Random Thoughts
By Jeff
1. Did you ever notice how most of the kids who tranfer average under 3 points per game ( talking nationally).
2 UNC is a lock to be preseason number 1 after the announcement today that Harrison Barnes has decided to sat in school. With almost the entire starting line-up returning, and a great recruting class, you can pencil the Tarheels in for a trip to New Orleans for the Final Four.
3. Joe Lunardi and Bracketology have already started their predictions for next year's " 68". Of interest, he has only one WAC team. New Mexico State, and one Big West Team, Long Beach State, in the dance and both at number 14 seeds. Shows you how poor both of these conferences are in basketball
4. Just to clarify my role as a blogger in response to an inquiry about " my paper", i am a free-lance blogger. I am not employed by the Star-Advertiser, not do i have any influence over their sports pages. They allow me the opportunity to blog and write columns from the Final Four, and I appreciate the opportunity. I think it works for both the paper and me.
5. Speaking of North Carolina, it has been announced that they will play Michigan State on Veteran's Day in San Diego on an aircraft carrier. Should be something .
6. For all of you who assisted me in voting for the Jimmer as the Wooden Player of the Year, we did good. He won. I voted Walker second which is where he ended up. Not sure the results would not have been reversed had the votes come after the Tournament.
7. Jackson and I will host a special one hour basketball recruiting show this Weds on ESPN 1420 at 7 pm. It will be the final edition of Hoopstalk. We hope to have Gib either in the studio, if he is back from the Mainland, or by phone. We will provide an " honest assessment" of this year's class, and we will take a look at the prospects for the team in its last season in the WAC.
Hoops Talk
April 18th, 2011 at 2:48 pm
Will Hoopstalk be around next season?
April 18th, 2011 at 2:54 pm
Jeff,
whatever happens...i just wanted to say that I enjoy reading your column. tanks bro!!
April 18th, 2011 at 2:57 pm
Thanks to You, Jackson The Sponsors & ESPN 1420 for the EXTRA Last Show (Gib is already back in town -- most likely to stay since Thursday is The UHBB Team Banquet ...)
Ideas for MORE Shows -- since there is such a Dearth of Night Talk .. esp with some UHBB flavor -- A Special Edition Small College Show with The BYUH & HPU, Chaminade Coaches & Conference Commisioner Bob Hogue ? -
- An Open Debate ?! A HAWAI'I Pre-Season Tournament ?
TOP TWO Winners Get to Challenge U.H. for Bragging Rights & Hawai'i Supremacy ? Rather than just schedule one or two of the Teams -- Let the Two Finalists (OR Champ) Take on UH-Manoa !?
I'm Pretty Sure GIB knows his Talent is UP ...
AND Would Be UP For The Challenge ...
MORE IDEAS -- Do MORE Talk Shows FROM the SUMMER College League Games so people get a Flavor of Hawai'i BB AND .... UH Player Progress
WOW ! Gary CLUB 939 ? OR Summer League Basketball ?
April 18th, 2011 at 4:33 pm
That's awesome to hear. I would love to hear what Gib has to say about the recruits we're getting. Hopefully he will also share more about the summer trip to China. Did you all know that San Jose State will be taking a trip to Europe, Italy I believe.
I hope he could also talk about scheduling, maybe one year have Hawaii play in the Pre-Season NIT.
April 18th, 2011 at 5:29 pm
Yes, I would also like to see Uh play in the Pre-season NIT or a similar pre-season tourney sometime in the future. Any exposure is good exposure, right.
April 18th, 2011 at 9:58 pm
Thanks Jeff and see next season!
April 18th, 2011 at 10:45 pm
Hey Jeff,
Do you know who he's recruiting up in LA now?
Kendall
April 19th, 2011 at 12:15 am
what is the real story about bo barnes. hope u & jackson cover the wac and big west recruiting on the radio!!! With boise gone will all the teams be in the wac tournament next year?
April 19th, 2011 at 11:39 am
Any word yet on the potential addition to the team,Darnel Jackson?
April 19th, 2011 at 11:40 am
Jeff,
Still looking for an explanation of Coach Arnold's decision to pull his players off the line during the Free throws with close to 2minutes to go(twice). I believe it was costly, but I am just looking for Theory behind it. Players been tired is not a could theory. Maybe the theory is the same as Coach Riley's decisions not to guard the inbound pass? A possible explanation from Coach Wheeler, would be okay, if Coach Arnold doesnt want to talk about this. Great show and why not turn it in Nba playoff show, your thoughts on the playoff would be interesting and if you could get Coach Dixon on the show, cuz he got a few players in the playoffs that are getting important playing time. Dejuan Blair(Dallas) and Gray for new orleans.
April 19th, 2011 at 1:33 pm
awesome jeff! thanks. Hopefully we'll have another recruit soon...
April 20th, 2011 at 10:35 pm
Jackson & Jeff: THANKS For One More FINAL Show ...
My Notes for Your Transcripts of "FINAL" Hoops Talk Recruiting Show
[MY Commentary in Brackets]
Jackson & Jeff Reviewing Recruits with GIB (who was calling from the Parking Lot of Haleiwa Joe's (Haiku Gardens in Kaneohe):
On Scouting Reports in General: Gib: "I listen to a different group (of scouts) [he rattled off a few names] -- and i go look myself -- i've seen these guys several times...."
Re: Point Guard Recruiting (which has been a "frequent" recurring topic in blogs): "Have either of you ever seen Gerry Blakes play ? (ANS: NO). I think Blakes is The Best Point Guard in Los Angeles and i've seen them all the way back to Baron Davis (he's not up to that level); it doesn't make ANY sense to me to bring in JC point guards when your freshman pg is already better... and he can finish and attack the hoop. IF we had not signed him early (in the early signing period) we'd be fighting off USC, Arizona, UCLA and a bunch of others, who've all been calling Blakes' coach asking 'this commitment?, is it a verbal or did he Really Sign ?'"
RE: Forward Dillon Biggs: Gib named a famous & successful former D-1 coach who alerted him, 'Have you seen this Dorsey High kid? You don't need to see him, just sign him right now, he is a future "Pro". Gib continued, "I went to watch him and i was blown away."
Re: DeShawn Mitchell: "I've talked to the coaches i've known a long time at Oak Hill and UNLV and none of them had anything bad to say regarding DeShawn not being a hard worker or a bad team mate... he got into an issue with his coach (@ Snow College) who kicked off of the team and got advice from some adults (e.g., his parents) who told him to just do his school work and finish the school year ... i might have given him different advice: to get on his knees and resolve the issue with his coach to get back on the team..."
On additional scholarship and European players: The European players won't even take their SAT exams 'til June and (when they qualify) they'll come over without signing anything [similar to what coach Charlie Wade was saying last night RE: his Hot German recruit(s)]; so for now, you could say we're focusing on the ones (recruits) where we need to get signatures and fight off everyone else..."