We'll be better

[forevershockerfan]

You mean @forevershockerfan: isn't Dick Vitale?

Thanks for the mention 1972. Are you pullin my chain because it don't take much. Ha!!! I thought folk thought I was emulating Shocker Icon Dave Dahl? Yikes!!! Maybe I am not well and am one of them multiple personality characters? Well, I was normal until I joined on SN many moons ago? NOT!!! I was borned at a very early age so I can't place such blame on ya'll. Can u dig it? Grooovy!!! I do like the term 'baby' as Dicky V. except I prefer to spell it baybay. And while I love to listen to Mike Kennedy and Dave Dahl, I prefer to quote them if using their material. Enough opinions and thoughts spring from my lil pea brain to belabor each and every one of you here get these idears whether you want them or not. THe term forever is synonymous with forevershockerfan.

Since I am a man of few words(tsk, tsk tsk) and often speak in the 3rd person(Is that normal--muhahahaha), always pick and want to believe the Shockers will win no matter if they were playing the NBA All Star Team, I am just glad you all put up with me. SN is a great Forum for Shocker zealots like myself for a needed Shocker fix. It's all cool beans baybay. So you can all thank 1972Shocker for mentioning me and getting another forever and ever post.

[Lawman]

I think next year's key will be at PG and replacing Malcolm. We're in good shape with FVV, but what Malcolm was doing at the end of the season was pretty special.

Finally, someone recognizes the hand that stirred the pot. Carl was huge, don't get me wrong, but without Armstead we wouldn't have gotten past Pittsburgh.

[forevershockerfan]

Speaking of the Pitt game, who scored first for us? EO made 1 out of 2 throws. About a minute and a half later, Cle came in and scored our first field goal. At halftime, we were ahead 26-21 due to a 9-2 run and a "hustle follow your shot and score on a layup" by Armstead. It was the 1st half that Baker took the elbow to the chops and instead of the double foul he got in the Louisville game while falling and hit in the face twice, this game Patterson received the warranted flagrant foul followed by the controversy. Cotton and Armstead played solid lock down D.

Pitt came into this game winning 11 of their last 15 games and were not chopped liver. Cotton played some serious D. Hall, with the new hairdo had 2 fouls with around 8 minutes left in the 1st half and then on the pine. Before the game, 3G instructed our beloved Shocks to seize this opportunity and have fun together. At the half, he told them that A. Carr had texted him that day to remind them to play angry.

Soon, I want to watch the 2nd half in search of answers on "we will be better." We have established that we lose 2 of the big 3. Here is what 3G said on the tube at the half when asked about us and Pitt shooting only 35 percent from the field. Something like "We won alot of games this Season shooting under 40 percent." Then he mentioned our big 3 "Hall, Armstead, and Early" and how important they are for us to play well as a team.

Thus, next Season, we will shoot the rock better as a team in my opinion. However, will we be a top-notch rebounding team and who will replace the leadership and production of Hall and Armstead? Will we be as solid on D?

[WuShock16]

However, will we be a top-notch rebounding team and who will replace the leadership and production of Hall and Armstead? Will we be as solid on D?

I have NO worries that D and rebounding will be a problem...because it would be in the best interest of any player who plays for 3G to not let that be a problem.

[Shox21]

I can't imagine a "Marshall" team not being good on defense. We have Cotton and floor-burn Wessel back. That's a pretty good start. Fred and Cle both got better this past year on D. Then there is Baker who is no slug on D but can always improve. Have not seen Coleby or Green yet on defense nor, of course, any of the new guys (and there are a LOT of new guys between the redshirts and new signees). Really looking forward to seeing Evan do his thing. We already know what Lufile and Wiggins bring on defense.

[im4wsu]

I can't imagine a "Marshall" team not being good on defense. We have Cotton and floor-burn Wessel back. That's a pretty good start. Fred and Cle both got better this past year on D. Then there is Baker who is no slug on D but can always improve. Have not seen Coleby or Green yet on defense nor, of course, any of the new guys (and there are a LOT of new guys between the redshirts and new signees). Really looking forward to seeing Evan do his thing. We already know what Lufile and Wiggins bring on defense.

A Marshall-coached team will rebound and play D.

Fred seems to play very good on-ball defense on the extreme perimeter (quick-handed strips) but cheats off his man a great distance in more of a team defense mode. He sometimes has difficulty getting back to his man quick enough. Thus, he's not apt to draw the toughest assignment and shouldn't be assigned to a 3-ball expert.

