SB Nation - Jarryd Cole

70-64: Well, Damn It

Oops Pow Surprise — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 07:05:12 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Neibergall - AP

20 days ago: Iowa coach Todd Lickliter reacts during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Virginia Tech, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009, in Iowa City, Iowa. Virginia Tech won 70-64. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Browse more photos »

In some ways, it was Iowa's most admirable game to date: They jumped out to an 8-1 lead, kept their shots falling at a reasonable pace for most of the night, and hustled for at least 80% of the loose balls. And yet it still wasn't enough, not even at home against a team that may not end up being very good this season.

The final was 70-64, a score that's appropriately close in respects to how the game went. Though the Hokies had a moderate lead for most of the second half, Iowa was in striking distance for most and even led for a short while, at 54-53. That didn't last very long.

Iowa's struggles came in two main areas: first was the usual late-first-half power outage, this one manifested in a glacial 15-2 run by the Hokies that turned a 20-15 Iowa lead into a 30-22 Hokie advantage. The second was more discouraging, just because it was as familiar as it was endemic: the talent just isn't there.

Cully Payne just isn't athletic enough to overcome his total lack of experience on either side of the ball. Anthony Tucker and Devan Bawinkel really can't contribute much on defense. Matt Gatens doesn't make points appear out of nowhere. Jarryd Cole is still just plain frightening on offense. And other newbies like Brennan Cougill and Eric May are still adjusting to the pace of the collegiate game--an adjustment that most major conference teams would let them go through on the bench. No such luxury at Iowa when almost nobody sticks around for their senior season.

And yet, it took the proverbial dagger from Dorenzo Hudson--a roughly 700-foot three pointer as the shot clock expired--late in the game to effectively bury the Hawkeyes. It's not as if the Hokies were sure to lose without the shot--it turned a 4-point game into a 7-point game with under 90 seconds to play--but it made the comeback impossible. The fish was probably staying in the barrel; it was just a matter of shooting it.

So it goes, so it goes. At the very least, Iowa played well enough to beat about 10 of the teams on its schedule this season. Small consolation, to be sure, but we were pondering the implications of a 5-win season just last week. That's probably not going to happen. Oh, 4-14 in the BXI (or worse) might happen and would definitely suck, but I'd take 4-14 over 0-18, y'know?

All that said, this team's young enough that they really ought to show significant improvement over the course of the season. If it's not evident that they're learning anything about The System... then what's the point?

It's Not Plagiarism If You Link to It Makes Its Triumphant Return

Hawkeye State — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:52:55 -0000

INPIYL2I is the BHGP daily roundup of news, gossip, and good stuff from Blogfrica. Send your tips to hawkeyestatebhgp@gmail.com.

WIN? WIN.

Speaking of WIN, the Hawkeyes took out North Carolina Central 73-63 Saturday afternoon, doubling their win total in the process. Jarryd Cole had a career-high 24 points and 10 rebounds. Brennan Cougill added 9 boards, as Iowa stressed production from the post and dominated the glass. There are certainly still reasons for concern, as John Bohnenkamp writes: Iowa shot just 3/20 (!) from behind the arc, committed 16 turnovers, and surrendered 42 points to the Fightin' Scientologists¹ in the second half. But when you consider that this year's team is the first to start 1-4 since the Herbert Hoover administration, a win is a big step in the right direction. The Hawkeyes play Virginia Tech Tuesday evening. Liveblog will be here.

1 -- Might not be true. Then again, their mascot is a Tom Cruise impersonator², so I guess it could be correct.
2 -- Also might not be true.

Caring Is ROLLIN. As widely reported in the FanPosts, Illinois tight end prospect C.J. "The Polish Hat" Fiedorowicz decommitted from Illinois and pledged his undying love and affection to Kirk Ferentz over the holiday weekend. The move surprised nobody, as Fiedorowicz (4* Rivals, 4* Scout, 81/100 ESPN) had been making the googly eyes at Iowa for a couple of months and made at least two visits to Iowa City this season, to say nothing for the fact that it never made much sense for one of the nation's top tight end recruits to play for a program that doesn't even use a tight end. Still, it doesn't make his comments on the sad state of affairs in Champbana any less schadenfreudy:

"I wasn't happy with what is going on at Illinois," Fiedorowicz said. "I like all the coaches at Iowa. They will be staying around for a long time. I went to the Iowa/Minnesota game last weekend and the atmosphere was so much better than at Illinois. Now I feel good about my decision."

Fiedorowicz said he opted to switch because he is impressed with the way Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz incorporates the tight end into his offense. He said he had become disenchanted with Illinois' offensive system and reluctance to utilize the tight end in passing situations. "Illinois doesn't throw to the tight end, maybe 10 times all year," he said. "But it is an important part of Iowa's system. (Former Wheaton Warrenville South tight end) Tony Moeaki is in on every play. I hung out with him on Saturday night. He loves the Iowa program. He said there is no better school that he'd rather go to. He feels a part of the offense...."

He said he began to have doubts when he attended the Michigan State/Illinois game in Champaign. "I saw the fans weren't into it. There wasn't a lot of fan support. Illinois wasn't playing well. And I never saw the tight end on the field. I decided to look around," Fiedorowicz said.

All of that is solid gold, but it's, "[the coaches] will be staying around for a long time," that makes it pure porn for us Zook haters. Welcome to the fold, C.J. We'll do everything we can to match the electric atmosphere of Memorial Stadium on Saturdays. Well, at least on those Saturdays when the Illinois basketball team is playing.

That Flag Can Stop Bullets. From the Daily Times-Herald in lovely Carroll, Iowa (home of Adam Haluska) (and, yes, also home to one of the Metrodome sex people), the story of Carey Promes, a soldier serving his second tour of duty in Iraq surrounded by enemies on all sides. No, not Al Qqeda insurgents; Iowa State and Nebraska fans. Promes had to listen to incessant nagging from people who actually think Big XII North football is relevant, and had little to point to in response beyond current record and BCS standing. Fortunately, some friends stepped in and helped out:

Promes phoned Jeff Cayler, the Carroll police chief, an Iowa grad whose daughters Amy and Krissy had worked in the Hawkeye Football Office while attending the university.

Cayler arranged to have Krissy buy a gold flag with black tiger hawk logo and bring it to Christina Lamaak, a Wall Lake View Auburn High grad now working at the football office. Cayler, a friend of head coach Kirk Ferentz, also asked that the Iowa coaching staff and players autograph the flag.

