Serious question. Is it possible that this offense doesn't work against athletic, good competition. Gary Williams was getting pushed out at UMD. Are there other examples of this offense being run successfully against great competition? 

They do not run the flex.  Longergan confirmed what we saw on their runs the last few games. They press or trap out of a 1-3-1 with Longergan says is a gimmick defense.

Sorry to say with LasSalle's and Fordham's recent big wins GW is the worst team in the league. Ok maybe URI, but nothing is for granted.

FredD im not sure if you understand that DEA is talking about the offense, not the defense.

Let's see the Flex run effectively (for at least one season) at GW before we declare it a dead system.  Obviously GW is not running it efficiently right now: not setting screens, not moving well, not making good decisions.  If Georgetown can win in the Big East with a Princeton sytle offense, I seriously doubt GW can't be effective in the A10 with a WELL RUN flex. 

 My question pertains more to the flex being run effectively outside of GW. I agree that it's absurd to judge a system effectively after 5 months. THere's also a vaild argument that the type of players Hobbs recruited may not be able to run this system. I'm talking about other places. Where else is this type of offense run effectively? 

Gonzaga runs a version of the flex, but it's not traditional. I think the biggest issue is it requires you to have several well-rounded basketball players. They don't have to be super athletic or great at any one thing, but they do need to be able to pass, dribble and shoot. If you can get a 5-man line-up of well-rounded players then you can really dictate play at the offensive end regardless of the opponent. I think you'll see in his recruits this is what ML is going for and also why you see a player like Mikic trying to add new dimensions to his game.

Flex, wheel, dribble drive, wisconsin swing, you name it - you have to have the right players to execute your stuff. Any offense can look good with the right players who understand all of intracacies and look bad when the players are ill-suited for the offense or don't understand it.. By the way for anyone who cares, ML has been running less and less flex by the game.

Simple answers to simple questions:  No.

(So I don't violate Herve's rule, I'll make an argument -- it generates more open shots than the wheel even did, even when run poorly. it's just a matter of hitting them).

To back up what FQ said, the flex is an offense which generates more open shots based off ball movement.  The problem is these shots are usually missed which is why ML has been running the flex less and less as he is realizing KH's players can't make a shot.

The question reminds me of the time somebody asked Willie Nelson what he shot on the golf course he owned to which he replied: "Par"  When somebody asked him what was par for the course, he replied: "whatever I shot."  No way around it - even when it works the Flex is boring (it takes the "s" out of stud or star and puts the "e" into equal opportunity).  With that said - if it works it is not antiquated - if it does not work it is antiquated - plain and simple.

Funny, but I remember Mikic making shots last season. What's changed is the in-flex-ibility, if you will, of running an offense not built around players' strengths.

Good point, Mentz.

Mikic

This season:

• Shooting: 35%
• '3: 30%
• FTs: 66%
• Has taken 115 2pt FGAs

Last season:

• Shooting: 42%
• '3: 43%
• FTs: 35%
• Took 30 2pt FGAs

 SORRY! 

• This season: taken 39 2pt FGAs
• Last season: took 35 2pts FGAs

Aren't you guys missing the effort vector in your calculations? As I have said numerous times (to quote MV) it is far easier to cause something to fail than to succeed. If you look at everything happening within a game, you see lack of effort or execution, which, indeed, is lack of training, execution at game speed, and understanding. (that is the athlete's responsibility) ... Please don't suggest that our team is too stupid to get the offense.  THis is just not a very good GW team, for whatever reason.  A good team would play  for a coach like Flip Saunders and win lots of games while a bad team would lose all the games.

To quote my dearly departed mother amongst others: "This, too, shall pass."

I think that Hobbs would make a wonderful Wizards coach.

Mentz, I love you, but I think you are way off here.  Mikic is getting pleny of open shots -- more than he got last year. Sometimes guys just don't shoot as well as they did the year before.

Remember Akeem Richmond on URI?  He shot 39% from three as a freshman, making 81 threes and looking like the next Jimmy Baron.  Then, last year, he shot 32.5% from three (and was below 30 most of the year, if I recall).   The offense didn't change, he just had a sophmore slump. It happens all the time.

Besides, if you've actually watched the last two games (have you, Mentz, or any of the other critics?) you would know that we've stopped running the flex for the most part.  But the guys are still not shooting well.

FQ, our engagement is still on, but we'll have to disagree on the reason guys dont make shots. I still believe shooters have to have an offense created around them, especially if they are one of the team's greatest threats on offense (which Mikic is, with TT a close second, IMO). To his credit, ML has tried to adjust things to play to his players' strengths, though only recently.  But the sophomoritis argument is a good one since it is so simplistic: someone who had a good freshman year isnt doing as well in his sophomore year. But as my public policy analysis courses with Don Hoenig taught me, there were other changes that occurred from last year to this year that may be more significant than just Mikic became a soph.

I didnt see, watch or chat any of the SLU game. I had the kids and the NFL playoffs on. Watched some of St. Bonnies and am trying to get tickets so I can watch us get housed in a sold-out Ivy League gym. Hm.

Mikic was shooting 3s very well throught the first 7 or so games, mostly playing in the flex.  Then he went on a prolonged shooting slump that's continued the next 7 games before going 1-1 (2-4 overall) on Saturday.  I have a hard time believing that Mikic could be consistently successful at a high mid-major level without expanding his game as teams catch on to 1 trick ponies eventually.  I like that he's shooting more 2pt FGs and taking his man off dibble for mid-range jumpers a lot more than he's done previously.  He had a couple of wide open looks vs SBU that he normally drains and gotta believe he will drain again some day.

The question for me is related to LSF's assertion that GW won't improve until all of Hobbs' requits are gone.  I don't buy that completely.  Who from Hobbs' players CAN actually run the flex or as FQ points out are more complete basketball players?

Lasan Kromah can shoot the ball.  We've seen it in the past.  He's also athletic and has a decent handle. I think he can eventually do well in Lonergan's system.

David Pellom has issues with defense and rebounding but is scoring at a very high efficiency, mostly down low.  He'll be used often both this year and next simply because of his athleticism and offense down low.

Dwayne Smith:  I thought D Smith was a solid 2 way player by the end of last year, scoring some inside and out, grabbing rebounds and playing good defense.  But he's never shot the ball well form outside: .293 and .316 from 3pt and .417 and .400 overall FG% comming into this season.  He's shot even worse this year and has looked like he's been afraid to take an outside shot (before hitting a 3 vs SLU).  Lonergan said Smith has to learn the offense and didn't play good enough defense.   He's mostly been a mess this year but has picked it up somewhat of recent, thus more playing time.   Maybe Dwayne Smith will make and maybe he won't.  We'll see how the year closes out.

Mikic's shown enough improvement with his overall offense (and effort on D) to warrant some optimism going forward but needs rebound better.  He's back for next year as well.

That's about it for Hobbs' players next year and going forward.  If 3 of Hobbs' players can make the adjustment, I think GW can have a competitive squad next season.

Just remember Bobo, few teams do well with a freshman PG.  It's going to be hard to be much improved next year with a new PG (or someone like Bynes, who can't dribble against pressure, trying to man the point).