Somewhat OT: Sooo...what do we do now? #MGoBoredom

Submitted by Mr. Yost on

Football is essentially over. Basketball has started, but I don't think most people are truly going to judge this team until late Jan/early Feb. Hockey is here, but it's a looong season and we're a month away from conference play.

So what are you doing to pass the time?

2 years ago we were going to a BCS bowl. Last year there was the excitement of seeing Gardner improve each and every week. This year there isn't much to hang out hat on until February.

In the past we've had recruiting, but even that is about done for next year.

Just seems like an "off" year for college sports. There will be some great bowl games, but I'm not sure there will be great teams playing. No one is elite. Basketball relies so heavily on young players who need a couple months to adjust and/or improve. Recruiting is about over.

Time to catch up on the sitcoms? Bake a cake? Work on the car? Make a blanket?

What are you doing to pass the time? --- or are you content with the current offering in college sports for December/Jan?

 

Hail-Storm

December 4th, 2013 at 10:32 AM ^

Some "magical" life that doesn't determine my happiness/ self worth on a sport/ activity I have no control over. 

Although, I have heard of this place called "Outdoors".  Not sure if anyone has been there, but I've heard it's gotten ok reviews.  Biggest complaints are that it's full of people that you have to talk face to face with. Yeash, could you imagine?

snarling wolverine

December 3rd, 2013 at 6:12 PM ^

I don't understand your point about basketball, unless you're the type that only gets interested around tourney time.  If you're a pretty big fan you should be into it right now.  We have a huge game tonight (Duke) and another big one in a little over a week (Arizona), and then B1G play starts soon after . . . why does it not matter until February?  Personally, I can't wait for tonight's game.

 

 

Mr. Yost

December 3rd, 2013 at 6:21 PM ^

And yes, I'm pumped about tonight with Duke and I will about Arizona (and every other game) too.

However, the team we see tonight will likely not be the team we see in February/March.

No, I am not the type that only watches March Madness. But this team is young and still figuring our roles and identity.

If we lose to Duke by 20, it really won't mean anything in my eyes. I won't think we'll be any worse off at the end of the year. If LAST year's team lost by 20, I'd be worried. That team had defined roles, an identity, and experienced leadership. THAT team wasn't going to improve that much over the course of the year. And they didn't...they just played to their potential in the tournament. 

Correction: McGary got better...LeVert did too. But that actually makes my point about this team. You're not going to see what you'll see in the tournament this time of year. McGary wasn't a BEAST in December of last year and LeVert was a sloppy mess full of potential.

This year, we have guys back, but they're ALL in new roles. So it's like they're freshman again. Oh, AND we have freshman in key roles.

So I'm happy to watch this team at this point in the year, but I'm not judging them whatsoever. Irvin went OFF vs. Coppin, but if he's just as cold vs. Duke...it won't surprise me. GRIII, Stauskas and McGary are all coming into their "lead roles." As is LeVert. So last year was good playing experience, but this is still such a new year for everyone on so many different levels.

That's all I meant. This is a barometer game to see where we are at NOW, this doesn't tell us about March. Last year when we played (and won) these games...they were clear indicators that we were going to compete once we got to the postseason.

TIMMMAAY

December 3rd, 2013 at 6:40 PM ^

McGary and Levert improved, but so did Stauskas and GRIII. So, pretty much the whole team improved over the year. I do think it will be more pronounced, and impactful improvement this year, but it isn't really fair to say they didn't improve over the season last year. Not really trying to pick, I know I do that a lot, but still. 

Mr. Yost

December 3rd, 2013 at 8:41 PM ^

Stauskas was the same all year for the most part. If you look at the numbers, he got worse. But don't look at the numbers, because the competition obviously got harder.

GRIII improved? Hmmm, that's highly questionable.

And of course the team improved over the season, but not like this team will/should. And it wasn't as drastic as I think YOU think. We were still a Trey Burke led team the whole way. THJ was the same player all year. Morgan and Horford have been the same for the most part and the freshman were all freshman.

So if you mean we improved over the previous year. Of course. That's not what I meant, and I can't see how you would infer that from my post. As for during the year...eh, a little. Again, we just played well in the NCAA Tournament and McGary was a beast that we didn't see this time last year. Who else was so much improved? Burke was a preseason Wooden candidate, so it's not like he got that much better as the year went on.

Everyone had their roles. Trey was #1, THJ was #2, the posts were the posts, and the freshman filled roles.

This year if I asked who is #1, I'd get McGary, Stauskas, GRIII, and LeVert as answers. So clearly, there is no clear cut choice. It'll take time to get that.

We're starting a true freshman PG. He's going to improve over the course of his freshman year, just like Burke did. Irvin is already improving and learning proper spacing (and just the offense itself).

