Im not bummed about this season,im more excited for next season.
As I've said before on this forum,Gerald Henderson will have his #15 jersey retired because next season will be his chance to be the go-to guy hopefully if he returns healthy from wrist surgery.
How far we go next season depends on Brian Zoubek at C,if he can put up at least 11/6 then we should be tough to beat.
According to this article, he has a 2-year guaranteed contract (you have to scroll down quite a ways). http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_yl...yhoo&type=lgns
A 1-year with an option for the team may be the norm for NBA 2nd rounder draft picks, but it appears The Blazers gave Josh two.
EarlJam, you don't think Josh would have been a more effective scorer than the 9ppg we got between Lance, Z, and McClure combined?
To everyone, I get he would have hurt chemistry. Do you think that would have translated to losing in the 1st round again this year? Or would results have been similar or better?
Enjoyment in watching the team might be another factor... Though I don't think I would have minded watching the team with him that much (I enjoyed the last year with him on the team, unlike a lot of people). It wasn't to be, obviously, but I think it would have been fun to watch the team this year with him included.
It's to your latter point that I speak. I think he would have disturbed the team's chemistry to the point that our team PPG avg. would have been lower than it was.
As for Tourney results, well, hard to argue with your point there. With Josh we probably at least make it as far as we did this year, but not much further. Then he would have left and our team would not have developed the chemistry that will serve us so well next year.
-EarlJam
P.S. Has there ever been a Duke player whose early departure has sparked so much conversation? It's like we can't shake this whole "Osh Kosh McJosh" thing.
If Lance or Z had been more effective this year, if B. Wright, Patterson, Monroe, or Echenique had come, or if the team had gone Sweet 16 or better, then the Josh sitcheation would likely have gone the way of the dodo. As it stands... hopefully Lance, Z, or Czyz will have people stand up and take notice. If not... expect more of the Josh discussions from people next year.
I'm in disagreement with the first part of the statement, "The agent who told him to leave early really needs to explain himself for costing us an offensive presence in the post..." Despite what we'd like to believe, Duke players do not play for us. They play for themselves, for the enjoyment of the game, and for a chance at making the NBA. The fact that we are entertained by what they do is merely a side effect. Why should McRoberts' agent have any obligation whatsoever to us as fans? I realize that as die-hard fans we feel like we're a part of the team and are vested in all that happens, but we should also try to keep things in perspective.
With regards to the second part of the original poster's statement, that the agent hurt McRoberts's career, it's hard to really say if that's true. Maybe if he stayed another year he wouldn't have gotten drafted at all. And maybe he'll wind up sticking around the NBA after all, with the potential for a larger contract that would start a year sooner than if he had stayed.
Answer:
http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/im...es_452x392.jpg
That's L.C. from the Hills.
McClure when healthy can play great D. Lance IS athletic, he merely needs strenth and someone to throw him tons of passes between now Oct., imo.
Well said, UrinalCake. I love my alma mater, but the idea that I "owe" Duke something is silly.
Dunleavy.P.S. Has there ever been a Duke player whose early departure has sparked so much conversation? It's like we can't shake this whole "Osh Kosh McJosh" thing.
I can't say McRoberts didn't play with passion. He always looked like he was playing his butt off. But his body language was AWFUL. He'd make a great pass, the guy he passed to would miss, and he'd roll his eyes, drop his shoulders, etc. Basically, HOW DARE YOU MISS THAT SHOT???
My main gripe with him was, if you hate seeing guys miss shots, then take over. Score. Be aggressive. He wasn't offensively aggressive enough. Had he looked for his own shots more, he could have been a force. But he was content with passing and rebounding.
Funny thing is, that would have been PERFECT this year. He would have had the shooters to pass to. He would have had help down low in Z and Thomas. And he could have come over and played weak-side defense on the post players, swatting shots and grabbing much needed rebounds.
But, he obviously thought he was ready for the big time. Unfortunately, his play hasn't showed that. He's sulking in Idaho, then riding the pine in Portland.
Something tells me he'll be in Europe soon.
it always struck me as odd about the timing of his announcement. It was EXACTLY down to the millisecond for Coach K urgently needing to tell Patrick Patterson "if you come, you will be the man"....
Josh McRoberts - "hey man, where's our next game?"
Joe forte - "i dunno, Debuque i think"
Josh McRoberts - "dood, slide over, you're hoggin the seat"
While he did make an occasional outside shot, watching him shoot during warmups was really striking. He really didn't have an effective outside shot at all, and had a slow release to boot. Brick city basically. Part of the problem may have been that he's not really left handed, although that certainly hasn't hurt Taylor King.
I always thought that a hook shot would have been perfect for him since he really didn't have post up moves either.
Despite all that, with an attitude check he would have been perfect for this team, but that's like saying that with an extra 50 IQ points I would be brilliant.
I agree with this sentinment...but I think the reason is simple. and his name is Tyler Hansbrough.
Both Duke and Carolina recruited top flight big men who came in the same year. Ours didn't develop as well as we would have liked and went pro after two years. Theirs became a monster in the paint - and is exactly the type of player we don't have. And he became a 1st team all american the same year our guy was riding the bench for the Idaho Stampede.
Agreed, but the endless twiddling about JMcBob all comes down to this: he didn't want to play for Duke anymore. Whether he would have developed into a deep blue Mr Intensity seems highly unlikely, but, lordy, he just wanted out.
JMcB might love that we're all still chewing on this gristle but I highly doubt Kyle would have had the room to perform as beautifully as he did with a certain someone glowering at him from way up top of the key (and out of position.)
Sorry if this irritates some people.
He wasn't playing for himself, he was playing for the university. The school gave him a scholarship to play basketball. As an amateur player, he didn't have an agent - he had agents wooing him, sure, but you can't hire an agent and still be an amateur.
I don't want players who play for themselves rather than play for the school. As such, I think that getting one-and-doners is a bad idea. You build individual's brands and help market the NBA, but it does little to build the institution. It's not college basketball's job to build NBA brand or careers.
I think I made it pretty clear: "First time I've seen a guy at Duke act like a Carolina player with that attitude he had". If you're a Carolina fan, you're probably not gonna get it, b/c you're used to your guys acting that way. When a Duke player has that kind of attitude, namely showing disdain for his teammates, with a me (and not my team) against the world mindset, it's really shocking.