Andy Katz mentioned DJ as one of a group of players who could "make a case that they should be in the mix" (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=2743533) for POY consideration. Granted, he thinks Tucker and Durant are the best, but at least DJ got a mention.
Love to see DJ getting that ink.
Also makes me kinda pissed everytime I read something like "Alando Tucker has been building toward this award for five seasons." >:(
I think there is a very strong case that Jerel is MU's POY. Jerel has come up huge over the last month and without him we would have had a couple of more losses. DJ is the the straw that mixes the drink but I think Jerel will be the one that takes us to the next level.
If Alando Tucker is the POY, there really should be no such award.
Quote from: LastWarrior on January 26, 2007, 01:35:46 PM
I think there is a very strong case that Jerel is MU's POY. Jerel has come up huge over the last month and without him we would have had a couple of more losses. DJ is the the straw that mixes the drink but I think Jerel will be the one that takes us to the next level.
I would agree about McNeal being more valuable to MU than James this season, but to be named POY by the media, you need to be on the radar coming into the season. James was, McNeal wasn't. I'll take James as POY this year and McNeal next with no complaints. ;D
Quote from: LastWarrior on January 26, 2007, 01:35:46 PM
I think there is a very strong case that Jerel is MU's POY. Jerel has come up huge over the last month and without him we would have had a couple of more losses. DJ is the the straw that mixes the drink but I think Jerel will be the one that takes us to the next level.
good point, remember how bad we looked w/out Jerel @ Providence
DJ is also mentioned by Clark Kellogg as one of his 12 candidates.
http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/9952085 (http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/9952085)
Early lists for coach, player of the year candidates
Jan. 24, 2007
By Clark Kellogg
CBS Sports
I know this is a college hoops column, and that it's been a few days since the NFL conference champs were crowned. But I am just bubbling over with joy for the Indianapolis Colts! As a former 10-year resident of the city and a long-time member of the Indiana Pacers franchise (player and TV broadcaster), the Colts making it to the Super Bowl is cause for celebration and kudos in the Kellogg house! Congratulations to the Bears as well.
Two black head coaches leading their teams into the Super Bowl is unprecedented and a significant story, but I hope it doesn't overshadow the fact that Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith are excellent coaches and leaders. They consistently live their faith-inspired convictions and are terrific role models for all of us.
Well, we are fast approaching the halfway point of conference play, which means there's still a lot of basketball left. It also means that it's time to start thinking about postseason awards. Over the next six weeks across the college basketball landscape, much will become clearer (conference champs, tournament status, Player of the Year and Coach of the Year). I'm a bit more of a "wait and see guy" than a "prescient predictor," but I have compiled a list of COY and POY candidates I'd like to share.
I must admit, when it comes to choosing a COY, I struggle mightily. How do you fairly and objectively judge a coaching job? There's so much to it, and so many do a good job. To me it's more than just exceeding or meeting expectations, and it's more than turning a team around, although those things often are attention-getters for coaches. Deservedly so. Record is important, but so are a team's consistent effort; it's execution; how a coach manages the game; handling adversity (on and off the court); a team's improvement during the season; how a coach helps his players develop. And again, a lot of coaches do good jobs in these areas. It's a qualitative, more than a quantitative, assessment.
Choosing a POY is a bit more quantitative. Numbers can tell the story more easily. A team's record and how an individual player's performance affects that record is one of the things I look at. I also consider whether a player will be a strong candidate for POY in his conference. (I probably should use that as a starting point for COY, too). Those are reasonable places to start in my mind. But I also think a POY should have presence; directly have an impact on winning with his attitude and performance; play in at least 75 percent of his team's games; and at times be dominant.
Understand that even though I watch countless games live and on tape, there are still a few teams I've yet to see. And with any finite list, there are always worthy names left off. So here are my midseason COY and POY candidates. For now, it will have to suffice just to list the names. Perhaps in a future column, I will embellish the candidates a bit when the list is shorter. If you're any type of hoops fan, you should know why these guys are candidates, anyway.
Coach of the Year: Jeff Bzdelik (Air Force), Ben Braun (Cal), Billy Donovan (Florida), Dennis Felton (Georgia), Tim Floyd (USC), Billy Gillispie (Texas A&M), Anthony Grant (VCU), Seth Greenberg (Virginia Tech), Ernie Kent (Oregon), Todd Lickliter (Butler), Rick Pitino (Louisville), Oliver Purnell (Clemson), Kelvin Sampson (Indiana), Kevin Stallings (Vandy), Reggie Theus (New Mexico State).
