Open Gym Report: Back To School edition
The fall semester officially opened on Monday at MU, and what better way than to celebrate with some hoops?
While coach Buzz Williams said over the weekend that he won't begin putting his players through individual workouts -- as is now allowed by NCAA rules -- until they've gone through four days' worth of classes, that doesn't mean that there's been no action at the Al McGuire Center.
In fact, there was plenty going on in the Kasten Gym after classes had let out for the day -- most notably open gym.
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/56706117.html
Is it October yet?
Man, if O'Tule can keep some of that confidence and give us a solid 20-25 minutes we could surprise a few teams.
Nice article, very upbeat, but....
Is Fulce ever going to recover from his knee issues. How long do things like this heal, or do they ever? Even Todd wrote that the next few weeks will determine if his career will continue.
Quote from: nyg on September 02, 2009, 06:26:29 AM
Nice article, very upbeat, but....
Is Fulce ever going to recover from his knee issues. How long do things like this heal, or do they ever? Even Todd wrote that the next few weeks will determine if his career will continue.
It's a good thing we are relatively deep at that position with Williams and Maymon. Williams wasn't mentioned in the article though.
Quote from: nyg on September 02, 2009, 06:26:29 AM
Nice article, very upbeat, but....
Is Fulce ever going to recover from his knee issues. How long do things like this heal, or do they ever? Even Todd wrote that the next few weeks will determine if his career will continue.
If Buzz oversigns for the 2010 class, I think that will give us an idea as to the health of JF...
Good to see Buzz emphasize school with no practice this week. Lets the new players acclimate and set their priorities. Also wish to thank DJ, Wes and Jerel for helping out and showing the newcomers what Marquette basketball is all about.
Buzz will oversign his 2010 class. I would bet a moderate sum on it. We need Fulce for depth, even if he is the 5th forward on the team. I also see the return of Acker as a hedge against JF not being able to contribute this year. It sure is good to see that Otule is playing big and playing hard. (that sounded different in my head). He doesn't have to dominate this year, but we do need him to compete and not get blown up every game.
Great news about Otule! If he can even compare to Barro from this point on, we just might be alright, especially with a 7'2 guy (raw as he may be at the moment, but that's to be expected) backing him up.
I'm also very glad to hear that DJ, JM, and WM are back in town! Very nice to hear DJ is still leading by example and I'm sure Junior is benefiting from his leadership.
Otule and DJO will likely go pro after this season so Buzz should sign two extra players. If each continues their stellar play in open gym then I don't see how the NBA could keep them down!!!
Quote from: esotericmindguy on September 02, 2009, 07:52:53 AM
Otule and DJO will likely go pro after this season so Buzz should sign two extra players. If each continues their stellar play in open gym then I don't see how the NBA could keep them down!!!
You forgot the teal color, right?
Quote from: nyg on September 02, 2009, 07:57:02 AM
You forgot the teal color, right?
Maybe it's the same guy who posted the first comment on Rosiak's blog?
MU's intramural basketball champions would have their way with this year's team. ;D
Quote from: LLRj Since 1986 on September 02, 2009, 07:46:07 AM
Great news about Otule! If he can even compare to Barro from this point on, we just might be alright, especially with a 7'2 guy (raw as he may be at the moment, but that's to be expected) backing him up.
I'm also very glad to hear that DJ, JM, and WM are back in town! Very nice to hear DJ is still leading by example and I'm sure Junior is benefiting from his leadership.
I wonder how much Otule learned from banging with Jackson earlier this summer?
I think it is incredible for the young players to go up against former players of the program. And although it is only open gym you cannot discount the knowledge by osmosis when you play with people like that.
I think that Junior and the other guards will benifit from playing against and with the big three, albeit for only one open gym. It shows them on the court what they see on tv games and videos-the intensity (James diving), the quickness and skillset needed for playing in a highly competitive league.
Rosiak:
"One more thing: check back later tomorrow for an update on The Big Three. Each has an interesting story heading into the fall as they pursue their professional aspirations."
Nice little tease for the next blog. Rosiak went Mike & Mike in the Morning on us.
Otule will be significantly better this year than he was last year will be even better next year. That is how bigs progress. Look at the career of Ooze he got better every year was forced to play as a fresh and soph before he was ready becuase the last joker of a coach refused to sign bigs. Mbao will be lost this year just as Otule was last year, just as hibbert and Grey were as Freshman, but by their Junior years they are ready to be counted on. Sign a big every year and you have a sophomore ans freshman as works in progress and a senior and junior as contributors. Retard Crean could not grasp that. Buzz Knows it. do to cream there is no junior or senior in the program in another year or two the cupboard will be full of bigs.
Buzz gets it.
Crean lots of pomp and circumstance not much on the results. oh wait dwade and 2003 mantra
Quote from: MR.HAYWARD on September 02, 2009, 11:41:43 AM
Otule will be significantly better this year than he was last year will be even better next year. That is how bigs progress. Look at the career of Ooze he got better every year was forced to play as a fresh and soph before he was ready
becuase (sic) the last joker of a coach refused to sign bigs.
