MBB: Midwest Conference

[The Roop]

"Grand Roopening" special instructions are now posted on the blog  
Crying towels have already sold-out to the Grinnell Fans
TV, or not TV........... Buccaneers still win as I see

[hjmphelp]

AM-
by its nature 'trash talk' should be limited to idiots who don't understand the game. Who better to fill that role than Mr 'The Roop' and jeffp, and what better time than before the first conference game when both teams are relatively unknown entities?
Make no mistake though, I think at this point in the season both these teams have an equal chance along with every other team in the conference to win the  conference and the conference tourney.

DHF-
all ya gotta do is line up the match and the real bet is on.

Mr. 'The Roop'-
Crying towels and pre-worn shirts to absorb the tears? You plan on wailing so much that every GC fan has to use the towels to clean up after you?
And you sure can use that pre worn shirt shoulder to cry on-it will just be in your lap.

MC fans- nice 'w' against Mac Murray. Remember everything they do when you play GC and you may be in for a shock.

[Early]

mwc4life - I'm not ready to predict any finishes at this point in the season, either.  My former experiences w/ RU tell me not to rule them out.  

I think I'll have a better opinion of the Scots in another week after they've played two conf. games sandwiched between two non-conf. games, one tonight and one next Wed.  The competition will be much better and we'll see how MC's newcomers handle the pressure of MWC games.

IF, IF, IF RU has a sub-par season, what would RU posters say is the reason?  It seems as if the team has a nice pg in McMullen, Johnson can score inside/outside and they have a true big man in Schmitting.  Are the role players not fulfilling their role as they have in the past?  Just curious...

fighingscots13,
You are obviously a smart bball guy.  Some very intelligent comments (and I'm definitely not trying to say all of my comments are intelligent, just stating a point)  If ripon has a sub-par season and doesn't make the conference tourny I would chalk it up to the same reason I think they have struggled thus far.....no seniors, so young, difficulty flowing in motion.  Gillespie's offense is dependent on teamwork and A LOT of communication.
And we will wait and see about Friday.  I won't be in attendance, but I am hoping for a good game.

[scottie]

JeffP - I think that a game vs. the (other) system was the last thing TG wanted right before a tough weekend homestand against Ripon and Beloit.  But at least it gives the new players "some" idea of what the Grinnies will bring. 

[mwc4life]

Schwanman~

32 three point attempts!!! Seems kind of high for a team with a 15 point lead at one point and a true big man (from what I'm hearing).  I know Monmouth normally shoots real well at home. From what i remember the new gym has an extremly forgiving Rim (near the entrance of the gym) and the basketballs seem, while they bounce OK, are very soft( making for better bounces). And 32 FT's, man they must have been attacking the Rim and just shooting 3's!!  Ripon could easily start 0-3 on the year, but still be OK with their first three being road games.  I know Ripon doesn't play particularly well on these back to back road trips, but if they could some how start 2-1 on the year, all on the road, they would set themselves up nicely to finish in the top 4.

Fighting Scots~

While i agree with Mr. Early (teacher) that Ripon's failure this year has some to do with lack of leadership or Seniors on the team, but there is still no excuse to lose two games in a row at home or to lose a game against Marian.  Ripon does have 4 juniors starting so its not like these guys have never played together, but Early is right in that they need to develop chemistry, trust etc.  especially in an offense as hard to run as motion.  And to put it in even simpler terms, the Ripon guys just need to play harder and smarter.  They have to want to be the best....i know one thing, if Ripon's team played like LU's they'd be just as good if not better...but that's a big if.

129 days until Briar and LU are no longer!!

[Snydz822121]

hey fightingscots13-

any word on the alumni game this year??  Any positions at the school me?

OFS-

you coming back for that?

[systemfan86]

All this talk of the Scots got me to look at their website. From the write up of the team, I read the following from the coach:

"Anthony's the best shooter in the league," said Glasgow. "People know that, but what they don't realize is that he has great instincts for the game, whether it's how to come off a screen or where to find an open spot on the floor."

Beaird is a fine player. Honorable mention All Conference last year. But best shooter? A bit of hyperbole from the coach perhaps? Anyone want to refute or support that claim? I don't see numbers that back that statement up. I'll even allow that he might be "one of the best", but let's qualify our statements please.

Let the debate begin...who IS the best shooter in the league?

