Donkey

It was posted on RSS that no scholarship offer has been extended to Jones; however, supposedly Jones really wants an opportunity to prove himself. It sounds like he is a preferred walkon candidate and nothing else. I do wonder if Miles is entertaining Jones because Peltz's recovery has not been progressing as expected.

Actually Pitino only had 3 scholorship players left as 6 or 7 transferred after Thomas was fired. The three top scorers for FIU were recruited by Pitino. Damn computer. Looks like I was relying on bad info.

Actually Pitino only had 3 scholorship players left as 6 or 7 transferred after Thomas was fired. The three top scorers for FIU were recruited by Pitino. I guess I was given bad information.

I watched the Richard Pitino coach against Western Kentucky in the Sun Belt Conference Championship this year. The announcers raved about Richard Pitino's ability, but I am a bit weary. Pitino was at Florida International for one year and won with players recruited by Isiah Thomas. While Isiah Thomas is not exactly a great coach, he is an outstanding recruiter and some of his classes were highly respected for a mid-major program with no history. Pitino should have won with that team. I want to see how he does with recruiting before getting worried. Ric Pitino's style of play is definitely good but only Billy Donovan and Tubby Smith have really distinguished themselves (although Travis Ford could be on his way). And Tubby won a NC with Pitino's players at Kentucky who had been to the NC game the last two previous years. Tubby's offensive style is different than Pitino's. Most of the rest of the coaches off the Pitino coaching tree are great mid-major coaches (Mick Cronin, Ralf Willard, John Pelphery, Kevin Willard, etc) and are all middle of the pack top tier coaches.

Just looking at the numbers those guys put up last year, either one of them would have definitely been in the rotation this last year and probably the upcoming year as well. Maybe the coaching staff didn't think they would cut it. Did they explore other JUCOs to balance the class? Just curious. Had we not held back a scholarship last year, who could we have realistically pursued? From what I recall, the staff brought in two transfers, a JUCO, and a prep school kid. It appears they scoured all available resources to find talent. If they didn't like what was out there, why hand out a scholarship for another player to simply ride the bench? People on this board have been very outspoken about SV riding the pine. Heck some on here bring up Ping as an example of NOT just giving out scholarships to fill out spots.

tcp, you have to stay away from those unreliable websites. Huffington Post and daily kos are of the same ilk. If you want the truth, it's Drudge, the blaze and HHC. The Drudge report started as a Hollywood gossip column and hasn't progressed very far from that. As much as I wish you were right, there have been a few times where they were half a step ahead of me while I was trying to . . . handle an issue. It is really no fun when I find myself saying "how the fvck did Drudge get that?"

I definitely understand the need for locking down the top instate talent; however, that does not necessarily mean signing the highest rate players in the state. Why not set aside a preferred instate walkon spot for at least one player a year? I am a bit surprised that not one Nebraska high school player, at least to my knowledge, have been identified (granted such information may not be public knowledge).

1. The 2005 class was recruited and coached by Barry Collier not Doc Sadler. Doc's first season coaching at Nebraska was 2006-2007. Oddly enough, the 2006 class that Barry brought in had promise with Roburt Sallie, Toni Soda, Kris Douse, and Ryan Anderson (I think Jay-R Strowbridge and Sek Henry were added by Doc, please correct me if I am wrong). 2. Doc's first real class was the 2007 group which, as I recalled, was supposed to fill roster spots with ready-to-play guys like Steve Harley and Adie Dagunduro mixed with some good high school kids in Cookie Miller, Alonzo Edwards, and Tony McCray. But there was immediate trouble in the front court with JC's Adam Chapman and Shang Ping. Those two misses were HUGE as pretty much all of Barry's big men, with the exception of a hobbled Balham, were gone. We were left with a guard heavy team and no future front court outside of Edwards (who transferred). 3. 2008 Was supposed to cure the front court problems but . . . the facts speak for themselves. Niemann had knee problems and Diaz was not even admitted until half way through the season. However, it seems Doc's attempt to just fill the bench with warm bodies backfired as there were not enough scholarships to bring in more than 3 players (also wasn't Bear Jones a last minute addition when he had qualification issues??). 4. 2009: Good class but it almost seemed Doc was just trying to fill out his bench. Cookie Miller and Alonzo Edwards transfer. Harley, Adie, and Balham graduate. Sek Henry and Ryan Anderson are left from 2006, and Richardson and McCray remain from the 9 member class of 2007. That FIVE (5) players remaining from classes comprising FIFTEEN (15) players. Keeping 1 of 3 recruited and signed players is NEVER a good thing. As a result Doc had to bring in Jeter (a solid player) and Hankins (McDonald's anyone?): two more JUCO players when he should have been giving scholarships to high school players. The high school players, Standhardinger, Gallegos, Ubel, Holley were probably Doc's best group of high school players. However, Ubel was supposed to be more of a stretch PF (so no true big man) and there was no true point guard in the high school class. 5. 2010: Walker and Almedia. While both had their value, the complete lack of high school kids pretty much signaled the end of Doc. Still no young point guard since Cookie Miller and no high school inside banger. 6. 2011: Finally a high school PG in Hilliard with two SF's; no JUCO's; still no high school big man to play in the post. I think this class was finally in the right direction but it was too late. Looking back, Doc was poor at planning around his needs. He seemed to keep loading up on combo guards and wings. That is fine except when having those players defend a 6-8 to 6-10 bruiser in the middle. Yes the big guys he recruited had unforeseeable issues (transfers, injuries, and qualification issues), but his fix was short term in the form of JUCO's. Plus, factor in issues at PG, and a squad comprised entirely of combo guards and wings just will not work without a ball distributor or a legitimate post presence. If Doc had not relied so heavily on JUCO's and focused on developmental guys, there probably would be more depth on this team. One last thing to think about. Let's assume Gallegos had not redshirted, Rivers would be most senior player on the team with him and Biggs being the only upperclassmen. Now that is even more scary to think about.

