I'd rather focus on the players coming back and coming in.

[Norm Peterson]

Anyone who thinks this program is a dumpster fire needs to either chill out or go back to the Creighton board.

 

There are three categories of players:  1) those who have officially announced they're not returning; 2) those about whom speculation continues to swirl; and 3) those whom we presumably expect to return (or arrive).

 

That last group -- the guys we think are coming back and those who are coming in -- there's something they have in common that the guys who leave do not:  They want to be here.  That's good, ain't it?

 

Among the players in that last group, you do NOT have ...

• Guys that people are always complaining about their "body language."
• Guys whose measurables suggest they should fit a certain spot but who, for whatever reason, have never developed the skills required of that spot.
• Guys who seem to put "I" before "team."

 

So, who do we have coming back?

• I like that Shields kid.
• Benny Parker, who chose to accept a reserve role rather than transfer somewhere that might offer more playing time.  And then he fought like hell to EARN more playing time.
• Tai, the guy who accepted a demotion from the starting lineup and still brought it on the defensive end of the floor.
• Andrew White who lights it up from deep and about whom I've never heard so much as a whisper about character issues.
• Jacob Hammond.  Have you SEEN him play?  Or are you only looking at the minutes he didn't play?  Because when he was on the floor, he battled.
• Nick Fuller.  Might never see a lot of floor time, but high character kid who will give the program whatever's asked of him.  At the very LEAST, he provides us with a situational shooter.

 

And who do we have coming in?

• Oh, just, y'know, the 51st and 69th best recruits in the nation per ESPN.  A power forward and a point guard.  So, just exactly like year 1 of Tim Miles when we brought in a different power forward-point guard combo.  Just like year 1.  In fact, I can't see ANY DIFFERENCE WHATSOEVER ...
• Except ... we also bring in a kid whom Miles has described as a 190% shooter.  But, y'know Miles, he's always prone to hyperbole when he describes his recruits, right?
• Oh, and a PF from Waukee, Iowa who was among the top recruits in Iowa.

 

And now, y'know what?  We have some room for some more guys who want to be here.  So, all is not lost.  Just sayin'.

[Huskerpapa]

Building a program...we all wish it could take place overnight, but it sometimes takes time.  Good insight Norm, I choose to be on the optimistic side and have placed my rose colored glasses on my face.

[ajb5856]

Woot woot!

[hal9000]

Among the players in that last group, you do NOT have ...

• Guys that people are always complaining about their "body language."
• Guys whose measurables suggest they should fit a certain spot but who, for whatever reason, have never developed the skills required of that spot.
• Guys who seem to put "I" before "team."

I'll stick up for TP here, assuming you are referring to him.  Besides the obvious fact that he wants to play in the NBA, and that he would leave if he were given assurance that this would happen with this year's draft, I've never heard (and would not assume) that he doesn't want to be here. 

[Norm Peterson]

 

Among the players in that last group, you do NOT have ...

• Guys that people are always complaining about their "body language."
• Guys whose measurables suggest they should fit a certain spot but who, for whatever reason, have never developed the skills required of that spot.
• Guys who seem to put "I" before "team."

I'll stick up for TP here, assuming you are referring to him.  Besides the obvious fact that he wants to play in the NBA, and that he would leave if he were given assurance that this would happen with this year's draft, I've never heard (and would not assume) that he doesn't want to be here. 

 

Anyone who leaves of their own volition would rather be somewhere else than here, even if that somewhere else is the NBA.

 

If he returns, then I'll say he'd rather be here than elsewhere.

[HuskerFever]

Anyone who thinks this program is a dumpster fire needs to either chill out or go back to the Creighton board.

 

I went over there, but all I could find were discussions about the upcoming football season.

 

[sorry, I had to... let the original thread topic proceed.]

[HuskerFever]

Building a program...we all wish it could take place overnight, but it sometimes takes time.  Good insight Norm, I choose to be on the optimistic side and have placed my rose colored glasses on my face.

 

I think that's the biggest thing that people are so "upset" about after hearing the news of all these transfers. We all want to see building years, not rebuilding years. Do these recent events set us back again? Time will tell. I like Norm's approach; just look at what you have and go from there.

[Minnesota_Husker]

Love what you have to say... Here is the thing with guys like Benny Parker and David Rivers(sad to lose his hustle) They played hard and understood there role.

 

They didnt need to score points to help the team and they were ok with that. That is what we need out of these guys. Understand your role on this team and work 100% within yourself.

 

Tai Webster did that near the end. He wants to be the stud on this team.. He wants to be the guy people chant his name and so he tried so hard to be that guy by scoring a lot of points... All of a sudden, he realizes(probably via being benched) that he isnt that player... He started working hard on the defensive side.. he ran the plays hard and worked harder without the ball in his hands... All of a sudden he started hitting open shots.. he started making free throws... 

 

Tai's character was tested and the kid fough tooth and nail and I have to say i am ecstatic because he will be a leader on this team for the next couple years. No he probably wont be the player we had hoped he would be, but he is becoming a leader.

 

 

That is the type of guys I want. If Tarin Smith didnt like his place on the depth chart, and left becaus eof it...then good riddance.

 

We have multiple guys who know if they dont go balls to the walls they wont play... I hope that we keep adding guys with motors like that. 

 

I want to see Hammond do that.. just go all out kid.. make them play you.

 

 

And we are adding 4 good kids, and hopefully those 4 have the motor to push themselves... 

[Huskerpapa]

Love what you have to say... Here is the thing with guys like Benny Parker and David Rivers(sad to lose his hustle) They played hard and understood there role.

 

They didnt need to score points to help the team and they were ok with that. That is what we need out of these guys. Understand your role on this team and work 100% within yourself.

