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watzone
07-03-2008, 12:56 PM
http://www.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080703/PREPSPORTS/807030346/1018/SPORTS

dkbaseball
07-03-2008, 01:23 PM
Well, my views on Olek are well known here, but I'll reiterate that I strongly question the evaluative skills of anybody who has watched him and doesn't think he's an elite prospect.

I don't think I've pointed out that the early season loss to Babbitt's team was due to the fact that Olek's team was temporarily in disarray. Their starting point guard, a distributor, went down with an ACL right before the season started, and the shooting guard, who hoists it every chance he gets, moved to the point. They were quite out of sync for a while, and the losses included one by 15 points to a team they later beat in the state semis by 15. By the end of the season they were 15-20 points better than Babbitt's team. Additionally, Olek never initiated any offense for his team, and was dependent on others to set up his offense, whereas Babbitt controlled the ball virtually all the time.

I fully expect to be hearing reports out of Cameron about Olek asserting himself and claiming his place in the program very shortly.

DevilDan
07-03-2008, 01:28 PM
Thanks for the update on OLEK ... glad to see he's already aboard, and working on his game for the upcoming season. His style of play--once he can earn some game minutes--could inspire his teammates to a new energy level.

I'd like to see him hit the boards, and play like a madman. Rooting for him, with 4 months to go ... !

SilkyJ
07-03-2008, 01:40 PM
He put on 15 lbs! I hope he does drop 5-7 of that so as not to lose his explosiveness. 6-8, 240/245 is plenty of meat for the ACC. (he was listed at 230/235 IIRC)

http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=8&c=1&nid=3117524

watzone
07-03-2008, 01:49 PM
All players are on campus as of last Thursday.

bludvlman
07-03-2008, 03:27 PM
I think this kid will be a huge suprise and will be a big contributer this coming season. I think he and Lance will get the most mintues inside. I think Plumlee may not live up to the hype mainly b/c his hype is mostly do to his late comment kind of like the hype with Lance.

DevilDan
07-03-2008, 06:21 PM
Back again ... I still have this gut feeling that OLEK is for real. At 6-7 (or 8), and 230-245, he can give the Devils some strength inside on both ends. I don't mind if he's rough around the edges, he can improve quickly under THIS Coach and in THIS system. I get the feeling that once this guy gets slapped on the back by his teammates and gets his confidence, he's going to BRING IT.

For you youngsters, I'll relate a short story... back in 1959, Duke brought this guy in who (a) couldn't shoot, (b) was "only" 6-5, and (c) had no foot speed ... it was a guy named ART HEYMAN, who became the scourge of the ACC for three seasons, and national Player of the Year. How? He was just RELENTLESS ...

Our guys have the chemistry, the strong work ethic, and now the experience. OLEK's inspired play (I hope not only) in practice will push them to work even harder.

I'm liking this team more and more ... GO DUKE !

Cali-Duke
07-03-2008, 07:03 PM
The best thing about Olek is his attitude. With that kind of drive and chip on his shoulder, I can see him developing at a ridiculous rate.

sagegrouse
07-03-2008, 07:35 PM
For you youngsters, I'll relate a short story... back in 1959, Duke brought this guy in who (a) couldn't shoot, (b) was "only" 6-5, and (c) had no foot speed ... it was a guy named ART HEYMAN, who became the scourge of the ACC for three seasons, and national Player of the Year. How? He was just RELENTLESS ...



Although Bubas said that Art was the fastest player on the team (and because of the playgrounds on LI, had played more basketball than even the seniors).

sagegrouse

gotham devil
07-03-2008, 09:23 PM
I think this kid will be a huge suprise and will be a big contributer this coming season. I think he and Lance will get the most mintues inside. I think Plumlee may not live up to the hype mainly b/c his hype is mostly do to his late comment kind of like the hype with Lance.

Miles Plumlee was not a late season "hype." He was consistently viewed as Stanford's top incoming prospect and, for better or worse, ranked higher than Olek Czyz. You may have been relatively ignorant of him prior to Duke's involvement with Mason Plumlee. That is an entirely other issue.

moonpie23
07-03-2008, 09:30 PM
ok...so ....remind me again....what part of any of this is "bad"?