[schwanman]

I think what the coach meant is that he's the best three-point shooter in the league (whether that's true or not, I don't know). At a school known for its shooters, Beaird broke the career three-point record his junior year. He's had several games, not just against Grinnell, where's he's made seven or eight threes. That's killer, and I think that's what the coach was getting at.

He's off to a slow start this year ... here's hoping he finds the range this weekend.

Those clean-shaven Scots
Have still been winning their games
Playing without Beaird

[systemfan86]

I think what the coach meant is that he's the best three-point shooter in the league (whether that's true or not, I don't know). At a school known for its shooters, Beaird broke the career three-point record his junior year. He's had several games, not just against Grinnell, where's he's made seven or eight threes. That's killer, and I think that's what the coach was getting at.

Fair enough. Like I said, he belongs in the conversation. I'm just trying to stir things up a little. I don't see enough games first hand to say yes or no.

From the numbers, Beaird might be the best returning 3pt shooter, but Schmidt of GC (who was only a freshman last year) had almost equal numbers last year in the 3pt categories. Add to that the possibility that Schmidt might not even be the best 3pt shooter for GC this year, and the debate gets pretty good.   

[mwc4life]

Well, with a lot of talented shooters graduating last year (Becker, Kelly, Hollenbeck etc.) there's always going to be an emergence of some great shooter.  I would have to say that its easily Bo Johnson coming off an 18 pts/gm and hitting a ton of three's last year.  Now i know you guys think im just saying that, but the guy has the resume to prove it:

9 3's - @ Knox last year
7 or 8 3's - Neutral vs. Hanover
7/12 3's - This year vs. Point @ Ripon


He's had other really good shooting days like when Ripon beat a then top ranked LU team at home and others that i don't intend on figuring out. But the point was that they were in games that mattered.  The guy can hit shots anywhere on the floor: midrange, posting up, off down screens, curls, spot-up, fades, and flares.  He can hit every type of shot.  He can be streaky so there is room for debate, but as far as when he's on, no one is close.

[Old Fighting Scot]

when everytime a kid has an open look the other coach/team says "damn" that is the sign of a good shooter, a la JJ Redick, reggie miller, all short white guys at the major college or NBA levels  .  Beiardo is probably the best pure shooter in the MWC.  if you leave him open, he'll kill you, and everyone in the MWC knows it.  

you guys have to remember that there is a big difference between shooters and scorers.  You can still be a great shooter when you are 50 and overweight, but great scoring generally stops at about the time you start caring about what you eat and how much you drink.......

[Old Fighting Scot]

9 3's - @ Knox last year
7 or 8 3's - Neutral vs. Hanover
7/12 3's - This year vs. Point @ Ripon
 The guy can hit shots anywhere on the floor: midrange, posting up, off down screens, curls, spot-up, fades, and flares.  He can hit every type of shot.  He can be streaky so there is room for debate, but as far as when he's on, no one is close.

this sounds like a great "SCORER!" not shooter.  Please understand that there is a difference......

[fightingscots13]

Beaird being the best shooter in the league can be debated all year.  But, he's been a 40% shooter from 3 the last two years, was 2nd in the league in attempts last year (and with GC in your league, that's putting up quite a few) and led the league in 3's made.  Sooo, that's one argument.

Plus, you won't find Beaird mixing it up in the paint too often.  After 3 years, I think most MWC coaches know he's going to be outside the arc.  Does that make him one-dimensional?  Maybe, but IF coaches think that, then I think that makes his shooting that much better, because players haven't been able to stop him from scoring yet.

Lastly, while he hasn't been the leader in %age in the league, that doesn't automatically mean he's not the best shooter.  An example that comes to mind that's been debated the last few years is with JJ Reddick.  His percentage isn't always the greatest because he's sometimes forced to take bad shots when the shotclock is running down.  But when he gets an opportunity within their offense, he's as deadly as they come.  Whether you like him or not, I think most people would take him on their team than be against him.  

Now, don't run with this and think I'm comparing Beaird with Reddick - just an example.

I'd be interested to know who everyone thinks is the best shooter in the league, or for that matter, the best scorer.  For the Scots, Beaird is our unquestioned best shooter.  I don't know if we have a pure scorer, but if we need a bucket at the end of the game and someone going one on one, I'd say we'd be turning to Hebeler.

[fightingscots13]

You guys beat me to it...Great minds think alike....

[fightingscots13]

Snydz...no word on the alumni game...I'm thinking this year we should just tailgate before the Knox game and fill ourselves full of beer and brats - all that sweating and running up and down just doesn't sound appealing anymore.