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Final: Colorado State 67, Air Force 49
February 4th, 2012, 9:15 pm · 28 Comments · posted by Frank Schwab
Air Force guard Michael Lyons took his time thinking about the question at hand, which was pretty basic: What has happened to the Falcons?
“I don’t know,” Lyons said. “I think fatigue is getting to a lot of the guys. I don’t know, I really can’t explain it to be honest. I’ve got no answer for that one.”
After two lopsided losses to New Mexico and Colorado State, the team’s confidence could be a factor.
“It might be a little shaky,” Lyons said. “We’ve got so many young guys, it’s hard to bring everybody along and keep everybody on the same page.
“We just have to keep everybody’s spirits up.”
The defense has taken a step back in the past two games, and the offense has struggled as well. Air Force coach Jeff Reynolds thought the two might be related – that missed shots have affected the effort on defense.
Reynolds said after Tuesday’s loss to New Mexico that he worried about a letdown after the UNLV game, and it happened. Reynolds and Air Force’s players said they didn’t anticipate a poor performance at Colorado State. Nobody questioned the effort, but the execution was definitely off. Air Force is just 1-6 after its first pass through the Mountain West, and needs to make strides if it is going to be better the second time through the league.
“We just need that one win, and we’ll be right on track,” forward Mike Fitzgerald said.
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About this blog …
I'm Frank Schwab, Air Force beat reporter for The Gazette. I've been at the paper since 2003, and covered the Broncos for seven seasons. I covered the University of Wisconsin in the late 1990s, so I'm well versed in running football teams (Ron Dayne) and defensive basketball teams (Dick Bennett). I love to chat on www.twitter.com/GazetteAirForce, and will respond to comments and emails at frank.schwab@gazette.com.
For more coverage, visit The Gazette's Air Force Academy Sports page
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As AFA AD Hans Mueh stands by season after season allowibg the degradation to continue in the Program, we are all forced to watch these young athletes absorb another losing season under the leadership of Jeff Reynolds. The squad is fixed with the finest talent in five seasons, and we cannot seem to get the best from this talent under this coaching staff. Chase has now become the latest in the JR injury practice hour. With the moral of thus team, I expect other injuries will infiltrate these practices, it is the sprained mind that will now take over the remainder of the failed season.
Dr. Mueh, has the penchant for Coaching Mens Basketball like a drunk has in finding the door to a bar. He knows its there, he just can’t find the nerve to open it and walk through.
Perhaps next season we should schedule pre-conference opponents who have lost all their games in 2011-12 season. This way we can absolutely be certain to get that bonus win situation for Jeff Reynolds. With that we won’t need to buy into another post season tournament at $31,000 per game to meet the 15 win contract requirement for bonusing a losing, over his head, non-recoverable Master of the closed practice, and superior mover and shaker of AFA Mens Basketball. I know, lets stop keeping score. Better tet, lets hire a marketing team to subliminally suggest thus is the most difficult conference in basketball to coach in. This way before the season begins, we can all gave the never ending mantra down…crying towel and all.
Reynolds’ double technical was a desperate act of frustration by a coach obsessed with his job security. It’s been building.
He knew he earned that 2nd technical as he immediately walked off the floor to the locker room.
Personally, I was embarrassed for the players and the Academy by this example of unprofessional conduct and poor sportsmanship.
Reynolds must go and go soonest! He has destroyed this team of fine and yes talented young men. He is a poor coach and has taken the AFA Basketball Program to the edge of total failure. Dr. Mueh you have seen it and know it. The players have just about quit and if a change is not make soon, there will be an exodus of several of our freshmen and sophomores at the end of the season. Reynold’s coaching and conduct tonight was an embarassment to the team and to the Air Force Academy.
If CSU had shot better than 4/22 on their 3pt’rs, this could have been another near 40 point blowout! With or without Reynolds.