Situations with guys like Oriakhi are rare. However, I have noticed a tactic some of the middle-of-the-pack major conference or upper tier mid-major conference schools have been using. The coach will see a need for a backup player with specific skills (i.e. good defender, 3 pt shooter, rebounder) and will look around at the top talent in the small conferences which rarely send more than one school to the tournament. Many of those small school programs redshirt their kids to give them an extra year of development and graduate kids in four years. Most of the kids at these schools have no expectation of playing in the NBA and would jump at the chance to earn a Masters degree while having the opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament. The graduate students provide a veteran presence and will fill their roles. Plus, if the player does not work out, he is gone at the end of the year without any issue. It seems like a win/win situation.

A counterpart of mine is a diehard Michigan State alum. He graduated from MSU in 1977, rarely misses watching football and basketball games, and is extremely level headed and honest when it comes to sports. We talked yesterday and he offered a few thoughts: 1. Had the MSU defense not been "perfect" against Ray Gallegos, Nebraska would have won. He praised MSU's defense and admitted that it is rare for a player like Gallegos to be shut down like that. 2. Outside of Gallegos, he thought Nebraska's three point shooting was incredible. He said that MSU's defense does not allow that many 3pt shots and Nebraska moved the ball around pretty well. 3. Almeida should NEVER play. He felt Almeida was too weak, slow . . . etc. to play in the Big Ten. 4. He is scared of Nebraska next year. There is a concern among MSU fans that the Nebraska staff twice outcoached the MSU staff and that better athletes will translate quickly in the Nebraska system. He is familiar with Pitchford and Petteway, and feels both will take Nebraska to another level fast. He felt Ubel was a solid, yet replaceable, role player. When I brought up issues of size and the lack of a point guard, he said: (a) point guard should not be a huge concern because the players seem to be good at moving the ball around; and ( size should not be an issue if guys like Shields and Rivers keep crashing the boards. 5. He is very impressed with Shields and Rivers and was surprised how young they are. I do not agree with everything he said, but I wanted to share.

Wasn't it Chris Weber who broke his nose twice during the Fab Four's sophomore regular season? Once in practice and another time during the game? I could have sworn remember seeing him play with one of those face masks like Rip Hamilton normally wears (who broke his nose so many times he just made it a permanent, precautionary fixture).

I did not attend the game and only watched it while reading files, so my views are should not be given much weight but: 1. Talley and Ubel seem to be more assertive and stronger leaders than earlier in the season. 2. The team is really becoming more and more cohesive. The communication seems to have improved, and the resiliency is incredible. The pauses in transition are becoming fewer and farther between. In previous games, the trapping by Northwestern would have been problematic but the guys moved the ball up the court more effectively. 3. Talent level is not as much of an issue as depth any more. A healthy Nebraska 1-7 bench, without foul trouble, can keep up with most in a very deep conference.

As one of my oldest, dearest friends used to say: "after a long enough drought, even the fat chicks seem appealing." Shields may not be a homely wall flower, but he definitely is not the prom queen. He is somewhere in the middle and the sexiest of a shallow group which arguably has not had a homecoming queen since Tyron Lue obsconded for a wealthy suitor. People want hope and Shields offers an immediate glimpse into the future. We need Nebrasketball to be a front page item and overtake random articles of winter weightlifting and spring practices or football recruiting news about guys who probably will not see the field for another two years. If Shields helps Nebrasketball's exposure, give him a crown, scepter, and a bouquet of roses (although I doubt he would wear a dress), and anoint him royalty for all I care. Either way, Shields is something good, so lets run with it.

