MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[John Gleich]

I made a case for them to potentially be a top-25 team on the appropriate multi-region page... because I think Manor may have a big impact.  The top 6 scorers are back, plus a guy who averaged 10+ ppg his first two years at Superior.

Now, I understand that there are only so many balls to go around... so with three 13+ point scorers from this last year, there may be something that "gives."  It may be that RF will become a more prolific scoring team.  I think Manor adds another threat... but will it be at the expense of team chemistry?

RF also has two other Junior transfers coming in this year, per their release.

FYI- I have heard conflicting reports, but as of right now I believe Wade Guerin will be sitting out 2010-11.  He injured his back during a summer tournament and had surgery late this summer.

Ill post if i hear anything else.

And per Cubs on the top 25 page, he heard a report that Whitewater won't have the services of Free this year and that Negri may also be limited by injury:

Not quite set in stone, but my current preseason Top 25...


#22 UW-Whitewater (23-6 overall, 13-3 WIAC/West) – Round of 32, lost to Wooster
Starters Returning: (2) G Phil Negri, 6-3 SR (8.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg), F Alex Edmunds, 6-4 JR (7.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg)

Starters Lost: (3) C Dustin Mitchell, 6-9 (18.0 ppg, 8.7 rpg), G Dupree Fletcher, 6-2 (14.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg), F Mike Bendall, 6-6 (10.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg)

Top Returning Reserve: G Nolan Free, 6-1 SO (6.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg)

Really just a crapshoot, but that's what I got.

I have a pretty good source that has told me that Free will not be playing this season for Whitewater, and PG Negri is still having back issues that plagued him last season.  Take those two out of the rotation, and the Warhawks look "thin" in terms of experience.  While Negri may still be on the roster once the season rolls around, one has to wonder just how effective he will be.

River Falls is the team in the WIAC that I would keep an eye on as the season goes along.  Just have a hunch that they will be solid this season.

I know Point starts practice today... any reports from any of the WIAC schools of surprising additions or omisions?  We're probably still a good couple of weeks away from the official rosters being posted, but if somebody decided not to go out, that should be known soon.

[Barber Greene]

Somebody give me some hope for this year's Whitewater team    Unless there is a major influx of transfer talent how are they going to be competitive?

[badgerwarhawk]

Have faith, Barber, Miller has always fielded a competitive team.  Don't worry we'll be alright.   

[cubs]

An early report from UWO's camp....

Not much size this season, as Flanagan, Washington, and Wojahn appear to be the main contributors in the front court.  Freshman Wurtz may end up sliding down to the #4 position to provide some depth.  I'm not sure where Gregory figures in as of yet.

Backcourt sees the usual names, Schrimpf, Wittwer, Mageland, and Kretsch and the addition of transfer T.J. Kellner.

Former UWO baseball player Kyle Kannenberg is also out for the team, using his last semester of eligibility to compete in basketball.   I saw him play a few times in high school, but one has to wonder how long it will take to "knock the rust off."

[chmarx]

Big K, who posts here in season, is named Kannenberg.  Wonder if he's any relation to Kyle?

[bulk19]

Here's a neat little clip from yesterday's UWSP/UWL football game, which was a ceremony for new HOF inductees from the men's hoops team:

http://www.waow.com/Global/story.asp?S=13377438

[Greek Tragedy]

Somebody give me some hope for this year's Whitewater team    Unless there is a major influx of transfer talent how are they going to be competitive?

Can someone give me some hope for this years Stevens Point team as well? Lol 

[John Gleich]

Somebody give me some hope for this year's Whitewater team    Unless there is a major influx of transfer talent how are they going to be competitive?

Can someone give me some hope for this years Stevens Point team as well? Lol 

Sure, but you'll have to wait until tonight!

Huge news out of Point this morning though.  Frank O'Brien, Point's Athletic Director, announced his retirement, effective Jan 2011. 

More to come later on that note too.

[frodotwo]

Somebody give me some hope for this year's Whitewater team    Unless there is a major influx of transfer talent how are they going to be competitive?

Can someone give me some hope for this years Stevens Point team as well? Lol 

I was at the Backcourt Club open practice tonight and even though it was scripted and early season it was interesting. More emphasis is put on defense than offense and that was impressive even in early season. A couple of players out due to illness (Mauch) and injury (Pohle, T. Tillema, Ziemer), but all should be back soon. DeVon Jackson will be a huge addition to the front court as he appeared to out quick Jerrel Harris several times. Adam Abbeglin looks like a player as well. No word yet on Jared Jenkins playing this year or not, still much speculation that he will work on football skills after that season ends.  Big scrimmage coming up this weekend against some college team down in Kenosha. If only that was a public affair    Seniors and Juniors looked and played with experience and maturity, but again it was only a scripted practice so not much can determined from that.  Don't despair Old School, the cupboard looks to be well stocked.     November 10th for the Purple-Gold game to get a look at them at game speed.

