Moral Victory?

[romar]

Since many feel the "L" is a given, just curious what some would view as a Moral Victory?

For me it would be to hold Duke under their season average by 10 or more points, be within striking distance at some point in the second half (under 10 points). I would also like to see our bigs attack the basket aggressively with a be fouled or get the basket mentality. Take a page from WL's book, he attacks the rim because he's not aware he is supposed to be intimidated. IMO

I think that it would be nice if they were competitive and could walk away from this game with the opinion that they can play with anyone.

[Dubl R 1]

I just want them to compete...and Im not even talking about the score margin....just play hard, challenge plays, go hard to the glass, show some fight and pride for 40 minutes.....

[BradleyJD]

I just want them to compete...and Im not even talking about the score margin....just play hard, challenge plays, go hard to the glass, show some fight and pride for 40 minutes.....

Ditto

[ph]

Never jacking up a quick shot with no rebounders available
50%+ layup makes

[Dallas Brave]

Since many feel the "L" is a given, just curious what some would view as a Moral Victory?

I'm just looking for the Braves to play 40 minutes of solid fundamental team ball, regardless of the score. There is nothing worse than watching a team who has given up before the final whistle has blown.

[thefish7]

Just want them to play hard and do their best.

[LittleBrave]

Playing hard for 40 minutes would be nice, but I don't know if that would equate to me being happy about how they played.
Other hopes:
Take good shots deeper in the shot clock.
Don't settle for 3-pters - drive & dish.
DSE breaks out of his funk
15 TO's or less
Outrebounded by 10 or less
Margin of victory 25 or less
Small contributions from everyone who plays

[amckillip]

Shooting above 40% and FTs above 70%

[BU RICK]

A moral victory for me IMO would be to see a game similar to the game Dick Versace coached against Larry Bird, Carl Nicks & Co's Indiana State NCAA Finals team. That was one of my trips to Peoria that year. I wasn't a fan of the 4 corners but I was that night, we lost 27-25.

A moral victory for me is playing what gives us the best chance to win. I do not believe running with them and going to the boards with them is the best chance to win. I believe a coach needs a different game plan for each game. I know the 4 corners is history but we can still use the full shot clock and keep the score low, if we get a good shooting game....who knows. But I would even go so far as to coach, if we get a long rebound don't take the 5-15' shot - pass it back out and keep running the clock.

That type of game will not be popular with the Duke fans. But IMO gives us the best chance to win. And if we give them a game that way and it shows other fans how their teams could play against them, it would give us the admiration we crave.

This is my game plan for one game, so don't fire me, I'd still be a run-and-gun coach. But I'd want to play this game a little bit different, like Dick Versace.

[Big Mike]

I'm up for a moral victory tonight.....

1-play as a unit with a purpose
2-WE stays in the game and has 3 or less fouls, does not help the team on the pine
3-AW still gets some points
4-Braves actually shoot some FT's
5-combination of DD-DSE-WL helping out with scoring some pts
6-JP gets some pts to go with some rbs
7-stay within 10-15 pts final score


....remember it should be down-hill after this game...no opponent from here on out will pose this much of a balanced roster so learn from this game!

[BuB]

Not really into moral victorys. If we play to the best of our abilities that is good enough. Each player just do what you are capable of, no more or less.

Make Duke do some things they did not want to do like change defenses or put bench guys on the floor because we got them in foul trouble. Make them burn time outs because we went on a couple runs etc. Just make Duke work all 40 minutes.

[MacabreMob]

Moral victories? Are you kidding?

GOOD TEAMS GO INTO DUKE AND GET BEAT - BAD.

And we are NOT a good team this year.

Crikeys.

Last year, Duke defeated Florida St by 14 (who was a #9 seed in the NCAA). Duke also defeated Georgia Tech by 19 last season (a #10 seed last year). Wake Forest lost by 20 at Duke (WF was a #9 seed in NCAA). Clemson (a #7 seed last year in the NCAA) lost at Duke by 21. And even Maryland, a #4 seed last year in the NCAA, lost by 21.

We all need to realize that even GOOD teams get their arse handed to them at Duke.

Moral victories... whatever.

[ER3]

Moral victories are for losers. No thanks.

[squirrelgotdead]

Like others, I don't believe in moral victories. I don't want to be embarrassed, either.

Just want to see the guys give their all and have fun, with no one getting hurt in the process.

That said, I like this quote from Mark Macon, interim head coach of Binghamton, who this year is probably one of the ten worst teams in DI this year:

"There's victory in losing. It's the opportunity to get better. That's not a 'moral' victory, you know. It's getting better."

There's some context here that is important. He's not suggesting losing is good by any stretch of the imagination, but rather he is saying every game presents the opportunity to continue to get better. It's not a season-ending make-or-break game.

Bradley better not be going into this game mailing it in, because even though in all likelihood this will be an ugly loss, they have an opportunity to test themselves and continue to grow together against perhaps the finest opponent available.

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

[BuB]

[QUOTE=BU RICK;203390]A moral victory for me IMO would be to see a game similar to the game Dick Versace coached against Larry Bird, Carl Nicks & Co's Indiana State NCAA Finals team. That was one of my trips to Peoria that year. I wasn't a fan of the 4 corners but I was that night, we lost 27-25.



Didn't we have another game with them where we double teamed Bird all night and held him to something like 6 points but Nicks went off for 33? I seem to remember something like that