Valley Pre-Season Poll

[t7017s]

Injury could be the only thing that could stop PJ from having a good year. Not getting beat up in the post is the key. Clemente will be the baddest 6-6 player in the league but we need more. If we have a 7 footer that can play some by conference time, we will be tough. I'm convinced that we have the best coach in the league. If there is a way to get us to win, he will do it.

I think Coleman will be the baddest 6'6" player in the valley.

[Maggie]

Here's a link to a podcast with PJ and CU guy Matt Dalt.


Matt says, "For WSU to have ANY KIND OF YEAR AT ALL", they are going to have rely on PJ to have a big year.

Any kind of year at all Matt?


I'd love to hear him cry when we spank his Jays.......

I don't think he meant it as an insult, but more of a compliment to PJ's skills. Perhaps a bit of hyperbole, but I don't think he was trying to be negative at all.

Would Shocker fans really argue that the success of WSU this year is directly tied (at least in the most part) to what kind of season PJ has?

I don't know what this Matt Dalt guy meant but if by saying PJ has to have a big year for WSU to be successful he meant that PJ has to score a lot more – I would have to disagree. I believe that WSU has enough players that can score so even if PJ has a "bad night" they can be successful. Besides, even when PJ is not scoring he still does all the little things well. What I will be looking for from PJ is leadership – I guess more vocal leadership. Clemente may have the personality to step into this role but PJ is the teams best player and he is a senior. It is his turn to lead the team.

As others have pointed out, for WSU to have a good year the inside players have to play well. Furthermore, they will need production from GM and Ellis at the 3 – because that will keep PJ from playing out of position.

That being said, I don't think Dalt was trying to be insulting. Other than PJ, WSU has many unknowns so it is easy to simply state he has to have a "good year" for the team to go anywhere. I don't know if I would necessarily call it hyperbole in as much as I would call it intellectually lazy – which is not at all uncommon for broadcasters. Not a big deal.

[wu_shizzle]

I think Coleman will be the baddest 6'6" player in the valley.

Well, I guess we'll just have to see won't we.

I wouldn't be suprised to see Pork-Chop and Ramon foul out of our first match-up with UNI.

[The Mad Hatter]

I wouldn't be suprised to see Pork-Chop and Ramon foul out of our first match-up with UNI.

I don't think any of us would be surprised by that result.

[RoyalShock]

I wouldn't be suprised to see Pork-Chop and Ramon foul out in the first half of our first match-up with UNI.

Corrected for accuracy. :yes:

[ShockerFever]

Anyone catch the interview last night (forgot what channel) with PT? He said along the lines of 'everybody's getting along with each other. We all really like each other', etc. I think that'll be a big difference-maker this year - a more positive team chemistry. I agree that PJ needs to step and be the leader. He's a good motivator and it's a huge plus having one on the floor for a good b-ball team. I think we missed this last year and we had it with Paul M. the year before..

As for UNI, they have one decent player on the floor. That's it. Kinda like SIU without the defense. I think they're gonna have major issues this year. I wouldn't be surprised to see them in the 7-9 range. Honestly.