SLU_Nick Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 That we are a much better team this year than last year. People last year were saying that polk was going to be the second best guard on the team behind reggie. Now most of us are putting him 5th or 6th on the depth chart. Practices are taking a different feel this year too. Perhaps the reason is because playing time is up for grabs, but last year's practices consisted of Polk pushing the ball, no one running with him...and him bringing it back out to start the anemic offense. And when they did get in the offense RB would roam around the arc waiting to shoot while everyone else watched. This year everyone runs and seems to have the ability to score. This year I see more hustle, determination, and teamwork than last year. It may be a consequence of ADs leadership but something different is cooking down in that gym on West Pine. I have reserved predicting this season's record so far....but I think Im with Nark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 Not so quick - I am not sure everyone thinks DP is the 5th or 6th guard on this team. He looked very good Saturday and from what alignment of the two teams were it looks like Brad thinks he is the pg he has at this time. I do agree that the play I saw Saturday did not resemble anything of what was seen at the games last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 I think we are better. I know you've been to practices. What is your opinion of who should be starting. Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGoat Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 It really is this simple. If we go 4 guards to start it will be DP, AD, TL, DB, IV. If we go three guards it will be DP, AD, TL, JJ/VN, IV. DP will be the starting PG, write it down! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 Maybe to start the season ... but Kevin will be in the starting lineup very soon Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLU_Nick Posted November 7, 2005 Author Share Posted November 7, 2005 Eventually, I see the starting lineup leveling out as Tommie, Kevin, Dwayne, JJ, IV Exchange DP and DB depending on who is stronger with the ball Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB Scout Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 A four guard lineup is likely to start the season and it will be AD, DP, DB, TL, IV. This group has been winning the last two Saturday scrimmage games at practice. At the practices you can see the energy and enthusiasm in this year team that was not present with last year squad. The guys are appoaching practice the way a 15-year-old approaches the drive-in. They just have that look in their eyes. This team could surprise everyone and be dancing in the NCAA Tournament or NIT if they develope a couple of go-to scorers to compliment IV. KL,DP,DB are my prime candidates to become that go-to scorer. They are sound defenders, good perimeter shooters, good passers and possesses the ability to put the ball on the floor and finish strong. But if TL ever developes a consistence jumper he would be my first choice. The guard competition over at West Pine has reached a fever pitch in practice. Each guy benefits from having the others to compete against as they all know playing time is up in the air. When it's all said and done, everyone wants to win. And it is all about winning!! It's really, really a good time to be a part of the Billikens family. BB Scout- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taj79 Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 .... that this team is young, has no proven inside presence, is guard-dominated, and is playing very well against itself in practices. And one more thing, hope springs eternal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidnark Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 >The guys are appoaching practice the way a 15-year-old approaches >the drive-in. They just have that look in their eyes. I am a little young to remember much about drive-ins, but I assume that the 15-year-old wasn't looking forward to the actual movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 that we are kidding ourselves if we think this team's got a chance at post season activity. That we will come along and end up in the middle of the A-10 pack (7th-9th)and may scare a higher seed in the tourney possibly even an upset. That we will come out of our non conference schedule a little battered but better for it. That we will struggle all year in the inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bills16 Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 the news director at the radio station where i work, age 59, says when he was growing up they called the drive-inns, "passion pits". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 So you think there is no chance, Zero, Zilch, None? I would say we have a slight chance, but alot of things have to come together. We can overcome the lack of a 4 ... if Ian plays as good as he has looked in practice and our guards play up to their potential. Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willie Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 SLU 72 What did you pick for our record last year? You are such a bear. Who knows how good this team can be. I'm sure you didn't think we could go to the tournament in Larry's first year or the miricle at Memphis. Lets play some games before you give up on this group. Will the play post season? I don't know but neither do you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 Skip anything's possible, just look at my NY Giants this year and my Boston Red Sox last year. I would like nothing better than the Bills to pull off the impossible dream. The problem I see in playing without a legit #4 (the 4 guard system)is that IV will be open to a lot of fouls without another big to help out both on rebounding and defense. No matter how much he's improved, he can't be expected, nor can anyone but a Bill Walton or a Bill Russell type, to handle the inside all alone. Also, when he's on offense if he starts racking up points the opponents will start doubling him up. We better be able to score from the outside if this happens. Hopefully, JJ or VN gives us another inside force so they can't do this. It's like what we did to UC last year to negate their bigs. We packed it in, they kicked it out, and Hicks and the other guards had a field day raining 3's on us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 Not trying to be a bear or negative. I figured with the Legend and the incoming frosh, they'd go, especially the way Spoon had them play D. Do we have a Legend on this year's team? I didn't see any 5 star recruits register for classes this year. Look I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and