Coach's Sacrificial Lamb

[Speed]

Who starts the season as the example. Kyle's is gone. Williams might get a pass due to injury. Someone always misses an exhibition or early tournament game for grades or work ethic. The ploy seems to work. Who is the sacrifice of '12?

[SpanglerFan316]

Coach's Sacrificial Lamb

Chris or Shannon?

[Dave Stalwart]

I'm going with wiggins or early.

[forevershockerfan]

Mr. Wiggin's struggled the other night and our Coach was right there for him. EO gets some TLC from Coach as well at timeS. Look at our Olympic Hockey Team that shocked the world and beat the more famous Russian Team. That Coach got the best out of his players and molded them into a special successful team. No player playing for Coach Marshall will get away with not striving to be the best team player they can be. Mr. Stutz was close to Coach Marshall and his Family but when he came to practices and games, his playing time was earned, not given.

Juco players with talent get some TLC. It took Rags quite a spell his Junior Season to be our official point guard. Then Rags, along with Mr. Ben Smith had a specal Senior Season for us. It all begin to click for them in the context of our System and their minutes increased as did their production on the floor.

Mr. Wiggins and Early will have to get the Juco mind-set behind them because we really need them this Season to contribute from jump-street. Early can play the D. and that will help his role in this System. Mr. Hall should not only play more this Season, but will defend better and we hope foul less. Look for his scoring and rebounding to improve and he will be one of our main leaders.

Last night I watched us clinch our MVC title at Illinois State. What a road team we have been for 2 Seasons. In that game, as usual, Rags stepped up big. Ben Smith was cold shooting the rock but then warmed up. D-Will was very very impressive the first half, but just okay the 2nd half. Cotton did his part and did it well. This Season, we need Hall, D-Will, EO, Cotton, White, and Wessel to improve in their role and connect with our influx of serious talent to be successful. Practices will be no 'Sunday School Picnic' and every player will be scrutinized and expected to do their role in the context of Team play. I don't think Sub is worried so sleep well Shocker fans. This will be a fun-packed and interesting Season. If our stingy D is anywhere as good as I think it could become as the Season progresses, "WATCH OUT VALLEY BECAUSE WE ARE COMIN TO GETCHA!!!!!!!"

[Kung Wu]

In hindsight I think JRags would have come along VERY quickly if we didn't go PG by committee his junior year. Who would have known?

Those saying that replacing JRags is going to be straight forward this year are VERY optimistic. He was one of the best PGs in the country last year and actually under appreciated by our fanbase. When is the last time we had a senior year performance like that at the PG?

[SHOXAAC]

In hindsight I think JRags would have come along VERY quickly if we didn't go PG by committee his junior year. Who would have known?

Those saying that replacing JRags is going to be straight forward this year are VERY optimistic. He was one of the best PGs in the country last year and actually under appreciated by our fanbase. When is the last time we had a senior year performance like that at the PG?

I semi-agree, however overall I believe our PG play this year will be a push compared to last year. I see Armstead as being a solid playmaker, a competent shooter, but is a better defender than Rags. Plus, this year with FVV and Cotton backing up Armstead we are better off the bench than last year.

[C0|dB|00ded]

Lufile. Because he just looks naughty.


T


...:cool:

[shockmonster]

In hindsight I think JRags would have come along VERY quickly if we didn't go PG by committee his junior year. Who would have known?

I do agree that JR had a phenomenal year and may prove difficult to replace.

I do disagree with your assertion that JR may have come along quicker had he been handled differently. The coaching staff is present everyday in practice and they see who is a leader, who is making bad decisions, who is listening to the coaches and making changes in their game, etc.

The advantage that Armstead has is that he's been here for a year and he knows more than Joe what the coach expects.

The point guard is an extension of the coach on the court.

[forevershockerfan]

Could it be that Rags and Armstead made each other better? What a matchup going on last Season in practice that we the fan-base did not witness. Look at some of the key wins we had last Season how well Rags performed. UNLV here, Creighton in Omaha, Davidson and Illinois State there. Likewise, now we have Armstead playing minutes that could be a key defender and a solid scorer, and FVV coming in who can also score and could be our top assist man and a top 100 player that is for real early on.

It may not happen early on, but I think we will be solid at the point and keep improving there as the Season progresses, Even so, replacing Rags is no easy chore because he was a leader and maybe was our MVP along with Stutz who also won't be easy to replace. I just like the depth of THIS team. However, how long before we are the road warriors as in the past 2 Seasons? Dunno.

Remember me stating how well D-Will performed the 1st half at Illinois State to help us clinch the Valley Title? The 2nd half he just did okay. Now enter Mr. Baker or Mr. Cotton and it could be one of them might just pick up any slack needed. Collectively this Season, we have this going on at every position IMO. However, how long before this all catches up in terms of close wins that our vastly experienced and talented teams from the past 2 Seasons fought and clawed for to get us? All-Time Shocker road win records were being set. Now what? How long to reclaim those type accomplishments? Me shant tell you because I don't know.

[Kung Wu]

I do agree that JR had a phenomenal year and may prove difficult to replace.

I do disagree with your assertion that JR may have come along quicker had he been handled differently. The coaching staff is present everyday in practice and they see who is a leader, who is making bad decisions, who is listening to the coaches and making changes in their game, etc.

