(10-18-2010 05:16 PM)Doggone Wrote:  

(10-18-2010 05:14 PM)HuskiePride12 Wrote:  

(10-18-2010 04:42 PM)High On NIU Hoops Wrote:  

(10-18-2010 04:07 PM)cyberdawg Wrote:  I'm taking the wait and see attitude and plan to attend at the very least the NU-NIU game.

That's a tough test to judge them by!
- N'western will be very good. They have most of their team back from last year's pretty solid season. And if I'm not mistaken they are adding the Ryan kid who started but got hurt the first game vs. us last season and red shirted. All now more experienced and a year older so they will be even better this year.
- We have a lot more new faces than expected for this season and gelling vs. Northwestern is a tough order to fill.
- For several of our guys it will be their first taste of D-I competition.

All that said, I'm anxious to see how we do against a quality Big-10 opponent at home to open the season.

Kevin Coble is back and is one of the best Big10 players in the league. NU will be damn good this year. Ryan is more of one of the first guys off the bench for them.

I thought Coble is graduating in December and decided not to play for NU this year.

Correct. It's a shame for NW too because they'd probably have the best team in school history if he stayed. Even without him I think they could still make the tournament. The Big Ten is a 7 bid league this year.

Im looking forward to seeing some of the diehards on Nov 12th. Looking for a good conversation with coach storm. Im hoping the team really get rolling in the next couple weeks. Without Kowal that does deplete the post a little. PG is going to be the key.

Didn't know that about Coble. Very surprised on that decision, but better for us!

(10-18-2010 05:14 PM)HuskiePride12 Wrote:  Kevin Coble is back and is one of the best Big10 players in the league. NU will be damn good this year. Ryan is more of one of the first guys off the bench for them.

I'm pretty sure Ryan started for them in that game vs. us last year.
And, I'm really pretty sure Coble isn't coming back for his red shirt senior year.
Northwestern would have definitely made the tournament and been in the upper half of the Big 10 with Coble, Shurna, Crawford, Ryan and the rest of that team. As it is, they will be pretty solid and probably a stiff test for our Huskies to open up with.

(10-18-2010 05:43 PM)UIHuskie Wrote:  

(10-18-2010 05:29 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  Kowal shot this team in the foot by being on the court. His departure is GOOD NEWS.

Yeah, he only averaged 10.5 points per game and led the team in rebounding. Oh, and he's 6-11. You're right, NIU has no use for a player like that.

He was 6 11 but played 6 8

(10-18-2010 06:51 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(10-18-2010 05:43 PM)UIHuskie Wrote:  

(10-18-2010 05:29 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  Kowal shot this team in the foot by being on the court. His departure is GOOD NEWS.

Yeah, he only averaged 10.5 points per game and led the team in rebounding. Oh, and he's 6-11. You're right, NIU has no use for a player like that.

He was 6 11 but played 6 8

At this point another thick 6' 8" would help us. We will be really small this year. But, I think he showed signs on several occasions of being a potential dominant force inside and played at least 6' 10". Granted, he was inconsistent in showing it, but it was there. If he would have been able to put it together he could have been a handful in the MAC this year. And just to have a body to go against some of these other teams big guys would have been a help even if he didn't improve. We will miss him being on the team physically. Mentally, if he didn't want to be here, good that he's gone.

(10-18-2010 06:56 PM)High On NIU Hoops Wrote:  

(10-18-2010 06:51 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(10-18-2010 05:43 PM)UIHuskie Wrote:  

(10-18-2010 05:29 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  Kowal shot this team in the foot by being on the court. His departure is GOOD NEWS.

Yeah, he only averaged 10.5 points per game and led the team in rebounding. Oh, and he's 6-11. You're right, NIU has no use for a player like that.

He was 6 11 but played 6 8

At this point another thick 6' 8" would help us. We will be really small this year. But, I think he showed signs on several occasions of being a potential dominant force inside and played at least 6' 10". Granted, he was inconsistent in showing it, but it was there. If he would have been able to put it together he could have been a handful in the MAC this year. And just to have a body to go against some of these other teams big guys would have been a help even if he didn't improve. We will miss him being on the team physically. Mentally, if he didn't want to be here, good that he's gone.

I just have never seen someone that clumsy around the basket, he had to have the worst footwork of any big man Ive ever seen. He also was very slow around the basket. He did provide some stability though when he was playing well.

(10-18-2010 07:18 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(10-18-2010 06:56 PM)High On NIU Hoops Wrote:  

(10-18-2010 06:51 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(10-18-2010 05:43 PM)UIHuskie Wrote:  

(10-18-2010 05:29 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  Kowal shot this team in the foot by being on the court. His departure is GOOD NEWS.

Yeah, he only averaged 10.5 points per game and led the team in rebounding. Oh, and he's 6-11. You're right, NIU has no use for a player like that.

