JB calling into Axe about recruiting now

[JazzNC]

The people in this thread who are critical of our roster and our recruiting actually follow such things. You have said repeatedly you don't follow recruiting at all. Your opinion on whether we will be good or bad this coming season is without merit. You've never seen these guys new guys play. Guys shouldn't rip recruits, that's true, but you are clueless about them. That's fine too. Some people don't like to follow it. Their opinion is valid but not on recruiting and certainly not on our roster since some of those recruits will be playing critical roles this year. No one called recruits "crap on the floor." That is a miscategorization of what was perhaps a poorly chosen euphemism.

I agree with some of what you've written. There are far too many people piping in about recruits when they do not follow the recruiting scene.

However, I will disagree with you that you have to have watched the recruit in person to have an opinion of merit.

Mix tapes and the utilization of scouting/ranking services are valuable tools for evaluating talent. That's how recruits get their initial visibility.

As someone who doesn't get out to see too many high school games anymore, I certainly think I'm capable of watching film, reading what others have to say, doing my own research, and formulating a opinion that has merit.

I agree that our recruits our not "crap on the floor" BUT they are below our usual standards.

 

[iommi]

We just got a really good grad transfer LB if anyone wants to head to the football board to read good news!

Sweet. I don't spend enough time on that board, mostly follow because all of the decommits in football recruiting can be very frustrating. I do lurk there a lot. I should contribute more there. Thanks.

 

[iommi]

I agree with some of what you've written. There are far too many people piping in about recruits when they do not follow the recruiting scene.

However, I will disagree with you that you have to have watched the recruit in person to have an opinion of merit.

Mix tapes and the utilization of scouting/ranking services are valuable tools for evaluating talent. That's how recruits get their initial visibility.

As someone who doesn't get out to see too many high school games anymore, I certainly think I'm capable of watching film, reading what others have to say, doing my own research, and formulating a opinion that has merit.

I agree that our recruits our not "crap on the floor" BUT they are below our usual standards.

I didn't mean to say you have to see them in person. SWC admittedly doesn't follow recruiting at all. A person can form opinions on recruits from doing all of those things you mention.

 

[JazzNC]

I didn't mean to say you have to see them in person. SWC admittedly doesn't follow recruiting at all. A person can form opinions on recruits from doing all of those things you mention.

Ok, I misunderstood you. I'm glad you agree.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[Cuse House]

If there has been one positive of late, it has been that our activity seems to have ramped up big time. Lots of guys coming to visit and the staff seems to be putting more into it. We just have to translate it into results.

 

[iommi]

how do we know that about Geno? (hadn't seen anything on that)

Read that today, I think. I forget where. Maybe a Waters article... Sorry, Pearl, can't remember. We thought Marek might get here in August, now it's September. And Thorpe is finishing up some school work, I believe. (Grad work?) I think JB said that stuff.

 

[Toga]

If there has been one positive of late, it has been that our activity seems to have ramped up big time. Lots of guys coming to visit and the staff seems to be putting more into it. We just have to translate it into results.

That's my sense as well. The flip side to that would be a past year of ... not that.

 

[iommi]

pearl31 I knew it was from JB.

He talked about Marek in his press conference from the Albany road show yesterday. Says he will be overseas all summer and we won't see him until September. Also said that Thorpe is finishing up summer school and won't be here until then either. He likes Marek a lot.

 

[Cuse House]

That's my sense as well. The flip side to that would be a past year of ... not that.

You got it, think that's where a lot of the frustration is coming from.

 

[pearl31]

pearl31 I knew it was from JB.

thanks.
ugh was REALLY hoping everyone would be together and gelling by August :bang:

 

[iommi]

thanks.
ugh was REALLY hoping everyone would be together and gelling by August :bang:

It's a big problem. That's why we need to get recruits signed and cleared early, instead of these types of players. And Thompson, to my knowledge, is still not on campus either. Huge issue. I imagine he's working on his defense at home.

 

[Digger]

One thing about JBs' Hughes comments. I don't think, as has been suggested, he was projecting Hughes to be one of the best college players in the country. He was talking about Hughes as if he was a recruit. His "top 20-30 player" comment was saying if Hughes was a 2018 recruit he'd be a top 20-30 player. His "as good as anyone in the country" comment was saying Hughes will be as good as any prospect being brought in next year.

I think you could say even that, combined with the NBA comment, and JB is setting a crazy high expectation for Hughes, but I don't think he's setting it as high as "he'll be one of the best players in the country"

 

[iommi]

One thing about JBs' Hughes comments. I don't think he was suggesting Hughes would be one of the best college players in the country. He was talking about Hughes as if he was a recruit. His "top 20-30 player" comment was saying if Hughes was a 2018 recruit he'd be a top 20-30 player. His "as good as anyone in the country" comment was saying Hughes will be as good as any prospect being brought in next year.

I think you could say even that, combined with the NBA comment, and JB is setting a crazy high expectation for Hughes, but I don't think he's setting it as high as "he'll be one of the best players in the country"

I agree with your categorization of JB's comments. I do think Hughes can help us but his comments are still over the top.

