Let me go ahead and get this out of the way:
There it is. I'm sure this video will be shown a time or two this week. I am also sure that I am going to be sick of it all by...about noon today.
It only matters to Kansas fans. They are the bitter people who can't believe that anyone would leave Kansas. Mostly because it's Kansas.
Everyone knows the story by now. Bill Guthridge retires, UNC tries to get Roy from Kansas, and he turns them down. In the process, he states rather plainly that he will never leave Kansas. That comment actually shows his belief in Matt Doherty more than anything else, because Roy thinks that he has turned down the only opportunity he would have to be UNC's head coach.
Who knew Doherty was only a three year guy? No one, especially not Roy Williams. The second time around, 'ol Roy couldn't say no.
No one was surprised. Well, no one who isn't a Jayhawk. Every person associated with UNC basketball remains associated with UNC basketball. It truly is a family. Doherty's reign of terror splintered the family, and Dean Smith wanted Roy to come back to "fix things."
That Roy turned down the Tar Heels once was a miracle, a true testament to his love for Kansas. Despite that, there was no way he was saying no a second time. Zero chance.
Now, we've got to hear about it all week. Kansas fans will curse Roy for leaving, and then in the same breath tell you all the reasons they are better off with Bill Self. Sort of an odd combination, if you ask me.
Most people agree that Roy's decision the second time around was made easier because of a rocky relationship with athletic director Al Bohl. Bohl was hired in 2001 to replace Bob Frederick, a longtime friend of Williams, and the didn't see eye to eye with Williams. After Williams criticized Bohl for firing KU football coach Terry Allen with 3 games left in the season, Bohl said this about Williams to the Kansas City Star:
"I'm running this program. I'm not asking Roy for permission to do things. It's a new era here. I'm going to run this program like a CEO would run a company. There's going to be no confusion over who's in charge."
Between the time that the above video was recorded, and Roy's acceptance of the UNC job, Bohl was fired. It was an attempt to make Roy happy enough to stay, but it was too late. As he cleaned out his office, I bet he realized who actually was in charge.
So, Kansas fans, just be happy for your team, and your coach. If you spend all week talking about Roy Williams, it won't be fair to Bill Self and his players. Roy Williams is coaching the team he should be coaching, and Kansas is doing just fine without him.
Let it go.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Davidson's Run Ends
I almost used "magical" to describe Davidson's run. I contemplated the use of "Cinderella."
I decided against both options.
Davidson just lost a game. Nothing more, nothing less.
They weren't embarrassed, like Texas and many other teams in this year's NCAA Tournament. As the clock expired, the ball was in the air, and the Wildcats had a chance to advance.
It just wasn't meant to be.
They were the feel-good story of this tournament, but only because they hadn't advanced this far since 1969. They seemingly came out of nowhere, but only because they came up a few points short in each of their early season games against major-conference teams. They played UNC, UCLA, Duke and NC State to close games, all on the road (or neutral sites). Once conference play started, they embarked on what would become the nation's longest winning streak.
Davidson had an outstanding season, and they don't deserve to have it belittled by being called Cinderella.
Stephen Curry established himself as a top-level college basketball player. And, even in the season-ender to Kansas, Davidson showed that they aren't a one-man show. The team shot 38.6%, and Curry had 25 points on 9-25 shooting. Before the game, if those two statistics were somehow available, no one would have given Davidson a chance. However, Curry's teammates all chipped in, scrapping for loose balls, making big shots, and Davidson had a chance at the end to win the game.
That's all any coach ever asks for...a chance at the end.
I decided against both options.
Davidson just lost a game. Nothing more, nothing less.
They weren't embarrassed, like Texas and many other teams in this year's NCAA Tournament. As the clock expired, the ball was in the air, and the Wildcats had a chance to advance.
It just wasn't meant to be.
They were the feel-good story of this tournament, but only because they hadn't advanced this far since 1969. They seemingly came out of nowhere, but only because they came up a few points short in each of their early season games against major-conference teams. They played UNC, UCLA, Duke and NC State to close games, all on the road (or neutral sites). Once conference play started, they embarked on what would become the nation's longest winning streak.
Davidson had an outstanding season, and they don't deserve to have it belittled by being called Cinderella.
Stephen Curry established himself as a top-level college basketball player. And, even in the season-ender to Kansas, Davidson showed that they aren't a one-man show. The team shot 38.6%, and Curry had 25 points on 9-25 shooting. Before the game, if those two statistics were somehow available, no one would have given Davidson a chance. However, Curry's teammates all chipped in, scrapping for loose balls, making big shots, and Davidson had a chance at the end to win the game.
That's all any coach ever asks for...a chance at the end.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
8 McDonald's All-Americans. Oh. My. God.
5 Stars. McDonald's All-American.
Must be some kind of player, right?
Maybe, maybe not. Duke's 2nd round loss to West Virginia in the NCAA Tournament prompted discussion about Duke's 8 McDonald's All-Americans, to West Virginia's zero.
With that in mind, I thought I'd take a little closer look at Duke's burger boys. I don't mean a statistical breakdown. I'm going to find each one on the Rivals150 from their days as a recruit, and see where they measure up. Not a scientific experiment, I understand. But it could be interesting.
DeMarcus Nelson has been solid for four years. He's a very good defender, and streaky on offense. If I were going to rank him today, however, I don't think I'd rate him a 5 star prospect. DeMarcus was 17th in the 2004 Rivals150. If you were to rank those players now, Nelson would likely drop. A quick sampling of some of the guys behind him: Al Horford (36th), Sean Singletary (56th), JamesOn Curry (72nd), Joakim Noah (75th), Chris Lofton (146th).
