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.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
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.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
A Cool Thing About Hockey (besides the ice)
Yesterday, around noon, the announcement was made that the Carolina Hurricanes had traded Andrew Ladd to the Chicago Blackhawks for Tuomo Ruutu. The trade was an exchange of "once-promising" young players, with each team hoping that the change of scenery will help reinvigorate the players involved. Also, the Hurricanes needed someone capable of playing the center position since the loss of team captain Rod Brind'Amour to a knee injury.
It was a trade that made a lot of sense. But that's not why I am writing this entry.
Why am I writing this entry?
Ruutu was in the lineup for the Hurricanes last night. As someone who grew up watching the NBA, that astounds me. NBA players often take 3 or 4 days to "adjust" to their new surroundings. Some take that long just to report to their new team.
Ruutu was on the ice for the Hurricanes, only 7 or 8 hours after the trade was announced. He arrived at the RBC 15 minutes before gametime, had an assist, delivered several crushing hits, and needed 40 stitches to close a gash on his forehead from a shot he took in the third period.
Welcome to Raleigh, Mr. Ruutu!
It was a trade that made a lot of sense. But that's not why I am writing this entry.
Why am I writing this entry?
Ruutu was in the lineup for the Hurricanes last night. As someone who grew up watching the NBA, that astounds me. NBA players often take 3 or 4 days to "adjust" to their new surroundings. Some take that long just to report to their new team.
Ruutu was on the ice for the Hurricanes, only 7 or 8 hours after the trade was announced. He arrived at the RBC 15 minutes before gametime, had an assist, delivered several crushing hits, and needed 40 stitches to close a gash on his forehead from a shot he took in the third period.
Welcome to Raleigh, Mr. Ruutu!
Tiger Woods versus.....
Phil Mickelson? Nope.
Ernie Els? Not a chance.
Vijay Singh? Vijay who?
Rory Sabbatini? Only in Rory's dreams.
Ian Poulter? Ha!Ha! That's funny.
So who, then?
Jack Nicklaus. The Golden Bear is Tiger's only competition. And even that contest is starting to look like a mismatch.
With his victory last week at the Accenture Match Play, Tiger cleared the biggest hurdle he faced in having a season of historical proportions. Match play is very fickle, and a player can lose even if he plays great golf. Tiger nearly lost on Wednesday to JB Holmes, made an amazing comeback, and went on to win the whole thing. He made almost every putt he needed to make. He has an amazing ability to perform at his highest level when the pressure is the greatest.
At the beginning of this PGA season, Tiger stated several times that he thought he could win the Grand Slam this year. People were shocked, because Tiger almost never makes such statements. Through three events in 2008 (2 PGA Tour victories, 1 in Dubai), Tiger has made an even larger statement with his golf clubs.
I would argue that Tiger, right now, is the best golfer ever. People say he has to pass Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors before laying claim to that title, but I disagree. When Tiger turned professional, people were convinced that no one would ever approach Jack's records. The fields were too deep, the players too talented, for someone to win enough major tournaments to approach Jack's mark. Well, Tiger is now 32, and he has 13 majors and 63 career victories. By the time he's 33 (late December), he could have 16 (or 17) majors and over 70 career victories. At this point, I don't think anyone would be shocked if he won the Grand Slam. Personally, I wouldn't be shocked if he didn't lose a tournament at all. I don't think he'll go undefeated, because that would require a lot of good fortune to go along with his talent, but I wouldn't be shocked if he did. He's just that good.
Tiger's chase of Jack is great theater, mostly because Jack won't choke away any of his 18 majors with Tiger behind him. He is the leader in the clubhouse, but the better golfer has just made the turn and has Jack in his sights. It's only a matter of time until Tiger passes Jack in the history books.
Ernie Els? Not a chance.
Vijay Singh? Vijay who?
Rory Sabbatini? Only in Rory's dreams.
Ian Poulter? Ha!Ha! That's funny.
So who, then?
Jack Nicklaus. The Golden Bear is Tiger's only competition. And even that contest is starting to look like a mismatch.
With his victory last week at the Accenture Match Play, Tiger cleared the biggest hurdle he faced in having a season of historical proportions. Match play is very fickle, and a player can lose even if he plays great golf. Tiger nearly lost on Wednesday to JB Holmes, made an amazing comeback, and went on to win the whole thing. He made almost every putt he needed to make. He has an amazing ability to perform at his highest level when the pressure is the greatest.
At the beginning of this PGA season, Tiger stated several times that he thought he could win the Grand Slam this year. People were shocked, because Tiger almost never makes such statements. Through three events in 2008 (2 PGA Tour victories, 1 in Dubai), Tiger has made an even larger statement with his golf clubs.
