Go LaMonta!!!

BleedOrange · Post by **BleedOrange** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 8:17 pm

OptionQB wrote:If Grant or Flipper need to delete this, please do so, but thank God that seemingly we have a coaching staff that "gets" MAC basketball.

I fully anticipate growing pains for the first 2 years b/c of the "talent" that Coach Orr is inheriting, but it seems to me that Dakich holdovers and mainstays like Erik Marshall and Dusan have been put on notice with our first couple of recruits in the Louis Orr era.

Calhoun and Medlock finally fit the profile of the athletic combo forward that OU and Kent and Akron have been excelling with for years. The same type of athlete that seemed out of the realm of possilbility with Dan in charge.

I have watched Joe Jakubowski several times over the last 3 years and he will fit in well, I believe, providing minutes at both guard spots. It'll be nice to have a guy on the outside who can punish defenses that sink into a zone b/c they were no outside threats.

I really believe we are turning the corner.

Anyone want to argue that Hamblet, Moten, Knight, Miller and Otis aren't our best 5? Miller would be a small 4, but I really believe that's our best 5.

Marschall is a fine offensive player, but is not a D-1 athlete capable of defending most, if any other 4s in the MAC. He would be a decent spot/role player in my opinion rather than depend on him for 25+ minutes a night.

I like 4 of your 5. I'd replace Polk with Marcshall.

Rollo83 · Post by **Rollo83** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 11:19 pm

This is a verbal commitment, right? When do they sign binding letters of intent?

I have this nightmare of the kid blowing up his senior year and getting an offer from a "major conference" before he signs with us.

Sounds like a great addition to our program.

OptionQB · Post by **OptionQB** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 12:54 am

Sorry Flipper, that was the PG version of the intended message. It's just as much as I believe in what I have to say at times, my POV's are not always seen in the same light and I was just saying that I am not trying to be difficult, just state my opinions.

On to the other matter, there is a fall and spring signing period for basketball which I believe runs sometime in November.

Metz · Post by **Metz** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 7:15 am

BleedOrange wrote: I like 4 of your 5. I'd replace Polk with Marcshall.

I wouldn't and I know the coaches won't do that either. We finally have a big guy who's going to turn into a heck of a force down low. I'm pretty sure they are going to build the team around Otis and getting him the ball down low. Say goodbye to the motion offense, too!

Flipper · Post by **Flipper** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 8:31 am

If that's the case, I hope Otis has dropped some weight and gained some conditioning and body control. The kid I saw last year wasn't capable of playing 30-35 minutes. He picks up too many silly fouls and lacks stamina...you can't build a team around that.

Post by **ZiggyZoomba** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 8:39 am

Flipper wrote:If that's the case, I hope Otis has dropped some weight and gained some conditioning and body control. The kid I saw last year wasn't capable of playing 30-35 minutes. He picks up too many silly fouls and lacks stamina...you can't build a team around that.

He has...

Flipper · Post by **Flipper** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 8:47 am

Yay!!!

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 10:46 am

Polk has the raw potential to be the best big man I've watched at BG. Now I'll admit, I haven't been following them closely for that long, but he's definitely got more physical talent than the likes of Matela, Esterkamp, Netter, etc.

I cannot wait to watch this team. I was so tired of the motion offense, I'll just be happy to see something different this year.

BleedOrange · Post by **BleedOrange** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 1:15 pm

Polk had flashes of brilliance and demonstrated that he's a product of good coaching. The problem was that he'd rack up fouls faster than Netter, Marcshall, and Erik Crawford combined. His weight caused him to lose his balance and have slow lateral movement.

What knocked me out was, at 285 lbs., how quickly he could get off of the floor to block shots.

So, Grant, how much weight do you think Otis has lost?

Bleeding Orange · Post by **Bleeding Orange** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 3:01 pm

I asked Coach Stone about OP at the golf outing a while ago and (Metz can attest to this), he just started laughing and said that Otis has lost a lot of weight and is much quicker than he was last year. Nothing specific (that I can recall anyways), but he seemed very, very confident in the kid. It is going to be fun to see how OP, and the rest of this team develops this year. 8)

Post by **ZiggyZoomba** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 3:52 pm

BleedOrange wrote:Polk had flashes of brilliance and demonstrated that he's a product of good coaching. The problem was that he'd rack up fouls faster than Netter, Marcshall, and Erik Crawford combined. His weight caused him to lose his balance and have slow lateral movement.

What knocked me out was, at 285 lbs., how quickly he could get off of the floor to block shots.

So, Grant, how much weight do you think Otis has lost?

Can't say, exactly. I've seen him at the rec and walking to the rec as I was walking from it on a couple of occasions. What struck me was how he looks a lot harder than he did. He's a big young man. My guess is we'll see him playing at 255 - 260 or so this season.

Rollo83 · Post by **Rollo83** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 7:07 pm

I am not as worried about his physical conditioning as I am his mental conditioning. He just has to play smarter and stay on the court without all the fouls. Does that come with maturity or is something you either born with or you never develop it? Call it court savy, feel for the game or anything you like. He needs to develop it fast.

I well chisled 255 pounds doesn't do us any good sitting next to Coach Orr for 25-plus minutes a game.

TG1996 · Post by **TG1996** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 7:20 pm

There probably is a bit of a learning curve to it, but I think a number of OP's fouls last year were positioning fouls (I think he may have set the MAC record for career illegal screens last season!

) But dropping 25 or so pounds will hopefully lead to some quickness and endurance so he can get to his spots and avoid those calls.

Flipper · Post by **Flipper** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 7:46 pm

That will help...Taking a hiatus from trying to block shots by swinging his arms like an axe murderer will help also.

JoeFalcon · Post by **JoeFalcon** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 8:14 pm

In terms of the high number of fouls we usually draw in general, there seems to be two schools of thought.

The first is that the referees disliked DD's demonstrative "Bob Knight" sideline behavior and penalized the players accordingly. The time when he called for the firing of the MAC Officiating Director inflamed the issue and hardened their dislike of him despite his later apology.

The second is that the calls are warrented due to slow-footed and/or out of position players. (The position that, to his credit, Dakich publicly took)

I'll take the easy way out and say it was a combination of both.