Kinda surprised nobody saw this earlierâŚ
[URL]http://www.projo.com/pc/content/sp_bkc_kevin_mcnamara27_07-27-08_MLB0J59_v10.395ad4b.html[/URL]
Any time you find something before run is a feat.
Thereâs no one in the stands?
Edit: Not cool NLP, editing your post so mine makes even less sense than it did before.
Itâs because I was unsure of the definition of âlast yearâ. To me last year meant the season which just ended but I realized the writer might have been using '07 as last year.
Oh, and who the heck replies within one minute at this time of night. I thought I was safe. :biggrin:
Oh, and who the heck replies within one minute at this time of night. I thought I was safe. :biggrin:
Youâd be surprised 
Oh, and who the heck replies within one minute at this time of night. I thought I was safe. :biggrin:People who have nothing better to do?
Richmond will finish higher than LaSalle even without Geriot. Dont like these type of rankings written by someone who hasnt seen all the teams.
Just glanced through the BE section, and is AJ Price on his 3rd SR year yet?
Jheez.
I am waiting on the low expectation crowd to chime in gettin stoked about a 4th place prediction.
Not sure what to think of that list because after Xavier and Temple, things are going to be pretty wide open in the A-10 this coming season. I believe McNamara has Duquesne and Saint Louis too low and Iâm not sure what he realizes Mo Rice was gone at GW anyway since he was a senior last year. Still, nice to see something during these slow, summer months.
I am waiting on the low expectation crowd to chime in gettin stoked about a 4th place prediction.
Low expectation crowd representative here!
Last year was the kind of year where you kind of acknowledge that there would be some lumps. The âexperts in the mediaâ picked us appropriately for a team coming off of a losing season and returning only Goldwire, Andersen, Phaler, and Lewis.
Could you imagine if the expectations were âSweet 16 or bustâ last year? After the Fordham loss, we would probably be burning playersâ likenesses in effigy. You gotta be fair - 'specially to players making the jump from HS to college. This season should be a return to normalcy. Get the conference tournament bye and try to position yourself for an at-large.
[QUOTE=survivor45;331287]Low expectation crowd representative here!
Last year was the kind of year where you kind of acknowledge that there would be some lumps. The âexperts in the mediaâ picked us appropriately for a team coming off of a losing season and returning only Goldwire, Andersen, Phaler, and Lewis.
Could you imagine if the expectations were âSweet 16 or bustâ last year? After the Fordham loss, we would probably be burning playersâ likenesses in effigy. You gotta be fair - 'specially to players making the jump from HS to college. This season should be a return to normalcy. Get the conference tournament bye and try to position yourself for an at-large.[/QUOTE]
Until I see this years team play a game or two and see how they play together - I will say that finishing Top 4 in the A10 to get the first round bye is a reasonable expectation. I think at minimum we should be Top 4 in any given year. Once I see this team play, my expectations will change.
4th??? Are they kidding?! There is no way we donât finish undefeated in A10 play, including embarassing Eggzavier and travel to the final four come March. GeeZ! Why do I think this?? Because Phil Jones said last year that we wouldâŚ
:lmao:
I think at minimum we should be Top 4 in any given year.
After a few disappointing seasons to start out in the A10, I really do hope we return to our old CUSA form. Itâs time to shake off the cobwebs and settle in. Thereâs no doubt that Charlotte should finish at or near the top of the A10 every year and finally build a reputation as a A10 powerhouse and a leading A10 program.
I believe McNamara has Duquesne and Saint Louis too low and I'm not sure that he realizes Mo Rice was gone at GW anyway since he was a senior last year.
I agree 100% with Saint Louis - but I couldnât name 2 teams that I could confidently put below Duquesne. I think he mentioned Mo Rice getting bounced from the team to maybe imply that GW might not miss him as much as we might think.
Anyway, I thought the review was pretty solid. Since thereâs not much going on in the slow summer months here, anyway - Iâll toss in my own early thoughts.
ATLANTIC 10
1. Xavier (27-6, 14-2): You know you have it rolling when an Elite Eight team loses three critical seniors and is still picked in the top 25. Derrick Brown, B.J. Raymond and C.J. Anderson give the Muskies more than enough firepower for an eighth NCAA trip in the last nine seasons.
Not much more to add. I like Derrick Brown and Xavier once again pulls in a recruiting class that would make most BCS schools jealous. With the departures - notably Drew Lavender - theyâre not necessarily secure at the top. But theyâre still the team to beat.
2. Temple (21-12, 11-5): The Owls won 20 games for the first time in eight years and awarded coach Fran Dunphy with a two-year extension. Dionte Christmas (19.7 ppg) is back and young big man Lavoy Allen could get help from impressive additions Ramone Moore and Andrew Randall.
They lose Tyndale - but Christmas & Allen plus good depth should be enough to make the NCAAs. With the big 7-foot Spaniard rapidly improving his game (averaged double-figure scoring in his last 6 games) and Nigerian Michael Eric for depth, Allen could probably see more action at forward where he could really do damage. Lavoy moves very fluidly for a big.
