Todd Mitchell quote.

[BleedOrange]

If you look over the years there have been several players who have transfered into a MAC school from a "major" program (Ohio St, Mich. St, etc) and were dominant in the MAC.

Ehhh, not really. There have been a few. Jami Bosley and Shaun Stonerook transferred in from OSU and did well. They were generally good enough to be 2nd team all MAC, but certainly not dominant, per se. For that matter, they weren't even the best players on their teams when they were there, Sanjay Adell and Jimaal Ball were. Jaquan Hart was a Big 10 recruit who turned out to be merely above average in the MAC. Trent Jackson was barely average at the MAC level.

Interestingly, of the 13 MAC players on NBA rosters, every single last one of them originally signed with the MAC school from which they graduated. None of them transferred in from another school.

[BleedOrange]

You look deep on the bench of most major colleges and you'll find players who could be very good, maybe even POY, MAC players. I'm sorry if you find it that hard to believe, but I think its true.

Again, I'm speaking purely on individual talent. Look at last year's team. Ronald Lewis was clearly our most individually talented player. It doesn't appear as though we're much worse off for losing him though does it?

No, you're still basically wrong. There may be a small handful of programs with exceptionally strong rosters (NC, Arizona, Kansas, Ill.) that fit your description. HOWEVER, guys coming off the bench for schools like Purdue, Virginia, Memphis, Arkansas, anybody else from the PAC 10, OSU, Providence, Seton Hall, Michigan, Fla St. Missouri, Oklahoma, etc. would NOT come in and dominate. They might be decent players, but "dominant" and "POY" are ridiculous exagerrations (try that Anderson kid at Marshall on for size, if you want an example).

You're also wrong about Lewis. He wasn't even close to being the most physically talented player on our roster last year. Netter was, and by a long stretch. (...which illustrates the mootness of all of this, doesn't it?) Lewis wasn't clearly more talented than Wright, and is probably less talented. I wouldn't put Lewis much ahead of Fitch or Hobson, for that matter. Lewis has fine talent, which he combines with a skill for driving and finishing.

[TG1996]

I caught him on this week (Thursday afternoon, I think it was), he got called out on it, and basically turned it to "If Keith Triplett were to transfer, he be able to play in "an upper level" conference." Nothing said about "top 5 team", or "Duke", and he might have even said "he could compete on a D1 basketball team" (though don't quote me on that, I just remember being a little shocked that "the 10th guy on Duke would be MAC POY" turned into "he could play for a major conference school)

[hammb]

No, you're still basically wrong. There may be a small handful of programs with exceptionally strong rosters (NC, Arizona, Kansas, Ill.) that fit your description. HOWEVER, guys coming off the bench for schools like Purdue, Virginia, Memphis, Arkansas, anybody else from the PAC 10, OSU, Providence, Seton Hall, Michigan, Fla St. Missouri, Oklahoma, etc. would NOT come in and dominate. They might be decent players, but "dominant" and "POY" are ridiculous exagerrations (try that Anderson kid at Marshall on for size, if you want an example).

When I was saying Major Colleges/Programs I was talking only about those NC, Arizona, Kansas, type programs. The original comment was Duke, but this may be an off year for them.

I wouldn't even begin to argue that Purdue's 8th man could be a MAC POY, that's not what I'm talking about. I am simply saying that I'm of the belief that if you look deep on a major level program's roster you will find players who can dominate in the MAC. My point is that I believe basketball talent to be super concentrated among a few exceptional programs. I believe we are a step below the Seton Halls, Michigans, and FSU's of the world that you mentioned above, but I also believe those teams are a BIG step below the Duke, Kansas, and UNCs of the world.

[kdog27]

I do not think the gap is as big as you think it is. I don't think there is a player on any of those teams who comes off the bench who would be a POY in the MAC. If they were that good, they would be starting for any team in america whether it was Kentucky, Duke, syracuse, or Kansas. No player with that much talent sits at tipoff. Obviously many of their bench players would be starters in the MAC but to say the majority of them would be stars/POY is crazy. There is no way duke or anybody elses 6-10 players would be the five best players. They may have been touted in higher regards, but that means nothing once you are there.

[BleedOrange]

I do not think the gap is as big as you think it is. I don't think there is a player on any of those teams who comes off the bench who would be a POY in the MAC. If they were that good, they would be starting for any team in america whether it was Kentucky, Duke, syracuse, or Kansas. No player with that much talent sits at tipoff. Obviously many of their bench players would be starters in the MAC but to say the majority of them would be stars/POY is crazy. There is no way duke or anybody elses 6-10 players would be the five best players. They may have been touted in higher regards, but that means nothing once you are there.

Amen, brother.