OT: Baylor is 1 of my FINAL 4 Picks...

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Fun little production by BallisLife...Thttp://www.ballislife.com/baylor-un...e-perry-jones-quincy-miller-deuce-bello-more/ This is a loaded team. Chemistry and leadership are the key variables like any other talented team. I wouldn't sleep on this team. They could win it all or come very close (Final 4).

 

[Scot-e]

They can bite me. We are not nearly as talented as Baylor- they will crush us like peanuts on pad thai.

WE ARE DOOMED!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ford82]

They are an interesting team, as the website mentioned they are athletic and have swag. The video was definitely entertaining to watch, but it doesn't necessarily mean all their athletic players will mesh into a great team. However, they have the potential to become really good.

 

[jibsey]

Wow, I hope we get coverage on their games.

 

[Huskies320]

I think they are clearly the most athletic team in the country. Of course, doesn't mean they can play. We'll see, definitely a lot of talent. Acy is a sick athlete

 

[Adios]

People are picking UNC and Ohio State over us. DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!

 

[Huskies320]

My question is, how on earth are they getting all these stud players. Isaiah Austin next year coming in too

 

[Adios]

Waco must be a beautiful place.

 

[ctchamps]

They have a lot of athleticism. Just from the clip they appear to be a slenderer version of last season FSU and SDS.

 

[Walker11]

They are ridiculously loaded talent wise. Who knows if they will be a good team though. They have the best front court in the country IMO in terms of NBA prospects and are probably the deepest as well. Perry Jones and Miller have NBA all star talent. Then guys like Acy, Jones, Morgan and some guy who was a red shirt last year who everyone is high on.

Who knows about their guards though. Jackson sounds like he will be good, I think he played with Darius Smith last year. Bello is probably the best athlete at the 2 guard for incoming freshman but I dont think he can dribble. Walton is athletic but didnt do well running the point. Gary Franklin was really highly touted in HS but left Cal because he wanted to be the man for his college team 1/3 of the way into the year, even though he led the team in shot attempts.

We see that Scott Drew can recruit but he doesnt seem like he can coach. We will find out for sure this year

 

[Kitaman]

Based on that Baylor marketing major's video they are in the wrong league.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

They are an interesting team, as the website mentioned they are athletic and have swag. The video was definitely entertaining to watch, but it doesn't necessarily mean all their athletic players will mesh into a great team. However, they have the potential to become really good.

I agree it depends on team chemistry and coaching. Two important variables for every team. Team chemistry last year for UConn was off the charts. I attribute that not only to Kemba but his whole unselfish supporting cast that returns this year. It should be a great year. I can easily see both UConn and Baylor in New Orleans.

 

[alexrgct]

My question is, how on earth are they getting all these stud players. Isaiah Austin next year coming in too

Scott Drew is pretty dirty. No one has been able to prove he's violated NCAA rules, but he's certainly bent them in various ways. Stuff like this. And this, though not close to a violation of NCAA rules, is an example of his relentless negative recruiting.

In short, there's plenty of evidence he's a douchenozzle. There's not a ton of evidence he's capable of coaching a championship-caliber basketball team at the collegiate level.

 

[bmayuc]

They have a lot of athleticism. Just from the clip they appear to be a slenderer version of last season FSU and SDS.

This Baylor team is a bunch of Stanley Robinson/Jerome Dyson players. and they have NO guardplay. You'll see games where they win by simply intimidating them with physicality, but if they are forced to make a jumpshot or two they are in big trouble. I expect to see a TON of zone against them because there is very little in the way of shooting or passing ability on that team.

 

[ctchamps]

This Baylor team is a bunch of Stanley Robinson/Jerome Dyson players. and they have NO guardplay. You'll see games where they win by simply intimidating them with physicality, but if they are forced to make a jumpshot or two they are in big trouble. I expect to see a TON of zone against them because there is very little in the way of shooting or passing ability on that team.

The ability to pass, hit outside shots and midrange shots is very important to a team. Otherwise defenses can play zone or pack the middle in man to man coverage. BlueDog believes Pierre Jackson is a great playmaker. We'll observe whether that is the case over the season. Deuce Bello is SR athletic, but even in the limited clips he appeared to lack a handle and I question his outside shooting. The other shooting guard Brady Heslip, appears to have a great outside shot but not be athletic. Acy looks like a very good outside shooter as well and he and Heslip can extend the zone or man to man coverage. So we'll see if Baylor can put things together and be an outstanding team versus a collection of outstanding athletes.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

This Baylor team is a bunch of Stanley Robinson/Jerome Dyson players. and they have NO guardplay. You'll see games where they win by simply intimidating them with physicality, but if they are forced to make a jumpshot or two they are in big trouble. I expect to see a TON of zone against them because there is very little in the way of shooting or passing ability on that team.

