MAC Basketball Preview on VanDelaySports.com - MAC East

[IBleedMACGreen]

I am happy to tell you all that www.vandelaysports.com has posted the first part of our MAC Basketball Preview. Dan Whitmyer, who has written for CollegeHoops.net in the past, has compiled an extremely thorough evaluation of each team which I am very pleased with. We will also be releasing the MAC West Preview sometime next week or earlier.

During the season Dan will be covering the MAC East and Jonathan will cover the MAC West with weekly articles and information. I also expect we will hear from Nick from time to time as he is thrilled with having more resources to expand the site.

I hope you all enjoy the expansion of our basketball coverage at www.vandelaysports.com!

[BleedOrange]

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[BleedOrange]

I am happy to tell you all that www.vandelaysports.com has posted the first part of our MAC Basketball Preview. Dan Whitmyer, who has written for CollegeHoops.net in the past, has compiled an extremely thorough evaluation of each team which I am very pleased with. We will also be releasing the MAC West Preview sometime next week or earlier.

During the season Dan will be covering the MAC East and Jonathan will cover the MAC West with weekly articles and information. I also expect we will hear from Nick from time to time as he is thrilled with having more resources to expand the site.

I hope you all enjoy the expansion of our basketball coverage at www.vandelaysports.com!

You have Cage and Haynes on the All-East 2nd team ahead of Steven Wright? Heh?

Stick to what you know -football.

[IBleedMACGreen]

Our writer is pretty knowledgable about MAC basketball; and he studies every team and does not just focus on one or two like the rest of us (myself included). Dan is not the same guy as Nick; Nick is the MAC football expert and owner just in case there is any confusion.

Now for the specific situation.

BleedOrange,
Looking at the numbers from all 3 of these gurads in the MAC East there's no clear-cut player of the three that is hands-down an obvious choice. As a result I think your strong criticism is unfounded and purely a result of your emotional attachment to your senior guard, Steven Wright. While I appreciate your opinion I just don't really think the "stick to football" comment is at all appropriate.

Wright '04-05 - BG - 11.1 pts, 3.8 reb, 3.2 ast, 1.3 stl
Haynes '04-05 - KSU - 9.9 pts, 3.4 reb, 5.5 ast, 1.7 stl
Cage '04-05 - BG - 10.0 pts, 1.8 reb, 1.1 ast, 1.0 stl

If it were me picking between the three on numbers alone I'd select Haynes based on numbers alone. However Cage is averaging 16 ppg this season and has almost doubled his rebounds and assists with Turner Battle gone.

Maybe you missed the following in the article: "The positives for BG start and end with their talented backcourt. Senior Steven Wright is their best player, and can adequately handle the point, but will probably see more action playing off-guard."

[BGSU33]

I am happy to tell you all that www.vandelaysports.com has posted the first part of our MAC Basketball Preview. Dan Whitmyer, who has written for CollegeHoops.net in the past, has compiled an extremely thorough evaluation of each team which I am very pleased with. We will also be releasing the MAC West Preview sometime next week or earlier.

During the season Dan will be covering the MAC East and Jonathan will cover the MAC West with weekly articles and information. I also expect we will hear from Nick from time to time as he is thrilled with having more resources to expand the site.

I hope you all enjoy the expansion of our basketball coverage at www.vandelaysports.com!

You have Cage and Haynes on the All-East 2nd team ahead of Steven Wright? Heh?

Stick to what you know -football.

It's hard to argue with someone's predictions for standings or All-Conference Teams. If I weren't tied to BG basketball, I probably wouldn't expect much out of us either. And further, as far as football goes and sticking to that, nearly everyone under the sun predicted BG to win the MAC in football, and look where that got us. I could care less where we're picked to finish in the preseason or who is on what preseason team, it's where we finish at the end of the year that counts. Again, our football team in a perfect example of that. I'd trade every single preseason pick that said MAC Champs in football for a last place preseason prediction to have a shot in the MACC and bowl game at the end of the year, and would do the same for a MAC title and NCAA appearance in hoops.