Greg Paulus was 11th on the 2005 Rivals150. One spot behind Tyler Hansbrough. Chris Douglas-Roberts, who is probably a better all-around player than Paulus, was 75th. Paulus was hyped because he was also a top quarterback recruit, so his basketball skills may have been embellished just a little.
Gerald Henderson was 11th in 2006, and I'm not going to argue with his spot. He is an amazing athlete, and has improved during both of his seasons at Duke. He doesn't have the jumpshot that I'd expect from a 5 star prospect who plays on the perimeter, but his shot does seem to be improving.
Jon Scheyer was 71st in 2006. That may actually be a little low for him, as he has been a very consistent player for Duke. His ranking does make me wonder exactly what the criteria is for selecting the McDonald's teams. There were 70 guys ranked higher than him, yet he was selected. Duke mystique??
Lance Thomas was 42nd in 2006. Based on what he's done at Duke, he should swap places with Scheyer. Thomas is the latest in a long line of failed attempts by Coach K to find a post player. Coach K tends to do that by recruiting a 6'8" wing player and sending him to Wojo's big man camp. That philosophy doesn't seem to work very well. Ask Shavlik Randolph and Josh McRoberts.
Taylor King was 37th in 2007.
Nolan Smith was 39th in 2007.
I will let the following comments count for both players: Jeff Teague was 57th and James Johnson was 62nd. I doubt that Wake Forest would want to trade. Daniel Hackett (66th) was a starter for USC. Also, I wonder how the 37th and 39th players end up in the McDonald's game. If recruiting rankings were always right, wouldn't the top 24 players be in the game?
Kyle Singler was 5th in 2007. He had a very good season, but he's ranked one spot ahead of Kevin Love (6th). I don't see how that happened. Singler seemed to hit the wall pretty hard at the end of the season, but prior to that he was playing at a high level. I'm not going to knock his ranking. I will question the quote that accompanies his profile, however: "Perhaps the most complete player in the 2007 class." Hmmm...the number one player from last year, a young man named Michael Beasley (have you heard of him?), would probably like to have a little talk with the author of that statement.
Basically, I would say that these 8 guys prove two things:
One, when it comes to ranking high school players, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Two, McDonald's likes players who commit to Duke. How else does the 71st player in the country get selected for the game?
Must be some kind of player, right?
Maybe, maybe not. Duke's 2nd round loss to West Virginia in the NCAA Tournament prompted discussion about Duke's 8 McDonald's All-Americans, to West Virginia's zero.
With that in mind, I thought I'd take a little closer look at Duke's burger boys. I don't mean a statistical breakdown. I'm going to find each one on the Rivals150 from their days as a recruit, and see where they measure up. Not a scientific experiment, I understand. But it could be interesting.
DeMarcus Nelson has been solid for four years. He's a very good defender, and streaky on offense. If I were going to rank him today, however, I don't think I'd rate him a 5 star prospect. DeMarcus was 17th in the 2004 Rivals150. If you were to rank those players now, Nelson would likely drop. A quick sampling of some of the guys behind him: Al Horford (36th), Sean Singletary (56th), JamesOn Curry (72nd), Joakim Noah (75th), Chris Lofton (146th).
Greg Paulus was 11th on the 2005 Rivals150. One spot behind Tyler Hansbrough. Chris Douglas-Roberts, who is probably a better all-around player than Paulus, was 75th. Paulus was hyped because he was also a top quarterback recruit, so his basketball skills may have been embellished just a little.
Gerald Henderson was 11th in 2006, and I'm not going to argue with his spot. He is an amazing athlete, and has improved during both of his seasons at Duke. He doesn't have the jumpshot that I'd expect from a 5 star prospect who plays on the perimeter, but his shot does seem to be improving.
Jon Scheyer was 71st in 2006. That may actually be a little low for him, as he has been a very consistent player for Duke. His ranking does make me wonder exactly what the criteria is for selecting the McDonald's teams. There were 70 guys ranked higher than him, yet he was selected. Duke mystique??
Lance Thomas was 42nd in 2006. Based on what he's done at Duke, he should swap places with Scheyer. Thomas is the latest in a long line of failed attempts by Coach K to find a post player. Coach K tends to do that by recruiting a 6'8" wing player and sending him to Wojo's big man camp. That philosophy doesn't seem to work very well. Ask Shavlik Randolph and Josh McRoberts.
Taylor King was 37th in 2007.
Nolan Smith was 39th in 2007.
I will let the following comments count for both players: Jeff Teague was 57th and James Johnson was 62nd. I doubt that Wake Forest would want to trade. Daniel Hackett (66th) was a starter for USC. Also, I wonder how the 37th and 39th players end up in the McDonald's game. If recruiting rankings were always right, wouldn't the top 24 players be in the game?
Kyle Singler was 5th in 2007. He had a very good season, but he's ranked one spot ahead of Kevin Love (6th). I don't see how that happened. Singler seemed to hit the wall pretty hard at the end of the season, but prior to that he was playing at a high level. I'm not going to knock his ranking. I will question the quote that accompanies his profile, however: "Perhaps the most complete player in the 2007 class." Hmmm...the number one player from last year, a young man named Michael Beasley (have you heard of him?), would probably like to have a little talk with the author of that statement.
Basically, I would say that these 8 guys prove two things:
One, when it comes to ranking high school players, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Two, McDonald's likes players who commit to Duke. How else does the 71st player in the country get selected for the game?
