'12 NY PF Christopher Obekpa

[cincycpaw]

Stars mean nothing to me.

Biggie/Wilks/Whaley/Satterfield

vs

Logan/Kenyon/SK/Vaughn

Plus, Obepka is ranked around 50 in the country. It is really easy to ask why we dont do what UK does but it isnt that easy.

The reason we dont hold ourselves to that expectation is because we do not have the number of fans to support it. UK is the only show in town. We have to compete with Bengals/Reds/Xavier hoops/ and UC football.

You make a great point. But I'd trade Vaughn for Satterfield and through in a year's supply of graeters.

 

[Bcatfollower]

bcatfollower, if you are wanting a bunch of one and doners you may want to start folowing UK. That isn't going to happen at this time at UC. MC has done a great job building this program back all the while graduating players. I'm not saying he won't recruit one year players but he needs to show consistent winning and a fan base that fills the stadium. He is getting us to that point. Mc is growing the program is growing and the fan base should as well.

I am very pleased with the direction of UC athletics.

I love U.C. I'm not saying we should get all one and done players, but what do you guys have against top recruits? Go look at where the top players are going... its not all u.k. duke and UNC.... most are schools comparable to u.c. or don't have anywhere near the history we do, so why can't we get those players... we target them, just never land them.

 

[cincycpaw]

bcatfollower, if you are wanting a bunch of one and doners you may want to start folowing UK. That isn't going to happen at this time at UC. MC has done a great job building this program back all the while graduating players. I'm not saying he won't recruit one year players but he needs to show consistent winning and a fan base that fills the stadium. He is getting us to that point. Mc is growing the program is growing and the fan base should as well.

I am very pleased with the direction of UC athletics.

It certainly looks good. But, let's be real. If Mick could have landed a top talent in last years class (Chane?) it would have been a different team with terrible Adidias uniforms in the Final Four.

The program is at the point where Mick does need to start to get some top talent. He may get that this year. And in future years, we need some 1 or 2 and done players sprinkled in if UC is going to compete for championship.

I'm hoping that Mick gets his guy this year and then brings a solid class next year. Very important to continue to up the talent level.

 

[JackBauer151]

7


Keep making excuses. And what have we won with any of those players?
Forget about UK, look at the recruits other big east schools are getting.

I understand your sentiment. We all want our program to keep improving and move to an elite level and recruiting is the life blood of that goal. However I think there is a fundamental lack of understanding in how recruiting works. For most recruits the process takes place over 3, 4, and sometimes even a 5 year span. Success on the floor breeds success on the recruiting trail. You can talk all you want but until you consistently go to the NCAA tournament and show success on the floor current freshmen and sophmores aren't going to think its cool to be recruited by you. So just for example this senior class when they were freshmen and sophmores UC had not been to the NCAA tournament under the new regime. When you have success in many ways you dont see the fruits of your labor until a few years later. I fully expect to have a high profile class in 2013. When they were sophmores UC went to the tournament, Now they are juniors and UC went to the BEAST Championship and the sweet 16, and next year when they are seniors its time to lock some down in October and then maybe another in April. We as fans want the sexiest names possible and Cronin has tried to get those. He went after Bennett, Hollowell, McGary, White, Hammons, and Macon. He just didnt have enough of a pedigree to land those types of guys. But that pedigree is building now. Keep improving and those guys will come in time. Proud of the work our coach has done and I only see it getting better. Also lets not forget just this year we beat an elite 8 team and a final 4 team. A NCAA championship was not unrealistic with the team we had this year. Just as it will not be unrealistic with the team we have next year. Keep the faith. Go Cats!

(Disclaimer: Yes I realize not every school has the situation the cats have. St. Johns has New York as a recruiting tool. UK has prestige and the best recruiter in the game, other Big East school have an unlimited budget. You have to work within the parameters that you are given and try to expound on those parameters over time. Ect. Fundraising, Brand recognition, Better exposure, Obviously winning.... I think the cats have done great with what they have and are continuing to grow and build.)

