another loss for bulls

[Bullpride08]

This may be a stupid question, but does anyone know what McHugh mattis' plans are after this season?  Is he going to try and work out for an NBA/NBAD team or have any consideration for a late draft round?  I think, similar to Sol jones, he is a raw athletic talent who is a little thin and unpolishished offensively, but with nba trainers and coaches, maybe he has a chance or someone will take a shot, anyone know?  NBA comparison can be a Hakim Warrick/Trevor Ariza type player.  

Your nuts Herman, and severely deter your credibility by comparing Mattis to any of those players.  Hakim is 6-11 with a great wing span, same with Sojo.  Mattis is around 6-5 170lbs, and gets called for traveling more than actually dribble penetrating.

Mattis is so far off the NBA it isn't even funny, the kid would have had a shot if he had 5+ more inches and could have played exclusively inside ala SoJo, and for get the NBAD- no way.   Mattis is a good enough athlete to make a healthy living overseas playing hoops where they let guys freelance on the court and teams will enjoy his high flying dunks, and amazing blocks.  The NBA and Mattis- not a chance!

[tampajo]

This may be a stupid question, but does anyone know what McHugh mattis' plans are after this season?  Is he going to try and work out for an NBA/NBAD team or have any consideration for a late draft round?  I think, similar to Sol jones, he is a raw athletic talent who is a little thin and unpolishished offensively, but with nba trainers and coaches, maybe he has a chance or someone will take a shot, anyone know?  NBA comparison can be a Hakim Warrick/Trevor Ariza type player.  

Your nuts Herman, and severely deter your credibility by comparing Mattis to any of those players.  Hakim is 6-11 with a great wing span, same with Sojo.  Mattis is around 6-5 170lbs, and gets called for traveling more than actually dribble penetrating.

Mattis is so far off the NBA it isn't even funny, the kid would have had a shot if he had 5+ more inches and could have played exclusively inside ala SoJo, and for get the NBAD- no way.   Mattis is a good enough athlete to make a healthy living overseas playing hoops where they let guys freelance on the court and teams will enjoy his high flying dunks, and amazing blocks.  The NBA and Mattis- not a chance!

Au contraire, boys, earlier in the year, i was maligned for offering up the fact that our basketball team did not have enough "well-rounded athletes" i.e. pro prospects, and all YOU pundits and soothsayers ASSURED me that McHugh - who's had a great year, was a NBA prospect, would be better than Sojo, etc.  You can look that one up, boys and girls.

Proof's in the pudding, some of us saw it when it was just a bunch of ingredients spread all over the kitchen counter, others, still can't see it when it's baked, burned, and about to be thrown out.....

[Bullpride08]

Yes, they are talentend, but they aren't BIg East talent. Buckley, as a senior wouldn't see the court on most BE teams. Howard is coming off knee surgery and is a freshman technically, so he does have time to grow.

Only KG and maybe Mattis would be starters on most BE teams. Just a reality of the situation, I think people make more of the talent here than it really is.

Joe that's not true, Buckley was starting as a soph at Purdue, and KG is clearly dominating.  The problem is very simple, a lack of depth and outside shooters...PERIOD!

Coach Mac runs and inside-out, half-court control motion offense, ala Lon Kruger.  It works extremely well when you've got a dominant interior player, ala KG, and a strong perimeter game.  However, once KG goes to the bench that completely eliminates one complete facet of Mac's offense, the interior bigman that can score or pass...then once Curry got hurt before the season, and Howard's knee still doesn't give him the pop, and Bozeman is still working on speeding up his slow release, Zeus is trying to get comfortable in the offense and work on his confidence...to summarize for now we lack enough good perimeter weapons like we need in a Mac style offense.  

If this team had Aris Williams, and Curry it would have helped tremedously--unless you think that having Richardson is a legit back-up center.  The only guys to me that are not Big East caliber talent are Richardson, and Mattis- people go, whaaa, Mattis...that's right Mattis he's got some great facets to his game, but he's a liability in many areas, he's short, awful FT shooter, and can't shoot outside of 7 feet from the rim, and thus really small to be playing PF, can't dribble really to save his life, is very skinny, and has marginal hands inside.   He's really a smallish one dimensional player, like a slightly taller version of Marlyn Bryant, and plays PF by necessity and because he'd only be a BIGGER liability at SF/swing.  