This team is fun to watch because there aren't really expectations at this point. We don't know what we're going to get or what we have. No one knows for sure who's going to emerge in what role...and that's somewhat exciting comparing to last year when we all knew.

That said, I repeat, these games for this team are simply a barometer for where we are now. We'll be a completely different team in February. Guys will all improve and settle into their roles and we'll develop an identity as a team. 

Outside of Jordan Morgan and Jon Horford, there isn't one player in the rotation where you know what you're going to get or even what you have.

Look at Duke and Kansas and they're going through the same thing...they'll each be fine, but it's going to take some time for things to shake out. Look at MSU, they all know their roles...it's just about going out and executing. They're like we were last year.

Mr. Yost

December 3rd, 2013 at 9:30 PM ^

Coach K, literally just said EXACTLY what I've been saying, but about his team. I even included Duke (and Kansas) in my explanation.

I'll go with Coach K agreeing with my thoughts and give this topic a rest.

evenyoubrutus

December 3rd, 2013 at 6:16 PM ^

I'm going to make a personal commitment to pretend, at least in my head, like football does not exist for the next 9 months (except for one day).  There are supposedly other things to care about out there.

teldar

December 3rd, 2013 at 6:27 PM ^

Or



You could come help me refinish old doors or finish new ones, tear out the sliding doors in the bedrooms and install french doors, including jambs and casing, build a closet with washer and dryer hookups in the unfinished area above the garage, and redo the bathroom on the second floor, probably tearing everything out to the studs and down to the subflooring. I still need to put electrical out to the shed. I'd like to dig out the crawl space in the basement and pour footers, walls, and floors. Projects aplenty.

You know, in addition to raising a 5 year old. 

 

 

 

 

Njia

December 3rd, 2013 at 6:29 PM ^

We could  always start a thread about religion, politics and other social issues like that guy in the other thread. I'm sure that would help. 

If that doesn't work, how about a thread on what to buy our wives for Christmas?

JTrain

December 3rd, 2013 at 6:39 PM ^

Trying to convince myself not to follow UM football obsessively year round. I catch myself getting all jacked up about recruits, off season player development, etc. It just hasn't seemed to live up to the hype that my own mind creates. I'm hoping next season we kick SpArtys teeth in and put the effin wood to the bucs in the shitshoe in colombus so we can start to feel like men again. Sick of the transition we've been living in for 5 years.....

Dontfakeitfunk

December 3rd, 2013 at 6:41 PM ^

Enjoy watching Stauskas evolve into a borderline All American.

Provided he is healthy, tonight is the type of atmosphere I can see Stauskas thriving in. He's got enough dog in him to go nuts on the Blue Devils.

/takes off homer glasses

But seriously, he's gonna have a monster game

TCGoBlue

December 3rd, 2013 at 6:44 PM ^

Besides watching M beat Duke tonight, and hopefully winning my fantasy league?



Probably spending time deciding if I should renew my season tickets. Piped in music, AD directed new "traditions", and increasing prices are arguments against. Diehard fan and Alum is the for.



Anyone know how good a stubhub journey did this year vs. season ticket holders? I am a bit scared to find out the numbers, and the beating we took.

BlueDragon

December 3rd, 2013 at 7:19 PM ^

My graduate program has effectively taken over my life for the next week so I'll be mostly studying. After Tuesday things open up a little bit; I'm hoping to get started on my independent research for my thesis and get a good chunk of it done over winter break.

In my free time I go for long walks - just as good for cardiovascular health as running and takes up equal amounts of energy - and play lots of video games. Settlers of Catan online (build on the best stone and grain), Team Fortress 2 (Pyro, Soldier, Demo, and if you habitually play sniper or spy every game you deserve to die in a fire), correspondence chess (usually 3-5 days per move per player), and bullet chess (1 minute per player for the entire game is wacky and awesome).

If I had infinite free time, after studying sufficiently for exams, I would YouTube it up and make playthroughs and strategy videos. If you're into that sort of thing two creators I recommend are STAR_ and HuskyStarcraft.

Boom Goes the …

December 3rd, 2013 at 7:53 PM ^

to be making continuous left turns on a ship in the Pacific Ocean for the next 3 months...should kill some time I guess

ggoodness56

December 3rd, 2013 at 8:22 PM ^

I'm going to help take care of our new baby girl who arrived yesterday. Watching the game from a crappy tv in the hospital room tonight. My wife and Bella are doing well! Also I just opened a business a month ago, so working on that too lol



www.thegamelair.com

Bombadil

December 9th, 2013 at 9:31 PM ^

I've just switch to all-grain brewing. It's awesome how much really good beer you can make. Should take up some time before 2014 season (which I'm really looking forward to).

andrewG

December 3rd, 2013 at 11:25 PM ^

I recommend developing a drug habit. Not something horribly difficult to kick like coke or heroin, but at least weed, maybe some more serious hallucinogens.