Another Early Exit Prompts Duke Discussion
The Duke Blue Devils were beaten by the West Virginia Mountaineers in the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament. On paper, it's an upset. Duke was a 2 seed, WVU was a 7. In the real world, the game was probably a toss-up. Duke struggled the last few weeks of the season, and barely survived their first round opponent, Belmont.
Duke has lost the swagger. Well, that probably not true. Duke and it's fans still have the swagger. What they don't have is the aura that they used to have. Teams are not afraid of the jersey, as they may have been in the past.
Belmont's players were upset at the loss. They had watched the Devils on film, and knew exactly what to do to win. They executed their game plan very well, but fell just one point short. In years past, you'd hear players happy to have kept it close. Belmont felt that they had let Duke off the hook.
The Mountaineers of West Virginia didn't let the Devils off the hook. And, they weren't even impressed about their accomplishment.
WVU's Joe Alexander in the NY Times: “We knew that coming in that they were just going to stand around and not rebound, so we were ready to exploit that.”
WVU reserve Cam Thoroughman, from the same article: “Oh my God. Are you kidding?”
This was his response to finding out that Greg Paulus was one of the eight McDonald's All-Americans on Duke's roster. West Virginia has eight fewer than Duke. That's right...zero. This difference was not ignored by the Mounaineers in post-game comments.
“We don’t have any McDonald’s all-Americans and we don’t have any guys who were the No. 1 player in their state,” West Virginia center Jamie Smalligan said. “But I think that Coach K would love to have Joe Alexander on his team right now,” he added, referring to Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski.
It will be very interesting to find out what Duke fans are thinking about their team. Will they be confident that Coach K can turn it around? Why? Are they concerned that Coach K has lost his recruiting touch? There will be questions that Duke fans haven't asked in quite some time, but that are always asked when a traditional power has two consecutive early exits from the NCAA Tournament.
Duke has lost the swagger. Well, that probably not true. Duke and it's fans still have the swagger. What they don't have is the aura that they used to have. Teams are not afraid of the jersey, as they may have been in the past.
Belmont's players were upset at the loss. They had watched the Devils on film, and knew exactly what to do to win. They executed their game plan very well, but fell just one point short. In years past, you'd hear players happy to have kept it close. Belmont felt that they had let Duke off the hook.
The Mountaineers of West Virginia didn't let the Devils off the hook. And, they weren't even impressed about their accomplishment.
WVU's Joe Alexander in the NY Times: “We knew that coming in that they were just going to stand around and not rebound, so we were ready to exploit that.”
WVU reserve Cam Thoroughman, from the same article: “Oh my God. Are you kidding?”
This was his response to finding out that Greg Paulus was one of the eight McDonald's All-Americans on Duke's roster. West Virginia has eight fewer than Duke. That's right...zero. This difference was not ignored by the Mounaineers in post-game comments.
“We don’t have any McDonald’s all-Americans and we don’t have any guys who were the No. 1 player in their state,” West Virginia center Jamie Smalligan said. “But I think that Coach K would love to have Joe Alexander on his team right now,” he added, referring to Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski.
It will be very interesting to find out what Duke fans are thinking about their team. Will they be confident that Coach K can turn it around? Why? Are they concerned that Coach K has lost his recruiting touch? There will be questions that Duke fans haven't asked in quite some time, but that are always asked when a traditional power has two consecutive early exits from the NCAA Tournament.
Play-In Comment
I've been meaning to write this ever since Selection Sunday, but haven't had the time.
The teams chosen for the play-in game of the NCAA Tournament get shafted. This year, Coppin State and Mount St. Mary's played in the game, which was played in Dayton, Ohio, as it is every year. Technically, MSM got their first NCAA Tournament win, defeating Coppin State 69-60. However, the Mount also lost a first round matchup against the North Carolina Tar Heels.
How, exactly, do you have a win and a first round loss? Because the NCAA calls the Tuesday special the "Opening Round." Everyone who doesn't work for the NCAA (or one of the schools assigned to the game) calls it the play-in game.
The NCAA Tournament really begins on a Thursday, and arenas across the country host four games each. There is electricity in the air, and it is an event that every sports fan looks forward to watching. The play-in game is not, which is why Coppin State and Mount St. Mary's were cheated.
Coppin State won the MEAC Conference tournament. Mount St. Mary's won the NEC Conference tournament. The MEAC is the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The NEC is the Northeast Conference. They probably don't even qualify as mid-majors. In my opinion, that shouldn't matter. Both of these teams earned their way into the NCAA Tournament. They are champions. They aren't "bubble teams," and no one spent the day after Selection Sunday debating whether or not they should be in the tournament.
There are 34 at-large NCAA Tournament bids handed out on Selection Sunday. The last two teams in should be the teams in the play-in game. They are barely in the tournament, and every TV talking head debates which teams should be in their places. This year, Arizona and South Alabama would have been prime candidates. Since they are questionable tournament teams anyway, send them to Dayton, and let the winner be a 12-seed somewhere.
Even if Coppin State and Mount St. Mary's both get beaten in their opening game, at least they would have gotten to experience the excitement of the NCAA Tournament. I have a hard time believing they get that experience in Dayton.
The teams chosen for the play-in game of the NCAA Tournament get shafted. This year, Coppin State and Mount St. Mary's played in the game, which was played in Dayton, Ohio, as it is every year. Technically, MSM got their first NCAA Tournament win, defeating Coppin State 69-60. However, the Mount also lost a first round matchup against the North Carolina Tar Heels.
