Rivals Just Updated - Says We Have 23 Offers Outstanding Right Now

[ATL MU Warrior]

That statement alone is incredible. Of course, even with Duke I would take the field. Your basically saying that it is a reasonable argument to put Kentucky vs 64 other teams, or to say they are one of the main favorites. That's putting Kentucky in a very high regard as Elite. I thought they were Elite 8/Final 4 caliber team and they hit lower end expectations in the tourney. Like I said, if they can keep putting together classes like this and just get 1 or 2 holdovers, you are talking NCAA Championship. I think that is light years ahead of where we are right now.

I agree some programs like UNC and Duke will be better off getting 3-4 year guys, but Kentucky can't get those guys. Might as well promote the 1 and done and get a competitive advantage that way.

I was simply responding to your argument that by reaching the Elite 8, Kentucky underachieved.  Had they achieved to their potential, they make the Final 4 at a minumum...what's the other alternative?  

Given the history of teams that tend to advance far in the tournament, I'm having a hard time figuring out why someone would think that a team dominated by freshman (even freshman of this caliber) should be expected to reach the Final 4 at a minumum.  

Sure it can be done (Syracuse with McNamara and Carmello and Michigan with Juwan Howard, Chris Weber, et al) but it's rare and I wouldn't expect it to happen.

[OhioGoldenEagle]

It's very low.  Someone looked at it a few years back and it was something like 10-15%.  And that was just looking at offers that the recruiting sites thought they could confirm, in reality the number was probably lower than that....so given that MU has 3 scholarships available, you can safely assume there are more offers out there than what Rivals has listed or knows about.

I would take that 10-15% in this case.  That would mean the odds of landing one of the Top100 players is quite good actually.  I would be ecstatic if Buzz could land 1-2 Top100 guys in every class!  If he could pull that off and give this program some stability with all of this talent, MU could become a legitimate Big East contender every year.

[martyconlonontherun]

I was simply responding to your argument that by reaching the Elite 8, Kentucky underachieved.  Had they achieved to their potential, they make the Final 4 at a minumum...what's the other alternative?  

Given the history of teams that tend to advance far in the tournament, I'm having a hard time figuring out why someone would think that a team dominated by freshman (even freshman of this caliber) should be expected to reach the Final 4 at a minumum.  

Sure it can be done (Syracuse with McNamara and Carmello and Michigan with Juwan Howard, Chris Weber, et al) but it's rare and I wouldn't expect it to happen.

The argument started cause I said Kentucky is on another level than MU (though not as high as Duke/UNC). Bottomline is I feel Kentucky at the end of most seasons has a better chance than MU with the way they recruit. If you have a team that is Final 4 caliber every year, one year they will get lucky. I don't get the argument it didn't work one year that it won't work the next. To compare Kentucky's 1 and done motto to others in the last decade are close to comparable. Those teams only had 1 guy. These teams have multiple. As much as I love the seniors like Wes, Lazar, Butler...I would trade them for freshmen like Wall or Cousins going into the tournament.

[ATL MU Warrior]

The argument started cause I said Kentucky is on another level than MU (though not as high as Duke/UNC). Bottomline is I feel Kentucky at the end of most seasons has a better chance than MU with the way they recruit. If you have a team that is Final 4 caliber every year, one year they will get lucky. I don't get the argument it didn't work one year that it won't work the next. To compare Kentucky's 1 and done motto to others in the last decade are close to comparable. Those teams only had 1 guy. These teams have multiple. As much as I love the seniors like Wes, Lazar, Butler...I would trade them for freshmen like Wall or Cousins going into the tournament.

I didn't realize we were arguing 

[mileskishnish72]

Heck of a post, Another - good luck with the carpal tunnel.

[HoopsMalone]

Heck of a post, Another - good luck with the carpal tunnel.

+1

Thanks Another and Spartan for throwing those stats together.

I would argue that Buzz's sales pitch might be stronger this year than ever.  Buzz has a great opportunity to sell the chance to play with a 5 star guard so hopefully he can capitalize.  He also has two years of success in the Big East to sell and two years of putting players into the NBA.  He no longer has to overcome being an unproven coach. 

The chance to play right away is not necessarily in Buzz's hand to every recruit now, but he can sell it as a chance to come to a place where a player will get pushed every day in practice and maybe earn a spot.