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I am a little surprised we are not in everyone's top 25...... 17-25 range. However I have always thought that if we take care of business in Tulsa, and win both games in KC , we will be ranked in the top 20 in both major polls.
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Better to be underestimated by the pundits. Some of them -- just like KC -- will never learn, but it doesn't matter; they aren't on the selection committee. Meanwhile, having the talking heads underappreciate the Shocks just makes it that much easier for Marshall and Co. to preach, and they guys to accept, the Play Angry mantra.
The last time WSU started out the year held in high enough poll regard that a couple of cosmetically big wins moved them into the top 10, a mighty crash followed shortly thereafter, and no postseason play at all. Granted, that was a different coach and a different roster, but it's still good for the guys not to have any reason to feel full of themselves. Confident, determined, and with something to prove, yes, by all means -- but entitled and caught up in their press clippings, absolutely not.Comment
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This.Originally posted by Capitol Shock II View PostThe mountains are calling, and I must go.Comment
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Doesn't look like these guys did much homework. Forget the Final Four, and just look at us as a team that was borderline top 25 at the end of last year before the tournament. We got to that point without a significant portion of our roster, which means that we should likely improve. Furthermore, our team had large contributions from FVV, Wessel, and Baker, all of which were underclassmen. Because underclassmen tend to improve significantly (and most significantly between year 1 and year 2), that is another reason to say we should improve.
Finally, it should be noted that compared to previous seasons we are returning a large portion of our roster, including several JUCO players that almost always improve from year 1 to year 2 (much like freshmen). One of which is currently trending as a preseason All-American (granted, second-team, but that still means Top-10 in the NCAA). That means that not only should we have a strong enough team to be well in the Top 25 regardless of our Final Four appearance, we also have star power that isn't matched by a majority of the schools above us.
Comments on the teams ranked above us (going by Borzello's list, not Parish's, as that matches the other "experts"):- Kentucky: Acceptable, given that numerically speaking they have the best recruiting class of all time (not saying that it will transfer to the court)
- Louisville: Acceptable. They are the returning national champs, and bring in a 5* PG, the #1 JUCO recruit, and two 4* players to cover their holes. Still going to miss Siva and Dieng a lot though.
- Michigan State: Acceptable. They'll probably be lower at the end of the year, but they should start the year very strongly.
- Duke: Acceptable, A great recruiting class, with decent returning players.
- Florida: Way overrated, given that they lost their best recruit and a lot of last year's talent. Still, acceptable (I guess).
- Kansas: Acceptable. Perhaps KU's greatest recruiting class ever.
- Syracuse: Acceptable. Maybe a tad bit overrated, as they lost 3 starters, but they have a good recruiting class and a solid system.
- Ohio State: Aside from the fact that we beat them last year, and they lost their best player to the draft, acceptable. They return everyone else.
- Michigan: Iffy. They lose 7 players, including the PoY. Their recruiting is good, but not spectacular like some other teams.
- Oklahoma State: They return a fair number of people, including the Big 12 PoY Marcus Smart. Acceptable.
- Arizona: Acceptable. They are probably underrated based on talent, but the coaching isn't at the same level as the teams above them.
- Memphis: Iffy. They lose a ton of people, but they also have a very large, high ranked recruiting class.
- Notre Dame: Unacceptable. They lose probably their best player in Jack Cooley, they weren't world beaters last year, and they have an average recruiting class. Very overrated.
- Oregon: Unacceptable. Their biggest addition was Mike Moser, but they weren't great last year and despite having a very large recruiting class they don't have any other stars to boost them this high.
- VCU: Iffy. They do get a few nice pieces, and should be ranked around where the Shockers are given the coaching, talent, and success of both teams last year.
- North Carolina: A bit underrated, but acceptable. Should be much improved over last year (and the year after they'll probably open near the top, with an already tremendous recruiting class).
- Wisconsin: Iffy. They always good, never great. I personally think the Shockers are better.
- Marquette: Unacceptable. They lose their best player and have no incoming recruits.
- UCLA: Unacceptable. Coaching changes almost always hurt in the short term, and they underachieved last year even with a ton of talent.