I would argue that Tiger, right now, is the best golfer ever. People say he has to pass Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors before laying claim to that title, but I disagree. When Tiger turned professional, people were convinced that no one would ever approach Jack's records. The fields were too deep, the players too talented, for someone to win enough major tournaments to approach Jack's mark. Well, Tiger is now 32, and he has 13 majors and 63 career victories. By the time he's 33 (late December), he could have 16 (or 17) majors and over 70 career victories. At this point, I don't think anyone would be shocked if he won the Grand Slam. Personally, I wouldn't be shocked if he didn't lose a tournament at all. I don't think he'll go undefeated, because that would require a lot of good fortune to go along with his talent, but I wouldn't be shocked if he did. He's just that good.
Tiger's chase of Jack is great theater, mostly because Jack won't choke away any of his 18 majors with Tiger behind him. He is the leader in the clubhouse, but the better golfer has just made the turn and has Jack in his sights. It's only a matter of time until Tiger passes Jack in the history books.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
NC State Basketball: Underachievers? Or Over-rated?
NC State's season has been a roller coaster ride. A really fast roller coaster, as a matter of fact, because a lot of the season has been seemingly downhill. A thought occurred to me recently, however, that has changed my perception of this year's team.
Don't get me wrong, I am still disappointed in the season. If the team you're a fan of struggles, the season is always disappointing, even if the struggles were expected.
My theory is this: People expected a lot from this team, largely because of the run they made at the end of the season. These preseason prognosticators overlooked the entire body of work of last year's team, which may not have been wise.
The factors that most people point to as problems for this years team are effort, intensity, and rebounding. The rebounding is a problem, and, in my opinion, will continue to be an issue until Coach Lowe can recruit more rebounders. The players recruited by Herb Sendek simply are not the type of players that will be above-average rebounders. They may not even be average rebounders. Outside of JJ Hickson (recruited by Coach Lowe), most of NCSU's players are "finesse" guys who do not really have the right attitude for rebounding.
I am not convinced that the effort and intensity are new problems. Last year, the team may have gotten a pass, simply because no one will question the effort or intensity of a team that had 5 guys averaging more than 33 minutes a game.
With the exceptions of Brandon Costner and Ben McCauley, every player who was on the team last year is doing basically the same things they did last year. Gavin Grant is still the most frustrating player on the team, because he can go from brilliant to buffoon in an instant. Courtney Fells is still inconsistent, but, to his credit, he has been shooting the ball better this season than last.
McCauley and Costner have been impacted the most by the arrival of JJ Hickson. Costner also suffered an offseason knee injury that caused him to come into preseason practice somewhat out of shape. Costner has struggled with his shot this season, something that also may be attributable to his knee injury/extra weight. Without the consistent jumper, teams don't play him as tightly, which has taken away his ability to drive to the basket. As for McCauley, I feel that he has struggled mostly because the offense has changed this year. The space that he operated in last year is not available this year, partly because of Hickson, and partly because NCSU's guards have not shown an ability to run the pick and roll. McCauley and Engin Atsur were great last year on the pick and roll, and that hasn't happened at all this year.
At this point, I'd say that most people made assumptions about this year's team that have proven false. Among them:
-one of the 3 point guards would be able to step into Atsur's role.
-Costner would build on his ACC Tournament performance, and become a top ACC talent.
-added depth would help with fatigue that cost NCSU games last year.
Farnold Degand's season-ending injury cost the Wolfpack it's most experienced point guard, and thrust Javi Gonzalez into a starting role that he was not yet ready to handle. Whether it's injury, attitude, or some combination of both, Costner has regressed this season. The players whose minutes have shrunk seem to press when they are in the game, trying to squeeze 35 minutes worth of performance into 25, which has led to problems.
Basically, I think this year's NC State team, while disappointing, is not the massive failure it is being made out to be. In a year where no ACC teams other than North Carolina and Duke stood out, the media chose NCSU to finish in the top 3. When that happened, NC State fans, starved for athletic success, pounced on the prediction: "We're back!!"
In reality, the departure of Coach Sendek and the arrival of Coach Lowe signified the beginning of an overhaul that should not have been expected to happen so quickly. Coach Lowe's style is going to be vastly different than that of Coach Sendek. With the arrival of Hickson, Coach Lowe decided to jump into trying to play his preferred inside-out offensive style. Last year, the offense was still very similar to Sendek's, with a few tweaks. This year, the offense is a round hole, and some of the players are square pegs. This transition was going to happen at some point, and Coach Lowe decided that he'd go ahead and get the process started. Nearly everyone thought that everything would come together, but it simply hasn't.
