Anyone see Lindy's and Athlons?

[tropicalshox]

Written by a Bradley Blogger here are MVC predictions by Lindy's, Athlon and Sorting News:



Lindy's - this section is written by Creighton writer Steve Pivovar.
Here's the predicted order of finish--
1-Wichita State
2-Missouri State
3-Creighton
4-UNI
5-Bradley
6-ISU
7-Indiana State
8-SIU
9-Drake
10-Evansville

1st Team All Conference: Andrew Warren, Toure Murry, Kwadzo Ahelegbe, Kyle Weems, Kenny Lawson
2nd Team: Colt Ryan, Adam Leonard, Taylor Brown, JT Durley, Seth VanDeest
3rd Team: Sam Maniscalco, Dwayne Lathan, Ryan Wedel, Jackie Carmichael, Ethan Wragge

then a few of the other awards--
Newcomer of the Year: Greg Echenique
Top playmaker: Sam Maniscalco
Best Signing coup: Doug McDermott
************************************************** **


Athlon - this section was written by Wichita State beat writer Paul Suellentrop.
Predicted order of finish--
1-Wichita State - also predicts they win 2 games in the NCAA before losing
2-Creighton - also predicts they make the NCAA as one of the final four to play off
3-Missouri State - predicted for NIT bid
4-UNI - predicted for NIT bid
5-Bradley
6-ISU
7-Indiana State
8-SIU
9-Drake
10-Evansville

All Valley 1st team: Ahelegbe, Lawson, Murry, Sam Maniscalco, Kyle Weems (picked as POY)
************************************************** **


Sporting News - this section written by Creighton blogger Matt Perrault and some other writer named Jiminez from Kansas.
Predicted order of finish--
1-Wichita State
2-Missouri State
3-Bradley
4-UNI
5-Creighton
6-ISU
7-Indiana State
8-SIU
9-Drake
10-Evansville

1st Team All Valley: Ahelegbe, Lawson, Murry, Weems, and Sam Maniscalco
He also has a lot of good words about Andrew Warren...and names a few other awards...
Best Leader: Sam Maniscalco
Best passer: Sam Maniscalco
Best player under pressure: Andrew Warren
Freshman of the Year: Rayvonte Rice
Newcomer of the Year: Echenique
Coach on the Hot Seat: Chris Lowery



If you would like to see the predictions from last year for Lindy's and Athlon, here are links to my reviews of their Valley picks...
some of their picks were laughable like best impact being Jake Kelly and best freshman Andrew Bock...

Lindy's:

http://bubravesblogger.blogspot.com/2009/09/new-lindys-preseason-college-basketball.html

Athlon:

http://bubravesblogger.blogspot.com/2009/09/athlon-preseason-college-basketball.html

http://bubravesblogger.blogspot.com/

[shockerfan]

Good thing Sporting News has WSU in the top 25.

Good article on WSU also by them.

Some snippits about WSU in the Sporting News:

- As mentioned we were picked #24. Basically said to take the next step WSU needs to win on the road.

- Main article mentioned how hard the Valley tries to schedule BCS opponents and lists some of the games the Valley has against them this year. Mentions how this could be another banner year for the Valley seeing how 32 of 50 starters return along with an influx of some good young talent. Mentions that in the past 5 seasons 4 different Valley teams have made the Sweet 16. Here is one of my favorite quotes ;) :

And since 1994, MVC schools have beaten their share of big-name programs in tournament play, including Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas (twice), Louisville, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St, Pitt, Tennesee (three times) and UCLA

- In the recruiting tidbits it ranks the MVC's recruiting classes as follows: 1st - Drake, 2nd - CU, 3rd - Illinois St, 4th - SIU (don't know about that one...), 5th - WSU, 6th - Indiana St, 7th - UNI, 8th - Bradley, 9th - Missouri St, 10th - Evansville

- Also in the recruiting notes it mentions that Ben Smith is a "small, athletic forward who has the ability to be a problematic matchup."

