niu85alum Wrote:This Huskie team, as currently constructed, won't make 15 wins in 2005-06. Just one more year of the Rob Judson nightmare before Jim Phillips streaks in and cleans up this bloody mess.

I saved your quote and it will be reappearing come mid february so you can eat these words. Alum, do me a favor, print out the 2005-06 roster on your printer, take the paper and go sit down at the dining room table and just take a look at it from top to bottom, and then come back and tell me honestly you do not see this team doing special things.

MaddDawgz, I admire your passion and positive feelings, but your use of the term "special" throws up some red flags for me. So, I have a couple questions.

1. Are you concerned about the sloppy play and turnovers we showed in stretches last year? Are you that confident that we have/are going to turn that around?

2. Do you think the defense will be that much improved over last year? We had some guys look like turnstiles out there.

I think this team has a shot to be good if they correct the mistakes they made from last year, but the one thing that concerns me regarding that is that I saw zero improvement over the course of last season. Why should I think those issues will magically disapear as we head into 05-06?

Let me add a new concern to the mix. Our starting front court is servacible with Hughs, who may develop into a good player and Peterson, who at times can be a great shooter. However, you know you have problems when the preseason preview of the front court cites Peterson and Hughs as starters with Bryson McKenzie getting sizable minutes as their only backup. :eek: :eek: :eek:

That's trouble. At least Byrd could stand his ground. McKenzie is the king of the turnstile defenders: always getting spun around by people passing by.

I wish we could have brought in another big body to take up space.

The Huskies will be really good in 05-06. The players gained a lot of experience in last season's close games. Ben Rand & Ryan Paradise will be great. Judson can coach and he makes those kids work in practice. Jim Phillips loves Judson. By the way, his contract was lengthened until 2008. NIU was in the MAC top 5 in most defensive catetgories last year. This years key will be defense and turnovers.

Can someone verify that contract claim until 2008. If this was true, there would have been some kind of notice put out. I still think Jud is in the last year of his deal.

Billy Harris Wrote:The Huskies will be really good in 05-06. The players gained a lot of experience in last season's close games. Ben Rand & Ryan Paradise will be great. Judson can coach and he makes those kids work in practice. Jim Phillips loves Judson. By the way, his contract was lengthened until 2008. NIU was in the MAC top 5 in most defensive catetgories last year. This years key will be defense and turnovers.

You sure you're not confusing Coach Judson for Coach Novak??? And confusing Wolfe and Harris for Rand and Paradise???

Billy Harris Wrote:The Huskies will be really good in 05-06. The players gained a lot of experience in last season's close games. Ben Rand & Ryan Paradise will be great. Judson can coach and he makes those kids work in practice. Jim Phillips loves Judson. By the way, his contract was lengthened until 2008. NIU was in the MAC top 5 in most defensive catetgories last year. This years key will be defense and turnovers.

They will not be good until they watch the ball on defense and learn to box out to limit the opponent to one shot. Additionally playing with palms up, moving without the ball (Pancratz was good moving), positioning behind the defenders in the zone, etc. The very problem watching the team last year was that they were NOT prepared in good technique. Either Judson or his assistants or all of them are negligent in the preparation of the kids for the games. Anyone who watched them closely would see all the things I noted above. If you have tapes or recordings of the games, check to see if I am not correct.

Who should be resposible for getting the kids ready playing good technique?

Billy Harris Wrote:The Huskies will be really good in 05-06. The players gained a lot of experience in last season's close games. Ben Rand & Ryan Paradise will be great. Judson can coach and he makes those kids work in practice. Jim Phillips loves Judson. By the way, his contract was lengthened until 2008. NIU was in the MAC top 5 in most defensive catetgories last year. This years key will be defense and turnovers.

Are you the Billy the kid Harris?

Billy Harris Wrote:The Huskies will be really good in 05-06. The players gained a lot of experience in last season's close games. Ben Rand & Ryan Paradise will be great. Judson can coach and he makes those kids work in practice. Jim Phillips loves Judson. By the way, his contract was lengthened until 2008. NIU was in the MAC top 5 in most defensive catetgories last year. This years key will be defense and turnovers.

