Records are meaningless

[psbf]

In this league, as in any sport, any team can beat any opponent at any time, so the fact that Pittsburgh is the only winless team in this league does not mean anything, to me. In fact, I think a team, that faces the Xplosion, should be fearfull, because we can get our first win at any time and it could come against your team. Especially visiting teams. It's only a matter of time.

[kg21obf]

I Am Looking Forward To Seeing Pittsnogle Wed Nite In Yakima, I Am Very Surprised He Has Struggled So Much. What Seems To Be The Problem? The Longer Three Point Line? Watching Him In College, He Was Such A Clutch Player. Expect An Old School Beat Down In Yak Town. Yakima Is So Superior To The Other Teams In The League Talent Wise It Is Silly. They Struggled Last Week With Roster Problems. Ralph Holmes Had To Miss The Two Utah Games With Personal Issues, And Eddie Barlow Was Injured. They Dropped Darious Mattear(very Good Cba Player, Someone Should Grab Him) Before Rocky Walls Was Cleared To Play. Leaving Them With 7 Players And 0 Point Guards.

[panchess]

..but the point is valid that during the course of a 48-game season, the worst team in the league will beat the best one occassionally.

On a competitiveness basis, I think the CBA and D-League are pretty competitive from top to bottom. Utah, the seemingly second-worst team two weeks ago, won at Yakama and has three straight wins. The same could conceivably happen with Pittsburgh. The ability to add players in the CBA can turn a team around quickly. Think of these leagues like the top half of good leagues like the Big East or SEC playing without the bad teams at the bottom.

The ABA, on the other hand, runs the gamut from near-CBA quickly clubs to pick-up type squads. The good teams are competitive, the bad ones couldn't beat the average D1 college squad.

[kg21obf]

I think the cba has been passed by the d-league. Especially with the nba send downs. I have seen most of the cba teams this year, and see very little chance of a call up. Chris Alexander seems to have the game and the body ,but lacks the drive and focus for the next level. Other than that nothing close

[psbf]

Thankyou, Paunchless, that was the point I was making in example with Utah beating Yakama.
As far as Kevin Pittsnogle, I don't know. He had an off night, the other night. But the Xplosion just seem a bit disorganized at times and can't capatalize when they have the lead. Hopefully that changes soon.

[kg21obf]

Psbf,
I Am Not Trying To Be A Jerk, Because I Feel For You. I Watched Yakima Reek For Two Straight Years. After Watching Nearly 100 Cba Games The Last 5 Years , The X Is Clearly The Worst Team Strictly Based On Talent, There Guys Play Hard But Just Dont Belong At This Level. What In Gods Name Happened To Pittsnogle? He Just Wanders Aimlessly Around The Court At 1/2 Speed. If He Played The Way He Has Been Playing In The Cba, At Training Camp With The Celtics, It Must Have Been Laughable, He Just Cant Hit Any Shots.
Why Do Think He Chose The Cba Over The Nbdl?(serious Question)
He Was A Quality Player At A Very High Level Last Year, How Could This Be? Keep You Chin Up, Andre Joseph Is Very Good And Played His Heart Out. If You Can Add Another Couple Guys Maybe The X Can Get Interesting.

[Chuck the Writer]

Pittsburgh this year reminds me of Albany last year. The team struggled in the opening part of the CBA season because the franchise tried a starting lineup with a mixture of local guys - i.e., players from local colleges or high schools. Yes, they had TJ Thompson at the time, and TJ was shooting his heart out trying to carry that franchise in the first few weeks (including a franchise-high 53 points dropped on the Gary Steelheads in a 102-101 win).

Over time, they added quality players - Jamario Moon came in from the WBA, Reggie Jessie and Chris Sockwell proved to be qualified role players, Edmund Saunders provided dividends, Chester Mason (now in the D-League) was a solid acquisition. Yes, the Pats barely made the playoffs that year, but by the end of the season they held their own with any club in the CBA.

This is what I see happening now with the Xplos. They brought in the nucleus of their old ABA franchise, then made quick changes to improve scoring (bye Coleco Buie, hello Andre Joseph and Shawn Hawkins). It's going to take some time. And last Saturday when I was at the Mellon Arena to see Albany play the Xplosion, the fans that were in the building were extremely loud and dedicated to their home team.

Nobody said the Explosion was going to go 48-0 and sweep the playoffs. But they are building a solid nucleus and will show great improvement as the season progresses.

[psbf]

Thanks, Chuck. Yes it has been a tough season and nothing like I(or anyone around here) would have imagined. I guess I've been spoiled from our first season in the ABA last year. But at least we still have a team, even if they are still winless. And I feel you are right, they will improve over time. As soon as coach Anderson finds the right chemistry. But I feel it was a mistake for them to release Buie who was great with the rebounds.
As for Kevin Pittsnogle, he has struggled in some games and he still has some learning to do. There are many changes that I feel the Xplosion still need to make, but Pittsnogle, Bryant McAllister and Shawn Hawkins are among those I hope stay. But I know that the Xplosion record is not what NBA scouts want to see. But I'm with them all the way(Xplosion).

[bectond]

I'm sorry but talent wise the Xplosion are better off than Michigan was last year IMO and Butte is this year. It must be the high school coach they have calling the shots. There is no way this team should be this bad based on their talent. They lost by 36 last night and had to put up 37 in the 4th Q just to do get that close. They have 4-5 very good players on that roster i'm extremely surprised at how bad they have started.

[psbf]

I forgot to add that I know your not, KG, and I appreciate your words.
Bectrum, you are right we do have an inexperienced(at the pro level anyway) H.S. coach, although he last coached the college level. But you also have to keep in mind that last year, our coach had no pro experience either and we made it to the ABA playoffs. One important thing to remember is not to take us for granted, as we can be a scary opponent for other teams with this record. We will win sometime.
If we don't win before this weekend, hopefully Albany will be our first victim. I hate it when opposing coaches think they can visit Pittsburgh and leave with a win.