Looking at the standings, Seems to me, you wouldn't have expected WKU to be 4 and 5 and 11 and 10, and USA to be 4 and 6 and 12 and 10 at this point. But, that's where they are. Maybe the conference tournament is at least somewhat "up for grabs" afterall. It appears ASU would be as good a bet as anyone at this point. Except for our game next Thurs., I'm pulling for the Wolves to finish the season strong. It would be good for attendance at the tournament. For the Trojans, they can be motivated to play hard for the best possible seeding.

About the Lady Trojans and remaining conference schedule. Seems to me they have a good chance to run the table.

Early on, things seemed pretty much according to form, but in the last couple of weeks, it really has turned around. Anybody's game.

Florida Atlantic a half game out of the lead? Will wonders never cease!

(01-29-2010 05:49 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  Florida Atlantic a half game out of the lead? Will wonders never cease!

If he stays there, Mike Jarvis will have them in the NCAA tournament. Maybe not this year, but in the next couple of seasons.

(01-29-2010 06:22 PM)mjs Wrote:  

(01-29-2010 05:49 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  Florida Atlantic a half game out of the lead? Will wonders never cease!

If he stays there, Mike Jarvis will have them in the NCAA tournament. Maybe not this year, but in the next couple of seasons.

That's depressing.

(01-29-2010 06:22 PM)mjs Wrote:  

(01-29-2010 05:49 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  Florida Atlantic a half game out of the lead? Will wonders never cease!

If he stays there, Mike Jarvis will have them in the NCAA tournament. Maybe not this year, but in the next couple of seasons.

MJS; you have been down to Fla recently. Why would you expect FAU to have success before FIU? I have been to Miami but never to Boca Raton. From here in Ark, I would pick Isiah to be successful before FAU.

(01-29-2010 06:32 PM)DollarBill Wrote:  

(01-29-2010 06:22 PM)mjs Wrote:  

(01-29-2010 05:49 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  Florida Atlantic a half game out of the lead? Will wonders never cease!

If he stays there, Mike Jarvis will have them in the NCAA tournament. Maybe not this year, but in the next couple of seasons.

MJS; you have been down to Fla recently. Why would you expect FAU to have success before FIU? I have been to Miami but never to Boca Raton. From here in Ark, I would pick Isiah to be successful before FAU.

Isiah may have more success if his "connections" lead to him bringing in big time talent (he certainly has been "in on" some big time players and I believe he has already signed a couple). However, there's no comparison in the campuses using the "eye test". Boca Raton is an extremely upscale, beautiful city and the campus is maybe a mile from the beach. FIU is probably 25 miles west of Miami Beach almost in the Everglades. It was pretty dark when I finally found the campus, but I didn't see a sign in the neighborhood written in English. I'm not trying to be anti-Hispanic, but I think it might not be a great recruiting location for kids from "middle American" who might feel like they are in a foreign country. FAU's renovated gym was no Stephens Center, but it was really quite nice. FIU's gym was pretty much of a pit, although I assume Isiah will get some renovations if he stays there.

Thus, in summary, I think FAU has more pluses and Jarvis is a proven DI coach. However, if Isiah can bring in talent he will do very well at FIU. I think both will be forces to be reckoned with in the next couple of years. FAU may be doing it a year earlier than I expected.

Plus, Jarvis is a proven college coach.

(01-29-2010 06:52 PM)mjs Wrote:  I think FAU has more pluses and Jarvis is a proven DI coach. However, if Isiah can bring in talent he will do very well at FIU. I think both will be forces to be reckoned with in the next couple of years. FAU may be doing it a year earlier than I expected.

That's one of the strongest reasons for wanting a coaching change here. Under Shields' recruiting, we haven't been able to keep up with the Western Kentucky's, the South Alabama's, the Middle Tennessee's, plus some of the others in the past. Without a doubt we now have a facility comparable to anyone in the Sun Belt, and better than most. Now we're looking at FAU and FIU being major players in the Sun Belt, and I believe as long as Brady is at ASU, we will fall even further behind them in recruiting, and we haven't exactly had their number under Shields. We are 5-8 in games with ASU, with one more with them next week. That would mean he was 3-7 against Dickey Nutt, and I'd bet that Dickey is nowhere near the coach or recruiter that John Brady is.

He can sign them, he just can't get them to campus.

(01-29-2010 07:26 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  He can sign them, he just can't get them to campus.

We really don't know how good most of them were, other than Coleman, who is good enough to play for Memphis, so we do know he could play here for sure.

(01-29-2010 07:34 PM)LRTrojan Wrote:  We really don't know how good most of them were, other than Coleman, who is good enough to play for Memphis, so we do know he could play here for sure.

Can you imagine what this team might be like with him in the post? Oh, to dream!

(01-30-2010 11:38 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  

(01-29-2010 07:34 PM)LRTrojan Wrote:  We really don't know how good most of them were, other than Coleman, who is good enough to play for Memphis, so we do know he could play here for sure.

Can you imagine what this team might be like with him in the post? Oh, to dream!

I'd just be happy with Will Neighbour and Irv Spuriel.

(01-29-2010 06:32 PM)DollarBill Wrote:  Why would you expect FAU to have success before FIU? I have been to Miami but never to Boca Raton. From here in Ark, I would pick Isiah to be successful before FAU.

Simple. Jarvis is one year (recruiting class) ahead of Thomas. Thomas brought in a nice recruiting class, but they are all in thier first year (which is where Jarvis was last year). Next year both teams will be pretty good.