MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

Final CCIW pick'em contest results are posted in that room. Congratulations to our 2007-08 winner, Mr. Ypsi!

[devildog29]

Final CCIW pick'em contest results are posted in that room. Congratulations to our 2007-08 winner, Mr. Ypsi!

As someone who doesn't participate in the pick 'ems, I feel I'm undoubtedly entitled (maybe by birthright?) to comment on this.  How does someone who hasn't even attended a CCIW game since the Kennedy administration win the pick 'ems?  That must be one heckuva regression model you're using Chuck.

[nescac1]

Just curious, is Raymond a junior or senior?  It says Junior on the all america list but I recall seeing him referred to as a senior as well?  If he is returning, I imagine he is overwhelming pre-season favorite for national player of the year.  If not, I imagine it's pretty wide open. 

[Mr. Ypsi]

Final CCIW pick'em contest results are posted in that room. Congratulations to our 2007-08 winner, Mr. Ypsi!

As someone who doesn't participate in the pick 'ems, I feel I'm undoubtedly entitled (maybe by birthright?) to comment on this.  How does someone who hasn't even attended a CCIW game since the Kennedy administration win the pick 'ems?  That must be one heckuva regression model you're using Chuck.

Now, now, let's not exaggerate!  I was a high school sophomore, sitting in biology class, when news of JFK's shooting was announced.  (This was overwhelmingly Nixon/Goldwater territory, but a whole lot of tears that day.)  I saw all the home games, and many away games, from 1966-70.  And don't forget I saw IWU beat Chicago in Dec. 2005!

Actually, I don't rely much on stats (regression or otherwise ) - collectively, you guys give me just about all the info I need (filtering out biases, weighting by quality of observation, etc.).  Plus, of course, I do better when the Titans are not stinkin' up the league!

[Mr. Ypsi]

Just curious, is Raymond a junior or senior?  It says Junior on the all america list but I recall seeing him referred to as a senior as well?  If he is returning, I imagine he is overwhelming pre-season favorite for national player of the year.  If not, I imagine it's pretty wide open. 

For personal reasons he skipped his sophomore season, so he is a junior by eligibility.  However, word is that he will graduate this spring, and already has a job lined up in his field.  It seems highly doubtful that he will be back.

[nescac1]

Ah, thanks, that clears it up.  Were I a low div I coach, I might consider offering him a scholarship for a year and a chance at free grad school (worked out for NCState when they got Middlebury's kicker for a year) ... but I guess too late for that ...

[petemcb]

By chance, I found myself sitting beside Kent Raymond's mom at a Wheaton game during his freshman season.  When I asked, she informed me that he had turned down Butler and Harvard.  I wonder if he would have made the difference against Tennessee this past weekend..........

[Mr. Ypsi]

Ah, thanks, that clears it up.  Were I a low div I coach, I might consider offering him a scholarship for a year and a chance at free grad school (worked out for NCState when they got Middlebury's kicker for a year) ... but I guess too late for that ...

I'm pretty confident that Kent would be a star in Europe and have at least an outside chance at "The Show".  But apparently he'd rather get on with his 'life'.  Confounded STUDENT athletes!

I suppose in NESCAC you've heard of such 'perversions' of priorities, too!

[devildog29]

Q, do you have any scoop on the McCullough kid from U High that has decided on IWU?  At 6'9" that should certainly help the size issue the Titans had this year, but his offensive numbers don't really leap off the page it seems.  Pantagraph article says he turned down 11 D1 scholarships?  What gives?

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/03/24/scholastic/doc47e86e6693f6f903819761.txt

[Titan Q]

Q, do you have any scoop on the McCullough kid from U High that has decided on IWU?  At 6'9" that should certainly help the size issue the Titans had this year, but his offensive numbers don't really leap of the page it seems.  Pantagraph article says he turned down 11 D1 scholarships?  What gives?

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/03/24/scholastic/doc47e86e6693f6f903819761.txt

I did not think this was going to hit the paper tonight, but it sounds like the Pantagraph got confirmation from Eric's father and ran with it.  So I now have it on my IWUhoops.com blog...

http://iwuhoops.blogspot.com/

There are several links within that blog entry.  This is big news for the Titans.

http://www.midstatehoops.com/players/profiles/2008/eric_mccullough.html

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/02/07/scholastic/doc47aaa04756c81307357942.txt

http://www.midstatehoops.com/articles/2008/mccullough.html

[Titan Q]

A video of McCullough from a game at the Shirk Center this year...

http://www.midstatehoops.com/videos/mccullough.html

And another created for his recruitment process and posted on YouTube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR1tF7Y8ltI&feature=related


Eric is not as polished as, say, Brent Ruch was at this stage - and he will be a very different player than Ruch - but he is just an enormous kid with a world of upside.  He's really still learning the game and how to play as a big man.  Having seen him play last year, it is amazing how much better he's gotten in the last 12 months.  There was a game in February where there were 15 coaches there to see him - IWU, Augie, Elmhurst, and a bunch of DI's.  His stocked soared from December 1 on.

It's his size and potential that led to all of those low D1 offers.  McCullough, who is that rare pure 5, has a chance to be a very good CCIW big man and he is the perfect fit with IWU's freshman class.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Bob,

I thought they were probably top 25 caliber, even with the graduation of Gant.

With the (hopefully) development of everyone else, do you think this puts them in top 10 territory?

I know you hate to speculate, but am I in the right ballpark?

And is McCullough potentially a Jack Sikma, or am I getting delusional again?

EDIT: Forget that last line - the kid doesn't need THAT pressure!

[Titan Q]

And is McCullough potentially a Jack Sikma, or am I getting delusional again?

Dude, Jack Sikma had offers from Illinois, Purdue, and Kansas.  McCullough from IUPUI, Niagra, Holy Cross, etc.  Yes, you are delusional!

As far as where it puts them, I'd just say it's a big piece to the rebuilding process that is in place. 

[Mr. Ypsi]

And is McCullough potentially a Jack Sikma, or am I getting delusional again?

Dude, Jack Sikma had offers from Illinois, Purdue, and Kansas.  McCullough from IUPUI, Niagra, Holy Cross, etc.  Yes, you are delusional!

As far as where it puts them, I'd just say it's a big piece to the rebuilding process that is in place. 

I'll beat NPU's western New Yorker to the punch: it's Viagra, but it's Niagara!

True, but Jack's offers came awfully late.  I'm not wanting to put pressure on the guy (from me: no pressure; from the Voice of the Titans: pressure ), but here's hoping he's a late blossomer!

[Gregory Sager]

Bob,

I thought they were probably top 25 caliber, even with the graduation of Gant.

With the (hopefully) development of everyone else, do you think this puts them in top 10 territory?

I know you hate to speculate, but am I in the right ballpark?

And is McCullough potentially a Jack Sikma, or am I getting delusional again?

EDIT: Forget that last line - the kid doesn't need THAT pressure!

Holy cow, Chuck. As the kids say these days, put down that crack pipe!