However, rather than taking the "sky is falling" outlook, NC State fans could choose to look at some positive things from this season. Javi Gonzalez has grown immensely since the beginning of the season. He still makes mistakes, but he comes out with more confidence each game. JJ Hickson has gotten much better as a player. He is more able to find open men out of the post, and he makes better decisions with the ball.
Seeing players develop during the season gives me a great deal of confidence in the coaching staff, and makes me believe that good things are on the way for NC State basketball, even if I have to wait a little longer for them than I originally thought.
Don't get me wrong, I am still disappointed in the season. If the team you're a fan of struggles, the season is always disappointing, even if the struggles were expected.
My theory is this: People expected a lot from this team, largely because of the run they made at the end of the season. These preseason prognosticators overlooked the entire body of work of last year's team, which may not have been wise.
The factors that most people point to as problems for this years team are effort, intensity, and rebounding. The rebounding is a problem, and, in my opinion, will continue to be an issue until Coach Lowe can recruit more rebounders. The players recruited by Herb Sendek simply are not the type of players that will be above-average rebounders. They may not even be average rebounders. Outside of JJ Hickson (recruited by Coach Lowe), most of NCSU's players are "finesse" guys who do not really have the right attitude for rebounding.
I am not convinced that the effort and intensity are new problems. Last year, the team may have gotten a pass, simply because no one will question the effort or intensity of a team that had 5 guys averaging more than 33 minutes a game.
With the exceptions of Brandon Costner and Ben McCauley, every player who was on the team last year is doing basically the same things they did last year. Gavin Grant is still the most frustrating player on the team, because he can go from brilliant to buffoon in an instant. Courtney Fells is still inconsistent, but, to his credit, he has been shooting the ball better this season than last.
McCauley and Costner have been impacted the most by the arrival of JJ Hickson. Costner also suffered an offseason knee injury that caused him to come into preseason practice somewhat out of shape. Costner has struggled with his shot this season, something that also may be attributable to his knee injury/extra weight. Without the consistent jumper, teams don't play him as tightly, which has taken away his ability to drive to the basket. As for McCauley, I feel that he has struggled mostly because the offense has changed this year. The space that he operated in last year is not available this year, partly because of Hickson, and partly because NCSU's guards have not shown an ability to run the pick and roll. McCauley and Engin Atsur were great last year on the pick and roll, and that hasn't happened at all this year.
At this point, I'd say that most people made assumptions about this year's team that have proven false. Among them:
-one of the 3 point guards would be able to step into Atsur's role.
-Costner would build on his ACC Tournament performance, and become a top ACC talent.
-added depth would help with fatigue that cost NCSU games last year.
Farnold Degand's season-ending injury cost the Wolfpack it's most experienced point guard, and thrust Javi Gonzalez into a starting role that he was not yet ready to handle. Whether it's injury, attitude, or some combination of both, Costner has regressed this season. The players whose minutes have shrunk seem to press when they are in the game, trying to squeeze 35 minutes worth of performance into 25, which has led to problems.
Basically, I think this year's NC State team, while disappointing, is not the massive failure it is being made out to be. In a year where no ACC teams other than North Carolina and Duke stood out, the media chose NCSU to finish in the top 3. When that happened, NC State fans, starved for athletic success, pounced on the prediction: "We're back!!"
In reality, the departure of Coach Sendek and the arrival of Coach Lowe signified the beginning of an overhaul that should not have been expected to happen so quickly. Coach Lowe's style is going to be vastly different than that of Coach Sendek. With the arrival of Hickson, Coach Lowe decided to jump into trying to play his preferred inside-out offensive style. Last year, the offense was still very similar to Sendek's, with a few tweaks. This year, the offense is a round hole, and some of the players are square pegs. This transition was going to happen at some point, and Coach Lowe decided that he'd go ahead and get the process started. Nearly everyone thought that everything would come together, but it simply hasn't.
However, rather than taking the "sky is falling" outlook, NC State fans could choose to look at some positive things from this season. Javi Gonzalez has grown immensely since the beginning of the season. He still makes mistakes, but he comes out with more confidence each game. JJ Hickson has gotten much better as a player. He is more able to find open men out of the post, and he makes better decisions with the ball.
Seeing players develop during the season gives me a great deal of confidence in the coaching staff, and makes me believe that good things are on the way for NC State basketball, even if I have to wait a little longer for them than I originally thought.
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