- Boise State: They should be a solid team, but still unacceptable. They were worse than we were last year, they bring in a worse recruiting class, and they have a worse coach. (I like Boise State though)
- New Mexico. As with UCLA, 1st year coaches usually struggle a little bit. Especially when you consider the fact that their best player left (along with 4 others), and the recruiting class isn't that great. Unacceptable.
- Connecticut: They are massively underranked on this, and I think this is actually acceptable. They will have one of the best backcourts in the nation.
- Virginia: Iffy. Virginia will be good, but they were an NIT last year and don't really bring in super recruits. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt though, as I like what they bring and think they'll finish higher than expected in the new ACC.
- Colorado: Unacceptable. This is a team that was worse than us last year, lost one of their best players to the draft, and didn't bring in the type of recruiting class that could catapult them ahead of us. I like Tad Boyle though, and do agree that they should be ranked to start the year.
- Harvard: Unacceptable. Worse than us last year, worse coach, worse recruiting. Apparently pulling off one upset in the tournament is enough to get ranked, but going to the Final Four isn't.
(A note: I'm aware that I mostly based those acceptable/iffy/unacceptable rankings on recruiting, but gave us props for improvement without really speaking of recruiting. This wasn't because I discounted that players from other teams would improve, but because a much larger portion of our roster was freshmen with a lot of playing time and 1st year JUCOs. In some cases, like Boise State or Virginia, I did give credit for gradual improvement, but both of those teams were worse than us last year and shouldn't improve that much.)Comment
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Meh.
These preseason polls are worthless except in motivating Marshall's Mad Men to play angrier this year than last. As Aargh pointed out, we're returning a significant number of good players who gained a lot of experience in the crucible that is the Dance. I'd be remiss, however, if I didn't admit that I'm not a little worried about who steps up for the vacated spot of Hall's position. I'm hopeful both Lufile and Coleby will provide the muscle and determination Carl held last year and feel pretty secure in FVV's ability to step into Malcolm's shoes.
We all have to admit last season was magical right from the start, and despite HCGM's ability to consistently field good teams, this team might not have the same blast out of the starter blocks as last year's team. It won't take the media as long to recognize the Shox this year if we stay unbeaten until the Alabama game, we'll be getting plenty of attention.Comment
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All I can say is that if our players play half as angry as some of you are we will just fine. The so-called disrespect should feed the #PLAYANGRY monster quite well.Originally posted by Bluzrover View Post
GOSHOX!!!Kansas is Flat. The Earth is Not!!
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This year's team could be super dangerous. The next two years after that is going to be NAILS though.Kung Wu say, man who read woman like book, prefer braille!Comment
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Here's the actual pre-season CBS top 25:
Shocks at #23.Comment
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Count me in the group that mostly says "meh".
What DOES irritate me is when a team like WSU is punished by saying "Well you lost Hall and Armstrong and obviously you aren't replacing them" when a team like, for instance, OSU is seemingly ignored when they lose Deshaun Thomas and Evan Ravenel as if losing the Big10 leading scorer doesn't hurt. Simply because you aren't a power 6, you're losses count more and your gains count less. I guess that's just the way it is.
All I have to say is play us here.Comment
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Very true, Doc. Using that train of thought, wait until we lose Cle for next year and don't make people's Top 100 preseason list because of it.78-65Comment
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Its called entitlement. They are entitled. We are not. Embrace it. Channel it. Take it (another deep run).Kansas is Flat. The Earth is Not!!
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That's not where I thought you were going with "Take it ...".Originally posted by jocoshock View PostKung Wu say, man who read woman like book, prefer braille!Comment
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Last I checked. You cant shoot a bullet more than once. But you can put another bullet in the chamber, perhaps an even better bullet. And you have the added benefit of adjusting your aim on your next shot.
Armstead and Carl Hall are among the bullets fired. We were pretty close to hitting what we were aiming at. Time to put some better bullets in the chamber and adjust our aim and zero in a little bit more to the target.
These guys are just looking at our trusty old rifle that may not look as pretty. But what they dont know, is that GM knows every little variable and how it shoots. He is slowly adjusting his sights and his rifle feels like a (insert crude noun here) in his hand, and he brandishes it like Michaelangelo's paint brush.
Happy hunting Shockers!"When life hands you lemons, make lemonade." Better have some sugar and water too, or else your lemonade will suck!Comment
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