Juco Talent

[Thegreatone]

I'm not sure if you were saying "kids like this" because they have character issues, but it's understandable if that's what you meant. However, if that is what you meant, I'm not sure you can include Wells in that category. I've not seen or heard of him having any character issues at all.

I was using the 3 game suspensions for starting a brawl as the basis to that arguement. He completely lost his head on the court. Without him blind siding Gynn it does happen.

Most would say getting the largest suspension in years at a school in your freshman year is not a good sign.

I really dont care all that much about the character issues but Mack is going down a dangerous road. The rep of X has been tarnished. Luckily my attendance at that school has kept it above water.

In all seriousness Mack is playing with fire. He has not shown the ability to control these guys IMO. Him getting to the Sweet 16 will keep Xavier fans off his back again but it might not be a good thing for the program.

Again, big reward but big risk. The administration was furious about the way X bball team handled themselves. They are a very image concious school.

 

[JasonS]

I was using the 3 game suspensions for starting a brawl as the basis to that arguement. He completely lost his head on the court. Without him blind siding Gynn it does happen.

Most would say getting the largest suspension in years at a school in your freshman year is not a good sign.

I really dont care all that much about the character issues but Mack is going down a dangerous road. The rep of X has been tarnished. Luckily my attendance at that school has kept it above water.

In all seriousness Mack is playing with fire. He has not shown the ability to control these guys IMO. Him getting to the Sweet 16 will keep Xavier fans off his back again but it might not be a good thing for the program.

Again, big reward but big risk. The administration was furious about the way X bball team handled themselves. They are a very image concious school.

I find this VERY hard to believe. I think they want to be known as such but I really think the administration doesn't give a crap.

 

[Thegreatone]

I promise you the faculty and administration were furious with the way the shootout went and the student bodies reaction.

They do use the Catholic school as a sheild IMO.

I firmly believe X is more interested in doing what is right than being a good basketball program. They do know that they need to be competitive and that requires taking kids that may have had trouble pasts.

Mack is in a tough spot. Needing to produce and reach Final Four without a major conference but now he cant push the character issues too much.

This is not the first year Mack has had control issues.

 

[User Name:]

1. When UK backs off of a kid for character issues/concerns/grades, you know it's bad. As everyone knows, the kid is a good player. But there is a reason Xavier was the only school recruiting him. His guardian said in an article that XU did a great job recruiting him and that it seemed like Xavier was the only school recruiting him....well probably because they were LOL. The only other school was Iowa State (transfer U, home of the second chance) and they stopped.

2. I laughed at the guy that says Thomas committing to XU validates that Mack is a good recruiter. Like everyone said, Xavier was his only option. And Rasheen Davis was the coach who recruited him, but who cares. Enough about that school....

3. I don't understand people who complain about Mick and his recruiting. Recruiting takes time. He said he only offered a couple kids early for the 2012 class (Hammons, White) because he wasn't sure what their needs would be with the big class they brought in in 2011. He's being selective, and it's the right thing to do. Look at the talent we are recruiting in the class of 2013. Mick will get his fair share. I also think, JMO, that we will have a new assistant coach to replace Coach Jackson (health reasons) that will be a better recruiter with more connections that could help.

People want one and done type players. I don't. Maybe one every now and then. But I love watching a kid like Dion Dixon for four years, and improving over the course of time. Or Rashad Bishop. Or Larry Davis. I would take good, solid recruits who are confident but know they can improve and are willing to work on their game. I think that's especially true with Mick's last class. I feel like JD, Ge'lawn, Shaq, Octavious, and Jermaine are just tough, hard nosed kids that will do anything to improve. And it doesn't hurt that they get to learn from guys like Cash, SK, Park, and Jackson.

Not saying I didn't appreciate watching a team like UK this year. They were a special team. I just don't know if I could be a fan of a program where you continually have 5-6 new players every year who are there for one year. Not hating on UK at all but JMO.

Lets be fair here. This is a complete role reversal from us during the Lance Stephenson recruitment. We were all ecstatic. Lance Stephenson could apply to your first two points. Thomas may or may not be eligible. Who cares.

1) "When everyone else backs off because of character and grades issues"
-Stephenson was arrested shortly before committing, had an internet documentary, and many believed he would NEVER be eligible. UC did their due diligence against the negative media storm and it paid off. Most, if not all, schools backed off Stephenson until they realized AFTER he committed that he may be eligible. Then they tried to sway him.

2) When Savino and Mick recruited Stephenson to come here, there weren't arguments about how one recruited him over the other...I don't get this point in your post.


3) To win consistently at an ELITE LEVEL(final four and beyond type caliber teams), you need 1 and done or 2 and done type players. The Butlers/VCU's/George Mason's are the EXCEPTIONS to the rule. Yes experienced players particularly guards are assets in the NCAA tourney, but most of the time they don't get you playing deep into march unless they are paired up with NBA talent.The key is to have a mix between Developed Experience and NBA talented youth in particular 1 and done's (Unless you are UK and you just get ridiculous talent at all 5 positions)

 

[Bcatfollower]

Lets be fair here. This is a complete role reversal from us during the Lance Stephenson recruitment. We were all ecstatic. Lance Stephenson could apply to your first two points. Thomas may or may not be eligible. Who cares.

1) "When everyone else backs off because of character and grades issues"
-Stephenson was arrested shortly before committing, had an internet documentary, and many believed he would NEVER be eligible. UC did their due diligence against the negative media storm and it paid off. Most, if not all, schools backed off Stephenson until they realized AFTER he committed that he may be eligible. Then they tried to sway him.

2) When Savino and Mick recruited Stephenson to come here, there weren't arguments about how one recruited him over the other...I don't get this point in your post.


3) To win consistently at an ELITE LEVEL(final four and beyond type caliber teams), you need 1 and done or 2 and done type players. The Butlers/VCU's/George Mason's are the EXCEPTIONS to the rule. Yes experienced players particularly guards are assets in the NCAA tourney, but most of the time they don't get you playing into march unless they are paired up with extraordinarily talented NBA talent.The key is to have a mix between Developed Experience and NBA talented youth in particular 1 and done's (Unless you are UK and you just get ridiculous talent at all 5 positions)

Exactly

 

[bearcat18]

1. Lance groped a girl in high school and has amateur questions. Not saying that's perfectly OK but there's a lot worse out there. He got good grades, was able to stay at 1 high school, and even had over a 3.0 GPA freshman year. Yeah he got into some trouble after he left UC, but during his time here he was fine. Yeah there were questions about him being selfish, but I don't recall Lance ever arguing with Mick, officials,or even teammates really. He always gave 100%. Obviously Thomas isn't very coachable and they said he led everyone in AAU in technicals. Lance's phone was also blowing up when he was on his visit here (Kansas and Florida) so we weren't his only option. I'll worry about Thomas when he's deemed eligible to play and actually steps foot in the Cintas.

2. Savino wasn't here when we recruited Lance (or while he played here) so nice try there. Mick was the head guy in his recruitment.

3. You can recruit highly skilled kids who are good enough to play early but not too good to where they'll leave early. Kids like Peyton Siva, Tyshawn Taylor, Aaron Craft, Jardine, Triche, Denmon, Boynton, Holloway, even Cash and SK. You don't have to have a Taegue, Wall, Bledsoe, etc. even though it could instantly improve your team's talent.