Mbao will be lost this year just as Otule was last year, just as hibbert and Grey were as Freshman, but by their Junior years they are ready to be counted on. Sign a big every year and you have a sophomore ans freshman as works in progress and a senior and junior as contributors.
Retard Crean could not grasp that. Buzz Knows it. do to cream there is no junior or senior in the program in another year or two the cupboard will be full of bigs.
Buzz gets it.
Crean lots of pomp and circumstance not much on the results. oh wait dwade and 2003 mantra
Edited for clarity, flow, spelling and needless bitterness.
Oh, also, +1.
Quote from: 2002mualum on September 02, 2009, 12:05:15 PM
Edited for clarity, flow, spelling and needless bitterness.
Thanks for doing that. He
almost sucked me in with that troll. Your response certainly is more succinct (and effective) than anything I would have written.
Quote from: 2002mualum on September 02, 2009, 12:05:15 PM
Edited for clarity, flow, spelling and needless bitterness.
Oh, also, +1.
Is it just me or does Hayward roll 2 dice to see what grade level his next post will be written as? Sometimes the guy has very insightful, non-biased posts, and then other times this happens.
Quote from: StillAWarrior on September 02, 2009, 12:21:49 PM
Thanks for doing that. He almost sucked me in with that troll. Your response certainly is more succinct (and effective) than anything I would have written.
No problem.
The meat of the post is good (bravo Hayward), but the other stuff is really just inciting a riot / thread-jack.
Quote from: g0lden3agle on September 02, 2009, 12:22:45 PM
Is it just me or does Hayward roll 2 dice to see what grade level his next post will be written as? Sometimes the guy has very insightful, non-biased posts, and then other times this happens.
are you saying this thread was not insightful?
and I only bring up Cream becuase i have read numerous posts that reference should we really be bringing in another big when we already have otule and Mbao? i think that thinking is warped or effected by the fact that after 9 years of almost zero bigs that we are shocked by the prospect of actually signing one or more a year. In fact it has been widely documented that Crean and Buzz fought over offering otule a scholarship and that Crean finally acquiesed.
I bring up gegrgetown and Pittsburgh becuase they like Wisconsin seem to bring in a big every single year. Pitt and Wisconsin less heralded than gergetowns but those 3 schools have a big that is bigger, more polished and typically more seasoned than us every single year for the last 10 years.
Quote from: MR.HAYWARD on September 02, 2009, 01:25:53 PM
In fact it has been widely documented that Crean and Buzz fought over offering otule a scholarship and that Crean finally acquiesed.
Wait, this is the first time I've ever heard this. Can it be verified (besides hearsay on forum bulletin boards)?
Quote from: MR.HAYWARD on September 02, 2009, 01:25:53 PM
are you saying this thread was not insightful?
and I only bring up Cream becuase (spelling) i have read numerous posts that reference should we really be bringing in another big when we already have otule and Mbao? i think that thinking is warped or effected by the fact that after 9 years of almost zero bigs that we are shocked by the prospect of actually signing one or more a year. In fact it has been widely documented that Crean and Buzz fought over offering otule a scholarship and that Crean finally acquiesed.
I bring up Georgetown (spelling) and Pittsburgh because (spelling) they, like Wisconsin seem to bring in a big every single year. Pitt and Wisconsin less heralded than Georgetown's (spelling) but those 3 schools have a big that is bigger, more polished and typically more seasoned than us every single year for the last 10 years.
Edited for flow, spelling, paragraphs, and wild speculation.
However, +1 again, Hayward. Well done, sir.
Quote from: MR.HAYWARD on September 02, 2009, 01:25:53 PM
are you saying this thread was not insightful?
and I only bring up Cream becuase i have read numerous posts that reference should we really be bringing in another big when we already have otule and Mbao? i think that thinking is warped or effected by the fact that after 9 years of almost zero bigs that we are shocked by the prospect of actually signing one or more a year. In fact it has been widely documented that Crean and Buzz fought over offering otule a scholarship and that Crean finally acquiesed.
I bring up gegrgetown and Pittsburgh becuase they like Wisconsin seem to bring in a big every single year. Pitt and Wisconsin less heralded than gergetowns but those 3 schools have a big that is bigger, more polished and typically more seasoned than us every single year for the last 10 years.
Hayward, I agree with your premise - bring in one post player a year and let him develop. Then when you have a developed junior and senior, you have a freshman and sophomore waiting in the wings.
HOWEVER, Buzz vs. Crean re: Otule happened exactly the opposite. In a press conference earlier this year, Buzz said he told Crean he didn't think Otule was any good, and then Buzz told Otule that if he was the head coach he wouldn't be offering Otule a scholarship. I remember it like it was yesterday, because I was shocked a head coach would say that about a player on his current roster. Maybe it was a case of Buzz being blunt to a player for motivation, or maybe he was exaggerating at the press conference, but he clearly stated that Crean wanted Otule and Buzz wanted nothing to do with him.