Lamaak and administrative assistant Karen Messier got each coach to sign the tiger hawk with silver marker. Defensive coordinator Norm Parker, suffering from a diabetic foot problem, even had the flag brought to his room at University of Iowa Hospital so he could sign.

The flag was kept at the front desk at the Hawkeye Football Office for a week so players could autograph the gold portion with black marker....

"For $37 and a little bit of time, we made a lot of guys' days," Cayler said. "That's one piece of home, one semblance of normalcy, the soldiers can have with them over there, something that shows them that no matter what else is going on they're still Hawkeye fans."

I'm a little surprised that Norm had them bring the flag to him in the hospital, only because I imagine Norm hearing about this, wheeling himself to the football offices, grunting something about Vietnam, signing the flag, and immediately heading back to his hospital bed.

In all seriousness, I have no idea if any soldiers read this blog, but if you are, thanks and God bless. That even goes for the Iowa State and Nebraska fans.

Footnotes:

Marc Morehouse (who, if he was a federal agent, would be called "Narc Morehouse") watched The Blind Side and, after a little digging on the origins of DJK's hyphenated last name, found a similar story.
Mike Hlas catches up with Iowa legend, and current Minnesota Viking all-pro candidate and destroyer of men, Chad Greenway. There's talk of Purple Jesus and the Gunslinger, but Greenway couldn't resist a parting shot at the Gophers.
The Rivalry, Esq. chronicles the origins and status of the veritable cornucopia of Big Ten trophy games. One of the most interesting: The slab of bacon, for which Wisconsin and Minnesota played in the 30's and 40's, only to have it mysteriously disappear in the bowels of Camp Randall and go undiscovered for 27 years. Also, there's Floyd of Rosedale.

The TDG Big Ten Basketball Preview

GopherNation — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:45:15 -0000

I have intentionally held off with a Big Ten basketball preview, waiting until we could see a few games and get a feeling for how teams are adjusting to the key gains and losses from a year ago. Gopher Nation has plenty to look forward to this season. As we all know everything is returning with some key additions added. An NCAA tournament bid and likely a win or two is expected. But what about the road before the NCAA Tournament. The long and difficult Big Ten season comes first and this team has a chance to really be a factor in the B10 title race. Let's take a brief look at each team in my expected order of finish.

1 - Purdue (NCAA) - Were it not for Purdue having injury issues a year ago they could very likely be defending a Big Ten title this year. Robbie Hummel was last year's preseason B10 POY and he should not be fully healthy to lead the rest of a very talented roster. The bulk of the talent lies in the junior class for the Boilermakers and this team is athletic and deep. Injuries and other uncontrollables aside, what may be the difference between a Big Ten title and a top 2 finish could come down to coaching. Matt Painter is an excellent coach but who knows if he'll be capable of steering his team accurately to win a Big Ten regular season title. Guys like Tom Izzo, Bo Ryan, Bruce Weber and Tubby Smith have the resume of winning multiple titles. I think after this year Matt Painter adds a Big Ten regular season title to his resume.

Likely Starting lineup
PG - E'Twaun Moore
SG - Chris Kramer
SF - Keaton Grant
PF - Robbie Hummel
C - JJ Dawson

2 - Michigan State (NCAA) - I know that Michigan State is the consensus title team and for very good reason. Tom Izzo is a great coach, his team is coming off a national runner-up season and he returns the vast majority of his roster. But my gut tells me they have a great season but one that ends the regular season looking up one spot in the B10 standings. It is really hard not to like Michigan State. They too are deep, very athletic, play great defense and as I mentioned they are very well coached. But I think the one key loss will be the loss that makes the difference. Goran Suton meant a lot to the Spartans a year ago and while this team still has very talented players like Kalin Lucas, Chris Allen and Durrell Summers (with guys like Raymar Morgan and Delvin Roe off the bench); Suton will be missed. Freshman Garrick Sherman may be very good but he's not the same thing. From year to year team's take on different personalities and even the loss of just one player can change the dynamic of a team. Michigan State will be great, they'll be extremely dangerous in the NCAA Tournament but I think they fall a game or two short of Purdue this year.

Likely Starting lineup
PG - Kalin Lucas
G - Chris Allen
G - Durrel Summers
PF - Draymond Green
C - Garrick Sherman

3 - Ohio State (NCAA) - In this early season the Buckeyes have looked fairly strong. And leading their early season charge is the outstanding play of Evan Turner, who looks like the early favorite for Big Ten POY (very early, I know). Turner has notched a double-double in all four games averaging 21.7 ppg and 14.7 rpg. OSU has a lot of very nice pieces outside of Turner, which isn't surprising considering the recent string of very highly ranked recruiting classes in the Thad Matta era. OSU has some offensive weapons but they are lacking in a couple key areas. First of all they are not an overly deep team. Jon Diebler is a lights out shooter and Turner might be the best player in the conference but they can only carry them so far. Matta has been going with an eight man rotation so far this year with heavy minutes for the starting five. Secondly this team is not overly strong in the paint. Their perimeter is as good as anybody's in the conference but Kyle Madsen and Dallas Lauderdale will not strike fear into the hearts of the conference's coaches.

Likely Starting lineup
PG - William Buford
SG - Jon Diebler
SF - Evan Turner
PF - David Lighty
C - Kyle Madsen

4 - Minnesota (NCAA) - There was a time when my maroon goggles would have had me rank the Gophers one spot higher. The potential (probable?) losses of Royce White and Trevor Mbakwe greatly lessened my optimism. But then the impressive play of Rodney Williams to start the year has me thinking big things again, just not as grand as before. As we all know the Gophers are deep and defend very well. I think the improvement of the sophomores and the athleticism that Williams brings to the table makes this team dangerous. Over the course of a long season I don't think we have what it takes to finish in the top 2 but this team is good enough to beat anybody on their schedule.

Likely Starting lineup
PG - Al Nolen
SG - Lawrence Westbrook
SF - Rodney Williams
PF - Damian Johnson
C - Ralph Sampson III

5 - Illinois (NCAA) - this might be the team I know the least about but I do know enough to know that this team is well balanced and has the roster make-up that is well suited for Bruce Weber. Demitri McCarney, Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale are known quantities around the Big Ten. These guys averaged a combined 33 points, 14.7 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game last year. They compliment each other well and this year they add a couple dynamic freshmen to the backcourt in DJ Richardson and Brandon Paul. In the early goings these kids have 11.3 and 16.7 respectively, although they have yet to play any team of substance. Overall this will be a very good team that will only get better as the season goes along.

