Why not/ starting five now!!!!

[amckillip]

i'd like to think he'll have a great year but i think the coaches are gonna be challenged to play all these guards they have.

ruff, crouch, fears, cole-scott, brown, warren, maniscalco, lavin, phillips!!!

he'll definitely play but there will be 3 guys competing for 6th man. maybe even 4 if williams comes here.

I really like Lavin, I don't know Phillips, but you can't throw them into to many discussions when talking about playing time... They're practice players.

[audacious_aficionado]

ok. that's true.

i would really like to see warren get a lot of pt this year. he's a great player for his age and i think we need to invest in him as much as possible. we definitely should play the best players but i actually think he might be as good or better than brown or cole-scott. he'll show what he's got early on. i hope he plays a lot but it's harder now that we have several guards to fill up less spots.

i think a lot of us bradley fans are getting too caught up in the 4 guard offense. it's not what we want! we have a center who's a junior. we have a good power forward and we have a back up in singh. i think three guards max this year.

[shaunguth]

ok. that's true.

i would really like to see warren get a lot of pt this year. he's a great player for his age and i think we need to invest in him as much as possible. we definitely should play the best players but i actually think he might be as good or better than brown or cole-scott. he'll show what he's got early on. i hope he plays a lot but it's harder now that we have several guards to fill up less spots.

i think a lot of us bradley fans are getting too caught up in the 4 guard offense. it's not what we want! we have a center who's a junior. we have a good power forward and we have a back up in singh. i think three guards max this year.

I agree.....only use the 4 guard offense to mix things up at times and for matchups.

[amckillip]

ok. that's true.

i would really like to see warren get a lot of pt this year. he's a great player for his age and i think we need to invest in him as much as possible. we definitely should play the best players but i actually think he might be as good or better than brown or cole-scott. he'll show what he's got early on. i hope he plays a lot but it's harder now that we have several guards to fill up less spots.

i think a lot of us bradley fans are getting too caught up in the 4 guard offense. it's not what we want! we have a center who's a junior. we have a good power forward and we have a back up in singh. i think three guards max this year.

I agree.....only use the 4 guard offense to mix things up at times and for matchups.

I lot of it depends on the Freshman, if even one of them is not ready to contribute and SS does improve by leaps and bounds the 4 guard offense will be a common sight (assuming no more recruits). If we only have 3 Big Guys you just can't alwasy run a 3 guard 2 Big Man offense, especially in a up tempo game like we play, with our two elder bigs used to only playing 20 min. a game, it just isn't logistically feasible. I understand the arguement against a 4 guard but I don't think we can get away from it that easily, especially not as effective as it was, and now we have better guard play(albeit opinion). I think we'll se more 3 guard than we did last year, but don't be surprised when 4 are on the floor. What I don't expect to see though is the 5 guard we ran towards the end of last season

[dogsrus]

As far as PT those things usually have a way of working themself out. The players play actually decides it...and thats a good thing.

Again...4 guard or a more traditional lineup it doesn't matter and that TOO will work itself out. OPTIONS.

I trust the coaching staff and they have shown that they are very adaptable and flexible.

One thing for sure we will run. With the depth we can do the old CU 10 player rotation and keep guys fresh.

[audacious_aficionado]

the deepness of our team is great but i doubt ruffin will have less than 32 minutes per game. it does help us with big man options and will keep them fresh. also, i could see our shooting guards being replaced quite a bit to produce match up problems and to see who's hot that particular night.

i also agree that we might see some four guard offense again but it won't be our only option. if that seems to be working against most teams we will do it but against legit high major teams, we will need multiple bigs out throughout the game.

[romar]

As far as PT those things usually have a way of working themself out. The players play actually decides it...and thats a good thing.

Again...4 guard or a more traditional lineup it doesn't matter and that TOO will work itself out. OPTIONS.

I trust the coaching staff and they have shown that they are very adaptable and flexible.

One thing for sure we will run. With the depth we can do the old CU 10 player rotation and keep guys fresh.

I agree with Dogs - the determining factor of playing time will be how the guys practice.

The "4 guard" offense everyone is referring to isn't based on 4 guards so to speak - it would be better labeled a "spread offense" with 4 perimeter players and a low post.

It really doesn't matter whether they play 4 traditional guards (or 3/1, or 2/2 - guards to forwards). What matters is that the 4 non-centers are capable of spot up shooting or penetrating and finishing. At 6'6" Ray Brown has more of a forwards body, but will be a "guard" based on his capability to spot up and knock down a 3 or take his defender off the dribble. You might also see someone like Egolf at 6'9" filling one of the "guard" positions in this offense.

The 4-guard is more about spreading the defense, moving the ball and finding the best available shot and less about having four traditional "guards" on the floor.

So basically the players skills and match-ups will determine who is on the floor at any given time. This team should have a ton of scoring punch from any of a number of positions.

If you've watched the Phoenix Suns at all, this is their offense - I wouldn't call Amari Stoudemire a guard, but he doesn't always fill the center role either.

[georgethedog]

Re: Top 25

Just curious - after last years showing with a basically undermanned team, does anyone else view the combination of returning experience, JUCO's and talented Freshman making this team a top 25 caliber team?

