Knightstalker

What are you talking about.  Those shots better be at someone else.  I sincerely want to know what the criteria would be from the selection committee.  I never ONCE ripped Pat.  Why don't you calm down, along with Hoopsfan who apparently answers to Pat in some way.  I respect Pat...and this is not the issue.

Hoopsfan, thanks for the insight of the other players ahead of Briaer.  What this says to me, is a players cross-over, athletic ability...abitlity to dazzle the auidence with plays is the determining factor in how "good/great" a player may be....not the win/loss record.  The MVP/All-american comparison is an interesting one.  A player who sacrifices for the good of the team gets penalized for winning ball-games...so it seems.  You tell me that Briaer would be the MVP...The most valuable player...not for just LU, but the entire country.  Do you think he would do what he did at LU to every program in America? I would say yes....Although I'm not sure how all-around number of 15pts, 13brds (ridiculous) 4 assts. and 2 steals don't give him enough "personal" statistics to go along with his team WINNING...

Well Hoops Fan/Pat  I'm still wondering what made those 4 forwards better.  I truly am curious.  What do the voters look at?  Also, then explain how the two IWU AA's weren't even first team on the All-Midwest team?  I don't follow.

It makes a little more sense as to why Braier would be third team AA if you are strictly picking the AA's by PG, SG, F, PF, C.

Seems strange how the best player on a team for three years...a team that has made a ton of noise nationally...last undefeated team, would be considered worse.  I don't know the other 4 forwards that well...I'd be interested if anyone could list the numbers for those 4 forwards...along with teams record.

Am I the only one that believes winning should go along with determining "how good a player is."

Without trying to get too envolved....


Pat,

I'm interested in hearing your reasoning behind putting a three time all-american on the third team after posting double double numbers on the #1 team in the country (for half the year).  Just curious to what the criteria was...does winning have anything to do with it? Maybe he wasn't flashy enough?  It does kind of seem strange how the two players from IWU were 2nd and third team all-Midwest (probably judged by coaches and press who know the midwest best) yet were selected two tiers ahead in the national voting.  I mean Pat, you out of all people should know just how important he has been to the emergence of LU as a national power....his defense...intensity.  I just doubt there are 10 more players in the country that meant more to a team and program.  Plus IWU has three very very good players who you would think, take some awards away from one another.  Playing with 3 all-american/all-midwest can only make one's job easier.  Considering who Braier played with...it doesn't add up. 

Sorry if it seems like complaints...just honestly curious cause something doesn't add up...especially with the midwest and all-american voting?

Please don't forget Mr. Reliable....MAD DOG

HAHAHAHA TOUCHE

In Gillespie's 25 years or so with Ripon College they have only had 2 losing seasons (including this year).  He has averaged 17 wins a year during that time.   So I figure it's an understatment to say Ripon will be back next year....especially with all 5 starters returning.  Gillie will be getting back to the basics which got him his success.  FYI Gillie has take Ripon to the NCAA tournament 10 different times.

"Wow! Paul is without doubt the best player of recent Grinnell history INCLUDING the great guards."

I don't know about Grinnell...the way Jeff wrote about Paul Nordlund, you'd think they wouldn't even show up next year  I'm still scratching my head trying to figure out how he could be better then Wood...didn't he lead them to the NCAA tournament?  Oh yeah, Jeffp did you ever have to guard that guy???  I emphatically disagree...not taking anything away from Paul who is probably a great leader and player as well.  Also, his brother steve was probably the best "tough shot" maker I played against and I could even argue his value being better then Paul's.

Carroll will be very good again with Toshner and Drury and a pretty decent freshman as a recall.  Size could be a problem for CC.

LU just doesn't and won't scare me as much as last year....and think about this...if you thought teams were gunning for you when you were undefeated, well think about what teams are going to want to do to LU now that they aren't as strong....no Braier equals not scared.  Programs don't forget being embarrassed like LU did to soooo many over the last 3 years...why do you think everyone hates Ripon? (don't answer that )

Knox could be decent with Maclain still there....but just thinking back to some of the teams and what they had and lost...there aren't too many other competitors next year...could be a bit of a down year don't you think (on a whole for our conference...obviously having a number 1 team like LU, there really isn't that much room to go up)?

Guys,


I think you all know how I feel on this one. 

LU will definitely compete for the conference champioships next year, but they won't win it.  LU won't be "feared" as they have been the last 2/3 years.  Tharp has proven to be a good coach, but lets see how life is without a superstar.  LU will bring confidence and work ethic to next years' team, but you really feel the effect of losing a superstar in a couple years.