3. UMass (21-10, 10-6): No A-10 team lost more than the Minutemen and weâre not talking about coach Travis Ford. We have no idea whether Derek Kellogg can coach a lick, but we like his backcourt of Chris Lowe and Ricky Harris.
Lowe & Harris can rack up points - but I would put UMass a tad lower. Kellogg is known for his recruiting abilities at Memphis - but UMass has such a ridiculous amount of players waiting in the wings that he really couldnât pull anyone in yet. Theyâre a very good team with better days ahead - but I donât know if theyâre a lock for the NCAA tournament yet. They have the pieces to make a push.
4. Charlotte (20-13, 9-7): The 49ers earned an NIT berth and only one player that averaged over five minutes of playing time, Leemire Goldwire, is gone. Bobby Lutz welcomes a top recruit in wing scorer Rashad Coleman.
Whatâs there to say that we donât already know? If the players are content, then the loss of Goldwire really hurts. If players want to progress, then weâre in pretty good shape. I would think that most of our guys would welcome the chance to play a big(ger) role next year.
5. Dayton (21-10, 8-8): The Flyers suffered a URI-like collapse that meant a trip to the NIT. Chris Wright leads a talented group that could win 20 games again.
Did you know that the Flyers had the #4 best non-conference RPI last year (according to kenpom)? Obviously the Chris Wright injury was pretty devastating. The loss of Roberts will hurt a lot - but Wright should make for an exciting season. Iâd like to see how âTop Flightâ performs against high-level competition before I rush to say that theyâre a NCAA possibility, though.
6. Saint Josephâs (21-13, 9-7): Itâs tough picking a Phil Martelli team with the leagueâs best big man (Ahmad Nivins) this low, but the A-10 is deep once again. Nivins and guards Tasheed Carr and Darrin Govens are all keepers.
Nivins finished the year really strong. Earlier in the season, he allowed himself to be shut down much too often. Itâs a talented team, but I think Martelli struggled to wake them up from, at times, complacent play. If they become hungrier to win, Martelli can coach them to a high level. If not, another âmehâ year.
7. LaSalle (15-17, 8-8): The loss of Darnell Harris is big, but it looks like the Explorers are finally ready to make a move this season with six of their top seven scorers back. Athletic wing Rodney Green (13.2 ppg) and impressive young big man Jerrell Williams (9.4 ppg) lead the way.
By far, the best of the Fordham-La Salle-Duquesne-St. Bonaventure âWhy-are-they-even-in-the-league?â group. Darnell Harris was truly their âGoldwireâ, but most of the 6 returning scorers are part of a strong junior class that have played/developed as underclassmen. Sophomore Jerrell Williams was once a big recruiting target for Marquette (and several other BCS schools) but chose to play alongside his more modestly talented brother at La Salle. Williams has called Mississippi transfer Goodridge (#4 rated center recuit for the '06 class) the best player heâs played against - high praise for a teammate. Could become the makings of a formidable frontcourt. They also have a favorable non-con sked, getting a lot of return games at their tiny gym.
8. Richmond (16-14, 9-7): We didnât see the Spiders play all year, but they have everyone back and a good coach in Chris Mooney. That could add up to a better than eighth-place finish.
Their biggest weakness is inconsistency. They pushed Memphis down to the wire and demoralized Virginia Tech for 40 minutes - but then theyâll lose to crap teams. Obviously, they donât âhave everyone backâ and the injury to their leading scorer/rebounder could really hinder a once-promising looking season if their recruits donât pan out. Kevin Andersen, David Gonzalvez and Kevin Smith are all fun to watch - playing for a team thatâs not fun to watch at all. The present/future was really brightening for Richmond - hopefully they can regroup and build on some success this year.
9. Rhode Island ( 21-12, 7-9): The Rams will feel the loss of Will Daniels and Parfait Bitee big-time. Jim Baron has some nice young pieces, but unless Delroy James, Keith Cothran and perhaps frosh Stevie Mejia and Orion Outerbridge develop quickly, itâs hard to see how the Rams could be as dangerous as they were last winter. Itâs also tough to ask newcomers to play college-level defense, especially on a team where the veterans havenât grasped the concept very much either.
URI looked poised for a deep NCAA run based upon how they manhandled their non-con competition. Then they lose 9 conference games. What the hell happened? A big reason is that Coach Baron runs simple, basic offensive plays that are easily manipulated by familiar opponents and thereâs no concern for defense. Unfortunately, they also gave their coach a 10 year extension that is too costly to buy out - so he ainât going anywhere for awhile. Statistically, Will Daniels was 2nd in the NCAA only to Michael Beasley in terms of being a well-rounded frontcourt star. Gone. Unless something drastic occurs, this squad now looks poised for mediocrity.
10. Saint Louis (16-15, 7-9): Rick Majerus moves SLU into its new campus building, Chaifetz Arena, with eight new players to go with Kevin Lisch and Tommie Liddell. The Big Man wonât be this low in the standings for long.