Were Jerome Dyson and Stanley Robinson projected NBA lottery picks in every mock draft board pre season. QMiller & PJIII are. That puts a tremendous amount of separation between the personal of the two teams you are referencing. Baylor does not have a guard the caliber of Lamb but BU's front court of Miller, PJIII. QACY(All NBA caliber players/2 lottery picks) to go along with Jefferson rates as arguably a top 3 front court in America and maybe higher. The back court consisting of JC National Player of the Year Pierre Jackson, BC transfer Brady Heslip, Deuce Bello (Jay Williams analysis in the Vid) and hold over Jr. and defensive specialist AJ Walton makes for a formidable back court. It will be a blast this year!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4go9IkzqBGE&feature=related NO guard play? Really? hahaha

 

[ford82]

Deuce Bello was the most impressive Baylor player to me. He looks like an elite level dunker, to go along with a pretty solid handle. Actually, in some ways he reminds me of Jeremy Lamb. Although, I think Jeremy is probably a significantly better shooter and player at this point.

 

[hooskies]

interesting team? yes.
exciting team? yes.
final four? don't think so.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

interesting team? yes.
exciting team? yes.
final four? don't think so.

Let's put in North Carolina and Kentucky for arguments sake...Who are your other 2 Final 4 teams? UConn and who is the other? I will assume UConn is 1.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

The ability to pass, hit outside shots and midrange shots is very important to a team. Otherwise defenses can play zone or pack the middle in man to man coverage. BlueDog believes Pierre Jackson is a great playmaker. We'll observe whether that is the case over the season. Deuce Bello is SR athletic, but even in the limited clips he appeared to lack a handle and I question his outside shooting. The other shooting guard Brady Heslip, appears to have a great outside shot but not be athletic. Acy looks like a very good outside shooter as well and he and Heslip can extend the zone or man to man coverage. So we'll see if Baylor can put things together and be an outstanding team versus a collection of outstanding athletes.

Good points as usual...I think Bello can handle but I am not convinced he will be a consistent threat from the outside. They will need Anthony Jones, Q Miller, Heslip (average defender at best but a zone breaker), Jackson (speculate he has the whole package) & Walton (best defending guard in the Big 12 but inconsistent from the perimeter) to operate on the perimeter. Fred Ellis? ( more of a glue guy) and Gary Franklin the highly recruited Cal transfer could offer a few options in the second half of the season. Baylor has the players barring any key injuries but bench coaching has to be a bit of a concern. I am not familiar enough with Scott Drew to call him a coaching liability on the bench. Good luck superstar!

 

[mauconnfan]

Fun little production by BallisLife...TThis is a loaded team. Chemistry and leadership are the key variables like any other talented team. I wouldn't sleep on this team. They could win it all or come very close (Final 4).

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/ncb/columns/story?columnist=caplan_jeff&id=4979714

It's always hard to speak of recruiting tactics as a UConn fan although I do know ours are hardly what they seem. But this guy is a d**khead and is questionable in his ways at best. No way in the world could I root for this team ever.

Nonetheless they are talented, extremelly and will be a contender. But somehow they will falter in the Sweet 16 or earlier because he just is not a very good coach and the players run the squad.

 

[DogMania]

If they're supposed to be so good how come they finished 7-9 in the B-12 and 18-13 overall last season? How about these for eye popping numbers:

POINTS PER GAME: 69.5 151st

REBOUNDS PER GAME: 35.1 165th

ASSISTS PER GAME: 11.8 263rd

FIELD GOAL PCT: .465 40th

Well some of UConn's number weren't exactly eye popping last season but we won the NC and the year before that I'm sure our numbers were even worse.

I'm assuming a couple of their newcomers will fill some hole and help with some of their weaknesses such as rebounding and points, but guard play in very important. Those assist numbers are eye poppingly dreadful, 11.8/gm - 263rd out of how many programs?