How, exactly, do you have a win and a first round loss? Because the NCAA calls the Tuesday special the "Opening Round." Everyone who doesn't work for the NCAA (or one of the schools assigned to the game) calls it the play-in game.
The NCAA Tournament really begins on a Thursday, and arenas across the country host four games each. There is electricity in the air, and it is an event that every sports fan looks forward to watching. The play-in game is not, which is why Coppin State and Mount St. Mary's were cheated.
Coppin State won the MEAC Conference tournament. Mount St. Mary's won the NEC Conference tournament. The MEAC is the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The NEC is the Northeast Conference. They probably don't even qualify as mid-majors. In my opinion, that shouldn't matter. Both of these teams earned their way into the NCAA Tournament. They are champions. They aren't "bubble teams," and no one spent the day after Selection Sunday debating whether or not they should be in the tournament.
There are 34 at-large NCAA Tournament bids handed out on Selection Sunday. The last two teams in should be the teams in the play-in game. They are barely in the tournament, and every TV talking head debates which teams should be in their places. This year, Arizona and South Alabama would have been prime candidates. Since they are questionable tournament teams anyway, send them to Dayton, and let the winner be a 12-seed somewhere.
Even if Coppin State and Mount St. Mary's both get beaten in their opening game, at least they would have gotten to experience the excitement of the NCAA Tournament. I have a hard time believing they get that experience in Dayton.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Hickson To NBA? Possibly.
North Carolina State C/F JJ Hickson has decided to enter his name into the NBA Draft, head coach Sidney Lowe said on his final radio show of the season. Hickson will not hire an agent, but will show his wares at pre-draft camps and workouts. After determining where he is likely to be drafted, Hickson would then determine whether he stays in the draft or returns to NC State for another season.
Hickson's current draft status is unclear. Collegehoopsnet.com does not have him listed in their two round mock draft at all, but lists him as a potential first round pick. Draftexpress.com has Hickson projected to go 26th overall. Insidehoops.com projects JJ at 27th overall.
The assessment of Hickson's draft potential will be up in the air until the April 27th early entry deadline has passed. Up until that point, there are several players whose decisions about leaving college early for the NBA will affect where Hickson ends up in the draft.
Ultimately, the decision will most likely come down to Hickson's willingness to risk his future.
At the current projected draft positions, he would be going to playoff teams. Those teams are usually not as "needy" when it comes to rookies, so JJ could end up in the NBA Development League for long stretches. Also, rookie contracts are guaranteed for two year, with two more years as team options. If JJ is unable to crack the roster of the team that drafts him in two years, he may not get an immediate chance anywhere else. He'd then be faced with going overseas to try to work his way back to the NBA. Foreign basketball leagues are littered with U.S. players who thought they were more prepared for the NBA than they actually proved to be.
The only real risk in returning to NC State is injury. The work ethic that Hickson displayed as a freshman makes it likely that he would further develop his skills if he spent another year at NCSU. If he could improve his defense, and become better at recognizing double teams in the post on offense, Hickson would stand a good chance of improving his draft position considerably.
There really is no clear-cut right or wrong answer. It is entirely up to JJ. As a State fan, I'd like to see him spend another year in college, but I can't blame him for chasing his dreams, if that's what he ultimately decides to do. I wish him the best of luck, no matter what he decides.
Panthers Add DJ Hackett
The Carolina Panthers signed free agent wide receiver DJ Hackett to a two-year contract on Monday. The signing brings the number of actual living, breathing NFL wide receivers on the roster to three, up from one last year. Hackett joins the Panthers as the #2 wideout, according to his agent, Kevin Robinson.
Earlier this offseason, the Panthers welcomed back Muhsin Muhammad, a long time Panther who spent several years with the Chicago Bears. General manager Marty Hurney and head coach John Fox are hopeful that Hackett and Muhammad can open things up for All-Pro wideout Steve Smith.
Also, having more proven veterans on the roster should provide more tutelage for 2nd-year player Dwayne Jarrett, who had trouble learning the playbook and barely saw the field as a rookie. Jarrett faces potential disciplinary action after a recent DWI arrest.
The two additions should more than make up for the departures of Keary Colbert and Drew Carter, neither of whom could develop into consistent performers. Colbert has signed a free agent contract with the Denver Broncos, and Carter recently joined the Oakland Raiders.
Earlier this offseason, the Panthers welcomed back Muhsin Muhammad, a long time Panther who spent several years with the Chicago Bears. General manager Marty Hurney and head coach John Fox are hopeful that Hackett and Muhammad can open things up for All-Pro wideout Steve Smith.
Also, having more proven veterans on the roster should provide more tutelage for 2nd-year player Dwayne Jarrett, who had trouble learning the playbook and barely saw the field as a rookie. Jarrett faces potential disciplinary action after a recent DWI arrest.
The two additions should more than make up for the departures of Keary Colbert and Drew Carter, neither of whom could develop into consistent performers. Colbert has signed a free agent contract with the Denver Broncos, and Carter recently joined the Oakland Raiders.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Coach Calls Out Team...No, Not THAT Coach
"It's in front of our guys, what it takes to win," the coach said. "For whatever reason, I haven't brought it out in them. They're not committed to it. I don't think people change a whole lot, and I don't think you've seen the basketball team change at all this year. So it's hard for me to get overly thrilled or excited."
"I think we have some talent issues on the defensive end of the floor, footspeed-wise, that sometimes is not all their fault."
Wow. Strong words. Coach Lowe must have been really upset to lay into his team like that, huh? Not exactly.
The coach I'm referring to is Billy Donovan. I know, I know, Billy Donovan has two national championship rings, so he can call out his team. He's Roy Williams, Sidney Lowe is Matt Doherty.
