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Message: [QUOTE="Zelda Zonk, post: 2239181, member: 966"] Wow. That's crazytalk. No way to know how many kids we're not getting because of the styles we play, both on offense and defense. Kids select schools on a variety of basis-es (bases??). And zone factors into that, even as an overall impression formed way before they even get a chance to decide where to go. And because our zone is such a huge part of our identity, it's a significant factor. Take us out of the thought process. Think back to when John Cheney was coaching Temple. Every time Temple was mentioned, his zone was mentioned. There is no way that didn't turn off a large number of potential players. Just because we're so familiar with something doesn't mean the same is taken for granted by the outside world. I believe we get dismissed much earlier than when the lists are pared down to a 'last five suitors.' We've rarely gotten top 15 kids man or zone? I don't know what each of their ratings were, but in my time, we've gotten Pearl, DC1, Billy Owens, John Wallace, and Carmelo, and then add Winfred Walton. Those are the top-rated/best guys i can think of offhand, and they were from the pre-zone-exclusive period. Except Carmelo? When he chose us, what were we playing? The counter to that discussion is that more recently, we're almost always more balanced/deeper, top-to-bottom. But, with less superstar power. It's silly to suggest that we didn't lose anyone because no kid (except Quinnerly?) has publicly proclaimed disdain for the zone. But, impressions are formed early and our zone is part of that. It's no different from certain types of recruits not being particularly interested in playing at Wisconsin or Virginia, because that kind of ball isn't glamorous. Or, not wanting to play for Bobby Knight (in his prime) because of the kind of coach/person he was. You're never going to be able to say DC didn't go to Indiana because he thought Bob Knight was a , or Tyus Battle never entertained going to Wisconsin because his impression of them is 'a bunch of thick white guys.' Impressions and favorites result from awareness of significant characteristics. Our zone is a significant characteristic. It's also silly to name six guys and say we didn't get them because of X. Right now, Kentucky and Duke are Harvard and Yale, as far as choosing the elite. But, maybe, if we didn't play all zone, and didn't, for a long period, have the reputation for playing 'slow/walk-it-up' on offense, we would have gotten Noel... Maybe if we had a reputation for playing a more exciting brand of ball over the past ten years, Green or Tucker would have had a slightly better feeling about us [B]over those last ten years[/B]—not just at decision time. I don't think decisions are a matter of days, weeks, or months. A kid plays ball for a long time, and watches a lot of games. They form impressions as soon as they start taking the game seriously. All that matters. We've had kids come from Cali because they saw us on Big Mondays, flying around, ooping and dunking... Those are impressions. We just haven't made the right ones for a while. All the zone talk. All the low PPG talk. All the retirement talk. All the Fine talk. All the Bubble/NIT talk. All of that, combined or in isolation, has influence on how well we are considered. Getting our players to the NBA in the first round is fantastic. But, any kid in the top 25 thinks he's going to the NBA in the first round if he chooses one of about 25 schools. I hope our staff is reinforcing our record with recruits, but i gotta believe, when they go home, it doesn't matter if we have 6 first rounders in a row, versus a school that has had 2 or 3 in those same 6 years. [/QUOTE]

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