Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Is it October Yet?

I mean seriously. I'm so ready.

If you spend enough time around coaches at any level who understand and know the game that they are about, they'll tell you how difficult it is to repair a program. Usually you'll get a it takes about 5 years to fix what someone can tear apart in one.

But somehow as I watched the Jamion Christian press conference, I felt like all was good in the Mount basketball program again. The confidence and the excitement that Christian brings to the program, as well as a great understanding about what this unique program is all about, has me excited to be a Mount fan again.

I know you can't totally remove the last two years, but man, is everybody sure I didn't just wake up from a really bad nightmare.

And that isn't to say, I expect to Christian to lead the Mount back to the NCAA Tournament in Year 1. But what I do expect is that at noon time of game days, I'm crawling to get out of my seat and get to the ARCC, not deciding whether or not I really want to make the short trip down the road that night.

Because as the legendary Jim Phelan said after the press conference even though its a nice nucleus, the team still has some shortcomings. But what Phelan said, and what I think is really true, is that Christian is going to get them to play better.

He already has me wanting to be a better fan.

And I'm expecting that when I wake up after the next two years, it is going to feel like a dream.

Send an email to thefanblog@gmail.com

19 comments:

  1. I'm right there w/ you Raff...this kid has an "infectious" personality about him. He possesses that IT FACTOR that was sorely lacking from Robert "The Robot" Burke.

    I do wonder who will be left when the dust settles? I can speculate that Castellanos & Krajina will be on the outside looking in. Josh was a Burke guy, so I think he would be harder to get a buy in on. Plus, Whack & Prescott are guards that in all likelihood, should start? Kristjian strikes me as lazy & has already been suspended once b/c of drugs.

    That means a Starting 5 of the following:

    Barber (Sr.)= C
    Parker (Soph.) = F
    Prescott (Sr.) = G
    Norfleet (Jr.) = G
    Whack (Sr.) = G

    Not a lot of height there???

    Is it Midnight Madness yet...

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  2. Yesterday was the best day to be a Mountaineer since March 21, 2008.

    I just love the energy and the enthusiasm.

    "Fast, aggressive, and fun to watch." I think this is the kind of style that recruits look to play in.

    Jamion just flat out gets it. With a unique of a school as the Mount is, you need someone to get what the program and the school are all about. He's going to involve everyone instead of isolating everyone and making the program all about him.

    I can't wait. Our revival is underway.

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  3. @Mount99

    Did you see Josh's interview that the Mount posted on YouTube? Didn't really look or sound all that thrilled with Jamion and I really don't see him as a great fit for what Jamion wants to bring, but we'll see. I think you may be onto something there though.

    And Prescott and Whack are juniors.

    As for the lineup, I think every spot should be wide open, and everybody comes in with a fresh slate starting with yesterday's workout.

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  4. Jamion hire is a Great 1!!!! How many recruits does anyone think Jamion will need to bring in, if THE "ROBOT" recruits leave? I say Castellanos,Krajina and Danaher leave. As for size does anyone think the 3 incomers will still come?
    I say he will keep Tony Bethel as an asst. And maybe even Bring Jason Epps in......hmmmm just like "OLD TIMES"

    Great to be a Mounties Fan!!

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  5. Thanks for the clarification there, Dan. I saw Prescott & Whack listed as Juniors on the Mount Athletics website, so I assumed that they would be Seniors next season. Didn't realize that they played only 2 seasons @ Mason & Marist respectively. Bottom line is we need some height & depth. Our bench at the end of the season looked like Hickory from Hoosiers w/ the likes of Aaron Brown, Oliver Brown, Dan Kenny, & Taylor Danaher. Only going eight deep will not be possible if Jamion instills this fast-paced, aggressive style of ball?

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  6. @ Mount99 - Your "starting lineup" has 3 shooting guards and no point guard.

    @ Mount 99 - Brown, Brown and Kenny are traditional walk-on players and of course no one expects them to play.

    ...and also @ Big Joe - Why are you including Danaher? Have you seen him play? Hint - I have, and he is very long and potentially a good shot blocking center.

