Obokoh- yikes!!!!

[Cuse'91]

JB does not play warm bodies. He won't play Obokoh if he's not ready.

So DeShonte Riley was ready???

 

[cuseguy]

Is it really? He's supposedly a good defender. He's 6-10.

He plays matador defense.

You'll see.

 

[JDubbin]

He plays matador defense.

You'll see.

Your personal vendetta/dislike towards McCullough is at times astounding.

 

[AZOrange]

Your personal vendetta/dislike towards McCullough is at times astounding.

Yeah it's kinda weird to hate a guy that hasn't played a second for us.

 

[cuseguy]

Your personal vendetta/dislike towards McCullough is at times astounding.

I don't dislike McCullough.

I hope he has a great year, goes pro and Bryant takes his ship (if the NCAA doesn't take it away).

But I saw him play twice, not a large sample, and I wasn't impressed.

He has no half court game and little presence as a defender.

His body and athletic ability say NBA, but I want to see it translate on the court.

Our best recruit since Melo, JB says.

Let's see it.

 

[JDubbin]

I don't dislike McCullough.

I hope he has a great year, goes pro and Bryant takes his ship (if the NCAA doesn't take it away).

But I saw him play twice, not a large sample, and I wasn't impressed.

He has no half court game and little presence as a defender.

His body and athletic ability say NBA, but I want to see it translate on the court.

Our best recruit since Melo, JB says.

Let's see it.

So you agree that you have only seen a small sample size, but then make definitive statements like "He has no half court game and little presence as a defender." Since you readily agree that you have only seen a small sample, and "like" the kid and hopes he succeeds... why don't you wait to see how this season goes before continuing the same pattern, time, after time, after time. I really do not think you realize how much you negatively post about McCullough, and how often you do so.

 

[cuseguy]

So you agree that you have only seen a small sample size, but then make definitive statements like "He has no half court game and little presence as a defender." Since you readily agree that you have only seen a small sample, and "like" the kid and hopes he succeeds... why don't you wait to see how this season goes before continuing the same pattern, time, after time, after time. I really do not think you realize how much you negatively post about McCullough, and how often you do so.

I've tried to hold back on my McCullough posts.

Really.

I hope he proves me wrong.

SU is obviously banking on him going pro after this season.

 

[anglerman]

Rak is not a good player. Those expecting big things from him are going to be dissapointed. He's always been a role player and will continue to be.

 

[Niastri]

No one is just handed a "rep" overnight, you have to earn it... Rak has not done that so far...

I think Christmas has earned himself an impressive rep as a shotblocker.

 

[Cuse'91]

I think Christmas has earned himself an impressive rep as a shotblocker.

So the refs are so respectful of Rak's shot blocking that they don't call him for fouls???

 

[Niastri]

It is correct. NCAA took the redshirt away from him due to high school academics and age. They might appeal but not sure about that anymore.

I didn't know that. I must have been spending too much time on the football recruiting board lately...

It guess its just another reason the NCAA sucks. They couldn't have told us this last year so he could have gotten some garbage minutes?

 

[Niastri]

So the refs are so respectful of Rak's shot blocking that they don't call him for fouls???

Yes, that was the implication of "getting treated like Lebron" in the previous post.

It also has more than an element of truth. A guy is labeled a "great shotblocker" and then he suddenly gets the benefit of the doubt on calls that could go both ways. Christmas, with luck, has moved himself into that level of perception by the officials.

 

[Cuse'91]

Yes, that was the implication of "getting treated like Lebron" in the previous post.

It also has more than an element of truth. A guy is labeled a "great shotblocker" and then he suddenly gets the benefit of the doubt on calls that could go both ways. Christmas, with luck, has moved himself into that level of perception by the officials.

Oh, Ok "with luck?"
Good luck on super lotto this week...

 

[Niastri]

Were you born in '91?

Read the thread so you understand the posts, before you respond, please.

 

[Cuse'91]

Were you born in '91?

Read the thread so you understand the posts, before you respond, please.

I wish...
Where does Rak rank on a list of national shot blockers? On ACC shot blockers? Do you really think he will get preferential treatment as a shotblocker by ACC refs? Like a Mourning or a Mutumbo? Where is he on SU's all time shot blocking list? Is he even an Etan Thomas level talent?

 

[pearl31]

Rak is not a good player. Those expecting big things from him are going to be dissapointed. He's always been a role player and will continue to be.

bravo, dumb@ss

 

[Niastri]

I wish...
Where does Rak rank on a list of national shot blockers? On ACC shot blockers? Do you really think he will get preferential treatment as a shotblocker by ACC refs? Like a Mourning or a Mutumbo? Where is he on SU's all time shot blocking list? Is he even an Etan Thomas level talent?

He averaged 1.9 blocks and 2.9 fouls in 23.6 minutes last season.

I don't expect anything from the officials. However, they have a proven record of according the benefit of the doubt and a proclivity to calling plays as they "expect" them to happen.

