MBB: Northwest Conference

[(509)Rat]

Whitworth's Season preview is up...Ready to Rise Again - Whitworth Shoots for Third Straight Title


The paragraph about Nakamura explains exactly why nobody missed B Williams (by the way Logshow, were you talking about Williams or Willemsen???).  Ross led the nation in assist-turnover ratio and shot a "respectable" .429 from beyond the arc...nobody from UPS last year who attempted over 50 3-pointers can match Nakamura's percentage (out of 105 attempts).

Riley one up's Nakamura in 3-point shooting by hitting .431 on 150 attempts...and again, people in the program seem to think Sellereit is a better shooter if he sees consistent minutes (scary).  Jurich played very well last season and defended Foster well on two occasions even though he is the smallest of the post players.  He is however a much more polished technician than either of the other post players and will most likely see start early in the season and see significant playing time all year.

[bbaddict]

UPSoundLogs,

I can agree with you from what I remember that Foster/Williams/Krauel is more talented than the McVey/Curtiss/Walker group, but that McVey/Curtiss/Walker trio had something going for them that Foster/Williams/Krauel haven't had since their freshman year - Bridgeland.

The last several posts have reconfirmed one thing - UPS and Whitworth are good and a lock to own 2 of the 4 playoffs spots......  Who gets the 3rd and 4th?  Pineconefan I'm with you that my Boxers will get one......

Wow--where are you living, Fantasy Land?  FB season isn't even over, there hasn't been a single BB game and yet, you all know who is going to be in the top 3 or 4 spots!  Amazing!  Have you been in the NWC long?  If you have, you'll know that on any given night, even a crappy team can take out a top team like Whitworth or whoever!

Don't underestimate Coach James & his Bearcats!   So, when you're making plans --- make plans to travel to Salem, OR in there somewhere!

[logshock101]

i worked at ups for a long time and was around athletics for over a decade there.  bridgeland was the best i ever saw.  now doubt he was intense, but what i gathered the players that played for him would have killed for him if he needed them to. if i recall, coach lunt was bridgelands 2nd or 3rd assitant adn joined the team after he had already won 1 conference crown and contributed to the last 2. i am sure coach lunt is improving yearly, but i dont see a reason to bash bridgeland or make up stories.  as a communicator or whatevr--all i know is that athlteics was dead before he arrived at ups and now they win

mtnman

im not sure what you did for your job at UPS or how well you know bridgeland if at all, but one of his biggest things that he always talked about was brutal reality. if you think im making up stories and bashing him, you might was to think again, im just telling it like it is, something that he always preached. example for you: during his time here at UPS, womens coach suzy barcomb wanted nothing to do with any of the mens players. getting a hi in response is about all you could get from her. now a days suzy seems to be quite a bit more friendly to players on the mens team, because there isnt the same tension in the athletic office that there used to be. anyways my point is that not only were things tense between coach and player, but even in the office as well. some players, though they are few and far between, might have "killed for him if he needed them to". in his time he burned a lot of bridges here. anyways my point here is not criticize bridgeland and say that he is a bad coach, because he is not, hes a good coach who has a great knowledge of the game. i know if he was just an intense coach and a decent guy, his players might have hated him while they were playing for him and then had undying loyalty for him once they saw how much he genuinly cared for them after they finished their careers (a la  Bobby Knight), but that wasn't the case. His personality off the court could be very bipolar and at times seem as if he might just flip out. Few players that i know still remain in contact with him, this includes the ones finished out their eligibility.

But enough of that...

Rat do you think that WWs shooters might struggle a bit this season for 2 reasons:
1) the deeper 3 point line
and more importantly
2) the loss of symes. he was money anywhere inside 15 ft which means teams would have to double down to get the ball out of his hands and that would leave your perimeter players with open looks at the hoop? or do u have a replacement for symes that will warrant such attention from 15 ft in?

[NWCer]

bbadict,

"Wow--where are you living, Fantasy Land?"

I actually live in east Portland, thanks.

"FB season isn't even over, there hasn't been a single BB game and yet..."

Who cares, this is a basketball board.

"you all know who is going to be in the top 3 or 4 spots!  Amazing!"

Actually we don't, that's why they're called predictions, and that's why this is a board....  Yet with that said, with the league now taking 4 teams, I will stick to my prediction and say that Whitworth and UPS are locks to go to the tourney (baring multiple serious injuries), simply means that neither will finish in 5th place or lower.....

"Have you been in the NWC long?"

Roughly 7 or 8 years, not long..........

"If you have, you'll know that on any given night, even a crappy team can take out a top team like Whitworth or whoever!"

You're absolutely right, just like I mentioned in a previous post - UPS over the last two years lost to Whitman and George Fox at home......  Nobody said a crappy team couldn't take out a top team, matter of fact I think there will be pretty good balance again, as I posted earlier.....  Nevertheless if some of the top teams slip up on a night or two, I still don't see Whitworth or UPS finishing 5th place or lower, hence missing the playoffs.  Do you?

"Don't underestimate Coach James & his Bearcats!   So, when you're making plans --- make plans to travel to Salem, OR in there somewhere!"

Never have and I won't, I think Coach James is one of the best in the conference.  I will make plans to go to Salem.....  Will meet you for a cold adult beverage before a game if you calm down a bit  ....  I know your football team is on fire, so I can understand your excitement!

Welcome back to the board......

Logshock,

Thanks for the insight, that's awesome info......

