Fight Fiercely Harvard

[Wayne23]

I hate when I puke on my keyboard

[CoachC]

I'm guessing your keyboard isn't thrilled about it either!

[JHopkins19]

Wayne...do you play out all of your games or sim?

[Wayne23]

I sim more than I play, but I play the important ones that look like they might be close. When I have a powerful team I play out more games,but with a weaker team I mostly sim.

CoachC plays out all of his games. He's the one to reach out to for game play questions. PointGuard as well. I think Bloomington does a combination. There are others on here but we four check in regularly, and all of us are happy to help.

By the same token we really like to hear insights from other players so let us know what's working for you, so we can give it a shot, and/or ask questions as needed.

[Wayne23]

For your pleasure and edification. The song itself begins at about 1:25:

https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=Y ... mp=yhs-001

[Wayne23]

(Sigh) I shan’t even SPEAK of the election.

11/27: We are 3-1 after 4, with some surprises. To wit, we are faring far better in rebounding than anticipated, and not as well with ball handling. Still in all we are doing rather well at this early stage. We had a very good 2 point win against Penn ST.

Lane Will is, to date, all that we had hoped- 19.0 and 7.5, and 2.5 Blocks per. Ad Loyd is handling the ball very well but we would like more point production from him. The obverse is true for our other starting guard, Jay Fred. We need more from sub John Snee; Greg Hand may yet get his chance.

Aside from Will we are not strong inside. We’ve played a bit of the old “Arf a pound a tupenny rice, arf a pound a treacle” with the others at SF, PF, and C, but we have not yet found the combination that we hope to discover. Still, the night is young!

12/11: 6-2, so 3-1 for our last 4.

Our two most recent games were indeed stressful- 60-64 against Murray ST, and 84-83 over Iowa ST, both away.

Substitute guard John Snee is definitely improving. Our starting guards are doing quite well!

We are exceedingly unsettled at SF. We shall give the two who are sharing the position equal playing time for a bit.

We are very pleased with our inside game, +6.0 RBs. Lane Will is superb, and the others are more than adequate.

We received a commitment from Val Rayn, PF, #137. Unfortunately, we also lost a recruit. Oh well, the process continues.

12/25: 8-4. 3 of the 4 were away.

1/1/17: 9-4, RPI #101 at the end of pre-conference play. I’m pleased. +4.3 PPG, +4.4 RBs, +1.4 TOs (but 14.8), -2.1 assists.

Individually we are Lane Will’s team. He averages 16.8 and 6.9, with 1.7 blocks. My back court starters are also doing some scoring, 13.5 for Jay Fred, 12.1 for Ad Loyd. I have Brad Post starting SF after waiting in vain for the other two to step up. Post is a very big help with rebounding and defense.

I feel we will do well in the Ivy. We were selected to finish third, behind Penn and Cornell, but I think we have a chance to finish atop the conference. As mama says, “We shall see what we shall see.”

[PointGuard]

I sim more than I play, but I play the important ones that look like they might be close. When I have a powerful team I play out more games,but with a weaker team I mostly sim.

CoachC plays out all of his games. He's the one to reach out to for game play questions. PointGuard as well. I think Bloomington does a combination. There are others on here but we four check in regularly, and all of us are happy to help.

By the same token we really like to hear insights from other players so let us know what's working for you, so we can give it a shot, and/or ask questions as needed.

In most all the associations I've run, I play out (in 2D) all my team's games. And I really like that the best because you get to "know" the players so much better and I like to see how my team's games unfold and how each of my players does. I typically don't agonize over each and every game...in other words I typically play it pretty fast...normally use a speed of 8...but may slow things down in the last few minutes if it's an exceptionally close game. But I make all game decisions, adjusting strategy, subbing, etc., as necessary...that's just more fun to me.

In a few other associations I have either played some/simmed some or in even fewer associations I've simmed all games. But I've normally been trying to test something or try something entirely different in those associations, so I've wanted to run through a bunch of seasons quickly.

I also almost always do ALL the recruiting myself. Again when I've let the AI do it for my team, it's because I was testing something. And to me, recruiting is the main thing that keeps me playing the game. I love the challenge and trying to figure out what recruits I really want.

Since I don't like associations where my team has become DOMINANT, I hardly ever run those anymore...instead opting (when my team starts becoming too successful) to move on to some other crappy college to try to improve it.

[Wayne23]

In this dynasty I am playing games out at 10 and just let it run nonstop. If it's close with less than 4 minutes to go I slow to 8 and actually take over. Enjoying it this way, actually.