While I understand the need to explain why a vastly inferior team nearly beat on the road an obviously superior team, inherent within Izzo's remark was that his team was not prepared for Nebraska's speed. I highly doubt that fact is true. Izzo is one of the hardest working, prepared coaches in college basketball. His players rarely get beat by an inferior team like Nebraska. I did not see any let down from the Spartans, yet Nebraska still hung with them. In his own way, Izzo could be admitting he was out coached by Miles. I am not sure that is the case, but it would give an explanation for Izzo's views. I did not watch the Ohio State game, but I have been very impressed with Nebraska's play since starting Big Ten play so far. The bench is shallow. Key players are hurt. A new system is being implemented. Walkons are playing important roles. I am pleased to say the least.

While I took this thread as simply an amusing topic, it is not uncommon for great athletes to do well in both sports. North Carolina had Julius Peppers playing on the hard court. Antonio Gates played on the Kent State Elite 8 squad. George Mason has 6'7" Jai Lewis at Center in 2006 who tried out for the NFL. Great athletes play sports. They may favor one sport over the other but that does not mean they cannot play anything else. Btw, Matt Davison wanted a basketball scholarship. Football was his second choice.

Didn't Zachary Sterup have a decorated high school basketball career?

Back in the mid-late 90's, Kentucky had this walkon guard named Cameron Mills. He originally joined the team as a student manager but Pitino added him to the squad because the kid had heart. Tubby Smith even kept Mills on the team after Pitino left. Back then Kentucky had 3-4 first round picks a year and many of them left school early. Kentucky played in three straight NCAA finals while Mills was there and there was a real need to get younger players minutes because the starters left so early. It was once asked why Kentucky gave up a bench spot for Mills. The answer was simple: he pushed the more talented players in practice. The guy had a lot of heart and pride and knew the importance of playing at Kentucky (similar to Nebraska walkons in football). He made sure some of those star players understood the need for hard work and relying upon teammates. Players like Mills and Peltz are needed on teams to keep everyone else grounded. They are just happy to be there and to be playing for the school the love. I have not been to a game or watched all of the games on tv this season, but I noticed in all the games I have watched that Peltz plays hard no matter whom he is against. He does not do everything right, but he definitely tries. That kind of attitude can resonate in the locker room as well as on the court.

Remember the Ball State team he built that nearly beat UNLV back in 1989 or 1990? That Utah team in1998 which beat a UNC team loaded with future NBA first round picks a year after his greatest player (Keith Van Horne) graduated (granted Andre Miller, Hanno Motola were not exactly scrubs themselves)? It is my understanding Majerus never lived in a house. Instead, he lived out of a hotel wherever he coached. His life was so simple: basketball (and from stories he was also supposedly a devoted son). He may not have lived healthy, but he definitely lived an interesting life.

What is the most important to me is that they bounced back from a loss. Nebraska had some good momentum until the Kent State game. The guys could have given up, but they did not. Not only did Nebraska win, but they won decisively on the road. There may be numerous minuses to the team, but they definitely play with heart and conviction.

1. We all knew the bench was going to be very shallow this season. Ever since Danny Nee left, Nebraska's depth has slowly diminished. Its not a Barry Collier thing or a Doc Sadler thing; its an institutional problem. Granted, over the years some good players have passed through the program; but when they went to the bench, a lesser, more often than not substantially lesser, player came off the bench to replace him. Confounding matters was that some of the good talent left about the time they were needed to step up in place of a departing senior. Doc did the best he could by bringing in some good JUCO's, but they are only here for two years. Worsening the problem was a slew of injuries (it seemed like almost every big man had to sit out all or part of a season with a knee injury) or kids failing to qualify academically. It just seems like Nebraska has not had a full squad for some time. We got by some years thanks to strong guard play, good shooting, and solid defense, but it always felt like everything could fall apart for one season. Unfortunately, that time came this season. Picture this time if Vander Joaquim and Adrian Coleman qualified; Christian Standhardinger and Myles Holley did not transfer (2009 class). What if Nebraska would have signed at least 1 high school player in 2010? What if Diaz, Moore, and Hilliard remained on the team? What if Niemann's knees did not give out? Lots of if's there. 2. Miles was very smart by bringing in the transfers. Granted, the back court will be vastly improved next year, but the front court will remain shallow. That being said, size is not always necessary to win. A number of schools have advanced to the NCAA tournament, and even played the second weekend, with 1-3 true bigs. Villanova run a number of 3-4 guard lineups for years. Pittsburgh relied upon "bigs" such as Sam Young (6'7") and DeJuan Blair (6'8") for a few years. George Mason's magical 2006 run relied upon Jai Lewis (6'7") and Will Thomas (6'9") in the post and beat a very talented Connecticut in the Elite 8 which had four players who were 6'8" or taller with Hilton Armstrong, 6'11", Jaron Boone, 6'10", Rudy Gay, 6'9", and Ed Nelson, 6'8". Nelson was not a key contributor and Gay mostly played SF leaving Armstrong and Boone as the primary front court guys with size. I remember a few Virginia Tech teams with lots of size repeatedly failing to make the tournament over the years. What really matters is how well the guards and wings perform. If you have a good floor general, a few shooters to keep the defense honest, and a slasher or two, teams have a better chance of advancing to the NCAA tournament. Next year we will have: PG: Biggs, Parker, Webster SG: Gallegos, Shields SF: Petteway, Hawkins, Fuller In theory, we could put any combination of Petteway, Hawkins, Shields, and Rivers at the 4 with Pitchford or Vucetic at the 5 and be fine. I do agree it would be nice to have a 6'8"-6'10" JUCO or a prep school signee for next year, but this team has some athleticism and should be able to compensate for its . . . shortcomings.

