born2reign

Less AAU and more traveling prep school model- thinking of Findley Prep and Oak Hill Academy more than Each 1 Teach 1. There is schooling and boarding involved at IMG Academy.

I want to beat Wisconsin. Then, I want to beat Duke!

The microscope for football and basketball are different. I think Rick Barnes lasted as long as he did in part because of this. The heat is less intense for basketball. That being said, Shaka Smart is supposed to up the level of the program, so he needs to do that.

I love this hire! Pretty sure @UKMustangFan won't love this move from Texas' perspective. @JokersWild24 what are your thoughts- not the coach with pro ties, but Orangebloods have to be excited, no?

Shaka Smart to be new Texas Longhorns coach

I have come over to the "24 second college shot clock" camp, but 30 is better than 35.

I would also like to see a shorter shot clock and the 3 point line moved back.

The first year will be painful, but once refs start calling the hand checks and grabs, players will adjust and we will see a more entertaining brand of basketball. I see this as very similar to the NBA.

If we are using the bolded as a qualification to speak on the subject, then we need to shut this thread down. There would be very few qualified to speak on the subject and none of them have BGP memberships, I bet.

The guy that started the comparison, DeAndre Jordan, averaged 8 pts. and 6 boards in college.

Seth Greenberg went at Webber a bit today on Mike and Mike. He started by asking for a timeout (lol) then said Webber couldn't have seen DeAndre Jordan in college. He said Jordan had no pulse and said that WCS is a better player at this stage than Jordan was. He pulled out the stats and reminded folks that Jordan didn't even start in college. I hate that Webber felt the need to be so definitively negative. He is awful at being the heel. He should focus on being a face like Grant Hill. Guys want to do what Barkley does but Barkley is genuine in delivering his opinion. The rawness is the appeal. Webber felt contrived and calculated and then was easily proven flat wrong on the logic behind his assessment. Micheal Smith pointed this out in the next segment on Mike and Mike. Poor effort by Webber, IMO.

This option is sound. I guess I would have to decide where I think the team will be most effective, with Lyles guarding the perimeter or the post? For me, the answer is the perimeter and I would put him out there on Dekker. I also get the sense that I like Lyles as a defender more than others.

Dekker himself is an elite athlete. He is one of the best athletes on the court every time he steps on the court. Your sentiment seems to underestimate the athlete that Dekker is. I also believe you are selling short Lyles. He has been pretty solid defensively this season, especially in this type of situation where he can get out and be aggressive on the perimeter and takes away passing lanes and jump shots. The other reason I start with Lyles is because it leaves me with an adjustment. I can go to WCS if Lyles struggles. If I go to WCS to start with and Dekker goes off, what is the adjustment from there? Finally, I like one of my shot blockers in a position to help defend the basket. If WCS is on Dekker and Towns is on Frank the Tank, they are not in a great position to help off their guy on rim protection because you don't want to leave those guys alone and rotations could create severe mismatches for UK.

How many 6'10" guys that are just as athletic as Dekker do you think Sam has seen this season? Maybe he gets the best of Lyles, I don't know. I feel really comfortable knowing we have Lyles to guard Dekker. Willie gets the privilege of guarding Frank the Tank, the only unanimous 1st team All-American, IMO.

They will start with Lyles on him, I would bet. Lyles can overplay him on the perimeter knowing he had help in drives to the basket. Similar size and athletic ability to Dekker. Should be a fun game within the game.

I thought that when he was hired. He makes a lot of sense.

I understand why they pulled the trigger on him, but I think if you are willing to go in this direction then Mark Jackson should have been the first call.

Chris Mullin has the same issue. The difference is the NBA experience that can be touted in recruiting. Mullin never coached and the recruits he will be after never saw him play. Johnson and Jackson bring the coaching and playing backgrounds. Only time would tell with all of these guys transitioning to college. It worked for Hoiberg, not so much for Eddie Jordan. I have an affinity for the Johnnies- I hope it works well.

Avery is intriguing. It isn't what I would do. That being said, Avery would obviously be a solid hire.

St. John's offers Chris Mullin head coach job - College Basketball - SI.com

First domino falls Dave Leitao named DePaul Blue Demons head basketball coach - ESPN Chicago

Really? Norm Roberts was the disaster. If your argument is the money, okay- maybe they could have paid less for a guy. Would there have been a coach for significantly less money that would have done more than Lavin did off the back of Norm Roberts? I don't think so, but I guess reasonable minds can disagree. Who was up for the gig when Lavin took it? Paul Hewitt, Seth Greenberg, Fran McCaffery? Those guys doing more at St. John's? Salaries likely would have been in a similar ball park- who was the better choice? 5 seasons, 4 post seasons, 2 NCAA appearances after the program was decimated for 6 years by the previous coach- Lavin did a solid job, IMO.

I think Lavin did a good job with the Johnnies.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/12555232/bobby-hurley-agreed-new-deal-buffalo-bulls-source Bobby Hurley and Bryce Drew DePaul interviews set for this weekend - Chicago Tribune I think he leaves Buffalo for the right opportunity regardless of the extension, if he actually signed it, as will Miller with Dayton.

Who I would hire: Texas- Shaka Smart Alabama- Gregg Marshall Tennessee- Brad Underwood St. John's- Mark Jackson I think Texas will go get Gregg Marshall. I think Bobby Hurley will end up at St. John's. I have no idea who Bama and UT end up with, but I will scream it from the mountain tops that one of them should go get Brad Underwood from Stephen F. Austin if they can't get the bigger names that they may covet.