(10-24-2011 11:31 AM)UofMfan18 Wrote:  

(10-24-2011 10:39 AM)transitt Wrote:  I think ECU will be better than that. Parrish should know better as he lives in Memphis and used to be their beat writer. I also don't think Memphis will go undefeated. I do think we'll win the conference, though.

I don't see ECU finishing in the Top 6. I think there are other teams clearly better. I think they'll be competitive, but not better than last year. I'm expecting SJ to copy and paste soon

You can call me a homer all you like but FTR we had one of the biggest turnarounds in the nation and exceeded my expectations by a lot last year. I know a lot about this league and I don't just throw out predictions without researching it. I also remember you predicting us 12th last year and 11th earlier this summer. If we don't make you look stupid again you can rub it in my face all you want but Ill rub last year in your face because you didn't have a clue and you don't this year if you think we are the 11th best team in this league.

(10-24-2011 04:38 PM)StillJonesing Wrote:  Signed Elliot Williams, who just about single handily kept you from sitting home one postseason. The Transfer from New Orleans played a big role on your team last year when your super star freshman were struggling. Why?, because he was experienced. Look at UAB, they have some transfer every year Davis has brought in virtually last minute to save the season, and they normally do. Vaden (indiana), J. Sanders (MEAC school), E. Milsap (ULL) and probably a half a dozen other players that played as well.

I'd say there is a lot of good history going the transfers route in this league even from our most successful teams, not always BCS transfers as well. UAB has really kept their program afloat and moving foward with them, sometimes adding them in the Summer. The guy ECU guys he was talking about played double digit minutes on an Elite 8 Missiouri team and he's been here practicing with the team a year. If you don't think this guy is talented or at least more experienced and ready to play than the majority of newcomers in this league I don't know what to say to you.

He wasn't a scrub that never played and he should be's ready to step in from day one. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that on paper or the fact we return 3 starters and have 3 other experienced transfers as well several of which have already been practicing with the team. The people picking us from 9th-12th really have done zero homework on ECU or this league and what we had to face to get 10 league wins last year playing in the east and playing UAB, Memphis, and UCF in the tourny, and I think most logical posters on this board would even agree with that.

Regarding Elliott Williams, we basically gave him the ball and let him do what he wanted. There was little to no team chemistry. Regarding Carmouche...and all of last year's team...that team had no freaking clue how to play together until late in the season. We out-talented a lot of people, but it took a long time for the guys to learn their roles and relations and to really start to look like a team.

Actually, thinking of the past few years is what prompted my comment. Unless you have overwhelming talent (see UK or the Fab Five), the sudden conglomeration of players doesn't usually work out to be as good as you hope.

Taking a transfer and adding him to a team with a solid identity can work out nicely. When you start talking about multiple transfers, then things get dicey.

...and I haven't said anything about any of your players beyond I don't trust multiple transfers or freshmen to come in and perform at a level consistent with their talent. In fact, I might say the UK and Fab Five teams from earlier in my post fell short of what their talent was worthy of.

Jonesin, when you throw out examples of transfers, using a McDonald's All American first round draft pick like Williams, who spent several summers playing with the kids from Memphis prior to his transfer, probably isn't the best choice. Carmouche was solid but no more consistent than most of the freshmen.

Those are good points 99, but I think we will be OK. By the end of the season when we were playing our best, the offense was running through our best player Morrow and he's back, as are 2 other starters and a top reserve. That's a good foundation. 2 of the 4 transfers practiced with these guys every day so I don't think they come in this season with no chemistry with the returning players.

Also the other two transfers have experienced more transtion than most newcomers going from D1 schools to Jr College, now back to D1 schools, so they should know how to intergrate into the team having done it 2 other times already.

Even our freshman who I don't expect to play should be highly adapted. One is from Germany who has international experience and spent last year prepping in the states and the other transfered and played at a high level for a nationally ranked high school vs stiff competition. I think we have 6 newcomers as ready to help immediatly as any team in this league to go with 4 top returning players.

