Asbjorn Midtgaard

[WheatShock]

There's all kinds of stupid going on here today.

[Aargh]

It's almost as bad as if the Shox lost a game.

[N Crestway]

At this point in his career, I can't see why there is any negativity regarding AM.

[60Shock]

Not saying that we do not have some potential talent coming in next year at the the 5 position.

But, and this is presently a Big Butt, we do not have a single player in next years line-up, with Div 1 experience, other than Asbjorn,
who has a very few minutes at the 5 position, to replace a Shaq, a Willis, and a Nurger.

Based on our past experience, it takes around two years for our past JUCO, and HS centers, to really start showing their potential.

Not only is this concerning, it is very concerning, as we are very likely to take a huge drop-off in experience and execution in this demanding role..

[SweetShocker]

He's like Lil' Abner in a china closet lol.

[1972Shocker]

The advantage Asbjorn will have over Morris, Jaime and Poor Bear is that while he has very little D-1 game experience (which is very important) he at least has a year under his belt going up against good D-1 talent in practice everyday. Whether he is learning and developing from that remains to be seen.

[Rlh04d]

At this point in his career, I can't see why there is any negativity regarding AM.

This is my point on what's now becoming a comically common debate: I don't know if AM is any good or not, but neither does anyone else. There is no legitimate evidence to say whether he will be a good player or not. Any debate about him based on not being able to crack a lineup flush with senior big big men, or his play in mop up minutes, or his bench decorum , is laughable, whether it's positive or negative.

What I do know is that there are not many 7 foot plus guys with his build who get talked into transferring away, unless they are monumentally incompetent. EO was smaller than AM and may have had hands of literal stone, nearly averaging more turnovers than points per game, and he still had a role under Marshall for all of his eligibility. The bar is very, very low for anyone of that size to be a contributor. At the absolute worst case imaginable, AM will take EO's role of big body to soak up 7-15 minutes a game. Comparing him to Stutz is pointless -- if he contributes similar to Stutz, I'll be ecstatic. If he contributes similar to EO (15 min, 2.6 pts, 1.6 blocks/game as a senior), that's more than good enough to stay.

The only thing I've legitimately noticed about AM is that he has better hands than EO by miles, players get around him laughably easy on FT's for someone of his size, and Marshall may struggle to get an "angry" mentality out of him.

[shock]

Big men are never contributors until their junior or senior years. Judging a euro frosh is borderline mouth breather.

[shoxlax]

Big men are never contributors until their junior or senior years. Judging a euro frosh is borderline mouth breather.

I don’t know what that means but I’m laughing

[OregonShocker]

I just find it amazing that the "evaluation" includes bench decorum and conference affiliation of an admittedly raw Freshman recruited by our current HC. I prefer evaluation on abilities; not necessarily skill displayed right out of HS alone. Too soon to decide meaningful minutes 3 years from now.

[asiseeit]

Someone recently posted that he has been giving SM all he wants in practice. If that is true to some
degree he should be a prominent piece of the center puzzle the next three years. Maybe, just maybe,
he has made Shaq a better player as Shaq has been playing quite well lately. Just practicing against
SM, RN and DW has to have made AM a better player, as well.

[Rlh04d]

Shaq's play has always been about effort and foul trouble, not ability. I doubt he's becoming better recently, just being more focused.

[wheathead]

I love watching God's Bear celebrate. The awkwardness is absolutely mesmerizing. Kid has a huge heart and it's a joy to watch his joy.

[ShockTalk]

He was among the small group with that water bottle celebration with Marshall in the locker room.

[Jhook89]

The Great Dane has somehow put on 11 lbs of muscle this season..... He is going to be a monster next year... He might be 290 by the beginning of next season.

[shoxilla]

looking forward to some AMWALL or ASBWALL or MIDTWALL or GAARDWALL or DANEWALL or OMGWALL or .....

[Jhook89]

I haven't seen anyone mention it, but 3G recently said on his interview with the Drive that the God Bear has changed his mindset and looks like a totally different player this spring.

[ShockdaWorld]

Link? Someone posted here somewhere but I can’t find it now.

[Jhook89]

http://www.kfhradio.com/blogs/drive/catching-coach-marshall-0

[60Shock]

Does this mean he is playing MEAN and ANGRY?

[homegrownshocker]

This statement from coach Marshall is not easily earned. You don't get a shout out of this sort without earning it. I thought he played fairly aggressive with his game time last season while trying to get used to the speed of the game. Like all shocker newcomers he was at a big disadvantage with so many bigs that already knew the system. It was his year to get acclimated to all the demands of being a Shocker. With Shaq being the best big man in the AAC, he learned valuable experience going against him regularly.