OFFICIAL, ANNUAL: Are we going to be good this year? (HBBIQ'ers only|60% Update)

[kso_FAN]

Upper half of the league and an NCAA tournament team.

[puniraptor]

I think this team will rise and fall based on JO's 3pt percentage.

[MakeItRain]

Well we won't be having battles about November basketball, or a slow conference start but we won't be over February either.  In the end it will all even out and we'll have a similar record as we have in the past.  I say 2nd tier of conference teams and a seed as high as 7 as low as 10.

[8manpick]

Well we won't be having battles about November basketball, or a slow conference start but we won't be over February either.  In the end it will all even out and we'll have a similar record as we have in the past.  I say 2nd tier of conference teams and a seed as high as 7 as low as 10.

Frankruary

[MakeItRain]

Well we won't be having battles about November basketball, or a slow conference start but we won't be over February either.  In the end it will all even out and we'll have a similar record as we have in the past.  I say 2nd tier of conference teams and a seed as high as 7 as low as 10.

Frankruary

I typed Frankurary and got auto-corrected.  I guess android is #teamdax

[BWebbs0]

Upper half of the league and an NCAA tournament team.

This. We can expect the annual pillaging from KU but we will make some noise. At least we know Webbs won't hold Angel out for disciplinary reasons. Brace yourselves, we are making the NCAA tournament yet again!

[Kat Kid]

Look, we probably have the best Senior in the league.  That could potentially count for a lot, but it remains to be seen if Rod will fill the enormous void left by Frank's ego/personality.  He seemed like he was trying to fit his way in to the cracks by picking up Angel when he was getting Frank'd.  But he has to be able to get in Spradling's face and make it clear that Will is not this team's leader.  I worry that we see Spradling unleashed with his father and oscar in his ear telling him he needs to be this team's vocal and on-court leader.  If McGruder is not the clear alpha both in terms of production and leadership, we are in deep trouble.  Angel and Tay need to be the Swag section that keeps the team fiery and loose.  Will needs to be a role player, if he is more than that it is another indication we are in troubs.

That said, KU will again have a number of young kids to throw at us, but this is the thinnest Senior class since Gravy Train and Christian Moody.  They can be got on the road, especially in this league, but that would mean that some other teams have taken steps forward (looking at you Baylor and Texas). 

Baylor will be stacked and probably should be favored to take the league, but unless Scott Drew shows a commitment to good pressure defense instead of his stupid zone, they will be behind at the half on the road against teams they need to beat to take the crown.  He has the talent, but I don't think his team will be able to take the next step forward.

UT looks like they could be the team to take the leap, but they lost J'Covan and I'm not sure they have anyone emotionally ready to take over that production.  Since Durant left, most the UT teams have struggled to ID an alpha dog.  They have had teams that distribute points and share the load, but Barne's model is a star and supporting cast.  Until J'Covan last year, their problem had been that they did not have clear leaders take the team on their back.

Overall I see no reason why we can't finish top 4  with a .600+ Conference record and make the tourney as a 6-10 seed.

Here is how I see it until proven otherwise:

KU
Baylor
UT
KSU
WVU
ISU
OSU
OU




Tech




TCU

[catzacker]

Has Rod ever been vocal about anything?  I think Rod can be the rock of the team, but the alpha probably has to end up being Angel, doesn’t it? 

[CNS]

Has Rod ever been vocal about anything?  I think Rod can be the rock of the team, but the alpha probably has to end up being Angel, doesn’t it?

Yes and he seems to be competitive and emotional enough to do this well.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

[Kat Kid]

1) Has Rod ever been vocal about anything?  2) I think Rod can be the rock of the team, but the alpha probably has to end up being Angel, doesn’t it?

1) Kind of.  He's taken opportunities to calm Angel down after a Franking.  He's been the huddle pump up guy after a silent timeout from Frank.  The biggest unknowns are how all this changes with cuddly chicken nuggets in the huddle.  Is there more or less opportunity for players to take a leadership role?  How will the player's respond to the huge hole that Frank's personality filled?  But more than vocal leadership, McGruder is the guy taking all the shots, he leads by example with his McOrebs and his hustle and his steady hand.  That should not be dismissed or underestimated.  But we need to see if that dynamic is changed by Angel's growth or Will's misguided attempt to be what his dad wants him to be.

2) Unless something has drastically changed or you really buy in to the idea that Will, Angel, Wally etc. were all somehow ruined by Frank how could you possibly expect Angel to be a leader this year?  He had some of the worst sideline body language and demeanor of any basketball player I can imagine.  And he has had some stiff competition from Travis Reynolds and Ricky Terry to Wally and Lou.  Curtis and Jamar even had their moments.  But far and away Angel last year was the worst.  How much of that was Frank?  I guess that kind of determines your expectations.  I think we are in big trouble if we opt for the Angel roller coaster instead of letting McGruder guide the team.  Angel will need to be a huge influence on the team, but he should not be the main voice as a sophomore with a talented senior on the team anyways.