I have attended or watched on TV every possible AFA basketbakll game this year. Believe me everybody, it “ain’t” the players, its the coaching and the methods used. Reynold and his coaching staff MUST GO! The program is broken and the losers are our players. Surely our Athletic Director can see this. If not, please open your eyes and ears Dr. Mueh!
Perhaps, its time we bring up our Prep team Head Coach to begin the healing process halfway through the remainder of this season? In this next month see what response the players have to the change as we put behind us the JR era. The man has qualities of goodness, he is kind and a family oriented person. That said, he is not and has not been the best choice to excel AF Men’s Basketball. The players are never going to admit this publicly, the AD has proven with Ardie and Other previous coaching selections that he traditiinally watches programs crumble before he admits he is wrong in his selection/support of the failed coach. My guess is the Tech ejection may now have violated Reynolds contract for behavior adverse to the standards of the Academy. Therefore, allowing AF to legally negotiate the buyout of JR remaining contractual obligations. Just in time to bring up the Prep Team Coach to lead the remainder of the season as we search for a Compatible, people skilled, run and gun type basketball skill who can heal this program. I agree that several risks are indeed in the heads of certain freshman to leave AF because this is not the kind of results they were promised. Granted, they are Officers First, Academia First…but, they also came to win. AF and JR is not the ingredients for a match as we have seen objective evidence these past five seasons. Pull the trigger Gen. GOULD…your AD is too much Chemical, not enough practical to make the move necessary to turn the corner here. Comon, Gen Gould, you cannot instill leadership in your troops by sitting back and permitting poor behavior from Reynolds as you demand greatness from the players.
FPC makes some good points and offers a tantalizing solution – although it would be difficult to let a coach go at mid-season. The players aren’t responding to the coaches – it’s tough to watch.
CSU has made some strides with their b-ball program – I think AF can do the same – but unfortunately, not under this coach.
Dr.
It is high time to terminate this laboratory experiment. Failed on so many fronts. Begin your search NOW before the NCAA tournament starts and identify a quality D-1 lead assistant who is looking for their first head coaching job at a salary less than what you are paying the current. Should be easy if you get out in front of the pack of future firings. Get to work NOW!!!!
The current staff provides no answers and no hope. They were given more than a fair opportunity, but if you do not act quickly, players will leave over the summer.
Admit you made a big hiring mistake here on the recommendation of former head coach Jeff Bzdelik.
As Jimbo 84 says, the players are NOT responding to the coaching and never will with the current coaches. General Gould and Dr Mueh, PLEASE take action now to salvage what little we have left with our men’s basketball program. The player talent is there, the coaching is not!
I’m not going to argue over the coachling staff, but one point – Air Force would be a laughingstock in sports if it terminated the coach’s contract because he got 2 technical fouls and got ejected. Folks, coaches get technicals. The two he got were pretty mundane and uneventful. Nobody’s getting fired because they argued with an official.
Once again Frank, you are missing the point. We are not wanting to terminate JR contract because he was thrown out on a pair of Tech fouls…that is merely the vehicle used Frank. The cause and effect is totally and undefendabally JR past five years with this program. Gee Frank, have you been on vacation for 5 years? The legally binding reasons may now be attainable due to JR vioating tge standards of the Contract. It would be like the Gazette finding a bottle of scotch in your desk Frank, and they have simply been looking for a reason to terminate your contributions to the AF beat because you were not meeting their standards of writing. They saw an opening for the scotch to terminate your contract, legally. Same applies to JR, its the product he is responsible for at AF, its just a shame it has come down to this after five years of disaster!
Frank, the two technical at CSU have absolutely nothing to do with my call for Reynolds’ ouster. I base my recommendation/request based on his coaching! Pure and simple.
By comparing finding a bottle of scotch in my work desk to a coach of a basketball team getting technical fouls for arguing with an official, well, you’ve made my point better than I could.
Again, the debate about Reynolds is justified, based on record and results. If you’ve brought the technical fouls into that argument – especially if you think this is a justifiable reason to fire the guy without a buyout – you’re invalidating what could be a legitimate argument.