The advantage that Armstead has is that he's been here for a year and he knows more than Joe what the coach expects.

The point guard is an extension of the coach on the court.

I think with the benefit of hindsight, we can easily see that JRags as a full time PG his junior year would have been MUCH better than Toure taking on PG responsibilities for two reasons: 1) JRags would have gotten the system faster with more in game PT (though it would have been ugly for several games, which is exactly why it didn't happen) and 2) it would have let Toure focus on what he was best at.

Again, that's the benefit of hindsight, and you can't fault coaches for playing it conservative. By the end of the season JRags was nails and we ended up with an NIT champy -- can't argue with that.

[Kung Wu]

I semi-agree, however overall I believe our PG play this year will be a push compared to last year. I see Armstead as being a solid playmaker, a competent shooter, but is a better defender than Rags. Plus, this year with FVV and Cotton backing up Armstead we are better off the bench than last year.

An excellent defender with a decent offense just isn't as effective as an excellent offensive weapon with decent defense. Hey that's not MY argument, I'm paraphrasing YOUR argument in the EO discussion (but it definitely applies here too).

I just don't see how we are going to immediately replace one of the NCAA's top PG's in the country with a guy that has zero game-time experience in Marshall's system. Anybody who thinks a year of practicing a system is the same as a year of full throttle game experience is VERY optimistic. I HOPE I AM WRONG. I just think expectations are a little out of whack at the moment. Mid-season could Armstead be as effective as JRags? Possibly. But people expecting that we aren't going to miss a beat is just crazy to me.

[SHOXAAC]

An excellent defender with a decent offense just isn't as effective as an excellent offensive weapon with decent defense. Hey that's not MY argument, I'm paraphrasing YOUR argument in the EO discussion (but it definitely applies here too).

I just don't see how we are going to immediately replace one of the NCAA's top PG's in the country with a guy that has zero game-time experience in Marshall's system. Anybody who thinks a year of practicing a system is the same as a year of full throttle game experience is VERY optimistic. I HOPE I AM WRONG. I just think expectations are a little out of whack at the moment. Mid-season could Armstead be as effective as JRags? Possibly. But people expecting that we aren't going to miss a beat is just crazy to me.

Just because you're 7-foot and block shots doesn't make you a good defender. Make no mistake...I do not think EO is an "excellent" defender. And let me add...he isn't a "decent" offensive player either. Excellent and decent are your words not mine...and I am not paraphrasing.

Don't try and confuse the discussion with left-field logic (I say with great respect to you).

I am just of the opinion our PG play will not decrease this year. I believe Armstead, FVV and anyone else that plays the position for 40 minutes a game this year is at least equal to Rags, D-Will and anyone else that played the position last year. Is that optimistic...yes. Does it "put me in the loony bin" thinking...no.

Now isn't there a cow patty laying in the hot Texas sun we should be quiping about (lol)?

[CBB_Fan]

Just because you're 7-foot and block shots doesn't make you a good defender. Make no mistake...I do not think EO is an "excellent" defender. And let me add...he isn't a "decent" offensive player either. Excellent and decent are your words not mine...and I am not paraphrasing.

Don't try and confuse the discussion with left-field logic (I say with great respect to you).

I am just of the opinion our PG play will not decrease this year. I believe Armstead, FVV and anyone else that plays the position for 40 minutes a game this year is at least equal to Rags, D-Will and anyone else that played the position last year. Is that optimistic...yes. Does it "put me in the loony bin" thinking...no.

Now isn't there a cow patty laying in the hot Texas sun we should be quiping about (lol)?

I think our PG play will be worse, but not incredibly. 2-3% worse maybe, with the potential to to get to 100% if Armstead can be a good shooter. However, I think the gains at SF and PF will overcome that and I don't think it really will make a difference. Across our guard rotation, I think our starters may be slightly worse (again, assuming that Ragland's efficiency is better than Armstead's defense), but I think we will be even deeper.

And while EO makes defensive mistakes (fouling mostly), he had a large impact when he was on the court last season. It isn't the shots he blocks that are important, but the shots he doesn't because the other team doesn't even go to him. Based on that, I wouldn't mind saying his defensive impact is excellent, even though his personal defense sometimes wasn't incredible. However, I can't call him anything close to "decent" offensively based on his performance last year, but I think 6+ ppg on 50% FG% would be decent for this year. I think he goes off at least once against a team with a small frontcourt, and I hope to see him finally "get it."

[shockmonster]

I think that I'm safe to say that Coach Marshall's philosophy is that players earn playing time by practicing well. One just doesn't earn it becasue they will some day be better. That's why Marshall tries to have depth as much as possible so the players compete against each other in practice and the best players play in games. Competition to get better everyday is the only path to excellence. Murry wasn't a great point guard but he was solid in a lot of areas and I bet that Joe learned from him. He probably learned that if he didn't change his attitudes, he would play less. Coach is doing the same thing this year. I heard someone say that Coach said that he was getting the juco out of some players. This is one way you do it. Coach Marshall knows what he's doing.

[_kai_]

If I had to be a bookmaker, I'd say the most likely to sit out an exhibition game would be Wiggins. He's a wild horse and Marshall is breaking him in.