[Wayne23]

3/1: Quarter finals:

#1 Columbia 72- #8 Brown 50

#2 Harvard 85- #7 Dartmouth 58. Will had 26 and 12. +14 RBs, +9 TOs.

#3Cornell 82- #6 Penn63

#4 Princeton 93- #5 Yale 83

3/2: Semifinals:

#1 Columbia 70- #4 Princeton 73. UPSET!

#2 Harvard 77- #3 Cornell 70. 25, 14 for Will, 19 for Loyd, 16 for Fred, 14 for Scot. +7 RBs, +5 TOs.

3/3: Finals:

#2 Harvard 71- #4 Princeton 55. We scored the first 9 and never looked back. 27, 5 for Will, 10, 12 for Scot, 8, 8 for Post. +16 RBs.

3/12: Selection day. We are at 21-9, 9-5, RPI #43.

(Author’s Note: Since the Ivy tourney is played as a series of exhibitions the game does not recognize it. We finished in a 3 way tie for 1st, but were the #2 seed. Therefore, we did not get the automatic bid.)

NIT, #2 East. We play #7 seed Siena, 19-9 from the Metro Atlantic.

3/13: 68-54. 20, 12 for Lane, 20, 2, 5 for Fred. We played well.

Next is 21-11 Troy, from the Sun Belt. On paper we are the superior team.

3/15: 75-65. 38-21 at the half. 18, 12 for Will, 22 for Fred, 11, 3, 6, 5, 3 for Loyd. +8 RBs, +5 TOs. Roy Cord sprained a toe and is out for about two weeks. He’s #9 on the depth chart.

We play #5 seed Kent ST, 21-10, Mid-American, in the round of 8. On paper we are very evenly matched.

3/20: 68-56. 30-28 at the half. +6 RBs, -2 TOs. Big 2nd half run got it to 21. +7 RBs. 17, 5, 5 for Fred, 16, 7 for Will, 14, 4, 3, 3, 4 for Loyd, 10, 10 for Scot.

We’re in the NIT Final Four. Rather exciting!

#4 4 seed from the Midwest Alcorn ST, 25-8, from the Southwestern AC is next. This looks very much like a toss up.

3/28: 75-60. 44-40 at the half. +6 RBs. They were scoring outside, we were scoring inside. We scored the first 9 in the 2nd half, built the lead to as many as 18. 20, 8, 3, 5 for Will, 12 each for
Scot- with 10 RBs, Fred, and Palm. +14 RBs.

#4 seed from the West, Weber ST, 25-10, Big Sky, for the title. The match up seems quite favorable.

3/30: 46-40 at the half. +6 RBs. Will is dominating inside. Fred has 3 fouls but two of their starters also have 3- their starting big men.

Champions! 83-70. We quickly built a double figure lead. They never brought it to less than 6 in the 2nd half. 25 and 9 for tournament MOP Lane Will, 13, 10 for Scot, 11, 10 for Palm, 13, 5, 3 for Fred. +17 RBs.

26-9 for the season. Going to the NIT was the finest thing that could have happened to us though it did not seem so at the time. We should not have gotten past the 2nd round, at best, in the NCAA.

4/4: A. D. Clausen P. Gherkin sent me to the NCAA Final Four. It was a delight!

#1 KY defeated #2 UConn by 7 for the title.

Awards: Junior Lane Will was named Ivy POY, Defensive POY, and 1st team. Guard Jay Fred was named freshman OY and 2nd team. I received the coaching award. I am honored.

4/23: We ask for a budget increase again this year. We hope for a better result this time. Granted $8,250. Marvy!

We end the season at 26-9, champions of the NIT, RPI #43. +5.3 PPG, +3.5 RBs, +2.9 TOs, -0.7 assists.

Our two finest players, Lane Will and Jay Fred are back, as are starting guard Ad Loyd, #3 guard John Snee, and one or two others. We have a transfer from FL ST, and 5 others joining us. The future appears to be luminous!

Cissy and I are preparing to embark for our home in the Highlands. Tata.

The question arises as to how on earth I became an aficionado of this wonderful sport. It seems, at first glance, to be rather unlikely, given my social status and such. I shall endeavor to be brief.

The Smythe men tend to be rather tall and thin. Brother Baba is 6’11”, and is exceedingly slight of build. Father is 6’8”, and also slender, as are his brother and nephews. I, myself, grew to be 6’10”, but I am just a wee more solid of frame than are any of the other men of our family.

