2017-18 National Rankings

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

The excuse-train for lowering our ranking is leaving the station. And it's only August. All-Aboard!!

While I see where you are coming from, I consider a top 10 ranking for a Shocker team whose best player has a repeat injury concern to be a healthy level of respect for what this program has become.

[pogo]

I don;t know what the criteria is for a repeat injury but I don't see LS injury as a repeat type of deal. Now Austin is a different matter

[Stickboy46]

While I see where you are coming from, I consider a top 10 ranking for a Shocker team whose best player has a repeat injury concern to be a healthy level of respect for what this program has become.

I guess I just challenge that they are bumping people up for adding someone that has never played a college game in their life, then turn around and drop WSU because a player is going to miss the offseason and possibly no games at all ...

[rrshock]

What JH4P is saying is WSU is still in the top 10. That's top 10 with their best player injured right now. That's still a ton of respect. WSU isnt a blue blood so we all should expect those types of changes.

[Cdizzle]

What JH4P is saying is WSU is still in the top 10. That's top 10 with their best player injured right now. That's still a ton of respect. WSU isnt a blue blood so we all should expect those types of changes.

Settling for table scraps because it's what one expects in one's station is a sad way to approach life.

Also note, it's still August. My guess is WSU will not remain Top 10 in his ballot come November. There will be more things that happen across the national landscape that will have unknown impact to the coming year but will naturally be viewed as a detriment to WSU.

[forevershockerfan]

The awesome early predictions have been better than I ever remember thus far. The end game of the Shocks will be what matters the most. Better to deal with injuries now, not then.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

I guess I just challenge that they are bumping people up for adding someone that has never played a college game in their life...

The 3 best players on the 2012 National Championship team were all "someone that has never played a college game in their life" prior to that season.
Same for 4 of the top 5 players on the 2015 Champs' roster.
The 2011 Champs had 2 star Freshman as well.
The list goes on and on, and don't even get me started if you look beyond championships and expand to Final Four teams.

Every year, Freshman have a huge impact on top 10 type teams. The "he has never played a game of D1 in his life" argument, as a way to minimize a highly touted player's likely immediate impact, is silly.

[Stickboy46]

The 3 best players on the 2012 National Championship team were all "someone that has never played a college game in their life" prior to that season.
Same for 4 of the top 5 players on the 2015 Champs' roster.
The 2011 Champs had 2 star Freshman as well.
The list goes on and on, and don't even get me started if you look beyond championships and expand to Final Four teams.

Every year, Freshman have a huge impact on top 10 type teams. The "he has never played a game of D1 in his life" argument, as a way to minimize a highly touted player's likely immediate impact, is silly.

I noticed you left out the best Player in each of the last two years

[tgcshock]

While I see where you are coming from, I consider a top 10 ranking for a Shocker team whose best player has a repeat injury concern to be a healthy level of respect for what this program has become.

I think you are right. Also, it has to be said, most of what is happening with writers before the season starts is finding reasons to reshuffle their top twenty-five predictions so that they have new content that readers will be motivated to access and discuss. Not really that big a deal.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

I noticed you left out the best Player in each of the last two years

I don't understand.

[rrshock]

Settling for table scraps because it's what one expects in one's station is a sad way to approach life.

Also note, it's still August. My guess is WSU will not remain Top 10 in his ballot come November. There will be more things that happen across the national landscape that will have unknown impact to the coming year but will naturally be viewed as a detriment to WSU.

How is being happy that they are still a top 10 team settling for table scraps? There are over 350 men's D1 teams. Just a handful of times in history has WSU finished in the top 10. Im not even sure it is more than 3 without digging. The best player is hurt. That would have dropped anyone in a preseason poll.

And media bias is nothing new. Thats why they play the games.

[Anthroshock]

Blue Ribbon has their preseason poll and All-American picks out.
Shocks clock in at #7

Landry listed as 4th team AA.

https://blueribbonyearbook.com/blogs/news/arizona-tops-blue-ribbons-37th-annual-preseason-rankings

I love Blue Ribbon. Best basketball reference out there.

[HockeyShock]

Looking at that list, I am filled with rage at the missed opportunities and the stacked decks we've run into against the other teams near the top:

1. Beat 'em.
2. I'd pay real money to face them any time other than the first week of the season.
3. I'd pay real money to face them. Too bad they can't seem to find their way outside of Durham until January every year.
4. 2-0 against them in the tourney.
5. 0-2 against them by a grand total of 5 points, and they've somehow convinced me to hate their fans more than #4 (not the school, no chance of THAT happening, just the fans)
6. Double foul - Karl Hess' crowning achievement. I'm moderately surprised he didn't get an NBA gig after that performance.
8. I'd love to beat them just to make Jenn Bates cry.
9. I'd love to beat them just to see Huggy sweat through that track suit.
10. You want to know how I know there is no justice in this world? Because if there was, that waste of oxygen coach - who was complicit in absolutely everything the university is under investigation for right now - would be forced to walk out of the tunnel in Koch Arena with that team and face the fanbase he screwed over in the Maurice Evans drama face-to-angry-faces. Instead, he's going to fall on his sword for Chapel Hill and be lionized there because of it.

[Topshock]

Looking at that list, I am filled with rage at the missed opportunities and the stacked decks we've run into against the other teams near the top:

1. Beat 'em.
2. I'd pay real money to face them any time other than the first week of the season.
3. I'd pay real money to face them. Too bad they can't seem to find their way outside of Durham until January every year.
4. 2-0 against them in the tourney.
5. 0-2 against them by a grand total of 5 points, and they've somehow convinced me to hate their fans more than #4 (not the school, no chance of THAT happening, just the fans)
6. Double foul - Karl Hess' crowning achievement. I'm moderately surprised he didn't get an NBA gig after that performance.
8. I'd love to beat them just to make Jenn Bates cry.
9. I'd love to beat them just to see Huggy sweat through that track suit.
10. You want to know how I know there is no justice in this world? Because if there was, that waste of oxygen coach - who was complicit in absolutely everything the university is under investigation for right now - would be forced to walk out of the tunnel in Koch Arena with that team and face the fanbase he screwed over in the Maurice Evans drama face-to-angry-faces. Instead, he's going to fall on his sword for Chapel Hill and be lionized there because of it.

You are bringing it today! Good job.

[wichshock65]

Fansided Top 25 comes out tomorrow. Sounds like their #1 might turn some heads.

https://twitter.com/JosephNardone/status/914655356621606912