 

[Bcatfollower]

I understand your sentiment. We all want our program to keep improving and move to an elite level and recruiting is the life blood of that goal. However I think there is a fundamental lack of understanding in how recruiting works. For most recruits the process takes place over 3, 4, and sometimes even a 5 year span. Success on the floor breeds success on the recruiting trail. You can talk all you want but until you consistently go to the NCAA tournament and show success on the floor current freshmen and sophmores aren't going to think its cool to be recruited by you. So just for example this senior class when they were freshmen and sophmores UC had not been to the NCAA tournament under the new regime. When you have success in many ways you dont see the fruits of your labor until a few years later. I fully expect to have a high profile class in 2013. When they were sophmores UC went to the tournament, Now they are juniors and UC went to the BEAST Championship and the sweet 16, and next year when they are seniors its time to lock some down in October and then maybe another in April. We as fans want the sexiest names possible and Cronin has tried to get those. He went after Bennett, Hollowell, McGary, White, Hammons, and Macon. He just didnt have enough of a pedigree to land those types of guys. But that pedigree is building now. Keep improving and those guys will come in time. Proud of the work our coach has done and I only see it getting better. Also lets not forget just this year we beat an elite 8 team and a final 4 team. A NCAA championship was not unrealistic with the team we had this year. Just as it will not be unrealistic with the team we have next year. Keep the faith. Go Cats!

(Disclaimer: Yes I realize not every school has the situation the cats have. St. Johns has New York as a recruiting tool. UK has prestige and the best recruiter in the game, other Big East school have an unlimited budget. You have to work within the parameters that you are given and try to expound on those parameters over time. Ect. Fundraising, Brand recognition, Better exposure, Obviously winning.... I think the cats have done great with what they have and are continuing to grow and build.)

I understand this, but hammons ended up at purdue, they have better pedigree? I guess I'm confused on how n.c. state can pull in top guys in 1 years time or providence.

 

[Jpeepers89]

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION!! That's the main thing these recruits want in addition to going to a great basketball program. If they have family in this country they wanna play at the best program as close to their home as they can so friends and family can come see them, also maybe it was a dream of theirs as a kid. The bottom line is Providence was getting these recruits because they were from the providence area. Sometimes as a program you get Lucky. If the #1 player in the country grew up a bearcats fan we wouldn't even be having this argument we would all be partying!!

 

[Bcatfollower]

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION!! That's the main thing these recruits want in addition to going to a great basketball program. If they have family in this country they wanna play at the best program as close to their home as they can so friends and family can come see them, also maybe it was a dream of theirs as a kid. The bottom line is Providence was getting these recruits because they were from the providence area. Sometimes as a program you get Lucky. If the #1 player in the country grew up a bearcats fan we wouldn't even be having this argument we would all be partying!!

Like behanan... not a #1 but we still couldn't land him.

 

[Jpeepers89]

Ok read my post AGAIN! the best program possible closest to home! Behnan said hmmmm pitino or cronin???? LOL that's like saying hmmm Coach K or whoever coaches NC State? Can't blame Chane for going with a coach with more prestige. Would I have loved him here? Yes. But i went to school with a kid who chose Louisville football over UC football, now riddle me that one... Sometimes its about making a smarter decision for yourself as well, and keeping yourself out of trouble, vs. if you go a couple hundred miles from home. Trouble doesn't come finding you, you have to go looking for it.

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

Guys, I think we are all saying the same thing. Certainly we would like MC to get his pick of all the top recruits. MC being a relatively young new to the bigtime coach is a hard sell when up against Callhoun,Pinto,Boeheim,Huggins and others. He is making progress and his team has performed very well with his guys especially the last two years. As his Rep and sucess grow, so will the lure to UC. It also takes a loyal fan base, a good OCC and a track record for putting people in the NBA or at least overseas. MC will get us there be patient. The last 2 years have been great with more good seasons to come.

 

[Jpeepers89]

Guys, I think we are all saying the same thing. Certainly we would like MC to get his pick of all the top recruits. MC being a relatively young new to the bigtime coach is a hard sell when up against Callhoun,Pinto,Boeheim,Huggins and others. He is making progress and his team has performed very well with his guys especially the last two years. As his Rep and sucess grow, so will the lure to UC. It also takes a loyal fan base, a good OCC and a track record for putting people in the NBA or at least overseas. MC will get us there be patient. The last 2 years have been great with more good seasons to come.

Absolutely

 

[mplebanon]

I've never had any respect for UK. They sold their soul to the devil long ago.