- That Bradley blogger mentioned some of the "Best list" already. Here are a couple that mention WSU that he left out:

Best Athlete: Toure' Murry
Best home-court advantage: WSU

and one that I just found kind of funny:

Most likely to draw a technical foul: Jim Les


Here are some quotes from the WSU article:

Senior J.T. Durley might be the best post player in the conference...

If 7-0 Ehimen Orukpe, point guard Joe Ragland and 6-4 swingman Ben Smith are as good as advertised, the bench is only going to get better and the expectations for this year's Shockers should go from being at the top of the chart to OFF of it.

With all the preseason hype, the Shockers must stay away from being their own worst enemy and keep their collective hat size from ballooning. Northern Iowa avoided that pitfall last season, and the result was a storybook campaign. Now, Wichita State gets its shot.

They give WSU the following on power ratings:

3/5 offense
4/5 defense
4/5 rebounding
3/5 playmaking
4/5 coaching

[shockerfan]

Some more interesting stuff in Athlon's:

Tad Boyle is listed as one of the 5 best new hires for 2010-2011. Hmmm noticed that Altman wasn't among them...how could they have missed that???!!!

As mentioned they have WSU getting to the 2nd round of the NCAA before losing. Has WSU as an 8 seed against 9 seed Marquette. WSU is picked to win that one and then lose to #1 seed Purdue. Has Creighton in the 12 seed matchup against Northwestern but losing. Therefore Northwestern faces 5 seed BYU in the tourney.

Some quotes from the WSU part of the MVC section:

"We realize how we finished the season and how close we were," Marshall says, "The only thing I'm going to impress upon them is how close we are, yet how far away. It's close. And that potential is a dangerous word."

"The saying around the team now is 'Finish'," senior swingman Graham Hatch says, "That's something we learned from last season. We have to finish everything at our best, doing our best."

If he (Stutz) makes another jump comparable to his improvement after his freshman season, he will be the MVC's best big man.

[shockerfan]

Some other stuff from Lindy's:

- Rating the Conferences:

12. Missouri Valley - Good teams, but no real great teams. Prove us wrong, Shockers.

- Has WSU as the only Valley team in the field of 68

- Under a section called "JC Help is on the way" it does mention Joe Ragland to WSU. Says that WSU was already the best team in the Valley and his addition only solidifies that status. Interesting right after Joe's section it lists Marquise Carter for Gonzaga (former Shocker recruit).

- Mentions how the Maui Invitational is the best field this year. Of course that has only been mentioned a billion times. ;)

Player of the year: Toure' Murry
Top NBA prospect: Toure' Murry :shock:

- Oh and once again Matilda makes her presence known in Lindy's. Here is part of his picks:

Newcomer to have most impact: Echenique
Best Rebounder: Echenique
Will take you by surprise: Doug McDermott
Likely to see NBA uniform: Echenique
No. 1 signing coup: Doug McDermott

5 of his 9 categories are about 2 Creighton players. So here is one of my "picks":

Most useless writer to ever contribute to a pre-season magazine: Matt Perrault

[Aargh]

I'm serious about this. I've only had one Budweiser. I'm not going to blame this post on the pain meds.

I think WSU's most likely player to wear an NBA uniform will be a seldom-used reserve this year. - and I'm not talking about Hamilton.

[forevershockerfan]

EO?

[ShockerFever]

Thanks for the analysis and input shockerfan. I may not even need to go out and get the rags now.

Matt Perrault is a toolbag and thus I will definitely not be purchasing Lindy's.

[Zardoz]

I don't think we will but it would probably work.

Shows how much these people really look at the MVC. TM can and has played PG for us, he's better than okay. Still much better as a SG. If you really wanted you could plug in DK or Hatch in at point. Really makes more sense to think that the starting PG would be last years backup at the point, Dwill a Soph PG who was really coming on in his last 10 games of last season or Rags a first team JUCO AA.