Remember last year when everyone trumpeted the arrival of future Hall-of-Famer Rick Majerus and his ridiculously high winning percentage? Wow, that honeymoon ended quick. 10th is too damn low for any team with Lisch and Liddell. But if you have trouble remembering the hand that was dealt to Majerus last year - look no further than their 49-20 abomination of a loss to GW along with a couple games where they couldnât even score 40. Majerus, Lisch, and Liddell were surrounded with players that flat-out sucked. So the Big Man yanked away a ton of schollies (very callously saying that he wasnât willing to give a minute of playing time to several of them) and rebuilt the team anew. Whatâs encouraging is that Majerus brought in players he scouted and liked - and should fit in well. With a strong returning core and a good recruiting class -This is my dark horse. (fwiw - WH from the A10 boards selected Saint Louis as one of his âbottom thirdâ teams in the offseason. That guy really knows his stuff, but Iâm still scratching my head over his selection)
11. George Washington (9-17, 5-11): Karl Hobbs bounced Maureece Rice out of the program and heâll move forward with a strong trio of Rob Diggs, Damian Hollis and Noel Wilmore.
âDuhâ prediction of the year - George Washington will be better than last year. Will they make the NCAAs for another 3 consecutive years? Hell, no.
12. Duquesne ( 17-13, 7-9): The Dukes posted a winning season for the first time in 14 seasons, and then shot-blocking center Shawn James and guard Kojo Mensah both applied for the NBA draft (neither drew a sniff). Melquan Bolding (a ex-Louisville recruit) and Connecticut player of the year BâŚJ. Monteiro are promising new faces.
Aaron Jackson - who got shot in the hand but still lifted up a 250 lb teammate on his back and drove him to the hospital - has donned his cape and tights in summer league action where he was named the MVP surrounded with Pitt and WVU players. Duquesne always puts on a good show and I like their coaches - but I still donât think theyâll achieve a winning record without James & Mensah.
13. St. Bonaventure (8-22, 2-14): The Bonnies wonât be last? Attleboroâs Mark Schmidt is moving things ahead. JUCO recruits Ray Blackburn, Lewis Leonard and Jonathan Hall offer hope.
Michael Lee is gone - but the Bonnies finally have some depth to work with. Ex-Xavier assistant Schmidt coached the Bonnies to some close wins and has followed through on his promised to build the program brick-by-brick. Still a lot of bricks to be laid.
14. Fordham (12-17, 6-10): Big trouble in the Bronx as the Rams slide backwards.
Jio Fontan is a promising Top 150 freshman, but thatâs about the extent of the good news. The consensus last place pick.
I dont think they did much research, nor have they ever watched these guys play last year. To concentrate solely on the loss of lee and the fact that coleman is a solid recruit tells me they didnt watch coley and wildernessâ D last year - and they never saw mack play. Not to mention the fact that we have 2 very different point guards (which IMO is good for adjusting to a team for penetration) and that we upset a bunch of higher seeded players in the tourney.
I do agree that top 4 is required - but the fact that they didnt mention any of our returners makes me wonder how much they really looked into this outside of X.
I dont think they did much research, nor have they ever watched these guys play last year. To concentrate solely on the loss of lee and the fact that coleman is a solid recruit tells me they didnt watch coley and wilderness' D last year - and they never saw mack play. Not to mention the fact that we have 2 very different point guards (which IMO is good for adjusting to a team for penetration) and that we upset a bunch of higher seeded players in the tourney.I do agree that top 4 is required - but the fact that they didnt mention any of our returners makes me wonder how much they really looked into this outside of X.
Itâs possible - he admitted not watching Richmond play. But most of his Big East reviews were kept around 25 words or less, too.
[QUOTE=CharlotteLacrosse16;331241]Thereâs no one in the stands?
Edit: Not cool NLP, editing your post so mine makes even less sense than it did before.[/QUOTE]
well, if you look at the caption in the picture it is stranger yetâŚ
âXavierâs Derrick Brown, playing against URIâs Parfait Bitee and Joe Mbang in last yearâs[B] Atlantic 10 tournament semifinals[/B], is one of Xavierâs powerhouses this year.â
I am not sure how URI got double elimination after gerrity beat them!
[QUOTE=gotLutz;331298]After a few disappointing seasons to start out in the A10, I really do hope we return to our old CUSA form. Itâs time to shake off the cobwebs and settle in. Thereâs no doubt that Charlotte should finish at or near the top of the A10 every year and finally build a reputation as a A10 powerhouse and a leading A10 program.[/QUOTE]
Thanks for saying what I was trying to say, only much better!
[QUOTE=survivor45;331313]Itâs possible - he admitted not watching Richmond play. But most of his Big East reviews were kept around 25 words or less, too.[/QUOTE]
Kevin McNamara is a good writer. Unfortunately, he is correct â the Providence Journal doesnât send him to all URI away games, so he didnât get a chance to see every A-10 team last season.