Will Bradley ever.....

[BUBraves06]

I wish anyone on our team had the killer instinct that Bennett, Franklin, Sommerville and Wright had. I have a difficult time seeing, after watching both play, how this current team could possibly be as talented as that one. I have so many fond memories of that team, even outside of the NCAA tournament. I wish I could say the same about this team.

When it comes down to it, when we've had chances for memorable moments (Michigan State and Butler most notably), we've blown them. Sure I'll always remember the Michigan State experience, but not likely the team who was on the floor for the game.

I was going to start a new thread about this, but since you brought it up, I totally agree. The biggest problem with this team is that there isn't someone who will give the rest of the guys a kick in the backside when things aren't going well like Cellus and Tony used to. For example Tuesday Matt Salley walked off the court with his head down multiple times, and it looked like we played that game half asleep. If that was happening two years ago, Cellus would have gotten in people's faces because that level of play/heart/excitement/dertermination, call it whatever you want, is unacceptable. To me beyond the injuries and lack of rebounding, the biggest problem is that there is no player on this team that is a vocal leader and will take charge when things aren't going right. Daniel and Jeremy are too quiet and eventually I think Sam M. will be that way, but he's just a freshman. The lack of a true leader has hurt this team all year.

[ph]

Is that an excuse or an explanation?

More of Bad Strategy.

Put all your eggs in the basket for 1 years greatness rather than being continually solid year after year.

[ER3]

Maybe Eddren McCain will be as good as advertised.

Who exactly is advertising these good things out of McCain? Nothing against Eddren...and I certainly hope he ends up being a good player at BU...but as it stands right now, he is a two-star recruit that signed with BU because that was his best offer. Again, I hope he ends up being a player that is far better than the recruiting services and other schools have determined him to be....but I think we are setting the kid up to give us an underwhelming first impression if we are expecting so much from him.
Sorry...this is a bit off topic, I know...but it just seems like a bunch of people are just assuming that McCain is going to step right in and become our next Ruffin from day 1...and I just think that is unrealistic to expect out of him at this point...

[BUBraves06]

More of Bad Strategy.

Put all your eggs in the basket for 1 years greatness rather than being continually solid year after year.

You can't plan on having injuries, and it's not like we're going out there and recruiting Eric Gordon or Micheal Beasley who are one and done guys.

[Murph]

I think they will. I like how the team is shaping up for the 2009-10 season. We need one more big guy (JC transfer) and I think we will have the players to seriously contend for the season title.

Another JC transfer.....Hows that been working out for them?

[Dallas Brave]

Another JC transfer.....Hows that been working out for them?

Some good ... some not so good

But, bring the wide body in for next year so that he has a year to develop. Then for '09-10, we have

SM - Jr
EM - So
AW - Sr
CR - Sr
WE - Jr
AT - RS So
Big Body JC guy (like Zach) - Sr

Plug in a decent big guy JC guy like Zach, and I think you've got a good team that can compete for the season title.

[ghunt]

Going to the sweet 16 was a lot better than winning the MVC.

I addressed that in another thread, but winning the MVC tourney title or tourney is historically the way to make it into the NCAA. Sometimes the 2nd place team gets in, and once in awhile the third palce team slips in. Winning a MVC crown and achieving post season success essentially goes hand-in-hand. We are not, and never will be, the Big Ten, ACC, etc. 2005-2006 may have been a one-off experience for the MVC. We haven't even hit A-10 performance from where they were in the '90s. Sorry, but I'm being realistic. 12 and 20 years since some form of an MVC crown is absolutey intollerable. As far as Drake goes, they were consistently building up the program, but most of us conference followers were so biased, we failed to take note.

[Scouter]

Some good ... some not so good

But, bring the wide body in for next year so that he has a year to develop. Then for '09-10, we have

SM - Jr
EM - So
AW - Sr
CR - Sr
WE - Jr
AT - RS So
Big Body JC guy (like Zach) - Sr

Plug in a decent big guy JC guy like Zach, and I think you've got a good team that can compete for the season title.

OK, but what if "Big Body JC guy (like Zach)" is more like Big Body JC guy (like Salley) or Big Body JC guy (like David Collins)?

[Dallas Brave]

OK, but what if "Big Body JC guy (like Zach)" is more like Big Body JC guy (like Salley) or Big Body JC guy (like David Collins)?

Or what if he floats around like Mary Poppins? What's your point? I clearly stated like Zach and that's what I meant. If I meant like MS or DC, I would have said so.

[ghunt]

Or what if he floats around like Mary Poppins? What's your point? I clearly stated like Zach and that's what I meant. If I meant like MS or DC, I would have said so.

There should be concern. We are losing JC and Daniel, and no one is replacing them. It will be an issue of whether or not players develop enough to pick up the slack, and even then, we will have a depth issue. These concerns, though, are contingent on the satff continuing with our current system and what types of players see the floor. Maybe things will change to accomodate the skills of the players we have (rather than forcing a system), maybe they will not.

I think the hope/thought was that WE and AT are the type of big guy to fit the system--agile with a face-up game like in FIFA--the inspiration for our system. Another note to Jim and Phoenix's coach on that system, though--have you ever noticed that international teams have multiple 6'8"+ players on the floor at the sametime that are agile with face up games, so there is not a need to play three sub-6' players or there-abouts. In other words, those teams have athletic size and so the system works in that they have players who can shoot outside, handle the perimiter, and they have the size to rebound and handle interior defense. Have you noted that Jim? I do not think so. You cannot have your number one shooter, at a small 6'5" guarding the other teams' post players--it wears him out. He is getting double teamed on offense and having to handle a burden on defense. JC must be exhausted. Oh well, there, I said it.

[Scouter]

Or what if he floats around like Mary Poppins? What's your point? I clearly stated like Zach and that's what I meant. If I meant like MS or DC, I would have said so.

So you're assuming Player X will be like Zach Andrews and disregarding the possibility he could turn out like Salley or DC?

Are you really Carnac the Magnificent?

[ER3]

Or what if he floats around like Mary Poppins? What's your point? I clearly stated like Zach and that's what I meant. If I meant like MS or DC, I would have said so.

Your logic is flawed. The coaching staff tried to bring in decent JC big men (like Zach) when they recruited #22 and #4. Neither of those guys has brought as much to the team as Zach did in his two years here.
But you make your statement as if the coaching staff can simply go out and choose to recruit a JC big man that they know will provide at least what Zach Andrews did. It obviously isn't that simple. I highly doubt that the coaching staff's rationale behind recruiting #4 was "Man, we could really use a 7-footer that can sit down at the end of the bench for us and provide 0 quality minutes after December"...

[Dallas Brave]

So you're assuming Player X will be like Zach Andrews and disregarding the possibility he could turn out like Salley or DC?

Are you really Carnac the Magnificent?

No, but I went to school. I was using inference http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_inference

I stated my premise, "If player like Zach, then ..." What do DC or MS have to do with all of this?

[Scouter]

I stated my premise, "If player like Zach, then ..." What do DC or MS have to do with all of this?

Well ... They are big body JC guys ...

[Dallas Brave]

Well ... They are big body JC guys ...

Alas ... youth is wasted on the young