    To both of you - I agree Josh, with high turnover rate and poor percentage shooting, will have to improve greatly to be an acceptable point guard. Krajina has been sometimes goofy, but he has stamina and some potential, so I would not write off someone with his size just yet.

    @ Dan, Joe and 99 - Yes, yes, yes - on the matter of Jamion, spiritand all the intangibles. Go Mount!

    How about this scenario?

    One or two of the current or recruited scholarship players expected to be in uniform is out of the picture for whatever reason. Jamion recruits one speedy point guard and one other player with talent, regardless of position. Voila!

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  7. Can Whack play PG? Prescott seems like a pure scorer so I certainly wouldn't want him to be there. And we know Norfleet's not a PG.

    If not, there's no way that you can fit Norfleet-Prescott-Whack in the starting lineup.

    But considering how streaky Norfleet can be, I think he'd be a very good 6th man, sort of like a Vinnie Johnson or a Ben Gordon or Lou Williams type.

    And Parker's only 6'3 185. There's no way I'd play him at the 4.

    I think for right now, we have to pencil Wells or Krajina in there.

    Here's what we have right now among scholarship players, this obviously changes with any de-commits or transfers:

    4's and 5's- Barber, Wells, Danaher, Krajina, Graves.

    2's and 3's- Prescott, Whack, Parker, Norfleet, Patterson, Owens.

    1s- Castellanos, Holley.

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  8. Folks, lets not be so quick to judge based on the last two years. There is no doubt that some players will have to step up their level of play, but maybe the fact that their is new leadership aboard and a better environment that will happen.

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  9. @Harry ....Only reason I included Danaher was because that was a Burke "recruit" other than that no other reason. Hopefully the 3 Highschool recruits stay true to their LOI. Christian Crockett "could be a force" my understanding was he is highly regarded! As for Graves, I'm not sure about him and Patterson I think he fits in Jamion's style!

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  10. Couple of things -

    The doc told me Danaher is going to prosper with the help of our strength coach. We will see.

    Parker? Regardless of where you put him, look at his numbers. Rebounding = anticipation, strength and desire. He has them all. Check his turnover rate and shooting percentage (as compared to the rest of the team). This guy has humility. Furthemore, do you remember how the single putback from Shawn was the highlight of the year several years ago? It was the only one he (Shawn) ever did. Parker had - what, like 5 highlights this year alone as a walk on freshman? Give more credit and appreciate what you are seeing.

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  11. @ Harry.....I agree 110% on Parker!! Good things are going to happen!!! With Whack and Prescott along with Parker the backcourt will be STRONG!!! Norfleet =instant offense off the bench, than throw in Barber and Wells upfront- Top 3 NEC Finish 2012-2013 Season!

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  12. I agree with Raff, don't underestimate the impact an engaged passionate coach can have on the players performance. I say GO MOUNT!

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  13. @Harry

    I'm the only one who said anything that could possibly be construed as negative about Parker so I'll assume that was directed at me.

    I think Parker is a good player with a chance to be a great one. I don't need any more appreciation of what I'm seeing.

    However, 6'3 185 is 6'3 185, and that CANNOT play the 4 at the Division 1 level. It just can't.

    He's strong enough to play the 3 at this level, sure, but there is no way you can compete with the LIUs and RMUs of the league with a 6'3 guy playing the 4. It would just be a waste of his talent there.

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  14. @ Dan - Actually, although I never have a problem calling out anyone who posts comments, my discussion and views on Parker were unrelated to anything anyone posted.

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  15. Just thought of something - one of my heros in the 1960's. Guy named Johnny Green - center for the NY Knicks. 6'3".

    Then, of course, in my year of graduation from MSM, there was this guy O'Reilly. He was 6'4".

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  16. @Harry

    Understood. My apologies then.

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  17. Just an FYI everyone from multiple sites:

    2012-2013 Offer as of today!!!
    Denzel Richardson,G,6-3 Towson,MD (Calvert Hall) Stats- 14.5ppg, 3.9rpg, 1.8spg. Mdhoops.com states "Denzel best kept MD secret since Juan Dixon" receiving offers from : Cornell,UMBC,UMASS and confirmed offer 3/28/12 MSM. Rank #33 in State of MD 37-83 on 3ptrs. This year!

