Ruffin..

[dogsrus]

In his first game back I was amazed as it looked like he never missed a beat. I actually thought he looked "better" allthough you could tell he wasn't going full speed. I thought...maybe thats a good thing.

Since that initial game back Danny has continued to look like an new and improved player but I was thinking thats just becuase I haven't seen him for awhile.

As someone pointed out last nite he appeared to be just toying with InSU players at times.

Again these were just private thoughts that I had and really wasn't sure if it was true or just something I was really seeing (a better DR). I didn't give it much more thought until I read the paper today.

The PJstar AND DR both pointed out DR has "changed" a bit. He's playing more under control, staying on the ground more.

While I think we all would have loved to have never had DR go down, as Reynolds pointed out, it MAY end up being a good thing for BU AND for DR.

I think we are all going to enjoy this last stretch of games this special player plays. Right now, even at what I think is a 80-85% healthy Ruffin, I think he's the Valleys best and most valuable player.

[Double D]

I agree 100%. He looks great. He has reigned in some of the free lancing that I think he felt he had to do to get shots earlier in the season.

Some of that is a result of his teammates getting a better feel for where they need to be to get shots when Ruff does his "thing."

I don't care what his stat line said last night. I though he was fantasitic.

If you followed a DR career timeline, the guy has seen it all in his 5 years.

IMO he will go down as a great addition to the long list of "BU Legends," and one of my all time favorites.

[BU ICEMAN]

Pretty interesting observation here. I know I've been on record in the past that DR just tried to do too much and in turn just looked out of control. It's just like a car, you redline the sucker and you're going to actually lose performance and lose control.

I'm not sure that I would go so far as to call the injury a blessing in disguise, after all, we did look like dog doo doo without DR and lost a bunch of games and probably our at-large chances, but it certainly sounds like the "new and improved" DR and the squad is operating much more effiiciently.

[Guinness]

Maybe this entire season he was hurting from what eventually became a sports hernia and you're just NOW seeing 100% healthy Ruff.

[Dubl R 1]

Maybe this entire season he was hurting from what eventually became a sports hernia and you're just NOW seeing 100% healthy Ruff.

Good point.

[audacious_aficionado]

i think it would be ignorant to think that ruffin's absence wasn't a big deal. he does so much for the team on both ends of the floor. i think we already were out of position to get an at-large bid when ruffin got hurt but our conference record would be looking quite a bit different had he been healthy. our chances lie on the mvc tourney and i'm excited that we are gaining momentum for it.

[amckillip]

i think it would be ignorant to think that ruffin's absence wasn't a big deal. he does so much for the team on both ends of the floor. i think we already were out of position to get an at-large bid when ruffin got hurt but our conference record would be looking quite a bit different had he been healthy. our chances lie on the mvc tourney and i'm excited that we are gaining momentum for it.

I agree when he finally went out we were pretty much done, but if he had been healthy for the Butler and VCU games, I think our season could have been much different. Either way, after losing those games, as long as we stay out of Thursday, him missing time was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. It forced us to play different and gave SamM a chance to show everyone how good he really is.

That being said, had we outright won the MVC even with the Butler and VCU losses, there would have at least been talk at-large bids... Oh well, I gotta look forward not back...

[jasonpeoria911]

I think it's pretty interesting that Ruffin was far and above the leading assister per game before injury but the 2.5 games he's been back post injury, Crouch has been the leading assist getter LOL. Maybe it's just the amount of extra passes or Crouch getting better handing the ball I dunno.

Jason

[ghunt]

Having Daniel back is great--it is amazing to see the sort of speed wit the ball, and his ability to see passsing lanes and take advantage of them is something. In my mind he is currently the best true point guard in the country, and if he does well for the rest of the conference season, he should be the MVP. But, folks will probably go with Emmecker (sp?). Hopefully, and it probably was, due to his first starting game back at the point, but Daniel was not back on all cylinders--he dribbled too much and penetrated so oftern that it completely threw the offense out of wack; he have guys trying to run the offense behind him an he'd decide to go in without any idea. I almost think Jim switched to the weave in the second half just to let Daniel "be Daniel"--althoug they oushed us out quite a bit out top.

All in all, though, he should meld back in quickly (I hope) and we could put a nice little run together. (in spite of no concept of post play and rebounding