Cleanthony Early-SHOCKER!!

[SubGod22]

Re: Yep

Second that, Doc. There are special cases, of course, but in general it's kind of tough to get a sophomore who's eligible right away and isn't a juco guy. So I'm not concerned about that aspect of Early's recruitment.

I like four (or five) year players as much as the next guy, but I've always been a little mystified by the jucophobia we see on here. It reminds me of the way some people want baseball teams to build through their own organization and farm system and avoid free agents -- you know, the way the Royals have?
:roll:

The Royals comparison is piss poor for what you're going for. They tried the FA thing and it's always backfired on them, now that they're actually doing it the right way for a change, things actually look good.

It's funny how people continually refuse to read what I, and others, say about JUCOs. There are times and reasons, but relying too much on them isn't how you build a successful program. For the most part, they are stop gap players to fill holes. Not players to never be considered. But if I have the choice of getting a FR or a JR, 9 times out of 10 I want the FR.

[Aargh]

I'm opposed to JuCo's - not totally, but I don't like relying on them. I also don't like getting "too many" on the roster, because you end up being forced to recruit more JuCos to fill gaps.

An empty So class is definitely a gap and I think we are nearly forced to look for a JuCo or two or we end up with a team with no Srs.

In the specific situation WSU is in, I'm all for a JuCo joining the class. In fact, I think I'd favor Early over the Fr candidates that are still out there if WSU only has one scholarship left.

[SubGod22]

For the record, I have nothing against Early and would gladly accept him for the reasons Aargh mentioned and the fact that by all accounts, he seems to be a game changer.

[tropicalshox]

I understand that JucoRecruiting corrected his post to read Iowa State instead of Iowa to have a visit from Early. A visit to Iowa State was alraedy expected. I don’t believe Iowa is invoked in his Early's recruitment.

[RoyalShock]

Do you suppose he'll sign in the Early period?

[pinstripers]

How did I miss that?

[WSUwatcher]

Wrong

Sub, my point about the Royals was a good one; sorry you missed it. At the risk of veering too far off topic, let me just say this: in fact, they've tried building with young players numerous times as well as going with (mostly cheapo) free agents (or cheapo free agent talent that they overpaid), and the young player route has actually predominated for them, just as it has for their NL counterparts in futility, the Pirates.

Actually, either method can work, and either can fail. The key -- and this is my real point -- is that what matters isn't so much the method as it is the people in charge. "Doing it the right way" with young players works if the folks running the show know what they're doing, but only if they do, and much the same is true in college basketball as it is in major league baseball. The dark era between Fogler and Turgeon wasn't the result of too much reliance on jucos or transfers (short term free agents) vs. high schoolers (rookies); it was simply the result, for the most part, of too much reliance on too many players who weren't quite good enough -- on the court, as teammates, in class, or out on the town.

The difference between Marshall and his staff and the Cohen-Thompson-Smithson succession is that the current guys are simply better at what they do. They know how to judge and assemble talent. (And they presumably don't want an empty class either, if only because it leaves no openings to fill with more talented players when that year comes up). So if something goes wrong, like the blank sophomore class on this year's team, they'll find a way to work around it somehow. And if that means bringing in jucos or transfers now or at some point in the future, I figure they know better than any of us does how to make it work.

[vancedave56]

+1

[Aargh]

You can also look at the Chiefs as an example. The current administration of the Chiefs seems to be much better at evaluating free agents (the NFL equivalent of JuCo's - sort of) and draft picks. The success the Chiefs are having (compared to what they had) was done by bringing in free agents to fill immediate needs where experience is critical, and bringing in draftees in spots where experience is less critical.

Then there's the example of the Royals, which relates pretty well to SIU. The Royals bring a lot of talent to the league, but those talented players get out of KC as fast as they can.

[WSUwatcher]

Wow

Royals = SIU.



Hope the Egyptian Dog fans don't see that post, Aargh -- they'll be even madder at Lowery than they were before.

[tropicalshox]

Looks like Alabama is making a push to get the last available visit from Cleanthony:

justinrod845Justin Rodriguez

Another day, seemingly another offer: U. Alabama latest to make SUNY Sullivan star Cleanthony Early, a Pine Bush grad, a full ride.

[tropicalshox]

According to his tweet, Early is on his way to WSU. However, I'm just about 100% sure it's Washington State.

[tropicalshox]

Cleanthony is not exactly comfortable in Pullman:

Clearly_BallLyfCleanthony Early

It's freezing out here

[pinstripers]

Shouda had him visit here a month ago........

[tropicalshox]

Cleanthony will visit the real WSU this weekend!

http://rivalshoops.rivals.com/content.asp?highlight=wichita&CID=1255151