 

Tai Webster did that near the end. He wants to be the stud on this team.. He wants to be the guy people chant his name and so he tried so hard to be that guy by scoring a lot of points... All of a sudden, he realizes(probably via being benched) that he isnt that player... He started working hard on the defensive side.. he ran the plays hard and worked harder without the ball in his hands... All of a sudden he started hitting open shots.. he started making free throws... 

 

Tai's character was tested and the kid fough tooth and nail and I have to say i am ecstatic because he will be a leader on this team for the next couple years. No he probably wont be the player we had hoped he would be, but he is becoming a leader.

 

 

That is the type of guys I want. If Tarin Smith didnt like his place on the depth chart, and left becaus eof it...then good riddance.

 

We have multiple guys who know if they dont go balls to the walls they wont play... I hope that we keep adding guys with motors like that. 

 

I want to see Hammond do that.. just go all out kid.. make them play you.

 

 

And we are adding 4 good kids, and hopefully those 4 have the motor to push themselves... 

Although...I am not 100% convinced that David actually grasped his role...hence those long periods of time that he oftentimes spent on the bench.  Yes he hustled...Yes he was a glue player.  But he would catch heat because of something, and then would find himself sitting for long periods of time.  You rarely saw Benny sitting for an extended period of time.  Benny understood his role and attempted to fill that role and took his shots, his downfall is/was his outside shot...nothing more, nothing less.

[Jugular]

I agree with most everything you are saying Norm. With that said, Shavon's body language got progressively worse and in my opinion by season's end, it was the worst on the team.

 

 

Among the players in that last group, you do NOT have ...

• Guys that people are always complaining about their "body language."
• Guys whose measurables suggest they should fit a certain spot but who, for whatever reason, have never developed the skills required of that spot.
• Guys who seem to put "I" before "team."

 

So, who do we have coming back?

• I like that Shields kid.
• Benny Parker, who chose to accept a reserve role rather than transfer somewhere that might offer more playing time.  And then he fought like hell to EARN more playing time.
• Tai, the guy who accepted a demotion from the starting lineup and still brought it on the defensive end of the floor.
• Andrew White who lights it up from deep and about whom I've never heard so much as a whisper about character issues.
• Jacob Hammond.  Have you SEEN him play?  Or are you only looking at the minutes he didn't play?  Because when he was on the floor, he battled.
• Nick Fuller.  Might never see a lot of floor time, but high character kid who will give the program whatever's asked of him.  At the very LEAST, he provides us with a situational shooter.

 

And who do we have coming in?

• Oh, just, y'know, the 51st and 79th best recruits in the nation per ESPN.  A power forward and a point guard.  So, just exactly like year 1 of Tim Miles when we brought in a different power forward-point guard combo.  Just like year 1.  In fact, I can't see ANY DIFFERENCE WHATSOEVER ...
• Except ... we also bring in a kid whom Miles has described as a 190% shooter.  But, y'know Miles, he's always prone to hyperbole when he describes his recruits, right?
• Oh, and a PF from Waukee, Iowa who was among the top recruits in Iowa.

 

And now, y'know what?  We have some room for some more guys who want to be here.  So, all is not lost.  Just sayin'.

[49r]

 

Anyone who thinks this program is a dumpster fire needs to either chill out or go back to the Creighton board.

 

I went over there, but all I could find were discussions about the upcoming football season.

 

[sorry, I had to... let the original thread topic proceed.]

 

 

I really hate to go into this anywhere...particularly in a thread that discusses and encapsulates my feelings toward the current state of Husker Hoops affairs to a T, but...

 

They actually do have a thread over on their board entitled "Nebrasketball" in which most of them (including who I suspect is our own bleujay, AKA "Jaysker12" on the BJU) are taking great joy in giggling and dancing on our (or at least coach Miles') grave over recent events over the past couple of days in Lincoln.

 

Or, at least they were, until whispered reports of Leon Gilmore considering leaving surfaced recently, and that's distracted them some.  Anyway, it got me thinking about that old proverb about glass houses and stones and whatnot...

 

---

 

Okay, back to the current topic of discussion!

 

Great thread Norm, I also agree 100% with the message you are sending.  I will, however, reserve most of my opinions on people coming and going until it all shakes out...or I'll try to anyway.

[49r]

Norm...

 

Sounds like Beau Reid is in the same camp as you on this subject.

 

http://board.huskerhoopscentral.com/topic/2492-the-official-media-thread/?p=113314

[AuroranHusker]

• Except ... we also bring in a kid whom Miles has described as a 190% shooter.  But, y'know Miles, he's always prone to hyperbole when he describes his recruits, right?

 

Point of clarification, Miles indicated a "180 shooter" which is typically described as a shooter who makes 90% FT, 50% FG & 40% 3-FG.

[49r]

Yeah, Norm.

 

190% is just totally unreasonable!

 

 

 

[AuroranHusker]

I agree with most everything you are saying Norm. With that said, Shavon's body language got progressively worse and in my opinion by season's end, it was the worst on the team.

 

 

 

Among the players in that last group, you do NOT have ...

• Guys that people are always complaining about their "body language."
• Guys whose measurables suggest they should fit a certain spot but who, for whatever reason, have never developed the skills required of that spot.
• Guys who seem to put "I" before "team."

 

 

Guess it's a matter of opinion, I don't think Shavon complained unless it was a valid reason. He got mugged in a few games with no call whatsoever. Even at SS's worst this season, he is not the worst complainer on the team, IMHO.

[AuroranHusker]

Yeah, Norm.

 

190% is just totally unreasonable!

 

 

 

 

180 is legit, though.