Any news on Orukpe?

[moshock]

I think that the "no news to report" by CGM is probably true but now...the rest of the story. Until he finds out about the test results, he actually has "no news" . Even though he may be expecting news this week, he doesn't want to report any expectations.

I also think that he may be bluffing on the whole "redshirting " thing. I would be very surprised if EO redshirts once he gets here, especially if he can contribute. He does not want the current post players wondering whose minutes he might take away. Remember, he's trying to build confidence in MG and AE.

I wouldn't get in a serious poker game with CGM !!!

I also think that CGM knows who actually shot Kennedy, may have Elvis hiding in his basement, and has visited Area 51.

;-)

[rrshock]

well put cold

[Sundevil Shox]

Phil Mendelsohn

Let's not knock Phil M (stick man). he had a key blocked shot against future NBA money Robert Horry to preserve a win against Alabama. The look on Horry's face was priceless. Ahh, but a fleeting moment of glory in an otherwise dreadful 3 year reign of Cohen ineptitude.

[SFL]

Some people have alluded to Orupke staying here 4 years. If he is any good at all he probably won't be staying beyond two. If he is what coach said he is "runs like a deer and dunks everything" I personally would play him instantly. He won't know the system but they can run a revised system (e.g. toss the ball up towards the rim, jump up and dunk it) until he gets everything down. There are a ton of games left to be played and if he can get going by the time we get to St. Louis and help us win the conference tournament then maybe everything comes together in the NCAA's.

I just don't want to toss away another year with help on the bench. Durley should have been playing last year there is no doubt at that. Last year was our "throw-away" year. Lets give it all we've got this year. Let's try to win now!


T


...8)

Weiser?

Naw, just a concerned Shocker fan who thinks it's time to stop planning about dominating the Valley and start doing it. We are a program that should be #1 or #2 each and every year.

I am tired of recruiting "projects" that need extra years beyond high-school to even be competent on the floor. If someone is injured fine, but let's recruit players that are good enough to play right away. I know it is easier said than done but I believe WSU should be at the level of being able to recruit 6'9" and 6'10" players that are good enough to play right away. No, many won't be like what Kansas recruits and be GOOD right away but our recruits should at least be competent enough to be a plus on the floor right out of the gate. Now, if we are fortunate to truly be over-loaded in talent at one position then maybe we should set a player out but no more Ryan Bradley's that come to WSU fat, unathletic, and incompetent. He could red-shirt for 9 years and he still wouldn't be any good.

When Kansas brings in 4 and 5 star recruits they play right away. When we bring in 2 and 3 star recruits they should play right away as well. Again, if we are loaded at one position because, lets say a "Maurice Evans" decides to go to WSU just because he has always planned on coming to WSU, and our "normal" recruits are still coming, then we should red-shirt. But holding Durley back last year and having Bradley swallow two years of a scholarship that could of at least been given to another 6'7" juco player who can jump, dribble, and maybe make a layup was tragic.

I know I am talking out of my a$$ a little and I don't have to take responsibility for my comments, but all this talk about red-shirting a guy that is supposedly a very gifted player is nonsense to me. Nobody knows what the future holds and if we have a good player and we are HURTING at a position, let's let him learn the game with real minutes and not sitting on the bench modeling the latest fashions from the men's big and tall warehouse.


T


...8)

Good points Cold, however didn't Durley red-shirt last year because of a knee injury?

[C0|dB|00ded]

Some people have alluded to Orupke staying here 4 years. If he is any good at all he probably won't be staying beyond two. If he is what coach said he is "runs like a deer and dunks everything" I personally would play him instantly. He won't know the system but they can run a revised system (e.g. toss the ball up towards the rim, jump up and dunk it) until he gets everything down. There are a ton of games left to be played and if he can get going by the time we get to St. Louis and help us win the conference tournament then maybe everything comes together in the NCAA's.

I just don't want to toss away another year with help on the bench. Durley should have been playing last year there is no doubt at that. Last year was our "throw-away" year. Lets give it all we've got this year. Let's try to win now!


T


...8)

Weiser?

Naw, just a concerned Shocker fan who thinks it's time to stop planning about dominating the Valley and start doing it. We are a program that should be #1 or #2 each and every year.

I am tired of recruiting "projects" that need extra years beyond high-school to even be competent on the floor. If someone is injured fine, but let's recruit players that are good enough to play right away. I know it is easier said than done but I believe WSU should be at the level of being able to recruit 6'9" and 6'10" players that are good enough to play right away. No, many won't be like what Kansas recruits and be GOOD right away but our recruits should at least be competent enough to be a plus on the floor right out of the gate. Now, if we are fortunate to truly be over-loaded in talent at one position then maybe we should set a player out but no more Ryan Bradley's that come to WSU fat, unathletic, and incompetent. He could red-shirt for 9 years and he still wouldn't be any good.