Whatever.
I'm not writing this to say, "See, it's OK that Sid called out NCSU's players, because Billy did it, too."
Some of the things that Donovan said are what I want to talk about today. He mentions a couple of things that I have said about NC State's team in recent times. After reading this column by Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com, I believe Florida and NC State had similar teams.
Be honest. You read the first quote, and thought that Sid was "blaming the players" again, didn't you? I know you did. But these are not Sid's words, they are Billy Donovan's. He questions his players' internal makeup. He also says that he doesn't think it can be changed. I have said that quite a bit about NC State's team, mostly about the former coach's players.
The system that Herb Sendek used at NCSU catered to "not-so aggressive" players. A lot of perimeter activity, no real work in the paint. No need to get your hands dirty, so to speak. A few passes, a few jumpshots, and some back-door cuts. It is the offense of the underdog. Princeton ran it because it allowed their lesser-skilled players to remain somewhat competitive. Herb Sendek ran it for the same reasons, State fans just don't like to admit it.
NC State had problems in every phase of the game this season. That is without question. As long as I write, on this blog or anywhere else, I will never write a more factual statement than that one. Some of the blame has to go to Sidney Lowe, simply because he was the head coach.
The problem that I have is that everyone talks about all the talent there was at NC State this season, and how the team should have done so much more. I agree that the team under-achieved, but I disagree about the talent level. Each of the returning players has at least one serious flaw in his game. Serious enough that he can't cover up for it.
Gavin Grant: Athletic slasher, senior leader. Not very quick, not very good ball handler, leads more with his mouth than his play.
Courtney Fells: Athletic, shooter, good defender. Lacks focus, lacks consistent effort, streaky shooter, if he doesn't score early he disappears
Brandon Costner: Versatile inside-out threat. "Tweener"...too slow to play the 3, to soft to play the 4, too slow to defend against smaller players, too soft to defend in the paint
Ben McCauley: Big man with good touch around the basket. Finesse player, doesn't seem to thrive on contact, struggles defensively against physical players, doesn't go up strong on offense, tends to avoid contact rather than initiate it and get to the line, doesn't rebound as well as his size would indicate
These were the guys who were called upon to lead. They didn't. Some of them pouted about reduced playing time, as though they earned a spot last year, when there were only six guys capable of playing. Others talked about great things for the team, but didn't really do much to make it happen. They all seemed to take turns zoning out for varying periods of time. Apparently, they spent too much time in the offseason reading about how good they were going to be, and not enough time watching film of how bad they actually were a season ago.
Coach Donovan's remarks about foot-speed also hit home for this NCSU team. For me, it is actually a sign that maybe sometimes the team was trying harder than it looked. Yesterday, in the ACC Tournament, Miami seemed to get every loose ball. Was it lack of effort, or are Miami's players just faster? A fast player will beat a slow player to a loose ball almost every time.
While I would agree with those who say that Coach Lowe has to take some responsibility for this season's failures, I disagree with those who say it's wrong to blame the players. A quick look at things would say that these four were more inspired by unlimited playing time than they were about a chance to win. They sure seemed more "into it" when they were all playing 30-35 minutes a game last year, even though they lost a lot. This year, when they were asked to be part of what most agree should have been a better team, they balked.
Is there any one who thinks, after watching the whole season, that JJ Hickson should have been held back to help keep either Ben McCauley's or Brandon Costner's ego from getting bruised? Better players show up, and the older guys have to make room. Maybe they should have followed the examples set by Quentin Thomas, who watched as first Bobby Frasor, then Ty Lawson started ahead of him as freshman at UNC. Or maybe John Scheyer, who started last year for Duke, but this year is their sixth man, mostly because of Kyle Singler, a freshman.
I don't mean to absolve Coach Lowe of any blame, and I definitely don't think it's fair to Herb Sendek to blame his style or "his players" for the way this season played out. Having said that, the attitudes of these upper-classmen could very well have come from their time under Sendek. Like most freshman under Sendek, McCauley and Fells spent most of their freshman season on the bench. Costner was injured, and redshirted because of the injury. During and after Sidney Lowe's first season as coach, many questioned why McCauley and Fells were not given larger roles the previous season. Maybe now we see why.
In my opinion, Fells would serve the team better in a an old-school Vinnie Johnson-type role. VJ was a member of the Detroit Pistons who was called "Microwave" because of his penchant for entering a game, making a few plays, and going back out. This role would help alleviate Courtney's biggest flaw, which is a lack of focus. McCauley also would be better as a backup, I believe. He's not overly athletic, and played his best this year when he played in short bursts, rather than long stretches. If he and Hickson rotated, it would create headaches for defenses, because they play the same position, but their style of play is dramatically different. However, as with any post player, McCauley's success or failure depends in large part on what happens on the perimeter. Perimeter play is what doomed the Wolfpack.
There is another quote from coach Donovan, that I think also fits this Wolfpack team. It has absolutely nothing to do with coaching, motivation, focus, or determination:
"I don't think we're a quick, athletic team. When we line up and play against the physical, athletic teams, we get exposed."
You tell me which ACC teams don't fit the "physical, athletic" description, besides NC State.
"I think we have some talent issues on the defensive end of the floor, footspeed-wise, that sometimes is not all their fault."
Wow. Strong words. Coach Lowe must have been really upset to lay into his team like that, huh? Not exactly.
The coach I'm referring to is Billy Donovan. I know, I know, Billy Donovan has two national championship rings, so he can call out his team. He's Roy Williams, Sidney Lowe is Matt Doherty.