    Also midatlantichoops.com has this-
    2013-14 Offer as of today:
    Malique Trent,G,6-2 Portsmouth,Va. (Norcom HS)
    Offer From Mt.St.Mary's 3/28/12.
    Also interested: Appalachian St.,Drake,VCU,JMU.
    Hmmm looks like Jamion is pulling magic already!!! Rank #63 in Mid-Atlantic Area!!

    Just wanted to throw this out there! I also connected on 2 other prospects for MSM for 2013-14. Will post more upon getting more info.
    Thanks

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  18. Here is the release about Malique Trent, Scholarship offered yesterday by Coach Jamion!

    The Norcom Greyhounds (Portsmouth, VA) are no strangers to producing College Basketball talents. Before Vernon Macklin went on to play at Florida and Ben Finney at nearby Old Dominion, each won Eastern District Player of the Year honors with the Greyhounds. Norcom also won back-to-back state titles in 2010 and 2011 behind the versatile Dorian Finney-Smith, who is now at Virginia Tech.

    Norcom has another prospect attracting Division I looks in Malique Trent, a 6-foot-2 guard from the Class of 2013 who made a significant impact in his first year as a starter with the Greyhounds. This past season, Trent averaged 19.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game on a Greyhounds team that won the Eastern District Tournament for the fifth time in six years.

    Trent recently picked up his second D-1 offer and it comes from Mount St. Mary's, which has been a pipeline for Tidewater talents in recent years and that trend shouldn't stop with their hire of new Head Coach Jamion Christian. The 30-year-old Christian is a graduate of New Kent High School, where he led his team to an undefeated season and state title in 2000, and has been a major part of nationally-recognized recruiting classes at both William & Mary and VCU as an assistant coach.


    Rod Johnson

    Norcom's Malique Trent holds two offers
    "Coach Christian called me to inform me that he had gotten the Head Coaching job at Mount St. Mary's and he instantly said 'Malique Trent, I want you to be the first 2013 recruit I offer.' I was kind of really hoping he would say that, too," Trent told VirginiaPreps.com.

    "He said he likes my energy, level of intensity and that I work inside and outside the paint."

    Chosen First Team All-Eastern District during his junior season, Trent also led Norcom in three-point shooting. He scored 18 points in their victory over Norview in the Eastern District Tournament Championship.

    After being a seldom-used sophomore, Trent started to open some eyes last summer on the AAU circuit while playing for the Wave Basketball Club. His confidence rose, and he'll enter his senior season as one of the top offensive threats in the Eastern Region.

    "I feel like my strength as a player is the heart I play with and my will to win," believes Trent. "I'll do all that I can do in order to win. I think I need to work on my on-ball defense because I can get very lazy at times on defense."

    Trent's first offer came from Appalachian State, where he's being recruited by assistant Kellan Sampson, who played at Oklahoma when his dad, Kelvin Sampson, coached the Sooners. Others that have expressed interest in him thus far include VCU, Old Dominion, Norfolk State, James Madison, Florida Atlantic and Elon.

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  19. In reference to this Taylor Danaher dude:

    I have seen some of you continue to speak highly. Who knows maybe you have thorough knowledge of him??

    However my prognostications are not too high on Danaher. I just see him being outmuscled and outhustled by front court athletes such as Olasewere, Azotam, and Onyechi. Heck, Onyechi and Azotam will eat him for dinner, lol. Until Mr. Danaher proves something I will continue to predict that he will be your run-of-the-mill, dime-a-dozen role playing Patriot League frontliner. I bet Barber literally schools him in practice. barber has extreme talent, but I believe he hasn't been as serious as he should have been in his career.

    Much attention is focused on the backcourt. Howver, i believe that Barber will be a big key to Mount's success. When he 'wants' to, Barber is a bigtime force inside, whereas other times he plays almost 'finesse, he needs to cut that out and just take it to them like he's on the playgrounds of Bmore or the Edgewood projects!!

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