct 29, 2014 22:58:52 GMT -5
Geez!!! Just because a kid goes to junior college he's not worthy? There are several reasons a kid goes to a JC, academics being one, becoming a better player, politics that kept him under the radar, etc. Doesn't mean they're not smart or can't handle the circriculum of a DI school. Since the coaches are accountable for his athletes, I'm sure Coach Dunlap is going to make sure his ball players are going to take care of their academics. Let's just be positive for this team moving forward. If anyone on this board doesn't like what's going with this direction of the team, then don't be involved with LMU basketball! I'm already tired of the negativity and the season hasn't even started. I'm with them win or lose....period! GO LIONS!! That's pretty ridiculous. Nobody is "against" the team. Being a fan or supporter or alumni support in this instance, doesn't require allegiance to a new regime. An ultimatum such as "if you don't like the direction then don't be involved with LMU basketball" is kind of ridiculous. LMU and the team has existed before Dunlap and it will exist after. The kids on the team are definitely their own entity and I will support these undergrads. Personally, this dude is rubbing some people the wrong way because he's taking shots at everybody and blaming the past when he just showed up. Well guess what. Dunlap stated in that article that he doesn't significantly donate time or money to the university, only until now that he has the job. Some love for the university over the past few decades? How are you going to complain when over the past 30 years, the guy has been in all facets of pro ball but hasn't done anything for it? "I wanted to take a program that hasn't been very good for a long time and flip it to see if we can get it going the other way," Dunlap said. "As an alum you can give your money, which I certainly will do over time, but you can also give your time and attention to something [that was] very special to you in your formative years. I know that sounds corny, but that's my goal." Nice all these years you haven't done anything, given back, but now you do at the end of your rope. He hasn't even given money. Cheapass. It's the same reason I'm upset at him for taking unnecessary shots at Payne. A guy who paid through sweat equity last year and did all what was asked of him of his last superior. Now he's taking shots at the academics of the players. Taking shots at Kevin Young or Nino Jackson (who was already a risk which was Coach Good's style) is a joke too. I didn't even like Max Good. I couldn't stand his attitude on the floor but he was at least compassionate to a fault for most of his players. He didn't set a good example while coaching on the sidelines with his yelling, but he didn't rip the university. There are some of us that wish Dunlap would just shut his mouth and coach basketball and stop ripping people. I hope he's just as critical of himself if the team falls flat at the beginning. I will root for the team to win, I am still planning on going to as many games as I can, but I'm not going to be Dunlap's minion like some people on this board.
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