2015 MVCfans.com - post season awards and honors

[SHOXMVC]

If one makes the case UNI was not in the conversation of worthiness in the pre-season top-25 and finishes 11th, 15th or 20th for that matter, that would impress me as a coach exceeding expectations.

I would never argue that Coach Jacobson didn't exceed my expectations.

My argument is that Coach Jacobson's expectations were lowered by what he himself admitted was poor coaching last year.

If UNI went 28-2 in the regular season last year only losing two games to an undefeated WSU, Jacobson does not win COY this year.

I want you to know, I have über respect for you here and especially SN. I appreciate your always thoughtful takes. Your analysis it seems is always spot on and many times gives me pause as I actually think about your ideas (believe me, those that are close to me would be shocked I think at all).

To me the baseline for this award is "loosely" what the expectations are in November. That means pre-season accolades, talk, ect...we all know that isn't a perfect science, but it is what we have. It's a slippery slope not to use "last year" for an award this year. The problem is, last years team performance largely makes up what "this year's" pre-season judgements are. Again, it isn't a perfect science.

Using your "what if" scenario of UNI going 28-2 last year vs. 16-15, which is what they were, is a stretch. Do you think it was reasonable for him to go 28-2? No. If he would have gone 22-9, 13-5...would he have thought better of his work? Probably. Would that have changed your example?

Look, personally it think you have gone overboard on this issue. It's about the only time I have ever thought this about you. So what Jake won the award...he did a great job...as did Marshall. Time to start talking about what is happening on the court. As usual, I will always pay attention to your opinions, because you're one of the good guys!

[Rambler63]

I've asked several times for anyone to make an argument for Jacobson to win the award that isn't based on last year, and no one has, subjective or otherwise. You tried, and two-thirds of your criteria included Jacobson being inferior to Marshall, by a simple comparison of numbers. Are you going to make another go of it?

Consider this resume:
Won more games than any other league team against D1 competition.
Best non-con record in the league.
Won their non-con tournament.
Beat at least two at-large tournaments teams.
Beat 5 different teams with 20 or more wins.
Only three losses on the year-- all on the road-- to RPI 11, RPI 17, and RPI 106.
Achieved a Top 10 AP Ranking.
3-0 against P5 teams.
Lost the regular season conference title by one game on the road on the last day of the season.

None of that has anything to do with last year, is all about winning, and is certainly a record worthy of a Coach of the Year award.

[Cdizzle]

None of that has anything to do with last year, is all about winning, and is certainly a record worthy of a Coach of the Year award.

Almost every year. Just not this one.

[unipanther99]

Here's my take on why Coach Jake deserves to be the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year, based on this year's results only.

You could make the case that he saved the conference. We were headed in the direction of being the Wichita & 9 also-rans conference. The days of having multiple at-large bids locked up before St. Louis seemed to be a distant and fading memory until this year. We've been hearing how others need to step up in this conference, UNI and Coach Jake did that in a really big way this year. Without UNI, Gameday doesn't happen. Multiple games between ranked teams for the first time in forever doesn't happen.

Obviously if WSU doesn't maintain their level of play, none of the above happens either. But awards aren't given out for maintaining, they're given out for stepping up.

[mvcfan]

No you're all wrong. It was a simple sympathy vote. Obviously the only contenders for COY Award were Jacobson and Marshall. Gregg had already the award in 12, 13, and 14. Even though Marshall won the league without the MVP, and less talent depth, the voters felt sorry for Jake and decided to spread the award around a little. It was nothing more than Socialism instead of Darwinism. It's the politically correct world we live in.

[mvcfan]

No you're all wrong. It was a simple sympathy vote. Obviously the only contenders for COY Award were Jacobson and Marshall. Gregg had already the award in 12, 13, and 14. Even though Marshall won the league without the MVP, and less talent depth, the voters felt sorry for Jake and decided to spread the award around a little. It was nothing more than Socialism instead of Darwinism. It's the politically correct world we live in.

I might add that that I stick to my basic premise but did have fun and exaggerate a little. I almost added it was Obamas fault. But I think that awards like this are rampant with voter perception and bias and not always with getting it right.

[Wufan]

Here's my take on why Coach Jake deserves to be the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year, based on this year's results only.

You could make the case that he saved the conference. We were headed in the direction of being the Wichita & 9 also-rans conference. The days of having multiple at-large bids locked up before St. Louis seemed to be a distant and fading memory until this year. We've been hearing how others need to step up in this conference, UNI and Coach Jake did that in a really big way this year. Without UNI, Gameday doesn't happen. Multiple games between ranked teams for the first time in forever doesn't happen.

Obviously if WSU doesn't maintain their level of play, none of the above happens either. But awards aren't given out for maintaining, they're given out for stepping up.

This is a good reason. One could argue that THIS YEAR Jacobson did more for the MVC perception than Marshall did.

[rlh04d]

I want you to know, I have über respect for you here and especially SN. I appreciate your always thoughtful takes. Your analysis it seems is always spot on and many times gives me pause as I actually think about your ideas (believe me, those that are close to me would be shocked I think at all).

To me the baseline for this award is "loosely" what the expectations are in November. That means pre-season accolades, talk, ect...we all know that isn't a perfect science, but it is what we have. It's a slippery slope not to use "last year" for an award this year. The problem is, last years team performance largely makes up what "this year's" pre-season judgements are. Again, it isn't a perfect science.

Using your "what if" scenario of UNI going 28-2 last year vs. 16-15, which is what they were, is a stretch. Do you think it was reasonable for him to go 28-2? No. If he would have gone 22-9, 13-5...would he have thought better of his work? Probably. Would that have changed your example?

Look, personally it think you have gone overboard on this issue. It's about the only time I have ever thought this about you. So what Jake won the award...he did a great job...as did Marshall. Time to start talking about what is happening on the court. As usual, I will always pay attention to your opinions, because you're one of the good guys!

I respect your opinion enough to let it go either way. A few of my points were probably overboard.

I really don't have that much problem with Jacobson winning the award this year, as much as I have a problem with the concept of an award based on exceeding expectations set by the same person in general. While in this case it was used to reward a tremendous coach who had a tremendous team, I think it's a very small step from here to the person who argued that Moser should have been COY for getting Loyola all the way to 6th place.

And now that we have something to talk about on the court again, I'm all for talking strictly about that

[rlh04d]

Here's my take on why Coach Jake deserves to be the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year, based on this year's results only.

You could make the case that he saved the conference. We were headed in the direction of being the Wichita & 9 also-rans conference. The days of having multiple at-large bids locked up before St. Louis seemed to be a distant and fading memory until this year. We've been hearing how others need to step up in this conference, UNI and Coach Jake did that in a really big way this year. Without UNI, Gameday doesn't happen. Multiple games between ranked teams for the first time in forever doesn't happen.

Obviously if WSU doesn't maintain their level of play, none of the above happens either. But awards aren't given out for maintaining, they're given out for stepping up.

Excellent argument for him.