Quote from: 2002mualum on September 02, 2009, 01:55:47 PM
Edited for flow, spelling, paragraphs, and wild speculation.
However, +1 again, Hayward. Well done, sir.
where did you place in grammar rodeo?
Quote from: Hards_Alumni on September 02, 2009, 02:45:15 PM
where did you place in grammar rodeo?
I ended up not going to the grammar rodeo and instead went to the World's Fair.
Quote from: Hards_Alumni on September 02, 2009, 02:45:15 PM
where did you place in grammar rodeo?
*sigh*
Fine, Hards. Haryward's grammar is fantastic. I'll never mention it again, cool?
His commentary about the previous coach however, is not applicable in this thread. That was my point.
Quote from: Ready2Fly on September 02, 2009, 02:26:13 PM
Hayward, I agree with your premise - bring in one post player a year and let him develop. Then when you have a developed junior and senior, you have a freshman and sophomore waiting in the wings.
HOWEVER, Buzz vs. Crean re: Otule happened exactly the opposite. In a press conference earlier this year, Buzz said he told Crean he didn't think Otule was any good, and then Buzz told Otule that if he was the head coach he wouldn't be offering Otule a scholarship. I remember it like it was yesterday, because I was shocked a head coach would say that about a player on his current roster. Maybe it was a case of Buzz being blunt to a player for motivation, or maybe he was exaggerating at the press conference, but he clearly stated that Crean wanted Otule and Buzz wanted nothing to do with him.
ready2fly i think you are confused. I have read it in a number of cases sadly i dont recall where. what i read was buzz was very high on him and Crean did not think he had what it took to play at this level. Buzz personally vouched for him and asked for the latitude to offer the kid, to which Crean aquiesed. I have heard that like i said a few times.
lets put this to the BS test....which is more likely....Buzz wants to sign a BIG from TEXAS or Crean wants to sign a big from texas.
assitants locate and develop initial contact with recruits but Crean wanted to sign a guy that Buzz located and developed a relation ship but Buzz did not. assistants dont bring prospects to the attention of the coach that they dont think are any good.
BS test fails
Hayward, I agree with most of your posts, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I even agree with you on 90% of things re: Buzz vs. Crean. However, unless I heard him wrong in the interview or Buzz misspoke, he did not want to sign Otule but Crean did.
Let's put this to the recruiting style test:
Late in the game, after whiffing on several bigs, the HC takes a flyer on a completely off the radar project.
Does that sound more like Buzz or Crean? I'll try to find the interview if I can.
Buzz was recruiting Otule when he was at UNO, just like Fulce. From what I remember, he pretty much brought both of them gift wrapped for Crean.
And, Otule was not signed late in the game. I believe he and his father visited around Midnight Madness and commited the same weekend. They ate dinner with db at the Chop House at the downtown Hilton. Sorry, Hay's argument holds
more sweet tea.
Quote from: lurch91 on September 02, 2009, 03:43:19 PM
Buzz was recruiting Otule when he was at UNO, just like Fulce. From what I remember, he pretty much brought both of them gift wrapped for Crean.
I have absolutely no recollection either way on this one, but your comment makes me think of a
plausable scenario where it was Crean -- and not Buzz -- who wanted Otule. When Buzz starts, Crean asks who he was recruiting at UNO. Buzz identifies several UNO prospects, including Otule. Crean asks about them and Buzz says that Otule was a good prospect for UNO and the Sun Belt, but not for Marquette and the Big East. Crean, who as we've heard had some trouble landing bigs, is interested in Otule.
I don't know if this is the way things went down, but I personally think this passes the BS test. Incidentally, I also think that Buzz personally vouching for Otule passes the BS test and honestly is the more logical scenario. I don't know either way. I'll be curious to see if either Hayward or R2F come up with anything to support their recollection of events.
Quote from: 4everwarriors on September 02, 2009, 03:52:00 PM
And, Otule was not signed late in the game. I believe he and his father visited around Midnight Madness and commited the same weekend. They ate dinner with db at the Chop House at the downtown Hilton. Sorry, Hay's argument holds
more sweet tea.
I think you are thinking of Erik Williams that committed after midnight madness. Otule did commit on the day of a game because I remember him walking past the student section before a game the day that he committed. At least that's how I remember it. I can't remember which game it was, but I feel it was non conference.
Quote from: cheebs09 on September 02, 2009, 05:09:26 PM
I think you are thinking of Erik Williams that committed after midnight madness. Otule did commit on the day of a game because I remember him walking past the student section before a game the day that he committed. At least that's how I remember it. I can't remember which game it was, but I feel it was non conference.
The handy-dandy MUScoop search function works pretty well. It appears that Otule committed on November 4, 2007. Marquette played an exhibition against Northern State that night.
I, then, will also stand erected.