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Ups and Downs
xubrew's point that all schools have their "ups and downs" makes sense and applies to a school like UD, so long as the "ups" balance the "downs", more or less. It's not reasonable to expect ten great years is a row; nor is it acceptable to have ten poor years in a row.
So what would most of us consider to be a reasonable expectation for Dayton over the span of a decade, knowing that there will be both up and down years? Certainly ten NCAA appearances is not reasonable; but ten years without appearing in the Dance is unacceptable. Over ten years, for Dayton something along the lines of six post-season appearances, 3 NCAA (at least) and 3 NIT, would be reasonable, in my opinion, spaced pretty evenly over the ten year period. Now let's not quibble over whether it should be 3,4 or 5 NCAAs over ten years. We know 7,8,9 is unrealistic and 1,2 is not good enough. So something along the lines of 3,4,5 is about right,.....with some NITs thrown in along the way so that an average decade for the Flyers features 5-7 post season appearances.
If we pull that off, i.e., post season 5-7 times every decade, including 3,4 of those in the Dance, UD will have regained a position among the top programs in the country. And, of course, a very important element of earning a reputation is success in the post season. Over the last seven years UD has been to three NCAAs and has not faired well.
Last season ended on a positive note, winning 2 of 3 in an improving NIT. But, it's getting to be quite a while since our last NCAA appearance,.....and a seeming eternity since our last NCAA victory. The clock is ticking, I think.
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