Likely Starting lineup
G - Brandon Paul
G - DJ Richardson
G - Demitri McCamey
PF - Mike Davis
C - Mike Tisdale

6 - Michigan (NCAA) - Manny Harris is such a great player who can win a game on his own and probably has the best pro potential in the conference. A lot of people would put the Wolverines as high as third on their prediction list based mostly on the talent of Harris and DeShawn Sims. But I'm not 100% sold on the rest of the team. John Beilein is a great coach and in year three he should really have his guys and his system working well. But once again I'm not sold on the rest of the roster and in this year's Big Ten a guy like Manny Harris will win you a few but on the nights when teams slow him down Michigan will be rather vulnerable. Decent depth, great scoring and not great interior size. A sixth place finish may seem very low but the difference between the 4th through 7th place teams could really only be a couple games.

Likely Starting lineup
PG - Darius Morris
G - Manny Harris
G - Laval Lucas-Perry
F - Zack Novak
F - DeShawn Sims

7 - Wisconsin (NCAA) - Rule #1 in Big Ten basketball, never underestimate Bo Ryan and the Badgers. This isn't a great Badger team but there is some talent here with Trevon Hughes, Jason Bohannon and even Jon Leuer is having a pretty good season thus far. It may be easy for Gopher fans to overlook Wisconsin since we did sweep them last year (that was fun to write), but this team is capable of not only beating the Gophers but finishing at least a few spots higher than this. Maybe this is wishful thinking or maybe I'm not sold that the talent is there, not even for Bo Ryan.

Likely Starting lineup
PG - Trevon Hughes
SG - Jason Bohannon
SF - Tim Jarmusz
PF - Jon Leuer
C - Keaton Nankivil

8 - Penn State (NIT) - The Talor Battle show will be a lot of fun to watch in Happy Valley. Penn State is perfectly demonstrates why I wanted to wait a couple weeks before I started my B10 preview. I once would have put PSU a spot or two higher, but after losses to UNC-Wilmington, Tulane and a 2-pnt win over Davidson (Steph Curry is no longer there folks) I am thinking that 7th might be too high. This team will go as far as Taylor Battle will lead them but the development of freshman Tim Frazier at PG and how well their interior rebounds is what could be the difference between another NIT run and the NCAA Tournament. Their Big Dance resume is already in bad shape, they'll will have to finish a lot higher in the conference standings to avoid the NIT again.

Likely Starting lineup
PG - Tim Frazier
SG - Talor Battle
SF - David Jackson
PF - Jeff Brooks
C - Andrew Jones

9 - Indiana (NIT) - Great recruiting class and I am a huge Tom Crean fan, but this year will be tough for a young Hoosier squad to make much noise in the Big Ten. The conference is the deepest and most talented that it has been in a very long time. Other years a hot, young team like Indiana could make a run into the top 5, but not this year. This will be the sheik team next year and this year you'll likely seen them stun a few top 4 teams along the way. But learning to play at the Big Ten level is not an easy adjustment no matter how talented you are. I wouldn't be completely shocked to see them finish higher, but not likely this year.

Likely Starting lineup
PG - Verdell Jones III
G - Jeremiah Rivers
G - Maurice Creek
PF - Tom Pritchard
C - Christian Watford

10 - Northwestern - This may have been the year for the Wildcats to make the tournament, but the loss of Kevin Coble effectively ended that dream. This is a surprisingly talented NU roster and with the way they defend and execute their precision offense they should never be taken lightly. But with Coble out for the season they'll rely on Michael Thompson and John Shurna. There are a couple intriguing freshmen to go along with Thompson and Shurna

Likely Starting lineup
PG - Michael Thompson
SG - Jeremy Nash
SF - Drew Crawford
PF - John Shurna
C - Luka Mirkovic

11 - Iowa - The outlook for the Hawkeye season is so bleak that they cannot help but surpass expectations this year. Scoring has been the problem this year for Iowa. There will be games when they are hot from behind the arc and maybe they'll get a few conference wins. But for the most part you can expect a lot of losses for Iowa (that too was fun to type).

Likely Starting lineup
PG - Cully Payne
SG - Anthony Tucker
SF - Matt Gatens
PF - Jarryd Cole
C - Brennan Cougill

I know that people hate preseason polls and predictions but at the conference level this is a lot of fun. Everyone has much hope and optimism for the season, except Iowa fans. There are eight teams capable of making a run to the NCAA Tournament (although Penn State is already on life support). The Big Ten should be a blast to watch this year.

Since I'm taking a wild stab at the standings here is my best guess at some post season individual awards.

All Big Ten First Team

PG - Kalin Lucas
SG - Manny Harris
SF - Evan Turner
PF - Robbie Hummel
F - DeShawn Sims

All Big Ten Second Team

G - Taylor Battle
G - Demetri McCamey
F - Jon Diebler
F - Damian johnson
C - JJ Dawson

Big Ten All Freshman Team

G - Brandon Paul - Ill
G - D.J. Richardson - Ill
F - Rodney Williams - Minn
F - Christian Watford - Ind
F - Garrick Sherman - MSU

Big Ten Hoops: The Starting Five

Bama Hawkeye — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:45:09 -0000

Monday night, the 2009-2010 Big Ten basketball season got under way with a crushing performance by Ohio State. Yes, they only beat Alcorn State. The important thing is that the season is underway. By this weekend, every team will have tipped off. In an attempt to ~~provide great insight~~ ~~troll for hits~~ stop thinking about Ricky Stanzi's ankle, I am starting a new recurring (i.e. it will happen as often as I want it to) feature at The Rivalry, Esq.: The Starting Five. In it, we'll discuss five things about our hoops teams.

Since you probably think that we know nothing about basketball, we felt that it was important to look for an outsider's insight into the state of the conference. Chris from Blogging the Bracket, an outstanding SBNation college basketball blog, was kind enough to answer our initial Starting Five questions about the Big Ten.

1) Let's start with your predictions. Winning the league, you have MIch-----HOLD ON! WAIT A MINUUTE!!! You have Northwestern making the Field of 65. The Wildcats are, of course, the one BCS conference school that has never made it to the Big Dance. Ever. Ever. Ever. Ever. Defend your projection.

This is not making me hate Northwestern less.

They were so close last season, and even though they lost Craig Moore, just about everyone else--led by Kevin Coble and Michael Thompson--is back. However, a lot of the supporting cast needs to step up. Wins in East Lansing and West Lafayette last season show they can win big games, but they have stop dropping games at inopportune moments. I feel they're due, especially as the two teams closest to them in the league, Penn State and Wisconsin, lost more experience after last season.

