It seems that support is waning for Coach Weber. Even among his more ardent supporters, including yours truly, doubt has crept in and most are agreed that a change is needed if we miss the tournament. Having said this, there is one thing, which sticks in my craw. Among his long time critics, those who always believed he would fail, there are none who will allow any talk about Weber's bad luck. This is not a plea to keep him around if we miss the tournament. This is only to give the man his due if he is released.
Even after last nights game, there was no mention of the fact that our main player was unable to play. How many of us thought, be honest now, that we had a good chance when DJamer did not walk out for the opening tip? Of course, we always have hope as fans. What were our chances, however, with one senior, three sophomores and a freshman, that we were going to get the best of five veteran seniors? If you say 60-40, what would you have said, before the game, if someone told you that Isaiah would not play? I can't help to think that Isaiah would have gotten some of those boards that Cyclone freshman got, which hurt us so badly.
I have mentioned this before, but it needs to be repeated. We all knew that our team faced three top ten opponents (two on the road) before they would be able to face a six game stretch of easier games. We all would have been okay if we won one out of those three knowing that we might get five out of the last six. We did get one out of three. Does any one have just the least bit of compassion for our players, and coaches, knowing that when our guys were, finally, about to come to a six game stretch against easier opponents, one of our main players injures himself? I am of the opinion that we match up well against West Virginia and I believe we would've beaten West Virginia if DJamer, and Dean, had been fully healthy. As it was, we played with them for well over a half.
I'm going to throw this out because I believe it. I believe some people have more than their share of bad luck. I don't mean to suggest that our coach has bad luck in that he has had a very good and successful life. I do believe, however, that he has more than his share of bad luck when it comes to the basketball floor. This is not to say all his failures are due to bad luck. It is only to say that he has had his share since being in Manhattan.
I have a theory. I believe this bad luck takes its toll on the players. A missed travel at KU at the end of the game. A missed foul on a game winning lay up at the end of the game. An injury to a key player at a most inopportune time. Before you know it, doubt begins to creep into the players mind. This is especially true when you don't have a go to guy, a Frank Mason, who is going to pull you up by your bootstraps.
In conclusion. Luck, or no luck, there has to be a coaching change if mediocrity is the norm. When, and if, a change comes about, this is one fan who will always say that the basketball gods had a little say in the outcome.
