Andy Katz: Napier & Boatright should stay

[UConn76]

As much as I'd like to think we could be Final 4 material next year, I don't see it yet. Our guards + DD are top notch but we still will lack the inside presence that hurts us against bigger teams. Maybe that will come over the course of the season with the addition of our 2 new big men... I certainly hope so.. Certainly Top 25 material to start the season.

 

[Greathusky]

Yes I understand what you are saying. I'm saying that the national championship talk is ridiculously premature.

The last itme I heard that UCONN was a lock for the Final Four was in 2006. I hate the word "lock".

 

[sammydabiz]

As much as I'd like to think we could be Final 4 material next year, I don't see it yet. Our guards + DD are top notch but we still will lack the inside presence that hurts us against bigger teams. Maybe that will come over the course of the season with the addition of our 2 new big men... I certainly hope so.. Certainly Top 25 material to start the season.

I hear your concerns, but I think you may be underestimating Nolan a little, the kid likes to get dirty downlow (nothin "soft" about his game), and he'll only get bigger and better over the summer. Haven't seen much tape on Facey, but I'm definately expecting big things from Nolan in his Soph campaign....write it down

 

[Palatine]

A little more muscle on TO wouldn't hurt. TO has offensive game that is light years ahead of Nolan.

 

[Mots010]

Top 5 backcourt with a legit player of the year candidate, tons of experience, potential lottery pick 6-9 wing, serviceable front court with some size. Sounds like a recipe for success to me.

 

[tzznandrew]

This board in general is way too far out ahead of what their real prospects are for next year. They have a chance to be a good team - they aren't some preseason Top 5 team.

I think the board's expectations are too high. That said, if Daniels becomes the go-to guy, Calhoun continues to improve, they get something from the 5, and Napier-Boat can coexist...I think they can make some real noise.

 

[HooperScooper]

As much as I'd like to think we could be Final 4 material next year, I don't see it yet. Our guards + DD are top notch but we still will lack the inside presence that hurts us against bigger teams. Maybe that will come over the course of the season with the addition of our 2 new big men... I certainly hope so.. Certainly Top 25 material to start the season.

That's kind of where I'm at also. If they can get a good contribution out of the 5 position next year from Wolf or 1 or both of the new bigs then I'm ten toes in. Just a little scoring and good rebounding and interior defense. The 5 is just such an unkown right now and I don't think you can be top 5 good the way the team played this year.

Hope Daniels can get stronger because I have no problem with him playing the 4. A face up 4 is what most teams in college and the NBA are playing.

 

[aceboon]

That's kind of where I'm at also. If they can get a good contribution out of the 5 position next year from Wolf or 1 or both of the new bigs then I'm ten toes in. Just a little scoring and good rebounding and interior defense. The 5 is just such an unkown right now and I don't think you can be top 5 good the way the team played this year.

Hope Daniels can get stronger because I have no problem with him playing the 4. A face up 4 is what most teams in college and the NBA are playing.

We need to somehow get this pinned somewhere on the boneyard, should be a message prompt that you have to agree to before accessing the site.

 

[Kitaman]

I like Katz, you can tell the guy is a UConn fan.

I'm not sure about the UConn fan stuff, you would know better than I. But he has an office in Bristol allowing him to attend a lot of our games. Getting paid for a short commute beats hopping around the country for the same assignment (that I do know).

 

[sammydabiz]

I'm not sure about the UConn fan stuff, you would know better than I. But he has an office in Bristol allowing him to attend a lot of our games. Getting paid for a short commute beats hopping around the country for the same assignment (that I do know).

Not to mention, he plays golf with Ollie in Glastonbury

 

[superjohn]

We need to somehow get this pinned somewhere on the boneyard, should be a message prompt that you have to agree to before accessing the site.

Yup, no clue why so many on the board want Daniels moved to the 3, it really shows a lack of basketball knowledge.

 

[HooperScooper]

I'm not sure about the UConn fan stuff, you would know better than I. But he has an office in Bristol allowing him to attend a lot of our games. Getting paid for a short commute beats hopping around the country for the same assignment (that I do know).

And Katz lives in West Hartford. That's as short a trip to cover a major college basketball team as probably anyone has.

Katz has been in West Hartford a long time. So of course he's going to end up being a UConn fan living there for so long. Who else is he going to root for? He grew up in Newton, MA but I highly doubt he's a BCU fan.