If Lighty stays healthy, Ohio State will make some noise.

2) At the top, it sure looks like it's Michigan State, Purdue, and then everyone else. If a third team was to rise up and win the league crown, who would it be?

Ohio State. Getting David Lighty back from injury will help them out a lot, and Evan Turner could be an even more dangerous player at the point, especially since managed the second triple-double in school history in his first game starting at that position on Monday night. Sure, the opener was against Alcorn State, but the Buckeyes looked like a well-oiled machine out there, especially when compared to the other BCS level teams in that played that night. If they can keep that up, it will be a three team race.

3) In your Pre-Season bracket projection, you have 7 Big Ten teams making the Field of 65. Is it safe to say that after a down couple of years, the Big Ten is back?

The Big Ten is definitely back. The league is frighteningly close to having every single team be competitive night in and night out, but I'll talk more about that when I get to your questions on Indiana and Iowa, as they're the current problem children. If the Hoosiers and Hawkeyes can get back to respectablility in a year or two, and Northwestern and Penn State, the two weakest programs traditionally, can keep their current level of competitiveness, the conference could be the most balanced in the nation.

4) How far away is Indiana from a) competing for an NCAA Bid; and 2) winning a Big Ten title?

It'll be when, not if.

I think they're a year away from getting an NCAA bid, thanks to the youth of the roster. Eleven underclassmen is a staggering total, so you have give them, especially the six freshmen, a year to get acclimated to the league and to each other. In terms of contending for the league title, I'd say it's going to take Tom Crean at least another two or years or so of recruiting to get them in a position where they can make a run.

5) Is this the year that the Big Ten finally wins the ACC/Big Ten Challenge?

The Big Ten has an excellent shot, as the ACC should only dominate in three contests--Maryland-Indiana, Virginia Tech-Iowa, and Duke-Wisconsin, and those are all in the Midwest. In the other games, I'd say the Big Ten team has at least a slight advantage, except for Michigan State-UNC, which is a push.

6) I was very surprised when I saw that you have Iowa pegged for a strong 11th Place finish. Then I saw that it was 11th in the Big Ten, not the nation. How would you rank Iowa versus the other last place teams in the 6 BCS conferences?

The Hawkeyes could very well be the worst team in the Big Six conferences, though Providence and DePaul in the Big East will push them. Like Indiana, they're young, but Todd Lickliter's recruits aren't as heralded as Tom Crean's are. Jake Kelly's transfer to Indiana State is painful because he really came into his own last year, and Jeff Peterson heading to Arkansas means Lickliter has to find another point guard. Cully Payne could be a good one, but he is one of those freshmen, so there will be an adjustment period. But it's not like the cupboard is completely bare, as Matt Gatens, Anthony Tucker, and Jarryd Cole (if he stays healthy) are all capable players.

You hear that? Iowa has "capable players." That's high praise!

The Rivalry, Esq. thanks Chris for answering The Starting Five Questions about Big Ten basketball. Here's to a great Big Ten season.

BtB 2009-10 Big Ten Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:44:34 -0000

For all of the beating that the Big Ten took during a particularly rough and tumble regular season, the conference really validated itself in the postseason. Those March and April performances bode well for this season, especially considering that the Big Ten's main contenders didn't lose as much as the contenders in other conferences. For example, all five players on the coaches' All-Big Ten team from last season are back.

The two teams who progressed furthest in the NCAAs, national runner-up Michigan State and regional semifinalist Purdue are the clear favorites in the league, and both teams could make a serious run at a MIdwestern Final Four. Penn State, the NIT champions, will look to improve their standing enough to get into the Big Dance this time around. And of course, Northwestern will look to really shake things up in the league and make it to the NCAAs for the first time. In between, the Big Ten's other five NCAA entrants will attempt to stay in the field. The biggest thing for the conference this year is separating itself from the other BCS leagues, especially in non-conference play. With the Big Ten being hyper-competitive this year, its members really need to distinguish themselves during the early part of the season. Otherwise, teams will be clumped together on lines 8 through 12 of the bracket like last year, which doesn't bode well for sustained tourney runs. More on all 11 teams after the jump.

To refresh your memory, let's take a look at how the Big Ten standings looked at the end of the 2008-09 regular season.

Big Ten Conference Standings

(updated 4.7.2009 at 12:23 AM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Michigan St. Spartans	15	3	31	7
Purdue Boilermakers	11	7	27	10
Illinois Fighting Illini	11	7	24	10
Penn St. Nittany Lions	10	8	27	11
Ohio St. Buckeyes	10	8	22	11
Wisconsin Badgers	10	8	20	13
Minnesota Golden Gophers	9	9	22	11
Michigan Wolverines	9	9	21	14
Northwestern Wildcats	8	10	17	14
Iowa Hawkeyes	5	13	15	17
Indiana Hoosiers	1	17	6	25

Now, here are my picks for 2009-10, presented in reverse order. If a school's name appears in red, that's a link to its SBNation site. You can go there for more detailed analysis throughout the season.

Iowa (last NCAA: 2006) The long rebuilding process continues for Todd Lickliter. It looks to be another long year in Iowa City, especially since the Hawkeyes have real point guard issues after Jake Kelly (transfer to Indiana State for family reasons) and Jeff Peterson (transfer to Arkansas) left the program. 6-1 frosh Cully Payne will have to adjust to the Big Ten game fast, as he will have to be the main option. If he doesn't, expect sophomore Anthony Tucker (10.4 ppg, 0.6 apg) to move over from shooting guard. The team's only other returning double-digit scorer, Matt Gatens (10.8 ppg), will be a force as he can really shoot the ball (40.3 % from the perimeter and 90.4 % from the free throw line). The Hawkeyes really need more contributions inside, where Jarryd Cole has battled injuries and struggled offensively, which has also been a problem for the rest of Iowa's frontline players.

