MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[ChicagoHopeNut]

So close to the first day of practice! I can taste it!

[NW Hope Fan]

I for one am absolutely SHOCKED!!!   

Pat Coleman doing something to piss someone off? Couldn't be...

I mean, look at the guy's Karma... That alone should tell you how much he is loved and admired... Right???

The SID could have put an actual byline on the story when he sent it as a press release. There's way more to the story, not surprisingly, that Historian hasn't mentioned. It'll get taken care of.

I think we were supposed to just guess what name to put on it. There was no byline on the release.

No need to defend yourself... I read the other page, and I could care less. My point was obviously about something else. 

[Pat Coleman]

Just making sure.

[ChicagoHopeNut]

Welcome to the first day of practice! Let the fun begin.

[Pat Coleman]

Excited here -- wish I could go see a practice tonight just to get in the spirit.

[bulldogalum]

and basketball is finally here.  Count me among those excited

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Caught the last 30 minutes of day 1 practice.

Ah...........  like water to a dying man in the desert is the sound of squeaking shoes on the floor.  Basketball is back

[hoopdreams]

scratch my itch.  What did you see?

[GoKnights68]

I know Calvin started at 6 AM this Monday morning.  That's what it's all about!

[Flying Dutch Fan]

scratch my itch.  What did you see?

30+ guys, playing hard, conditioning, suffering the pain, sucking wind, but loving it.  Lots of new faces, not sure I even know who is who, but some very impressive freshman.

[hoopdreams]

this crop of incoming frosh COULD leave a mark never before seen in the MIAA.  I know that there have been plenty of special teams/players, in the past, and that these frosh have accomplished nothing as of yet.  I have watched the MIAA for years and have seen the range of talent on various rosters. And there have been plenty of players who could have played at a "higher" level. But there has never been 4 players this good, in the same class before with the basketball talent, athletic ability, work ethic, etc... as carter, sharples, tanis, and bowser.  Not to mention 1 or 2 others (jeff keyser) that would make other varsity rosters this fall.

Is there a big transition to college ball? Do they have to mesh with the others and continue to improve?  will they make plenty of dumb freshman mistakes? yes, yes, and yes. 

Lofty expectations-sure.  i wouldn't spout off like this if I hadn't watched them play numerous times during there hs careers.  My hope is that other players that could play higher will see the wonderful opportunities going to an MIAA school has to offer and follow suit.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Lee Lamberts (who covers the Dutchmen for the Sentinel) has some interesting stuff in his blog today (despite the fact that he has several times identified Jesse Reimink as a center):

http://blogs.hollandsentinel.com/lee/

[ChicagoHopeNut]

this crop of incoming frosh COULD leave a mark never before seen in the MIAA.  I know that there have been plenty of special teams/players, in the past, and that these frosh have accomplished nothing as of yet.  I have watched the MIAA for years and have seen the range of talent on various rosters. And there have been plenty of players who could have played at a "higher" level. But there has never been 4 players this good, in the same class before with the basketball talent, athletic ability, work ethic, etc... as carter, sharples, tanis, and bowser.  Not to mention 1 or 2 others (jeff keyser) that would make other varsity rosters this fall.

Is there a big transition to college ball? Do they have to mesh with the others and continue to improve?  will they make plenty of dumb freshman mistakes? yes, yes, and yes. 

Lofty expectations-sure.  i wouldn't spout off like this if I hadn't watched them play numerous times during there hs careers.  My hope is that other players that could play higher will see the wonderful opportunities going to an MIAA school has to offer and follow suit.

I will begin with the disclaimer that I have never seen any of Hope's incoming freshmen play before, nevertheless, in recent memory I can think of a freshmen class that contributed significantly as freshmen before being distracted by other issues.

The Class of 2005 had Greg Immink starting and he was a D3hoops All-Freshmen team member if I recall correctly. Over the course of the year Kyle Kleersnyder, Travis Spaman, and Daane Griffith all contributed minutes (at 8.9 minutes per game Kyle had the fewest in the group). From what I recall hearing about some of the incoming freshmen expecting them to match that production seems a bit hopeful, especially considering some of the players that are returning and have a head start.

[realist]

  With the coming of Oct. 15th the "pre-season" picks are coming out.  Not sure I agree with Calvin at 13 like D3 News has them.  I would have thought after last year when Calvin's early hype didn't hold up the pollsters would have been a bit more cautious. 

[hoopdreams]

There is no comparsion between the 2005 class and this class, based on what they did in HS.  How much playing time they get as frosh will surprise many, because of they blowout games they COULD be involved in, and they are more prepared to play as frosh with all of the  big AAU games they have played in the summers past.  Playing with/and against kids that are at MSU, UofM, Syracuse, CMU, ASU, Auburn , Tenn, etc.... will have them battle ready.  will there be a learning curve? definitely.  Mistakes-yep. Will they be MVP's as frosh- of course not. When they graduate there will be no comparison.  SBell, can you lend some observations or comparison/contrasts between two two frosh classes in question?