DevilDan
07-03-2008, 10:45 PM
The answer for moonpie23's question is .... NADA. The development of OLEK and MILES can only be a catalyst in getting our frontcourt ready to rock this fall. MILES will be good going up against Brian Zoubek in practice; OLEK will be going to "war" with Kyle and Lance.

I predict out of this group of 4-5, we're going to see some improvement up front, and get a new dimension for our interior O & D ...

It's like the guy (is it Ali G?) says: "Tell me all about it... it is GOOOO(D), or is it WHACK?"

I'm thinking it is GOOOOO(D) ... Go DUKE !

ItalianDevil
07-04-2008, 06:56 AM
I really hope Olek is just half as relentless as Psycho-T. I'll be a vary happy man then.

UrinalCake
07-04-2008, 08:44 AM
I really hope Olek is just half as relentless as Psycho-T. I'll be a vary happy man then.

INFIDEL!

moonpie23
07-04-2008, 10:32 AM
i hate to admit it, but he is right.....i would love to see tyler as he is in my avatar at the end of next season as well, but thinking about what he would have been like as a dukie just tears me up......inside dominance? and he WOULD have learned to pass the ball out of the double or triple team...


sheesh..

wilko
07-04-2008, 01:57 PM
Tyler is the most Duke-like player that unc has had on its roster in some time...

Thats kind of annoying. I'd be inclined to like the guy if he wore a different uni. As it is, I wish him bad luck every time he steps on the court. Just on principle.. (You may say Im a dreamer but Im not the only one...)

Im an optimist. Im hopeful Olek can bring some attitude to the post. Dunk it like he intends to dish out bodily harm and give a compound arm fracture to anyone that trys to get in his way.

Hope he can Bang like Megeaher used to.. He is one of my all time fave Duke guys.

DevilDan
07-04-2008, 02:21 PM
Wilko, you're preaching to the Choir ... love it, same here. I want (and hope) OLEK can be the guy who puts a charge into our offense. Not dissing Lance in any way, because I want him to come out with improved skills that match his hustle, but can you imagine a frontcourt that at certain times has combinations like this on the floor: Kyle/Olek/Brian ... Kyle/Brian/Miles ... Olek/Kyle/Miles ??

The last one may be a stretch, but ... I think Kyle's experience would be key in making these trio's work. That's if Coach K chooses to put such a lineup on the floor. There's so much skill and experience now on the perimeter, that maybe he'll most likely opt to keep a 3-guard or 3-G & SF attack, per last year. Maybe at certain points of the game, he might choose to GO BIG -- a term we're not used to hearing !

This kind of "WHAT IF?" stuff is what makes the off season so much fun -- POSSIBILITIES. I think we have many, many more of those this year, than last.

I know, DREAM ON .... ha !

BD80
07-04-2008, 06:36 PM
I really hope Olek is just half as relentless as Psycho-T. I'll be a vary happy man then.

Olek can be as relentless as Psycho-T, and just a scosh more.

Better question, can Olek be half as relentless as the sycophantic announcers proclaim Physco-T to be? Psycho-T sure isn't.

I would have liked to have had Tyler at Duke, but can you imagine how hated he would have been nationally if he was a Dukie?

3rd Dukie
07-04-2008, 08:02 PM
Back again ... I still have this gut feeling that OLEK is for real. At 6-7 (or 8), and 230-245, he can give the Devils some strength inside on both ends. I don't mind if he's rough around the edges, he can improve quickly under THIS Coach and in THIS system. I get the feeling that once this guy gets slapped on the back by his teammates and gets his confidence, he's going to BRING IT.

For you youngsters, I'll relate a short story... back in 1959, Duke brought this guy in who (a) couldn't shoot, (b) was "only" 6-5, and (c) had no foot speed ... it was a guy named ART HEYMAN, who became the scourge of the ACC for three seasons, and national Player of the Year. How? He was just RELENTLESS ...

Our guys have the chemistry, the strong work ethic, and now the experience. OLEK's inspired play (I hope not only) in practice will push them to work even harder.

I'm liking this team more and more ... GO DUKE !

If this kid can bring HALF of Heyman's attitude and just plain meanness, I'll be thrilled. Christian is the only one I have seen come close. Relentless is the perfect word for him.