Frank,
There is ONE poster here advocating a change before the end of the season. The rest of us are simply advocating THE change. Big difference. Regardless, this basketball program is in total disarray and needs an infusion of competence ASAP.
Bird – understood. I didn’t mean to make a blanket statement that everyone was following that logic, just that if you are, it’s tough to take it seriously.
Agreed
What is even less plausable to serious observers is ANYONE carrying the water for JR! Frank, its clear you can’t vocalize the facts because you would never be permitted access to the AFA sports again…so, use your rah rah, approach as you guuse your views with less than serious thoughts. Last week you were arguing for AF and JR methods in snailball. You simply blow like a willow man..pick a stand. The bottom line is JR needs to be fired today…waiting for any further delays is just ignorant and omits the hell these Cadets have been putting up with for five years.
I have a question for all posters on here. How many of you have coached college basketball? I have (20 yrs. retired- @ NCAA I state, private, and military institutions and will provide some objective analysis based on “experience in the competitive arena and the trenches. I am also a AFA fan who loves the academy and all it stands for.
1. The last two games (blowout losses) are very concerning and must be dealt with immediately by the coaches and players. Only they can determine why and fix it. They must do so and get back on track.
*the full week break will help them.
2. The 2pt. OT loss to #12 UNLV was a killer emotionally/physically. It is so disheartening to put so much into a game, be so close , and come up short. This can explain the UNLV debacle on a quick turn around. The bigger concern is CSU last night.
3. It is easy to say “fire the coach” at bad times. However, one week ago this team almost shocked the nation with the biggest win in AF history. Certainly, that is not a program in disaster.
4. AFA recruiting has gotten better and better the last 2 years. ie: Hammonds is a MM+ athlete and several of these young players
are better athletes and players than AF has gotten in the past.
*this is still a young team with players dealing with transition to AFA
life and the tough MWC.
5. This team really needs leadership and desparately misses Taylor Stewart. I can tell you that good leadership always comes from upper class guards, never from big men.
6. Inspite of the last 2 horrible games, the OT loss to UNLV proves they are closer to getting over the hump that anyone thinks.
7. The players and coaches have invested more work and time than anyone into this. Only they can determine what caused the last 2 games, fix it, and get back on track. They deserve the opportunity to do it and everyone’s support the second half.
*they are one win away from being back on track and one big win
away from the confidence they need.. to win with some consistency in the MWC. GO FALCONS
Wow!
Well written and stated Coach4Life. Those are your thoughts and opinions which I respect. However, my opinion is that the problem with AFA BB right now is not the players but the coaching staff. The ship needs to get righted!
interesting string of comments. First, I think it’s good that people are again taking some interest in AFA basketball. During the early part of the season no one was posting comments about what was going on. Second, I don’t think there is any escaping the fact that a team takes on the personality of their coach. With AFA this usually results in a dull team, turning in a dull performance (I find myself wondering if its worth the drive to go use our season tix) running the same offense year after year that our more talented opponents find pretty easy to defend unless the guys are really shooting well. I’m pleased that JR got a couple of Ts — he at least displayed some energy. The problem is, even if they tried to transition from JR, unlike when the previous transition took place, there would not be much interest from credible coaching candidates.
Hey Frank S…your comments demonstrate your naivete’ concerning AF culture and athletics. And Coach4Life I am truly grateful for your support of the program and players, but you KNOW the coaching IS the problem. To his credit, Reynolds and staff were good recruiters, so there is plenty of potential. But I happen to know one really good freshman already quit, and several others were considering it at season’s end. Having access to several, I asked why some stick with it. The response was “They have learned to COPE with coach.” That’s a really sad commentary, so I’m glad of this change. A sharp knife cuts the quickest and hurts the least! I just hope it’s not the same old same old under one of JR’s assistants! The “system” needs to change to fit the players’ strengths, not the other way around!
Well, then AFA graduate and athletic director Hans Mueh is naive about it too, because he said repeatedly that the ejection had nothing to do with it and seemed annoyed that was even in the conversation.
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