Indiana (last NCAA: 2008) Tom Crean is also in a rebuilding situation, but he loaded up on recruits this offseason, something Lickliter couldn't quite do. Jeremiah Rivers, son of Boston Celtics coach Doc and a Georgetown transfer, is now eligible and will run the offense. Rivers' steady hand should improve a team that rated near the bottom of Division I in assist/turnover ratio. Meanwhile, the incoming freshmen are so highly regarded that last year's leaders may see reduced playing time. Rivers' arrival, and that of freshman Jordan Hulls, will eat into Verdell Jones' playing time (11 ppg, 3,6 apg). 6-5 Maurice Creek will take time away from Devan Dumes (12.7 ppg). In the frontcourt, Tom Pritchard (9.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg) will still see significant time, and he'll be joined by freshmen Bobby Capobianco, Derek Elston, Bawa Muniru, and Christian Watford. Considering that Crean's returning frontcourt players not named Tom Pritchard only average 0.8 ppg, they should see plenty of action. If they adjust to the Big Ten quickly, the Hoosiers may win some of those close games they tended to lose in 2008-09.

Penn State (last NCAA: 2001) You rarely see teams as happy about winning the NIT than the Nittany Lions last year. PSU had a real case for an NCAA bid, thanks to 10 league wins, but a non-conference schedule full of cupcakes cost them. On that front, the Lions hope they can get some big wins in the Charleston Classic to help their case this time around. In terms of personnel, the good news is that all-Big Ten first teamer Talor Battle (16.7 ppg, 5 apg) is back. The bad news is that his backcourt mates, Stanley Pringle (12.8 ppg) and Danny Morrissey (5.3 ppg) are gone and so is star forward Jamelle Cornley (14.4 ppg, 6.3 rpg). The effectiveness of their replacements will dictate the Nittany Lions' chances of moving up. Sophomores Chris Babb (2.8 ppg) and Cammeron Woodyard (2.2 ppg) will have to step it up to replace Pringle, but incoming freshman Tim Frazier will also play a big role in the backcourt. In the frontcourt, 6-9 Andrew Jones (6.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg) is expected to increase his production to make up for Cornley's graduation, so will David Jackson. Both Jones and Jackson played key roles in PSU's NIT run. Serbian freshman Sasa Borovnjak and redshirt frosh Billy Oliver will also see lots of time inside.

Wisconsin (last NCAA: 2009) The Badgers struggled on offense and defense last year. However, Bo Ryan's team was able to right the ship after dropping six in a row in January to sneak into the tournament and grab a first round win over Florida State. However, Ryan lost two key performers off that team, swingman Joe Krabbenhoft and F Marcus Landry. Jason Bohannon (10.3 ppg, 1.7 apg) and Trevon Hughes (12.1 ppg, 2.8 apg) are back, however, so the backcourt remains in good shape, typical of a Ryan-coached team. The returning frontcourt players, led by 6-10 F Jon Leuer (8.8 ppg, 3.8 ppg) and 6-8 Keaton Nankivil (4.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg) will have to be tougher to adequately replace Landry and Krabbenhoft. Look out for the Badgers' two redshirt freshmen, Jared Berggren and Ryan Evans, as they should see significant frontcourt time as well. If the frontline improves significantly, the Badgers could go dancing for the 12th straight year.

Northwestern (last NCAA: None) While Wisconsin (and the rest of the league) has become a consistent NCAA performer, the Wildcats are the complete opposite. Once again, NU is the only team in a BCS conference to fail to qualify for a single NCAA tournament. On March 4, the men from Evanston stood at 17-11, after winning at Indiana, against Iowa at home, and at Purdue. They then managed to lose at Ohio State by 5 to finish 8-10 in the conference. If that wasn't bad enough, they then fell to Minnesota by 13 in the opening round of the conference tournament. The Wildcats cannot let something similar happen this season. Personnel-wise, the Wildcats bring back nearly everyone from last year, most importantly all-Big Ten second teamer Kevin Coble (15.5 ppg, 4.8 apg) and point guard Michael Thompson (9.9 ppg, 3.7 apg), a deadly three-point shooter (41.7%). The major loss is guard Craig Moore (14.3 ppg, 2.7 apg) who graduated. Incoming frosh Drew Crawford could slide into Moore's slot on the roster. He's the son of NBA referee Danny Crawford. If coach Bill Carmody can squeeze a little more from his returnees, who provided solid, if unspectacular and inconsistent performances throughout last season, the Wildcats will finally make the field of 65.

Minnesota (last NCAA: 2009) Expectations are high for Tubby Smith's third season in the Twin Cities. The Gophers will have to find a way to play Michigan State and Michigan better, as they didn't manage to win a single game against those two teams (0-5). The Gophers return all of their key performers from last season, including leading scorer Lawrence Westbrook (12.6 ppg), second leading scorer Damian Johnson (9.8 ppg), point guard Al Nolen (6.5 ppg, 4.3 apg), and big men Ralph Sampson III (6.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and Colton Iverson (5.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg). Sampson and Iverson should see more time at center thanks to the arrival of 6-7 freshman Royce White and JC transfer Trevor Mbakwe, if he's ever cleared to play. Mbakwe is due to go on trial for assault in South Florida in December. Nolen could also see the bench if he's as inconsistent as he was during Big Ten play, thanks to the arrival of freshman PG Justin Cobbs. The Gophers are drawn against Butler in the 76 Classic in Anaheim, which should be a good indicator of how well this team will perform in 2009-10.

Michigan (last NCAA: 2009) Much like with Tubby Smith's Minnesota team. great things are expected in Ann Arbor during John Beilein's third season. Beilein's offensive and defensive philosophies usually take consistent hold in that third season, and the team's performance improves as a result. One of the Wolverines' biggest needs is in the frontcourt, where DeShawn Sims (15.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg) was often left on an island last season. Seven-foot, redshirt freshman Ben Cronin should provide some help, as should 6-8 frosh Jordan Morgan, if he plays. Beilein may redshirt him depending on how well he's recovered from offseason knee surgery. 6-10 frosh Blake McLimans and 6-6 junior Anthony Wright may be called into duty frequently. The backcourt is the strength of this UM squad, led by all-Big Ten performer Manny Harris (16.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 4.4 apg). Harris should get more time to drive to the hoop (and get to the foul line), thanks to the arrival of freshman Darius Morris, who is expected to take over at the point. The reserve backcourt players need to show more consistency, as none averaged more than 6.7 ppg, despite some impressive shooting nights.

Illinois (last NCAA: 2009) While the Illini lost guards Chester Frazier and Trent Meacham, the returnees and Bruce Weber's best ever recruiting class should keep the squad near the top of the Big Ten. Demetri McCarney (11.5 ppg, 4.6 apg) already has plenty of experience at the point to replace Frazier. Incoming freshman D.J. Richardson will be called on to replace Meacham, especially from the defensive perspective. Brandon Paul, another heralded recruit, will be an inside-outside threat. In the frontcourt, Mike Davis very nearly averaged a double-double last season (11.3 ppg, 8.1 rpg), so he'll continue to be a force. Mike Tisdale could be a star if he's more aggressive. He has plenty of room to improve on the 10 points and 4 boards he averaged last season.

