A Look Back at Some Predictions

[URWilk110]

I just pulled off a few of the posts from some eternal optimists on the board. Have your predictions changed yet?

I am really intrigued by our front court of Grant and Solly. Hard to lose TJ, but if Grant can be 75% of the player Ulla thinks, and Solly is 90% of what I am hoping for him - I think this is a very good team. With much improved interior play. Just need the new transfer, and/or Paul, and one of the new bigs to be ready to play 10 minutes a game and contribute when needed.

I hope you Debbie Downers are absolutely wrong about a few of our recruits. Give them a chance before writing them off.

I'm looking at the upcoming season with cautious and measured optimism. I think we should make the NIT at worst and that there is a 50% chance we will perform well enough to be invited to the dance. I feel much better about the team's potential for success this year than I did at this time last year despite the loss of Shandre, Marshall, and TJ.
My prediction is based on my gut feeling that the maturity of Grant, Buck, Nick, the return and continued maturity of Kwan and JJ, and the addition of Solly, JG, and, perhaps, another freshman will provide us with as solid a defense as we had last year and a more diverse scoring potential. Though I hope that I am wrong, I am not counting on any meaningful contribution by anyone else.

I'll need to remember my predictions for the team when things don't go as planned. I was able to do that last year when before the season started I predicted the exact number of wins and losses and was able to recall my prediction when disappointed so as to avoid emotional reactions which would have appeared to unfairly berate the team or the coach.

That is not to say that I will withhold all criticism that I feel may be warranted once I am past the emotion of the inevitable disappointments along the way.

Drove down for the Howard game yesterday, great win. Upon arrival went by the Robins Center (as I always do) and was able to take in the Spider basketball team playing a pick up game. FWIW, a few observations:

1. Grant Golden is a BEAST. We all read that he is now 6'10" and 260 pounds; looks like all muscle. I am here to tell that you that he carries it well. Grant made a couple of threes during the competition and was a beast in the post.

2. Buck is still Buck. He seems to lead and wants to do so. He pretty much set the teams for the scrimmage. He and Khwan both looked good and athletic, but we already knew that. Should also point out that Nick made a few threes, not unexpected. My Duke colleague once told me that when "pure shooters" shoot, the ball swishes without touching the rim. That said, Nick is clearly a "pure shooter".

3. The biggest surprise to me was Jordan Madrid-Andrews, our graduate transfer. Several times he made clever moves in the post to score, then made shots from the perimeter. He made good passes, grabbed rebounds and did a reasonable job guarding Grant. Chatted with him briefly; really a well-spoken young man. Jordan is way better than Kwesi, just no comparison; he will be greatly appreciated this season.

4. Phoenix Ford appears to be quite the athlete; big, strong, very athletic. He had a nice steal and break away dunk. He has a good handle. He may well contribute this year.

5. Solly Stansbury appears to be the real deal. He has a good handle and can shoot. One thing that impressed was a post move he made where he just outfoxed the defender. I had heard from our coaches that he was the real deal and I saw nothing yesterday to indicate otherwise.

6. Several of our guys were either not present or did not participate in the game while I was there. I will say that our walk-ons played hard and Kulju, while needing to bulk up, could contribute at some point in his career.

I aggressively believing that we will win at least 10 OOC games.

I am thinking 8-4. I am bullish on this team as well, BUT
1) When will Fore return and will he be full speed?
2) Seems there is always 1-2 unexpected/bad losses.
3) We play some pretty good teams.
4) Murphy's Law

I see us 9-3, but unlike the poll suggests, I think that could position us very well for a tourney berth. Of course it depends who the 9 are and who the 3 are, but we don't need to go 10-2 or 11-1 to have a shot at the tourney.

I get excited for every new season, but I'm more excited today than I have been in a number of years for the season to start. I think it's going to be a fun ride.

UR 78, Delaware 62. Let's go.

 

[Eight Legger]

You haven't been reading this board very long if you think I'm an eternal optimist!

However, in my defense, I was only one point off the total for the Delaware game, and I only missed the winning team's score by 2 points and the losing team's score by 1. I think I deserve partial credit for that.

 

[I-M-UR]

I just pulled off a few of the posts from some eternal optimists on the board. Have your predictions changed yet?

Thanks for reminding some of the eternal optimist of their predictions. I was predicting we'd be better by Feb, I stand by that but better has a whole new meaning. It would be virtually impossible to be worse.

 

[URWilk110]

Sorry to group you in with Ulla and GCarter but you were very bullish on the season. Congrats on nailing the o/u.

 

[spider23]

I was right about Murphys law so far, you have to give me that. At least on the court not much is going right.

 

[spider23]

To stick up for Ulla, I bet our guys did look good on offense when they were scrimmage ng vs our defense

 

[Ulla1]

I just pulled off a few of the posts from some eternal optimists on the board. Have your predictions changed yet?

Thanks, wilk. Proud of my optimism. Fortunately I am a happy person and need little more. Go Spiders!

 

[Eight Legger]

Hey, none of our predictions are wrong yet!

 

[URWilk110]

I am a happy person too. It makes me even happier when the Spiders win. Getting blown out by two mediocre teams makes me less happy. Seeing the same thing year after year from Mooney starts to make me depressed. And sugarcoating the state of our program doesn't help anything.

 

[Ulla1]

I am a happy person too. It makes me even happier when the Spiders win. Getting blown out by two mediocre teams makes me less happy. Seeing the same thing year after year from Mooney starts to make me depressed. And sugarcoating the state of our program doesn't help anything.

The same could be said for derogatory posts.

 

[VT_Spider]

Looks like my predictions about this season will be right.

 

[LongTimeSpiderFan]

Thanks, wilk. Proud of my optimism. Fortunately I am a happy person and need little more. Go Spiders!

Is it possible to be a happy and realistic person?

 

[URWilk110]

How is my post derogatory? I asked if anyone wanted to change their predictions.

 

[97spiderfan]

My 7-5 prediction suddenly seems overly optimistic. I know we are going to be better when Khwan gets back, but we were not even competitive against 2 teams that we all had chalked up as automatic wins. Looking at our schedule, the only easier game than the 2 we just played is probably JMU.

 

[spider23]

I know VT is a bit of a lightning rod on this board, but he is not wrong about this year so far. Can't wait until that guy comes out with the state D1 rankings.

 

[I-M-UR]

Is it possible to be a happy and realistic person?

If you not, then you are pollyanna. For my opinion pollyanna never gets anything improved.