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Majerus on Freshmen and Signees


davidnark

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We’ve signed two good players for next year. We’ve got two good freshmen who don’t play this year. I have a freshman (6-11 John Manning) I guarantee will be an all-league player that I can’t get into a game. I don’t say that lightly. It’s tough to be an all-league player.

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We’ve signed two good players for next year. We’ve got two good freshmen who don’t play this year. I have a freshman (6-11 John Manning) I guarantee will be an all-league player that I can’t get into a game. I don’t say that lightly. It’s tough to be an all-league player.

HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE

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We’ve signed two good players for next year. We’ve got two good freshmen who don’t play this year. I have a freshman (6-11 John Manning) I guarantee will be an all-league player that I can’t get into a game. I don’t say that lightly. It’s tough to be an all-league player.

I wonder if this comment does or does not include ET? He seems to have a very nice outside shot and he has good height. With what we are hearing about our recruits, our freshman, and who we have coming back, we should be able to turn it up a big notch next year.

When did RM make these comments? They seem like they could be old.

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I wonder if this comment does or does not include ET? He seems to have a very nice outside shot and he has good height. With what we are hearing about our recruits, our freshman, and who we have coming back, we should be able to turn it up a big notch next year.

When did RM make these comments? They seem like they could be old.

He made them during the A10 coaches teleconference today.

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And a Majerus interview when he took the job 5 years ago. Just stumbled across this. Some interesting stuff:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_blogs/basketball/ncaa/2007/05/blog-q-with-st-louis-rick-majerus.html

LW: Realistically, how quickly can St. Louis get back to the NCAA tournament?

RM: I had one day with the guys in the gym -- for two hours. I've watched one film of them. I'm not going to give you the Polyanna, and say we'll be there this year or be damned. I'm only 14 days into the job, and [because of the late hire], we're really behind in recruiting, scheduling. We're just trying to scramble.

I still haven't hit that critical stage when you don't know what you don't know. Initially when you take over, there's a ton of stuff you know don't know. When you get your hands wrapped around that, then comes the onslaught. I walked into the AD's

office, one week ago from tomorrow, and he said we still have to schedule 7-9 games. So now we're trying to put together a schedule. We're trying to do the best we can.

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I'm missing something on the John Manning comments. Earlier in the season, when Corey R would come in, commit a charge and then a moving screen in two minutes and then would go sit down again, surely Manning couldn't have done any worse . He HAS been in games so he can't redshirt. I don't understand why he doesn't play at least some. And I don't mean mop-up like the Fordham game. (And what does "it's tough to be an all-league player" mean??)

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I'm a little baffled by mannings lack of pt as well. Seems to me that he and glaze should have been redshifted unless rm thinks they need to be playing to keep the others competing.

Re it being tough to be all league I think he's just stressing that the kid has talent. Not everyone has all league potential

I'm missing something on the John Manning comments. Earlier in the season, when Corey R would come in, commit a charge and then a moving screen in two minutes and then would go sit down again, surely Manning couldn't have done any worse . He HAS been in games so he can't redshirt. I don't understand why he doesn't play at least some. And I don't mean mop-up like the Fordham game. (And what does "it's tough to be an all-league player" mean??)

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I'm missing something on the John Manning comments. Earlier in the season, when Corey R would come in, commit a charge and then a moving screen in two minutes and then would go sit down again, surely Manning couldn't have done any worse . He HAS been in games so he can't redshirt. I don't understand why he doesn't play at least some. And I don't mean mop-up like the Fordham game. (And what does "it's tough to be an all-league player" mean??)

My guess would be that if he replaced CR in the rotation with JM, he would run the risk of completely losing him. He has seen in Cory what we have seen in just the last few games. It is imperitive for us to get a bigger contribution from Cory next year and JM and GG must be a little less fragile than CR. Just a thought.

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Keep in mind we will have JB be all-league as well (according in RM). I agree with Bballfan that he would have completely alienated CR if JM started taking his minutes.

I have really liked CR in there since the LaSalle game. More great decision-making by Majerus (i.e. not giving up on Cory)

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I think its a question of if its not broke, don't fix it. He's playing for this year. The rotation is working well and everyone needs minutes to stay sharp. Why change?

I agree, for the first time in Majerus' five years here we are playing for a spot in this years Dance and not looking at next year to be "the year".
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Can't question RM, but he did say the same thing about JB. I'm just hoping JB is a contributor next year. If we had another deadeye off the bench that would be huge.

In fairness, my memory was that RM made the comment about JB one time and people on this board kept repeating it. He has definitely repeated the Manning lines a couple times but you can note he is no longer predicting him as an NBA player.