Whatever.
I'm not writing this to say, "See, it's OK that Sid called out NCSU's players, because Billy did it, too."
Some of the things that Donovan said are what I want to talk about today. He mentions a couple of things that I have said about NC State's team in recent times. After reading this column by Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com, I believe Florida and NC State had similar teams.
Be honest. You read the first quote, and thought that Sid was "blaming the players" again, didn't you? I know you did. But these are not Sid's words, they are Billy Donovan's. He questions his players' internal makeup. He also says that he doesn't think it can be changed. I have said that quite a bit about NC State's team, mostly about the former coach's players.
The system that Herb Sendek used at NCSU catered to "not-so aggressive" players. A lot of perimeter activity, no real work in the paint. No need to get your hands dirty, so to speak. A few passes, a few jumpshots, and some back-door cuts. It is the offense of the underdog. Princeton ran it because it allowed their lesser-skilled players to remain somewhat competitive. Herb Sendek ran it for the same reasons, State fans just don't like to admit it.
NC State had problems in every phase of the game this season. That is without question. As long as I write, on this blog or anywhere else, I will never write a more factual statement than that one. Some of the blame has to go to Sidney Lowe, simply because he was the head coach.
The problem that I have is that everyone talks about all the talent there was at NC State this season, and how the team should have done so much more. I agree that the team under-achieved, but I disagree about the talent level. Each of the returning players has at least one serious flaw in his game. Serious enough that he can't cover up for it.
Gavin Grant: Athletic slasher, senior leader. Not very quick, not very good ball handler, leads more with his mouth than his play.
Courtney Fells: Athletic, shooter, good defender. Lacks focus, lacks consistent effort, streaky shooter, if he doesn't score early he disappears
Brandon Costner: Versatile inside-out threat. "Tweener"...too slow to play the 3, to soft to play the 4, too slow to defend against smaller players, too soft to defend in the paint
Ben McCauley: Big man with good touch around the basket. Finesse player, doesn't seem to thrive on contact, struggles defensively against physical players, doesn't go up strong on offense, tends to avoid contact rather than initiate it and get to the line, doesn't rebound as well as his size would indicate
These were the guys who were called upon to lead. They didn't. Some of them pouted about reduced playing time, as though they earned a spot last year, when there were only six guys capable of playing. Others talked about great things for the team, but didn't really do much to make it happen. They all seemed to take turns zoning out for varying periods of time. Apparently, they spent too much time in the offseason reading about how good they were going to be, and not enough time watching film of how bad they actually were a season ago.
Coach Donovan's remarks about foot-speed also hit home for this NCSU team. For me, it is actually a sign that maybe sometimes the team was trying harder than it looked. Yesterday, in the ACC Tournament, Miami seemed to get every loose ball. Was it lack of effort, or are Miami's players just faster? A fast player will beat a slow player to a loose ball almost every time.
While I would agree with those who say that Coach Lowe has to take some responsibility for this season's failures, I disagree with those who say it's wrong to blame the players. A quick look at things would say that these four were more inspired by unlimited playing time than they were about a chance to win. They sure seemed more "into it" when they were all playing 30-35 minutes a game last year, even though they lost a lot. This year, when they were asked to be part of what most agree should have been a better team, they balked.
Is there any one who thinks, after watching the whole season, that JJ Hickson should have been held back to help keep either Ben McCauley's or Brandon Costner's ego from getting bruised? Better players show up, and the older guys have to make room. Maybe they should have followed the examples set by Quentin Thomas, who watched as first Bobby Frasor, then Ty Lawson started ahead of him as freshman at UNC. Or maybe John Scheyer, who started last year for Duke, but this year is their sixth man, mostly because of Kyle Singler, a freshman.
I don't mean to absolve Coach Lowe of any blame, and I definitely don't think it's fair to Herb Sendek to blame his style or "his players" for the way this season played out. Having said that, the attitudes of these upper-classmen could very well have come from their time under Sendek. Like most freshman under Sendek, McCauley and Fells spent most of their freshman season on the bench. Costner was injured, and redshirted because of the injury. During and after Sidney Lowe's first season as coach, many questioned why McCauley and Fells were not given larger roles the previous season. Maybe now we see why.
In my opinion, Fells would serve the team better in a an old-school Vinnie Johnson-type role. VJ was a member of the Detroit Pistons who was called "Microwave" because of his penchant for entering a game, making a few plays, and going back out. This role would help alleviate Courtney's biggest flaw, which is a lack of focus. McCauley also would be better as a backup, I believe. He's not overly athletic, and played his best this year when he played in short bursts, rather than long stretches. If he and Hickson rotated, it would create headaches for defenses, because they play the same position, but their style of play is dramatically different. However, as with any post player, McCauley's success or failure depends in large part on what happens on the perimeter. Perimeter play is what doomed the Wolfpack.
There is another quote from coach Donovan, that I think also fits this Wolfpack team. It has absolutely nothing to do with coaching, motivation, focus, or determination:
"I don't think we're a quick, athletic team. When we line up and play against the physical, athletic teams, we get exposed."
You tell me which ACC teams don't fit the "physical, athletic" description, besides NC State.
Monday, March 10, 2008
StateFans' Wake Comparison A Little Off Base
StateFansNation posted this comparison of NC State's basketball season to Wake Forest's season. While everything in the comparison is factual, I can't really convince myself that the comparison is a fair one.
For one thing, they use recruiting rankings as part of their reasoning. Recruiting rankings are opinions, and the way that those opinions are reached are sometimes suspect.
