Rauno Nurger

[wufan]

I read that and the first thing that popped into my mind was that @wufan: started popping adult refreshments the minute he departed CKA and hasn't stopped.

Then I read



Whew.

They both wear knee pads.

[Ricardo del Rio]

I am pretty excited. More so than I have been in awhile about a new player. Just imagine the prospect of having a dominating big man for four years.

Teams like the Shockers do not usually successfully recruit a high ceiling big man. They are usually reserved for the other crowd.

No, I have not put him in the Shocker HOF as yet.

(Notice that I avoided the use of the term, mid-major. I did not want to cause an Alka Seltzer moment among my brethren.)

[wufan]

I am pretty excited. More so than I have been in awhile about a new player. Just imagine the prospect of having a dominating big man for four years.

Teams like the Shockers do not usually successfully recruit a high ceiling big man. They are usually reserved for the other crowd.

No, I have not put him in the Shocker HOF as yet.

(Notice that I avoided the use of the term, mid-major. I did not want to cause an Alka Seltzer moment among my brethren.)

Hopefully he wasn't just "hot" for 12 minutes. If we get the same performance game in and game out from the freshman, he will play 20+ minutes. I do worry about his defense, strength and potential to foul.

[1979Shocker]

It looks like he could make up part of the missing ingredient we lost when Early graduated.

[AZ Shocker]

If he can pretty much just stand in front of his man while defending the basket....Darius and crew can help him put the squeeze on the offensive player in the paint.

[Perezident]

Who's his biggest competition for the starting job? Haven't heard much about how our other young front court players are doing.

[wufan]

Kelly is ahead of the curve as far as freshman go. He has a great basketball body, skill, athleticism, and an understanding of the game.

Wamukota has the length and defense to start, as well as the physical tools, but he's very raw.

Morris won't start since he's going to be in the dog house, but he can steal PT with his talent.

Not sure on Glass.

[AZ Shocker]

Two years and still in the dog house. Guess we will not be over scholarships next year. On the good side for Shaq....he will get one more year to sit out in his transfer year to possibly mature for another program. That'll make him like the oldest sophomore in the land to wherever he transfers too. Lol

[Dave Stalwart]

Two years and still in the dog house. Guess we will not be over scholarships next year. On the good side for Shaq....he will get one more year to sit out in his transfer year to possibly mature for another program. That'll make him like the oldest sophomore in the land to wherever he transfers too. Lol

Yeah, I can't really imagine what he must say and do (or not do) that keeps him repeatedly in the dog house for so long. For as much as he seems like he wants to be here, it's just odd to me that it doesn't translate into him making sure he does what Coach asks of him. I have a feeling it's all along the lines of self motivation and effort. Coach has never been one to throw someone under the bus publicly whose head is in the right place. It's just hard for me to believe someone would have trouble with that when surrounded by THIS team.

Please surprise me Shaq. The recent recruiting news has me thinking Shaq is flirting with being done.

[Shock Top]

Two years and still in the dog house. Guess we will not be over scholarships next year.

The recent recruiting news has me thinking Shaq is flirting with being done.

With Darius and Cotton leaving for sure, I wonder were the other two spots will come from.

Shaq look like a very likely candidate for one. Something tells me the other won't be Fred or Ron.

My guess is Wessel. Kid is a work horse, but I think he might "walk away" since he will have earned his degree after this season.

[wufan]

Coach, IMO, is very much someone to throw his players under the bus...as motivation. Remember Armstead had the "sniffles"? There is hope for Shaq. Coach sees the potential and is trying to bring it out.

[Aargh]

Shaq is having to make a complete adjustment to everything he's ever known. He has to change his eating habits, change his workout habits, and he's probably never been around a strict disciplinarian in his life. He was so big and impossible to defend in HS that he didn't ever have to work or have a work ethic.

That's a lot to change. Rebellion against change is pretty standard among people his age - especially if the change is "less fun" than what they are changing from. Then there's another common thing at his age, which is testing boundaries to see just where the lines are drawn. Marshall neither has nor needs to have much patience with rebellion or testing boundaries.

Morris was assigned to FVV for workouts over the summer. Hard to find anyone more motivationl and inspirational to work out with. He didn't respond that well. Marshall called him out publicly, and that didn't get Morris doing what was asked. Now Marshall has apparently over recruited by one or two players. The message should be getting through.

If Morris doesn't understand the situation and respond in the way he has to respond at this point, then going JuCo for a year would be in his best interest. I think he'll be an outstanding D1 player, but maybe that will happen at another school.

Not every great employee and great employer are a good fit. The same is true in basketball.

[Ashockalypse]

This is the least enjoyable type of discussion on this forum: when people express their "quiet" desire about which current members of the team might be gone to make room for the "exciting" new recruits; some of whom only one year before we were so grateful (and lucky) they signed with us. I have to think HCGM would rather our focus be elsewhere like rooting for all guys to do as well as they can. I think it would be better to keep our mouths shut (or in this case our keyboards) and let the chips fall where they may. Seems more decent to the guys who have departed in the last few years.

[Aargh]

This is the least enjoyable type of discussion on this forum: when people express their "quiet" desire about which current members of the team might be gone to make room for the "exciting" new recruits; some of whom only one year before we were so grateful (and lucky) they signed with us. I have to think HCGM would rather our focus be elsewhere like rooting for all guys to do as well as they can. I think it would be better to keep our mouths shut (or in this case our keyboards) and let the chips fall where they may. Seems more decent to the guys who have departed in the last few years.

It's not an enjoyable subject, but it's going to happen every time we are over recruited. Marshall over recruits every year, so the discussion is going to happen every year.

Being a regular top-25 team isn't a place filled with puppy dogs and ***** (I guess I should have used the word "kitty") cats. It's filled with sharks and barracudas. Players who don't progress, don't learn the system, don't put out the effort, or simply don't fit with the other players need to move on. We should thank them for giving us what they had to give, not hold it against them if what they had to give wasn't what either they or the coaches thought could happen, and then wish them the best as they move on with their lives.

In the not-too-distant past Shocker fans were critical of the schools who recruited over their existing players, leaving the existing players either on the bench or transferring. We have become "that" school. Marshall doesn't recruit role players - he recruits starters. That means that every year there are going to be 3 or 4 players who haven't lived up to their or the coaches expectations.

There will be discussion of the potential futures of those players.

[shockmonster]

Marshall doesn't over recruit to run players off. He knows that there are 13 scholarships. Two Seniors will leave and one Junior may or may not be ready for the NBA. Maybe a player graduates early but maybe not. No matter what, not everyone will play and this will shake itself out by the end of the year. Out of the 13 scholarships, 10, maybe 11 at the most will play. I would suggest that those two or three will not be happy with their lack of playing time. I would suggest that we all just enjoy the year, enjoy watching and supporting our Shockers, stop trying to make predictions, stop trying to impose our will, and let this take care of itself because in the end, it will work out. It always has.