Dove
Part of the 2%, but 100% wood.
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 16,029
- Reaction Score
- 47,285
4 years a ago a skinny kid from Massachusetts suited up as a freshman. He had the luxury of playing the 2 guard to Kemba Walker. In short order we saw Napier as a defensive whiz that made the opposing point guard have to really be alert. We called Napier the Reach Around Bandit. It fit.
In his sophomore season Napier was the guy who had to lead the team. It was to be JCs last season. Napier had a freshman point guard come in in Boat and it seemed there were issues with chemistry. Each wanted to lead the team and each displayed great skills. It seemed like a tug of war each night. In the end Napier won but it seemed the young Boat wasn’t happy about it. The team went to the NCAAs and quickly went home.
Last season was the first one for Kevin Ollie. The new coach had issues well before the season started as he lost some key players. One who stayed was Shabazz Napier and he instantly became Kevin’s guy. The one who was going to get the full-on leadership role. Boat slid into the second-guard role just fine but didn’t seem too happy about it. Some fans thought he would bolt to the NBA (seriously!) but he kind of regressed as a player and college was the only choice. The season was fun for the most part as the team beat Michigan State to start the season and we watched Kevin Ollie prove that he was the right guy to lead the Huskies. Shabazz led the team but when the dust settled it wasn’t clear that he was ascending to any pantheonic levels. He had a championship ring and a follow-up March flop. He had one more season to do something.
What a weird season his senior season was. The absolute nadir was New Year’s Eve. The beginning of a Texas trip that started with a game against a big under dog in Houston. The dog bit hard and the Huskies lost. A follow up loss to SMU sealed it. This team reeked.
I think Shabazz had a polarizing effect on fans. Some thought he was an all-time great at that point. Some thought he was just a nice player (me!). Incapable of leading a team on his own to March success. What we didn’t realize was that Kevin Ollie had a vision…and an inspiring will to drive home.
Shabazz Napier has risen to pantheonic levels, people. He is among the most clutch shooters ever to wear the C. Daggers! Onions! Nails! He beat Florida. He beat Michigan State a couple of times. He beat Iowa State. He’s about beat Florida again.
He came in as the Reach Around Bandit. He will leave as Bazz.
Bazz...Today I genuflect in your general direction.
In his sophomore season Napier was the guy who had to lead the team. It was to be JCs last season. Napier had a freshman point guard come in in Boat and it seemed there were issues with chemistry. Each wanted to lead the team and each displayed great skills. It seemed like a tug of war each night. In the end Napier won but it seemed the young Boat wasn’t happy about it. The team went to the NCAAs and quickly went home.
Last season was the first one for Kevin Ollie. The new coach had issues well before the season started as he lost some key players. One who stayed was Shabazz Napier and he instantly became Kevin’s guy. The one who was going to get the full-on leadership role. Boat slid into the second-guard role just fine but didn’t seem too happy about it. Some fans thought he would bolt to the NBA (seriously!) but he kind of regressed as a player and college was the only choice. The season was fun for the most part as the team beat Michigan State to start the season and we watched Kevin Ollie prove that he was the right guy to lead the Huskies. Shabazz led the team but when the dust settled it wasn’t clear that he was ascending to any pantheonic levels. He had a championship ring and a follow-up March flop. He had one more season to do something.
What a weird season his senior season was. The absolute nadir was New Year’s Eve. The beginning of a Texas trip that started with a game against a big under dog in Houston. The dog bit hard and the Huskies lost. A follow up loss to SMU sealed it. This team reeked.
I think Shabazz had a polarizing effect on fans. Some thought he was an all-time great at that point. Some thought he was just a nice player (me!). Incapable of leading a team on his own to March success. What we didn’t realize was that Kevin Ollie had a vision…and an inspiring will to drive home.
Shabazz Napier has risen to pantheonic levels, people. He is among the most clutch shooters ever to wear the C. Daggers! Onions! Nails! He beat Florida. He beat Michigan State a couple of times. He beat Iowa State. He’s about beat Florida again.
He came in as the Reach Around Bandit. He will leave as Bazz.
Bazz...Today I genuflect in your general direction.