hope they improve and develop all year long. My projection is 13 wins with at least 9 coming against A-10 opponents, which give us middle of the pack not next to last ahead of the St. Bonaventure school of Welding and diesel repair. Last year I had them down for 19 wins, figured that was a lock. Well, there were those nagging injuries and other problems. But one way to have negated that last year would have been for AD to progress and develop, he didn't and some think he regressed with his shot. Really the only players that did come along last year were IV and our frosh. I don't see why one should be castigated for having an honest opinion on how they see things happening this year. It doesn't mean we're anti billiken, doesn't mean we'll be cheering against them just to see our picks come true. Hell, I hope they go undefeated. Will they? No. Will they make post season, unlikely. Will they finish higher than next to last in the A-10, I believe they will and that by itself will be a big achievement and bode well for the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 A game over .500 and a possible NIT game is not that far fetched. Have we already written off JJ, VN, and Obi for the year? This four guard stuff is going to our heads I think. Relying on even talented freshmen is tough but we didn't lose all that much in Tom and Reggie (not their fault) and IO was tough but stoppable, especially late in the game it seemed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB Scout Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 davidnark/bills16 - born in the wrong era huh? Memories of drive-ins -- some you talk about and some you don't,LOL. The "passion pit". Did everything from cleaning the floors and selling tickets and running the snack bar to operating the projectors and watching for people trying to sneak in. Anytime there was only one person in the car, that was suspicious and you would check the trunk. Yes the Billikens players and coaches have that passion in their eyes because that's what it takes to be successful this day and time. BB Scout- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kshoe Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 All we need is .500 for an NIT birth and you are saying we are kidding ourselves thinking we can do that? Give me a break. I saw your response to Willie down below and I don't believe you picked us for the dance in Larry's year (I have no way to prove it but you would have been in the vast minority). We were coming off an 11-17 campaign were losing our top power forward in Harris and had an unproven freshman class. nobody thought we'd make the dance that year and most only hoped for .500. I can't believe you, Mr. negativity, would have been in the NCAA camp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 I read your post as saying we had no chance. I agree it will be tough ... but I happen to think we will end up with more of our questions answered positively than negatively. I've already ordered 2 dozen tickets to all 1st round NCAA venues. I'm going to have to charge you double when the time comes Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB Scout Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 You take lemons and make lemonade. I know that's cliche but that's what has to be done. This is a hard working group. The young guys seem set on making this a strong program. Expectation can be good for a program. It helps you in a lot of ways because it creates a lot of excitement. Stage one we establish a good work ethic, play hard, play smart and play together. If they do that we move on to stage two. These are big steps for a team that was below ground level last season. It can and will happen......... BB Scout- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 I wasn't a poster in Larry's year. But from what I heard of him from an assistant coach at Ohio State, he said expect it because Hughes was so good he could carry a team to the NCAA all by himself. So I expected it. I would have predicted an NCAA invite in 2000-01 the year after the miracle in Memphis, didn't happen, still don't know why, that was a good team. I predicted 18 or 19 wins in UB's first year, you can check that I believe and the team was in disarray. Can't remember his second year but was pretty sure it was on the plus side, predicted the plus side last year. This is negative thinking? Why is even my 13-16 prediction this year negative? Hell, that would exceed all the national mags, A-10 coaches and writers, SI, CBS, and most everyone else who follows college hoops. That's negative? C'mon, kshoe, give me a break. I want them to surprise me and everyone else, but when you look at it objectively it doesn't scream post season. But hey who knows, isn't this why we watch the games? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kshoe Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 comes from just about all of your posts. Your prediction of 13-16 isn't all that negative (although I do believe you raised it from earlier predictions of 11-16 that I took you to task for) but when you say "we are kidding ourselves if we think this team's got a chance at post season activity" now that is negative. With our schedule strength a .500 record probably gets us in the NIT. Are we kidding oursleves for a .500 record? Below was your thinking on our record as little as a month ago. http://www.billikens.com/dcforum/DCForumID3/5046.html#1 what has changed for you to add two wins to your prediction? and why do you think it is so crazy for the rest of us to believe we can get 2 more wins on top of that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 you know what comes to mind? just about every year that we have had any amount of success, someone somewhat unexpected has stepped up to a level we did not forsee. last year was the example of somewhat the opposite. it was the first time in a long time that players that we expected to be the horses, didnt come through. sure it was injuries that caused that, but still we really didnt have anyone jump to the forfront and do more than expected like a mo jeffers, or justin love or josh fisher, or even larry hughes was far better than anyone ever dreamed he would be his freshman season. the opportunity is definitely there. all the spots but the center position are apparently there for the taking. so let's just sit back for about 45 days and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 Did I call anyone crazy? One more time I hope you're right, hope I'm wrong. Jeez, so I'm refusing to drink your kool aid. Do we get caned for that now? The other two wins came from adding an upset and avoiding an unexpected loss I had in there on my 11-16 pick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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