Cotton & Wessel & Baker, enough said. Cle got better as the year progressed and I would hope to see continued improvement. Hopefullly Nick hits the weight room with serious intensity and somehow acquires the will to defense with abandon. Chad and Kadeem should each benefit by competing with each other in heated practices. I still recall seeing that Derail was quite adept at drawing the chargeing foul in high school (translation playing good defense with intelligence and his feet) and only hope that he is not viewed by the refs as a White clone.

The newbies better come prepared to play D or they will polish the pine.

[wu_shizzle]

MVC Basketball Conference call today.

HCGM: Darius Carter is longer and more skilled than Carl Hall. Needs to get stronger.
Evan Wessell: Had a great workout today, is knocking down shots and playing very physical.
Zach Brown: Pursued WSU and had offers from programs that are really hard to beat.

Q: "Is there more pressure on Valley BB teams to raise their program profile with the departure of Creighton?"
Barry Hinson: "We had a Valley team go to the Final 4 and compete for a National Title and it wasn't Creighton. I think we'll be just fine."

[WuShock16]

Q: "Is there more pressure on Valley BB teams to raise their program profile with the departure of Creighton?"
Barry Hinson: "We had a Valley team go to the Final 4 and compete for a National Title and it wasn't Creighton. I think we'll be just fine."

Gotta love Barry Hinson!

[mjbaker84]

Gotta love Barry Hinson!

zing!

[forevershockerfan]

Here's the deal. Final was WSU-73 and Pitt 59. Many of us believed we could win this game but few thought we would win this big. On the other hand, the Pitt fans were more intrigued of 'putting the cart before the horse' and looked ahead to the Zags.

After watching the 2nd half, it was obvious the Shocks would not let up. it was nice to have Hall back in and he ended up with 11 points and 6 rebounds. However, Armstead played 'finer than a frog hair' on both sides with 22 smackers and 5 assists. Wow, we have been blessed at the point with Rags and Armstead the past 2 seasons. Cle was also a key with his 21 points and 7 bounds. A very huge factor to this win was Cotton who had 5 steals and held Woodall to 2 measly points. Valley voters, did you witness that D-FENCE?

The TV commentators kept bringing up the flagrant foul, admitting it was the correct call in hopes of a future rule change. We only scored 1 of the possible 5 points we could have had. After the game, it was refreshing to hear Malcolm speak of his 'dream come true of playing' in the Dance and what a game he played . Then Cle's final words on his interview was "Love you Mom." What a classy team we have.

Now onward to next Season. Yes, our team D. will be good and maybe eventually better with an even deeper team with less injuries we hope. The players departing scored around 37 of our 73 total points which leaves us plenty of fire-power returning. ONE glaring stat was we shot 2-20 from the 3 point line. Next Season, our fg shooting is an area we are sure to improve. Here was a stat that jumped out at me. We were 33-41 as found in "Winning Angry" book. If you don't have this book, it is an awesome read and I hope you still get one. When was the last time we got to shoot 41 throws and we made a whopping 80.5 as mentioned in this nifty book.

I must reiterate how solid our Coaching Staff did in preparing our Shocks at this Dance and our players executed in impressive fashion.

[1979Shocker]

MVC Basketball Conference call today.

HCGM: Darius Carter is longer and more skilled than Carl Hall. Needs to get stronger.
Evan Wessell: Had a great workout today, is knocking down shots and playing very physical.
Zach Brown: Pursued WSU and had offers from programs that are really hard to beat.

Q: "Is there more pressure on Valley BB teams to raise their program profile with the departure of Creighton?"
Barry Hinson: "We had a Valley team go to the Final 4 and compete for a National Title and it wasn't Creighton. I think we'll be just fine."

What Valley team competed for a National Title?

[wu_shizzle]

What Valley team competed for a National Title?

I'm sure he meant that we were competitive against Louisville and could have made it to the title game.

[RoyalShock]

MVC Basketball Conference call today.

HCGM: Darius Carter is longer and more skilled than Carl Hall. Needs to get stronger.
Evan Wessell: Had a great workout today, is knocking down shots and playing very physical.
Zach Brown: Pursued WSU and had offers from programs that are really hard to beat.

Q: "Is there more pressure on Valley BB teams to raise their program profile with the departure of Creighton?"
Barry Hinson: "We had a Valley team go to the Final 4 and compete for a National Title and it wasn't Creighton. I think we'll be just fine."

Who made the comments about Zach Brown? I hope it wasn't Marshall.

[ABC]

Who else was in the running for Brown?

Getting to the Final Four is competing for a natl title IMO

[KochHead22]

Who else was in the running for Brown?

Getting to the Final Four is competing for a natl title IMO

I remember something like: Texas, kstate, Washington, Wake Forest, LaSalle and providence. Maybe a few more