Ohio State (last NCAA: 2009) The Buckeyes did pretty well last season, winning 22 games and making the Big Ten title game despite losing G/F David Lighty in the seventh game of the year. With Lighty back and all-Big Ten selection/jack-of-all-trades Evan Turner still around, the Buckeyes should be even better this time around. Joining Turner as offensive forces are guards William Buford and Jon Diebler who both averaged a little more than 11 points a game. While Thad Matta has a lot of guys who can shoot, he doesn't have a true point guard. Not that this issue really stopped the Buckeyes last year. Jeremie Simmons (6.8 ppg, 2.5 apg) and P.J. Hill (3.2 ppg, 1.9 apg) saw some time at the point after Anthony Crater's departure for South Florida, with Hill making more of an impact. If the two have issues, Turner, who averaged 4 assists per game last year, could spend some time running the offense. Turner will also see time in the frontcourt, where Lighty will serve as OSU's power forward (9.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg). 6-8 junior Dallas Lauderdale and 7-foot UAB transfer Zisis Sarikopoulos will occupy the post. OSU will be tested early, thanks to a matchup with defending National Champion North Carolina at the Coaches vs. Cancer event in New York, followed by a game with either California or Syracuse.

Purdue (last NCAA: 2009) The Boilermakers bring back nearly everyone from last season's team, which fell to UConn in the West regional semifinals. Thanks to the graduation of Nemanja Calasan, Matt Painter has only two returning post players. However, they're two good ones. Robbie Hummel (12.5 ppg, 7 rpg) should be fully recovered from a stress fracture in his back that cost him five games last season. Meanwhile, 6-10 junior JaJuan Johnson (13.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg) is one of the most electrifying players in the country. They'll be backed up by a crop of freshmen, led by 6-10 Croatian C Sandi Marcius. Purdue's backcourt remains intact. Chris Kramer will provide the defense, E'Twaun Moore the scoring--and some assists (13.8 ppg, 3.0 apg), while Lewis Jackson (5.9 ppg, 3.3 apg) will run the show. The Boilermakers' commitment to defense, led by Kramer, Johnson, and Jackson, is a major reason why they will seriously threaten to make the short trip to Indy this season. If they avoid the health issues of last season, they should get a seed that will help their path.

Michigan State (last NCAA: 2009) While the Boilermakers will attempt to do what the Spartans did last year, make a short trip in state to play in the season's final weekend, don't discount MSU, a team that has plenty of history of its own in Indianapolis. Tom Izzo has a team that may be able repeat Sparty's 2000 triumph. Kalin Lucas, the Big Ten Player of the Year is back at the point. Raymar Morgan is back in the frontcourt. But the biggest questions are how well the Spartan frontcourt plays without Goran Suton and who replaces Travis Walton's defensive prowess in the backcourt. Junior Tom Herzog and incoming freshmen Derrick Nix and Garrick Sherman will be given every chance to fill Suton's shoes. Meanwhile, Lucas will have to play more of a defensive role this season than in the past, to make up for Walton's absence. While Lucas is the unquestioned star of the team, he'll need lots of support from players like guards Chris Allen (8.4 ppg) and Durrell Summers (8.6 ppg), and F Delvon Roe (5.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg) to make a second straight Final Four run.

So, the Spartans will hold the Big Ten's auto bid in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9. Check in then to see what other teams from the conference I've penciled in at the start of the season. To wrap up this preview, here is my preseason All-Big Ten team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-Big Ten Team

Player of the Year: Evan Turner, 6-7 G/F, Jr. (Ohio State)

Remainder of the Team
Talor Battle, 5-11 G, Jr. (Penn State)
Manny Harris, 6-5 G, Jr. (Michigan)
JaJuan Johnson, 6-10 F, Jr. (Purdue)
Kalin Lucas, 6-0 G, Jr. (Michigan State)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the Big Ten this season?

Illinois

72 votes

Indiana

4 votes

Iowa

5 votes

Michigan

12 votes

Michigan State

106 votes

Minnesota

9 votes

Northwestern

5 votes

Ohio State

14 votes

Penn State

20 votes

Purdue

49 votes

Wisconsin

4 votes

300 votes | Poll has closed

It's Not Plagiarism If You Link To It Loves You, Baby

Hawkeye State — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:17:41 -0000

What the hell are you doing here? NEW WILCO NEW WILCO HOLY HELL YES IT'S NEW WILCO!!!!!!

(Yes, they are the only band that can make me write like Brewster.)

The "Guy Rucker Award for Living as a G" was presented to J.R. Angle at an earlier ceremony Todd Lickliter announced that Jarryd Cole received the Chris Street Award for 2008-09:

Incoming junior forward Jarryd Cole was named recipient of the Chris Street Award for the 2008-09 basketball season.

The Chris Street Award is presented annually to a Hawkeye player, or players, who best exemplify the spirit, enthusiasm and intensity of Chris Street.

"Jarryd was presented this award in the presence of his teammates and coaches before we left for our summer trip," said Coach Todd Lickliter. "Jarryd is appreciative of the honor and understands the significance of receiving this very special award."

Yes, the Chris Street Award is so special to Lickliter that he forgot to mention its recipient until five weeks after he gave it out. More importantly, is it time we start discussing the obvious bromance between Lick and Cole? I know he recovered from an ACL tear and all, but back-to-back captaincies and the Chris Street Award to a guy who averaged 3.7 points and 3.0 rebounds per game? Either Lickliter has a mancrush on his backup center, or Cole has incriminating pictures IT'S THE INTERNET LET'S SPECULATE.

Look away, nothing to see here UI assistant athletic director Fred Mims, who has previously sent us a cease & desist letter (he's the reason why you can't get Stanzi shirts anymore) and is completely incompetent, denies the recent spate of alcohol-related football arrests is a sign of an epidemic:

"It’s not an epidemic in any sense," Mims said. "What we have is we have some people making poor choices."

Since mid-April 2007, 26 Iowa football players have been arrested or issued citations. Twenty of the players had charges or citations related to alcohol or drug use/possession.

Nine players were arrested for public intoxication, five for drunken driving and five were cited for underage possession of alcohol. Two were charged with drug possession. One player was charged for underage possession and public intoxication in another incident....