Player of the Year: Arron Afflalo (UCLA), Mario Boggan (Oklahoma State), Aaron Brooks (Oregon), Kevin Durant (Texas), Nick Fazekas (Nevada), Aaron Gray (Pitt), Taurean Green (Florida), Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina), Dominic James (Marquette), Joakim Noah (Florida), Brandon Rush (Kansas), Alando Tucker (Wisconsin).
James is a fine player, but there's no way he should be in the mix for POY. These "experts" have obviously not seen his entire body of work -- only a few highlights.
I am no Badgers fan, but Tucker getting the award would not be totally out of line. I know he's three years older than much of his competition, but he is a hell of a player.
So why is Rick Pitino listed as a possible Coach of the Year candidate? I would say he is not even one of the top 3 or 4 coaches in the BE this year. I guess that is the benefit of having coached in the NBA and the associated name recognition. Interesting, no other BE coaches even mentioned, including Crean.
Quote from: ecompt on January 26, 2007, 02:44:28 PM
I am no Badgers fan, but Tucker getting the award would not be totally out of line. I know he's three years older than much of his competition, but he is a hell of a player.
He gave us more trouble than anyone else we've faced this year. I'd vote for him being completely objective.
I gotta go shower now. :-[
Yup, loathe Bo, loathe Bucky, rooting for a gas line leak at the Kohl center every game. However, Tucker is a very good college basketball player. Can't make me like him, but can't deny he is good.
That COY list is pretty weak. Almost as if they drew names from a hat instead of doing their homework.
Im a fan of Durant as POY, however his team isn't as good as Tucker's as far as record goes, so Tucker would get it from me
I'll go on record that say Tucker was more dominating against MU then Wade was for most games at MU (save at Louisville, home to Cincy, and against UK in '03).
I have to agree w/ McSteal being MU's POY this year...his shot selection is getting better every game it seems and he's really been a force on the court, one big game after another. Great to see him starting to play more intelligently too
James on the John R. Wooden Award Midseason All-America List...
The 30-man team will compete for this season's player of the year award. The midseason list is based on individual player performance and team records during the first half of the season.
In total, twelve seniors, ten juniors, five sophomores and three freshmen were selected to the midseason list.
The 10-player Wooden Award All-American Team will be announced on March 27.
Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball. It is bestowed upon the nation's best player at an institution of higher education who has proven to his or her university that he or she is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA. Previous winners include such notables as Larry Bird ('79), Michael Jordan ('84), Tim Duncan ('97), Andrew Bogut ('05), and last year's recipients, Seimone Augustus ('06) and J.J. Redick.
Wooden Award Midseason All-American Team
All-American Team * Top 30 Candidates
(Players listed alphabetically)
Aaron Afflalo 6'5" Jr. G UCLA
Morris Almond 6'6" Sr. G Rice
Mario Boggan 6'7" Sr. F/C Oklahoma State
Corey Brewer 6'9" Jr. F Florida
Aaron Brooks 6'0" Sr. G Oregon
Glen Davis* 6'9" Jr. F LSU
Jared Dudley 6'7" Sr. F Boston College
Kevin Durant 6'9" Fr. G/F Texas
Nick Fazekas 6'11" Sr. F Nevada
A.J. Graves 6'1" Jr. G Butler
Aaron Gray 7'0" Sr. C Pittsburgh
Taurean Green 6'0" Jr. G Florida
Tyler Hansbrough 6'9" So. F North Carolina
Jarrius Jackson 6'2" Sr. G Texas Tech
Dominic James 5'11" So. G Marquette
Acie Law 6'3" Sr. G Texas A&M
Chris Lofton 6'2" Jr. G Tennessee
Josh McRoberts 6'10" So. F Duke
Randolph Morris 6'11" Jr. C Kentucky
Drew Neitzel 6'0" Jr. G Michigan State
Demetris Nichols 6'8" Sr. F Syracuse
Joakim Noah 6'11" Jr. F/C Florida
Greg Oden 7'0" Fr. C Ohio State
Brandon Rush 6'6" So. G Kansas
Sean Singletary 6'0" Jr. G Virginia
Curtis Sumpter 6'7" Sr. F Villanova
Al Thornton 6'8" Sr. F Florida State
Alando Tucker 6'6" Sr. F Wisconsin
Marcus Williams 6'7" So. F Arizona
Brandan Wright 6'9" Fr. F North Carolina
Wow, Florida has three guys on that list, and one of them isn't even Al Holford. That is one scary team. I think Corey Brewer is the best of all the Florida players though. That guy is a match-up nightmare for teams. He has the potential to be an elite player in the NBA.
Yeah, it would be nice if we didn't have to play Florida in March. Then again, I'd be very happy to play them in April. ;D