In addition I don't see Ellis starting at the 4. I think it will be Durley with Stutz at the 5. Durley was able to break his self-admitted lazy tendencies and become an effective post on both ends. It also appeared with added weigh and muscle Stutz also found the mean streak required to dominate in the post. Both Stutz and Durley can draw their defenders to the outside and hit the 3 or clear the way for a cutting guard.

Hatch is Hatch, just bigger faster and stronger. If he also has regained his touch from outside look-out. He has become the ultimate blue collar guy. Dive on the floor, grab the tough rebound, hit the big shot. He will give his all in every game. He is MTXE. Mental Toughness eXtra Effort.

The only missing piece for this Shocker team is a leader and I'm sure there will be at least one. From what I hear this isn't going to be a problem. You need to be lead by example, check. Need to be dressed down and yelled at, yep, also there and then comes the coaching staff. You don't think a program that has seniors that went from 11-20 to 17-17 to 25-10 and still no NCAA don't have something to prove and will not allow their senior year to go by the wayside.

[Ashockalypse]

12th rated conference. That is just Horse@#%&

[Snapshot9]

Matt Perrault is a toolbag and thus I will definitely not be purchasing Lindy's.

Yeah, he is out past the right field fence. Go read some of his posts on MVCfans.com forum, you'll get a big laugh.

[notquiteBWing]

I don't think we will but it would probably work.

Shows how much these people really look at the MVC. TM can and has played PG for us, he's better than okay. Still much better as a SG. If you really wanted you could plug in DK or Hatch in at point. Really makes more sense to think that the starting PG would be last years backup at the point, Dwill a Soph PG who was really coming on in his last 10 games of last season or Rags a first team JUCO AA.

I might come to regret posting this 3 months from now, BUT

I'm very confident that Joe ragland will be starting at PG.
I have never seen the man play, but more than one player has told me that Joe would start at any school in america if he were 2-3 inches taller and hadnt gone to JUCO.
he's the most talented player we have.
I'd venture to say that Joe may have a better chanceto be 1st team MVC than TM.
The players know already how lucky they are to have won the JR sweepstakes.

[AG1219]

Matt Perrault is a toolbag and thus I will definitely not be purchasing Lindy's.

Yeah, he is out past the right field fence. Go read some of his posts on MVCfans.com forum, you'll get a big laugh.

I dont understand why you guys think he doesn't know what he's talking about. He has great inside on the MVC. Here's a refresher on his expertise last year.

Guys on ESPN2 just said Adam Kock #MVC player of year - I agree. Colt Iverson Fresh of Yr. I'm still deciding on New Comer of Year

Colt Ryan I meant - from Indiana St - I'm exhausted - no more Twitter for me tonight

I'm sure Lindy's is ok with their contributors not knowing what teams certain players play for.

I really hope he interviews the new coach at Ind St. and his first question is how do you think Colt Iverson.. errr.... Colt Ryan will play this year under your system?

[ShockerFever]

Matt Perrault is a toolbag and thus I will definitely not be purchasing Lindy's.

Yeah, he is out past the right field fence. Go read some of his posts on MVCfans.com forum, you'll get a big laugh.

I dont understand why you guys think he doesn't know what he's talking about. He has great inside on the MVC. Here's a refresher on his expertise last year.

Guys on ESPN2 just said Adam Kock #MVC player of year - I agree. Colt Iverson Fresh of Yr. I'm still deciding on New Comer of Year

Colt Ryan I meant - from Indiana St - I'm exhausted - no more Twitter for me tonight

I'm sure Lindy's is ok with their contributors not knowing what teams certain players play for.

I really hope he interviews the new coach at Ind St. and his first question is how do you think Colt Iverson.. errr.... Colt Ryan will play this year under your system?

Thanks for pulling those back up. Those were GREAT!

[ShockerFever]

Matt Perrault is a toolbag and thus I will definitely not be purchasing Lindy's.

Yeah, he is out past the right field fence. Go read some of his posts on MVCfans.com forum, you'll get a big laugh.

I don't think that was the real Matty P. I think it was an impersonator. Matty P. rarely ventures out of his BluejayCafe safe zone.