'03 vs '12

[armory]

The pizza I ate last night was much better than the self-portrait I drew 15 years ago. I think that comparison is valid.

 

[ForeverOrange]

Wow I can't even compare Josh Pace to CJ to be honest. That little ugly floater Josh had was DEADLY, he rarely missed that shot. And comparing Melo or Hak to any player on this year's squad is almost insulting. Never had a boring game with Hak in there because you always knew, somebody was going to be poster material. Hak also had a goto shot, it was predictable, but yet hard to guard. Melo, don't even have to say much about him, theres a practice facility that bares his name. No one on this team reminds me of either of those 2 guys. Yet as a team I still think these pieces just happen to fit very well, and who knows maybe we will comparing Dion to somebody else years from now, but they still have a couple of months to go before they can get that level of praise.

 

[SUSScuse]

Hak over cj. Cj doesn't have nearly the post moves..yet. McNeil also a backup defensive force. Edelin pure point who IMO ppl under value.

We never get past the first two rounds of the 2003 tournament without the the fine play of Edelin and Pace.
Edelin puts in 15 against Manhattan and followed that up with 20 against Ok. St.
He lead the team scoring in the first two rounds.

 

[RMH44]

If the centers finished every time the ball got down low I'd do cartwheels.

If our centers finished 50% of the time they get the ball down low I'd do cartwheels.

 

[stuckinbig11]

crazy talk on nearly all of them

 

[djcon57]

We never get past the first two rounds of the 2003 tournament without the the fine play of Edelin and Pace.
Edelin puts in 15 against Manhattan and followed that up with 20 against Ok. St.
He lead the team scoring in the first two rounds.

I'm shocked people don't remember every game there was a "Billy Edelin wacky layup time" where stuff would start sucking and then Billy would do the YMCA-esque slow push drive and wacky off handed scoop lay-into get it going again.

 

[Garbs]

Guards:

Edelin/Duany/Gmac vs. Scoop/Triche/Dion/MCW

Slight edge to '03 because Gmac was clutch and no one this year has shown or had the chance to show they are clutch

Forwards:

Melo/Warrick/Pace vs. KJo/CJ/Southerland

Obvious edge to Melo and Hak, but really the numbers are probably pretty similar

Centers:

Forth/McNeil vs. Fab/Keita/Xmas

Edge to this year, Fab is better than both those guys

at this point in the year edge goes to '03 because we have a larger sample size and obviously we know about the championship and that Melo and Hak are still collecting pay checks

 

[rstone7727]

IMO, On a college player scale of 1-10..

2003 -------------- 2012
GMac = 9 ------ Scoop = 7
Edelin = 8 ------ Dion = 9
Josh Pace = 7 ----- Brandon = 7
Carmello = 10 ----- Kris = 8
Hakeem = 9 ------ CJ = 7
Kueth Duany = 7 ----- James = 7
McNeil = 7 ------ Fab = 8
Craig Forth = 7 ------ Baye = 6
Others = 4 ------ Others = 6
Chemistry Factor = 9 --- Chemistry Factor = 8 >>>>> (Only if this team maintains this level of chemistry for balance of season).

Total = 77 ------ Total = 73

 

[CusefanATL]

Josh Pace's floating runner from the foul line.

To me, CJ is Josh Pace 2.0, and we don't win that national title without Josh Pace becoming a good role player down the stretch. And I think CJ will too this year, even moreso than he is now.

how is cj josh pace 2.0?

I gave reasons why their game is nothing alike.

CJ is so much better now than pace was as a sr. And its not that close IMO.

 

[SBU72]

Unfair comparison. The '03 team is frozen in time as national champions. The '12 team has played 20 games worth of a season. A nice 20 games...but this team hasn't won anything yet. They're a work in progress. If they lose 2 of their next 3 or 3 of their last seven all these types of threads will stop...unless they're still playing in April.

Agree. Even if they go on to the NC, I really think that the comparison is just an exercise. this years team lives off of defense. Faced against Melo, Warrick, Duany, GMac etc who could score and not turn the ball over, the current guys get stuck in the half court which is their weakness. 03 would rebound well against '12 too.

 

[SBU72]

Ummm...you are forgetting the best point guard on either team...and one of the main reasons '03 won the NC. Yeah, I said it.

only repeating what I read. Felt they left out Edlin too. They also mentioned Southerland and Xmas with Fair against Warrick.

 

[billsin01]

My feeling is it's interesting to compare the two teams because of the championship and the obvious feeling that this team is at least capable making a Final Four run. But, I'd note that the comparisons, while fun, are really difficult to make in any meaningful way given the fact that they are different leagues.

The two big edges I'd give to the 03 team:

-- The players all fit into their roles perfectly and played excellent team-first hoops and made them consistently dangerous offensively (80 ppg on .475 shooting including the tournament).
-- Melo was not only nasty, but had a ridiculously high BBall IQ. When they needed a hoop, they simply posted him up and he delivered. Not quite sure we have that yet.

 

[SBU72]

IMO, On a college player scale of 1-10..

2003 -------------- 2012
GMac = 9 ------ Scoop = 7
Edelin = 8 ------ Dion = 9
Josh Pace = 7 ----- Brandon = 7
Carmello = 10 ----- Kris = 8
Hakeem = 9 ------ CJ = 7
Kueth Duany = 7 ----- James = 7
McNeil = 7 ------ Fab = 8
Craig Forth = 7 ------ Baye = 6
Others = 4 ------ Others = 6
Chemistry Factor = 9 --- Chemistry Factor = 8 >>>>> (Only if this team maintains this level of chemistry for balance of season).

Total = 77 ------ Total = 73

Nice analysis but should reverse Forth and McNeil putting him against Fab. I think difference between Duany and James should be a little more not equal. KD was a steading influence senior while James is just beginning to blossum.

 

[CusefanATL]

Nice analysis but should reverse Forth and McNeil putting him against Fab. I think difference between Duany and James should be a little more not equal. KD was a steading influence senior while James is just beginning to blossum.

I think that is based more on production than chemistry.

james and duany have a pretty similar game if you ask me.

 

[SteveC]

Agree. Are people forgetting how good hak was? Final 4 game against texas who did we get the ball to our first few possessions and who buried a couple of fadeaways? It wasnt melo

http://vault.ncaa.com/content/year/2003/ If they did forget they can watch the whole game here... I enjoyed watching the championshi game again...

 

[Rocco]

The 3 guards comparison needs to include Edelin over Duany, and yes, 2003 is my clear-cut pick.