I'll take competing for the top of the MVC first, but the way this team is coming together, it seems to me JL is trying to build a unit similar to those they played against at Memphis (NCAA's) and Mississippi St. (NIT). Fast, good shooting, attacking guards with long, lean, athletic bigs and an aggressive defense. I'm not sure if it's just me, but the future is sure looking pretty bright!

If this team gels I see us ranked in the Top 15 by mid-Feb.!

What flavor of Kool-Aide are ya drinkin?

[shaunguth]

The way I see it right now....

Starters
Ruffin
Crouch
Fears
Salley
Collins

First off the bench
Williams
Cole-Scott
Brown
Warren
Egolf

Deep bench
Maniscalco
Singh

Walk-ons
Lavin
Phillips

Redshirt
Thompson

This is a very deep Bradley team!

[Big Mike]

Why all the red-shirt talk guys? There will be no red-shirts....period! JL is not recruiting kids to come in and sit!

[Braves4Life]

Re: Top 25

Just curious - after last years showing with a basically undermanned team, does anyone else view the combination of returning experience, JUCO's and talented Freshman making this team a top 25 caliber team?

I'll take competing for the top of the MVC first, but the way this team is coming together, it seems to me JL is trying to build a unit similar to those they played against at Memphis (NCAA's) and Mississippi St. (NIT). Fast, good shooting, attacking guards with long, lean, athletic bigs and an aggressive defense. I'm not sure if it's just me, but the future is sure looking pretty bright!

If this team gels I see us ranked in the Top 15 by mid-Feb.!

What flavor of Kool-Aide are ya drinkin?

Am I way off here?

I think this sounds realistic.......Don't you?

[mexicobufan]

I dont think you are to far off.

I have changed my starting five.

Ruff
Fears
Crouch
Colline
Coley

Why not?

Dreaming on a Sunday afternoon..isnt that a old song?

[georgethedog]

Re: Top 25

Just curious - after last years showing with a basically undermanned team, does anyone else view the combination of returning experience, JUCO's and talented Freshman making this team a top 25 caliber team?

I'll take competing for the top of the MVC first, but the way this team is coming together, it seems to me JL is trying to build a unit similar to those they played against at Memphis (NCAA's) and Mississippi St. (NIT). Fast, good shooting, attacking guards with long, lean, athletic bigs and an aggressive defense. I'm not sure if it's just me, but the future is sure looking pretty bright!

If this team gels I see us ranked in the Top 15 by mid-Feb.!

What flavor of Kool-Aide are ya drinkin?

Am I way off here?

I think this sounds realistic.......Don't you?

I think they will be very good if they gel. However, to be ranked that high you need recognition and respect. Both are in short supply for most mid-majors. Ever notice that no matter how great the Valley is only one team is ever in the top 25? That is lack of respect and I do not think that will change by mid-Feb. next year. We would have around 25 games in by mid-Feb and we would have to be somewhere in the 22 win total to get top 15 recognition. Do you realistically think we could be 22-3 with a bunch of new guys that have never played DI ball before? That is what I mean. Hope you are right and I am wrong.

[MacabreMob]

Re: Top 25

Just curious - after last years showing with a basically undermanned team, does anyone else view the combination of returning experience, JUCO's and talented Freshman making this team a top 25 caliber team?

I'll take competing for the top of the MVC first, but the way this team is coming together, it seems to me JL is trying to build a unit similar to those they played against at Memphis (NCAA's) and Mississippi St. (NIT). Fast, good shooting, attacking guards with long, lean, athletic bigs and an aggressive defense. I'm not sure if it's just me, but the future is sure looking pretty bright!

If this team gels I see us ranked in the Top 15 by mid-Feb.!

What flavor of Kool-Aide are ya drinkin?

Am I way off here?

I think this sounds realistic.......Don't you?

I think they will be very good if they gel. However, to be ranked that high you need recognition and respect. Both are in short supply for most mid-majors. Ever notice that no matter how great the Valley is only one team is ever in the top 25? That is lack of respect and I do not think that will change by mid-Feb. next year. We would have around 25 games in by mid-Feb and we would have to be somewhere in the 22 win total to get top 15 recognition. Do you realistically think we could be 22-3 with a bunch of new guys that have never played DI ball before? That is what I mean. Hope you are right and I am wrong.

Well, it is possible... if we win games. Period. Michigan St at home. Iowa St at home. VCU at home. Wright St and Butler on the road. Sweep or finish 2nd in a holiday tourney with a couple big names. Be leading the MVC by Mid-Feb with an expected championship based on games remaining....

Yea, a ranking in the Top 25 and maybe top 15 is not off base.

But NOW.... who do you think is drinking the kool-aide?

Hehe... I said it before, and I will say it again: BU wins the MVC.

C'mon B4L, let's go get pickled together on the kool-aide.

[georgethedog]

Re: Top 25

[quote=MacabreMob][quote="georgethedogYea, a ranking in the Top 25 and maybe top 15 is not off base.

But NOW.... who do you think is drinking the kool-aide?

Hehe... I said it before, and I will say it again: BU wins the MVC.

C'mon B4L, let's go get pickled together on the kool-aide. [/quote]

I look forward to having some kool-aide with you someday soon.