 

[pearl31]

It's a big problem. That's why we need to get recruits signed and cleared early, instead of these types of players. And Thompson, to my knowledge, is still not on campus either. Huge issue. I imagine he's working on his defense at home.

yeah the late arrivers last summer/fall (namely AW) were the biggest factor in our poor pre-conf performance against decent teams - team didn't really seem to know one another on the court... and TT good lord I don't know what the deal is there...
was counting on better overall chemistry over last year but, uh, not looking good

 

[20Plus]

yeah the late arrivers last summer/fall (namely AW) were the biggest factor in our poor pre-conf performance against decent teams - team didn't really seem to know one another on the court... and TT good lord I don't know what the deal is there...
was counting on better overall chemistry over last year but, uh, not looking good

The main reason was the mistake we made with the lineup,which I don't know if it would've been ironed out or not in the summer. It may have needed to be played in real competition

 

[007]

Not sure who was the first here to make this observation, but it is very true - "sometimes JB says stuff"

 

[iommi]

Not sure who was the first here to make this observation, but it is very true - "sometimes JB says stuff"

It's true but when he says what he does about his own players in the heat of the post-game...it hurts the program, and also could be impacting recruiting.

 

[SWC75]

The people in this thread who are critical of our roster and our recruiting actually follow such things. You have said repeatedly you don't follow recruiting at all. Your opinion on whether we will be good or bad this coming season is without merit. You've never seen these new guys play. Guys shouldn't rip recruits, that's true, but you are clueless about them. That's fine too. Some people don't like to follow it. Their opinion is valid but not on recruiting and certainly not on our roster since some of those recruits will be playing critical roles this year. No one called recruits "crap on the floor." That is a miscategorization of what was perhaps a poorly chosen euphemism.

None of us have seen these guys play at the college level. Nobody knows how they will do with any certainty, whether they've gone to see their games or watched their highlight tapes, which I do when we actually land somebody. I thought they looked pretty good and trust the judgement of the coaches, who know more about them than anyone else. The fact that we lost out on a #1 target doesn't mean that the #2 guy isn't any good. Butler wanted Washington and they are a good program so they must have seen something in him. I don't recall reading about anybody we lost so we had to settle for Sidibe or Brissett. Maybe that's proof of my ignorance.

Frankly, announcing that someone else's opinion is "without merit" is pretty arrogant, especially when it's about some none of us can really know about yet.

 

[SWC75]

They were not called crap on the floor. Re-read it again, come on man...

Here is the initial exchange:

Two3Zone: It sounds like he's trying to not only convince the fan base but himself.

Pearl31: We'll all rest easy once he's convinced you.

Littlereg: That'll never happen

Two3Zone: You're probably right. You can't crap on the floor and convince me it's gold. This is not a good team on paper, hope it translates to the court but I just don't see it at all.

If it's not a reference to the player son the team, what is it a reference to?

 

[iommi]

None of us have seen these guys play at the college level. Nobody knows how they will do with any certainty, whether they've gone to see their games or watched their highlight tapes, which I do when we actually land somebody. I thought they looked pretty good and trust the judgement of the coaches, who know more about them than anyone else. The fact that we lost out on a #1 target doesn't mean that the #2 guy isn't any good. Butler wanted Washington and they are a good program so they must have seen something in him. I don't recall reading about anybody we lost so we had to settle for Sidibe or Brissett. Maybe that's proof of my ignorance.

Frankly, announcing that someone else's opinion is "without merit" is pretty arrogant, especially when it's about some none of us can really know about yet.

You have admitted you don't follow recruiting. That is what JB's interview centered around. Therefore you cannot talk about recruiting with any authority. That's my opinion. Maybe you feel like you can talk about our roster after watching some clips and trusting the coaches. Okay, that's your view and that's fine but that also means you don't follow how we got player X or didn't get player Y. That's germane to the discussion.

I know your track record is you don't like being questioned about anything but I figured I'd do so, despite knowing I wouldn't win any popularity contests. You talking about levels of targets when you don't even know the players or where they are on the pecking order is comical at best.

I do respect your historical knowledge and you do bring tremendous value to the board but I couldn't let this go by.

You labeling something someone posts as "arrogant" is interesting. I'll leave it at that.

 

[two3zone]

Here is the initial exchange:

Two3Zone: It sounds like he's trying to not only convince the fan base but himself.

Pearl31: We'll all rest easy once he's convinced you.

Littlereg: That'll never happen

Two3Zone: You're probably right. You can't crap on the floor and convince me it's gold. This is not a good team on paper, hope it translates to the court but I just don't see it at all.

If it's not a reference to the player son the team, what is it a reference to?

Should I have said you can't show me a piece of silver and convince me it's gold? Does it matter?

 

[iommi]

Should I have said you can't show me a piece of silver and convince me it's gold? Does it matter?

Yes, to the professor, it does matter. As I said, it was just a figure of speech. You didn't say, "Player X is like crap on the floor."

You are a magnet around here for vitriol because you are blunt. I don't always agree with you and vice-versa but you don't bash our players. You look at things (especially the staff) with a critical eye. This is an opinion board. If we all thought everything was great all the time, this place would be boring. There are posters who are only negative. I'd say you're always expecting a lot of our program.

 

[007]

It's true but when he says what he does about his own players in the heat of the post-game...it hurts the program, and also could be impacting recruiting.

No doubt. The "stuff " he says sometimes can be very positive or very negative.

 

[AZOrange]

It's a big problem. That's why we need to get recruits signed and cleared early, instead of these types of players. And Thompson, to my knowledge, is still not on campus either. Huge issue. I imagine he's working on his defense at home.

The question is...will TT make it back at all?