Maybe they'll as good as some think they will. I can't say that I remember seeing them last season, so I'm going blind here, based on last year's stats & results, but they seem to have all the markings of an athletic team that play to this script:

• They'll win a bunch of games due to their athleticism
• Lose a bunch of games due to bad guard play and poor outside shooting (unless 1 or 2 of the freshman are shooters or some of the returning players improve dramatically)
• Unlike last year, win enough games to make the NCAAs
• But due to bad guard play and tournament inexperience, they get bounced in the first or second round.

This is a team to keep an eye on. I know KU is supposed to be talent depleted this season, but I don't know how the rest of the B-12 looks. I'm assuming the Bears will have a pretty good year, but the B12 is a conference that has a lot of tough home courts, so I have a feeling this high flying team isn't going to do as well as some might think.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

If they're supposed to be so good how come they finished 7-9 in the B-12 and 18-13 overall last season? How about these for eye popping numbers:

POINTS PER GAME: 69.5 151st

REBOUNDS PER GAME: 35.1 165th

ASSISTS PER GAME: 11.8 263rd

FIELD GOAL PCT: .465 40th

Well some of UConn's number weren't exactly eye popping last season but we won the NC and the year before that I'm sure our numbers were even worse.

I'm assuming a couple of their newcomers will fill some hole and help with some of their weaknesses such as rebounding and points, but guard play in very important. Those assist numbers are eye poppingly dreadful, 11.8/gm - 263rd out of how many programs?

Maybe they'll as good as some think they will. I can't say that I remember seeing them last season, so I'm going blind here, based on last year's stats & results, but they seem to have all the markings of an athletic team that play to this script:

• They'll win a bunch of games due to their athleticism
• Lose a bunch of games due to bad guard play and poor outside shooting (unless 1 or 2 of the freshman are shooters or some of the returning players improve dramatically)
• Unlike last year, win enough games to make the NCAAs
• But due to bad guard play and tournament inexperience, they get bounced in the first or second round.

This is a team to keep an eye on. I know KU is supposed to be talent depleted this season, but I don't know how the rest of the B-12 looks. I'm assuming the Bears will have a pretty good year, but the B12 is a conference that has a lot of tough home courts, so I have a feeling this high flying team isn't going to do as well as some might think.

Hey Doggie,

Any relation to Chris Mad Dog Russo the former sidekick to Mike Francesa @ WFAN? Great response now let me respond doggie M. First off last season is just that last season. So hypothetically if Baylor improves from 263rd in the assist category to 157th as UConn was last year which equals a 1.3 assist per game improvement the eye poppingly dreadful tag can be lifted and National Championship contender stats in the assist category can be incorporated? With a new point guard in Pierre Jackson (JC National Player of the Year) and last years PG AJ Walton a year older and mature after a tough Sophomore season (Did Kemba improve from Sophomore to Junior season?) I would venture to guess the 263 # will improve substantially this year bypassing last years UConn #'s as it relates to assists. Baylor has 3 new guards and possibly 4 if Quincy Miller fills in there. Pierre Jackson, Brady Heslip and Duece is Wild Bello. They lost last years equivalent of Jerome Dyson with the graduation of LaceDarius Dunn. UConn fans all know what a cancer Dyson was and how his departure finally led to Kemba taking over the team. So Baylor has a lot of new talented blood in the back court to deliver the rock. So in theory Baylor has addition by subtraction and addition by addition going on in the back court. Of course the same applies to the speculation on the new UConn Freshman Boatright, Daniels and Drummond. UConn does not have much depth in the back court this year and with Baylor I completely left out 2 other players that can contribute in the back court. UConn does have the Boatshow who will take a back seat to no one by mid season and be a fan favorite even if you don't realize it yet. In all honesty Baylor has more depth in the back court but because of Boatright and Lamb UConn gets the slight edge. So bad guard play will not cost Baylor any more games then it will cost UConn.

Tournament inexperience is mitigated to some degree by AJ Walton and Quincy ACY who both were contributors in Baylor's final 8 run the year before last. Last year UConn returned Kemba and Chuck from their Final 4 team of 08/09. That's all the tourney experience they had. So the counter argument is actual tourney experience appears to be overrated.

In my opinion UConn is 1 injury in the back court away from suffering extreme hardship. Foul trouble can also be an issue in the back court because of lack of depth there but that can be overcome. By seasons end Boatright very easily could be the best guard by far on either team. I do not deny this as being anything other then rampant speculation but isn't that what we all do in the pre season...

I like UConn and Baylor in the Final 4. Never will pick against the Huskies so they are a sentimental favorite more then anything. Just my humble opinion of course for what its worth doggie.