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Message: [QUOTE="Hans Sprungfeld, post: 4136179, member: 181"] Others here have weighed in on off-season growth and pre-season preparation. My "already being addressed" phrase was written with reference to what has been uncovered in the first month of the season. I think that each season has its high anticipation in advance, wild mood swings between irrational exuberance & intractable despair during the unveiling of the team in competition, and, if the team is not a washout, a seasonal arc that responds to identified issues & challenges. Many of the issues & challenges for this season are holdovers from prior seasons. Some people are impatient that these haven't always been settled once and for all. Others, like myself, aren't so surprised that this is the case. To that extent, closing out games was a massive issue 2 seasons ago, a continued though less massive issue last year, and a remaining issue today. Prior to the opening of the Big East season, the team is 3-2 in such games, including a P5 win. I believe that both the Michigan State and West Virginia losses were winnable games that were disappointing losses. But neither was a disaster, so much as they were confirmation that, yep, this is still a thing. Last Saturday's game was tense and imperfect, but the final 4 minutes were successful after the insecurities of the prior 4 minutes likely had many watchers going, "OMIGOD no, not again." [/QUOTE]