[Titan Q]

Big scrimmage coming up this weekend against some college team down in Kenosha. If only that was a public affair   

For scrimmages, the home team can't publicize it, or sell tickets, etc...but fans are usually free to walk in and check things out.  I've attended numerous scrimmages at IWU over the years.

[bulk19]

PointSpecial -
Interesting note about Frank O'Brien.

I lived in Piont 18 years during his tenure and, though I never met him personally, witnessed all the hard work he put in on-the-scenes, at courtside, rinkside, whever the Pointers were playing... I can imagine that compares to what he did in his office, too, and in everything else he did in that role, seeing how successful the whole athletic program has been on the court, and in the classrooms, and in the community, from what I saw when I was there.... He's one of the best...

That being said, I will admit I am ignorant of the nuts and bolts of his role (and job qualifications/requirements), so I say this in all due respect when I make this following comment. I do so just for discussion's sake and perhaps someone can chip in thoughts, too.

But the first person who came to mind was Jim Strick, as a replacement; he was in the SID department and did a terrific job there... Had he stuck around in Point, I wonder if he would be considered qualified to move into the role?

But my question: Outside the obvious, of scheduling, recruiting, financial grades/eligibility, etc., requirements for this role, I wonder how much apple to apple comparsions could be made for the two roles? Or is it an apple to orange comparison, a big big jump from one to the other role?

[Greek Tragedy]

I was mocking Barber Greene's post.

Nothing against Greene, maybe just not aware that Whitewater usually refills the cupboard! lol 

I have no worries about Point, except Jared Jenkins not playing.  Sounds like his punting skills are tremendous (All-American punter, right?)  I read something briefly that he had 3 kicks inside the 10 last week.

[John Gleich]

PointSpecial -
Interesting note about Frank O'Brien.

I lived in Piont 18 years during his tenure and, though I never met him personally, witnessed all the hard work he put in on-the-scenes, at courtside, rinkside, whever the Pointers were playing... I can imagine that compares to what he did in his office, too, and in everything else he did in that role, seeing how successful the whole athletic program has been on the court, and in the classrooms, and in the community, from what I saw when I was there.... He's one of the best...

That being said, I will admit I am ignorant of the nuts and bolts of his role (and job qualifications/requirements), so I say this in all due respect when I make this following comment. I do so just for discussion's sake and perhaps someone can chip in thoughts, too.

But the first person who came to mind was Jim Strick, as a replacement; he was in the SID department and did a terrific job there... Had he stuck around in Point, I wonder if he would be considered qualified to move into the role?

But my question: Outside the obvious, of scheduling, recruiting, financial grades/eligibility, etc., requirements for this role, I wonder how much apple to apple comparsions could be made for the two roles? Or is it an apple to orange comparison, a big big jump from one to the other role?

I think the two roles are best summed up as this... the SID is the one who publicizes and the AD is the administrator.  Both are important, but both are vastly different in how they deal with the inner workings of an athletic program.

When you think how long Frank O'Brien has been at SP and how much success they have had, it's pretty remarkable.  But what I think is most remarkable is how he has been able to manage the coaches.  SP has had some of the best coaches in the WIAC (and by inference, in the country) in so many sports.  The SP athletics website is down right now, but I wonder how many of the winningest coaches had their tenure during O'Brien's time at the helm of the athletic program.

Certainly Jack Bennett and Coach Miech (football) are two that come to mind... I wonder about the OTHER Coach Miech (women's soccer) or Rick Wit (Cross Country and Track & Field). 

Head coaches are interesting beasts... they have unique personalities that allow them to manage others well and have a broad scope but also to pay attention to details (sometimes to a fault).  Frank O'Brien brought in so many good coaches and he was able to allow them to manage their teams well while keeping a reign on them enough so that they didn't go too far. 

It's interesting, in the story it talked about how Frank was at all of the biggest events... but actually, many times he wasn't.  So often there were so many different teams competing at a high level that he could only be one place at a time.

Take for instance the weekend in 04 when both the Men's and Women's basketball teams and the Women's Hockey team were in the Final Four.  The basketball teams were both in the same state (Virginia) but separated by several hundred miles and the hockey team was somewhere in the northeast.  He couldn't have been there for all of them... but each of them had the necessary resources to compete at such a high level.

[Just Bill]

I think one of Frank's secrets to success was that he wasn't a college coach. I think it allowed him to not get swept away in the competitiveness of the business, but let him make sure he had the best interests of the student-athletes and the department as a whole in mind.  In D-III, that's what it's about.  But make no mistake, that Frank is as competitive as anyone.

I think he did a great job of treating all sports fairly. Frank would be just as excited about a swimming WIAC title as he would be for a men's basketball title. Sometimes more, because he was aware that fewer people were paying attention to swimming. He'll be missed there, for sure.

That doesn't mean that the next AD shouldn't be a head coach, but I think it speaks to the fact that success at that job can come from any of a number of different paths.

[BanditUWSP]

I think that Jim Strick is a name that many will think about for this position.  But, he was recently hired by the Neenah school district as its activities director, so I don't know if he'd be available.  For those interested about this, just do a quick search of "jim strick neenah" and there are several stories about this.