Not to answer the question you threw to Rat but I had the same questions cross my mind too....  Go look at the free-throw attempts by not only Symes but Willemson last year, that means they were in the heart of the defense making a ton happen for themselves and opening up shots for everyone, the big question is can anyone of their new guys pick up those roles......

[mtnman]

logshock,

i am a ups fan, always have been and have been since bridgland was at ups.  i became good friends with him and even went to his wedding.  there were are at least 20-25 current adn ex players at that wedding. so i am not sure where you are getting your information frm. i doubt it that players former and current would make that trip, the wedding was in california, if they didn't love him.i worked in teh athletic building for over half of my time there and can tell you that if the playrs were that unhappy playing for bridgland, they woudlnt have won or kept getting awesome talent year after year. by the way, looks like we're heading straight to the bottom of the nwc if coach lunt doesnt start recruiting soon...
as far as your comments about his communication skills or being 'personible', i don;t think you can be a good coach without good communication skills, or recruiting skills.  to  me it seems like those go hand in hand.  as for the womens coach, suzy, i am sure she likes it a lot better with bridgland gone because she was always in bridglands shadow-she doens't have to worry bout being 2nd fiddle anymore.  in my time there the women ran that place.

will leave you with this: it seems like you are a disgruntled player or something that never seemed to cut it with bridgland and like being friends more than winning.  doesnt ups offer intramurals? or you could just have the players coach the team so that no one ever yells at them or pushes them?   it appears you werent part of 3 straigt nwc championshps -get over it and live in the present.

peace

[NWCer]

Sorry Logshock,

The last part of my last post was a thanks to you for the insight.

[NWCer]

Also Logshock,

"im not sure what you did for your job at UPS or how well you know bridgeland if at all, but one of his biggest things that he always talked about was brutal reality."

That's funny to hear, because I don't think picking Whitman 1st was brutally reality 

[NWCer]

Great stuff mtman and logshock.....

If I was in the school yard I'd be yelling "Fight, fight!!!"  lol 

Wow, I'm getting excited for the season.....

[bbaddict]

I really hate to agree with NWCer, but I will.  I think Eric Bridgeland is to be feared whatever team he coaches.   As for whether or not he's a friendly guy -- who cares?  He's a coach.  And a successful one in this conference.   I don't think it will take him 3-4 years to get his team going, either, as he already knows the conference and the coaching style of his opponents.   

His choice of Whitman?  Maybe he likes the fresh air in Walla Walla -- and it's a tough economy, maybe not much else is available.  UPS wasn't a super star basketball program when he went there -- maybe he likes a huge challenge.  (Although I think Whitman has been a better team over the years than their W/L suggests.  Maybe a new coach . . .)

I am so looking forward to DIII basketball!

[NWCer]

I don't hate agreeing with you bbadict!

As far as Bridgeland picking Whitman 1st, I was referring to the first place vote Whitman got in the preseason coaching poll (which he undoubtedly punched)....  Don't think that was brutally realistic....

[Pat Coleman]

As a side note, my karma is back to 0!!!  I feel like a new man!!!  I have made quite the comeback since being down to an all time low of -33.  I guess staying out of arguments with the "Hall of Famers" has probably helped me out some 8).  Thanks to anyone who has helped my journey back to zero.

I gave you a karmic reset because I felt you'd put that stuff behind you.

[UPSoundLogs]

"I gave you a karmic reset because I felt you'd put that stuff behind you."
-PC

Holy cow!  I've even gotten back into Pat's good graces!   "I'M THE KING OF THE WORLD!!!(Leo, Titanic, front of the boat scene)"

Lucky Day, Thanks Pat!

[UPSoundLogs]

mtman and logshock,

I'm enjoying the bridgeland debate!  Both of you have great inside info, but obviously on very opposite ends of the opinion spectrum.

Without going into too much detail ill put my two sense in on the matter.  Long story short I think I'm right in the middle of your points of view, but leaning towards Logshock(fyi, I am by no means a disgruntled player )  Bridgeland was a win at all costs coach to the EXTREME, he didnt care who he offended or if his players liked him.  He just had to win, it was like a crazed obsession.  He certainly won alot but he also left many MANY pissed of people and players in his wake.  I kind of look at it as a "take it for what it is" situation.  We had lots of great experiences, very succesful teams, and an extrememly tight nit group of players because bridgeland was the way he was.  Some people would say it wasnt worth it, i personally wouldn't trade it.

[UPSoundLogs]

NWCer,

You crack me up, you are always so polite and complimentary until someone (aka bbaddict) rubs you the wrong way then you let them have it...followed by something like, "I will meet you for a cold adult beverage before a game if you calm down a bit  ....  I know your football team is on fire, so I can understand your excitement!" It's hilarious.  Along with Oxybob from the SCIAC and Oldschool from the WIAC board your posts are my favorite.  Keep up the good stuff, I'm trying to get to 200 posts simply so i can throw some karma your way .

[bbaddict]

I don't hate agreeing with you bbadict!

As far as Bridgeland picking Whitman 1st, I was referring to the first place vote Whitman got in the preseason coaching poll (which he undoubtedly punched)....  Don't think that was brutally realistic....

Of course you don't hate agreeing with me, NWCer -- you never do!  Maybe the first place vote for Whitman was Bridgeland being optimistic or maybe it was some other coach trying to shake things up -- who know? 

The preseason poll is interesting, but I'm more interested in what plays out on the court.

On another note:  Are you OLD enough for adult beverages?  I wouldn't want to get arrested.