 

[ctchamps]

I went out to dinner with friends last weekend and at the end of the evening two of them gave me their condolences for UConn's "bad season". True I live on the West Coast but I still was puzzled. When I explained to them that I, on the contrary believed that UConn had a very good season both said that it was just something negative that they had read in the newspaper about the team.
There's a perception albeit brought on by the media that UConn and the words "doom and gloom" are the same. To me this was one of the most refreshing seasons that I have experienced with any UConn team, but that's my bias. I'm a die-hard fan. It's not the perception of anyone who doesn't have a vested interest in the success of the team. If Andy Katz or anyone not named Dana at ESPN wants to write something that I'm hoping happens in the future then I'm all for it!

I'd look at your friends statement as a positive. They are used to seeing UConn as one of the favorites to win it all in the NCAA. No appearance means it can't happen and they feel badly for you! They are more aware than you think knowing if UConn could have played in the tournaments Cuse would have been their B*tch!

 

[msgordon]

Katz should stick to covering the teams that his employer deem worthy. Write about Pitt or Syracuse. Stop sweating UConn. You are not wanted. More importantly, your opinions, as elementary as they are, mean nothing to us.

its been pointed out more than once now but....this is an awful post

 

[msgordon]

honestly i think people underrate our prospects for next year if everyone returns. who can you say should definitively be better than us? maybe duke, whoever gets wiggins and...? kentucky if their freshman pan out, but thats true every year

 

[arnie3]

I'd look at your friends statement as a positive. They are used to seeing UConn as one of the favorites to win it all in the NCAA. No appearance means it can't happen and they feel badly for you! They are more aware than you think knowing if UConn could have played in the tournaments Cuse would have been their B*tch!

One of them is a KU graduate and a fervent supporter of that team. I think that he's glad we're not in!

 

[ctchamps]

One of them is a KU graduate and a fervent supporter of that team. I think that he's glad we're not in!

They better just hope Bucknell isn't in!

 

[Matt (Chicago)]

A little more muscle on TO wouldn't hurt. TO has offensive game that is light years ahead of Nolan.

Tyler's regression this year was more apparent than any player in recent memory, whereas Nolan showed actual improvement late in the season. Besides if no one leaves we don't need a scoring 5, we need one who can rebound and play D, in which case I'll take Phil all day long over Tyler.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Tyler's regression this year was more apparent than any player in recent memory, whereas Nolan showed actual improvement late in the season. Besides if no one leaves we don't need a scoring 5, we need one who can rebound and play D, in which case I'll take Phil all day long over Tyler.

I don't think TO regressed, I just think he was exposed. He has no business playing 25 minutes a game or trying to rebound against stronger, faster, more athletic guys.

I agree that Nolan should get more minutes next year.

 

[UC990411]

Katz should stick to covering the teams that his employer deem worthy. Write about Pitt or Syracuse. Stop sweating UConn. You are not wanted. More importantly, your opinions, as elementary as they are, mean nothing to us.

Right, bash the one guy who constantly gives us positive press nationally

 

[TheChamps990411]

IMHO if you are not a GUARANTEED 1rst round pick you have no business declaring early for the draft. if you need money 2nd round money isnt guaranteed and you can get cut quickly or maybe not even drafted at all. i think dd and bazz would be mid second round picks at best and boat would not get drafted at all.

 

[whaler11]

honestly i think people underrate our prospects for next year if everyone returns. who can you say should definitively be better than us? maybe duke, whoever gets wiggins and...? kentucky if their freshman pan out, but thats true every year

Yes. When you've got the 45th best team in the country and if bring everyone back calling for a potential national championship is underrating your prospects.

I think three national championships have blinded some folks to how hard they are to win and what kind of team you need to get one.

I'm sure Katz is just an idiot but he's talking about winning the conference. Maybe start with that. That's hardly guaranteed.

 

[Mots010]

Yes. When you've got the 45th best team in the country and if bring everyone back calling for a potential national championship is underrating your prospects.

I think three national championships have blinded some folks to how hard they are to win and what kind of team you need to get one.

I'm sure Katz is just an idiot but he's talking about winning the conference. Maybe start with that. That's hardly guaranteed.

Come on man, the team I watched play this year went toe-to-toe with some of the best teams in the country, and beat a bunch of them. A flurry of injuries derailed things a bit late in the year, but this was no doubt a top 25 team this year with everyone healthy. Top 25 teams that return their starting 5 typically have pretty high expectations. Now the tricky part is actually getting everyone to come back, but i have a feeling we will.

 

[whaler11]

Come on man, the team I watched play this year went toe-to-toe with some of the best teams in the country, and beat a bunch of them. A flurry of injuries derailed things a bit late in the year, but this was no doubt a top 25 team this year with everyone healthy. Top 25 teams that return their starting 5 typically have pretty high expectations. Now the tricky part is actually getting everyone to come back, but i have a feeling we will.

The computers disagree across the board. Maybe they are all wrong - but even before the injuries they were 40th.

