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Dji entering the portal

Well, you said "if you are a good player at Richmond, I think you should be a pretty good player at LSU". You said it like every good player we have had should be a pretty good player at a place like LSU. That is what I am disagreeing with. We are discussing Dji and I don't think just because he was good for us last year means he will be pretty good for LSU. Maybe he will, but you are talking like it is almost a guarantee. I am also disagreeing with your comment saying the A-10 compares to the SEC. It just doesn't.....I mean, teams like Tenn, Ky., Auburn, and Bama might question that as well.

I am not at all saying we haven’t had or will never have some players who could have done pretty good ( I guess it depends on the definition of pretty good) at a power school. But, I do think pretty much every guy who has played well for us made the right decision to play for us and not give a power school a chance.

Good lord I never said A10 is equal to SEC. u r using TN KY Auburn and Bama as example? LOL. those r the EXACT 4 schools I used as example that it wasn't about. if u r saying I think A10 overall is the SEC u haven't read anything I've ever written on here.

I'm comparing Richmond ball to LSU ball or similar. LSU is middle tier p6. I guess u can debate that a bit. Richmond is what a top 1/3 program in A10. Guess u can debate that too. & I think we underachieve. Was Richmond better than LSU last year? What do u think? I say close but I think so. I think a "good" player at a Richmond, in a higher tier of mid major can be "pretty good" at a middle tier of p6. It was a program comparison. Night in night out u get better teams in SEC conf, play better athletes 100%, but let's not go crazy either the SEC has gotten better in hoops but overrated in past. And Richmond doesn't just play A10 schools, we do play some p6 or other good programs, tho I'd wish we'd play a lot more. The guys r not floored by the level of play.

anyway I wasn't specifically talking Dji at first. & I literally said re: Dji "nothing is guaranteed". I'm really not sure how he'll do.

u will take offense at anything. U accuse people of being too negative and tell people to go find another team and then hibernate for the season. But I'm the 1 being positive on our players & richmond level of play, u r not. Ironic.

If I can go back and rewrite what I wrote in any way to correct, please advise and I will consider, I freely admit it was not perfect language.
 
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Why do you get so angry? We were having what I thought was a good back and forth where we disagreed ( it happens, not everyone will agree), and you take it to this level? Why? Anyway, here is what you posted.....I don't know how it can be interpreted any other way:

"And if UR a good player at UR, I think you should be pretty good at a LSU too. we were better than LSU last year. Yes u face better athletes game in game out in SEC, but overall it's not that much different bball level."

How would you expect anyone to interpret anything other than you think the A-10 is similar to the SEC?
 
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I already explained it all…I don’t know maybe there should have been a period instead of a comma in the last sentence u quoted or everything after the But should have been 1st. Idk.

I was trying to compare the bball levels of Richmond & LSU not A10 and SEC. There is a bigger gap between the latter than there is the former. But the good players can play in it fine.

Fire Bennett Extend Mooney!

Ok I feel better now. Back to Hot Ones level 1.
 
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Best of luck Dji. Really enjoyed watching you play and am glad you’re a UR alumni now.

Without factoring in the NIL payment, I’m going on record that I think this is a poor choice. Thought the same for Burton last year. Hope I’m wrong.
 
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Richmond players can play at the SEC level skill-wise, but many can't compete at that level due to positional size or athleticism. Burton could jump out of the gym but for some reason that didn't transalte into lateral mobility. Dji has that. his defense will translate.

I think he'll do well at LSU. hope I'm right.
 
I greatly appreciate Dji contribution to the team while at Richmond and think I understand why he is transferring. I have nothing against Dji, who is a fine young man, but I will not be rooting for him at his new school. I will save my efforts to current U of R players and those transferring in.
 
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Graduate transfers have been happening forever so this part of the current landscape at least is nothing new 🤷‍♂️
grad transfers when someone redshirted, sure.
but every senior getting an extra year is pretty new. and just about over.
 
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Graduate transfers have been happening forever so this part of the current landscape at least is nothing new 🤷‍♂️

I don't think I would call it forever, started in 2006. Old news compared to current landscape so might feel that way. But in early days of grad transfers, it wasn't used that much. Of course originally designed to be academic reasons. and u had to transfer somewhere where a grad program was offered that your current school didn't. but easily manipulated. & that part of rule was dropped. Most r not getting grad degrees out of it anyway. but it was maybe 5 or so years before it really took off. Last 10+ years pretty crazy. The covid year gone will normalize a bit, it will then be back to players who had any kind of redshirt (more likely in football). I really think coaches will slow roll players from potentially graduating early. Which is not easy, unless u r really smart and come in with lot of credits, but all the summer sessions makes possible. Schools could easily cut out a session just for fear that a player gets on track to grad early. & the coaches can have them show up in summer with or without the classes.
 