Wake's class was 28th, but probably because they had 3 guys, and NCSU had four. Jeff Teague was the 8th-ranked point guard, and James Johnson was the 9th-ranked small forward. Both were four-star players. The third player, Gary Clark, was the 24th ranked shooting guard. NC State's class consisted of JJ Hickson (3rd center), Javier Gonzalez (30th point guard), Tracy Smith (18th power forward) and Johnny Thomas (40th small forward).
If you take the players national rank at their position, Wake's three average a 13.7, and the three that played this year for NCSU average 17. If you add in the fourth player, Johnny Thomas, State's average drops to 22.75.
Teague and Johnson Wake's top 2 scorers, and Teague is the leading rebounder. Hickson is NCSU's leading scorer and rebounder, but the difference is that Teague is not dependent on anyone else getting him the ball. JJ requires help to get the ball, and there hasn't been a lot of that for NCSU this year.
Also, StateFans mentions that Wake had to replace Kyle Visser, while NCSU had to replace Engin Atsur. Obviously, a senior point guard is more important than a senior PF/C. Atsur was responsible for a lot of the positive things that happened to the '06-'07 Wolfpack, while Visser was playing on a young team with a freshman point guard, Ishmael Smith.
I'm pretty sure that Wake Forest had 7 or 8 players during last year's season, as well. While that seems like something simple, remember that NCSU only had 6 that played regularly. And by regularly, I mean a lot. When Teague came in and earned a starting spot, he didn't replace anyone who had any reason to complain. There was no player on Wake's team who thought he was going to the NBA after this year that now had to back into Teague's shadow, and end up a shell of last year's version of himself.
The talent of JJ Hickson, and Sidney Lowe's (right) decision to try to utilize it as much as possible, may very well have led to some chemistry issues. The fact is, in today's college game, the players have to deal with not being guaranteed anything. They have to earn their minutes THIS YEAR, no matter what they did last year. With the current NBA rules, there are players every year in college who would have gone into the NBA. Sometimes, those players go to teams with returning players at their position. Returning players who are simply not NBA players. Should the more talented freshman sit, and yield to the less-talented upper-classman? Or should the upper-classman understand that the team is bigger than he is, and accept his role?
Ask Quentin Thomas. The UNC senior came in to back up Raymond Felton. Felton left, and Bobby Frasor took Thomas' starting spot, relegating him to the backup role, again. Then, Ty Lawson came in, and beat out Frasor, who became the backup, dropping Thomas to 3rd string. When injuries knocked both Lawson and Frasor out of the lineup, Thomas came in and performed. He wasn't sad, and he wasn't out of shape. He was ready to do his job.
StateFans also references the death of Skip Prosser in the comparison. While I'm sure they mean it as something that should have hurt the team, in reality it probably made the team immune to the type of chemisty issues that plagued NC State this season. Wake's players banded together to support Dino Gaudio, and each and every one of them would run through a wall for him. Also, Gaudio probably helped to recruit the players, and they probably still run a system similar to Prosser's.
The fact is, StateFans' comparison could be used as a reason to look forward to improvement next year. Last year's Wake team was 5-11, with a freshman PG learning the ropes. Ishmael Smith has played much better this year, just as NCSU fans should expect Javier Gonzalez to improve going into his sophomore season.
Julius Mays is a combo guard who is playing the point for his high school team, just as Jeff Teague did as a high school player. If Mays has the ability to penetrate a defense, he may be able to contribute very quickly next season. Also, CJ Williams, a G/F, will provide a boost to the team's overall quickness and athleticism. Also, Johnny Thomas will be healed from his injury, which should add another athletic slasher to the mix.
Finally, let's look at the preseason predictions. NCSU was picked third, Wake was picked 11th. I would say that's probably because all the media members knew Sidney Lowe, and did not know Dino Gaudio. If Skip Prosser were the coach, this Wake team would have been picked higher than 11th, I'm sure.
The fact is that last year both teams finished 5-11 in the ACC. Both teams lost a senior to the European leagues. Both teams brought in good recruiting classes. What reasoning was used to predict that they'd finish 8 places apart in the standings? I'd question the predictors, personally, who chose to believe the ACC Tournament performance instead of the performance for the entire season.
I choose to look at this comparison and think that next year could see NC State finish somewhere near .500 in the ACC. That would get them back to respectability, and show some of the doubters that Sid's plan may actually work.
For one thing, they use recruiting rankings as part of their reasoning. Recruiting rankings are opinions, and the way that those opinions are reached are sometimes suspect.
Wake's class was 28th, but probably because they had 3 guys, and NCSU had four. Jeff Teague was the 8th-ranked point guard, and James Johnson was the 9th-ranked small forward. Both were four-star players. The third player, Gary Clark, was the 24th ranked shooting guard. NC State's class consisted of JJ Hickson (3rd center), Javier Gonzalez (30th point guard), Tracy Smith (18th power forward) and Johnny Thomas (40th small forward).
If you take the players national rank at their position, Wake's three average a 13.7, and the three that played this year for NCSU average 17. If you add in the fourth player, Johnny Thomas, State's average drops to 22.75.
Teague and Johnson Wake's top 2 scorers, and Teague is the leading rebounder. Hickson is NCSU's leading scorer and rebounder, but the difference is that Teague is not dependent on anyone else getting him the ball. JJ requires help to get the ball, and there hasn't been a lot of that for NCSU this year.
Also, StateFans mentions that Wake had to replace Kyle Visser, while NCSU had to replace Engin Atsur. Obviously, a senior point guard is more important than a senior PF/C. Atsur was responsible for a lot of the positive things that happened to the '06-'07 Wolfpack, while Visser was playing on a young team with a freshman point guard, Ishmael Smith.