Mims rattled off a litany of alcohol programs aimed at student-athletes. In 2007-08 all new football players were required to attend an orientation that included high-risk drinking and take an online course on alcohol before arriving on to campus. The department brings in speakers who talk about alcohol and poor choices.

"I don’t know how much more programming one can do," he said. "We have probably one of the more intrusive programs in the country."

Yeah Fred, nothing grabs an 18-year-old football player's attention like an online course on the dangers of alcohol, taken before he hits campus and realizes he can drink for free in any of the 30-some bars within walking distance of his dorm room. What's next, pamphlets?

Look, a vast majority of students at Iowa drink, whether they are of legal age or not. Of that number, a significant percentage get a ticket or a night in jail at some point. It's the ecosystem of Iowa City: The students come to town and spend their parents' money in the bars, walk out of the bars at 2:00, do something stupid in the presence of the 147 cops on patrol, and give more of their parents' money to the city in the form of a possession ticket or public intox fines. When you happen to be the size of a compact car and do something stupid, you stand out to the aforementioned 147 police officers even more. Is there an epidemic of alcohol-related football arrests? Not any more than there's an epidemic of alcohol-related arrests of the student body as a whole. But that's not to say there's not an epidemic.

Caring Is Creepy, Part 1 Captain Kirk picked up a commit from Harlan defensive end Matt Hoch yesterday. Hoch (3* Rivals, 3* Scout, ESPN 150 watch list), who was being pursued by ISU, Kansas State, Mizzou, and Stanford (Suck it, Bowlsby!), is the eighth commit of the spring; in contrast, at this time last year, Iowa had exactly one commitment. He is also the seventh commit to project into the defensive front seven, a high number for a year where Iowa has just 18 scholarships to distribute. Hoch's brother is an offensive lineman for Mizzou.

Caring is Creepy, Part 2 Ben Brust, a 6'2" shooting guard from Chicagoland, visited Iowa City yesterday, and said his decision could come as early as today. Brust has narrowed his choices to Iowa, Northwestern, and Butler, but apparently Iowa has a silver bullet in Cully Payne:

Brust and incoming Iowa freshman Cully Payne are friends from the Chicagoland area. That could aid Iowa’s chances of landing Brust.

"It’s definitely nice having Cully around because I’ve known him for a while," Brust said. "It’s someone I can trust, it’s someone I know is going to tell me the truth and will be around for three years at Iowa, if I choose to come here."

It's hard to get excited about Iowa basketball right now, especially when we're fighting Butler and jNWU for recruits, but at least it's a start. Right? RIGHT?

Footnotes Indiana finishes the renovation of the north end zone of Memorial Stadium; before kickoff, players will emerge from the new tunnel into the north end zone to find that nobody cares about Indiana football...Joe Sports Fan counts down the 7 worst sports movie endings of all time; after reading their logic, I can't disagree with #1...The Inimitable Mr. Swindle (which sounds like the latest Brad Pitt vehicle) gets his ass handed to him at ping pong.

It's Not Plagiarism If You Link To It Goes Prime Time

Hawkeye State — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:39:55 -0000

Deion Sanders' Trademark Infringement Lawsuit Is Imminent The North Liberty Prime Time League kicked off Monday night, giving reporters their first good look at incoming recruits and returning players. The early returns are promising. First, Aaron Fuller found the weight room:

Iowa’s Aaron Fuller carries more weight and looks much stronger. As a freshman last year he weighed 199 pounds. He’s now heavier than 220. That strength will help him defend power forwards in the post. That weight could be good for one more rebound and two more points a game. That could be a four-point turnaround in any game.

Don't be fooled by the fact that Iowa forward Aaron Fuller only scored eight points Monday. He has gained about 20 pounds of muscle since the season ended in March. He can score on the inside and on the perimeter and he can defend more than one position. If Gatens isn't Iowa's most versatile player than Fuller might be.

Perhaps more importantly, presumed point guard (and convicted killer) Cully Payne got better reviews than The Curious Case of Benjamin Button on his first night:

Payne, a 6-foot incoming freshman from Schaumberg, Ill., passed the ball with both consistency and flair during his team’s Prime Time League game. He controlled the game’s tempo, moved well without the ball and shot the ball decently from the outside. It was just one outing of many for Payne, but he showed he’s going to compete for more than just playing time this year.

Payne scored 12 points and dished two assists in his team’s 89-74 win against Mike Gatens Real Estate/McCurry’s. Often the best passes he made helped get people in position to get to the basket, which didn’t count for assists.

Scott Dochterman - who might already have a mancrush on Payne; he wrote about him three times in one day - also got a quick interview. Given the other options at point guard, which essentially amount to John Lickliter or Dean Oliver in a fake beard, Dochterman's infatuation may be warranted. Payne's quick acclimation into Iowa's offensive system and ability to run the show might be the most important factor in the Hawks' 2009-10 campaign.

Other news: Devon Archie is big and athlethic, but Shaq-esque from the free throw stripe; Cougill is a project; Jarryd Cole is working on a mid-range jump shot; Greg Brunner is working with the big men this offseason, which will probably lead to our entire front line barreling uncontrollably into defenders and getting called for charging ad infinitum.

Caring Is Creepy Recruiting "expert" Tom Lemming removed his lips from Charlie Weis' ass long enough to address the rejuvenation of Iowa recruiting in the Chicago area:

[T]he Hawkeyes haven't done well in the Chicago area in recent years--Illinois and Notre Dame have landed a majority of the elite players--but Ferentz and his staff, including chief recruiter Les Erb, are showing signs of making a major comeback with the class of 2010....

Iowa also is in on several of the top prospects in the Chicago area, including tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz of Johnsburg, quarterback Taylor Graham of Wheaton North and offensive lineman Zach Fulton of Homewood-Flossmoor.

Fiedorowicz, the nation's top-rated tight end, likely will choose Iowa or Ohio State. Graham favors Iowa or UCLA. And Fulton may choose Iowa or Tennessee.

Other Illinois products on Iowa's recruiting chart are fast-rising defensive tackle Bruce Gaston of St. Rita, offensive tackle Marek Lenkiewicz of Andrew, running back LaSteven McKinney of Nazareth and quarterback Sean Robinson of Rochester.

To date, Iowa has signed 5 players, all on the defensive side of the ball and all consensus 3-star recruits. Lemming also mentions Iowa's better-than-average chances of signing QB/ATH A.J. Derby ("It appears he likely will choose Iowa or Florida" despite LSU's recent interest) and OT (and #1 recruit in the country) Seantrel Henderson. Obviously, it's early, and we've learned not to read too much into the current college preferences of teenagers, but things appear to be looking up on the recruiting trail.