 

[tzznandrew]

Yes. When you've got the 45th best team in the country and if bring everyone back calling for a potential national championship is underrating your prospects.

I think three national championships have blinded some folks to how hard they are to win and what kind of team you need to get one.

I'm sure Katz is just an idiot but he's talking about winning the conference. Maybe start with that. That's hardly guaranteed.

There is no guarantee. That's important to concede.

They were 20-10.

They lost two games without their best player.
They lost one game where the ref waived off a basket in OT for their own mistake.

All of their losses, except Louisville, were games they could have won (that's different, than say the 2003 team, which got blown out by VT, for instance). New Mexico and NC State, in particular, are the types of games where a big--any big--would have helped us win.

What's difficult is that we don't know what this team could have done in the post-season, which is usually a good measure of what to expect for the next year. The 2002-03 team went into the post-season with 8 losses (VT and BC being particularly heinous, at the loss at a 17-15 UNC team was also ugly). They got to the conference title game, and then lost to Texas.

The 2003 team was 10-6 in the regular season...I think without injuries or just weirdnesses, this team is somewhere between 11-7 and 13-5. I think they're comparable.

The big difference--Okafor. We don't have him next year, or anyone near his caliber. But I think any production down low turns this team into a dangerous team.

 

[whaler11]

There is no guarantee. That's important to concede.

They were 20-10.

They lost two games without their best player.
They lost one game where the ref waived off a basket in OT for their own mistake.

All of their losses, except Louisville, were games they could have won (that's different, than say the 2003 team, which got blown out by VT, for instance). New Mexico and NC State, in particular, are the types of games where a big--any big--would have helped us win.

What's difficult is that we don't know what this team could have done in the post-season, which is usually a good measure of what to expect for the next year. The 2002-03 team went into the post-season with 8 losses (VT and BC being particularly heinous, at the loss at a 17-15 UNC team was also ugly). They got to the conference title game, and then lost to Texas.

The 2003 team was 10-6 in the regular season...I think without injuries or just weirdnesses, this team is somewhere between 11-7 and 13-5. I think they're comparable.

The big difference--Okafor. We don't have him next year, or anyone near his caliber. But I think any production down low turns this team into a dangerous team.

Yeah that's one side of the equation. The other is they needed Overtimes to beat USF at home, Providence twice and Quinnipiac. It works both ways.

 

[8893]

There is no guarantee. That's important to concede.

They were 20-10.

They lost two games without their best player.
They lost one game where the ref waived off a basket in OT for their own mistake.

All of their losses, except Louisville, were games they could have won (that's different, than say the 2003 team, which got blown out by VT, for instance). New Mexico and NC State, in particular, are the types of games where a big--any big--would have helped us win.

What's difficult is that we don't know what this team could have done in the post-season, which is usually a good measure of what to expect for the next year. The 2002-03 team went into the post-season with 8 losses (VT and BC being particularly heinous, at the loss at a 17-15 UNC team was also ugly). They got to the conference title game, and then lost to Texas.

The 2003 team was 10-6 in the regular season...I think without injuries or just weirdnesses, this team is somewhere between 11-7 and 13-5. I think they're comparable.

The big difference--Okafor. We don't have him next year, or anyone near his caliber. But I think any production down low turns this team into a dangerous team.

This.

No one is making guarantees. But with even modest improvement in the frontcourt we are definitely in the running if everyone returns.

 

[tzznandrew]

Yeah that's one side of the equation. The other is they needed Overtimes to beat USF at home, Providence twice and Quinnipiac. It works both ways.

True. But the 2007-08 team beat Morgan State by 4, UCF by 3, and needed OT to beat USF as well.

We've had all sorts of good teams struggle to win "easy" games.

 

[whaler11]

True. But the 2007-08 team beat Morgan State by 4, UCF by 3, and needed OT to beat USF as well.

We've had all sorts of good teams struggle to win "easy" games.

It's a good team with potential. The cart is a mile ahead of the horse at this point.

 

[msgordon]

Yes. When you've got the 45th best team in the country and if bring everyone back calling for a potential national championship is underrating your prospects.

I think three national championships have blinded some folks to how hard they are to win and what kind of team you need to get one.

I'm sure Katz is just an idiot but he's talking about winning the conference. Maybe start with that. That's hardly guaranteed.

I certainly understand your point and im pretty well-versed in the different computer rankings and the various metrics they draw their information from. To be frank, the 20+ minutes we gave Tyler and 10+ minutes we gave RJ pretty much kill us in the eyes of the computers. And thats fair because we didnt really have any better options, but my optimism is based on projecting more minutes for DD and Giffey, Wolf if hes available, and even a moderate improvement from Nolan.