MBB: NESCAC

Panthernation · April 06, 2013, 02:40:34 PM

Quote from: frank uible on April 06, 2013, 01:43:20 PM
We do appreciate that none of those European league teams are any better than the first five guys who show on any morning at Rucker Park (or any similar venue), don't we?

Frank,

That may be true, but it's hardly relevant. We don't think Will Hanley or Ryan Sharry or any other NESCAC player for that matter is going to play in the NBA, but it is pretty amazing nonetheless that Hanley is playing with former NBA players and stand outs from the Olympics.

grabtherim · April 06, 2013, 03:54:20 PM

Quote from: Panthernation on April 06, 2013, 02:40:34 PM
Quote from: frank uible on April 06, 2013, 01:43:20 PM
We do appreciate that none of those European league teams are any better than the first five guys who show on any morning at Rucker Park (or any similar venue), don't we?

Frank,

That may be true, but it's hardly relevant. We don't think Will Hanley or Ryan Sharry or any other NESCAC player for that matter is going to play in the NBA, but it is pretty amazing nonetheless that Hanley is playing with former NBA players and stand outs from the Olympics.

Perhaps he can enlighten us from the games he has seen. My guess is he has never seen any and, if a basketball was thrown his way, it would most definitely hit him in the nose.

The guys in lower level leagues in Europe are competing, making a few bucks and having what is hopefully a positive life experience. Leave it to a local highlight show analyst, and a mediocre one at that, to diminish it; proving once and for all that those who can't do it, come up with sarcastic snarky remarks designed to diminish it...

lefrakenstein · April 06, 2013, 07:34:59 PM

Quote from: frank uible on April 06, 2013, 01:43:20 PM
We do appreciate that none of those European league teams are any better than the first five guys who show on any morning at Rucker Park (or any similar venue), don't we?

I haven't been to see a game in Europe, but I have been to Rucker and I can tell you that the first five guys to show up on any given day are likely to be pretty darn good.

Just got in to Atlanta. Very excited for tomorrow.

toad22 · April 06, 2013, 08:50:52 PM

The top Spanish league is really good. A single step below the NBA.

nescac1 · April 07, 2013, 08:26:52 AM

Good luck to the Lord Jeffs today, although I suspect they won't need it ...

I think Frank's standards are actually too LOW. Why celebrate ANY accomplishment unless we are unable to point out any single person in the world who is better. So, let's henceforth issue a moratorium on applauding any (1) basketball player other than Lebron James, (2) any football player other than Adrian Peterson, (3) any scientist other than Stephen Hawking, and (4) any "Jesus" other than Christ or Quintana (two-way tie).

One D-1 note: Coach Maker was Beilein's assistant for two years at West Virginia. If you watch Michigan play, you'll see a lot similarities with the sets Williams runs (of course, the Ephs don't have QUITE the same level of athlete

). This article quotes Maker on Beilein:

http://espn.go.com/colleges/michigan/basketball/story/_/id/7538500/michigan-wolverines-coach-john-beilein-specializes-building-programs

amh63 · April 07, 2013, 09:59:23 AM

Nice going posters!....reached page 980.

There is a nice new video clip of the D3 teams being introduced during a break in a game yesterday for those interested. Seems that Aaron T got some Northeast fans behind Amherst....took off his jacket and revealed an Orangeman/Syracruse shirt. I enjoyed seeing the players behaving like the young men they are and taking pics of the crowd and smiling away like "kids".
Caught a glimpse of the MHB players in bright Purple coveralls/sweats...smiled as a thought of this being a Williams vs. Amherst game ...entered my confused mind.
Good games last night....expect one today. Go Jeff's!

video can be found on the running blog on the Amherst site...not capable of linking it here.

frank uible · April 07, 2013, 10:19:28 AM

Adulation is common and easy but ordinarily not very instructive or constructive.

Bucket · April 07, 2013, 10:38:39 AM

Quote from: nescac1 on April 07, 2013, 08:26:52 AM
Good luck to the Lord Jeffs today, although I suspect they won't need it ...

I think Frank's standards are actually too LOW. Why celebrate ANY accomplishment unless we are unable to point out any single person in the world who is better. So, let's henceforth issue a moratorium on applauding any (1) basketball player other than Lebron James, (2) any football player other than Adrian Peterson, (3) any scientist other than Stephen Hawking, and (4) any "Jesus" other than Christ or Quintana (two-way tie).

One D-1 note: Coach Maker was Beilein's assistant for two years at West Virginia. If you watch Michigan play, you'll see a lot similarities with the sets Williams runs (of course, the Ephs don't have QUITE the same level of athlete ). This article quotes Maker on Beilein:

http://espn.go.com/colleges/michigan/basketball/story/_/id/7538500/michigan-wolverines-coach-john-beilein-specializes-building-programs

And Mike was in Atlanta last night cheering on the Blue!

Old Guy · April 07, 2013, 10:53:44 AM

I'm in Atlanta for the Final Four with Young Guy and his best friend, a basketball teammate, and his dad. It's a high school graduation present. Saw a couple of good games last night with 75,000 of my closest friends. It's a wild scene.

The TV timeouts are maddening. They are at least two minutes long and there's four in each half. Huge momentum-killers. Halftime is 20 minutes, not ten. First game started at 6:00, second game ended at midnight.

I told my son I would not be going to the D3 Final. I did not want to watch Amherst cut down the nets. Now, on this board, that labels me as a petty person, not a real NESCAC fan (but not "vitriolic," I hope) and will disappoint amh63, but Walzy will understand. I should root for the NESCAC team in the finals, regardless. Middlebury's three losses to the Jeffs last year and this year have been bitter pills: a last-second Barrise three, a last-second Kaasila put-back, a last-second Toomey three (in the 3rd OT game). Those, my friends, are three tough losses.

I have no trouble admiring the Amherst team. I think they may be the best NESCAC team I have seen, certainly comparable to the Olson/Walters/Hopkins teams of years back and the Williams nat'l championship team. Such balance. Wish we had knocked them off in that 3OT thrilla; it would have been a real feather in our cap. I have no problem giving Toomey his due, and Workman too. Williamson is terrific, and Kaasila is a beast. Kalema (as I have mentioned before) killed us. I expect them to be National Champs, will be surprised if it doesn't happen.

So I am off to the game before long, and will try to watch it objectively, as a basketball fan. Of course, I'm going. But if Amherst has a decisive lead in the final seconds, I might have to leave before the celebrations. We'll see.

Ralph Turner · April 07, 2013, 02:32:19 PM

Congratulations, Amherst!

Titan Q · April 07, 2013, 02:32:36 PM

Congratulations to the Lord Jeffs! A much deserved national championship...great team.

gordonmann · April 07, 2013, 02:34:50 PM

Congrats to Amherst. They scored the first 10 points and led by at least two possessions the rest of the way. Every time Mary Hardin-Baylor pulled within eight, Workman or Williamson scored in bunches.

middhoops · April 07, 2013, 02:38:47 PM

Huge congrats to Amherst. They plowed their way through the tournament with relatively little resistance. This has been a great season with an ending we can all be proud of.

magicman · April 07, 2013, 03:17:42 PM

Amherst showed that it was the best team in D3 this year. Congrats to the Lord Jeffs. Looked like there was a fairly large crowd on hand to watch the game.

P'bearfan · April 07, 2013, 04:26:36 PM

Congrats to Amherst. This was the first time I saw them play and I was impressed with their size, balance and shooting.