Announcement

**Da Coach** · 10-27-2009, 09:58 AM

Here are the links from the MVC website-

Media Day Central-

http://www.mvc-sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=36371&SPID=2901&DB_OEM_ID=7600&ATCLID=204819191

Media Day live blog-

http://www.mvc-sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=36371&SPID=2901&DB_OEM_ID=7600&ATCLID=204819718

Preseason poll/All-Conference teams- Men's basketball- BU picked 6th

http://www.mvc-sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=7600&ATCLID=204821437

Preseason poll/All-conference teams- Women's basketball- BU picked 6th (a little low, IMO)

http://www.mvc-sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=36371&SPID=2901&DB_OEM_ID=7600&ATCLID=204819710

**SaintLouBrave22** · 10-27-2009, 10:05 AM

Picked 6th...thats mighty interesting and apparently leads for low expectations.

Also interested to see Freeman and Kelly both picked to all-conf teams considering they haven't played a single game in the conf. (and yes, I know they're good but still)....

I mean isn't that closely related to picking Andrew for a team? Yes, injury is different from a transfer, but those guys have to mesh with their new teams...and once again, THEY HAVEN'T PLAYED A SINGLE CONF. GAME YET...

Is it really THAT easy to come over from the Big ELEVEN and excel?!

Well, I guess you can say if the Braves finish the top 4 this year it would be an overachievement?

**ER3** · 10-27-2009, 10:23 AM

If Warren is healthy and shows to be the same player we saw developing toward the end of his sophomore year, I think a top 3 finish in the conference is possible...If he is hurt or his game has been diminished at all by his series of injuries/surgeries over the past year and a half, then I think 6th or 7th in the conference would be about right, unfortunately...

It's clear that the MVC coaches and most others making Valley preseason predictions are assuming that Warren either won't be healthy or won't be effective this year...so we'll just have to see how it all turns out...

**tornado** · 10-27-2009, 10:52 AM

aren't half the people who vote on the all Conference and the league poll the media guys?
And we know a couple of the Valley media guys were the ones who wrote the preseason segments in Athlon & Lindy's, and we know how filled with errors some of those preseason previews were....so duh..........

the Creighton site says it best...
"Pollsters have accurately predicted the league’s regular-season champ only 11 times out of 25 since 1985-86"
and only twice more has even the team picked 2nd won the league!...so the teams picked in the top 2 spots by the pollsters, have won the league only 13 of the 25 times...and teams picked 3rd place and below have won 12 of 25 times.
Sounds a little like some people have been throwing darts!
I guess everyone is entitled to their choices, but these so-called MVC-people do the Valley no service whatsoever, if year after year they continue to proclaim that players from the bottom of the Big Ten can transfer to the Valley and be the MVC-superstars!

One last thought....the prognosticators continue to hammer BU for perceived front court weakness...
so what does it say when 10 of the 11 players voted to the Preseason All Conference 1st and 2nd teams are GUARDS!!
(where are Eglseder, Dinma??)
I guess they think NOBODY has a strong front court??

**Nacho** · 10-27-2009, 11:04 AM

Predictions are just that... predictions, or guesses, as to where these teams will finish. Just because they haven't picked them accurately doesn't mean that should just draw names out of a hat... what other way should they do this? Make every voter pick a "surprise team" in the top 2, just to shake things up a little??? These pre-season polls mean so little its unbelievable and I think people look waaaaaaaay to far into them... JMO though

**ER3** · 10-27-2009, 11:11 AM

Originally posted by tornado View Post

I guess everyone is entitled to their choices, but these so-called MVC-people do the Valley no service whatsoever, if year after year they continue to proclaim that players from the bottom of the Big Ten can transfer to the Valley and be the MVC-superstars!

I certainly worked out that way for us when Cellus transferred here...

Freeman and Kelly had success in the Big Ten (a basketball league that is superior to the Valley), so I don't know why it would be a shock to anyone that prognosticators would expect them to be successful in our league as well.

**cpacmel** · 10-27-2009, 11:16 AM

ER3 is right. Freeman was 3rd team all Big Ten and the leading scorer his JR year. While Kelly was honorable mention all-Big Ten as a Soph.

**tornado** · 10-27-2009, 11:16 AM

Cellus did not transfer to BU from Iowa and on top of that he never played for Iowa

and the MVC site report says this about BU...
"The Braves return four starters, not including Andrew Warren, who missed last year with an injury.
One of the four is guard Sam Maniscalco, who is an honorable mention pre-season all-MVC choice this year."

so we return four starters??

We musta been starting six guys last year, 'cause I thought we lost two starters to graduation!

**TheAsianSensation** · 10-27-2009, 11:35 AM

I think I disagree with SIU being so far ahead of both WSU and BU in the poll (I'm looking at votes received). BU in 6th but only a couple of votes away from 5th doesn't worry me too much.

Expectations aside, it's top 3 or bust, as usual.

**ER3** · 10-27-2009, 11:44 AM

Originally posted by tornado View Post

and the MVC site report says this about BU...
"The Braves return four starters, not including Andrew Warren, who missed last year with an injury.
One of the four is guard Sam Maniscalco, who is an honorable mention pre-season all-MVC choice this year."

so we return four starters??

We musta been starting six guys last year, 'cause I thought we lost two starters to graduation!

It's all semantics...technically we return 7 "starters"...if you consider a "starter" to be anyone that started a game last year...Maniscalco, McCain, Roberts, and Dunson each started 19 or more games last year for BU, so I can certainly see how they would qualify to be noted as "returning starters"...

**PTownHawkeye** · 10-27-2009, 12:03 PM

Originally posted by SaintLouBrave22 View Post

Also interested to see Freeman and Kelly both picked to all-conf teams considering they haven't played a single game in the conf. (and yes, I know they're good but still)....

I mean isn't that closely related to picking Andrew for a team? Yes, injury is different from a transfer, but those guys have to mesh with their new teams...and once again, THEY HAVEN'T PLAYED A SINGLE CONF. GAME YET...

Is it really THAT easy to come over from the Big ELEVEN and excel?!

I think you are over simplifying it. Not all B11 players have been successful in the MVC after transferring. I think Freeman will have a good year, but it will be interesting to see how the chemistry between him and Dillard develops because they are very similar players.

On the other hand, I have seen Jake Kelly play about 45 times on TV and another 4 in person and STRONGLY believe he has a shot as Valley POY. When Iowa finally moved him to the PG position where he belongs, he showcased his dribbling and ball-handling skills, and ability to drive to the hoop. He isn't a great shooter, but is good enough, and has the quickest release I have ever seen off the dribble.

Because he is 6'6, I think he will be a matchup nightmare. IF Indiana finishes in the top 4, I will call Kelly as the POY.

**tornado** · 10-27-2009, 12:03 PM

then technically Egolf started 60% of all the games he played last season & Singh and TB were starters as well...so if we return SEVEN "starters" then we should be pegged ahead of UNI!

**Da Coach** · 10-27-2009, 12:44 PM

Right now- watching the live blog from Media Day.-
Commissioner Elgin speaking- he is announcing a new TV/streaming deal for the MVC that will have ALL games either live on TV or streamed and available to watch via web.
He says the "platform" is not yet finalized. "Stay tuned for more information".

This sounds good!

**Da Coach** · 10-27-2009, 12:47 PM

Commissioner Elgin just said they are working on a Challenge series for women's basketball, similar to the MVC-Mountain West Challenge for the men. It will be with a midwestern conference, but he didn't say which.

He also said they are planning to keep the women's tournament at a neutral site, probably at the Family Arena in St. Charles.

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