StillJoensing where have I predicted ECU 11th or 12th for the 2011-2012 season? All I've said is that I don't believe ECU will finish in the top half. I'm sure I predicted ECU 12th for the 2010-2011 season, but heck I wasn't alone LOL! You act like my predictions are completely ridiculous, but their shared by many on this board and experts around the country.

(10-24-2011 05:04 PM)99Tiger Wrote:  

(10-24-2011 04:38 PM)StillJonesing Wrote:  Signed Elliot Williams, who just about single handily kept you from sitting home one postseason. The Transfer from New Orleans played a big role on your team last year when your super star freshman were struggling. Why?, because he was experienced. Look at UAB, they have some transfer every year Davis has brought in virtually last minute to save the season, and they normally do. Vaden (indiana), J. Sanders (MEAC school), E. Milsap (ULL) and probably a half a dozen other players that played as well.

I'd say there is a lot of good history going the transfers route in this league even from our most successful teams, not always BCS transfers as well. UAB has really kept their program afloat and moving foward with them, sometimes adding them in the Summer. The guy ECU guys he was talking about played double digit minutes on an Elite 8 Missiouri team and he's been here practicing with the team a year. If you don't think this guy is talented or at least more experienced and ready to play than the majority of newcomers in this league I don't know what to say to you.

He wasn't a scrub that never played and he should be's ready to step in from day one. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that on paper or the fact we return 3 starters and have 3 other experienced transfers as well several of which have already been practicing with the team. The people picking us from 9th-12th really have done zero homework on ECU or this league and what we had to face to get 10 league wins last year playing in the east and playing UAB, Memphis, and UCF in the tourny, and I think most logical posters on this board would even agree with that.

Regarding Elliott Williams, we basically gave him the ball and let him do what he wanted. There was little to no team chemistry. Regarding Carmouche...and all of last year's team...that team had no freaking clue how to play together until late in the season. We out-talented a lot of people, but it took a long time for the guys to learn their roles and relations and to really start to look like a team.

Actually, thinking of the past few years is what prompted my comment. Unless you have overwhelming talent (see UK or the Fab Five), the sudden conglomeration of players doesn't usually work out to be as good as you hope.

Taking a transfer and adding him to a team with a solid identity can work out nicely. When you start talking about multiple transfers, then things get dicey.

...and I haven't said anything about any of your players beyond I don't trust multiple transfers or freshmen to come in and perform at a level consistent with their talent. In fact, I might say the UK and Fab Five teams from earlier in my post fell short of what their talent was worthy of.

I cant think of the last transfer we had that came in, and just played his role from the start. It took Taggart 3 months to fit in. John Grice was horrible most of his first season at Memphis. Chris Massie maybe? If not him then Sunday Adebayo?

(10-24-2011 04:38 PM)StillJonesing Wrote:  

(10-24-2011 03:47 PM)99Tiger Wrote:  

(10-24-2011 12:49 PM)PurpleReigns2012 Wrote:  Have you heard of the transfers we have? Our best player last year was sitting out due to Transfer rules

Going that route rarely nets results equal to your talent. I'm not making any predictions, but counting on transfers is usually about as effective as counting on freshmen.

Signed Elliot Williams, who just about single handily kept you from sitting home one postseason. The Transfer from New Orleans played a big role on your team last year when your super star freshman were struggling. Why?, because he was experienced. Look at UAB, they have some transfer every year Davis has brought in virtually last minute to save the season, and they normally do. Vaden (indiana), J. Sanders (MEAC school), E. Milsap (ULL) and probably a half a dozen other players that played as well.

I'd say there is a lot of good history going the transfers route in this league even from our most successful teams, not always BCS transfers as well. UAB has really kept their program afloat and moving foward with them, sometimes adding them in the Summer. The guy ECU guys he was talking about played double digit minutes on an Elite 8 Missiouri team and he's been here practicing with the team a year. If you don't think this guy is talented or at least more experienced and ready to play than the majority of newcomers in this league I don't know what to say to you.