The rest of the players are capable of playing and starting in the BE they're just either injured, coming off injury, or just new guys or freshmen.  Cann's return is extremely promising, he showed a very nice shot, good FT's, and good range, also in the Depaul game he showed nice hands grabbing two tall passes away from Depaul defenders- better hands than Mattis has.  If he can fully recover by next year he could prove to be somewhat of the player I saw as a junior in HS, who at the time was top 25 in the nation.

Get some experience and good solid college coaching behind Bozeman, Cann, Curry, Nique Jones, Holmes, and Howard and they will all be very good BE players.

[Joe]

I understand that they are freshman but so are the starting lineups for many of the BE teams this year. Our three best players are three upper classmen, whereas schools like Seton Hall, Louisville, Marquette, etc are legitmately relying on young guys to be their scorers, defenders, rebounders, etc.

I don't believe the talent level of the current players is enough to consistently compete in the BE. They will be good players, but nothing that will have us in the middle of the BE. Just my opinion (and this isn't a slam on the coaching staff, it's just going to take time (and more money) to accumulate that type of talent).

[Velcro]

Yes, they are talentend, but they aren't BIg East talent. Buckley, as a senior wouldn't see the court on most BE teams. Howard is coming off knee surgery and is a freshman technically, so he does have time to grow.

Only KG and maybe Mattis would be starters on most BE teams. Just a reality of the situation, I think people make more of the talent here than it really is.

I completely disagree.

Howard, Bozeman, Saaka are all freshmen!  Jesus is a sophmore!

And they are all getting significant minutes.

Mattis, Buck & KG are all upper classmen.

Give those 3 experience and they will be excellent BE caliber players.  You will see.  That I am certain.  I am not certain who the coach will be, but I know those guys, along with Dante/Holmes are all going to tremendous players for us, and they will get us back on track regardless of who the coach is.

[Velcro]

I guess I should have read further and see that someone already pointed that out  

[Bullpride08]

This may be a stupid question, but does anyone know what McHugh mattis' plans are after this season?  Is he going to try and work out for an NBA/NBAD team or have any consideration for a late draft round?  I think, similar to Sol jones, he is a raw athletic talent who is a little thin and unpolishished offensively, but with nba trainers and coaches, maybe he has a chance or someone will take a shot, anyone know?  NBA comparison can be a Hakim Warrick/Trevor Ariza type player.  

Your nuts Herman, and severely deter your credibility by comparing Mattis to any of those players.  Hakim is 6-11 with a great wing span, same with Sojo.  Mattis is around 6-5 170lbs, and gets called for traveling more than actually dribble penetrating.

Mattis is so far off the NBA it isn't even funny, the kid would have had a shot if he had 5+ more inches and could have played exclusively inside ala SoJo, and for get the NBAD- no way.   Mattis is a good enough athlete to make a healthy living overseas playing hoops where they let guys freelance on the court and teams will enjoy his high flying dunks, and amazing blocks.  The NBA and Mattis- not a chance!

Au contraire, boys, earlier in the year, i was maligned for offering up the fact that our basketball team did not have enough "well-rounded athletes" i.e. pro prospects, and all YOU pundits and soothsayers ASSURED me that McHugh - who's had a great year, was a NBA prospect, would be better than Sojo, etc.  You can look that one up, boys and girls.

Proof's in the pudding, some of us saw it when it was just a bunch of ingredients spread all over the kitchen counter, others, still can't see it when it's baked, burned, and about to be thrown out.....

Tampajo you were right, but the bigger problem is all the well-rounded athletes were either injured (Howard, Curry, Cann), sitting out (Verdejo, and Holmes), or hadn't made it to USF yet- Nique Jones.  Anyone that says Mattis is an NBA'er needs their head examined...the guy is so limited it isn't even funny, no jump shot, no range, no hands....he's a specialty guy that's good at d, and a good blocker, problem is he's 6-5 170lbs and the NBA only takes specialty guys like that when they're 6-11 225lbs ala SoJo.

There are a lot of versatility returning next year but most need to either get healthy, get eligible, or needed experience and more coaching (Bozeman- he has a slow release but I saw last night he's condensed his shot so it seems he's taking well to the coaching, you can tell he's a college coach's son, he'll be good just needs a little work).   Next year in Holmes, Cann, Bozeman, Verdejo, Curry, and Nique Jones you've got guys that are complete perimeter players with very good outside shooting strokes- think that to start the season only one of those guys was available and he was a true-true freshman, our only outside stroke was Buckley, and everyone knew that.

