MBB: Liberty League

[with age comes?]

Airball- agree with your assessment.  I too had Vassar, Hamilton & SLU at the top.  By far the biggest surprise is Clarkson.  I had them last (which if you saw them at Elmira you'd know why), but as I hoped they now have their whole team healthy and are playing rock solid d.  Guess the second biggest surprise is the stumbling out of the blocks by Union.  Montana is a pretty good coach and I'm sure they will start winning games soon, but they better not wait too long.

[with age comes?]

One last thought- Simmons for RPI is the real deal.  He was absolutely excellent yesterday for the engineers. 28 pts 13-18 with 2-2 from the line and solid d too.  He is so controlled and patient on offense.  Never seems to rush a shot.  RPI will surprise if they get a little stronger play from 1-3 and I think will end up in the fight for a playoff spot.

[magicman]

with age

I don't think you got what you were looking for when you took in the Clarkson-Vassar game Fri. Night. I expected Vassar to handle them by double digits. Must have been that long drive up to our nasty North Country that did them in. I figured SLU would beat them on Sat. and believe the Larries will win the LL as well. I had Vassar as high as #5 in the region but after 2 losses this weekend they're dropping into the 2nd 10. Must have been a long ride back to Poughkeepsie for the Brewers with 2 L's on the record.
I saw SLU play at Plattsburgh St. when they were in the midst of 7 road games out of 8 to start the year. They lost to some decent teams but with most of last years team returning I didn't see a 2-6 start . Fortunately they seem to have righted the ship running off 8 straight  with 3 pretty good wins in there.

I agree that the NCAA's aren't looking good except for the automatic LL bid. But who knows. E8 league might only get 1 bid and Bport also hurt themselves with those losses to SLU and Hamilton earlier this month. Some tables need to be run and then a loss in the conference tournament finals may get 2 LL teams in. But I doubt it's going to happen. Would much rather see the NY teams get those at large bids than teams from out of the region.  The NY short list is UR, Plattsburgh, Brockport , Naz, Ithaca, SLU, and Hamilton. Fisher, Oswego, Vassar, Geneseo and Cortland only get in if they win their respective conf. tourney. I guess Stevens will count as a NY bid even though they're in N J.  Tuesday I'm going to where you were on Friday to take in the Potsdam-Plattsburgh game.

[Chief1101]

hobart will sneak into the 4th spot or higher in the conference tournament...watch out...


st lawrence is beatable..clarkson is solid, but pickering cant guard grazioli..and that other big lefty guy they have is garbage..



eric viganksy is not good..he has a solid 3 pt shot, but he is scared of the paint...i guess thats why he is in europe becuase most guys over there are soft..he runs his mouth a little too, which I like dont get me wrong, but he wasnt even top 5 forwards in the league lsat year..him and richard williams were neck and neck for the softest big man title in the liberty league..

[airball55]

The point about Cheese vigansky was not that he was a great player, rather than it apparently isn't all that difficult to find "pro" basketball across the globe..  That being said the Hobart players playing pro ball were solid D3 guys, but hardly worth talking about playing at the pro level.  Hell, I was a champion pro speed skater when I lived in Argentina, catch my drift... As for Hobart and the LL playoffs, maybe, but this is the same team that lost eight in a row or something like that, we'll see this weekend.  I don't think there are any guarentees in this league except for Hamilton and St. Lawrence in terms of the playoffs. 

[with age comes?]

I agree wih your assessments that SLU and Hamilton are the only locks on playoff spots.  Vassar I believe will also get in.  The fourth is up in the air.  Before the season started I thought it would be Union but stumbling out of the gate like they have it will take a complete turnaround and some luck. Went to watch SLU vs Union women's team and before the men got suited up I watched them interact or should I say watched them ignore each other (each in their own world with IPOD's in their ears). Team chemistry plays a part in these games and I didn't see any strong bonds there. Like to see them right the ship and play to their potential.  Hopefully Montana can get them going in the right direction before its too late.

