MS is gone- who will be our enforcer now?

[SFP]

Everyone here had a beef at one time or the other about MS's play but one thing we can all agree is that he was our inforcer and had a needed attitude that every team needs. Who will step up? SM has attitude but as our point guard he will have to keep his cool. AW and TW seem to be too nice and not the type to lay the hammer down. Who will take the mantle from MS and do the dirty work that, IMO, every team needs?

[dogsrus]

Everyone here had a beef at one time or the other about MS's play but one thing we can all agree is that he was our inforcer and had a needed attitude that every team needs. Who will step up? SM has attitude but as our point guard he will have to keep his cool. AW and TW seem to be too nice and not the type to lay the hammer down. Who will take the mantle from MS and do the dirty work that, IMO, every team needs?

I say Big Mike....sure he's slowed down a bit and sits in the upper bowl but I think with an 8 week training program we can have him back close to his HS ummm...OK college uh er....ok we can get him buffed up a tad to be our guy.

[Braves4Life]

I predict Sam Singh will start and will knock a few guys driving the lane to the ground.

[audacious_aficionado]

i think wilson will be feared to an extent next year but he's not that big. my hope is that it's Egolf. he's bulked up quite a bit from last year and his main criticism was his intensity (other than the three pointer). maybe with an extra year and a bigger role on the team he can play with more confidence and bang some bodies around.

[BradleyBrave]

Enforcer? What is this, hockey? Salley's defensive presence will be missed, but I think that we have the personnel to make up for it. We certainly won't miss his offensive ineptitude.

[MacabreMob]

I, too, don't like "the Enforcer" concept for a player.

I like it when our play frustrates the other team/players. That means good defense and good team offense.

Then, because of that...

I prefer seeing other teams' players getting T'd up when they are ticked off/bulging up in the face/smackin'/shovin' etc against our players ..... and all they get is the blank face looking off to the distance/BU bench/scoretable/crowd/etc (with maybe a little smirk cause misson accomplished).

[Rusty 54]

I for one don't mind the enforcer concept. The play last year at home against Ill State where Salley fouled one of their guards hard as he came down the lane stands out to me. Of course, I wish Salley had not said anything to get a technical, but I like that one of our players was taking a stand defensively, physically not letting a smaller player make it to the basket. What happens if a big man on an opposing team gets a little too physical with one of our guards? I would not mind if one of our big guys sent a message. I don't want any cheap shots, but I think there is a plae for hard, solid, clean fouls. I was hoping that Austin would fill that role for us this year, but thats not going to happen and I am sure all of us wish him well. I think Singh could be the guy, if he feels the need to put a little bit of a chip on his shoulder every once in a while.

[Lakeview Brave]

By all accounts Sam M is the stongest player on the team and seems to be the most intense. I think he will take care of business if needed. Its not the same as having a big guy do it but little guys can send a pretty stong message to. I know from personal experince

[Rusty 54]

By all accounts Sam M is the stongest player on the team and seems to be the most intense. I think he will take care of business if needed. Its not the same as having a big guy do it but little guys can send a pretty stong message to. I know from personal experince

I don't want Sam to be that guy. Yes, he could be the strongest and I consider him our most intense player. He needs to be running the team, not protecting it. I think Sam is one of the three most important BU players next year, with Warren and Wilson. They help the team in other roles. I also think that it helps an enforcer to be in a position to defend the basket and the lane defensively, and Sam will be defending more out on the perimeter. Now if you were a point guard/boxer Lakeview Brave, don't beat me up for thinking that

[Lakeview Brave]

I agree its not really a role for Sam. What we need more than i "enforcer" is some team toughness and passion on D. I think Sam will set the tone in that regard. He will work harder than anyone and if the rest of the team comes close to keeping up with his intensity we should be much improved on D.

I was a wrestler not a boxer but those days are behind me

[Rusty 54]

That a very good point about Sams toughness setting the tone, and I hope it works out that way.

I also make a point not to mess with wrestlers.

[BUBraves06]

I say Big Mike....sure he's slowed down a bit and sits in the upper bowl but I think with an 8 week training program we can have him back close to his HS ummm...OK college uh er....ok we can get him buffed up a tad to be our guy.

If that's our best option, we're in trouble.

[abraveforlife]

.

I, too, don't like "the Enforcer" concept for a player.

I like it when our play frustrates the other team/players. That means good defense and good team offense.

Then, because of that...

I prefer seeing other teams' players getting T'd up when they are ticked off/bulging up in the face/smackin'/shovin' etc against our players ..... and all they get is the blank face looking off to the distance/BU bench/scoretable/crowd/etc (with maybe a little smirk cause misson accomplished).

Disagree on one thing. Agree with the whole thing about frustrating just about anyone we play next year, I think we will. But every team has that guy with an attitude. I don't want to use the word "enforcer", but it would be nice to see someone out there with that "get the **** out of my face attitude". MS had that. No one is going to take us lightly next year. A good thing. Just saying, nothing is wrong with a Bada s s. I hope this is the year where we size up and pound the inside to open up that sweet 3 action like never before. Go Braves!!! Already counting down the days.

[BradleyBrave]

Disagree on one thing. Agree with the whole thing about frustrating just about anyone we play next year, I think we will. But every team has that guy with an attitude. I don't want to use the word "enforcer", but it would be nice to see someone out there with that "get the **** out of my face attitude". MS had that. No one is going to take us lightly next year. A good thing. Just saying, nothing is wrong with a Bada s s. I hope this is the year where we size up and pound the inside to open up that sweet 3 action like never before. Go Braves!!! Already counting down the days.

Don't agree with this. Salley's attitude was a problem which resulted in more technical fouls on a player than I can remember on the Hilltop. His off the court attitude also resulted in a number of our players getting into trouble. I agree with those who say Sam M could set the 'toughness' tone...kind of like a point guard from Chicago did for us about 23 years ago.

[BUBraves06]

Don't agree with this. Salley's attitude was a problem which resulted in more technical fouls on a player than I can remember on the Hilltop. His off the court attitude also resulted in a number of our players getting into trouble. I agree with those who say Sam M could set the 'toughness' tone...kind of like a point guard from Chicago did for us about 23 years ago.

I think I fall somewhere in the middle on this. I agree that at times MS went a little overboard last year, but on the other hand I think every team needs a guy who won't back down and plays with a "chip on their shoulder." I don't know if that's the right term, but I want a guy on the team who is intense and is always willing to go to bat for their teammates. The one guy who filled that role perfectly to me was Cellus. If someone was getting knocked around or was getting trashed talked to, Cellus was the first one there to back him up, but he also knew when it was time to pull a guy away from a bad situation. I see Sam M. as that guy for next season and to me that's even more benficial because he's our point guard and floor leader.