[Joe]

If this team had Aris Williams, and Curry it would have helped tremedously--unless you think that having Richardson is a legit back-up center.  The only guys to me that are not Big East caliber talent are Richardson, and Mattis- people go, whaaa, Mattis...that's right Mattis he's got some great facets to his game, but he's a liability in many areas, he's short, awful FT shooter, and can't shoot outside of 7 feet from the rim, and thus really small to be playing PF, can't dribble really to save his life, is very skinny, and has marginal hands inside.   He's really a smallish one dimensional player, like a slightly taller version of Marlyn Bryant, and plays PF by necessity and because he'd only be a BIGGER liability at SF/swing.  

The rest of the players are capable of playing and starting in the BE they're just either injured, coming off injury, or just new guys or freshmen.  Cann's return is extremely promising, he showed a very nice shot, good FT's, and good range, also in the Depaul game he showed nice hands grabbing two tall passes away from Depaul defenders- better hands than Mattis has.  If he can fully recover by next year he could prove to be somewhat of the player I saw as a junior in HS, who at the time was top 25 in the nation.

Get some experience and good solid college coaching behind Bozeman, Cann, Curry, Nique Jones, Holmes, and Howard and they will all be very good solid BE players.

Bien,

I usually I agree with your assessment of players but this I can't.

I've heard it since last year.

1st: If we had Howard, Cann this team might be in MSG (last year)

2nd: When we get the reinforcements this team will be MSG caliber (KG, Varejo)

3rd: Wait til Howard gets back for a true PG, he should help right away and we should steal some wins and possibly make it to MSG

These guys are very solid players, but the BE is unrelenting, it's like the SEC in football. You just can't put together a team of solid guys and expect to win.

I do like the fact that we will have more 4 year players next year with expirience to help fill roles and solidfy the unity aspect. I just don't believe in my heart that this team has the talent to compete in the BE.

[Bullpride08]

I understand that they are freshman but so are the starting lineups for many of the BE teams this year. Our three best players are three upper classmen, whereas schools like Seton Hall, Louisville, Marquette, etc are legitmately relying on young guys to be their scorers, defenders, rebounders, etc.

I don't believe the talent level of the current players is enough to consistently compete in the BE. They will be good players, but nothing that will have us in the middle of the BE. Just my opinion (and this isn't a slam on the coaching staff, it's just going to take time (and more money) to accumulate that type of talent).

JOe, this is a poor argument...our leading player is a JC transfer that didn't even start until  late December, the second is Buckley, a rare senior...but would you like to compare...

Louisville- ever heard of sa kid named Palacious, and Padgett- both four year juniors.

Seton Hall- uhh, Nutter is a junior, they guy that went off on us.  Laing, Gaines, and Marshall were all juniors and seniors too....they had two freshman that are big contributors.

Quette- had a great guard class that came in two years ago.  But remember last year it was only James that starred it wasn't until this year as sophs and with a year under their belts that Matthews, and McNeal started dominating.

USF, has Bozeman playing as a true freshman, Howard as a RS-Freshman, Cann playing as a RS-Freshman...Amu Saaka playing as a true freshman, Aris Williams as a RS-Soph....Verdejo as a RS-soph...that's youth to me.  Bring in Holmes, Curry, and Nique Jones and you add more scorers.

[Joe]

Yes, they are talentend, but they aren't BIg East talent. Buckley, as a senior wouldn't see the court on most BE teams. Howard is coming off knee surgery and is a freshman technically, so he does have time to grow.

Only KG and maybe Mattis would be starters on most BE teams. Just a reality of the situation, I think people make more of the talent here than it really is.

I completely disagree.

Howard, Bozeman, Saaka are all freshmen!  Jesus is a sophmore!

And they are all getting significant minutes.

Mattis, Buck & KG are all upper classmen.

Give those 3 experience and they will be excellent BE caliber players.  You will see.  That I am certain.  I am not certain who the coach will be, but I know those guys, along with Dante/Holmes are all going to tremendous players for us, and they will get us back on track regardless of who the coach is.

I can see them being solid, but we were talking about how BE ready Mattis and Buckley were going to be 2 years ago. The BE is a league of great players. Solid players make it very hard to win the league with.