Official 2008-2009 College Basketball Thread

[RockRaines]

I'm glad Mullens is gone. Let's just hope Evan Turner was blowing smoke when he said he's coming back.

You'll only get one year off, OSU has the #1 class for 2010 as of now.

[whitesoxfan99]

Can we have a link to your supporting evidence? That seems to be your argument.

 

And I said that he would improve his draft stock and his wallet by staying a year. Its supported every season in college bball when sophs, juniors and seniors raise their draft status, my link is www.espn.com

 

I don't think you definitely improve more in the NBA by sitting on the bench but I think if someone is a hard worker they are going to improve more when their job is playing basketball and they can devote their time entirely to the sport then when they have to go to class and are limited by NCAA rules as to how much interaction they can have with their coaches. I think it is laughable that people assume you improve more by staying in college then you do by playing against the best players in the world. And you are improving you wallet short term, not necessarily in the long term. If you become really good in your first 4 years in the league you are better off getting to the NBA as early as possible because then you get to your 2nd contract where the big bucks are more quickly. For instance if you stay an extra year in college and improve your draft slot from say 20 to 10 you will make about 3 million dollars more in your first 4 years in the league. However you are also losing a year of earnings which could cost you a salary that is significantly higher than 3 million.

 

Also there are obvious flaws in this data by Grant Wahl but it does suggest that if you are a first round pick and a lock to be a first round pick you go. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writ....bag/index.html

Edited March 27, 2009 by whitesoxfan99

[Jordan4life_2007]

You'll only get one year off, OSU has the #1 class for 2010 as of now.

 

True. But Davis, Tisdale and Dmac will be seniors. Paul, Richardson, Bertrand and Griffey will be sophomores. And Illinois' 2010 class is currently ranked #3. Damn, I just got a little warm and tingly inside. The Big-10 has a chance to be what the Big East is now in 2-3 years.

Edited March 27, 2009 by Jordan4life

[RockRaines]

True. But Davis, Tisdale and Dmac will be seniors. Paul, Richardson, Bertrand and Griffey will be sophomores. And Illinois' 2010 class is currently ranked #3. Damn, I just got a little warm and tingly inside. The Big-10 has a chance to be what the Big East is now in 2-3 years.

I dont think Davis is a 4 year player. But yeah, the B10 should be loaded. I say should, because this time a few years ago I thought our lineup would have Conley, Cook, Kofous, Turner and Mullens. The downside of good recruits like we are going to get is that they are one and done now. I really wish they would like HS players jump to the NBA so teams wouldnt have to reload every year.

[whitesoxfan101]

The "rumblings" you hear of come from message boards, made up sources, boosters who don't matter, and others (like Seth Davis) who want to get hits off of writing negatively about Kentucky (who can blame him?).

 

But from the people who actually matter and actually have info in the program and have proven it, have stated all along he's going nowhere and there's not even a thought about it. Barnhart knows that Gillispie needs more time (3rd year is when you can start judging) and knows that if he fires the biggest name he's ever hired his job will be in question.

 

Doesn't help that there is a 6 million dollar buyout. Not to mention the fact that Gillispie getting fired would be a death sentence to this program.

 

I have my doubts about what he does, but there's no way you can judge based off of these two years, no way. Don't let any Kentucky fan (mainly from Catspause) tell you otherwise. The fanbase as a whole is generally uninformed and hasn't a clue that college basketball has changed since Pitino left.

 

Nice call, dude.

 

If you want to come here and pretend to be smarter than the rest of us, don't post something that is completely wrong. It will be interesting to see who Kentucky hires next though.

 

He could just as easily go the Joakim Noah route and cost himself millions by exposing himself as not that good.

 

Exactly, and even if he improves, next year's draft class is much better than the epically awful one this year, and thus his stock still might not improve. Plus, Mullens' family is poor, as everybody knows. But don't let logic get in the way of a smitten fan.

Edited March 28, 2009 by whitesoxfan101

[RockRaines]

Exactly, and even if he improves, next year's draft class is much better than the epically awful one this year, and thus his stock still might not improve. Plus, Mullens' family is poor, as everybody knows. But don't let logic get in the way of a smitten fan.

Thats why i didnt, one more year in college and he's a lottery pick instead of a fringe 1st rounder. He more than doubles his money. I love logic.

 

For example the 30th pick gets 797,600; 857,400; 917,200

 

While the 14th pick gets 1.424;1.531;1.638

 

 

Edited March 28, 2009 by RockRaines

[gbuk]

I think anyone here that has been around sports realizes that situations like Gillispie's are very fluid and can change very quickly. I never pretended to have sources, although I realize how it looked that way.