He was 6 11 but played 6 8

At this point another thick 6' 8" would help us. We will be really small this year. But, I think he showed signs on several occasions of being a potential dominant force inside and played at least 6' 10". Granted, he was inconsistent in showing it, but it was there. If he would have been able to put it together he could have been a handful in the MAC this year. And just to have a body to go against some of these other teams big guys would have been a help even if he didn't improve. We will miss him being on the team physically. Mentally, if he didn't want to be here, good that he's gone.

I just have never seen someone that clumsy around the basket, he had to have the worst footwork of any big man Ive ever seen. He also was very slow around the basket. He did provide some stability though when he was playing well.

What are you talking about? Not too long ago, NIU had a player by the name of Bryson MacKenzie (sp?). Back in the early 90s, we had Steve Olendorf. Kowal was a much better player than them. Kowal wasn't awful for a MAC type player. Sometimes, he just didn't look motivated.

(10-18-2010 07:47 PM)Doggone Wrote:  

(10-18-2010 07:18 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(10-18-2010 06:56 PM)High On NIU Hoops Wrote:  

(10-18-2010 06:51 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(10-18-2010 05:43 PM)UIHuskie Wrote:  Yeah, he only averaged 10.5 points per game and led the team in rebounding. Oh, and he's 6-11. You're right, NIU has no use for a player like that.

He was 6 11 but played 6 8

At this point another thick 6' 8" would help us. We will be really small this year. But, I think he showed signs on several occasions of being a potential dominant force inside and played at least 6' 10". Granted, he was inconsistent in showing it, but it was there. If he would have been able to put it together he could have been a handful in the MAC this year. And just to have a body to go against some of these other teams big guys would have been a help even if he didn't improve. We will miss him being on the team physically. Mentally, if he didn't want to be here, good that he's gone.

I just have never seen someone that clumsy around the basket, he had to have the worst footwork of any big man Ive ever seen. He also was very slow around the basket. He did provide some stability though when he was playing well.

What are you talking about? Not too long ago, NIU had a player by the name of Bryson MacKenzie (sp?). Back in the early 90s, we had Steve Olendorf. Kowal was a much better player than them. Kowal wasn't awful for a MAC type player. Sometimes, he just didn't look motivated.

Kowal was just so slow and his moves around the hoop seemed so telegraphed and slow developing. He also just cannot elevate which makes him play much smaller than his size. The one positive is that he did improve his FT shooting toward the end of his time at NIU

(10-18-2010 08:03 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  Kowal was just so slow and his moves around the hoop seemed so telegraphed and slow developing. He also just cannot elevate which makes him play much smaller than his size. The one positive is that he did improve his FT shooting toward the end of his time at NIU

How many guys who are 6-11 and play in the MAC actually *can* elevate? Odds are a 6-11 kid who is athletic, skilled, and can jump through the gym is playing in Chapel Hill, East Lansing, Lawrence, etc., not in DeKalb.

At the end of the day, Kowal was a productive player whether you wanted him to be or not. You don't average over 10 points and lead a team in rebounding if you don't know what you're doing or are void of talent.

(10-18-2010 07:47 PM)Doggone Wrote:  What are you talking about? Not too long ago, NIU had a player by the name of Bryson MacKenzie (sp?). Back in the early 90s, we had Steve Olendorf. Kowal was a much better player than them. Kowal wasn't awful for a MAC type player. Sometimes, he just didn't look motivated.

Why did you have to remind me of Steve Olendorf? Is Mike Grabner next?

Very few centers comparatively are 'superstars'. Mostly guards and forwards end up with those tags. But, tons of big guys make a lot of money in the NBA or over seas because they are pretty decent. Kowal was pretty decent and could have made money playing if he had the heart to go with his size. His limited number of moves moves weren't very good, but they were adequate for us. He would have really helped this team this year with size on the defensive end and with rebounding. And he could pass some. Guys with his size are rare. Believe it or not, most guys that tall are less coordinated and can't even play basketball in college at any level. The few who are really athletic don't play in the MAC (as UIHuskie pointed out) and go on to be millionaires. Kowal was better than many of you give him credit for. Heart and sometimes toughness were his biggest obstacles. We need tough kids, but we could use size as well this year!

Sean Kowal was not slow for his size.. what team were you watching MD?

Fact is Huskies will miss having a big man in middle to offset/minimize opponents' hawseez -

Kowal's departure is a "net" loss - like it or not.

As McGuirre said { paraphrased} you cannot teach someone to become 6-11 but you can teach some 6-11 to become an effective bball player. Contary to popular belief 6-11 bball players dont grow on trees, and they are often projects but have greater impact than a midmajor 6-7 project at center.

With rare exception if a kid outta hs or jc is 6-11 and highly skilled or has a potentiallly studlike upside, he is not likely going midmajor.

I appreciated the efforts of Kowal and he is not deserving of anything more nor less.

Jordan Threlof - you could be playing a lot this year if you stayed home!!