He wasn't a scrub that never played and he should be's ready to step in from day one. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that on paper or the fact we return 3 starters and have 3 other experienced transfers as well several of which have already been practicing with the team. The people picking us from 9th-12th really have done zero homework on ECU or this league and what we had to face to get 10 league wins last year playing in the east and playing UAB, Memphis, and UCF in the tourny, and I think most logical posters on this board would even agree with that.

SJ, the biggest thing that is being overlooked is that ECU has one heck of a coach. With the success from last year I also expect ECU to have a bigger homecourt advantage as well this season.

(10-24-2011 06:24 PM)transitt Wrote:  Jonesin, when you throw out examples of transfers, using a McDonald's All American first round draft pick like Williams, who spent several summers playing with the kids from Memphis prior to his transfer, probably isn't the best choice. Carmouche was solid but no more consistent than most of the freshmen.

So playing pick up ball in the summers at the rec is better than playing everday with your future team in an organized practice? Neither of your transfers even had a redshirt year, that's a huge advantage several of our transfers have as far as the chemistry issue 99 was refering to.

I've also never said Paul was going to be an NBA caliber player, all I've said is I think the guy can come in an be one of the better PG's in CUSA from day one as a r-JR. Morrow's not an NBA player either, but he is one of the best big men as well and is a Sr.

VCU had an experienced PG/C combo that led them to the Final 4. Neither were NBA players and Skeen was a transfer from Wake. You don't always have to have McDonalds AA talent to be successful, experience will take you a long ways at this level. I think we'll compete well with any team in CUSA including Memphis.

A lot of you have short memories

(10-24-2011 12:41 PM)Chappy Wrote:  

Quote:12. East Carolina: The Pirates lost most of their top players from last season, and they weren't very good last season -- just 8-8 in the league. That's not a good recipe for success. That's why there won't be much success at ECU.

Well, that was a very well thought out and thoroughly researched preview.

What's new. The writers have picked ECU to finish last in the conference the last 3 years and yet ECU has not finished last in the last 3 years.

(10-24-2011 06:51 PM)Brick City Pirate Wrote:  SJ, the biggest thing that is being overlooked is that ECU has one heck of a coach. With the success from last year I also expect ECU to have a bigger homecourt advantage as well this season.

I thought about it but perfered to not get into a long conversation about coaching. People can knock Lebo but I don't think it was ever an X & O or motivational issue. I don't think he ever had the horses and Auburn is a tough place for anyone to recruit to unless they are cheating, and that was before they built a new arena. I think he'll be fine at this level. I don't think we'll ever build teams like Memphis with top talent, but we can build some like UAB, VCU, Mason, etc under Lebo IMO

(10-24-2011 11:43 AM)aTxTIGER Wrote:  So you think ECU is more talented than Memphis, Marshall, and UCF because that is 6 of your 16 games right there.

ECU had 8 games against those 3 schools last year and the Pirates won 5 of them. And where is all of this optimism for UCF coming from? ECU has won 5 of the last 6 games againt UCF. And even on his best day, Donnie Jones is not going to out coach Lebo. Jones can't even out coach Pastner, so you know he can't outcoach Lebo.

I am looking for ECU to have a pretty good season.

(10-24-2011 06:52 PM)StillJonesing Wrote:  

(10-24-2011 06:24 PM)transitt Wrote:  Jonesin, when you throw out examples of transfers, using a McDonald's All American first round draft pick like Williams, who spent several summers playing with the kids from Memphis prior to his transfer, probably isn't the best choice. Carmouche was solid but no more consistent than most of the freshmen.

