Going to try to respond some comments in here and throw out a few other things...
So here goes...Harry...I get the feeling that you think I'm anti-Burke. Negative the new staff. Not that way at all. Go back to the very beginning of my speculation on the coaching search. Robert Burke was the first name I mentioned. I was very much in favor of there being a "national search". I don't agree with everything that went on in the process, but I don't really have a problem with the result. However, I do feel that Robert Burke is coming into a much more difficult situation than the one that his predecessor came into. And I think the public perception may not be that. Certainly the team that Milan Brown inherited had a record not near as good as the record of the the team that Robert Burke inherited. But Brown had most of the parts coming back from a team that finished up strongly. Burke has lost the key ingredients to what has been a very successful three years of Mount basketball. Also factor in that Milan Brown was on staff and had "his" recruits coming. Burke, not only wasn't on staff, but the kids that were coming opted to go elsewhere. Ultimately, in the long run if they felt that was best for them, that is what was best for the Mount. So they were left to try to find three scholarship players when the pool was already greatly narrowed. From what I have from those three thus far, under the circumstances, I think they did a great job. My biggest concern is that every team in the NEC other than Mount and Bryant has commitments at this point. Those are just facts. I'd like to be able to report something differently.
Richard....About this Kenny guy? You know about as much as I do, because you were at the scrimmage on Tuesday. As far as I know he is a walk-on. During the practice session, I was fairly impressed and thought he might be able to help and contribute, but I didn't think that carried over to the scrimmage portion. His bio is rather limited - other than to say he was a two-time all conference selection.
Harry...The recruits know how to play the game...and they definitely shoot it better than most of the recruits that Milan Brown brought in. I think that is something we are going to see an emphasis on going forward. I liked what I saw from Castellanos and Norfleet's jumper was what we expected. But they are both freshmen and teams will be able to exploit their inexperience at times this year. But I think we have as good as post players as we've ever had at the Mount and if the guard play can be acceptable, then the posts can give the Mount a chance to win games. I just don't want to expect too much too early from these guys, that wouldn't be fair.
Richard....I saw you up there. Or I was pretty sure that was you. I didn't have the laptop, but I did post a few updates through my phone for those who weren't as fortunate as you and I to be there. You need to take it easy on Tony Little. You thought Castellanos was a little green, I was concerned about some other things. But we'll let the opponents figure it out for themselves.
John....It really is a small world. I have never been to Iceland. But my high school coach once coached the same club team that Beidler is now playing for. So I've heard all about Iceland. We even hosted an Icelandic youth basketball player for part of summer as they came to the US for some camps and a tour. I also met Petr Gudmundson during that time, who was Iceland's best (lone) NBA player. Judging by Kelly's tweets, I think the lack of daylight is starting to get to him a little bit. But it hasn't affected his play as of yet. He keeps putting up huge numbers, which is great to see.
Now onto the other stuff....
18 runs in game one of the World Series. I'm still saying the Giants in seven. So that the World Series score matches the score of the first ever inter-league game 4-3. It was supposed to be a pitchers duel last night. The over/under was 5.5. What did they think it was in Vegas a hockey game?
I've got to say something about my Syracuse Orange. I mean we're not bad anymore. I've been relatively quiet on the subject but Saturday was a real nice win. I'm hoping they repeat it at Cincy this weekend. I know people are sort of expecting that. That is when it gets dangerous. And I get worried.
Notre Dame got manhandled by Navy on Saturday. The Notre Dame folks are always talking about how great their schedule is. Well on three straight weeks in October, they are going to play Western Michigan, Navy and Tulsa. And go 1-2.
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I find your writing informative and very objective. I think sometimes, as I comment, I simply do not take the time to fully describe all I observe or am thinking, but I do not feel you are writing negatively about the new Coach.
ReplyDeleteThis year's (late) recruits. I am indeed hopeful, but as I mentioned previously, these three guys are intellectually on a higher plane than the three Milan originally recruited. (I do not want to speak with any further negativity about the three not coming, but from interviews, personal contact and internet videos there are much data).
Recruiting for next year? I can tell you the staff is very hard at work. I do expect good things.
Thanks again for the blog. It is very informative and quite well written.
Harry - Maybe you've got information that I'm not privy to. But as far as the three guys that aren't coming all I know is that prior to choosing the Mount, Morales was accepted into the Air Force Academy, which generally seems to have some of the highest standards for young men in America, and Justin Burrell since opting out of his scholarship offer from the Mount has been accepted to Holy Cross University which is one of the finest academic institutions in America. I'm not sure its fair to try to put this new group above or below that.
ReplyDeleteWe both agree, we like what we see from the incoming class, both on the court and off. Let's just leave it at that.
If you'd like to continue the conversation without discrediting individuals, feel free. Or if you feel you want to contact me directly you always can at thefanblog@gmail.com
Raff, Tony and I have sat together at many games and carried on back and forth similar to the things I say here. He has picked on me in the past- in good fun, lol. You must be misinterpreting things about my opinion of him or something. I know a lot of his background and family and some of how he came to get his real estate business, and other personal things, etc. I knew him simply from him being a local resident in a small town. Small towns are kind of like that, don't you know?
ReplyDeleteRaff, are you going to go to any of the away games this year at all? If so, youll have to sit with me sometime. You will see that i am a far cry from how I act in here. I am not really as much of an a-hole as you think, however, I do not kiss up either, like some other fans I know.
ReplyDeleteI cannot wait to see how the attendance will be this year at home. I am figuring that it may be half decent at first because people always have to come to places to see what the new thing is. I am sure that it will slack off after they satisfy their nosiness and the losses pile up. Thanks to fairweather fans like Jimmy Click (my uncle) it will be like that. I do have to say that I was not that impressed overrall with the team after seeing them the other day and I am reconsidering my prediction for a 13 win season. I also have to say that I have been very disappointed in the Mount in recent years due to their inability to play some public exhibition games like they used to. Nearly every other team that I research online-- and that is a lot because I try to review all the teams in Div 1 before season starts---- nearly all of them have a home exhibition game against a Div 2, 3 or NAIA opponent. What happened to change it? Liability costs? Costs in some form??? It would be great if the Mount would either exhibition with Gettysburg or even have them on their non-conf. schedule. Many other teams schedule lower Div schools as part of their regular schedule. A Gettysburg game may bring additional interest, or even McDaniel (Western MD). It really blows lately concerning this. Raff, I hope you can fill us in on the Coppin St. and Towson clsoed scrimmages when they happen. it sucks not to be able to see one.
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