I'm pretty sure that Wake Forest had 7 or 8 players during last year's season, as well. While that seems like something simple, remember that NCSU only had 6 that played regularly. And by regularly, I mean a lot. When Teague came in and earned a starting spot, he didn't replace anyone who had any reason to complain. There was no player on Wake's team who thought he was going to the NBA after this year that now had to back into Teague's shadow, and end up a shell of last year's version of himself.
The talent of JJ Hickson, and Sidney Lowe's (right) decision to try to utilize it as much as possible, may very well have led to some chemistry issues. The fact is, in today's college game, the players have to deal with not being guaranteed anything. They have to earn their minutes THIS YEAR, no matter what they did last year. With the current NBA rules, there are players every year in college who would have gone into the NBA. Sometimes, those players go to teams with returning players at their position. Returning players who are simply not NBA players. Should the more talented freshman sit, and yield to the less-talented upper-classman? Or should the upper-classman understand that the team is bigger than he is, and accept his role?
Ask Quentin Thomas. The UNC senior came in to back up Raymond Felton. Felton left, and Bobby Frasor took Thomas' starting spot, relegating him to the backup role, again. Then, Ty Lawson came in, and beat out Frasor, who became the backup, dropping Thomas to 3rd string. When injuries knocked both Lawson and Frasor out of the lineup, Thomas came in and performed. He wasn't sad, and he wasn't out of shape. He was ready to do his job.
StateFans also references the death of Skip Prosser in the comparison. While I'm sure they mean it as something that should have hurt the team, in reality it probably made the team immune to the type of chemisty issues that plagued NC State this season. Wake's players banded together to support Dino Gaudio, and each and every one of them would run through a wall for him. Also, Gaudio probably helped to recruit the players, and they probably still run a system similar to Prosser's.
The fact is, StateFans' comparison could be used as a reason to look forward to improvement next year. Last year's Wake team was 5-11, with a freshman PG learning the ropes. Ishmael Smith has played much better this year, just as NCSU fans should expect Javier Gonzalez to improve going into his sophomore season.
Julius Mays is a combo guard who is playing the point for his high school team, just as Jeff Teague did as a high school player. If Mays has the ability to penetrate a defense, he may be able to contribute very quickly next season. Also, CJ Williams, a G/F, will provide a boost to the team's overall quickness and athleticism. Also, Johnny Thomas will be healed from his injury, which should add another athletic slasher to the mix.
Finally, let's look at the preseason predictions. NCSU was picked third, Wake was picked 11th. I would say that's probably because all the media members knew Sidney Lowe, and did not know Dino Gaudio. If Skip Prosser were the coach, this Wake team would have been picked higher than 11th, I'm sure.
The fact is that last year both teams finished 5-11 in the ACC. Both teams lost a senior to the European leagues. Both teams brought in good recruiting classes. What reasoning was used to predict that they'd finish 8 places apart in the standings? I'd question the predictors, personally, who chose to believe the ACC Tournament performance instead of the performance for the entire season.
I choose to look at this comparison and think that next year could see NC State finish somewhere near .500 in the ACC. That would get them back to respectability, and show some of the doubters that Sid's plan may actually work.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
(Still Too Early) ACC Tournament Preview
The 2008 ACC Tournament starts a week from tomorrow. It promises to be interesting, because the league has been relatively balanced this season. There is reason for every team to be cautiously optimistic about their chances.
Of course, the odds favor a Duke-UNC matchup in the finals.
Since there are still a few games left in the season, there is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the seedings. There will be some interesting twists, and I'm not convinced that finishing higher is absolutely better.
NC State, for example, could still end up with the 10th, 11th, or 12th seed. Normally, you'd think that you would want your team to avoid finishing dead last. I can't say that I want them to be at the absolute bottom, but that could very well be the best spot for them.
Here's why:
The matchups for Thursday are: #5 vs. #12; #6 vs. #11; #7 vs. #10; and #8 vs. #9. Friday's matchups are based on the assumption that the better-seeded team wins: #1 vs. #8/#9; #2 vs. #7/#10; and so on. Consequently, the middle four teams on Thursday get to play each other for the right to square off against Duke and UNC, both of whom would be coming off of a week's rest.
The #5, #6, #11, and #12 are playing to face the "other two" top 4 teams, and no matter which teams end up in those spots, you'd rather play them on Friday than Duke or UNC.
Duke has struggled to win (and lost a couple) when their jumpers aren't falling. On Saturday, they may be a little more tired, and the jumpers may be a little less consistent. Ty Lawson is just coming back from a high ankle sprain, and Quentin Thomas has lost some of the spark he had during Lawson's absence. How will Lawson's ankle hold up for back to back games? If he has soreness, can Thomas step up?
I used NCSU as the example, simply because as a State fan I'm more familiar (and concerned) with their situation. The fact is, UNC and Duke are the elephants in the room, and every team in the ACC would want to avoid playing them for as long as possible in the tournament.
The only real upset of the ACC Tournament would be Duke or North Carolina losing a game, unless the loss came in a championship matchup between those two teams. The other ten teams are all "Jekyll and Hyde." They could all win or lose any game they play, and no one would be really surprised.
The Wolfpack is a prime example. They could show up, play hard, and win a couple of games, or they could lack focus and not even need to unpack in Charlotte. Which Maryland team shows up? The one that beat UNC in the Dean Dome, or the one that lost to American?
Luckily, we get to find out in just a few more days.
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