[Chief1101]

airball...


players such as Joe Corbett and Davidek Herron were very successful players overseas...Viganksy is horrendous compared to those two..i understand your point, but dont say that hobart players should not have been at the pro level...corbett and herron were both very sought after players..


i wouldnt even pick up viganksy in a regular pick up game because hes a pretty boy..

[bucketsallday]

Talking about playing overseas, its pretty easy to find a place. Do you guys remember Jud Winton from Vassar? He graduated '05, pretty good scorer. He played in Ireland for a couple years - granted, it was pretty much for housing, food, and a little bit of extra cash but it was still pro ball. I doubt anyone from the LL can go over there and get rich playing ball, but I bet its a great experience, and a damn good pick up line.

and chief, you hate SO hard on this message board. bitter much?

[Chief1101]

Ha nope...Quite honestly, I think majority of the poeple on this board never played a college basketball game in their life...my opinion tho..


just some of the facts people throw out on this board are outrageous..but i agree with your assessment of overseas basketball...if you can play, you will find a team out there..

[airball55]

No one is hating on Hobart players.  Sought after in the U.S.??  Now that would be a story.  I was merely stating that playing "pro" ball isn't really all that special overseas... BTW, did I mention I was a champion iditaroder for Saudi Arabia??

[bucketsallday]

chief - im assuming you played for hobart. when did you graduate, i bet we played against each other for a few years.

[buck1053]

chief - im assuming you played for hobart. when did you graduate, i bet we played against each other for a few years.

Buckets, this post over on the E8 board should answer your question.

"bombersquadron
Second-stringer
Karma: -1
Posts: 50

Reply #4934 on: Today at 01:30:27 pm »   
Hey Chief, I had to do some research and make sure you weren't UCGrad in disguise, since you have such a hatred for Ithaca and Stevens.  But the 'Chief' is actually Kevin "Bobble Head" Riley, a former Hobart player, whose career numbers were 4.2 ppg and 3.5 rpg in four years at Hobart. So "Bobble Head"... I don't think you should come on here and call out Bostic, Ithaca College, or any coaches with your career 43 games played and 181 points. In his freshman and sophomore years the "soft and overrated" Bostic has tripled your CAREER numbers. I don't know why your calling out coaches either, find something better to do with your free time like coach a 4th grade girls CYO team. "

Hope it helps.

[buck1053]

Apparently, Chief has corrected the previous E8 board post, and I figured out how to actually quote across boards.

Here's his reply.

haha i appreciate that bombersquadron...


kevin "bobble head" riley...thats a good one, been hearing it my whole life...

ill take the heat for the hobart comments, but not the stevens comments..this name is used by different people...but i appreciate the research, you apparently take this sight seriously..


and i didnt attend hobart for 4 years buddy..thanks tho..also played 1 season at hobart...i only was at hobart for 3 years...but ur right, i dont have bostic numbers..

[labart96]

congrats to hobart Senior John Grazioli (St. Anthony's/Melville, N.Y.) tabbed the Co-Forward of the Week, first-year Rob Estep (West York/York, Pa.) Guard of the Week Award, and first-year guard Tim Llewellyn (West York/York, Pa.) named the Rookie of the Week.

[with age comes?]

TGP- will give you a report after this weekend as I plan on watching Hobart for the first time this season.  And just think I'll put my $.02 about playing overseas.  So you think its a piece of cake to play pro ball in Europe.  Consider Sean Murphy RIT grad, numerous league recognitions, solid scorer, tough kid, who won the 3 point contest in an open European try out but did not land a contract.  Oh and by the way made the ABA Buffalo Silverbacks team that I would guess could probably crush most of the (not all) European pro teams. The Silverbacks have plenty of players who caught a "cup of coffee" in the NBA, or got try outs etc. And while I'm on my soap box "Cheese" had about a 3.7 GPA at a relatively tough school, has an excellent 3 point shot that seems to fit in a Eurpoean game, and was at one point last year ranked nationally in FT % I believe, though that is from memory and I'm not inclined to put hours of research to verify it. The point is that you need the contacts and you have to be lucky.  It's an experience that's probably worth the effort for most people who have played and loved the game. And man am I longwinded or what???