If Christmas can up his blocks to 3.5 with the same number of fouls in 32 minutes, it will turn into a positive feedback loop where he gets increasingly questionable calls as the season goes along.

The officials hear Vitale screaming "It's a block party!" just like everybody else does.

This line of conversation is just like those wondering if BJ Johnson is going to get minutes or whether Joseph is ready to run a top level team. We just don't know... However, Christmas making incremental improvements and getting Senior Star treatment is a safer bet than every other position on the team.

 

[realorange]

Rak is not a good player. Those expecting big things from him are going to be dissapointed. He's always been a role player and will continue to be.

To say Roc may be a role player, I don't have a lot of argument with. However, he will have a bigger role on this year's team than previous. To say that he is not a good player is wrong and totally uncalled for. I'm not sure what your problem is, but I think you could be a little more civil with your comments.

 

[Jamesvillecuse]

He didn't play in a game last year, hence he redshirted.

The roster on ESPN does show him as a sophomore, but that can't be correct.

plus he lost a year because of his age in high school. I asked Mike Waters last year and he said no one redshirted.

 

[jordoo]

Obokoh ran up and down the floor, took one or two ugly looking shots, banged around a bit on the boards and couldn't guard Rakeem 20' from the basket to save his life. Luckily we play zone and he never has to guard anyone that far from the basket. As long as he can dunk, make his wide open bunnies, take up space in the middle, know where to be in the zone and compete on the glass then he can certainly play 8-12 minutes a game if needed. Orange madness really did not give us any indication that he can or cannot do these things IMO.

 

[jordoo]

If CM can do it better than Chin it's the way it will be. BJ moves into the 3 and Roberson the 4 or Silent G at 3 or 4 if the fit is better.

Certainly a possibility as long as Rak and CM avoid needless fouls. I would think Chino gets his chance in a few early games before this move is made if it is. Either way CM is at least the 3rd center so he needs to be familiarizing himself with that spot.

 

[RF2044]

I didn't know that. I must have been spending too much time on the football recruiting board lately...

It guess its just another reason the NCAA sucks. They couldn't have told us this last year so he could have gotten some garbage minutes?

Here's what I recall about the situation: Obokoh reclassified at the high school level, after arriving in the US. This had nothing to do with SU or even his college career, it was a decision based upon his academic readiness as a foreign student adapting to an English-based educational system, and his transcript at the high school level. When he signed with SU years later, the NCAA reviewed his transcript and cleared him. Then, for no apparent [or justifiable] reason, they subsequently went back and reviewed his transcript after he was already here, and disagreed with the rationale behind his reclassification. So instead of him being a frosh who'd redshirted, the NCAA determined that he should really be a year ahead, and stripped him of that extra year of eligibility. Thus, it doesn't matter that he "redshirted" last season--it was as though he was eligible but simply didn't play.

Just another example of the NCAA's prioritizes being completely out of whack, and unnecessarily penalizing someone who is a true student athlete, and not just an "athlete." I lost all faith in their handling of this stuff / impartiality after how they screwed Tyrone Albright [a walk on from the 2003 national championship team], and he was a 4.0 student. This is more of the same.

 

[stuckinbig11]

Rak is not a good player. Those expecting big things from him are going to be dissapointed. He's always been a role player and will continue to be.

Methinks you are wrong.

 

[Cowtown]

Yeah agreed. It's also nice to know that even without DC2, we have a third or second option in McCullough. He even said so in an interview yesterday, mentioning that he was going up against Roc at the 5 at times. So at least he's going through the motions. From top to bottom, we have question marks. But I think leadership comes in Christmas and Cooney and we figure it out.

Guarantee one or two of the freshmen/sophs are jittery, don't get as much run as spots 1-6. But it doesn't mean they won't learn on the court and have their moments. We are making the tournament this year. Even if we struggle an exhibition against Carleton.

I'm looking forward to a season in which I'm more excited about wins than I am in dreadful apprehension of losses.

 

[Garbs]

Here's what I recall about the situation: Obokoh reclassified at the high school level, after arriving in the US. This had nothing to do with SU or even his college career, it was a decision based upon his academic readiness as a foreign student adapting to an English-based educational system, and his transcript at the high school level. When he signed with SU years later, the NCAA reviewed his transcript and cleared him. Then, for no apparent [or justifiable] reason, they subsequently went back and reviewed his transcript after he was already here, and disagreed with the rationale behind his reclassification. So instead of him being a frosh who'd redshirted, the NCAA determined that he should really be a year ahead, and stripped him of that extra year of eligibility. Thus, it doesn't matter that he "redshirted" last season--it was as though he was eligible but simply didn't play.

Just another example of the NCAA's prioritizes being completely out of whack, and unnecessarily penalizing someone who is a true student athlete, and not just an "athlete." I lost all faith in their handling of this stuff / impartiality after how they screwed Tyrone Albright [a walk on from the 2003 national championship team], and he was a 4.0 student. This is more of the same.

Yea it wasn't that they took away his redshirt, but that he lost a year of eligibility, only has 3 instead of 4.