Lindy's Preseason College Basketball Issue

[tornado]

I also bought the Lindy's Preseason College Basketball Issue

On the cover (ironically) a big picture of Richard McBride, and DePaul's Sammy Mejia.
(regional cover)

Lindy's has a lot more basketball coverage and a lot less self agrandizing than the CBSSportsline issue.

Lindy's Top 25
1-Florida
2-UNC
3-Kansas
4-Ohio State
5-Pitt
6-Alabama
7-Arizona
8-UCLA
9-Wisconsin
10-Georgetown
11-Boston College
12-LSU
13-Duke
14-Texas A&M
15-Creighton
16-Washington
17-Wichita State
18-Marquette
19-Nevada
20-Syracuse
21-Hofstra
22-SIU
23-Louisville
24-Illinois
25-Memphis

Then lots of profiles on key players upperclassmen, underclassmen, etc.

Then a listing of the 64 teams in the NCAA they predict,
includin Creighton as the automatic qualifier and SIU, Wichita State, and Missouri State as at large teams.
They pick Creighton to make the Sweet Sixteen.

Then some shoe licking stories about Huggins, Bob Knight, Billy Donovan, the entire Big XII, the big men in college, UCLA & Ben Howland.

Then player ratings.
Justin Dentmon rates the #24 point guard

Nate Funk is the #2 Shooting Guard, Blake Ahearn is the #5 SG, PJ Couisnard is the #17 SG, JR Giddens is #24 SG

PF's- Grant Stout is #14

Then a fairly long section on womens college ball.

Then the mens conference reports...
The BCS conferences are all listed first, then the rest.

The Valley is again on page 112.
Their picks for the finish:
1-Creighton
2-WSU
3-SIU
4-Missouri State
5-UNI
6-Drake
7-Evansville
8-Bradley
9-Illinois State
10-Indiana State

1st Team All Conf: Funk, Ahearn, Tolliver, Stout, Couisnard
2nd team: Tatum, Young, Falker, Coleman, Kyle Wilson
3rd Team: Holzinger, Ogirri, Al Stewart, Dilligard, Webster.
(not much love for BU, very little said at all about any individual BU player.

POY-Funk
NOY-Eldridge
Top Playmaker-Ruffin
Top Defender-Tony Young

Then the individual team reports, and they really spout a lot of love for Creighton, and a fair amount for WSU & SIU.
They don't have much good to say about BU, and this is their summary statement:

"No team in the Valley will have as many holes to fill this season as Bradley...
Given its losses, Bradley will be hard pressed to keep up in a rapidly improving league."

The rest of the magazine covers every other team right down to the Chicago States & New Jersey Techs.
Although not deep reports, at least they have something about everyone.
They have rankings for recruiting classes, incoming freshmen, and top seniors.


Let me know if there's anything else you'd want to know about the issue.
I'd score it a definitely better overall issue than the cbssportsline issue but they didn't have as much nice to say about BU.

[AB99]

Thanks, I have the Lindy's and they have Ryan Thornton and Blake Mishler listed as Newcomers to Watch at their
respective schools. The CBS issue also has New Mexico listed as the #40 best team right behind Kansas St. at #38,
Kentucky at #39, and ahead of Missouri State at #41 and Illinois at #42.
They also have Purdue in there at #56 and Baylor at #64.
Baylor won only 4 games last year and Purdue lost everyone, so these guys simply lost me on those picks.

[collegehoopjunkie]

I think those were an attempt by cbs to pick the 64 teams in the NCAA tourney, not necessarily the best 64.
Either way, I agree some of the picks are funny.

[WaylonJ]

Who are the top five incoming frosh and high schoolers?

[tornado]

The top five incoming freshmen are
1-Greg Oden Ohio State
2-Kevin Durant Texas
3-Brendan Wright UNC
4-Chase Budinger Arizona
5-Thaddeus Young Georgia Tech

None of the top 50 incoming freshmen are coming to Valley schools,
and only one (#21 Sherron Collins) is an Illinoisan.



Here are the Top five high school seniors (and where they are committed)
1-Michael Beasley (K-State)
2-Eric Gordon (Illinois)
3-Derrick Rose (uncommitted)
4-Kyle Singler (uncommitted)
5-OJ Mayo Southern Cal

None of the top 100 are going to Valley schools and a few others are from Illinois
#26 Mac Koshwal
#45 Evan Turner
#57 Demetri McCamey

[flipper]

if we finish behind drake and evansville i will be extremely disappointed. 8th the league is unacceptable even in a rebuilding year.

[tornado]

Each time I drive by one of the huge Bradley billboards, I feel somewhat assured,
knowing BU has FIVE talented and experienced seniors, and four of them will be starters.
I remain optimistic.