So playing pick up ball in the summers at the rec is better than playing everday with your future team in an organized practice? Neither of your transfers even had a redshirt year, that's a huge advantage several of our transfers have as far as the chemistry issue 99 was refering to.

I've also never said Paul was going to be an NBA caliber player, all I've said is I think the guy can come in an be one of the better PG's in CUSA from day one as a r-JR. Morrow's not an NBA player either, but he is one of the best big men as well and is a Sr.

VCU had an experienced PG/C combo that led them to the Final 4. Neither were NBA players and Skeen was a transfer from Wake. You don't always have to have McDonalds AA talent to be successful, experience will take you a long ways at this level. I think we'll compete well with any team in CUSA including Memphis.

The entire team that put a 20point beatdown on you(neutral court, last time we played) and added a McDonald's All American says hi.

How would you know what it takes to be successful in basketball? ECU has never BEEN successful! Perhaps you have a different definition of success. Success to Memphis fans equals a second weekend in the NCAA tournament. Yes, for the most part, that requires a few Micky D's level recruits.(I know you're going to point out VCU and Butler. I'll counter with the number of Final Fours Duke and UNC have to those held by VCU and Butler. Who gets higher ranked recruits?)

Thanks for teaching Memphis fans about basketball, though. It's the one sport we know nothing about.

(10-24-2011 07:04 PM)WalkThePlank Wrote:  A lot of you have short memories

Why would I care that ECU beat us once last year? We beat you guys BAD when it counted. We also were the 7th YOUNGEST team in the nation last season. If you guys knock us off again in Minges this season, I'll be the first here to congratulate you.

No one here has said ECU is going to suck. I don't think they'll finish in the top half of CUSA because I think other teams are going to be better. Obviously I was impressed with the improvement you guys made last season and think your going to be competitive again this season.

(10-24-2011 07:19 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(10-24-2011 11:43 AM)aTxTIGER Wrote:  So you think ECU is more talented than Memphis, Marshall, and UCF because that is 6 of your 16 games right there.

ECU had 8 games against those 3 schools last year and the Pirates won 5 of them. And where is all of this optimism for UCF coming from? ECU has won 5 of the last 6 games againt UCF. And even on his best day, Donnie Jones is not going to out coach Lebo. Jones can't even out coach Pastner, so you know he can't outcoach Lebo. I am looking for ECU to have a pretty good season.

Pastner is 2-1 against Lebo, and the last one was a flat out beatdown. I know you claim Pastner cannot coach. Sorry if the majority of the basketball world absolutely disagrees with you.

(10-24-2011 07:24 PM)transitt Wrote:  

(10-24-2011 06:52 PM)StillJonesing Wrote:  

(10-24-2011 06:24 PM)transitt Wrote:  Jonesin, when you throw out examples of transfers, using a McDonald's All American first round draft pick like Williams, who spent several summers playing with the kids from Memphis prior to his transfer, probably isn't the best choice. Carmouche was solid but no more consistent than most of the freshmen.

So playing pick up ball in the summers at the rec is better than playing everday with your future team in an organized practice? Neither of your transfers even had a redshirt year, that's a huge advantage several of our transfers have as far as the chemistry issue 99 was refering to.

I've also never said Paul was going to be an NBA caliber player, all I've said is I think the guy can come in an be one of the better PG's in CUSA from day one as a r-JR. Morrow's not an NBA player either, but he is one of the best big men as well and is a Sr.

VCU had an experienced PG/C combo that led them to the Final 4. Neither were NBA players and Skeen was a transfer from Wake. You don't always have to have McDonalds AA talent to be successful, experience will take you a long ways at this level. I think we'll compete well with any team in CUSA including Memphis.

The entire team that put a 20point beatdown on you and added a McDonald's All American says hi.

How would you know what it takes to be successful in basketball? ECU has never BEEN successful! Perhaps you have a different definition of success. Success to Memphis fans equals a second weekend in the NCAA tournament. Yes, for the most part, that requires a few Micky D's level recruits.(I know you're going to point out VCU and Butler. I'll counter with the number of Final Fours Duke and UNC have to those held by VCU and Butler. Who gets higher ranked recruits?)