[slobber]

1) Has Rod ever been vocal about anything?  2) I think Rod can be the rock of the team, but the alpha probably has to end up being Angel, doesn’t it?

1) Kind of.  He's taken opportunities to calm Angel down after a Franking.  He's been the huddle pump up guy after a silent timeout from Frank.  The biggest unknowns are how all this changes with cuddly chicken nuggets in the huddle.  Is there more or less opportunity for players to take a leadership role?  How will the player's respond to the huge hole that Frank's personality filled?  But more than vocal leadership, McGruder is the guy taking all the shots, he leads by example with his McOrebs and his hustle and his steady hand.  That should not be dismissed or underestimated.  But we need to see if that dynamic is changed by Angel's growth or Will's misguided attempt to be what his dad wants him to be.

2) Unless something has drastically changed or you really buy in to the idea that Will, Angel, Wally etc. were all somehow ruined by Frank how could you possibly expect Angel to be a leader this year?  He had some of the worst sideline body language and demeanor of any basketball player I can imagine.  And he has had some stiff competition from Travis Reynolds and Ricky Terry to Wally and Lou.  Curtis and Jamar even had their moments.  But far and away Angel last year was the worst.  How much of that was Frank?  I guess that kind of determines your expectations.  I think we are in big trouble if we opt for the Angel roller coaster instead of letting McGruder guide the team.  Angel will need to be a huge influence on the team, but he should not be the main voice as a sophomore with a talented senior on the team anyways.

To your first point, he will have to take the opportunity to fire Angel up this year after Angel gets a Brucing.

[pissclams]

i love mcorebs as much as anyone but he's not a leader

[Underdog Wildcat]

i love mcorebs as much as anyone but he's not a leader

30 in 1st rd NCAA tourney game, 24 on road against Top 10 Missouri, if ref actually makes call on Royce White clotheslining him up in Ames, he would have had deciding FTs up there.

That's enough leading for me.

[pissclams]

leading in scoring? sure.  i wasn't talking about that.

[Underdog Wildcat]

Do you consider Arthur Brown and Collin Klein, both noted for their reserved natures, to be adequate leaders?

[pissclams]

i do.  but i don't think of mcorebs the same way. 

[Underdog Wildcat]

I do see Gruds in the same light as those two.

Not as in the "1st team AA" light but in the "they are dedicated, they get the job done, and are there when you need them" light.

[michigancat]

LEADERSHIP

[pissclams]

I do see Gruds in the same light as those two.

Not as in the "1st team AA" light but in the "they are dedicated, they get the job done, and are there when you need them" light.

def think mcorebs is all of those things too.  you can be a great player and not necessarily be a leader.  and the converse is true too, glue guys don't have to score 20 a game.

[michigancat]

Pro tip: you don't need leaders in basketball (or any sport). But in basketball you do need someone who can create their own shot (or a shot for the team) off the dribble, and people often decide this person is the leader. So I vote Angel for team leader.

[Kat Kid]

I do see Gruds in the same light as those two.

Not as in the "1st team AA" light but in the "they are dedicated, they get the job done, and are there when you need them" light.

def think mcorebs is all of those things too.  you can be a great player and not necessarily be a leader.  and the converse is true too, glue guys don't have to score 20 a game.

Pro tip: michigancat is wrong.

If you had to an ID a leader last year, who would ID?  Jamar?  Will?  McOrebs?  Frank?

I think out of that cast, I'd have to say Frank sucked up so much of the leadership and you could hear him complaining that the team lacked leaders.  Now we can talk about how much of that was Frank's fault, but again looking at the candidates I think McGruds did the best of it last year and with the changing circumstances has the best shot this year.  Maybe that isn't how it goes, but what is your alternative?

This team is not going to go from Frank to oscar and be successful without players holding each other accountable and providing leadership.  I believe that very strongly.  Maybe this belief conflicts with my prediction above?  Lay it out there clams!  What is going to happen?

[michigancat]

Will Angel be able to give good enough "pump up" speeches when English is not his first language? Could be the key to our season. Story at 11.

[Pete]

I bet Weber doesn't crash the boards.  Does this team have good enough shooter to make up for a 20% drop in offensive rebounds?  I say no.

[sonofdaxjones]

Last 6 years from Feb thru end of season post season-Big 12 tourney/nit/ncaa in ().

2006-2007 7-6 (2-2 BIg 12 PST/NIT)

2007-2008 7-8 (1-2 Big 12 PST/NCAA)

2008-2009 8-5 (1-2 Big 12 PST/NIT)

2009-2010 13-4 (5-2 Big 12 PST/NCAA)

2010-2011 9-3 (1-2 Big 12 PST/NCAA)

2011-2012 7-5 (1-2 Big 12 PST/NCAA)

51-29 (.637) overall, 11-12 in the post season.

I doubt oscar can match that, which is kind of sad really. 

[Kat Kid]

Will Angel be able to give good enough "pump up" speeches when English is not his first language? Could be the key to our season. Story at 11.

You can be intentionally ignorant and pestulant like dax or you can discuss the topic like an adult.  Your choice chief.