Miscellany Michigan State apparently hired The Enlightened Spartan to design their annual football poster. Jamie Pollard gets a contract extension. Iowa State fans are inconsolable. A high school umpire in West Burlington clears the crowd after getting booed. And the brilliant Brian Spaeth is writing the inevitable Saved by the Bell reunion movie. Two words: Nuclear oil.

It's Not Plagiarism If You Link To It: May 27

Hawkeye State — Wed, 27 May 2009 12:00:14 -0000

INPIYL2I is your daily roundup of Iowa news, epic photoshopping, and other things you should read. Send tips to hawkeyestatebhgp@gmail.com.

The Hoop-a Was A-Big-a Like-a Pizza Pie-a The Licks won the first game of their tour of Europe, Asia, and the Subcontinent 78-58 over something called Basket Ferentino. They never trailed, and it's clearly because "Basket Ferentino" is Italian for "basketball team of quadrapalegic dwarves":

Junior Jarryd Cole and sophomore Aaron Fuller led Iowa's inside game as the Hawkeyes dominated the backboards. Iowa held a 53-33 rebounding advantage, with Fuller grabbing 15 to lead the way. Cole added 12 rebounds and added 20 points, hitting 10-131 field goal attempts. Fuller scored 12 points to go with his game-high in rebounds.

We've said a lot about Iowa hoops over the last six months, but none of it was about our strong inside game or domination of the backboards. Tomorrow, the team tours the Vatican, where John Lickliter's ongoing hijinks might cause an international incident.

"Hey guys, check out this funny hat I got in the gift shop..."

FORE After day one, Iowa is tied for 18th at the NCAA golf championships at +17. That puts them ahead of the likes of #2 seed USC (who obviously ran a "pay-for-play" scheme to get Vijay Singh on their squad; lack of institutional control runs deep), Stanford, Florida, and Texas. The exquisitely-named Vince India and sole senior Cole Peevler led the way at +3 for the first round. The Hawks are 7 shots back of the Thursday cut. Team leaderboard here, individual leaderboard here, and Golfweek's story on the Cinderella Hawks here.

He's the one carrying the wallet that says "Bad Mother Fucker" Adam Rittenberg of ESPN.com continues his rundown of the top players in the conference. At #15, we get everyone's favorite cornerback:

For the record, it's pronounced Spuh-vay, and Big Ten fans should get to know the name. If Spievey builds on a superb sophomore season this fall, he should be the Big Ten's best cornerback and one of the best in the country.

Rittenberg goes on to note that Norm Parker's already said Spievey might be the best corner he's coached. There's really nothing more to add to that. Well, other than WOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Tim Brewster Tweeting o' the Day

No Brew tweets today, so we'll go with another from Monday. Someone hasn't mastered the intricacies of the ENTER key...

HEY GUYS THIS IS TI

TIM BREWSTER

BREWSTATS!!!!!
Exclamation point count: 8
Total exclamation points: 12
Exclamation points per day: 6.0
Inadvertent ENTER key usage: 1

2009-10 Basketball Captains Named And They Will Piss You Right Off

Oops Pow Surprise — Thu, 07 May 2009 12:00:15 -0000

After the theater of pain and horror of Exodus 2009, you'd think the basketball team could use some positive P.R., some good news. And hey, nothing says fluffy like naming your captains for the upcoming season, right? It's a way for a program to say, basically, "hey, here's some good news about our best players."

This guy's one of them, right? Right??

And speaking of best players, you'd think that there's one in particular, the guy who's now by far (and almost by default at the same time) the top returning scorer, defender, and overall player. Like, it's not even close. Surely, Shirley, he was rewarded for a fine freshman campaign by OH YOU HAVE GOT TO BE GODDAMN KIDDING ME:

Iowa’s basketball captains for next year are junior post Jarryd Cole and senior guard Devan Bawinkel, Iowa Coach Todd Lickliter said tonight.

Doc, you wanna run those guys' 08-09 stats by us one more time?

Cole, a 6-foot-7 post, played in all 32 games last year and averaged 3.7 points and 3.0 rebounds a game. Cole joined graduating senior Cyrus Tate as co-captains last year. Cole started a bit slow coming off knee surgery but started nine games.

Bawinkel , a 6-5 perimeter guard, played his first season at Iowa last year after transferring from Highland (Ill.) Community College. Bawinkel played in every game and started nine. He averaged 4.8 points a game and shot a team-high 139 3-pointers. All but five of his shots were 3-point attempts.

Okay, here are the thoughts that come to our mind, in descending order of composure:

1) How you don't give one captaincy to Matt Gatens is just mind-boggling. From the moment he set foot on the court all through the year, he demonstrated not only a high level of basketball IQ but a high level of hustle as well. He and Jake Kelly were the two best players on the team; now, he alone is the best player on the team. This is fact, this is indisputable.

2) Jarryd Cole's all right and he'll do better now that his knee's 95% of the way back. If Lick thought he was a good captain last season and there's no reason not to re-up, fine. P.S. Score more.

3) Matt Gatens averaged as much or more by himself in every single statistic but rebounds and 3-point attempts than those two guys did combined. Look it up.

4) Devan Bawinkel doesn't show any leadership, he just plays a one-trick-pony role moderately well. He's like if Justin Johnson couldn't dribble. If Lickliter picked him because Bawinkel only does the one thing that the coach tells him to do--jack 3s from the corner--and never deviates from that, then that makes us very upset because that is not how you encourage high-level play.

5) Remember when Lick decided to skip over Freeman for a captaincy last year? Remember how that one turned out? Does Lickliter--or anyone else--seriously want to go down that road again?

6) Why does Lickliter hate Matt Gatens?

6) Matt Gatens Matt Gatens Matt Gatens.

6) RRRRGHSLJHSDKJSVHJSDKJGSDHSFHFSKJSDHSKJHFS

We need to lie down for a while. Go get us a blanket and a bottle of scotch.

No, Jarryd Cole Did Not Get Arrested

Oops Pow Surprise — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 20:38:44 -0000

But he did get cited for driving with a suspended license.

You might notice on the police blotter that Jarryd Cole's middle name is Jerrod. Jarryd Jerrod Cole. We would start pointing and snickering, but you mock a 6'7", 250 beastman at your own peril. We will decline.