Thanks for teaching Memphis fans about basketball, though. It's the one sport we know nothing about.

Owned

(10-24-2011 07:19 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(10-24-2011 11:43 AM)aTxTIGER Wrote:  So you think ECU is more talented than Memphis, Marshall, and UCF because that is 6 of your 16 games right there.

ECU had 8 games against those 3 schools last year and the Pirates won 5 of them. And where is all of this optimism for UCF coming from? ECU has won 5 of the last 6 games againt UCF. And even on his best day, Donnie Jones is not going to out coach Lebo. Jones can't even out coach Pastner, so you know he can't outcoach Lebo.

I am looking for ECU to have a pretty good season.

Players win games, not coaches last time I checked. You still assume Pastner is a lousy coach, but recruiting is the most important aspect of coaching, and Pastner can and will always recruit circles around Lebo. And with that piss-poor OOC schedule if ECU can't win 15 games they need to just quit.

I guess Pastner suddenly learned how to coach in the CUSA Tournament?

Seriously? We lost to Memphis by 3 points on your home court in January. We beat you by 11 and going away the LAST week of the regular season when you guys claim you started to figure things out. You can include the tourny as the end all but that is hardly a good reflection when it was our 3rd game in 3 days including a hard fought OT win over the league champ vs a 2nd game for you guys and an easy first one. You had a bye, we were clearly gassed and were also without our PG Brock Young who blew out his ACL. Abrams and Gaines were playing hurt as well.

You only won 3 more games in CUSA than we did last year. You added a highly touted freshman, we added some talented experienced transfers that were already practicing with the team. I think we are improved I don't see us suddenly not being able to compete this year because of one freshman. Barton made all these claims last year and he couldn't back them up and was highly touted too. There is a learning curve. Still bigger I think than a guy like Paul's who's been on the court in an Elite 8 and practicing with the team for a year as a redshirt Jr.

Pastners still learning on the job too. I do think Lebo is a better game coach at this point. That is where the biggest edge probably is for us, but the talent isn't as big of a gap as you guys think, when most of our players had BCS offers or saw the court at BCS schools, and we have a much older roster and seasoned coach. We'll be compeditive.

(10-24-2011 07:26 PM)transitt Wrote:  

(10-24-2011 07:19 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(10-24-2011 11:43 AM)aTxTIGER Wrote:  So you think ECU is more talented than Memphis, Marshall, and UCF because that is 6 of your 16 games right there.

ECU had 8 games against those 3 schools last year and the Pirates won 5 of them. And where is all of this optimism for UCF coming from? ECU has won 5 of the last 6 games againt UCF. And even on his best day, Donnie Jones is not going to out coach Lebo. Jones can't even out coach Pastner, so you know he can't outcoach Lebo. I am looking for ECU to have a pretty good season.

Pastner is 2-1 against Lebo, and the last one was a flat out beatdown. I know you claim Pastner cannot coach. Sorry if the majority of the basketball world absolutely disagrees with you.

What? I gave Pastner a compliment and you're still angry?

BTW, I love how you Memphis homers go right to the beatdown, but don't bother mentioning that Memphis was playing on an extra day's rest in the CUSA tournament and that ECU was coming off of an overtime win against the number one seed in said tournament just the day before. And there is no need to mention that ECU'S all conference point guard just happened to blow out his knee in that overtime win, but let you Tiger fans tell it none of those things factored into the game.

When ECU's all conference point guard played against Memphis, Pastner escaped with a 3 point win in his own building and lost by 11 points at ECU and he accomplished that with more 4 and 5 star players on his roster than all of the schools in CUSA combined. Yeah Pastner's a great coach and his fourth place finish in CUSA attests to it. Hell even Bobby Knight could not have done better.