My pre-season predictions
1) Rice-Harris returns to lead Rice to the WAC championship
2) UTEP-Rivera and Thomas should help ease the coaching transition
3) Boise-A lot coming back for the Broncos.
4) Nevada-Best frontcourt in the WAC with Fazekas and Pinkney
5) SMU-Hopkins will be WAC POY
6) Hawaii-Sensley and Co should have a respectable season
7) Tulsa-Out to prove that last year was a fluke
8) LaTech-Milsap is a beast but they'll need somebody to help pick up the scoring slack
9) Fresno-Rough offseason and not much to look forward to now that Legans is gone
10) SJSU-They will start completely from scratch but I don't think it will make much of a difference

POY-Hopkins
Newcomer of Year-Yusef Baker, Tulsa

1st Team All-WAC
Hopkins
Rivera
Harris
Fazekas
Milsap

NCAA's: Nevada, Rice, and UTEP
NIT: Boise, SMU, and Hawaii

Ah-- there's no question for the poll and you left some of the best players in the league off, but that's about what I expected.

My preliminary super-early, subject to change picks:

1. Rice. It's their time. Probably won't win the tourney, but they are still my pick at this time.

2. SMU. They have the talent. Hopefully this coach can actually get them to play.

3. Tulsa. Even with a "still learning" average coach, I've seen the men play this summer. The old spark is back. Addition by subtraction most definately.

4t. UTEP-- New coach has me wondering, but they still have some talent.

4t. Nevada-- you think they have the best frontcourt, but I think you'll be suprised. That combined with a new coach and a huge target on their backs will make for some ups and downs.

6. Hawaii-- Will lose on the road and win at home. Same as always.

7. Boise-- they just aren't there yet. They have Karl who is a good guard, but overall, their scrapiness will win some games, but like I said-- just not there yet.

8. Fresno-- Their program, fans and school has fallen on some rough times. They'll bounce back, but I think the "other issues" will take their toll this season.

9. LaTech-- they need more threats than Milsap. He can't do it alone and with little help, his team will struggle.

10. SJSU-They will start completely from scratch but I don't think it will make much of a difference.

POY-Harris. It's his turn and I think his to learn. Other choices in my mind at this time-- If Glenn gets out of his jr. funk, Senseley-- the man is good, probably others that I am just drawing a blank on.

Newcomer of Year- Brett McDade. After seeing him play pickup with some of the TU oldtimers (Swanson, KJ) and the new guys, I was VERY impressed. He will not play like a freshman much if at all.

No way the WAC gets three to NCAAs.


As I said-- these are subject to change. It's hard to predict at this time exactly who will be healthy, injured, etc.

I thought about Glenn and Sensely as well as McCreith. Unfortunately there's a limit on the number of options on a poll question and I don't feel those 3 are on the same level as the other 7. You're welcome to vote 'other' if you feel differently.

It kept erasing my question when I would preview the post so i was hoping everybody would just know what i was asking. The question is "who will be WAC player of the Year" for those who may be confused.

Not sure what you mean by Boise not being there yet when I have them finishing in the exact same spot they finished last year. Sounds like they're already there and the questions is whether they'll regress or not. I don't think they will.

I did vote other.

I will try to edit the post for you to add the question. It will say that I edited your post on the bottom, but that's all I'll do. Edit: I edited your question. For some reason that didn't show up that I did it, but just FYI, it was me.

Boise-- "there" as in consistently going to be in the top 3 or 4. The Boise fans will tell you I love Boise. I cheer for them-- encourage them to cheer for them-- but it is my opinion at this time that they are not there yet.

TUfan Wrote:Addition by subtraction most definately.

Those five little words absolutely SCREAM a library's worth...

Awesome. Thanks for putting the question up.

It should be a fun year. Rice should be a strong favorite but spots 2-9 seem to be wide open.

The hardest team for me to "deal with" is SMU. They have the talent. They've always had the talent. But Dement would find ways to lose with them. Either the players will take to a new system or they will flop completely. Could be #2. Could be #10. Same with any team with a new coach.

I just think that Nevada has the best shot at getting to the NCAAs since the WAC Tourney is at Lawlor in '05.. But I don't see them taking the regular season title.

TUfan Wrote:The hardest team for me to "deal with" is SMU. They have the talent. They've always had the talent. But Dement would find ways to lose with them. Either the players will take to a new system or they will flop completely. Could be #2. Could be #10. Same with any team with a new coach.

I believe in Coaches and Systems. I think Boise State has a great group of coaches that instill that team chemistry that creates the winning environment.

Boise State will be bigger and quicker this season and they will have better shooters. It will dependent on how well the coaches can meld the new JC guys with the returners. I would pick Boise State anywhere from 2nd to 5th. I believe we will be a top 5 team, but like TU fan said, we are not there yet.

One thing I will guarentee is that the crowds will be much bigger than last year and we will make more noise and the Broncos will have a great home court advantage!

broncobob Wrote:Boise State will be bigger and quicker this season and they will have better shooters.

Wow! Bigger, Quicker, and Better Shooters!! Can't ask for much else!

Nevada will be bigger with the addition of 7 footer Chad Bell and the summer weightlifting from Pinkney and Fazekas.
Unfortunately, there's a big question mark at PG where true freshman Lyndale Burleson is expected to start.

i can't believe nobody's voted for harris yet! I thought he would run away with this thing.

I chose "other" out of spite, but in my written picks I did take harris.

You were willing to mess with the integrity of the poll for the sake of spite??!! Shame on you.

renopack Wrote:You were willing to mess with the integrity of the poll for the sake of spite??!! Shame on you.

Yeah. I'm just like the coaches who vote in the coaches poll and the writers who do the USAToday/AP poll. :D

yeah, but you also voted for lime jello, TUfan.

can't take you seriously, now, can we.

btw: is this thread about baseball or basketball or butterball?

because if it's about baseball, bsu ain't got no team.

if it's about basketball, next year will be better than this year.

if it's about butterball, mmmmmm....... butterballllll........

:hungry:

You can't take the yahoos voting in those polls either.

Generally my point in voting for the "crazy item" is that these polls are more a reflection of the sample (voters school) than anything resembling something remotely scientific. Is it good for a little chuckle and some amusement? Yes. Anything more. No. Therefore, the fun votes.

TUfan Wrote:You can't take the yahoos voting in those polls either.

Generally my point in voting for the "crazy item" is that these polls are more a reflection of the sample (voters school) than anything resembling something remotely scientific. Is it good for a little chuckle and some amusement? Yes. Anything more. No. Therefore, the fun votes.

so...

what you're saying is:

butterball.

cool!

because lime butterball jello is flat-out gross.

(BTW: i really do think BSU will finish in the top 3 next year. coach graham has something special going on here, i really believe that.)

I don't doubt that he has something special. That's obvious, but I think that this season will be different. The team and the coaches will be playing games with more of a target on their backs. Because that will be a relatively new experience at Boise for basketball, I think they are going to have a little bit of a tougher year. Do I honestly believe that they will end up in the exact spot that I indicated above, probably not, but I don't expect many to end up that way.

Have you seen the Boise men play at all this summer? Pick up? I'd be interested to hear what the fans who have seen are saying. That goes for all of the teams. Yes-- pick up = street ball, but it's still fun. At least at Tulsa it is, because the guys are very competative. The Tulsa players also play in a NCAA approved summer league.

And yes--butterball.