 

The situation changed quickly after one certain Gillispie quote and Lee Todd (the president) having more of a say than the AD.

 

I don't need to apologize to anyone. I appreciate whitesoxfan101 trying to give me a lesson in message board posting, but it's quite clear that what I said was based off of what I had thought of the situation. I still think firing Gillispie is a major mistake, something I made clear in my post if it happened.

 

But thankfully I had whitesoxfan to PM me to call me out. Never seen that.

[Buehrle>Wood]

The situation changed when he: decided to continually love the bottle, hated on the press, didn't find charitable events a necessity, charities, faught on a consistent basis with his assistants, openly partied with students, kicked Jodie Meeks of the team three times (and other players many other times, only to be let back in).

Edited March 28, 2009 by Buehrle>Wood

[gbuk]

The situation changed when he: decided to continually love the bottle, hated on the press, didn't find charitable events a necessity, charities, faught on a consistent basis with his assistants, openly partied with students, kicked Jodie Meeks of the team three times (and other players many other times, only to be let back in).

 

I follow this stuff as closely as anyone and have seen all of these rumors before, none ever verified. I'm not saying you're lying, but do you have a legitimate source on it or what?

 

I've never heard one of these but the obvious hating on the press, and believe me I've heard all the rumors being on Kentucky boards all the time.

[caulfield12]

I am pretty shocked that Oklahoma's program has done so well under Capel, although Griffin was a Sampson recruit...but when Crocker's on, that team is almost unbeatable.

 

Wished that Iowa had landed Mike Anderson instead of Lickliter two years ago, because that system (pressing) was so similar to Tom Davis' and was loved by most of the fanbase...and I think Anderson would have a slight edge in recruiting players into that type of system. Iowa just doesn't have enough athleticism right now to compete with the MSU's of the world.

 

MSU/KU game was a good one...unfortunately, most of the games so far in the tourney have been disappointments. I guess Louisville and UNC would be the two favorites in Vegas right now.

 

Gillespie just goes to show that hiring the "hot" coach isn't always the right move. Alabama swooped in quickly on VCU's Grant, I guess Travis Ford will be under consideration for the UK job for obvious reasons. It will be interesting to see who does end up taking that job. I wonder if they can pry Mark Few loose from Gonzaga or Sean Miller from Xavier? Paul Hewitt maybe? Bryce Drew?

 

Gillespie's quick rise and fall reminds me of Quin Snyder, Franchione, Barnett (CO/NU), O'Leary, Amaker, Alford, etc.

 

[Palehosefan]

Gillespie is pretty interesting, along the same lines as Sampson. Coaches that are known as sleazeballs are a very risky hire. Bryce Drew and his recruiting tactics are another example.

 

As for Paul Hewitt, I can't imagine Kentucky being interested. Hewitt is a guy that can recruit well, but can't coach his way out of a paper bag. Drew is actually in the same boat.

 

Travis Ford to UK seems like a no-brainer to me, but of course UK will keep swinging for the fences and striking out first.

[whitesoxfan101]

I think anyone here that has been around sports realizes that situations like Gillispie's are very fluid and can change very quickly. I never pretended to have sources, although I realize how it looked that way.

 

The situation changed quickly after one certain Gillispie quote and Lee Todd (the president) having more of a say than the AD.

 

I don't need to apologize to anyone. I appreciate whitesoxfan101 trying to give me a lesson in message board posting, but it's quite clear that what I said was based off of what I had thought of the situation. I still think firing Gillispie is a major mistake, something I made clear in my post if it happened.

 

But thankfully I had whitesoxfan to PM me to call me out. Never seen that.

 

No problem bro, anytime. You almost never post here, so I wanted to make sure you at least came back after basically calling all of us idiots for suggesting he might get fired. Next time, maybe you won't pretend to know of what you speak when you don't.

[Buehrle>Wood]

I follow this stuff as closely as anyone and have seen all of these rumors before, none ever verified. I'm not saying you're lying, but do you have a legitimate source on it or what?

 

I've never heard one of these but the obvious hating on the press, and believe me I've heard all the rumors being on Kentucky boards all the time.

 

The love of the bottle stems from his DUIs. Obviously those were from before UK, but there have been enough accounts from just about everywhere that he loved his partying.

 

 

The charity stuff comes from that he only attended 4 fund raising events in his 2 years there. Compared to that of the previous coach, that paled in comparison.

 

The other stuff is from Maggard. He told the story of how BCG kicked Meeks over the team at half-time of the ND game. The assistants had to convince him to come out of the locker room. Same thing happened at the SEC tournament as well as at a game earlier in the season. Liggins ans Stewart had similar stuff happen as well, though they were said to have quit.