Mama engaged a sort of “playground mentor” for her children. Being the athlete that she was and yet remains, she felt that fitness was imperative for her children. Said mentor, noting that we were all of the right physical type, emphasized basketball, beginning when I was approximately eight years of age, in my case. Note that this was not done to the exclusion of all other physical activities; mama insisted upon exposure to a wide variety of same, but my natural propensity for the sport assured that it would take up a leading place in my every day physical activity.

The mentor, Charles “Chaz” Bancroft, had played here at Harvard, so he certainly knew the sport. While I had a natural propensity regarding all aspects of this wonderful sport, Chaz taught me proper shooting technique, proper ball handling, how to play defense with my feet, as we say, how to position myself properly in rebounding, how to set up to block shots and how to decide when to attempt same, and so on.

I loved the game from the very beginning, and my growing talent increased that romance, as it were.

To “cut to the chase” I started for my preparatory school team for all four years, and was named Most Outstanding Player in a rather fast prep school league in each of my final two seasons. We won the state championship tournament in my senior year.

Harvard was more than happy to welcome me to the team. I did not need, and refused to accept a basketball scholarship so I played as a “walk on.” I was the first big man off the bench during my freshman season, and started during my final three seasons. We won the Ivy in both of the last two, and in my senior year we “shocked the world” by reaching the NCAA tournament round of sixteen. Oh, I was POY of the Ivy in my senior season, and I still hold the Harvard career records for rebounds and blocked shots.

Just as an aside several schools other than Harvard showed great interest in recruiting me, but there was never the slightest doubt as to where I would attend college.

Similarly, upon my graduation from this august institute, several NBA teams invited me to try out. Professional team sports are far too crass for me to even consider such an endeavor.

During all of this time I was becoming more and more a student of the game, as it were. I was fortunate both in secondary school, and here at Harvard, to have coaches willing to spend time answering my many queries, recommending source material on the finer points, and leading me in directions of knowledge pursuit which had not occurred to me.

I majored in European History as an undergrad, and when I decided to pursue a Master’s in same, the head coach here took me on as a graduate assistant. After that season ended he engaged me as his #3 assistant. I worked my way up, as it were, serving as scout, then recruiter, and finally as bench/practice assistant, and Associate Head Coach. Upon the coach’s retirement I became, at 35, the head coach here at my alma mater.

Would I ever consider moving up, so to speak? If an offer came from a distinguished academic institution at the very upper echelon of basketball prowess, say Berkeley, Stanford, Duke… I would be placed upon the horns of a dilemma. My Boston roots go back to the mid-17th century. It would not be facile to leave the area. And I am uncertain as to whether Cissy would ever possibly agree to such a move. Needless to say it would be unthinkable to move if not accompanied by my dear spouse. However, we both love the California Bay area so that is not beyond question.

[Wayne23]

5/5: We had a wonderful time in Scotland. We played St. Andrew’s three times. It was, as always, a humbling experience. Cissy decided to stay on at the farm for a few weeks. I would have loved to remain but alas, my duties required me to return post haste.

We purchased the same scouting reports we always do, but added the basic international report.

6/12: We sign a transfer, Jim Ware, soph C from Tulane. He looks good.

6/16: We sign a 2nd transfer, Tony Robb, C from Arkansas. We feel he can help us, perhaps even start.

6/26: Only 2 scholarships. We want either 1 and 1 or two bigs. Looking at 14.

8/21: We offer to a big man and a guard.

9/18: We have a schedule. A bit more challenging this season.

10/2: First day of practice. I think it is going to be an excellent season.

We have not yet landed a recruit.

10/6: Conversation between senior Lane Will and incoming junior Josh Arn.

“So what’s he like, Lane?”

“You met him; he recruited you.”

“Is he that weird all the time?”

“Well… he has a weird way of talking, that’s for sure, but he knows his stuff.”

“That’s what I thought, too, but I just wondered.”

“He’s okay. He’s a real good guy, that’s for sure, and he can coach. I mean we did real good last year.”

“I guess so! That’s why I came here.”

“You won’t be sorry.”

11/6: And we have our lineup, although there are several split positions and we expect things to alter themselves within the first few weeks. At any rate:

We have three guards who, at least at the beginning, will play about equally. They are juco junior Erick King, returning starter, sophomore Jay Reed, and freshman Erick King, rather a surprise. Ad Loyd, who started last year, is waiting in the wings.

At SF we shall start Don Phil, a sophomore transfer from FL ST. Senior John Snee will back him up, and will back up both inside positions as well.

We are very excited about both of our inside starters. Senior Lane Will was the team and the conference’s best player last year. Junior juco Josh Arn looked very good in practice, as well as in the two exhibition games.

So yes, we shall play seven for now.