KAEO: Tyler Bergantino

[PreecherJenkins]

Serious question, does anyone think T-Berg would be a great tight end for Whip next year?

[Berkman]

NO

[Mark W]

^im not sure how on one hand you say fans are expecting too much out of the coach and the on another talking about the AD having input on how the program is set up. If the AD is dictating that much, then something is wrong and the coach is not head coach material. Its not expecting too much for a coach is his 8th year to be able to figure out a coaching staff and to be able to figure out a system.

His recruiting "well" storyline is really starting to take off too. Yes, next years class is great but up until this point our recruiting is been very average IMO.

In the case of a school like UMass, the AD had damn well better have that type of input into each and every program. He was brought in here to put UMass athletics in such a light that they would be appealing to a good conference. If he see's a deficiency in a program, whether it be coaching, facilities, or whatever, he better address it. I just don't believe that the only way to address a coaching issue is to fire the head coach. If you have a head coach running a good, clean program who clearly cares not only for the university, but the kids as well, I think it is worth the effort to try to get him the right help.

[kdogg8173]

Yeah I'm not sure how you have that much confidence a guy that needs help getting help after 8 seasons. The point isn't that bamford is having that conversation its the fact that he would have to have that conversation with a veteran coach. I disagree completely about an AD getting that involved in e ery progrsm, but that's a different topic.

[PreecherJenkins]

NO

why not? He could have a transition like Gates or Julian Thomas.

[Kelz626]

There is a huge gap between the Cal years and accepting a program that is nothing better than the middle of the A10 pack. Suggesting that somehow the Cal years skewed our vision of what Mass basketball should aspire to is nothing but a red herring to deflect from the realistic disappointment many of us feel about the last eight years. Eight years is a large enough sample size to convince me that the only way for UMass basketball to be where it belongs as one of the elite teams in the A10 is thru regime change.

^ Exactly this, We have a very good arena in the Mullins Center, a state of the art practice facility and a head coach making a million dollars a season. We should be the class of the A10 not the middle of the pack.

[NilesGold]

^ Yes. But the practice facility is brand new so you need a year or two for the impact of that to catch up to the team (via recruiting).

[Jackson96]

T-Berg tied his career high in points and rebounds and was a big factor in last night's harder-than-it-should-have-been win. Perhaps his benching and the post-game comments by DK motivated him, and those actions by DK maybe even -- gulp -- had a purpose behind them?

[Kelz626]

T-Berg tied his career high in points and rebounds and was a big factor in last night's harder-than-it-should-have-been win. Perhaps his benching and the post-game comments by DK motivated him, and those actions maybe even -- gulp -- had a purpose behind them?

I think it had more to do with playing a level of competition better suited to his talent level. LUI-Brooklyn is a lower level D-1 team, T-Berg is a lower level D-1 player who is playing on a mid-level D-1 team. Also he had 6 points and 7 rebounds, while that is a "good" game for T-Berg it's a pretty usual statistical night for most back-up big men

[Jackson96]

Agree the opponent was more suited to his talent level, but numbers aside, there was a pretty clear increased effort level from him. I would like to think that is pretty obvious. It was the best game I can remember him playing for awhile.

[Kelz626]

Agree the opponent was more suited to his talent level, but numbers aside, there was a pretty clear increased effort level from him. It was the best game I can remember him playing for awhile. I would like to think that is pretty obvious.

Agreed definitely more energy out of him tonight, hopefully he'll keep that up in conference play

[Jackson96]

Agreed definitely more energy out of him tonight, hopefully he'll keep that up in conference play

Yeah, he needs to play with that energy. If not, he shouldn't be out there. Some folks were saying he was thrown under the bus by DK after the Providence game - but in reality perhaps he was just being challenged by his coach and he responded.

[NilesGold]

^ Perish the thought, our coach can't possibly do something positive.

[69MG]

Each player has a role, and Tyler's is to hustle and do the little things that help the team. When he fails at that, it's time to sit him. I do agree that he should have sat Trey in a couple of games when Trey was making almost as many bad plays as good.

It's probably against protocol to quote yourself, but this is what I said after the Providence game. Trey was also on the bench for a while after losing his man on D a few times and trying to dribble through 3 guys. Maybe, after 8 years, DK understands the purpose of pulling guys.

[NilesGold]

^ I suspect Davis was on the bench because DK was sticking with a lineup that seemed to work and lead the 2nd half comeback.