[MHizzle85]

I was reading on some UK boards last night about Gillispie.

 

How true are some of these allegations? i.e. kicking a player off of the team bus and making him walk back to the hotel. etc.

[gbuk]

No problem bro, anytime. You almost never post here, so I wanted to make sure you at least came back after basically calling all of us idiots for suggesting he might get fired. Next time, maybe you won't pretend to know of what you speak when you don't.

 

I feel bad for you, because I can legitimately picture you getting really upset over this and fist pumping after responding to me. Solid response to my PM as well.

[gbuk]

The love of the bottle stems from his DUIs. Obviously those were from before UK, but there have been enough accounts from just about everywhere that he loved his partying.

 

 

The charity stuff comes from that he only attended 4 fund raising events in his 2 years there. Compared to that of the previous coach, that paled in comparison.

 

The other stuff is from Maggard. He told the story of how BCG kicked Meeks over the team at half-time of the ND game. The assistants had to convince him to come out of the locker room. Same thing happened at the SEC tournament as well as at a game earlier in the season. Liggins ans Stewart had similar stuff happen as well, though they were said to have quit.

 

He may enjoy drinking, but you don't think with the amount of rumors out there of partying at bars with college kids that there would not be one picture? That's where I have an impossible time believing any of these rumors. In two years, nothing.

 

The charity stuff is definitely true, including his dealings with boosters and anyone else around the program. That's where he went totally wrong and why he doesn't have the job anymore. If he was winning big it would have been pushed to the back of everyone's mind, but it was absolutely bad enough to warrant him getting fired. It's too bad because it's really not difficult to be "an ambassador of the program" something he said that "wasn't in the job description" which turned the tide on this decision.

 

So you read True Blue? Seems random. I'm a mod on his board actually and obviously have read his info as you have. He also mentioned how he heard things within the last week that makes him understand why he got fired, along with every other "source" on his board.

 

I believe a lot of what Gillispie did to his players, although the types of rumors that will come out after this will hardly ever be fully verifiable. Given how often Kentucky fans start rumors I would only listening to the main guys on Rivals boards and other boards. I just hope this doesn't turn into a Matt Doherty type situation because I truly like the guy, he just didn't know how to handle what was thrown at him.

 

Another Gillispie note is that it's obvious it takes a certain type of player to mesh with him. Acie Law, Joe Crawford, and Ramel Bradley all rave about what Gillispie did for them. These are all guys who had potential but weren't keen on reaching their full ability. They were tough guys who were willing to listen and willing to be leaders, another thing that Gillispie constantly talks about. They had none of those players this year and think that is ultimately what led to his downfall in terms of the team.

 

Amazing how different this year was compared to last year. I'm still so surprised at how all of it went down.

[gbuk]

I was reading on some UK boards last night about Gillispie.

 

How true are some of these allegations? i.e. kicking a player off of the team bus and making him walk back to the hotel. etc.

 

I'm sure some of that stuff is true, but in the end it will come down to what you choose to believe. As I said in my last post (excuse the novel) Kentucky fans are king of starting rumors, especially those in the fanbase with a clear agenda towards him since the beginning.

 

I'm sure the ones you just mentioned happened and I'm okay with some of them, but some other stuff is beginning to sound like Matt Doherty which truly worries me because I'm a big fan of his.

 

In the end, he didn't know how to deal with the personality types he had on the team and was unable to adjust both his on-court proceedings along with his off-court handlings of the players and it blew up in his face.

[danman31]

I stand by my statement, if the Big 12 is as good as it claims, they should have 3 teams in the Sweet 16 and 2 in the Elite 8.

 

If they can accomplish that, theyll get all the credit they deserve.

Done.

[Heads22]

I f***in love the Iowa State women's team, coming back from 8 down with 1:10 left.

 

Carry on.

[Palehosefan]

Looks like Seth Curry will be transferring to Duke.

[Jimbo's Drinker]

I f***in love the Iowa State women's team, coming back from 8 down with 1:10 left.

 

Carry on.

So this is what happens when your program has been irrelevant for 5 years.

[Jimbo's Drinker]

Looks like Seth Curry will be transferring to Duke.

 

 

Have fun againt the big boys.

[Heads22]

So this is what happens when your program has been irrelevant for 5 years.

 

The men's lack of success makes their's that much more impressive. They average 9,900 fans a game, so they are actually enjoyable to watch.

[knightni]

I f***in love the Iowa State women's team, coming back from 8 down with 1:10 left.

 

Carry on.

They should be good. They learned how to play like girls from watching the men's team play.

[Heads22]

They should be good. They learned how to play like girls from watching the men's team play.

 

Except the women can make a three point basket.