I only saw LU play 3 times this year, but I played against all those guys through their 3 year run.  I know Kroger looks like a nice player, but when I saw him it really looked like he was more of a product of the offense and having a guy like Braier to pass out of the post (I could be extemely wrong, having only seen 3 games, but it's what i saw).  The problem was you couldn't leave him open at all cause he would bury it. 

LU fans, I'm not sure who said this, but you are absolutely out of your mind if you think the loss of MacGillis isn't going to hurt you almost as much as losing Braier.  I realize that MacGillis and Braier can teach the underclassmen how to defend, but can they teach height?  MacGillis was a 6'4''/6'5'' lock-down defender and while you have a lot of players that can play great team defense, you still need a taller defender to guard shooters like Bo Johnson (remember, you've had MacGillis to lock him down for two years).  Until another player like that emerges, it's going to be tough for the smaller guards you guys have to stay with taller atheletes.

But, again, I would not be surprised if LU made another run at it because of their great team defense and coaching, but I really don't see anyone from this years team...besides Kroeger, that really scares me at all for next season....but that doesn't mean there won't be

Scottie

Please keep giving me updates

My two cents:

I really believe Illinois Weslayen has the obvious advantage with height and ability, but what could and hopefully will be the x-factor is Alexander gym.

The reason I feel it's one of the toughest places to place is the strange arrangement of bleachers and wall set-up...and even basketball rims.  One hoop has a wall in the backround, the other doesn't.  One hoop seems to be a quarter inch taller then the other...maybe that's just the illusion of having a wall and not having a wall.  When Illinois Weslayen warms up, they will be at the hoop that seems lower....you can shoot 3's from waaay outside the arc and they fall in...the rim is softer therefore you get better bounces (this is unless the NCAA forces LU to sit on the left side of the scores table making them have to shoot at the wall end first).  Then you come back from half-time and the other side seems a lot taller...dunks are harder to come by in warm-ups and the rim is tighter.  On the other hand, LU is now on the "good" side and they get all the bounces and rolls that the "wall side" creates.


I swear I'm not making this up.  I don't know if any other players felt the same way, but it is definitely a home-court advantage.  Because of this unusual home-court advantage, along with the crowd, I don't think Ill. Weslayen will shoot as well as they did at UWW.  I feel the home turf will pull LU to a victory.

I figured it was Lev who started/led the all-beard team at LU

No, I became a fan of this years LU team, and let me repeat THIS YEARS TEAM.  I've seen them play 3 times and of course played against most those guys (all the seniors sept Bradley) and really respect the way they play.  LU plays basketball the way all teams should play the game...with heart and determination.  I couldn't help but like this team.

I know it's been "floating around" how great of a coach Tharp is, and I'm not hear to disagree with you.  But take it from a guy whose played with great players and seen the effect great players have on their teammates....Coaching is a lot easier when you have guys like Briaer and MacGillis on your teams.  I'm extremely interested to see how well LU's program does without them next year.  I doubt its any coinsidence that Tharp's record as a coach has shot straight up on the charts the day Briaer set foot on LU's campus....there is a direct corellation there.  Tharp had one conference championship before Briaer was there. 

Let me repeat, I am a fan of Coach Tharp and his team.  He and his little tantrums have won me over...for now.  But it will be interesting to see how LU reacts when there's no coach on the floor next year. 

Sorry Hoops Fan~

From the time Ripon was eliminated from the tournament until the end of the 05-06 YEAR   So technically it has lasted longer then a week.



Only, at the very most, 4 more weeks until Briaer and LU are no more!!!
(sorry guys, one last stab before I put my blue socks on)

Sam, for one year and one year only

On a side note to that statement

Seriously for those of us who played D3 ball and then played lets say a D1 team (for me it's when we played U. of Utah) what an advantage with TV timeouts.  I mean seriously, D3 players don't get that ever so when you play a school that has TV timeouts, it's like you rest every 4 minutes!!!

No problem guys...I didn't want you to think all of the MWC posters were crazy

USTBUMKNEEZ~

Yeah, I was at that game when Ripon went down in Appleton.  They had every oportunity to win that game, but Bradley scored 20 straight points to close the game.  I agree that Lawrence can be beaten and while they might not rank up there as the most talented #1 team in recent memory, you can BANK on this:  They won't beat themselves.  There is no question here as to whether or not they are gonna bring it or play their "A" game.  They will bring their "A" game everytime...hence the undefeated record.  But I feel LU can lose if another team brings their "A" game for 40 MINUTES (not 39) that is more athletic/talented.  LU played a lot of close games this year, but found a way to win all of them. 

And quite honestly, what does the history of a HOME court tell you.  It's very hard to win on the road against an above average team...Just think how hard it's going to be to win on the road against one of the nations best.