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Yep, rooted for Burton at Nova will root for Dji at LSU. 4 year guys who got there degree from UR, they gave us all we can ask for a college player to give.
Agree 100%. It doesn't matter if his dad and I don't get along, I respect the heck out of Dji. He battled for 4 years, coming back from injuries, in the lineup, out of the lineup, good minutes, little minutes, no minutes. He hung in there through it all, still didn't start at the beginning of his senior year, kept at it, moved into the starting lineup and had a great final year. Without the right attitude through it all, no way does he have the year he had.

So, good luck to Dji next year.
 
Lots of love for Dji and family has been shown. I too wish Dji and his family only the best. Without Dji’s contributions this season I am certain we would not have been regular season A10 Co Champs. My only regret is that my family and me never got a chance to meet in person. I remain hopeful that can happen in the future. I, for one, will be following Dji’s SEC experience.
 
Nice write-up and some good quotes

“For his final year of eligibility, Bailey decided he wanted to transfer to a place that gave him a legitimate chance to make the NCAA Tournament and play basketball professionally.”

Wonder who will take offense to this quote….
 
I'm more interested in the fact that he "consulted with David West" who we apparently have to thank for his improvement senior year? Is this the same guy as our X nemesis?

"Bailey consulted former NBA player David West, who’d been his AAU coach for the Garner Road Bulldogs. West recommended he change his diet, take certain supplements and spend more time in the gym"
 
RVA - those quotes piqued my interest as well. LSU under McMahon - two years sub .500 record. Also article mentions: "So much roster shakeup". Does not sound like a recipe for a super legit NCAA chance. Of course if you have a good year in SEC you have a good chance to dance, obviously we tied for first in the A10 and were not very close. Player development for the pros. Article mentions McMahon and Ja Morant. I mean I am pretty sure that myself or Gkiller could have coached Morant and he would have been drafted. Hopefully McMahon does not get credit for his life choices.
In any case I am not knocking Dji for taking the opportunity to play at an SEC school. If he does shoot 40% from 3 and fix his shot we will have to wonder about our player development. But again, per sdad, issues with his shot could very well be attributable to his injuries, and another year of that behind him may make the difference as well.
 
I'm more interested in the fact that he "consulted with David West" who we apparently have to thank for his improvement senior year? Is this the same guy as our X nemesis?

"Bailey consulted former NBA player David West, who’d been his AAU coach for the Garner Road Bulldogs. West recommended he change his diet, take certain supplements and spend more time in the gym"
SpiderDad mentioned a bunch that West had been his coach.
 
RVA - those quotes piqued my interest as well. LSU under McMahon - two years sub .500 record. Also article mentions: "So much roster shakeup". Does not sound like a recipe for a super legit NCAA chance. Of course if you have a good year in SEC you have a good chance to dance, obviously we tied for first in the A10 and were not very close. Player development for the pros. Article mentions McMahon and Ja Morant. I mean I am pretty sure that myself or Gkiller could have coached Morant and he would have been drafted. Hopefully McMahon does not get credit for his life choices.
In any case I am not knocking Dji for taking the opportunity to play at an SEC school. If he does shoot 40% from 3 and fix his shot we will have to wonder about our player development. But again, per sdad, issues with his shot could very well be attributable to his injuries, and another year of that behind him may make the difference as well.

"Hopefully McMahon does not get credit for his life choices" - nice 23 I lol'd at that one.

Good article. it kinda acted like the LSU coaches after offseason workouts identified more arc on his shot. Dji has always had a flat shot so I sure hope that was a focus area by our coaches. if we see a higher arcing shot u do question our player development. but I'll call it shooting development, I think we do have player development, but shooting fundamentals and technique I've long thought has been a UR weakness. I don't think LSU is counting too much on Dji 3 ball but he'll help in other ways we saw up close.

its a little baffling that per Moon we have one of the top basketball programs in the nation and players think they have to go to LSU for a legitimate chance to make the NCAA tournament. thats a culture/urgency thing but I know that will upset some ppl here.
 