Son, I'm going to say this just once...put down the beer bong. Ryan Paradise's combined minutes the past two seasons is something like 14.2 seconds. At best, he is a poor man's Todd Petesen. And that son, ain't good.

Madd Dawg:

Put this in the vault...the 2005-06 Huskies win 13 games total and Rob Judson is mercifully terminated at the close of the season.

Alum put your money where your mouth is and take the guy up on his 500 dollar to NIU athletics bet. I'm not saying NIU basketball will be good, but you feel so strongly about it, I think you should take him up on his offer.

A few months ago I scratched out a list of possible coaches (severe boredom meets extensive web searching) and decided on my top 3 candidates, sadly their names all escape me:

-The Sutton who coaches at Oral Roberts.
-The coach at UWGB
-the coach at Oakland

I also liked the coach at UMKC

Hey Billy Harris, if you are Billy the kid Harris I would like to thank you for the season you and your teammates gave me in 1971/72. I was a freshman in 71/72, and I really enjoyed watching that talented basketball team.

DogTracks Wrote:A few months ago I scratched out a list of possible coaches (severe boredom meets extensive web searching) and decided on my top 3 candidates, sadly their names all escape me:

-The Sutton who coaches at Oral Roberts.
-The coach at UWGB
-the coach at Oakland

I also liked the coach at UMKC

we have our coach in Judson, Im glad the administration has stuck with him through the tough times because it appears that gamble is about to really pay off, much like the gamble with Novak did.

Alum85,

Here is a topic with which you and I have some agreement - some, I say.

I dont' see enuff talent . The lack of an enforcer at post to defend or rebound with better teams is suspect and I dont see the point guard who can penetrate, dish or score when requiring athleticism and consistently hit the three when D stacks the inside.

Fifteen wins and no MAB home court game is what I foresee.

Like most topics - I am clueless to offer a replacement this early in the pre season. Stuff changes quickly and who is available and interested come April is a real crap shoot. Wish as I may otherwise, I don't see NIU replacing Judson before his contract expires and I have no favorite replacements this far out.

Unless NIU pulls off some major lbball wins this season, records 18+ wins when it's over including advancing in the MAC tourney to semi finals, the fat lady has sung.

cyberdawg Wrote:Alum85,

Here is a topic with which you and I have some agreement - some, I say.

I dont' see enuff talent . The lack of an enforcer at post to defend or rebound with better teams is suspect and I dont see the point guard who can penetrate, dish or score when requiring athleticism and consistently hit the three when D stacks the inside.

Fifteen wins and no MAB home court game is what I foresee.

Like most topics - I am clueless to offer a replacement this early in the pre season. Stuff changes quickly and who is available and interested come April is a real crap shoot. Wish as I may otherwise, I don't see NIU replacing Judson before his contract expires and I have no favorite replacements this far out.

Unless NIU pulls off some major lbball wins this season, records 18+ wins when it's over including advancing in the MAC tourney to semi finals, the fat lady has sung.

cyber who are these big men that are going to tear us up in the MAC, the MAC is a weak big man's league, teams that can thrive at the point guard position are teams to watch out for ( outside of Kaman and CMU a few years back) We might have some trouble in the big 10 with a size shortage but I think from an athletic standpoint you have to go back to the mid 80s to find an NIU team with this much athleticism.

I don't think that you necessarily need to have a dominant center, but at least one that can hold his own and rebound. The MAC is not the ACC and we can get by with what we have.

Our talent level is sufficient to win 18 or more games, but they are not, in my opinion from what I observed, schooled in proper technique and lack discipline. Think about teams from the Bobby Knight and Mike Krzyzewski where they are in the proper defensive posture and position and look to see how many shots the other teams get. Very few offensive rebounds. Due to coaching. Can't say it any better and if you have tapes to look at, you will see what I am talking about.