Andy Katz blogs on MU

[NYWarrior]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3044449&name=katz_andy

Marquette needs inside presence
posted: Monday, October 1, 2007  |  Print Entry

Marquette coach Tom Crean isn't playing up the Eagles' chances to win the Big East.

That's not his style.

What about any of his players? Well, they won't hide their emotions.

Jerel McNeal said he would put the order of finish in the Big East, "Marquette, Louisville and Georgetown, but that's just me."

The reason for the confidence with the Golden Eagles has to do with a few factors. First, they return all five starters, including Dominic James -- who might be one of the top lead guards in the country after he withdrew from the NBA draft -- to go along with McNeal and Wes Matthews, two of the better defenders in the league.

But another solid reason for the optimism is the ability to score in the post. Confidence is flowing with the guards expecting Ousmane Barro and Lazar Hayward to finish in the post.

"Lazar has to score inside for us no doubt, and Ousmane is playing better," Crean said. "But the first thing is we're not going to focus on who's scoring individually, but are we scoring in the lane?

"You've got to have a post threat or drive it in there. You've got to have a team of guys who can post up. Getting in the lane is the most important thing, whether it's a 6-10 player or a 5-10 player, we've got to do it. One of the greatest ways to do that is offensive rebound."

Crean said he has been working on the guards posting up more during individual workouts. The intent, as he said, is that everyone has the opportunity to score inside and get fouled.

Still, the guards are confident that they can throw the ball in the lane and the players will be productive.

"We've got no problems with those guys catching and finishing down there," McNeal said. "Posting up and scoring is one of our points of emphasis. We're dribbling to the side more [to set up post passes], and we've been more aggressive down there."


*****OK, does this last quote sound like a APB for the freshman class of 2008?  If so, great ........ Frank Ben-Eze come on down, its time to man the paint in Milwaukee

[Murffieus]

MU will playing against a lot of zones this year until we can make believers out of the opposition by hiting treys!

Against a man defense, I hope Katz means posting up the guards wide (wide post)-----which would be an excellent move and one that I have been advocating for a long time !

[NYWarrior]

Against a man defense, I hope Katz means posting up the guards wide (wide post)-----which would be an excellent move and one that I have been advocating for a long time !

Its all about the wide post Murph.....it has to be, it is Gospel!

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3044449&name=katz_andy


"You've got to have a post threat or drive it in there. You've got to have a team of guys who can post up. Getting in the lane is the most important thing, whether it's a 6-10 player or a 5-10 player, we've got to do it. One of the greatest ways to do that is offensive rebound."

This is an interesting approach. I was thinking about this last year as well. Obviously, you need to have enough balance on the team that teams can't just lock down on 3 guys... but at the same time I think post scoring (from post players) can be overrated.

IF MU's guards are able to penetrate (and possibly post up), then they will have more then enough "inside scoring"... Ous/Lazar/Fitz will really just be responsible for crashing the boards and stepping out and hitting jumpers (in Fitz and Lazar's cases).

The one glaring problem with this approach is when teams move into zone and cut down on the slashing lanes. That's when MU either needs to shoot over the zone (risky given our percentages), or needs Lazar to play high post and hit a couple of mid-range shots and possibly work some high-low action with Ous.

MU has some options this year. It will really be interesting to see how tactical Crean can be. In the past people (including me) have been somewhat critical of his x's and o's. Well, now he has a variety of talent to chose from, so he should be able to make more good tactical moves throughout the game.

[ilovefreeway]

Against a man defense, I hope Katz means posting up the guards wide (wide post)-----which would be an excellent move and one that I have been advocating for a long time !

Its all about the wide post Murph.....it has to be, it is Gospel!

Thanks be to Murf

[ZiggysFryBoy]

MU will playing against a lot of zones this year until we can make believers out of the opposition by hiting treys!

Against a man defense, I hope Katz means posting up the guards wide (wide post)-----which would be an excellent move and one that I have been advocating for a long time !

who is wrong more:  Andy Katz or Murf????

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Crean talks to Katz? Isn't Katz the "Badger fan" (in Bo's back pocket, according to some) who quotes "unnamed sources" in articles about Crean and various job openings?