She got bored with me and moved on.

Could the conditioning issue be more of a response to emotion than being in good shape? Sounds like this was a bit of an emotional game. Could it be the team was coming off its emotional high after a strong first half?

Ha! I dated this 26 year old girl who was a bit tech crazy. She set my place set up. I would be completely in the dark if it had not been for her. Heck, I do not even have cable anymore but I am able to watch almost any thing.

1. Get an Apple TV tuner (about $80-100 at WalMart, Target or Best Buy). 2. Plug the Apple TV into your TV (I recommend using the HDMI cables for better picture quality) and internet (either through the ethernet plug or via wifi). 3. Download the Watch ESPN app on your iPad (you will need to sign in using your cable email address, e.g. @verizon.com, @comcast.com, etc). 4. Once you get everything set up on the Apple TV and your iPad, select the game you want to watch. Click on the little box which comes up next to the "Play" button. It will say "Apple TV". Check that and make sure to turn on the "Mirroring". I also advise keeping your iPad on the charger while doing this. If you have VerizonFios, you can also stream the Big Ten Network as well. Just download the app and create an account.

The following may be a bit off the wall but: 1. Vanderbilt: while their athletics are not outstanding, both the football and basketball programs have made steady improvements over the last 5-10 years. But the big part is Vanderbilt's connections with Nashville (a growing metropolitan area), Memphis, and Kentucky. There are already strong Big Ten connections in the Louisville area (Indiana) and the Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati area (Ohio State). Vanderbilt could help solidify that Kentucky plus give us a connection to the deep south (recruiting). Plus, the academics are great. I have heard for some time that the SEC would not mind losing Vanderbilt, and Vanderbilt has considered leaving the SEC for a conference with better academic standards (about 10 years ago it was rumored Vanderbilt wanted to leave for the A-10 if it were to have a football schedule). 2. Duke/UNC/Wake Forest: North Carolina's Tech corridor is booming and creating more jobs than the state can fill. The state population has only been growing for the last 15 years. Making a dent into the North Carolina market will be huge in the next 10 years. Its my understanding that a good number of Big Ten grads have been moving to North Carolina the past few years as well. All three institutions have the academics and are better athletic programs than Maryland. I think it would be better to invest in Duke or UNC; however, I really doubt we would be able to take one without the other. Wake would mostly be a consolation prize. 3. Connecticut:the move would solidify the entire northeast corridor. I know Syracuse is a better school, but it does not have the ties to NYC (or Boston for that matter) that Connecticut has. One thing to consider, the ACC moved fast and behind the scenes when it took Pitt and Syracuse from the Big East. Supposedly the only hang up for Connecticut was it needed a dance partner for the move (e.g. Rutgers). Now, Connecticut suddenly is noncommittal about joining the ACC. It would not surprise me if Connecticut is already talking to BOTH the Big Ten and the ACC. 4. Georgia Tech: I love the idea. HOWEVER, it is my impression that Georgia is the dominant school followed by Florida State, Clemson AND THEN Georgia Tech. That being said, it is my understanding that there is already a strong Nebraska presence in Atlanta. 5. Clemson: It is my understanding there are enough Clemson alums to make headway into both Atlanta and North Carolina. I remember when we went to the Gator Bowl, Clemson was selected because it was believed they would have a stronger fan showing than that of Florida State.