A suggestion to everyone..,.

[IthacaMatt]

There is a ton of flow right now, and the defense is nasty, it's a fun watch, but the physical disparity with the teams they are playing right now is huge.

They can take a lot of risks on particular plays and go for the spectacular because there is no risk of losing the game.

It's not a critique of JB's scheduling, building a dominating mentality is a good thing and it allows him to play the new guys for extended minutes without penalty (you can see what that has done for Cooney and Grant the last two games), but we shouldn't expect this game in and game out all year.

We're going to have that physical advantage against damn near everybody. I don't think I've ever seen an SU team as deep in long armed defenders as this year's team.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I hate these arguments b/c they are pointless yet I get sucked into them. But Onuaku > Coleman, RJ > Christmas, Johnson > Fair and Rautins > Triche, IMO. I really don't think MCW is so good -- and yes, he is truly a really special player -- that he covers all those disadvantages.

yes, but a team is more than just individual players. it's how they cooperate on defense and cover for each other. it's how unselfish are they on the break, and intangibles like that. arinze's terrible foul shooting could have cost us games, just as easily as his interior presence won them for us.

 

[orangefan13]

This team has a LOOONG way to go. LBSU probably had jetlag and just got crushed by two other top 10 teams back to back. They barely even played in the second half.

Despite consistancy from mcw, Southerland has had back to back cold games cooney, Grant, Dajuan and Rak are not there offensively yet, Triche has had one or two poor fg% games and CJ has played to far outside of the paint at times to score.
Our bigs got abused inside defensively at times, defending the corners, and with Rak or DC at the four at times. We only go three guards deep and haven't decided who our 4th will be in a pinch if two of our guys get in foul trouble in first halfs or in overtime. We have alot of turnovers and are foul prone.
Thankfully, We have owned the boards for the most part.

If temple will be a 15 point win then howcome Arkansas was only what? a 8 point win(and don't say road game because James shot 9-15 from outside the arc and the foul calls were strange but pretty even).
M2M defenses are going to get tougher when they get to BE play. Then they are going to get even tougher in march. Then they are going to tack on bad foul calls and how a game gets whistled pro-underdogs as well.

I Love this team athleticism chemistry multidimentional offense, but it has been full of ups and down outside of MCW. Tough to read if they are just going to blossom, or they play great some days not so great others.

 

[bnoro]

Remember that first post after MCW committed here? I love the kneejerk reactions on this board. I'm sure some of the prime offenders are the same people on this board having a circlejerk about how good he is now...

 

[billsin01]

We were also 1 possession away form losing to an 8-13 (1-7 conference) DePaul team. Don't get me wrong I loved that team and believe they would have won the whole thing if Onuaku was healthy. I just really hate these fantasy games on what team is better on a given year. Every year is different. Talent, teams, injuries, coaching, who's girlfriend left them, blah blah blah. It's like the grass is always greener concept.

Oh, I agree with that. I don't know how I get sucked into these arguments b/c there truly is no answer.

 

[billsin01]

yes, but a team is more than just individual players. it's how they cooperate on defense and cover for each other. it's how unselfish are they on the break, and intangibles like that. arinze's terrible foul shooting could have cost us games, just as easily as his interior presence won them for us.

I couldn't agree more, which is why it's probably useless to try and compare these two teams. By definition you can't really compare intangibles to intangibles.

 

[cusetown1]

Remember that first post after MCW committed here? I love the kneejerk reactions on this board. I'm sure some of the prime offenders are the same people on this board having a circlejerk about how good he is now...

Soggy bagel!

 

[Orangezoo]

I hope you're right--I honestly do. DC providing more consistent inside scoring would really make this team dangerous. He's not quite there yet...

I hope I am right too.. I am trying to just look at the little things vs the lack of large numbers.. it sure seems like hop is working with him. It was good to see him against a physical, decent bigman and go up attacking. He just needs to learn to use that soft touch in conjunction with going up quickly. Add that to moving is feet and being patient on defense.

 

[Orangezoo]

speaking of length ( and sorry if someone already called this out), did anyone get a kick out of the MCW, Dirty, Grant, Rak and ( was it Keita or DC2?) lineup? I chuckled at that one.. 6'5, 6'8, 6'8,6'9 (6'9 or 6'11).. talk about length - no ball handling and not a more than short lived group but just laughed at JB throwing that one in late in the game.

 

[Marsh01]

I'm sure some of the prime offenders are the same people on this board having a circlejerk .