It's like Bill Clinton granting Matt Drudge an interview.

[tower912]

Matthew, Murf, Luke, and John

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Crean talks to Katz? Isn't Katz the "Badger fan" (in Bo's back pocket, according to some) who quotes "unnamed sources" in articles about Crean and various job openings?

It's like Bill Clinton granting Matt Drudge an interview.

He's a media whore, so of course he talks to Katz.  Anyone else with a byline and a tape recorder too.  Isn't that a given?

[muhoosier260]

Matthew, Murf, Luke, and John

ya, i just learned that in theo 01 last week, it will be on the midterm i'm sure

[tower912]

1.  The wide post is the best of all offenses.  Thou shalt have no offenses before it.
2.   Thou shalt not covet thy opponent's ball in the backcourt.
3.  Thou shalt not set off-the-ball screens.
4.  Thou shalt play sagging man-to-man or zone, taking away the lane, and closing out on shooters.
5.   Thou shalt compare everything to how Al did it.
6.   Thou shalt not use thy depth to pressure the other team, as this only works in December.
7.   Thou shalt send out messages on the computer until thine fingers bleed.
8.   Thou shalt claim credit for any improvements in the players if they do anything similar to what you have ceaselessly recommended, even if you never actually had contact with the player who improved.
9.   Thou shalt use an exclamation point after every sentence. (!)
10.   Thou shalt never admit error, even when confronted with overwhelming evidence.   

[NYWarrior]

1.  The wide post is the best of all offenses.  Thou shalt have no offenses before it.
2.   Thou shalt not covet thy opponent's ball in the backcourt.
3.  Thou shalt not set off-the-ball screens.
4.  Thou shalt play sagging man-to-man or zone, taking away the lane, and closing out on shooters.
5.   Thou shalt compare everything to how Al did it.
6.   Thou shalt not use thy depth to pressure the other team, as this only works in December.
7.   Thou shalt send out messages on the computer until thine fingers bleed.
8.   Thou shalt claim credit for any improvements in the players if they do anything similar to what you have ceaselessly recommended, even if you never actually had contact with the player who improved.
9.   Thou shalt use an exclamation point after every sentence. (!)
10.   Thou shalt never admit error, even when confronted with overwhelming evidence.   

You know, the 10 Commandments of Murff's Infallible Wide-Post Teachings are an ideal item for the wiki!

[tower912]

Murf?   Who said anything about Murf?   

[mu_hilltopper]

Hmm .. where to put the 10 commandments ..

http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/john_glaser

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

1.  The wide post is the best of all offenses.  Thou shalt have no offenses before it.
2.   Thou shalt not covet thy opponent's ball in the backcourt.
3.  Thou shalt not set off-the-ball screens.
4.  Thou shalt play sagging man-to-man or zone, taking away the lane, and closing out on shooters.
5.   Thou shalt compare everything to how Al did it.
6.   Thou shalt not use thy depth to pressure the other team, as this only works in December.
7.   Thou shalt send out messages on the computer until thine fingers bleed.
8.   Thou shalt claim credit for any improvements in the players if they do anything similar to what you have ceaselessly recommended, even if you never actually had contact with the player who improved.
9.   Thou shalt use an exclamation point after every sentence. (!)
10.   Thou shalt never admit error, even when confronted with overwhelming evidence.   

The funny thing is that there is actually some good basketball knowledge (hidden) in here... but most often its poorly communicated and applied too broadly and thus irrelevant. (!)

AND, when a team or player does do something mildly similar to what murf says, he take full credit for it. (!)

[mviale]

dime a dozen has to go in there somewhere. 

[tower912]

Cannot believe I forgot listerine and proper ankle wrapping.  Ah well, my mistakes are, too, a dime a dozen. (!)

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Cannot believe I forgot listerine and proper ankle wrapping.  Ah well, my mistakes are, too, a dime a dozen. (!)

I think we also forget that you can predict a players entire future by a few clips on television. No need to really scout a player. You can measure vertical leap, quickness, hands, touch and all other abilities in 10 second clips.