message to all top 150 highschool "post" players

[thanooj]

Davante Gardner, the 6'9ish post player who recently weighed 330 and came to marquette as a "project big", is getting quality minutes for the big east's Marquette Golden Eagles.  17 pts in game one and 11 points, 9 rbds, one block, second half inspiration in game two.
look at "ox" and picture yourself here.  Big time minutes to big time players in the paint now available in the big east at Marquette.

[Steve Buscemi]

I don't think he was 330...

[rocky_warrior]

Well, his HS coach said he was close:

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/goldeneagles/92733734.html

Gardner will be expected to improve his conditioning enough to become a contributor. He played at about 320 pounds as a junior, and MU wants him to drop a good deal more weight once he joins the program.

(He was already down to 295 as a senior)

[TallTitan34]

On the A&M post game show, Buzz said Gardner was quickly turning his fat into muscle under the direction of Todd Smith. 

[Steve Buscemi]

nevertheless, a good message

[Marquette84]

Davante Gardner, the 6'9ish post player who recently weighed 330 and came to marquette as a "project big", is getting quality minutes for the big east's Marquette Golden Eagles.  17 pts in game one and 11 points, 9 rbds, one block, second half inspiration in game two.
look at "ox" and picture yourself here.  Big time minutes to big time players in the paint now available in the big east at Marquette.

Why don't we just be more direct and tell top 150 "post" players that if they come to MU there's a good chance they'll ride the bench for the next three years, behind Gardner on the depth chart. 

Sorry, but this is NOT the message you want to send.  Big minutes are no longer available unless you think you're ready to come in and average a double double from day one.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Holy S.

Guys, it's been 2 games.

2 F-ing games.

Relax.

We don't know how good this kid is going to be. Calm down.

God, I hate sports fans and the internet.

/self loathing.

[downtown85]

Why don't we just be more direct and tell top 150 "post" players that if they come to MU there's a good chance they'll ride the bench for the next three years, behind Gardner on the depth chart. 

Sorry, but this is NOT the message you want to send.  Big minutes are no longer available unless you think you're ready to come in and average a double double from day one.

Gardner is going to the association after leading the team to the final four this year.  There'll be plenty of playing time available.   

[mu_hilltopper]

I'm just as hopeful as the next guy, but Gardner's performance was against 2 pre-season teams, OOC, generally referred to as cupcakes.   (Remember, Bucknell finished RPI 235 last year.  Pomeroy predicts them to go 14-16)

In addition .. while Gardner scored the points that led to a comeback victory against Bucknell .. recall that he was being guarded by a guy with 4 PFs, who was playing to not pick up his 5th.

We'll all know Gardner's skills in 8 short days.

[RawdogDX]

Lets wait tilll he leaves early for the NBA next year before sending out this open letter.

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

I predict next year's NBA draft: #1, Gardner. #2, Gasser.

[NavinRJohnson]

I am excited about what he has shown (Heck, I was excited about his potential just watching some of his HS videos), but I agree its probably a bit premature, as I suspect his playing time is likley to decrease as the season goes on and the competition gets tougher, bigger, and more athletic. He reminds me a lot of Jarrod Lovette. Nothing special athletically, but very good and reliable around the basket. He seems to have a natural understanding of what to do with the ball (put it in the basket). If he can perform like that for 4 years, he will be a great contributor.

[mu-rara]

I predict next year's NBA draft: #1, Gardner. #2, Gasser.

This!

[esotericmindguy]

Holy S.

Guys, it's been 2 games.

2 F-ing games.

Relax.

We don't know how good this kid is going to be. Calm down.

God, I hate sports fans and the internet.

/self loathing.

Umm, you're on a Marquette chat board complaining about over the top posts? You want objectivity stick to blogs and even national reports.

Although I agree with you, excited to see how he does in the cbe classic  and Wisconsin...encouraging start for him.

[bilsu]

I envision Gardner being a 4 year player. He is small for NBA standards and is not athletic. I thinking he could end up all time MU scoring leader, if he can average 10+ as a freshmen.

[DoggyDaddy]

Folks will find out about Ox soon enough.  Let's not "Jim Chones" this guy or forget Otule's improvement.  Praise and thanksgiving for an inside part to the up tempo game. 

[tower912]

It has been a fun two games.   BUT.....He can't play 30 minutes a game yet....he hasn't made a team's scouting report yet.....he hasn't seen a double team yet....he hasn't played against a decent big guy who wasn't in foul trouble yet.....he is still a freshman.   There is no way we should be expecting him to do this every night.   Now, kudos to Buzz for landing him.   Buzz saw the hands, the feet, the touch, where others saw the weight.     (With Jeronne, he saw the abilities where others saw the dad.   Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose)    Buzz probably figured that Todd Smith could work wonders with this kid and he would still have the hands, feet, and touch.    Which brings me around to the 'last schollie' argument again.    Some 7 footer out there with potential and desire to improve and a willingness to red-shirt a year in order to get his body in line with his aspirations would be the perfect last schollie.    If Todd Smith can work this kind of change on the Ox (predicated on the fact that the OX WANTED to change), just think what he can do for you.   

[Canadian Dimes]

I predict next year's NBA draft: #1, Gardner. #2, Gasser.

LOL!

[RawdogDX]

I envision Gardner being a 4 year player. He is small for NBA standards and is not athletic. I thinking he could end up all time MU scoring leader, if he can average 10+ as a freshmen.

Is he small for a nba 4?  Is he not athletic if he gets down to 250?  Not sure.

Don't get me wrong, I was completely joking about him leaving early.

[groove]

One of the games was against the Washington Generals of college basketball.

[MerrittsMustache]

Why don't we just be more direct and tell top 150 "post" players that if they come to MU there's a good chance they'll ride the bench for the next three years, behind Gardner on the depth chart. 

Sorry, but this is NOT the message you want to send.  Big minutes are no longer available unless you think you're ready to come in and average a double double from day one.

I realize it's been a while since MU has had a legit big man, but let's remember that there's no rule against having two bigs play at the same time. If it were up to me, I'd label these positions "center" and "power forward."

Let's also remember, well, pretty much what tower912 said in his post.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Umm, you're on a Marquette chat board complaining about over the top posts? You want objectivity stick to blogs and even national reports.

Although I agree with you, excited to see how he does in the cbe classic  and Wisconsin...encouraging start for him.

Tongue and cheek. I know I'm a fan and I use the internet, so I'm part of the problem.

I'm just in awe of how quickly people want to make conclusions. God forbid anybody just enjoy watching him play. Nope. We all immediately have to run to our keyboards to make bold proclamations about the kid's future so we can appear smarter than everybody else.

I hate myself and the internet sometimes.

[4everwarriors]

I'm the cat yelling for a tall man constantly, since it's a big man's game, but while encouraging, take all performances thus far with a grain of salt.

[MerrittsMustache]

Tongue and cheek. I know I'm a fan and I use the internet, so I'm part of the problem.

I'm just in awe of how quickly people want to make conclusions. God forbid anybody just enjoy watching him play. Nope. We all immediately have to run to our keyboards to make bold proclamations about the kid's future so we can appear smarter than everybody else.

I hate myself and the internet sometimes.

Don't worry. No one will think you're trying to look smarter than everyone else when you use phrases like "tongue and cheek."  

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Don't worry. No one will think you're trying to look smarter than everyone else when you use phrases like "tongue and cheek."  

Busted.

I'm an idiot.