Not after Texan Mark got rid of his avatar that isnt happening anymore.

 

[RF2044]

Remember that first post after MCW committed here? I love the kneejerk reactions on this board. I'm sure some of the prime offenders are the same people on this board having a circlejerk about how good he is now...

That's funny--was just talking about that with someone yesterday, about the temper tantrum from a few specific posters when we landed MCW over Tony Wroten, how JB was "settling," etc. Comical.

 

[bnoro]

That's funny--was just talking about that with someone yesterday, about the temper tantrum from a few specific posters when we landed MCW over Tony Wroten, how JB was "settling," etc. Comical.

It's funny that Tony Wroten comes up because all the interest there was completely one sided. This is going to happen more and more if we keep going like we are right now. Doron Lamb is another example. People will always bitch about why we went after so and so when this kid likes us but the fact of the matter is that some of these kids like to mention us for the attention.

Also, if i remember correctly, Whitehead was one of these kids until we realized we had a legit shot at him and he was a legit talent.

 

[billsin01]

But, but...he was our leader...30+ wins...etc etc.. no player in the universe could have done more...

I'm not exactly sure which argument you're discussing but it's not like you have to point to a bunch of intangibles to find things to love about what scoop brought to the table. Wins certainly count for something but the guy was a 2:1 assist/TO guy for three years, a capable scorer, a solid handler, solid defensively. I mean, even comparing him to Carter-Williams -- who may have developed a decent amount since this time last season -- isn't outrageous. I mean, MCW is an elite level guy but he's shooting 17% from 3, turning it over 4+ times a game. If he improves those numbers he's going to take us a long, long way. But if he's a little loose with the ball and not shooting, we aren't going to simply breeze through BE play, something we did for two of the past three years with scoop.

 

[albanycuse]

I think the one thing that everyone has to keep in mind regarding the scoop / mcw thing last year is this. Ask yourself this question. Could mcw and Dion co-exist over the long haul? Not sure that dynamic would have worked.

Without a doubt. Mikes an unselfish pass first pg and would of made it easier for dion to score, setting him up nicely. Mike would of required more defensive attention than scoop so its a easy choice for me.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

2010 team was good for that year. This team is better than that team.

MCW is the only kid who starts for the 2010 team.

 

[edowd26]

MCW is the only kid who starts for the 2010 team.

triche did start for that team

 

[moqui]

MCW is the only kid who starts for the 2010 team.

I think sophomore Roc vs. sophomore Rick would be a pretty close battle

 

[albanycuse]

I think sophomore Roc vs. sophomore Rick would be a pretty close battle

Roc > rick

 

[Jake]

Wasn't Jackson a jr?

 

[edowd26]

Wasn't Jackson a jr?

yes he was, graduated in '11

 

[moqui]

Wasn't Jackson a jr?

yep, you're right

still, a comparison of the advanced stats of JR. Rick & SO Roc is interesting:
Roc is much more efficient on offense
Rick is a better rebounder on both ends
Roc doesn't turn the ball over as much
Rick is much better at sharing the ball
Roc has a better block percentage

 

[edowd26]

yep, you're right

still, a comparison of the advanced stats of JR. Rick & SO Roc is interesting:
Roc is much more efficient on offense
Rick is a better rebounder on both ends
Roc doesn't turn the ball over as much
Rick is much better at sharing the ball
Roc has a better block percentage

a wash.

 

[cap2nine]

a wash.

Assuming that moqui's scientific analysis is accurate, I wouldn't call it a wash. Rick's junior season is a complete and known quantity. Rak's sophomore year has only just begun and he is likely to improve along the way.

Advantage Christmas.

 

[edowd26]

Assuming that moqui's scientific analysis is accurate, I wouldn't call it a wash. Rick's junior season is a complete and known quantity. Rak's sophomore year has only just begun and he is likely to improve along the way.

Advantage Christmas.

no, what you see is what you are going to get... there will be no improvement.....






sarcasm.

 

[moqui]

Assuming that moqui's scientific analysis is accurate, I wouldn't call it a wash. Rick's junior season is a complete and known quantity. Rak's sophomore year has only just begun and he is likely to improve along the way.

Advantage Christmas.

on the other hand, Ricky's numbers are for an entire season - including especially conference play, while Roc's are for just 7 games against mostly overmatched opponents. I'd probably give the edge to Ricky at the moment, but I expect the gap will narrow as the season goes along and we see the continuing improvement you predict.