Me and you could have won a national championship coaching this year's team. And we probably beat Kansas with that Memphis team Calipari choked with. Then the Bledsoe/John Wall team choked too. We'd have 3 NC's if we'd been the coach. Calipari is overrated big time. Coaching? Hardly. If the NCAA did away with one and done's and the NBA allowed high schoolers to be drafted again, Cal would go back to being average as a coach.

 

[Ryno99]

Like behanan... not a #1 but we still couldn't land him.

The full scholarship his mom landed at the UofL nursing school his senior year in high school sure didn't hurt either.

 

[Bcatfollower]

The full scholarship his mom landed at the UofL nursing school his senior year in high school sure didn't hurt either.

How come any other school that has success getting good recruits must be cheating?

 

[Btown Bearcat]

if we keep having fan support like we did this past year then its a lock that mick will start having great classes no doubt about it. One thing you have to remember is mick is looking for lengthy defensive players that fit his system whether scout.com or rivals agrees is really irrelevant. your splitting hairs here looking for something to complain about.

 

[Hicks' Guns]

Mick inherited a figurative turd 6 years ago. We had Connor Barwin and Adam Hyrakjakvjkjnds in the lineup for crying out loud. Each year, he has continually improved. Our standards are raising with time. If we didn't make the NCAA tourney this year, it would have been a huge disappointment. If we don't make the tournament next year or lost in the first round, I think most people would consider that a disappointment. Huggins hadn't even made the Sweet 16 with UC since 2001.

You have to give Mick time. While he's a great coach, he just doesn't have the name that the coaches of these other programs you are mentioning (Coach K, Roy Williams, Jon Calipari, Rick Pitino). Give it time my man.

 

[Btown Bearcat]

ya its all speculation.we all complain then turn blind eye to our own programs. kinda how people are first call for coach be fired in crisis unless its their own

 

[nparker1]

if we keep having fan support like we did this past year then its a lock that mick will start having great classes no doubt about it. One thing you have to remember is mick is looking for lengthy defensive players that fit his system whether scout.com or rivals agrees is really irrelevant. your splitting hairs here looking for something to complain about.

exactly...roughly 22 or this person's 25 posts have been complaints or instigating comments about recruiting...it does not seem as though this person is going to be satisfied with any answer or response by others...just basically turning yet another thread into spam...how about we only post on this thread when we hear something specifically assigned to Obekpa...
Go Bearcats!

 

[Btown Bearcat]

ya i agree. we were a dead program. huggs left our program in such a wreck that we were no better than mid majors cronins first year. whether that was zimphers or huggs fault at this point doesnt matter. point is cronin put us back on map big time and were still getting better. we didnt even have our best recruit from last year on floor this year in shaq whos defense is good. well be even better next year hes gonna turn us into a defensive juggernaut just watch. titus rubles has chance to be a stud. hes bein compared to rubin patterson. hes like 6'8 wit huge wing span think bout it titus, shaq, (obekpa maybe), a healthy mbodj, jackson that doesn even mention KIL-P, Wright, Parker,and all the freshman that will play a bigger role, all of which got a playing time last year. the bearcats aint going any where but up and cronin aint leavin at some point you have give this man appreciation.

 

[Ryno99]

How come any other school that has success getting good recruits must be cheating?

I was only referencing Louisville, didn't say anything about cheating, just stating a fact. If you have a problem with facts then that is your own issue.

 

[dp3113]

ya i agree. we were a dead program. huggs left our program in such a wreck that we were no better than mid majors cronins first year. whether that was zimphers or huggs fault at this point doesnt matter. point is cronin put us back on map big time and were still getting better. we didnt even have our best recruit from last year on floor this year in shaq whos defense is good. well be even better next year hes gonna turn us into a defensive juggernaut just watch. titus rubles has chance to be a stud. hes bein compared to rubin patterson. hes like 6'8 wit huge wing span think bout it titus, shaq, (obekpa maybe), a healthy mbodj, jackson that doesn even mention KIL-P, Wright, Parker,and all the freshman that will play a bigger role, all of which got a playing time last year. the bearcats aint going any where but up and cronin aint leavin at some point you have give this man appreciation.

i think expectations on titus need to be tempered. he had very pedestrian scoring comes at juco. juco's are horrible now talent wise.