When Kansas brings in 4 and 5 star recruits they play right away. When we bring in 2 and 3 star recruits they should play right away as well. Again, if we are loaded at one position because, lets say a "Maurice Evans" decides to go to WSU just because he has always planned on coming to WSU, and our "normal" recruits are still coming, then we should red-shirt. But holding Durley back last year and having Bradley swallow two years of a scholarship that could of at least been given to another 6'7" juco player who can jump, dribble, and maybe make a layup was tragic.

I know I am talking out of my a$$ a little and I don't have to take responsibility for my comments, but all this talk about red-shirting a guy that is supposedly a very gifted player is nonsense to me. Nobody knows what the future holds and if we have a good player and we are HURTING at a position, let's let him learn the game with real minutes and not sitting on the bench modeling the latest fashions from the men's big and tall warehouse.


T


...8)

Good points Cold, however didn't Durley red-shirt last year because of a knee injury?

He could have played 3/4 of a season I believe. Coach wanted him ready early and complained about him being really out of shape. As we know now, J.T. is a little lazy in practice but comes alive when the lights are turned on.


T


...8)

[wu_shizzle]

As we know now, J.T. is a little lazy in practice but comes alive when the lights are turned on.

Mantas needs to hang out with JT and learn how to be lazy then...

[WSUwatcher]

Last year

Yes, SFL, that's exactly right. Durley redshirted last year because of a knee injury that set him back some in terms of development and more in terms of conditioning. Cold chooses to believe otherwise, but Turgeon clearly didn't believe Durley was anywhere near ready to play meaningful minutes for most of the year-- maybe 1/4, if that, instead of what Coach Cold would have liked.

Personally, I trust Turgeon's judgment quite a bit more than Cold's, but Cold had an argument he wanted to make and wasn't going to let facts get in his way.

[The Mad Hatter]

He could have played 3/4 of a season I believe. Coach wanted him ready early and complained about him being really out of shape. As we know now, J.T. is a little lazy in practice but comes alive when the lights are turned on.


T


...8)

I severely doubt that Durley could have played 3/4 of the year last year with his conditioning. If it wasn't for a big summer of conditioning work for JT where, as Marshall said, he reshaped his body dramatically, he probably wouldn't be in game shape this year. Even now, there are questions about how many minutes JT can go in a game.

No matter how much JT might step up his game, last year he would have gotten too winded just running up and down the court to ever stay in the game. That was MT's analysis this year, and it was Marshall's analysis before a summer of hard work for JT.

[KC Shox]

Give up on thoughts of Orupke being a part of this team this season. Even if he does arrive he'll probably be out of D1 college basketball shape, will take time to learn the system, and won't be that impactful to warrant using up a year's worth of eligibility.

Next.........

[C0|dB|00ded]

I believe J.T. was out for 6 weeks with the knee strain. Turgeon was planning on trying him once he got the okay from the doctor. Turgeon's decision was that J.T. was too out of shape (because of the rehab) to waste the year on him. I believe there was about 3/4 of the season left when he made that statement and we were doing VERY well at that point without him.

I'm wondering how long everybody thinks it takes for an 18 yr. old to get in shape? Two weeks tops? I watched Durley play in the summer and he was a bit chubby but NOTHING like Bradley when he first arrived. Sure Durley would have been slow but I'm sure he would have been somewhat effective and helped us out a TON by the end of the year. Turgeon played the conservative route and semi-crapped out (not personally, in that sense he cashed out). I'm sure if he had a time machine he would have played Durley unless there were other issues surrounding the injury we didn't know about.

Last year was a failure on a grand scale... especially following a Sweet Sixteen with the majority of our starters back. We were not in a position to hold players back that would have made a difference for us. I think we should have played Butler as well. We would have had more depth for this year and maybe even won a game or two extra last year. Of course, we didn't know that Turgeon was leaving and taking his "star" power forward with him...


T


...8)

[pinstripers]

No way in hell Durley coulda played last year, sadly. Wishing won't make it so. I wish Orupke couda played last year, last week, etc.

[Maggie]

I understand the excitement and anticipation. Nevertheless, it is useless to discuss whether Orupke can or should actually play this year until the kid actually shows up. I do not care what hype Orupke has received from the media, the coaching staff, etc. because you are still talking about a 7 ft kid from Nigeria. No one is really going to know what kind of skills he has and what impact he could have until he takes the court. Moreover, not only is Orupke going to have to adjust to D-1 basketball, learn a complicated system, get used to college courses but he is also going to have to adjust to life in the United States.

Twelve years when I moved from Wichita to New York City, I admit there was some culture shock for me. I have to imagine moving from Nigeria to Wichita would probably be much more intense. Playing Orupke right away may not be the best thing for him – who knows. That being said – it is CGM's call and I trust his judgment.

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

Anyone know if he is from Winabi?

If so, all we need is him and any four guys to go straight to the Final Four!!

[wsushockerdude]

i actually do have inside info.
one of my good friends knows the Marshalls personally. It was something about "losing" a test that would allow orupke to come to america

[wsu789]

wsushockerdude: you're kidding, right?