I'm sure he has multiple motivations in hyping up Manning, but undoubtedly one of which is letting him know that despite not getting any playing time he is a key part of this team down the road.

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In fairness, my memory was that RM made the comment about JB one time and people on this board kept repeating it. He has definitely repeated the Manning lines a couple times but you can note he is no longer predicting him as an NBA player.

I'm sure he has multiple motivations in hyping up Manning, but undoubtedly one of which is letting him know that despite not getting any playing time he is a key part of this team down the road.

I'll beg to disagree on JB. I think it was more than just one time, but really who's counting? JB certainly seemed to possess the cred to be a future all A-10 after his FR year at TU. The fact he couldn't even get in the rotation just proves how much talent this team has. Still, I'd like to see him come thru next year as a legit 3 threat, if that's his strength. You can never have enough talent.

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In fairness, my memory was that RM made the comment about JB one time and people on this board kept repeating it. He has definitely repeated the Manning lines a couple times but you can note he is no longer predicting him as an NBA player.

I'm sure he has multiple motivations in hyping up Manning, but undoubtedly one of which is letting him know that despite not getting any playing time he is a key part of this team down the road.

Anything is possible:

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We’ve signed two good players for next year. We’ve got two good freshmen who don’t play this year. I have a freshman (6-11 John Manning) I guarantee will be an all-league player that I can’t get into a game. I don’t say that lightly. It’s tough to be an all-league player.

You could argue the same thing about the two incoming freshmen next year. You are going to have JJ, KM, MM, and DE probably demanding close to 30 minutes a game and JB is probably going to be taking whatever time they don't get. 120 minutes for those 3 perimeter positions is all you get. And with 5 big men next year (and CE will surely be starting at the 4), there is not going to be any room down low.

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You could argue the same thing about the two incoming freshmen next year. You are going to have JJ, KM, MM, and DE probably demanding close to 30 minutes a game and JB is probably going to be taking whatever time they don't get. 120 minutes for those 3 perimeter positions is all you get. And with 5 big men next year (and CE will surely be starting at the 4), there is not going to be any room down low.

If Carter is as good as advertised and as good as he is playing for the second best team in Illinois, a player who some rate as the best point guard in the state with great athletic ability, great defensive skills and a very good passer-and he can shoot-- I would be shocked if he is not getting time by the end of the year. He will be the fourth guard behind KM, MM, and JJ. I would suspect that JB will be fighting for time at the three unless he improves and gets better over the summer.

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I am not doubting that JM will be a good player, but I've noticed that RM often really talks up his bench players who are not an important part of the regular rotation. He did it with Eckerle. He did it with JB and is doing it with JM. When he said JM had the best NBA potential on the team, I do not believe that. Loe has the best NBA potential. I suspect RM talks these guys up for two reasons... one is to keep their spirits up, but more importantly, I think he is trying to keep the other guys motivated. He wants to make it seem like JM is nipping at the heels of guys like CR and RL for playing time.

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Loe has the best NBA potential. I suspect RM talks these guys up for two reasons... one is to keep their spirits up, but more importantly, I think he is trying to keep the other guys motivated. He wants to make it seem like JM is nipping at the heels of guys like CR and RL for playing time.

Correct.

RM said during at least one Billiken Club meeting that he liked the idea of JM pushing CR.

Rammer said on his show last week that it is a FACT that NBA scouts are keeping an eye on RL.

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I am not doubting that JM will be a good player, but I've noticed that RM often really talks up his bench players who are not an important part of the regular rotation. He did it with Eckerle. He did it with JB and is doing it with JM. When he said JM had the best NBA potential on the team, I do not believe that. Loe has the best NBA potential. I suspect RM talks these guys up for two reasons... one is to keep their spirits up, but more importantly, I think he is trying to keep the other guys motivated. He wants to make it seem like JM is nipping at the heels of guys like CR and RL for playing time.

Good thinking here Ace. Plus 1

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I am not doubting that JM will be a good player, but I've noticed that RM often really talks up his bench players who are not an important part of the regular rotation. He did it with Eckerle. He did it with JB and is doing it with JM. When he said JM had the best NBA potential on the team, I do not believe that. Loe has the best NBA potential. I suspect RM talks these guys up for two reasons... one is to keep their spirits up, but more importantly, I think he is trying to keep the other guys motivated. He wants to make it seem like JM is nipping at the heels of guys like CR and RL for playing time.

Un fair to Eckerle. He blew out his knee and came back slower and lost more than a competitive step.

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I'm not ready to write off JB just yet. CR is proving that once a kid finally "gets it," he can be a productive contributor.

JB is a shooter, but when he comes in to mop up he eats clock. He is no Cotto who thought basketball was all about his shot.

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