[HeHateMiami]

It's true that the 3 players are fairly even, but on talent alone I would expect Cage, who showed some major game at times coming off the bench for Buffalo last season, and Haynes who looked like one of the best players in the MAC during his sophomore season and KSU MAC Tourney run, to be a notch above Wright.

Keep in mind I didn't say heads and tails above Wright, I said a notch. I don't mean to start a war here, I'm just saying it's not ridiculous for a 3rd party looking at the entire MAC to have those 2 above Wright. Hopefully (for your guys sakes anyways) Wright proves me wrong and smokes the competition once his foot gets healthy.

[BleedOrange]

Anyone can look at the stat sheet and extrapolate. On the basis of last year's numbers alone, they are about even. On the basis if talent and potential going into this year, they are not. Wright has the talent to compete for MAC POY if he can clean up his shooting percentages. Haynes has already reached his potential as a player and imho has been rather overrated since he's been there. Wright, going into his 3rd year, is just dipping into his potential. Wright has the speed, a quick first step, great hops, good handles, and the ability to change directions in a blink. He also has great instincts as a rebounder. I have less of a debate with Cage, but still prefer Wright. Cage is in his 4th year and is playing with confidence.

We learned last year that Wright is far better suited to play the wing, and that's where he'll play this year and has the potential to dominate. We have 3 or 4 guys on our roster other than Wright who'll see minutes at PG. Wright's ability to play PG has nothing to do with the challanges facing this year's team, and the positives don't "start and end" with the talented backcourt, because our newcomers are very good (and Soler and Lefeld have been undervalued by seemingly everybody).

[HeHateMiami]

Somebody's been drinking the Orange Kool-Aid a little too much if you think that Wright will challenge for POTY. There are at least 5 players IN THE EAST who are heads and tails above him. That's not even taking into account guys like Stovall in the West.

[BleedOrange]

Somebody's been drinking the Orange Kool-Aid a little too much if you think that Wright will challenge for POTY. There are at least 5 players IN THE EAST who are heads and tails above him. That's not even taking into account guys like Stovall in the West.

Feel free to sleep on Wright all you want.

[HeHateMiami]

Fair enough.

I'll agree to disagree on this one and we can see where the chips have fallen in March.

[IBleedMACGreen]

BleedOrange,
I am simply defending my writer and only took exception to your personal attack to "stick to football." I will not argue that Wright has not maxed out his potential and I do indeed hope he does challenge for MAC POTY, but that comment, based on his past numbers, is a little extreme.

Disagreeing with our site or writers is just fine by me, but keep the attacks out of it. MAC Report and VanDelay are here to give the MAC exposure. While the fandom in all of us will show from time to time, if you have a strong opinion or feeling about something feel free to write about it and submit it for review through our Contact VanDelay page.

[Metz]

Not to be rude, but maybe you shouldn't post things on message boards if you are against getting opinions in return. People are going to make attacks on here, it happens all the time. Take them as constructive criticism and move on.

Message boards allow people to give opinions. Fortunately for you, you don't have to change anything on your site because of that and therefore shouldn't get defensive about it. Getting defensive about it is like a coach coming on here complaining that someone said something bad about the team.

[OSUFALCON]

Well said Metz! I enjoy reading Vanlay but when you post on messages boards around the MAC asking folks to read you web page about your picks or thoughts be prepared to take the heat. Stick to football isn't a personal attack in my view. I think we ALL take ourselfs alittle too serious at times.

Go Falcons and the MAC.

[mossmaidi]

You've got to be kidding. This guy just comes on this site like he does on every other fan site and posts these previews. Yet, some people are up in arms because Steven Wright isn't on a certain team. Big deal. That's why they are called previews and if a few posters decide to rip on this guy because of that, it really is pathetic.

[Metz]

You've got to be kidding. This guy just comes on this site like he does on every other fan site and posts these previews. Yet, some people are up in arms because Steven Wright isn't on a certain team. Big deal. That's why they are called previews and if a few posters decide to rip on this guy because of that, it really is pathetic.

It's pathetic that someone would get defensive about someone ripping on their write-up. If you can find me a write-up on anything that every single person in the world agrees, with, feel free to post it here. Until then, I don't see how someone posting a write-up should get defensive about comments people have about it.