"Hopefully McMahon does not get credit for his life choices" - nice 23 I lol'd at that one.

Good article. it kinda acted like the LSU coaches after offseason workouts identified more arc on his shot. Dji has always had a flat shot so I sure hope that was a focus area by our coaches. if we see a higher arcing shot u do question our player development. but I'll call it shooting development, I think we do have player development, but shooting fundamentals and technique I've long thought has been a UR weakness. I don't think LSU is counting too much on Dji 3 ball but he'll help in other ways we saw up close.

its a little baffling that per Moon we have one of the top basketball programs in the nation and players think they have to go to LSU for a legitimate chance to make the NCAA tournament. thats a culture/urgency thing but I know that will upset some ppl here.
Disagree on his comment of having to go to lsu to have better shot at pro ball. We have done quite well there. But the other comment re ncaa appearances is true.
 
“For his final year of eligibility, Bailey decided he wanted to transfer to a place that gave him a legitimate chance to make the NCAA Tournament and play basketball professionally.”

Wonder who will take offense to this quote….
At the same time? Is Will Wade back?
 
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Agree - every other team got the extra year too - which is why you can only count one of them.

Plus - no invites to the tourney were handed out that year at all. Its different than the following year where VCU got invited, but then DQ because of positive COVID tests. I would argue they MADE the tourney - cause they got the invite.

But in 2020 - no tourney, no invites, nothing. Got the extra year, like everyone else, and UR cashed in on extra year and made the tourney. So it nets out.
 
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if we sucked in 2019-20 but made the tournament in 21-22, you'd give us credit for a great 21-22 season.
well we also had a great year in 2019-20. it happened. I saw it. give that team credit for it.

sometimes you sound like one of those "all that matters is March" guys. that's fine if you are but to me that's for more of a casual fan who shows up at the end of the year for water cooler glory. you and me and everyone else here think about this stuff 12 months a year. the ride matters.
 
if we sucked in 2019-20 but made the tournament in 21-22, you'd give us credit for a great 21-22 season.
well we also had a great year in 2019-20. it happened. I saw it. give that team credit for it.

sometimes you sound like one of those "all that matters is March" guys. that's fine if you are but to me that's for more of a casual fan who shows up at the end of the year for water cooler glory. you and me and everyone else here think about this stuff 12 months a year. the ride matters.
I do count both but I’m not sure how you can be certain either way.
If we went in 2020 and no extra year, we would have a different team in 2022…and so would everyone else.
Why is everyone certain they know the outcome of all different teams playing each other?
 
I do count both but I’m not sure how you can be certain either way.
If we went in 2020 and no extra year, we would have a different team in 2022…and so would everyone else.
Why is everyone certain they know the outcome of all different teams playing each other?
no sure I understand what you're asking.
 
no sure I understand what you're asking.
I’m asking why if there was no Covid and so some players for every team moved on, why does everyone seem certain they know how well we would do in that situation.

Ie no Covid and we make ncaa in 2020, sone say we couldn’t make it in 2022, some say we would surely make it in 2022.

I say there are too many variables to know…
 
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if we sucked in 2019-20 but made the tournament in 21-22, you'd give us credit for a great 21-22 season.
well we also had a great year in 2019-20. it happened. I saw it. give that team credit for it.

sometimes you sound like one of those "all that matters is March" guys. that's fine if you are but to me that's for more of a casual fan who shows up at the end of the year for water cooler glory. you and me and everyone else here think about this stuff 12 months a year. the ride matters.
I am not saying we didn't have a good year in 19-20. The team certainly did. But where it loses me is when people say - count that as a tourney year, we would have made it. I think we have a very good shot at making the tourney that year - but if we did and no COVID happened - those guys are not around in 21-22 and who knows what kind of team we have then. So fine to say it was a good year, but not fine in my opinion to count it as an NCAA year. It was not an NCAA year for ANYONE.
 
I am not saying we didn't have a good year in 19-20. The team certainly did. But where it loses me is when people say - count that as a tourney year, we would have made it. I think we have a very good shot at making the tourney that year - but if we did and no COVID happened - those guys are not around in 21-22 and who knows what kind of team we have then. So fine to say it was a good year, but not fine in my opinion to count it as an NCAA year. It was not an NCAA year for ANYONE.
agreed it wasn't an NCAA year. we'll never know. I'd like to think we make it in 19-20 without covid, and then 20-21 goes a heck of a lot better as well. 21-22 surely wouldn't have been the same.
 
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